Local News – Friday, January 26th, 2018

At approximately 10:15 Thursday morning, offender John Toy Long walked away from the grounds of South Central Correctional Center in Licking. Long, who is assigned to the minimum security unit, left his work assignment, which is located outside the secure perimeter of the facility. Local law enforcement and the Missouri State Highway Patrol are working with the Department of Corrections to apprehend Long. K-9 Units from Farmington Correctional Center and Ozark Correctional Center have been dispatched, and the Corrections Emergency Response Team has been activated. A helicopter is involved in the search. The 41-year-old Long is a white male who is 5 feet, five inches tall and 166 pounds. He has brown hair and hazel eyes. Residents are asked to contact local law enforcement or the Missouri State Highway Patrol if they see him. Long is serving two concurrent six-year sentences for receiving stolen property and second-degree burglary. He was received into Department of Corrections custody from Texas County on June 2nd, 2017, and has a presumptive parole date scheduled for September 14th, 2019. He has previous convictions for second-degree assault, operating a vehicle while intoxicated resulting in injury, possession of a controlled substance, resisting/interfering with arrest, second-degree domestic assault and misdemeanor stealing.

The Dent Commissioners met Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams reported CART funds have been received from the state and came in this month at $56,355.12 and that is $1,348.05 more than January of 2017 when the county received $55,007.07. That increase is about 2.5%. Richard LaBrash was in to pick up the resolution from the commission supporting a state funeral for the last Medal of Honor winner from World War II when he passes. No enlisted man has ever received a state funeral. LaBrash also said the 6th Annual 16th District Veterans Affairs Day will be held April 27th at the American Legion/VFW Hall on Highway 32 West from 10:00 in the morning until 2:00 in the afternoon. This allows veterans with any question about their benefits to be answered by VA staff in Salem instead of the veterans having to travel to get answers to their questions. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell said materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 6240 while just grading would be done on county roads 2400 and 6380. He also indicated two men would be hauling brown rock to the shop. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2120, 3250 and 4290. He said another crewwould be patching damages to Dent County Road 3240 that was recently chip and sealed. He said the crews want to get the work done before we have any precipitation that can get under the surface and break up more of it. Larson went on to say two trucks would be hauling brown rock to the shed and another man would be screening the brown rock. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported on the “MRPC Day at the Capitol” Tuesday where he and other members of the MRPC met with Representatives Jeff Pogue, Robert Ross, Steve Lynch and Keith Frederick as well as Senators Mike Kehoe, Dan Brown, Mike Cunningham and Dave Shatz. Skiles said he was told discussions on prevailing wage would be continuing and that could help with the Dent County Jail project. Skiles also attended a Region I Homeland Security Oversight Committee meeting Thursday. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley wanted to remind everyone the budget hearing will be held Monday morning at 10:00 in the Commissioners office at the Dent County Courthouse. Remember, the preliminary 2018 county budget is available at the Dent County Clerks office and they are free. Kurt Hagge from Shive-Hattery was in attendance to provide the commissioners with some preliminary drawings of the new jail and if there are enough funds, the new sheriff’s office and new court room. The commissioners had some questions including a larger waiting room outside the proposed court room that could be used as a waiting room with seating for jury duty as well as no direct entrance to the proposed sheriff’s office from the back. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse followed by the budget hearing at 10:00, and both are open to the public.

An accident happened Thursday morning at 8:00 in Phelps County on I-44 at the 186 mile marker eastbound on the ramp. According to the highway patrol report, a 2016 Nissan Altima, driven by 77-year old Imogene Griffith of St. James, was slowing on the ramp and a 2005 Ford Ranger, driven by 59-year old Michael Willis of Rolla, failed to observe the slowing car and collided with the Nissan. Griffith suffered minor injuries and was transported by private vehicle to Dr. Schultz offices in St. James. Griffith and Willis were wearing safety restraints at the time of the accident. The Nissan had minor damage, while the Ford had no damage, and both vehicles were driven from the scene.