News – Monday, September 16th 2024

The Salem Police Department has released their report for the month of August. The department responded to nine accidents during the month. Officers responded to 13 alarms sounding and addressed 28 animal calls, investigated six assaults or fights, two burglaries, performed 25 well-being checks and 32 area checks in August. Police investigated 15 domestic disputes, eight verbal and three physical disturbances, conducted 56 follow-up investigations, and provided 21 escorts. They investigated two harassment reports, two nuisance violations, three parking complaint calls, one intoxicated pedestrian report, one shoplifting report and offered assistance to eight motorists. The Salem Police wrote four property damage reports, made 11 stealing reports, wrote four trespassing reports and responded to four traffic complaints during the month. Officers responded to four reports of suicidal persons, 20 suspicious circumstance calls, ten suspicious person calls, and ten suspicious vehicle calls. Officers attempted to serve six warrants and conducted 105 traffic stops during the month. The police  responded to a total of 552 incidents in August with the average response time to calls being two minutes and nine seconds. The average time spent on the scene was 16 minutes and 47 seconds.

Make plans for the 12th Annual Smokin’ Hot Veterans Rib Cook-Off this Saturday, at the American Legion Post 99 on Highway 32, west of Salem. Judging will start at 3:00 and ribs and dinners will be available for purchase at 5:30. In memory of Clint Medlock, prepaid Yellow T-Shirts are available for purchase by calling 573-247-0154 or see the sign-up sheet at the Post. The Cook-Off competition will be for wet or dry rubs and contestants may enter one or both

categories. The Entry Fee is $35.00, and contestants are to provide their own ribs. The 1st Place Trophy, Apron and $200 go to the winner, while 2nd Place will receive an Apron and $150, and 3rd Place will win $100. To sign-up to cook ribs, get information, and a list of rules contact Raul Segovia at 573-247-5074 or Barb Medlock at 573-247-0154. Music will be provided by Moonshine Express from 4:00 until 7:00.

The Dent County Historical Society will sponsor a round table discussion about the Ashley area at 2:00 in the afternoon this Sunday. The event will be held at the James & Gahr Family Center in Downtown Salem. Speakers: Alex Primm, Justin Mutrux, and Deloris Gray Wood will share insights about the region, which spans parts of Dent and Texas Counties. Topics will include the historical Saltpeter Cave, its role in early commerce, and local family histories. The discussion will cover William Henry Ashley, Missouri’s first Lieutenant Governor, who had Saltpeter hauled from the cave to Potosi for gunpowder production during the War of 1812. Henry Rowe Schoolcraft’s 1818 documentation of the area’s flora and fauna will also be discussed. Primm, an oral historian and author, will bring a large painted mural map of the Ozarks for display. His recent book, “Ozark Voices: Oral History from the Heartland,” is currently being adapted into an audiobook by the Library of Congress. The program is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Dent County Historical Society at 573-729-2545.