News – Monday, July 21st 2025

The Salem and Dent County 4-H and FFA Livestock Auction was held this past Saturday at The Commons that raised an unofficial total of $249,313.91. Auctioneers Roger Schafer and Brady Hagler auctioned off five pens of market chickens for $3,698.65, six pens of market rabbits for $1,888.78, nine cured meats brought in $3,525.73, 17 market goats sold for $14,455.00, 11 market lambs fetched $14,164.00, 46 market hog sales raised $54,860.00, the 26 market steers raised $146,121.75. Wyatt Dunlap’s Market Meat Chicken Pen as Grand Champion and the Reserve Champion Pen was shown by Mason Dunlap. Hawk Phelps took home the Grand Champion ribbon for his Market Meat Rabbit Pen, and Jenna Murr got the Reserve Champion. Champion ribbon recipients in the Beef Cattle Show were: Chase Simpson’s Angus Heifer, Kacy Chapman’s Red Angus, Morgan Radford’s Hereford Heifer, Brentlee Easter’s Simmental Heifer, and Kohen Garrison’s Charolais Heifer. Kohen also brought home Grand Champion for his Heifer. Reserve Grand Champion ribbon winners were: Chase Simpson’s Heifer, Ella Yates’s Hereford Heifer, and Kacy Chapman’s Charolais Heifer. Market Hog class winners were: Daxton Hutchings and Oliver Hutchings earning Grand Champion and Reserve Champion, respectively. The Salem FFA Chapter and all the Dent County 4-H Clubs thank everyone who attended the auction this year for their generosity and support. If you missed this year’s auction you can go back and watch it on either the KSMO YouTube page or Facebook page.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education held their regular meeting on Thursday evening at 5:30 in the district office. After approving the agenda and consent agenda, Superintendent Dr. Nathan Wills shared an update on the progress of the FEMA building construction, stating they hope to start moving furniture into the building as early as the last week in July. Dr. Wills also stated repairs at the track will begin soon, and while he would like to see these repairs completed before the start of football season, it is more realistic that the track repairs will conclude by next summer. He also gave updates to roof and parking lot repairs as well as an update to the district personnel handbook, amending the leave policy and removing verbiage regarding pay scale. Dr. Wills congratulated Mr. Wofford on being named South Central Regional Teacher of the Year. In new business, the board approved several key items, including the district’s AMI Plan, participation in the Baseline Salary Grant, and a series of Missouri School Boards’ Association (MSBA) policy updates. They accepted a bid from Byrnes & Jones in the amount of $121,000.00 to repair the track and a $100,100.00 bid from B. Fitz Enterprise, to repair the parking lots at the Upper Elementary, the Middle School, and The Senior High School. Changes to the 2025-26 personnel handbook and meal prices were also approved, and the tax rate hearing was scheduled for August 21 at 5:15 p.m., followed immediately by the next board meeting. The board set graduation for May 15, 2026, with a makeup date of May 17. They also voted to pursue a replacement for Steven Patterson’s board seat and approved two new hires: The board then adjourned to executive session to discuss personnel matters. 

The Creative Arts Center is offering “Flat Reed Basket Weaving” with Connie Light on tomorrow evening, July 22nd from 6:30 to 8:30. This class is open to anyone 14 years of age and older. Come and make a white oak flat reed napkin basket approximately 8” square. In this class you will learn a basic basket making technique that can be used as a foundation to many other future basket making projects. No prior knowledge is required.  The cost is $40 per person and all supplies are included. There must be at least two people sign up to hold the class and it will be limited to six. To sign up, go to the SACBA website, click on “Programs” link and then on the Creative Arts Center. For more information, email salemartscenter@salemcommunitybetterment.com.

The Missouri Department of Transportation has announced another extension of an allowance for heavier-than-normal truckloads of rock, sand and gravel on Missouri highways for flood relief, levees and other public infrastructure flood repair. The waiver allows private and for-hire motor carriers to haul up to 10% more than their licensed weight, axle weight, and/or maximum weight limitation allowed under RSMo 304.180.3 on Missouri highways. The waiver will remain in effect through August 31st. While the waiver is in effect, participating motor carriers must abide by the following limitations. A loaded, gross weight is not to exceed 10% above the gross licensed weight of the commercial motor vehicle. The waiver applies to transportation of rock, sand and gravel only within the state of Missouri. Drivers must obey posted bridge weight limits. When crossing a bridge, the driver must restrict the vehicle speed to no more than 30 mph. Travel under this allowance is only allowed on non-interstate highways. Those taking advantage of the weight allowance cannot operate on any portion of the interstate highway system. Drivers can check the Traveler Information Map at traveler.modot.org for up-to-date road closure information.