Archive for 2017

With all the buzz about the Solar Eclipse this Monday, the Missouri Department of Conservation wanted to let people who would like to view the maximum eclipse in nearby counties. The maximum eclipse will not happen in Dent County, but there are locations nearby where people could see the total eclipse. The closest Conservation Area will be Huzzah in Crawford County. The next closest would be the Meramec Conservation Area in Franklin County followed by Long Ridge Conservation Area in Franklin County and the Little Indian Creek Conservation Area in Washington County. You can also check out the Canaan Conservation Area in Gasconade County. Another Conservation Area providing viewing within the Southern Limit of the eclipse is Buford Mountain in Iron County. People in the Crawford, Franklin, Phelps and Reynolds County will have some maximum eclipse viewing in areas that are still in the Southern Limit within their counties. The maximum eclipse is expected around 1:14 to the northwest, near 1:16 around the Union and St. Clair area, and 1:18 to the southeast. In Northern and Central Dent County, you will be able to see around a 99% eclipse while in Southern Dent County, it will be about 98.5%. Make sure you have the protective glasses on if you will be watching the eclipse. Some businesses may be closed for the eclipse so it would best to call ahead before going. The Salem License Bureau has announced they will be closed on Monday from noon until 2:00 in the afternoon to view the solar eclipse.

The Doe Run Company’s (Doe Run) two mine rescue teams recently earned the highest honors at competitive mine rescue contests. The Gray Team won the overall championship at the Northern Regional Mine Rescue Contest. The event, which took place from June 5th through the 9th in Clymer, New York, consisted of various competitions that tested eight mine rescue teams’ abilities to handle emergency situations underground. In addition to winning the Northern Regional overall champion title, Doe Run’s Gray Team won the first aid competition, which consisted of a CPR and first-responder scenario. The team finished in second place in the field competition, which measures how well team members adhere to mine rescue procedures during a simulated mine emergency. The Gray Team also earned third place in the team technical test, which measures participants’ expertise in operating breathing apparatuses and gas-level monitoring. Another Doe Run mine rescue team, the Maroon Team, won the overall championship at the Colorado Regional Mine Rescue Contest, which took place from June 26th through the 29th in Lakewood, Colorado. The Maroon Team also finished in first place in the mine rescue competition and in third place in the first aid competition. Current members of Doe Run’s Gray Team include: Chris Brawley, James Gamblin, Randy Hill, Dennis Keene, Wayne Marlin, Garry Moore, Robby Vetter, Jake Vogel, Charlie Walker and Nathan Woods. The Maroon Team includes: Steve Setzer, Andrew Hampton, Isaiah Henseler, Jarred Tackett, Richie Brewer, Jake Piatt, Nathan Setzer, Luke Davis, Mark Barton and Branden Roderman. Doe Run’s mine rescue teams participate in voluntary training for at least eight hours per month and compete in mine rescue competitions annually. The teams consistently place near the top at regional and national mine rescue competitions, and have successfully applied these skills in real emergencies. Doe Run mine rescuers Andrew Hampton, Randy Hill, Wayne Marlin and Steve Setzer, along with former members Brad Beck and Shawn Pratt, received a Certificate of Honor from Washington D.C. at the Joseph A. Holmes Safety Association annual meeting for their exceptional work during a real emergency that occurred in 2010. After a truck fire broke out in the No. 29 Mine, Doe Run evacuated workers and activated its skilled mine rescue teams, who handled the situation. Doe Run’s underground lead mines in Missouri’s Viburnum Trend have earned the National Mining Association’s prestigious Sentinels of Safety Award 27 times since 1971. All new mining employees undergo 40 hours of in-depth safety training prior to working in the mines. Companywide, Doe Run employees go through more than 15,000 hours of safety training annually.

The Salem Police Department released some reports. On Tuesday, August 8th at 10:00 in the morning, an officer was contacted at the station in reference to property damage of a vehicle. The investigation revealed that a person or persons unknown damaged the right rear door of a black 2010 Ford Fusion. Later that afternoon at 3:15, an officer was contacted at the station in reference to a theft. That investigation revealed that a person or persons unknown took a cell phone valued at $100.00 from the porch of a residence in the 300 block of North Walker. Then Wednesday afternoon, August 9th at 2:45, a vehicle was stopped for a traffic violation. The investigation of the stop led to the arrest of a 71-year old female of Salem for driving while her license was revoked. She was issued a summons to appear in court and released. On Thursday morning, August 10 at 7:30, an officer was detailed to the 500 block of South Carty in reference to property damage. The investigation of the report revealed that a person or persons unknown damaged the paint on a black 2015 Toyota Rav 4. The value of the damage to the Toyota was estimated to be about $300.00. Please contact the Salem Police Department at 729-4242 if you have any information regarding any ongoing investigation.

