Local News – Tuesday, August 22nd, 2017
The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the courthouse for their regular meeting. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell stated that the Montauk area received another hard rain this weekend that caused some road damage. He said he has a crew there working on repairing the roads in that area. Purcell indicated grading would be done on Dent County Roads 6370 and 6380 while brush was being cut on county roads 5100, 5103 and 5105. He also attended a tourism tax committee meeting Monday night. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson reported materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 3240 while only grading would be done on county road 2210. Larson also said brush was going to be cut on county roads 3020 and 3030. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles stated the Missouri Community Betterment Judges will be in Salem the morning of September 13th at the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center. He also said he was in Jefferson City Wednesday for a Senate Committee Hearing on prevailing wage. The committee was asking for input from municipalities, counties and school boards in attendance, and those entities who testified were in agreement to ask the legislature to add Missouri to the 13 states that have already repealed prevailing wage since 1979 so they could be better stewards of local tax dollars. On Thursday, Skiles was in Sedalia at Senator Roy Blunt’s Ag Advisory Council meeting where he discussed the need for broadband in this area and also the need to renew the Secure Rural Schools Act that provides payments to the schools. Skiles also said that he wanted to warn residents in Dent County about asphalt, service and building scammers that are in town that will just show up out of nowhere to see if you want work done. They almost always ask for one–half down before any work begins. Skiles says if you don’t know these people, ask them for local references, ask to see their city or county business license, and do not let them in your home. If you have doubts, call the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241 or the Salem Police Department at 729-4242. There have already been some instances where people have paid money down for work on their home, driveway, trees, etc and never saw the contractor again. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.
An accident happened in Dent County Sunday night at 9:55 on Dent County Road 3180 about seven miles north of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, a 1995 Dodge Dakota driven northbound by 20-yaer old Justin Haney of Salem, traveled off the left side of the road, then returned to the roadway where Haney overcorrected and the vehicle went back off the left side of the roadway where the Dakota struck a tree. Suffering Minor injuries were the driver, Haney, and two passengers: 16-year old Shane Murr of Salem and 17-year old Gracie Wethy. All three were taken to the Salem Memorial District Hospital by the Salem EMS. Haney was the only person wearing a seat restraint when the accident happened. The Dakota sustained extensive damage and was removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing in Salem.
An accident happened in Crawford County on Highway 19 about one-half mile south of Cuba Saturday afternoon at 1:00. According to the highway patrol report, a 1994 Dodge Van driven north bound by 30-year old Juanita Williams of Steelville, was slowing to make a right hand turn when the van was struck from behind by a 2009 Toyota Corolla driven northbound by 82-year old Avis Barber of Steelville. The van overturned onto its right side. Suffering minor injuries were two passengers in the Dodge Van: 10-year old Mike Hatfield and 57-year old Matthew Williams; as well as the Avis Barber driving the Corolla. All three were taken to the Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan by the Crawford County Ambulance. Both vehicles sustained extensive damage and were removed from the scene by Miles Towing.
An accident happened at 6:17 Thursday evening in Crawford County on Highway 49 about four miles east of Cherryville. According to the highway patrol report, a 1998 Ford F-150 Pickup driven northbound by 23-year old Eric Schmitt of Bixby, traveled off the right side of the roadway. Schmitt overcorrected and the truck crossed the centerline and traveled off the left side of the roadway where the truck struck a road sign, then a tree and finally came to rest in a ditch. Schmitt suffered moderate injuries and was life-flighted to Mercy Hospital in Creve Coeur. Schmitt was not wearing a seat restraint when the accident happened. The Ford F-150 Pickup was totaled and removed from the scene by Abney’s Wrecker out of Viburnum.
An accident happened in Dent County Sunday night at 11:20 on Route H about 1/10th of a mile west of Lenox. According to the highway patrol report, a 2005 Chevy Cobalt driven eastbound by 16-year old Makaila Chapman of Salem, traveled off the right side of the roadway when Chapman overcorrected and the Cobalt returned to the roadway and traveled off the left side of the roadway and struck a tree. Chapman suffered moderate injuries and was flown by Air Evac to the University Hospital in Columbia. Chapman was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The Chevy Cobalt was totaled and removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing of Salem.