Local News – Wednesday, August 26th, 2020
The Dent County Health Center reports more COVID-19 cases were identified since last Thursday which brings the Dent County total to 35. There are currently six active cases. To reduce risk and prevent the spread of COVID-19, they encourage you to please continue to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol, wear a mask when a distance of 6 feet cannot be maintained, stay home if you are sick, cover coughs and sneezes, clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces frequently and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands. If you have any questions, please call the office at 729-3106.
The following reports from August 14th and 15th have been released by the Dent County Sheriff’s Office. On Friday, August 14th, a deputy was near a residence on North Hickory Street when he observed a 41-year-old Salem man the he knew to have active warrants through Dent County. The man was arrested and transported to the Dent County Jail where he was incarcerated. Later that same day, Deputies arrived in the 1700 block of Dent County Road 4110 and located a 46-year-old Salem man who had active arrest warrants through Dent County. The man was arrested and transported to the Dent County Jail where he was incarcerated. On Saturday, August 15th, a deputy traveled to a residence in the 600 block of West Jack Street to serve an arrest warrant. Deputies arrived at the residence and during the course of the incident, a 35-year-old Salem man was arrested for active warrants through Probation and Parole. He was transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. Finally on the 15th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop in the 42000 block of Highway 72. During the course of the traffic stop, a 25-year-old Springfield woman was arrested for an active warrant through Cabool Police Department. The woman was transported to the Dent County Jail where she later posted bond and was released. If anyone has information on an ongoing investigation, please contact the Dent County Sheriff’s office at 729-3241.
The Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) Rural Opioid Initiative in partnership with Mid-MO Addiction Awareness Group (MAAG) will host an opioid use disorder awareness walk in Salem this Saturday, August 29th, beginning at 10:00. The walk aims at providing awareness for opioid use disorder. The MRPC’s rural initiative works to educate, increase awareness and identify prevention strategies for opioid use disorder throughout the Meramec Region. Resource information will be available at the walk. Area residents are encouraged to join the walk or stop by the information booth to learn about resources for persons and families suffering from opioid use disorder. Participants will meet at the Dent County Health Department, 1010 E. Scenic Rivers Blvd. in Salem, where sign-ups will be available. The walkers will then travel right out of the parking lot and proceed straight along East Scenic Rivers Blvd. A water break is planned at the Dent County Family Services. Participants will then return to the health department utilizing the same route. It is requested that all pets be left at home. Bonnie Prigge, executive director of MRPC, said they are excited to work with MAAG to bring SUD awareness walks to our region. From 2014-2018, 22 people in Dent County died of drug overdoses. Twelve of those were opioid overdoses. When we look at Dent and its neighboring counties of Crawford, Maries and Phelps, there were 117 overdose deaths for that timeframe with 72 of those deaths being opioid overdoses. She noted that those who lose their lives to opioids are only a small portion of those who suffer from Substance Use Disorder, and it has a tremendous impact on families and communities. The purpose of the walk is making others aware of SUD in our communities as MRPC and its partners look for solutions that will aid with prevention, treatment and recovery. Persons needing more information about the walk should contact Christa Harmon, the MRPC Community Development Specialist Assistant, at 573-265-2993 or you can e-mail her at charmon@meramecregion.org. Pre-registration is not required.
Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District announced that three Dent County students were honored with first and second place awards and honorable mentions in the 29th Annual Earth Day Poster, Trash and Graphic Art contest. This year’s contest theme was “One Positive Change Will Make a Difference for Planet Earth. The winners from Dent County were Emmett Headrick, a 7th grader at Salem Middle School for Honorable Mention Poster Art; Lindsey Hinderliter, a 7th grader from the Salem Middle School who took 1st Place in Trash Art; and Isabell Crannell, a 7th grader from the Salem Middle School who captured 2nd Place in Trash Art. The Dent County students were under the direction of teacher Angela Dingess. The contest required participants to re-purpose trash into three-dimensional pieces of art or create posters either hand drawn or graphically designed, based on the year’s theme. There were 567 entries from 13 schools in the district and several home schooled students. The contest was open to students who reside or attend school in Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties.