Local News – Wednesday, February 27th, 2019
The Meramec Regional Planning Commission will be presenting a “Meramec Morning” titled “Grants 101: Strategies For Success,” this morning at 10:00 at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. Local elected officials, community leaders, non-profits, and all interested citizens of Dent County are invited to attend and share information on projects, hear about grant opportunities to assist with those projects, and learn how to better position your community or organization for grants. Donuts and coffee will be served during the meeting.
The Salem Cosmopolitan Club will hold their 68th Variety Show and Miss Salem Competition this Saturday at the Salem City Hall Auditorium stating at 7:00. This year’s theme is “Denim and Diamonds.” There will be 12 girls vying for the title of Miss Salem at the show and they are Katarina Morris sponsored by Hubbs Tire, Ceceilia Reed sponsored by Annie’s Grill, Jainey Pettus sponsored by Vandivort Drug, Emma Southards sponsored by Wells Land and Cattle, Hailee Stringer sponsored by Martin Trucking Service, Lauren Grogan sponsored by VIP Properties, Vanessa White sponsored by Hair By Whitney, Trinity Lewis sponsored by Indian Trail Archery Bow and Gun, Paige Harris sponsored by the Salem Church of Christ, Claudia Chilton sponsored by Ozark Healthcare, LLC, MacKenzie Thompson sponsored by Lake Road Steel and Emma Brakefield who is sponsored by Country Mart Pharmacy. David Massengale will be the emcee for the event that will also feature the talents of three groups of dancers from Linda Maledy’s Academy of Dance, plus performances by Christabel, the Salem Upper Elementary 5th grade teachers, ATA Taekwondo, and Rachel Privett and Friends. Judges from Springfield and South Central Missouri will determine this year’s Miss Salem as well as the first and second runner-ups. The girls will vote on the Miss Personality title. The 2018 Miss Salem, Katelyn Schwartz, will crown the new Miss Salem at the event. Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for kids.
The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released a number of reports. On Thursday, February 13th, deputies traveled to the 100 block of Dent County Road 3220 for a report of an assault. During the course of that investigation, a 39-year old Salem man was arrested for assault in the 4th degree. That same day, deputies conducted a traffic stop on McArthur Street. During the course of the traffic stop, a 35-year old Salem man was arrested for driving while being intoxicated for alcohol content. Both men were transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where they were fingerprinted, issued summons and released. On Friday, February 15th, deputies traveled to the 7000 block of West Highway 32 for a wellbeing check. During the course of the investigation, a 41-year old Salem man was arrested for Harassment in the 1st degree and domestic assault in the 4th degree. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office and incarcerated. If anyone has information about an ongoing investigation, call the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241.
A meeting on how opiods are affecting the small towns and communities was held at the Salem Community Center@The Armory Monday night. Around 20 people were in attendance to learn that the opiod death rate from 1999 to 2015 has quadrupled for young people ages 18-25. The data suggests that over 130 people die everyday from opiod overdose and addiction which comes to over 28,000 every year. The seminar was presented by Your Community Cares rural Health Coalition, which is funded by a grant through Your Community Health Care in Rolla. Felisha Richards was the monitor for the meeting. The group discussed evidence based strategies on how to treat opiod addiction and the obstacles of getting treatment for a number of reasons: either it is not readily available locally, the person doesn’t believe they have a problem, or they don’t want to admit they have a problem due to social pressures. They also discussed faith based assistance and support to those who have been afflicted. This can be accomplished either through substance abuse centers, the 12 step program or long term residential services and strategies. All are viable options as no one treatment works for everyone. The group also discussed the availability of Narcan and that local law enforcement in Dent County carry it with them. People can also get Narcan without a prescription. This is especially important to know if they have someone in their own home who may have an opiod problem. Further seminars are expected to be held on these types of problems that are now in small towns and communities in the Ozarks. For more information, you can check out this link: https://www.yourcommunitycares.net/
The new state record brown trout caught this past Saturday on Lake Taneycomo by Paul Crews of Neosho has a Salem tie. Crews used a rod and reel to catch the record brown trout that weighed in at 34-pounds, 10-ounces. The new record beats the previous state-record by 6 pounds and 2 ounces. Crews was fishing with 4-pound test line with a sculpin colored marabou jig. Crews and his partner Jim Rayfield Sr. from Salem were out fishing in the Vince Elfrink Memorial Trout Tournament when he caught the state-record brown trout. Crews said that after about 20 minutes of fighting the trout, he and Rayfield were able to get it netted and brought onto the boat. Missouri Department of Conservation staff verified Crews’ record-weight fish using a certified scale at Shepherd of the Hills Fish Hatchery. Crews took pictures and got dimensions of the fish to make a replica, then released the trout back into Lake Taneycomo.