News – Wednesday, March 18th 2026
The City of Salem Parks and Recreation Board held a meeting Monday evening at the Old City Hall Auditorium located at 202 N. Washington Street. Only one item was on the agenda, and that was to amend the previously adopted motion on March 11th calling for a budget adjustment for Billy’s Playground fence replacement and repair in the amount of $10,500. The amount was increased to reflect the actual amount needed of $10,750. The amount was previously incorrect due to a typing error, explained Parks Director Melissa DuBois. The budget adjustment was approved to be amended.
The Dent County Health Center will be holding its monthly board meeting at 5:00 in the evening Thursday at the Dent County Health Center Annex Building, at 1014 East Scenic Rivers Boulevard, in the Conference Room. Tentative agenda topics include a call to order; approval of February minutes; old business, including operations reports, administrator’s report, and financial reports; new business, including a position request, audit draft approval, and leasing part of 1014 East Scenic Rivers Boulevard. This meeting is open to the public.
Healthy Dent County announced a new addition to its roster of fitness classes with a Bungee Fitness class, a low-impact workout that combines cardio, strength training, and high-energy movement using a supportive bungee harness system. Classes are designed to help participants build strength, improve cardiovascular fitness, and enjoy a new style of exercise in a safe and engaging environment. Whether individuals are looking to change up their fitness routine or simply try something new, Bungee Fitness provides a dynamic workout experience suitable for a wide range of fitness levels. Classes are $10 for Fitness Center members and $15 for non-members. For the class schedule or more information, visit the Healthy Dent County Fitness Center Facebook page or call 573-729-8163.
Dent County Historical Society will be holding a “Fireside Chat” at 10:00 in the morning this Saturday at the James Family Center, located across the street from James & Gahr Mortuary in Salem. Terry Cunningham will be discussing the history of the timber industry in Carter, Dent, Reynolds, Ripley, Shannon, and Texas Counties, and how the wood products of the Ozarks shaped those communities. Cunningham spent his career in the forest after serving as a Second Lieutenant in the U. S. Army. He studied at the University of Missouri-ROTC, in which he earned a B.S. Degree in Forestry in 1971. He was hired by Leo A. Dry, owner of Pioneer Forest, in 1972. Cunningham retired after 41 years. For more information, call Deloris Gray Wood, Dent County Historical Society President, at 573-729-1496.
Receive a free native tree through a program offered by the Missouri Department of Conservation and its partners. Participants are invited to cut down one or more Callery pear trees on their properties and receive one free, native tree at the event. The replacement trees will be potted in three-gallon containers and will be between 2 and 4 feet tall. One free native tree will be provided to each registered participant at the selected location on the day of the event. Register for the 2026 Callery Pear Buyback from now through April 16th. Then pick up native trees in more than 20 communities around the state on April 21st: Cape Girardeau, Columbia, Doniphan, Hannibal, Jefferson City, Joplin, Kansas City, Kirksville, Lebanon, Liberty, Moberly, Park Hills, Parkville, Pineville, Riverside, Rolla, Sikeston, Springfield, St. Charles, St. Joseph, St. Louis, Warrensburg, and West Plains. For more information, visit moinvasives.org and click on “Pear Buyback.”
Warmer weather usually means an increase in outside projects that may require digging or excavation work. If you are building a deck, planting a tree, or completing a large project, Missouri law requires anyone digging underground to notify Missouri 811. Always remember to place your locate requests at least three working days before you dig. State and federal holidays are not considered a working day. Call 811 or place a locate request online at www.missouri-811.org before any excavation begins. The call will be taken by the Missouri 811 Call Center, which then notifies all relevant utilities in the project area. Once Missouri 811 is notified, utility companies will mark the approximate location of their underground lines, request additional information or advise you that they do not have facilities at the excavation site. Hitting an underground line can cause serious injury, it could disrupt service to you and other customers, and it could potentially result in fines and repair costs. Contact Missouri 811 at 811; or go online at www.missouri-811.org to place a locate request before starting to dig, so underground utility lines can be marked. For more information, please go to Missouri 811 at www.missouri-811.org.
Dent County Health Center’s community transportation service, CareCab, is here to help you get where you need to go. Whether it’s a trip to the grocery store, a local event, a job interview, or a visit with a friend, CareCab is a local ride service for Dent County residents who need dependable transportation, designed for residents without reliable transportation; older adults and caregivers; students, job seekers, and community members; and anyone in Dent County who needs a convenient way to get around. To book a ride with CareCab, visit dentcounthealthcenter.org/services/carecab or call 573-729-3106. Riders must be able to get in and out of the vehicle independently or with minimal assistance (such as using a cane or walker.) You are encouraged to contact SMTS for specialized services.