Archive for 2018

The Healthy Dent County Prevention Coalition has been awarded a grant in the amount of $5,000 to complete a tobacco use prevention project with elementary students in Dent County. The coalition will collaborate with Dent County school districts to implement a nicotine prevention project with a focus on reaching parents of all fourth and fifth grade students. Teen tobacco use in Dent County is 13% higher than the Missouri state average. E-cigarette use is also higher than the state average. Parents will be provided information through a series of mailed postcards, public displays at local events and through media advertising. Prevention education through classroom presentations with 4th and 5th grade students will also be conducted. The Healthy Dent County Prevention Coalition is a volunteer organization of representative members of the Dent County community working together to identify prevention needs and implement evidence-based prevention strategies. The mission of the coalition, which began less than two years ago, is to facilitate community participation in the prevention of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use among our young people and community. Research suggests that coalitions are most successful at preventing substance abuse when they engage in environmental strategies to change a community’s social norms or attitudes. Recipients of the grant funding are required to use the Strategic Prevention Framework supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and recipients implement environmental strategies to change their community’s attitudes and expectations regarding alcohol and substance use to a healthier culture. Funding is administered by ACT Missouri, a private, not-for-profit organization that provides training and technical assistance for substance use prevention. For more information about the grant, please contact ACT Missouri at 573-635-6669.

The Missouri Department of Conservation offers nearly 1,000 conservation areas around the state for public use through wildlife watching, hiking, hunting, fishing, and more. The MDC is developing a mobile application for the public to easily find conservation areas and outdoor recreation activities near them and wants public input on three potential names for the new app: MO Explore, MO Nature, and MO Outdoors. The winner from the public vote will become the new mobile app’s name when it goes live later this summer. The new mobile app will allow the public to enter a location or use a device’s GPS feature to locate the closest conservation areas. Results will include full details about the areas and directions. Users can also use search and filter functions to narrow search results to see what recreational activities and outdoor features are available at the areas. Cast your vote at mdc.mo.gov and click on the voting tab.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports there were three traffic fatalities and two drownings over July Fourth holiday counting period that started at 6:00, Tuesday, July 3rd and ended at 11:59, July 4th. There were 114 crashes reported, resulting in 59 injuries and three fatalities statewide. All three fatalities were motorcycle accidents. There were also 40 DWI arrests and 38 drug arrests. In 2017, 26 people were killed and 469 injured statewide in Missouri over the 102 hour holiday counting period in 1,076 traffic crashes, while troopers arrested 172 people for driving while intoxicated. The 2018 July Fourth holiday boating statistics included five crashes resulting in two injuries, two drownings, three boating while intoxicated arrests and eight drug arrests.

The Salem Area Arts Council is continuing the stained-glass workshop series with the next event on Thursday, July 14th, 2018 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. These workshops will be held on the second Thursday of each month for the next several months at the Creative Arts Center in Salem or as long as there is an interest. These workshops are especially designed for individuals wanting to create a stained-glass piece that will take several sessions to complete, although individuals only wanting to do a small project that can be completed in one night may also come. Led by artist and art teacher Amber Pryor, all materials are provided to make your project to take home. There is a maximum enrollment of 8, so register early. The cost is $25 per session and reservations can be made by calling the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center at (573) 729-0029, or by calling or texting (573) 247-0279 to arrange paying your fee to hold your spot. This is NOT appropriate for young children or women who are pregnant. The Creative Arts Center is behind the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center located at 202 South Main in Salem.

The death of a 21-year old Nicholas Spratt of Washington, Missouri at the Southeast Missouri Behavioral Health Center in Salem on Sunday, July 1st is still under investigation, according to a press release from the Dent County Coroner’s Office. The Coroner’s Office was contacted that same morning at 6:56 to help assist the Salem Police Department with the investigation. Dent County Coroner Gina White reports the cause of death is undetermined pending the results of the autopsy that was held Tuesday.

The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday morning in the Courthouse. In the road report, District One Commissioner Dennis Purcell reported grading would be done on Dent County Roads 6220 and 6230. He noted that two men were patching chip and seal at various locations in preparation for the overlay process that is scheduled around mid July. District Two Commissioner Gary Larson was absent due to a previous commitment, so Road Foreman Sam Gorman gave the report. Gorman said that he had a very short crew and they would be screening brown rock and doing shop maintenance. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reminded interested contractors that bid information for the Justice Center can be obtained by contacting Construction Manager Nick Smith at (660) 827-2112. He went on to say that there are seven bid packages and that Smith will conduct a pre-bid meeting at 2:00 on July 19th and that bids will be opened August 9th at 2:00 in the Bank of Salem Courtesy Room. Skiles said that Thursday afternoon he met with City of Salem personnel concerning the Economic Development Director position. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reminded voters that July 11th is the deadline to register to vote in the August 7th Primary Election. She also asked for anyone who is not sure their voter registration information is correct or has moved to please call her office at 729-4144 to make the necessary changes. Curley said that bills were being approved by the Commissioners for payment. The next meeting of the Commission will be Monday morning in the Courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

Highway 137 in Texas County will be CLOSED as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform bridge repairs. The bridge over the Jacks Fork River is located between Route U and Route AZ. Weather permitting, the bridge will CLOSE at 6:00 this Monday morning, July 9th with plans to reopen it on Thursday, July 12th at 5:00 in the afternoon. The work zone will be marked with signs. Motorists are urged to use extreme caution while traveling near the area. For additional information, contact MoDOT’s Customer Service Center toll-free at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (1-888-275-6636) or visit www.modot.org/southeast.

Ozark National Scenic Riverways and Current River State Park will be offering free paddling clinics this Saturday and Sunday, and every weekend through the end of July. Each program will be the same featuring dry land basic sessions conducted on Saturday evening at 8:30 at the Round Spring amphitheater. Paddle stroke instruction will begin at 12:00 noon on Sunday on the lower lake at Current River State Park. Students will have the option to continue instruction on the river in the afternoon, paddling approximately four miles from Current River State Park to Round Spring on an interpretive float with an instructor. Topics to be covered include canoe and kayak equipment, rescue techniques, basic paddle strokes and maneuvers, and river safety. Instructors for this clinic are certified by the American Canoe Association. Kayaks, paddles, and personal floatation devices will be supplied by Current River State Park and the clinics are free to all participants. Each session is limited to twelve participants, so pre-registration is required. Significant natural and cultural points of interest will be discussed during the paddle from Current River State Park to Round Spring. For more information or to register, call the Round Spring Visitor Center at 573-323-8093.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol announced the results of enforcement efforts to detect impaired boat operators in conjunction with the national “Operation Dry Water” campaign. This is the 10th year for the national effort, and Missouri has participated since the program’s inception. This year’s Operation Dry Water campaign occurred June 29-July 1, 2018. Troopers conducted saturations and worked extended shifts to bring heightened awareness to the issue of boating while intoxicated. Troopers arrested seven people statewide for boating while intoxicated, contacted 710 vessels and 2,301 boaters, and issued 84 boating violation summonses and 951 warnings. Marine operations troopers also issued 86 summonses for non-boating violations during the 2018 Operation Dry Water weekend. Special enforcement operations will continue throughout the summer months. Boaters are reminded that designating a sober operator is always the safest bet if alcohol is going to be included in their boating experience. Watercraft operators must consider the effect their actions have on others share the waterway and use common sense, good judgment, and courtesy to ensure the safety of all and remember that Life jackets save lives.