Local News – Wednesday, June 17th, 2020
The Salem Memorial District Hospital, the Dent County Health Center and Truman VA Clinic will be sponsoring FREE COVID-19 drive-up testing to anyone this Thursday from 7:00 in the morning until 7:00 that evening in the Arandas Mexican Restaurant Parking lot located at 1000 South Main Street in Salem. The testing is provided free-of-charge and all individuals will be notified of their test results. You do not have to be having symptoms to be tested and no antibody tests will be performed. You can print a pre-registration form from www.smdh.net or you may register the day of event. For more information, call the hospital at 729-6626.
The Salem Board of Aldermen held a regular meeting Monday at the City Hall Council Chambers. The board reviewed and approved the consent agenda before addressing Ordinance #3450. City Attorney Weber said he was asked to look into the ordinance and said he found a few things that would be better heard in closed session. The board approved the request for proposal from Kristen DeLuca of K Deluca Auditing Services to perform auditing services for the city. City Clerk Mary Happel read Resolution #14-2020 that canvassed the certification of results of the June 2nd Municipal Election that showed Brad Nash the winner in the mayoral race, Kim Steelman the winner for the East Side Aldermen position and Greg Parker the winner for the West Side Alderman position. Happel then administered the oath of office to the three elected officials. The city gave retiring Alderman Kenny Nash a plaque for his service to the city. The alderman then voted and named Alderman Kevin James as the President of the Board. Next, Mayor Brad Nash appointed Erica Nunnink as the City Treasurer as the position had been vacant since Karen Happel retired. City Administrator Ray Walden said all the city utility bills were mailed Friday and please contact the utility department if you have not received your bill or if you have questions. Their number is 729-4117. The next bill will reflect usage for the month of May and will reflect the option you selected. Walden said so far about 2/3rds of the people have chosen Option #1 and paid their bill in full taking the 5% credit. Walden gave the results from the electronics recycling held in Salem about three weeks ago. He said there 91 vehicles that came through the collection and left 2.5 tons of electronics, 1.8 tons of white goods like washers, stoves, etc, and 1.74 tons of tires. Walden stated a Capital Improvement Committee meeting will be held at 7:00 this Thursday evening at the City Hall Council Chambers. He said another meeting may be needed, but if not, a Finance Committee meeting will be held at a date to be determined. Walden reported the Sales Tax money received from the state in June for the 1% General Revenue Fund brought in $136,331.88 while the figure last year was $99,952.15. For the Fiscal Year-to date, the sales tax for the General Revenue Fund is at $1,124,522.89 while the city budgeted 1.1 million dollars for this fiscal year. Walden wanted to thank everyone who shopped local to help produce these dollars and said the next budget will be conservative knowing COVID-19 did affect sales that will probably be reflected in the next few month’s sales tax receipts. The board approved to sell a 2010 Ford Explorer out of the Police Department fleet on Purple Wave as surplus property. The meeting was then adjourned.
A drowning occurred in Crawford County Saturday afternoon shortly before 4:00 on the Meramec River about a mile upstream from the
Huzzah confluence. According to the report from the highway patrol, the victim was identified as 39-year old Andrew Leffert from St. Louis. Leffert was with a group of floaters who had stopped at a gravel bar to swim. Leffert went under the water and never resurfaced. The victim was pronounced dead at 7:48 Saturday evening by assistant Crawford County Coroner Darren Dake and was transported to the Crawford County Coroners office.
The Dent County Sheriffs Department has released several reports. On Tuesday, June 2nd, a deputy conducted a traffic stop at Highway 72 and Route C intersection. During the stop, a 28-year-old Rolla woman was arrested for driving while having her license revoked or suspended, a 1st offense. The woman was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where she was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. The next day, June 3rd, a deputy with the Dent County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation for a report of sex offender failing to register. During the course of the investigation a 42-year-old Salem man was arrested for failure to register as a sex offender for an underlying offense felony involving a child less than 14 years of age. The man was incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. On Thursday, June 4th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop in the 3000 block of Highway 19 South. During the stop, a 62-year-old Salem man was arrested for operating a vehicle on a highway without a valid license, a 1st offense. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s office where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. That same day, a deputy began an investigation for a 28-year-old Salem man for failing to register as a sex offender. Later that day, the Salem man met with the deputy at the Sheriff’s office and was arrested for failure to register as a sex offender. The man was incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. If anyone has information regarding an ongoing investigation, please contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Department at 729-3241.