News – Tuesday, October 20th, 2026

The Salem R-80 School District reported Monday morning that the Salem Police Department, Dent County Sheriff’s Office, and Dent County Fire Protection District were on site at Upper Elementary for a water heater fire in the kitchen. Kitchen staff pulled the fire alarm and both students and staff were immediately evacuated. All students were accounted for and safe, the district reported. Students were returned to the building once the DCFPD gave the district affirmative. The district thanked the Dent County Fire Department, Salem Police Department, and Dent County Sheriff’s Department for the response. Shortly after, Superintendent Nathan Wills reported water issues were observed at the Upper Elementary with students unable to drink the water. More information will be released to the public when available.

The Dent County Commission met for its regular meeting Monday morning at the courthouse. Under road reports, District One Commissioner Keith Green reported on behalf of both district one and district two, as District Two Commissioner Jimmy Williams was absent. Green reported that district one crew members would be grading on county roads 5615, 2400, and 5110 and cutting brush on County Road 6280. Crew members will also be stockpiling rock. For district two, crew members will be grading on county roads 2210, 2380, 4300, 4310, and 6160. Cutting brush is planned for county roads 4283, 5200, and 5225. Hauling rock is to be done to County Road 4300. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson shared that he would be attending a Tourism Commission meeting. That meeting will be Monday at 5:00 in the evening at the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce office and is open to the public. Members meet to determine disbursement of tourism funds for community marketing purposes. County Clerk Angie Curley reported that bills are to be approved alongside payroll, and that no-excuse absentee voting is to begin Tuesday for the Nov. 3rd General Election and continue through Monday, Nov. 2nd. The Dent County Courthouse will be open for no-excuse absentee voting on Saturday, Oct. 31st. Find more on the election at sos.mo.gov/elections. If anyone would like to request a sample ballot and/or fair ballot language, contact the county clerk’s office at 573-729-4144 or email dent@sos.mo.gov. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning from 9:00 to noon at the courthouse. The meeting is open to the public.

The Dent County Chapter of Sleep in Heavenly Peace (SHP) would like to thank Heather Johnson, Dalton Sanders, High School Principal Jodi Heavin and the students of the Agricultural Construction class at Salem High School for building 20 beds last week. This is the 5th SHP bed build with SHS, and the students have now built 111 beds, for kids in need in our community who do not have a bed. A thank you was also expressed to Progressive Ozark Bank who sponsored the lumber for the build. To find more information on the Dent County chapter, visit shpbeds.org/chapter/mo-dent-co or facebook.com/SHPDentCo.