Archive for 2018

With temperatures staying in the 90’s consistently and heat indexes climbing into triple digits, everyone needs to be aware of how dangerous it is for a person or animal to be left in a closed up vehicle. On the average, 37 children die in the U.S. each year from heatstroke in cars, according to the nonprofit child-safety organization Kids and Cars. That’s one child every nine days. And there are hundreds of cases of nonfatal heat-related illness every year, some of which result in permanent brain damage. Pets, the elderly and people with movement disabilities are also at risk. Remember that leaving a child in car for even a few minutes is dangerous. The cool interior of an air-conditioned car can quickly turn deadly once you shut off the engine. Within 10 minutes the inside temperature can rise more than 20 degrees. After an hour, temperatures can increase by 40 degrees or more, according to a 2005 study published in the journal Pediatrics. The same study revealed that leaving windows open an inch or two won’t stop a car in direct sunlight from quickly becoming dangerously hot. The danger of heatstroke in cars isn’t confined to hot days. Even when the outside temperature is only in the mid-60s, sunlight can heat the interior to 110 degrees or more, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. Some tips to prevent this from happening include “Look before you lock.” Make a habit of always checking the back seat of your vehicle before walking away. Place a needed item such as your phone, briefcase or purse in the back seat. That way, you’ll see your child when you retrieve the item. Keep your vehicle locked and keys out of reach of children. Almost 30 percent of vehicle-related heatstroke deaths happen when an unsupervised child climbs inside a vehicle. For bystanders who see a child alone in a vehicle: Make sure the child is OK. If not, call 911 immediately. If the child appears to be OK, try to find the parents. If at a store or other facility, try to have the car owner paged over the PA system. If the child is unresponsive and appears to be in distress, attempt to get into the car to help the child, even if that means breaking a window.

There will be a Community Blood Center of the Ozarks Blood Drive at the First Baptist Church TODAY from 1:00 until 6:00 at 201 North McArthur. Two blood types are in short supply at this time: B negative and A positive, but all types are needed during the summer months. To be eligible to give blood, you must weigh 110 pounds, be in good health and show a valid picture ID. At this blood drive, you will also get a cool heather gray T-Shirt with a patriotic summer message. For more information, contact Cindy Sachs at 729-4241.

Sample ballots for the Dent County Primary election on August 7th are available in the Dent County Clerks office in the courthouse. Five parties will be represented including the Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, as well as the Green Party and Constitution Party. The contested Primary races include the race for the United States Senator seat, there will be 11 Republican candidates, seven Democrat candidates, and one each from the Libertarian and Green Party. In the state races, the State Auditor position features four Republicans running along with one Democratic candidate, and one candidate from the Libertarian and Green Party. The State Senator for the 16th District Senator contests have three Republicans running and one Democrat candidate. The State Representative for District 143 has two Republicans running for that position. Other contested offices in the area include the race for Circuit Judge for the 42nd Circuit, Division 1, which has three Republican candidates running, two Republicans will battle for Dent County Presiding Commissioner, two Republicans are challenging for Dent County Collector and two Republicans candidates seek to fill the unexpired term of Public Administrator. The sample ballots are free! For more information call the Dent County Collector Angie Curley at 729-4144.

The Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC) and Phelps County Public Housing Agency (PHA) Family Self-Sufficiency program will host a free Energy Savers Class Friday from 10:00 that morning until noon. Participants will 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 at Phelps County PHA located at #4 Industrial Drive in St. James presented by Christy Saylor, the Missouri Ozarks Community Action (MOCA) county projects coordinator. This workshop is 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 Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released some reports. On July 3rd, deputies responded to Dent County Private Lane 601 in reference to a report of sheep being shot. The victim showed deputies two sheep that had gunshot wounds. This report is still under investigation. On July 6th, deputies responded to the Bunker school in reference to property damage. It was reported that a tire had been flatten on a log skidder. This report is still under investigation. That same day, deputies responded to a residence in the 3000 block of Dent County Road 4290 in reference to a burglary. It was reported that a window was pushed in and several guns were taken from inside. This report is still under investigation. On July 7th, deputies conducted a traffic stop in the Country Mart parking lot. The driver, a 61-year old Salem man, was arrested for driving while having his license revoked. He was fingerprinted, issued a summons, and released. That same day, deputies responded to a residence on Dent County Road 5090 for a report of trespassing. It was reported that a 49-year old Rolla man had broke into the house and damaged property. He was arrested and taken to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. On Sunday, the sheriff’s department was informed of the death of a Salem woman from extensive burns at Phelps County Regional Medical Center. This matter is under investigation. If anyone has information about any ongoing investigation, please contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Department at 729-3241.

