News – Thursday, March 19th 2026

Travis Pastrana along with co-driver Rhianon Gelsomino in their Subaru won the 2026 ARA 100-Acre Wood Rally this past weekend with a time of 1:27:35.5 with an average speed of 74.48 MPH, easily beating the team of Patrick Gruszka and Florian Barral in their Hyundai who won the battle for second place coming in just 4/10ths of a second in front of the team of Tom Williams and Ross Whitlock who captured third place driving a 2024 Skoda Fabia. Finishing in fourth place just three seconds behind the team of Williams and Whitlock was the team of Lia Block and Alessandro Gelsomino who were driving a 2023 Hyundai. The 100 Acre Wood Rally is the second round of the 2026 ARA National Championship and comes on the heals of the Sno Drift Rally. As the season’s first gravel rally, it traditionally rewards those who are fearless in their commitment to driving fast relying on their lightning-fast reflexes to navigate some of the quickest roads in North American rallying. This year’s rally did not disappoint and was well attended at both Parc Exposes in Potosi and Salem as well as the spectator locations.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control (DDCC) announced formal charges against Jerry S. Barnett, age 38, of Norwood, Missouri, Justin L. Emery, age 42, of Mountain Grove, Missouri, and Jared D. Mings, age 44, of Mountain Grove, Missouri. The three men were arrested following an investigation conducted by the Rural Crimes Investigation Unit (RCIU) of the patrol. Investigators were made aware of a possible livestock theft in rural Texas County in September. The owner of the cattle resided out of state and reported the cattle were stolen. Three suspects were identified and the patrol followed up on additional leads and obtained evidence connecting Barnett to the theft of the livestock. Investigators later discovered Barnett obtained assistance from Emery and Mings, who sold the cattle under their respective names. The above charges are a mere accusation and are not evidence of guilt. Evidence in support of these charges must be presented before a court of competent jurisdiction whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence. DDCC is committed to serving those in its rural communities and encourages anyone with information regarding livestock theft to report it to the Missouri Livestock and Farm Protection Task Force at 888-484-8477.

The City of Salem will resume tree trimming and clearing around electric distribution lines beginning this week through the next several months. This work is part of the city’s ongoing effort to maintain a safe and reliable electric system and is required by Missouri state statute. Trimming and clearing will take place in the area roughly south of 2nd Street and east of Hickory Street and north of Scenic Rivers Boulevard. Aproject map outlining the specific locations is available on the city’s website by searching “city projects,” or you may ask for a printout at the City Administration Office located at 400 North Iron Street. Crews will work as quickly and safely as possible to limit any inconvenience to residents. Note that the crew may drop limbs and branches on your property. Crew members will return to clean up the limbs within 2-3 days. Please give the crew this grace period before calling to ask for a cleanup to occur. For more information, contact the City of Salem Utility Office at 573-729-4811.

The Dent County Health Center will be holding its first annual charity gala and awards dinner dedicated to celebrating community members and organizations who embody the mission of public health, while raising funds to support disease prevention and community wellness initiatives across Dent County. Scheduled for April 24th at the Salem Community Center @ The Armory, the gala will bring together local leaders, businesses, healthcare partners, and residents for an evening focused on connection, recognition, and impact. Proceeds from the gala will directly support Dent County Health Center programs. Based on community input, a final list of nominees has been compiled for the awards, representing the very best in healthcare, public health and community service. To vote, visit dentcountyhealthcenter.org and search “final voting.” Winners will be honored and announced at the gala and awards banquet April 24th.

With warming weather and the many wonders of nature awakening in spring, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds people to be BearWise. Missouri’s estimated 1,000+ black bears are waking up and are focused on fattening up after a long winter’s sleep. Unsecured food sources around homes and outbuildings could attract the attention of a hungry bear. It is important that people remove or secure bear attractants from their property, such as bird feeders, trash, barbeque grills, pet food, and food waste. Intentionally feeding bears can be dangerous because it makes them comfortable around people and can lead bears to cause significant damage to property while searching for food. Most Missouri bears live just south of Interstate 44, but as the population continues to grow, bears have started to inhabit new areas of the state. For more information on how to be BearWise and to report a bear sighting, visit mdc.mo.gov/bearwise.