News – Friday, August 13th, 2021

The Salem Police Department has released report from the last week of July. On Friday, July 23rd near 12:30 in the afternoon, an officer conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle that was not displaying any registration plates. During the traffic stop it was found the driver had a revoked driving status. As a result of the stop, a 41-year-old Salem woman was arrested and issued a summons to appear in court. That same afternoon just after 5:30, an officer was dispatched to the 100 block of East Center Street for a report of a juvenile issue. Upon further investigation, contact was made with a male subject who had an active arrest warrant out of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office. As a result, a 32-year-old Salem man was arrested and incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. Later that same evening at approximately 7:30, an officer was dispatched to Wal-Mart for a report of a shoplifter. It was reported that a man had stolen $30 worth of merchandise from Wal-Mart. Contact was made with the subject and as a result a 21-year-old Rolla man was arrested and released on a summons to appear in court. During the afternoon of Sunday, July 25th at around 5:00, an officer was dispatched to Wal- Mart for a disturbance pertaining to a person attempting to steal a pair of shoes. Upon arrival of officers, the subject fled to the back of the store and went out the emergency exit. The person continued running on foot away from responding officers. A perimeter was established with assistance of the Dent County Sheriff’s Office and a short time later the subject was taken into custody. The subject taken into custody was a 32-year-old man from Salem. He was incarcerated at the Dent County Jail due to his lengthy criminal history along with the charges stemming from the incident. Finally on Tuesday morning at around 11:40, an officer conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of Macarthur and Franklin Streets on a vehicle for failing to stop at a stop sign. During the traffic stop, the passenger was found to be in possession of approximately 4 grams of methamphetamine. As a result, a 42-year-old West Plains man was arrested and incarcerated at the Dent County Jail. Please contact the Salem Police Department at (573) 729-4242 if you have any information regarding an ongoing investigation.

Have you commented on the Ozark National Scenic Riverways’ draft Roads and Trails Management Plan yet? Time is running out as the comment period will end Wednesday, August 18th for public input. The plan is available for review and comment at http://parkplanning.nps.gov/OZAR_RTplan. You can also download the Draft Plan includes detailed maps and an environmental assessment illustrating a No-Action Alternative and two Action Alternatives. The No-Action Alternative reflects a continuation of current management practices, as established in the 2014 General Management Plan. The two Action Alternatives were created based on public and stakeholder feedback gathered earlier in the planning process and represent alternative approaches for addressing issues identified in the plan, while also meeting desired conditions for managing the park’s roads and trails. The National Park Service has selected Alternative B in the Draft Plan as their preferred alternative for implementation. Superintendent Jason Lott stated that with the release of the draft Roads and Trails Management Plan, Ozark National Scenic Riverways is in the final phase of a complex planning process. The Roads and Trails Management Plan will establish a network of roads and trails that is clearly mapped, more sustainable, and that will allow visitors to safely enjoy the park’s resources through a variety of recreational activities, while still protecting those resources for future generations. For those who prefer to review printed copies of the Draft Plan, they will be made available for review at the public libraries in several local communities, including Salem and Rolla. The comments will be analyzed to determine if there are any adjustments needed and then an alternative will be selected for implementation. The public is encouraged to download and review the plan and provide comments online. Comments will also be accepted through the mail to Superintendent Jason Lott, Ozark National Scenic Riverways, P. O. Box 490, Van Buren, Missouri 63965. As always, we look forward to hearing from the public and encourage all to visit the park’s website at www.nps.gov/. For more information, please contact Dena Matteson at 323-4814 or dena_matteson@nps.gov.

Dent County Prosecutor Andrew Curley reports on Friday, August 6th in Dent County in front of Judge Megan Seay that Robert Charles Martin of Salem who was on probation for a felony charge of possession of a controlled substance and for leaving the scene of an accident, had his probation revoked and was sentenced to seven years in the Missouri Department of Corrections under the long-term treatment program.