Ron’s Race for a Reason, honoring all local veterans, will be held on September 1st and 2nd at Flat Nasty on 1771 Highway ZZ in Jadwin. There will be 2 classes of racing: Truck and Side-by-Side, and the entry fees are $25 which includes camping for one. There will be food provided by the American Volunteers, and a raffle of four Henry rifles as well as various products provided by local businesses. For the kids, Frosty the Snowman will make a special visit and it WILL snow! If you need more information, you can call (573) 729-6668

The Dent County Commission met for their regular meeting Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell said the Montauk area received between 3 to 5 inches of rain last Thursday night that closed the river on Friday. Because of the heavy rains, crews will be working in the Montauk area on Dent County Roads 6460 and 6040 as well as the other small roads around the park. They will also be adding materials and repairing county roads 6575 and 6665. Purcell will be attending a South Central Missouri Community Action Agency meeting in Winona tonight. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 3240. He went on to report brush would be cut on county roads 2313 and 2315, and another man would be going to Springfield to get oil for chip and seal repair. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported on the Transportation Advisory Committee meeting from last week that showed fatalities were down 4% from last year. He also said MoDOT said the work on Highway 32-72 East at Dry Valley is on schedule. At the External Relations Committee meeting, Skiles indicated he was re-elected as the Chairman of the External Relations Committee and the group continued working on the Annual Dinner and Volunteer Awards presentation that will be held October 26th in Salem at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. He said at the MRPC meeting, they are establishing their priorities for state and federal legislative issues to be addressed. The commissioners did go into closed session at the meeting to discuss real estate in accordance with state statutes where the commission voted unanimously to purchase property owned by Tom White. The property in question is located at 200 E. Rolla Road in Salem. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse and the meeting is open to the public starting at 9:00 in the morning.

Save the Date! Volunteers are needed! I Heart Salem will host a fall clean-up volunteer night on Wednesday, September 6th from 6:00-7:30 p.m. The location and additional details will be announced next week. September is a busy month for special events like the Chamber Rodeo, the Blue Oval Rally as well as the Alumni Weekend and we can help our town look great for our residents and visitors! If you have any questions, just call 453-2500 or watch the GroSalem.MO Facebook page for more details!

The Dent County Commissioners held their tax rate hearing Monday morning at 10:00 at the courthouse. The General Revenue rate is currently at $.0350. The State Auditor approved a rate of $.0561 as the maximum allowable tax rate the county could take in General Revenue. The Commission approved leaving the rate at $.0350 by a vote of 3-0. The Senate Bill 40 Fund has a current rate of $.1350 but after re-assessment, the maximum allowed this year is $.1338. The SB 40 board asked to take the maximum allowed this year at $.1338. The Commissioners voted 3-0 to take the maximum allowable rate of $.1338. The Road and Bridge Fund current tax rate is $.2550, but after re-assessment, the maximum allowable rate by the State Auditor is $.2527. The Commission approved unanimously to take the maximum allowable rate of $.2527. The Senior Citizen Fund rate for 2016 was $.0480 and the State Auditor approved a rate of $.0476 as the maximum allowable tax rate for 2017. Their board requested to take the maximum allowable rate this year of $.0476. The request was approved by the commissioners by a 3-0. All the rates presented are per $100 assessed valuation. The hearing was adjourned.

The Ozark National Scenic Riverways will host a solar eclipse viewing event at Alley Spring on August 21 beginning at 11:30 a.m. and ending at 2:45 p.m. A partial solar eclipse will be visible during the entire event, with the peak eclipse occurring at approximately 1:00 p.m. Park Rangers will be on hand to discuss the eclipse. Solar eclipse viewing glasses will be provided to visitors free of charge, as even a partial eclipse can be dangerous if viewed directly without proper eye protection. Kids will also receive special Eclipse Explorer Junior Ranger stickers as part of the event. The 2017 solar eclipse will be visible in some form throughout the entire United States, making it a truly American event that hasn’t happened since 1979. Ozark Riverways should experience approximately 97.97% blockage of the sun as the moon passes between earth and the sun during the peak of the eclipse. The sky will darken and temperatures will fall as the sun almost completely disappears behind the moon briefly. Don’t miss your opportunity to see one of nature’s best shows in your national park. Bring lawn chairs or blankets and stay for the entire event. Alley Spring is located 6 miles west of Eminence on State Hwy 106. For more information, call (573) 226-3945; visit the park’s Facebook page, or website at www.nps.gov/ozar.

A concert by local musicians will be held Aug. 18-19 at Echo Bluff State Park south of Salem. The free concert will be held at 7 p.m. in the park’s amphitheater and the public is invited. The concert will feature Hunter Hathcoat a country songwriter/singer originally from Ellington. It will also feature Collin Nash, a singer/songwriter originally from Salem, who will play Southern rock favorites. Hathcoat will begin the concert both nights at 7 p.m. and Nash will begin playing at 8:30 p.m. Missouri State Parks is celebrating 100 years in 2017. Echo Bluff State Park is located on Hwy. 19 25 miles south of Salem and 14 miles north of Eminence. For more information about the concert, call the park at 573-751-1224. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.