Archive for 2019

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. Commissioner Gary Larson wanted to thank the public for attending the Blue Oval Car Rally around the courthouse square on Saturday as it was a great success. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles also wanted to thank Dent County for their support at the NRA Banquet that was held Saturday that was also a great success. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell said his crew would be grading and doing ditch work on Dent County Roads 5450 and 6225. He said materials would be added to county road 6210 and brush was going to be cut on county roads 5100, 5103, 5105, 5440, 6500 and 6510. He also wanted to remind the public that on September 17th, Dent County Road 6580 will have a low water crossing upgraded on the Highway 119 side that will close the road at that location. They expect the road to be closed at least from Tuesday, September 17th through Friday, September 20th for the work to be done. Commission Larson said all the workers in District 2 are at the low water crossing on Dent County Road 4480 working on that upgrade so that it can be completed quickly. Larson said he expects that crossing to be closed through at least Thursday. Commissioner Skiles said he would be attending the Missouri Community Betterment presentation at 8:00 this morning at the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center and will make a presentation about the jail to the judges. He said that meeting will last until about 9:30 and it is open to the public. He will also be attending a Meramec Community Enhancement Corporation meeting this evening in St. James. Advanced Telephone, LLC, was the only proposal for a TDS 80 Phone System. The bid was for $15,300.00 for 14 digital display speaker phones, digital station card, battery backup unit, fiber copper cable, labor to install and training. The bid was approved 3-0. The Commissioners agreed 3-0 for Sheriff Wells to seek bids on oil changes for the Sheriff’s Department vehicles. Bids will be due and opened the morning of September 30th at 10:00. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams was in to report the sales tax collections for the month. Dent County received $116,812.45 for general revenue and law enforcement, which is down year-to-date about 3.44% from last year. Road and Bridge received $55,932.89, which is down year-to-date 2.06%. Each of the Jail Funds received $111,365.51 and that’s down 0.70% year-to-date. The next meeting of the Commissioners will be Thursday morning and the meeting is open to the public.

An accident occurred Sunday morning at 11:18 in Phelps County on Highway B about three miles north of St. James. According to the highway patrol report, a southbound 2002 Chrysler PT Cruiser driven by 22 year-old Stephanie Berry of St. James, skidded off the right side of the roadway and struck a rock embankment. Berry suffered moderate injuries and was transported by St. James Ambulance to Phelps Health in Rolla. The Chrysler was totaled and removed from the scene by Spurgeon’s Towing.

An accident happened Monday morning at 10:00 in Shannon County on Route B about five miles west of Akers Ferry. According to the highway patrol report, a 2008 Ford ranger driven eastbound by 90-year old Vincent Stark of Licking, failed to negotiate a curve and ran off the roadway where he struck an embankment and overturned. Stark suffered serious injuries and transferred by Air Ambulance to the Cox South Hospital in Springfield. He was not wearing a seat restraint when the accident happened. The Ford was totaled and removed by Whitaker’s Towing of Salem.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released a number of reports. On Tuesday, August 27th, deputies received a report of a vehicle which had been parked at a residence in the 2500 block of Dent County Road 4220. The reporting party said the vehicle was blocking access to her barn. The vehicle was towed from the location and deputies were unable to locate the man. Shortly after, deputies received information that the driver of the vehicle, a 37-year-old Salem man, had active warrants for his arrest and that the man had arrived at a residence in the 100 block of Dent County Road 4230. The man was seen walking toward Highway 32. Deputies traveled to the area and located the man where he was arrested for his active warrants through the Dent County Sheriff’s Office and St. James Police Department. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office Jail and was incarcerated. On Friday, August 30th deputies received a report of a break in at a residence in the 300 block of county road 4243. Deputies with assistance from the Salem Police Department then traveled to the residence. During the course of the investigation, a 47-year-old Vandalia man was arrested for having an active warrant through Missouri Probation and Parole. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office Jail and incarcerated. That same day, deputies conducted a traffic stop on Highway 19 North at the 7th Street intersection. During the course of the traffic stop, a 22-year-old Salem man was arrested for having active warrants through Dent County. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where he later posted bond. Also on Friday, August 30th, a traffic stop was conducted in the 3000 block of Highway 19 South. During the course of the traffic stop, a 22-year-old Salem man was arrested for driving while having his license revoked or suspended, a 1st offense. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where he was fingerprinted, issued summons and released. If anyone has any information regarding and ongoing investigation, please call the Dent County Sheriff’s Department at 729-3241.

The Salem Police Department would like to warn the public of a phone scam that involves someone requesting your social security number due to some problem with your social security account. In most cases the caller will initially be a recording that requests you to push 1 or a certain number for more information. After that the victim will be connected to someone who will eventually request your social security number and other personal information. This is a scam to obtain your information for fraudulent purposes. Governmental agencies will never request your social security number and personal information over the phone. Please take the time to check into any request of this nature and verify who you are dealing with before giving out your personal information.

The Dent County Health Center Board of Trustees met August 22nd at the Health Center. Administrator Kendra Mobray reported that outpatient lab services were provided for 99 clients in July. Assistant Health Center Administrator Roma Jones reported that the Health Center was approved for funding for a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor. Mobray reported the application for Show-Me Healthy Women funding was approved by Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and is awaiting approval from the CDC. She also stated that a prep visit with the Missouri DHSS is scheduled for September 13th. Mobray said that a very successful vaccine clinic was held at senior registration at Salem High School on August 5th. The Health Center reported 10 cases of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and 2 cases of Erlichia Chaffeensis in July, plus three animal bites were investigated. A motion was made and approved to update the Administrative Manual to reflect the change in the regular monthly Board meeting to the third Thursday of the month. Jones updated the Board on the building damage sustained on August 7th when a truck ran into the east end of the building. The Board went into closed session to discuss contracts. During closed session, construction bids to repair the damages to the building were presented and the bid from Gray Construction was approved. Back in regular session, the Health Center expenses for June and July were approved. The next meeting of the Health Center will be September 19th at 5:00.

An accident happened in Reynolds County on Highway 49 about two miles north of Black Sunday afternoon at 12:20. According to the highway patrol report, a 2004 Buick being driven southbound by 53-year old Penny Barnes of Black, drove off the roadway and overturned. Suffering moderate injuries were two occupants in the Buick, 75-year old Ruth Brown and 55- year old Shirley brown, both of Black. Ruth Brown was flown by Air Evac to Mercy Hospital in Creve Coeur while Shirley Brown was taken by ambulance to the Parkland Hospital. Everyone involved was wearing seat restraints at the time of the accident. Barnes did not report any injuries. The Buick was totaled and removed from the scene by Abney’s Towing.

The Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital and the Columbia Vet Center are teaming up to provide area Veterans with services such as Veterans Health Administration enrollment, and counseling for post-traumatic stress disorder and military sexual trauma. Through use of the Mobile Vet Center, better known as MVC which is a 37-foot-long mobile resource unit, services for bereavement, marriage and family counseling are available. Additional resources for Veterans through the MVC include VA benefits information and suicide prevention referrals. This Mobile Vet Center will be at the Wal-Mart Supercenter at 500 South Bishop in Rolla from 9:00 in the morning until 1:00 in the afternoon TOMORROW, September 10th. The customized MVC vehicle is equipped with confidential counseling space to extend access to VA services to Veterans, service members and their families — especially those living in rural or remote communities. The MVC also provides readjustment counseling and information resources to Veterans to assist them in the difficult transition between military and civilian life. For more information, call (573) 814-6206.