Archive for 2017

Salem Parks and Recreation Director Tye Lydon has announced that due to some emergency concrete repair work needed on the Alice Craig Municipal Pool at the Salem City Park, the tentative opening date for the pool has been moved from this Saturday back to at least Thursday, June 1st. The Parks and Recreation Department apologizes for the inconvenience this delay may cause and hopes you have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend.

The Dent County Commissioners met for regular meeting Thursday morning in the Dent County Courthouse. Dent County Collector Dennis Medlock was in to share information about merchant and business licenses. He said that according to Chapter 150 of the Missouri State Statutes anyone that collects sales tax must have a Missouri Sales and Use Tax License, irregardless of whether it is a brick and mortar or internet business. Medlock said the business must have a Dent County Merchants License, plus if they conduct business within the city limits they must have a Salem Business License, which can be obtained at the City of Salem Administrative Offices. Medlock said that the number on the Missouri Sales and Use Tax License appears on the county merchant’s license and if there are any questions, stop by his office or consult the Missouri Statutes. In the road report, District One Commissioner Dennis Purcell said that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 6580 and 6190, plus materials would be added to and grading would be done on county roads 6010, 6460 and 5630. District Two Commissioner Gary Larson said that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 5320 and 5280, while materials would be added to county roads 2110, 2530, and 2370. He added the brush cutter would be finishing up on county road 4050 and then moving to Dent County Road 3340. Larson noted that he had two men finishing the repairs on low water crossings on county road 2110. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said that on Tuesday, the Commissioners and Sheriff Bob Wells had toured the jail in Dunklin County. The Commissioners and Steve Davis, architect with Shive-Hattery, reviewed the pros and cons of the Dunklin County facility. Skiles also noted that he wanted to compliment the National Park Service for getting the upper part of the Current River open for this very busy weekend. Sheriff Wells joined the meeting and Davis then lead a very lengthy discussion of various tentative plans, sketches, options, possible changes, etc. Bids for a Construction Management Agency were opened and the only two bidders were Cahill Construction and Septagon Industries of Sedalia. The Commissioners decided to conduct interviews the afternoon of June 1st. In a 3-0 vote, the Commissioners approved signing an amended agreement for geotechnical exploration. Mike Swyers was in to observe the Jail Project discussion. At the Monday meeting on May 22nd, the Commissioners voted to seek bids on a truck for the Road and Bridge Department and Jim Kostchedoff came in to talk to the Commissioners. Also on Monday Kelly Jamison Smith was in to discuss the Drug Court Budget and the Commissioners suggested she speak to Judge Pearson and they will work with her to get the issue fixed. There will be no meeting of the Commission Monday due to the Memorial Day Holiday so their next meeting will be Thursday June 1st in the Courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

An accident happened in Dent County Thursday afternoon at 2:55 on Route K about two miles west of Highway 19. According to the highway patrol report, 19-year old Nathan Cook of Salem was driving a 2007 Sterling Dump Truck westbound went he drove off the right side of the roadway, returned to the road, over-corrected and overturned. Cook suffered moderate injuries and was flown by Air Evac to the Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. He was wearing a seat restraint. The dump truck sustained extensive damage and was towed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing.

There will be an informational meeting held at Montauk State Park on Saturday June 3rd. The meeting will be held at the campground amphitheater from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Input from the public is important to the department. These informational meetings give staff the opportunity to let people know the current status and future plans for the park or site, and they offer visitors the opportunity to comment on the facilities. Staff from the park will be on hand to provide information about the park and answer questions. The public is invited to share comments about the park and its operations.

Here is an Ozark National Scenic Riverways update as they have opened some land-based areas for day use. Park staff and the Midwest Region Incident Management Team have been working to assess conditions and identify areas that are safe to open as we continue to address the large tasks ahead. Teams are working daily to clean up debris, repair extensive damage to facilities, and prioritize areas that can be opened. Full amenities are not available yet in the re-opened areas. Plan to pack out whatever you bring to the areas as trash collection and restroom cleaning will be limited, and areas will not be mowed. Patience is appreciated while recovery efforts continue. Now open are the Round Spring and Pulltite Campgrounds. Reduced rates will be posted at campgrounds where all amenities, such as showers and flush toilets, are not on line yet. Some parts of the Jacks Fork and Current River are now open. Floating is now available on the Upper Current from Tan Vat to Round Spring, and the Jacks Fork is now open for floating from Buck Hollow to Alley boat launch; but closed from Alley boat launch to Two Rivers until safety hazards can be mitigated. The Lower Current River is open for power boating but closed to floating due to persistent high water. These launch areas are now open: Tan Vat, Baptist, Cedar Grove, Akers, Pulltite, Round Spring, Buck Hollow, Rymers, Alley and Big Spring. Open are the Alley Mill parking area, grounds around Alley Mill and Storys Creek School, Alley General Store 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Alley Mill is closed due to flood damage, restrooms – due to issues with the sewage system. Devils Well is open for day use and picnicking. Akers Ranger Station public restrooms will be open. For public information and status updates information desks will be staffed at Round Spring Contact Station, Alley Spring General Store, and Park Headquarters in Van Buren, daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

In some ways, Memorial Day weekend is the gateway to summer fun. The long weekend is an opportunity to visit family or friends, go to one of Missouri’s lakes, or enjoy any number of recreation opportunities in our state. Colonel Sandra K. Karsten, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, would like the public to make safety a priority this holiday weekend. Use a seat belt and pay attention when you drive, and wear your life jacket when you’re on or near the water. Know where work zones are located along your route, and if alcohol is part of your holiday, make sure driving a vehicle or a vessel is not. The Patrol will be participating in Operation C.A.R.E. (Crash Awareness Reduction Effort) during the long holiday weekend. This means every available trooper will be on the road enforcing traffic laws and assisting motorists. In addition, the Patrol will assign troopers to 20-mile intervals along Interstates 29, 44, 55, and 70, and U.S. Highways 60 and 61 tomorrow and Monday, May 29th. Troopers taking part in the holiday peak travel crash reduction enforcement project will be alert for all traffic offenses, and be especially vigilant to aggressive driving violations. Motorists or boaters in need of assistance or who want to report a crime should use the Highway Patrol’s Emergency Assistance number 1-800-525-5555 or *55 on a cellular phone. For road condition reports, travelers can visit our web site at mshp.dps.mo.gov. Click on the Road Condition icon to view road construction areas throughout the state or call 1-888-275-6636. Over the 2016 Memorial Day holiday weekend, 13 people died and 451 were injured in 1,045 traffic crashes. Last year, troopers made 135 DWI arrests. This year’s fatality counting period for the holiday weekend begins at 6:00 pm on Friday, May 26th, and ends at 11:59 pm on Monday, May 29th. Troopers will focus their attention on seat belt use, use of child safety seats, impaired drivers, and speed violations. Motorists are encouraged to be safe and courteous drivers. Speed, inattention, and impaired driving are leading causes of traffic crashes. Please do your part. Obey all traffic laws and make sure everyone in the vehicle is properly restrained in a seat belt or child restraint. The only 100 percent survivable traffic crash is the one that never happens. Make sure everyone in the vehicle is properly restrained in a seat belt or child restraint. Every day as we travel on Missouri’s roadways, we trust that every driver on the road is going to obey the speed limit, pay attention, and drive sober. “Don’t Violate The Trust.”