Local News – Wednesday, October 20th, 2021
Unused or expired medications will be able to be disposed of safely during drug “Take Back Day.” This Saturday, October 23rd 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 pharmacy for them to be disposed of properly and safely. “Take Back Day” is sponsored by a partnership with the DEA, Salem Police Department, the Dent County Sheriff Department, and Healthy Dent County Prevention Coalition.
Former Salem Mayor, J. J. Tune, has been charged with one felony count of the unlawful use of a weapon and one misdemeanor count of fourth-degree assault. He was arrested by the Salem Police Department in connection with a landlord-tenant dispute on Friday, October 15th, in which allegedly Tune brandished a pistol and threatened to shoot the tenant unless he signed a document. He was incarcerated in the Dent County Jail with no bond issued.
The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors received their audit report Tuesday night for Fiscal Year 2021 from Jean Nyberg of BKD, LLP. Nyberg said for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 2021, the hospital showed over a four-million-dollar loss from operations due to increased supply and labor expense and a decrease in patient income. However, in Fiscal Year 2021, the Payroll Protection Program the hospital secured was forgiven, the hospital received 4.4 million dollars in CARES Act money and with numerous audit adjustments, the hospital showed an excess of revenues over expenses of $1,119,282 at the end of the fiscal year. Overall, Nyberg said the cash decreased 4.9 million dollars paying back the Medicare Advance payments as well as the capital improvements made to the hospital. She also said the accounts receivable went down $1,529 million dollars for the year and part of that was due to problems with the account receivables. She reported the Salem hospital has 41 days of revenue sitting in Accounts Receivable and has 90 days cash on hand. Both numbers are good in the hospital industry. She also told the board the long-term debt to capitalization ratio for the Salem Hospital is now at 26% which is due to the improvements made to the hospital. It is the highest they have had in years. Nyberg told the board the net operating margin for the hospital stands at a -28.4% and that is down from -6.0% last fiscal year. The total margin for the hospital stands at 3.7% which is above the average for critical access hospitals. Nyberg went on to report that BKD noted one material deficiency with a significant amount of journal entries, reconciliations and with the accounts receivable. With that being said, the hospital was still given an unmodified opinion which is the best opinion the auditors can give. Nyberg ended the audit report with a review of the COVID Compliance Considerations for the CARES Act Funds, Payroll Protection Program and the Medicare Advance Payments and how that affected the hospital in fiscal year 2021.
New this fall, the University of Missouri Extension is launching a workshop series on Whole System Management of Beef Cattle Reproduction. The objective is to aid Missouri producers in improving the reproductive management of their cow-calf herds through a systems-based approach. There will be a whole system management workshop at Wurdack Farm in Cook Station on Tuesday October 26th. Workshops will include presentations as well group discussions, scenario troubleshooting, and a tour and overview of the reproductive management system at a University of Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station Research Center. Participants will leave with a new perspective about reproductive management of cow-calf herds, viewing common causes of variability in reproductive performance now as leverage points for future improvement. For more information you can email Rachel Hopkins at hopkinsrm@umsystem.edu.
An accident occurred in Salem the morning of September 5th at approximately 5:20. According to the Salem Police Department report, a 2002 Jeep Wrangler, driven by Robert Bryce Starkey of Salem, was westbound on West Roosevelt when the Jeep crossed the center line, ran off the right side of the road striking a tree. The Jeep began sliding and came to rest striking a utility pole. Minor injuries were reported, and Starkey was arrested for driving while being intoxicated. The Jeep sustained disabling damage and was towed from the scene.
The Spring Creek Artisans Pumpkin Day will be held this Saturday from 9:00 in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon at the Salem Creative Arts Center behind the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center building next to the Farmer’s Market. There will be art, crafts, bake goods, children’s activities and fun! Everyone is welcome!