Local News – Wednesday, April 24th, 2024
Three Salem High School students will be performing at the MSHSAA Music Festival in Columbia on Friday. They are junior Xander During who will play the Bass Clarinet, sophomore Thomas Harris who will play the Euphonium and freshman Mason Tomnitz who will also play the Euphonium. The event will include 4,199 individual and group performances representing 358 schools. The state-level festival has an evaluative purpose during which students perform before some of the nation’s top music adjudicators who provide critiques and ratings of the students’ musical abilities. Festival participants qualified by earning an Exemplary rating at their respective district-level festival. Congratulations to these students!!
The City of Salem’s Park and Recreation Board met Monday to consider a property trade. The trade was requested by members of the Salem Board of Aldermen. They wanted the Salem Parks and Recreation Board to consider trading the “old fairgrounds property” for the five acres on 10th Street known as the “old middle school property.” With all Park and Recreation Board members present, they voted to not make the trade. The Park board members felt it was not in the best interest of the Park and Recreation Department to trade the property that was originally obtained to be the future soccer field site. They felt the current “old fairgrounds property” is still best property to be developed for a soccer complex.
The Dent County Health Center (DCHC) Board of Trustees met April 18th for their monthly meeting. Administrator Zach Moser presented the Service and Statistics report. In the Communicable Disease Report, he stated that there were ten COVID-19 cases reported, 39 lead cases, 13 screenings for sexually transmitted infections, 31 cases of Influenza and six animal bites. The environmental report by Assistant Administrator Roma Jones showed two total inspections conducted, one recall, no sewer complaints, and nine environmental questions were fielded. A town-hall meeting and informational session is being planned for May 30th to provide information and to answer questions about the new Consumer Food Safety Regulation. The Maternal-Child Health (MCH) statistics showed there were three car-seats distributed, one CPR Course held, no consultations for Childcare Health, no Show-Me Healthy Women appointments, 22 Title X appointments, one Presumptive Eligibilities (Temporary Medicaid) and 339 WIC appointments. The Community-Specific Services Summary showed 518 total appointments other than WIC, 132 Nurse Practitioner appointments, 97 treatment court visits, 220 lab appointments and 65 immunization appointments. Nurse Practitioner Service Details showed no Show-Me Health Women appointments, seven family plannings, no well-child visits, 15 online appointments, three other physicals, 17 SEMO physicals, seven other visits, and 82 acute illness appointments. Laboratory details showed 253 individual patients, 16 appointments for Rapid Test for COVID, Flu, RSV or Strep, one pregnancy test and three lead tests. Immunizations for February totaled 15 for COVID-19, 11 for Influenza, and 92 other vaccines, including the new RSV vaccine and new formulations of pneumonia vaccine. In the Administrator’s report, Moser noted letters will be going out to all food establishments soon about the May 30th town-hall meeting. The new regulations and fees will become effective July 1st. He also reported that the DCHC will conduct a Health Fair May 3rd from 7:00 in the morning until 1:00 in the afternoon. Moser presented his final report on the feasibility of the staff created revenue generating ideas. The Health Center financial reports for March, including the report from H & R Block, were reviewed. Discussion was held on the balance sheet, income statement, and budget statements. After these questions were answered, the financial reports and the report from H & R Block were approved. In new business the City of Salem water quality was discussed. Moser reported on the timeline of the water quality issue. DCHC involvement started last summer. Given the importance of water quality to public health, the complaints were taken seriously and investigated. DCHC conducted tests of samples and evaluated the results according to federal standards. Moser discussed the results with concerned citizens and with the Salem News, generating two news articles on the topic. Though occasional cloudiness and deposits continue to be an issue in some areas, these have been determined to be primarily iron and aluminum, which do not pose a significant threat to public health. DCHC will continue to monitor the situation. The Board went in to closed session at 6:21 and returned to open session at 7:50, having discussed personnel matters and authorized the administrator to enter into a retention agreement. After returning to open session a motion was passed to increase the consulting fee budget by $4,500.00. The next regular meeting of the Board was set for Thursday, May 16th at 5:00.
Unused or expired medications will be able to be disposed of safely during drug “Take Back Day” this Saturday, April 27th from 10:00 in the morning until 2:00 in the afternoon. You may bring unused or expired medications to either Country Mart or Wal-Mart parking lots for them to be disposed of properly and safely. “Take Back Day” is sponsored by a partnership with the Salem Police Department, the Dent County Sheriff Department, and Healthy Dent County Prevention Coalition.