Local News – Thursday, August 3rd, 2017
The Dent County Fire Protection District held their August meeting Tuesday night at the Fire station. After reviewing the monthly calendar and financial reports, the board looked at the monthly reimbursement report. During the month, firefighters responded to 23 calls that were made up of one structure fire, four brush fires, two car fires, six first responder calls, four vehicle accidents, a mutual aid call, two hazmat calls, two trainings and a miscellaneous call. For the year, Dent County Fire Protection District personnel have responded to 173 calls. The average cost per call was $80.46. The 2016 tax rate was set at 23.38 cents per $100 assessed valuation and the board approved leaving the rate the same for 2017 as per the Hancock Amendment. Chief Brad Nash reported the auditor was at the fire station all week and everything looks to be in order. The district will receive a formal report that will be presented at the September meeting. The next meeting of the Dent County Fire Protection District Board will be Tuesday, September 5th at 6:00 at the Dent County Fire Station.
An accident happened on Interstate 44 at the 190.2 mile marker Tuesday night at 6:30 in Phelps County. According to the highway patrol report, a 2015 Jeep Patriot driven eastbound by Rosemary O’Hara of St. James hydroplaned and went off the right side of the roadway and struck the guard rail. The Jeep then returned to the road and was struck by a 2017 GMC Sierra driven eastbound by 28-year old Shane Switzer of Rolla. After the collision, the Jeep went off the left side of the road and struck the barrier cable and came to rest. O’Hara suffered minor injuries and was taken to the Phelps County Regional Medical Center by EMS, while Switzer also suffered minor injuries, but refused treatment at the scene. Both vehicles were totaled in the accident. The Jeep was removed from the scene by C&C Towing while the Sierra was taken from the scene by Dishman’s Towing of Rolla. Everyone involved was wearing seat restraints when the accident occurred. The highway patrol was assisted by the Rolla Police Department.
The Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) and Phelps County Public Housing Agency (PHA) Family Self-Sufficiency program will host a free Energy Savers Class Wednesday, August 9th. Participants actively look at their energy choices, energy use, and how to make the right choices when it comes to saving energy. The class will look at energy use for the kitchen, bathroom, laundry, cooling, heating and lighting as well as energy safety and kids and energy. The class will be held from 10:00 AM to noon at Phelps County PHA located at #4 Industrial Drive in St. James, with Christy Saylor, Missouri Ozarks Community Action (MOCA) county projects coordinator, presenting. MRPC provides staffing to the Phelps County Public Housing Agency that provides rental assistance to over 750 low-income families in Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps (outside the city limits of Rolla) and Washington counties. The PHA also offers the Family Self-Sufficiency Program where clients develop a goal-oriented, five-year plan that moves them toward self-sufficiency and independence from government programs. Workshops are offered at no cost to the participant. For more information or to RSVP, contact Savannah Vandegriffe at (573)265-4200 ext. 132. Free training classes are a part of MRPC and PHA's efforts to help prepare families by making them aware of the resources available to assist with self-sufficiency. Each participant who attends will receive a $25 Wal-Mart gift card, as long as they meet income qualifications.
The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) is a vital resource for Missourians. Flood insurance pays policyholders even if there is no federal disaster declaration. Before the June 2nd presidential disaster declaration that followed Missouri’s severe storms and flooding between April 28th and May 11th, the NFIP had already paid out $19 million to Missouri policyholders. The flooding damaged more than 1,000 structures in the state. Many homeowners, renters and business owners had flood insurance policies, but many more did not. Floods can affect anyone and are the most common and most costly natural disasters in the United States. Without flood insurance it may be too expensive for the owners to repair or rebuild. Flooding can hit almost anywhere. It occurs in moderate-to-low risk areas as well as in high-risk areas. Twenty-six percent of all claims in the recent Missouri flooding have come from areas not considered at high risk for flooding. Homeowners’ and renters’ insurance policies do not typically cover flood damage. Homeowners, renters and business owners who live in NFIP-participating communities are eligible to purchase flood insurance through an insurance agent or an insurer participating in NFIP. In our area, the City of Salem is covered by the NFIP program while Dent County is not. A single-family residential building can be insured up to $250,000 and its contents up to $100,000. Renters can cover contents up to $100,000. Non-residential property owners can insure their building up to $500,000 and contents up to $500,000. The cost of a policy depends on the flood risk, but the average cost for a homeowner in Missouri is approximately $1,000 per year. FEMA urges Missourians to buy flood insurance before a flood happens. NFIP cannot pay a claim if a policy is not in effect when damage occurs. An insurance policy from NFIP becomes effective 30 days after it is purchased. To find an insurance agent, contact the NFIP Referral Call Center at 800-427-4661.