Local News – Thursday, March 4th, 2021
The Dent County Fire Protection District board of directors met Tuesday evening at the fire station at #2 South Main. After approval of the consent agenda minutes from the January meeting were reviewed and approved as presented. During the financial report the board reviewed and approved bills and was shown to have an ending balance of $278,177.66. The district is currently hosting the Salem Memorial District Hospital in partners with the Dent County Health Center for provide Covid vaccinations through the month of March and the road rally participants will be the district on March 18th to start check-ins. The monthly reimbursement report which showed a total of 28 calls for month including seven structure fires, two brush fires, two car fires, two vehicle accidents, one first responder call, five haz-mat calls, two training calls and five calls listed as other. The department also responded to one fire alarm. Calls responded to year-to-date stand at 66 with the average cost per call of $106.25. Chief Nash reported to the board that Engine 85 has still not been repaired from the door damage and he is still waiting on the insurance company. Nash also reported that the current projects in work for the district are the repair of the ceilings in the laundry room, the back restroom, and the gear room. Before adjourning the board set the date for the next meeting for Tuesday, April 6th at 6:00 at the fire station. That meeting is open to the public.
The Salem Memorial District Hospital will be conducting health fair screenings now through March 15th at the Salem Memorial District Hospital Campus. The screenings will take place Monday through Friday and start at 6:00 each morning and continue until 10:00 a.m. This is a great opportunity to have various tests conducted such as the health fair profile, diabetes A1c test, a thyroid test, a prostate test, a urine test, bone density test and a Vitamin D test. These tests will allow each person tested to find out about your overall health or head off potential future health problems by taking the appropriate steps based on your test results. In an effort to comply with social distancing and to maintain a safer environment SMDH will pre-register and schedule the health fair screening to be performed at the facility. Participants will enter at the north entrance of the hospital and be COVID screened. Since patients will already be registered fees will be collected and consent forms will be signed prior to testing. To schedule your appointment as well as pre-register, please call Karen Brown at 573-729-6626 Monday through Friday from 8:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon.
The Phelps County Public Housing Agency (PHA) will host a public hearing to accept comments on the PHA’s annual plan at 10:00 in the morning on
Monday, March 8th at the MRPC offices located at #4 Industrial Drive in St. James. The Phelps County PHA provides HUD Section 8 rental assistance to persons in the counties of Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps (outside the city of Rolla) and Washington. The plan is a comprehensive guide to PHA policies, programs, operations and strategies for meeting local housing needs and goals. There are two parts to the PHA plan: the five-year plan, which each PHA submits to HUD once every fifth PHA fiscal year, and the annual plan, which is submitted to HUD every year by non-qualified agencies. The plan is available for review at Meramec Regional Planning Commission/Phelps County PHA, now through March 8th. Written comments will be accepted through March 8th and can be submitted to MRPC to the attention of Donald Keeney, PHA Program Manager. Persons needing more information or a link to attend the meeting by Zoom should contact Keeney at 573-265-4200. Anyone needing special accommodations for the public hearing should contact Keeney by this Friday.
More than 5,400 anglers visited Bennett Spring, Montauk and Roaring River state parks on opening day of trout season. The catch-and-keep trout season Monday monring. Based on trout tag sales, 1,709 anglers visited Bennett Spring State Park near Lebanon, 1,793 anglers visited Montauk State Park near Salem, and 1,956 anglers visited Roaring River State Park near Cassville. This year’s total is lower than 2020 numbers by nearly 2,000. A breakdown of trout tag counts and photos from the day are available at mostateparks.com/TroutOpening2021. The catch-and-keep trout season continues through October 31st. Trout season in Missouri is a cooperative effort of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, which manages state parks, and the Missouri Department of Conservation, which operates the hatcheries and stocks the streams with trout.
The Healthy Dent County Fitness Center is reminding everyone that they are welcome to come take a tour of the facility, work out at the Fitness Center for FREE and meet the staff through Friday, March 5th. With the addition of the new basketball gymnasium and expansion of the fitness center, they want to offer tours and provide information regarding available all types of membership opportunities. The fitness center, gymnasium and classes are FREE only through this Friday. The Healthy Dent County Fitness Center is located in the Salem Community Center @ the Armory at 1200 W. Rolla Road in Salem. For additional information please call 739-1127 or 729-8163.
Mayor Brad Nash of the City of Salem called a special meeting of the Salem Board of Aldermen for Thursday night at 8:45 in the city hall council chambers. At the meeting, the board will go into closed session to discuss personnel and the attorney/client privilege. The meeting is NOT open to the public.