Archive for 2018

According to a report released by the Missouri Highway Patrol, an accident occurred Wednesday evening at 8:48 p.m. in Miller County involving a man from Salem. According to the report, 37-year old Robert J. Clavier of Salem, was traveling on Route Y near Beacon Road in Miller County on a 2001 Suzuki motorcycle at a high rate of speed when he ran off the right side of the roadway and struck a tree, ejecting the driver. Clavier received moderate injuries and was transported by Miller County EMS to Lake Regional Hospital. Safety restraints were in use at the time of the accident. The Suzuki motorcycle was totaled in the accident and removed from the scene by Praters.

An accident happened in Phelps County at 7:43 Thursday morning at the 184-mile marker westbound exit ramp on Interstate 44. According to a report from the highway patrol, a 2007 Dodge Ram 1500 driven westbound by 53-year old Cynthia J. Walls of St. James. The report stated the Dodge Ram traveled off the left side of the roadway, then returned to the roadway where the Ram began to skid. The Dodge then traveled off the right side of the roadway and overturned striking a sign. Walls suffered moderate injuries and was transported by the Phelps County Ambulance to the Mercy Hospital in Lebanon. The Dodge Ram was totaled and removed from the scene by Spurgeon’s Towing. The Missouri State Highway patrol was assisted at the scene by the Rolla Fire Department and the Rolla Police Department.

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 Monday morning, July 9th with plans to reopen 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.

The Dent County Commissioner met Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell said grading would be done on Dent County Roads 5220, 6090, 6110 and 6350, while materials would be added and grading done on county road 5150. He added workers had already repaired a number of washouts in the Bunker area on Wednesday from this weeks’ rain. He also indicated brush would be cut on county road 6580 and that chip and seal road resurfacings are expected to occur in the middle of July. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson reported grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2500, 3120 and 3130, while some men would be patch grading on county roads 4280, 4283 and 4290 in the Boss area from the rains this week. Two men would also be patching various chip and seal roads in the district. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he attended the Central Region Workforce Investment Board Caucus on Wednesday. He said employment was good in the area, but many employers are having trouble finding enough qualified workers who can pass a drug test and show up on time to fill open positions. Skiles stated he was elected as the vice-chairman of the caucus with Gary Jungermann elected chairman. Skiles also said a nice turnout was at the webinar Monday on the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program for the county including all the pharmacies, first responders as well as hospital and clinic personnel. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said absentee voting is going on now at the Clerk’s Office at the courthouse and you must have a picture ID to vote. Absentee voting will continue until August 6th while the last day to mail out a ballot will be August 1st. Sample ballots are available now at the clerk’s office. Curley is asking residents to please make sure their voter registration is correct and up to date. You can stop by her office at the courthouse, call 729-4144 or go online to www.sos.mo.gov. The commissioners went into closed session to visit with a state financial auditor before coming back into open session to open bids for oil changes for the Dent County Sheriff’s Vehicle Fleet. Sheriff Bob Wells was out of town, so he will review the bids received and make his recommendation at the meeting Monday. Five bids were received for oil changes from Knight Auto Care, Whitaker’s Auto Body and Towing, Heavin Motors, Hubbs Tire and Auto Connection. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Monday morning at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

The Missouri Department of Conservation is accepting online applications now through August 5th for its next class of conservation agent trainees. Just visit the mdc.mo.gov homepage and click on “Careers” and then “Job Openings” to apply or to get more information including the salary range, duties and responsibilities, degree requirements, qualifications, and special-ability requirements. Selected candidates will undergo 26 weeks of intense training in all facets of law enforcement and resource management. Those who make the grade will receive county assignments and become the face of conservation in their assigned communities by enforcing the Wildlife Code of Missouri and helping the public with issues such as nuisance wildlife and land management. For more information, contact MDC Protection Programs Supervisor Cheryl Fey at 573-522-4115, ext. 3819 or Protection Programs Specialist Travis McLain at 573-522-4115, ext. 3261.