An accident happened in St. Francois County on Route N just north of Mallard Road Monday morning at 9:10. According to the highway patrol report, a 2003 GMC 1500 driven southbound by 45-year old Mickey Brower of Middlebrook, Missouri, traveled across the center of the roadway where it collided with the side of a 2013 Honda Civic driven by 21-year old Jaelyn Crocker of Black, Missouri. Due to the collision, the Honda skidded off the west side of Route N. Crocker suffered moderate injuries and was transported to the Parkland Health Center in Farmington by the St. Francois County Ambulance District. Everyone involved in the accident was wearing their seat restraint. The GMC sustained moderate damage and was driven from the scene while the Honda sustained extensive damage and was removed from the scene by Custom Auto Towing in Arcadia.

The South Central Missouri Community Action Agency will be holding a School Readiness Event this year on Saturday, August 11th in Dent County at The Commons from 10:00 in the morning until 2:00 in the afternoon. Many different organizations in the community will come to together to provide services and supplies for low income families. Children who are registered for the event will receive free age appropriate school supplies including back packs, paper, folders, glue, pens and pencils. Health screenings will also be completed on the children. Pre-registration of your children is encouraged and this can be done at any South Central Missouri Community Action Agency office by providing the Social Security numbers of the Head of Household and the children being registered for the program. Donations of a number of school supplies for the event such as facial tissue, hi-lighters, mechanical pencils, graph paper, ink pens and pencils are still needed for the event. If you are part of community organization that would like to have a booth at the event, to register your children for the event, or if you would like to donate items, contact Sarah at 729-3500 or stop by 1405 South Wines Street in Salem.

The 2018 Missouri State Fair themed, “Come Home” will be held August 9th through August 19th in Sedalia. Discounted Missouri State Fair admission tickets and carnival wristbands are available for purchase now through August 8th. Ticket retailers include Break Time Convenience Stores, Orscheln Farm and Home Stores, Menards, and Missouri State Fair Box Office. Participating locations and options for purchasing can be found on the State Fair website, mostatefair.com. These savings are ideal for families wishing to Come Home this year to the Missouri State Fair. Advance Adult Gate Admission ticket are $8.00, a $10.00 value, Advance Unlimited Carnival Ride Wristband tickets, which includes one day unlimited carnival rides are $21.00 a $30.00 value. Other money saving deals include Advance Unlimited Daily Deal, which includes one day unlimited carnival rides & adult admission and that’s $29.00, a $40.00 value. Carnival wristbands and ride tickets are also available for purchase at the Fair. Regularly priced wristbands are $26.00 Monday through Thursday and $32.00 Friday through Sunday, with special pricing on Tuesday, August 14th and on the Fair’s final day, Sunday, August 19th. Family packs will also be available for purchase, with options of four tickets for $5.00, 25 tickets for $25.00 and 55 tickets for $50.00. The 55 ticket package includes a value book provided by Wade Shows that is a $30.00 to $40.00 value.

US Eighth District Representative Jason Smith donated excess books from the Library of Congress to the Ozark Regional Library in Viburnum Tuesday afternoon, July 3rd.

