News – Thursday, May 14th, 2026

The City of Salem Finance and Capital Improvements Committees will hold a joint meeting at the old City Hall Auditorium tonight starting at 6:00. At the meeting, the committees will discuss the draft Capital Improvement Plan for the fiscal year 2026-27 and then discuss the draft city budget for the fiscal year 2026-27. The meeting was called by Mayor Greg Parker, and it is open to the public. 

The 141st Graduation Ceremonies of the Salem R-80 High School is scheduled to be held Friday evening at 7:00 at the Bill Schuchardt Football Stadium. After the procession of 133 graduating students, the National Anthem will be performed by the Salem High School Chamber Choir Singers. Administrator Clay Moody will present the Senior Class Citizenship Awards, while Administrator Jim Moore will present the Best Overall Excellence Awards to one girl and one boy. Senior High School Principal Jody Heavin will introduce the A-Plus students, students who are entering the military, the career and technical certified students as well as those students’ entering the workforce. Senior Class President Ave Wofford will give her speech before Senior Class-Vice President Alexis White gives her speech. Diplomas will then be awarded to the Class of 2026 students by Superintendent Dr. Nathan Wills and President of the R-80 Board of Education, Drusilla Howard, followed by the tossing of the caps. The graduation exercises will be streamed live on KSMO Media. Those wanting to stream the graduation exercises can go to the Salem R-80 website which is www.salemr80.org, go to their activities menu and you will find a link to the KSMO Stream which is our Twitch account. People can also go directly to the KSMO Radio website at ksmoradio.com and from the homepage, they can click on the stream of their choice including the KSMO Stream Facebook page, KSMO Twitch page and on KSMO’s YouTube page. There is NO charge to watch the services. Should the exercises be rained out, they will be held Sunday afternoon at 2:00.

There will be a collection box at the Salem Public Library for old, damaged, or soiled American flags. Anyone may leave a flag between now and Friday, June 12th. The library will deliver flags in need of retirement to American Legion Post 99. The Legion will properly dispose of them in accordance with the United States Flag Code.

Dent County Assessor Alisa Brookshire has announced the 2026 Dent County Plat Books will be available for purchase in her office starting Monday, May 18th. For purchase information, contact the Dent County Assessor’s Office at 573-729-6010.

The Missouri Department of Conservation encourages motorists to brake if turtles are seen crossing the road. Spring rains and warmer weather encourage turtles, like three-toed box turtles, ornate box turtles, and common snapping turtles, to cross the roads in search of food, new territory, nesting sites, or mates. This can put turtles at risk of being struck by motor vehicles. MDC encourages motorists to slow down when they see a turtle in the road and check to be sure they can safely steer around it. If helping a turtle cross a road, keep human safety as the number-one concern. Check for traffic and move the turtle across the road in the direction it is traveling. Leave wild turtles wild. Keeping a wild turtle as a pet usually ends in a slow death for the captive turtle.