News – Wednesday, May 6th, 2026

The City of Salem’s Parks and Recreation Board will meet this afternoon at 5:00 at the Old City Hall Auditorium. After the call to order, roll call, and approval of the minutes, the board will review and approve the budget, which will be followed by adjournment. The meeting was called by Parks and Recreation Board President Carlos Lopez.

Due to weather, the starting date for the project to replace the driving surface of the Little Piney Creek Bridge on Route 63 at Yancy Mills has been postponed. Originally scheduled to begin Tuesday, contractors working with the Missouri Department of Transportation now plan to narrow Route 63 to one lane at the bridge today. In order to leave one lane open during construction, temporary traffic signals will be in place to direct vehicles safely through the work zone. All work is weather-permitting, and schedules are subject to change.

There will be a work day to help clean up Craig Plaza this Saturday, May 9th, at noon and volunteers are welcome. Chris Price and Jimmy Robbers will be leading the Craig Plaza team. Give whatever amount of time you have and don’t forget to bring some gloves! There will be weeds to pull as well as mulch to be spread. All help will be greatly appreciated! There will be more work days announced in the future to help keep the plaza looking great! If you have any questions, call or text Chris Price at 573-205-1671.

Dent County Health Center has released that it received two awards from the opioid settlement funds this year. One of those awards focused on establishing three 24/7 Community Overdose Response Boxes in high-visibility, accessible locations. The boxes will provide free, anonymous access to naloxone, overdose response instructions, and harm reduction supplies, with the goal of preventing opioid-related overdose deaths and increasing community readiness to respond to overdose emergencies. The Overdose Response Strategy team of the Department of Health & Senior Services shared that a total number of 34 fatal drug overdoses occurred between the five year period of 2020-2024. The 15 to 34 age group made up 21% of fatal drug overdoses over the five year period, while the 35 to 54 age group made up 50%. The 55+ age group made up 26%. The less than 15 age group made up about 3%. The report shows that Dent County continues to experience the impacts of the opioid epidemic. Signs and symptoms of an opioid overdose include small, constricted “pinpoint pupils,” falling asleep or loss of consciousness; slow, shallow breathing; choking or gurgling sounds; limp body; discolored skin (especially in lips and nails.) Narcan, also referred to as Naloxone, is a proven, life-saving intervention. It works to block the effects from opioids like fentanyl, heroin and prescription painkillers. By reducing barriers and increasing community readiness, the 24/7 Naloxone Boxes strengthen community safety and will help prevent opioid-related overdose deaths. Three boxes were made on April 17th and delivered by April 22nd. The boxes feature instructions on how to respond to an opioid overdose emergency, and a QR code to show how to use naloxone. To date, the Health Center has placed two of the three boxes at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory and the Salem Public Library.

The City of Salem Animal Shelter located at 1401 Mullnack Drive is accepting donations and could always use a little help from the community. The open office hours of the animal shelter is from Monday through Friday from 8:30 in the morning to 3:30 in the evening. Donations can be dropped off directly at the animal shelter during open hours. Donations sought include clumping kitty litter, dry kitty food, or dry dog food. If you’re able to donate, even a small bag makes a big difference. Your kindness helps staff and volunteers keep every pet fed, healthy, and comfortable while they wait for their forever homes. For more information on the Salem Animal Shelter, visit its Facebook page run by a group of dedicated volunteers by searching “Friends of Salem Animal Shelter, MO.” 

MoDOT reminds the public to take shelter during a tornado. Do not seek refuge in a vehicle, outside, or under an overpass. A highway overpass does not provide safety from a tornado. Do not seek shelter under an overpass or a tree. This puts you at greater risk of being killed or seriously injured by flying debris from the powerful tornadic winds. If in a vehicle, drive to a designated shelter, basement, or safe room. The next best option is a small, windowless room or hallway on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. It is not safe to be in a higher level room, rooms with windows, doors or exterior walls. It’s better to be in an interior room in the lowest level without windows, including bathrooms or a mattress for added protection. The best option is to be in an interior room in the basement, without windows. Visit stormaware.mo.gov for more information.