The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting Monday the Dent County Courthouse. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles was not in attendance so District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell was appointed as the acting Presiding Commissioner for the meeting. In the road report, Purcell said West Contracting from Sullivan would be in town this week to begin work on a number of chip and seal road recoats. Purcell said men were out doing last minute patching on numerous roads, and other men were out preparing the other chip and seal for the overlay. Purcell said crews would be cutting brush on Dent County Roads 2400 and 6510. Second District Commissioner Gary Larson said his men were also preparing roads for the chip and seal overlay. He did say the road at the Stone Hill Cemetery was going to need a double layer, but it is a very short road of maybe 1/10th of a mile. Larson stated grading was going to be attempted on Dent County Road 4280 if it had enough moisture content. He went on to say a man would be loading chips the county provides for the chip and seal roads in to the trucks from West Contracting. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she balanced with the Dent County Treasurer on all accounts in June, and she also balanced with the Dent County Collector and Dent County Assessor on collections, abatements and add-ons for the month of June. Curley wanted to remind everyone that if you are not registered to vote in the Primary Election, you have until this Wednesday, July 11th at 4:30 to get registered. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Thursday morning at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The photography collection of Dent County native Ron Lewis is on display at the Ozarks Cultural and Natural Resource Center now until July 31st. Stop by and visit his work of scenes of rural Dent County and surrounding areas including Montauk, Alley Spring and breathtaking night skies. The Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center is open daily Monday through Friday from 9:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the afternoon, and on Saturday from 9:00 in the morning until 12:00 noon at 202 S Main Street in Salem. The exhibit is free and open to everyone. For more information, contact the ONCRC at 573-729-0029.

The Salem Chamber of Commerce 4th of July Parade featured numerous entries ranging from classic cars to tractors and many political floats and displays. According to Tabitha Utley, Chamber Executive Director there were over 85 entries. Utley also noted that the Non-Commercial entry winner was Developmental Disabilities Board, while the Commercial entry winner was Riverways Federal Credit Union and the Horsemanship winner was Alyssa McBee. The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce and the entire audience want to thank those taking part in the parade.

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce will hold their first Business Education Session on Thursday, July 19th from 12:00 noon until 1:00 in the afternoon at the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Office. These sessions are free for anyone who would like to attend. The Salem GRO Economic Advisor, Hrishue Mahalaha will be presenting, “How Can Your Business Benefit from our local Economic Development Efforts?” Due to the limited amount of space, please e-mail the chamber of your intentions to attend or to get more information about the session.

The Doe Run Company’s two mine rescue teams recently earned high honors at competitive mine rescue contests. The Gray Team won first place in three different competitions at the Northern Regional Mine Rescue Contest. The Maroon Team also received high honors at the Southeast Regional Mine Rescue Contest. At the Northern Regional Mine Rescue Contest, the Gray Team won first place in the field competition, which measures how well team members adhere to mine rescue procedures during a simulated mine emergency, and first place in the first aid competition, which consisted of a CPR and first-responder scenario. The Gray Team also won first place in the team trainer competition. The contest took place from June 4th through June 8th in Clymer, New York. The Maroon Team won first place in team tech at the Southeast Regional Mine Rescue Contest. Luke Davis, benchman for the Maroon Team, won the Dragerman Trophy, which recognizes his ability to test and maintain the Drager brand breathing apparatus. Additionally, the team placed fourth in the field competition and fourth in combination scoring out of 15 participating teams. The contest took place from May 21st through May 24th in Franklin, Tennessee. Doe Run’s mine rescue teams participate in voluntary training for at least eight hours per month and compete in mine rescue competitions annually. Companywide, Doe Run employees go through more than 16,000 hours of training annually.

The City of Salem Planning and Zoning Board of Commissioners Chairman Gary Brown has called a special meeting of the Board for Monday, July 16th at 6:30 pm in the City Hall Council Chambers, 202 North Washington. The meeting is to address a request to vacate an undeveloped portion of South Oak Street. The undeveloped street is more specifically described as all the undeveloped portion of South Oak Street platted as 50 feet in width which runs north and south and which lies between the south right of way of Franklin Avenue as platted and the north right of way of East Hunt Street as platted. The meeting of the Planning and Zoning Board is open to the public.