News – Thursday, May 1st 2025

Three cases were heard in front of Judge Michael Randazzo on April 23rd in the 42nd Judicial Circuit Court. In the first case, Michael Scott of Salem pled guilty to a felony charge of driving while having his license revoked and not having insurance. Scott was sentenced to serve 15 days in jail as recommended by Dent County Prosecutor Andrew Curley. In the next case heard, McKayla Black of Salem who was on probation for two felony possession of controlled substance charges, had absconded from drug court. A probation hearing was held where Prosecutor Curley sought a seven-year sentence pursuant to Section 559.115 of the Revised Missouri State Statutes as requested by the Missouri Department of Corrections. Black sought continued probation. Over the objection of the state, Black was granted continued probation with an added condition to complete the New Sanctuary Beginnings Program. Also on Wednesday at the conclusion of an Alford hearing, Albert Terrill of Salem was found guilty of felony stealing and for driving while having his license revoked. Terrill was sentenced to serve seven years in the Missouri Department of Corrections as recommended by Prosecutor Curley. 

The Dent County Health Center will be holding their Spring 2025 Health Fair and Vaccine Clinic Friday, May 2nd, from 7:00 in the morning until 1:00 in the afternoon. No appointments are necessary. Dent County residents can get free basic screenings of blood pressure, height and weight, and BMI calculation. Rapid Heart Health Screenings are available for Lipid (Cholesterol) and A1C for $34.50. Expanded services will be available for blood chemistry for $3.80, a Vitamin D test for $13.75, Basic Thyroid test at $3.50 and Blood Counts for $3.00. Other services available include Free Rapid Blood Lead Screening, Free household item lead testing, plus free Narcan and free STD Testing. Updated COVID-19 vaccines will also be available. Information and scheduling for additional services will be available. No orders are needed for the screenings as the Dent County Health Center has a standing order for health screenings. In order to speed up the process, no insurance will be accepted. The DCHC is located at 1010 East Scenic Rivers Boulevard, across from Town and Country Bank. To answer other questions about the Health Center Spring Health Fair and Vaccine Clinic feel free to call 573-729-3106.

Saturday, May 3rd will be the Community Wide Yard Sale in Salem as yard sales will be occurring all over town and out in the county. Maps for the location of local yard sales will be available at the Salem Chamber of Commerce in the Crossroads. A central sale location will be held at the city administration parking lot on Saturday. You can still reserve a space on the city parking lot at 4th and Iron Street for $8.00 for two parking spaces by calling 729-4117 or stopping by the administrative offices. Those spaces are reserved on a first come, first serve basis. Don’t forget that the following two weeks in the City of Salem is the semi-annual GFL Residential Spring Clean-Up Weeks. This is for Salem residents only and is done on your normal trash day from May 5th through the 9th and again May 12th through the 16th. Remember, tires, appliances, yard waste, car batteries, oil, chemicals, solvents and paint as well as non-compactable items like concrete, tree stumps, steel, etc. cannot be picked up. If anyone has questions about what can be or cannot be picked up, they are welcome to contact GFL at 1-800-926-3953 of 1-417-741-7714.

MoDot has ongoing plans for road work in Dent County on the following routes; Roadside work continues on Route 19 at Standing Rock Creek, south of Route N, as part of a bridge replacement project. Motorists can expect intermittent lane closures for the duration of the work, which is expected to be complete in May 2025. Resurfacing continues on Route H from Missouri Route 72 to Route M in Phelps County. One lane will remain open, and flaggers with a pilot car will direct motorists through the work zone. The project is scheduled for completion in May 2025. Route TT is CLOSED due to flood damage at Crooked Creek. Motorist must use an alternate route until further notice. In Crawford County Roadside work planned on Route 19 from Missouri Route 49 to Edgar Road. One lane will remain open, and crews will flag traffic through the work zone.