You have until tomorrow afternoon to get in your entry for the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Salem Independence Day Parade. The parade will leave from the Southwest Baptist University Salem campus at the corner of South Grand and West Franklin at 6:00 Wednesday evening, July 4th and travel to the Dent County Courthouse on the square, downtown. This year’s theme is “Celebrating the American Dream.” Those businesses, churches or organizations wishing to be a part of the parade with a float, vehicle, walking delegation, classic car, tractor, or other representative method, need to fill out an entry form from the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce office and submit it to them by Friday at 4:30 at the chamber office. You can drop off your form at the chamber office located at 200 South Main Street, send your form by fax to 729-6741 or e-mail your form to chamber@salemmo.com. All entries should be at the lineup location by 5:30. If you have any questions about the July 4th Independence Day Parade in Salem or need more information, call the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce Office at 729-6900.

Pavement blow-ups are likely to become more prevalent during the summer months. They are the summer’s version of potholes, created by a combination of hot temperatures, moisture, and weakening pavement. According to Missouri Department of Transportation Central District Maintenance Engineer Jason Shafer pavement blow-ups are nearly impossible to predict. That’s why we ask motorists who come across a blow-up to not only use extra caution and slow down, but call MoDOT to report the issue. It’s also important to note that while blow ups can do serious damage to the roadway, they don’t actually explode. The blow-ups become common across mid and southern Missouri over the summer months and occur when the roadway surface expands at a crack or joint where moisture has seeped in. The crack weakens the pavement and the heat causes the pavement to buckle and warp. Most blowups occur in the late afternoon or early evening. Missouri Department of Transportation crews will monitor state routes during the summer months for possible problem areas and will make repairs as soon as possible. Motorists can call MoDOT’s toll-free customer service center at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (275-6636) to report pavement blow-ups.

As people celebrate this summer, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds everyone to be extremely careful with fireworks, campfires, and other sources of fire that could cause a wildfire. Don’t light fireworks in any areas where the sparks could ignite dry grass, leaves, or other potential fire fuel. Always have an approved fire extinguisher and an available water supply to douse sparks or flames. Wet the area around where fireworks are being discharged. Fireworks are legal in the City of Salem and in the county, but they are not allowed in Conservation Areas. When it comes to outside burning, don’t even attempt to burn when it is windy and the humidity levels get too low. Dry grass and high temperatures mixed with low humidity and wind will make a fire nearly impossible to control. Before you burn, contact the Salem Police Department or the Dent County Sheriff’s Department and let them know your intentions so that if they receive a call from neighbor or passerby they know what you are doing. A person who starts a fire for any reason is responsible for any damage it may cause. Wildfires can also start when dry fuel, such as grass, comes in contact with catalytic converters. Think twice before driving into and across a grassy field. Never park over tall, dry grass or piles of leaves that can touch the underside of a vehicle. When driving vehicles off road, regularly inspect the undercarriage to ensure that fuel and brake lines are intact and no oil leaks are apparent. Always carry an approved fire extinguisher on vehicles that are used off road. Be sure to clear a generous zone around fire rings. Be sure to store unused firewood a good distance from your campfire. Never use gasoline, kerosene, or other flammable liquid to start a fire. Keep campfires small and controllable. Keep fire-extinguishing materials, such as a rake, shovel, and bucket of water, close. Extinguish campfires each night and before leaving camp, even if it’s just for a few moments. Call 911 at the first sign of a fire getting out of control.

The Ozark National Scenic Riverways and the Shannon County Museum will host a Celebration of the River Community at Round Spring on Sunday, July 1st, at the picnic pavilion located next to the spring branch. Families with a connection to the Round Spring community are invited to bring family pictures and artifacts to share with others attending the event. The event will begin at 6:00 p.m. with displays of local family history. Bring a picnic dinner and join us at the pavilion for an evening meal at 7:00 p.m. At 8:00 p.m. we will show several short films about the Current River area produced by local film makers and featuring people in our river community. Many of the films were recently shown at the Ozark Streams Film Festival to a standing room only crowd. Current and former members of the Round Spring community will join the reunion to share memories from earlier days on the Current River. For more information, visit www.nps.gov/ozar or call 573-323-8093.