Archive for 2019

The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. At the meeting Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams brought in the sales tax monies received by the county in August. She reported that the General Revenue Fund and LEST Fund each received $76,705.66 this month while last year in August, the county received $88,425.39. That is $11,719.73 less than last year and year-to-date, those funds are down over $31,133.00, a drop of 4.75%. The Road and Bridge Sales Tax Fund received $36,402.78 this month which is down from the 2018 August figure of $41,923.63 which is a decline of $5,520.85. Year-to-date, the fund is down over $9,784 which is a reduction of about 3.27%. The jail project funds both came in at $72,829.73 this month and that is down from august of 2018 by $10,415.08. Year-to-date, both funds are down just over $10,000. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell stated grading would be done on Dent County Roads 5650 and 6435 while brush would be cut on county roads 4126, 5130, 5140 and 5450. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson reported grading would be done on Dent County Road 2130, while materials would be added and grading done on county roads 4060 and 4480. He said brush would be cut on county road 5240 and a man would be heading to Springfield to get more oil for chip and seal repair. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported on the TAC meeting held last Thursday in St. James and said the Interstate 70 bridge in Rocheport over the Missouri River would be replaced in the near future and that will force more traffic onto Highway 50 and Interstate 44 as Interstate 70 will be reduced to one lane in each direction. He said Thursday he would be attending Senator Blunt’s Agriculture Advisory Meeting at Sedalia and would not be at the Commission meeting. At the last meeting, Collector Shannon VanKirk discussed the Timber Industries properties with the commission and will proceed with the procedures of selling six pieces of that property for the tax sale. Sheriff Bob Wells discussed the need to seek bids for a new telephone system that will link the sheriff’s office to the new jail phone system. Bids will be accepted until 10:00 in the morning on Monday, August 19th. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and it is open to the public.

An accident occurred Sunday night at 9:20 in Crawford County on Highway 19 just south of the Cuba city limits. According to the highway patrol report, a southbound 2004 Mitsubishi Outlander, driven by 16-year-old Jewel Conaway of Steelville, traveled into the northbound lane. Conaway then overcorrected causing the Mitsubishi to overturn and come to rest in the ditch. Conaway suffered moderate injuries, while a passenger, 16-year-old McKayla Brown of Steelville, suffered minor injuries. Both girls were transported by Crawford County Ambulance to Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan. According to the report both the driver and passenger were wearing safety restraints at the time of the accident. The Mitsubishi was totaled and removed from the scene by Miles and Sons Towing.

The Salem Police Department has released a number of reports for the first part of August. On Thursday morning, August 1st at about 8:13, an officer was dispatched to Wal-Mart reference a shoplifter. An investigation of the report led to the arrest of a 19-year-old female of Salem for stealing merchandise valued at $23.92. The suspect was issued a summons to appear in court and released. Later that evening at approximately 9:00, an officer was conducting an investigation regarding a convicted sex offender who failed to register with the Dent County Sheriffs Department. Police found that a 45-year-old male of Salem, who was a convicted sex offender, had failed to register with the Dent County Sheriffs Department and was also living within 1000 feet of a school. The suspect was taken into custody and incarcerated pending the application for a warrant. Then on Friday night, the 2nd of August at about 9:25, an officer was dispatched to Wal-Mart in reference to a shoplifter. That investigation led to the arrest of a 24-year-old female of Salem for stealing merchandise on two occasions valued at $42.86. The suspect was issued a summons to appear in court and released. On the afternoon of August 3rd at about 2:30, an officer transported a 31-year-old male of St. Louis from St. Francis County to the Dent County Jail due to an active arrest warrant from the City of Salem. That same evening at around 7:50 an officer was dispatched to Wal-Mart in reference to a shoplifter. After an investigation, a 56-year-old female of Salem was arrested for stealing merchandise valued at $42.13. The suspect was issued a summons to appear in court and released. Please contact the Salem Police Department at (573) 729-4242 if you have information regarding an ongoing investigation.

The Dent County Commissioners held their tax rate hearing Monday morning at 10:00 at the courthouse. The General Revenue Fund rate that was at $.0.00 due to the high volume of sales tax money collected in 2018, will be reinstated this year as the sales tax dollars have receded and will be set at a state rate set by their calculations at $.0295. All three commissioners agreed on the rate. The Senate Bill 40 Fund has a current rate of $.1341 and that is again the maximum allowed this year. The SB 40 board asked to take the maximum allowed this year at $.1341 and the Commissioners voted 3-0 to accept their request. The Road and Bridge Fund current tax rate is $.2534. Following the state’s calculations, the maximum allowable rate allowed by the State Auditor is still $.2534. The Commission approved unanimously to accept that rate. The Senior Citizen Service Fund rate for 2018 was $.0477 and the maximum allowable tax rate is again at $.0477 after the state’s calculations. Their board requested to take the maximum allowable rate this year of $.0477. The request was approved by the commissioners by a 3-0. All the rates presented are per $100 assessed valuation. The hearing was adjourned.

The Salem Police Department has released a number of reports for the end of July. In the early morning of the 29th at about 12:03, an officer was dispatched to the area of North Jackson and Acuff in reference to a disturbance. The investigation of the report led to the arrest of an intoxicated 38-year-old male of Salem for failing to obey a lawful order of a police officer. The suspect was issued a summons to appear in court and released. On the afternoon of Wednesday, July 31st close to 4:00, an officer was dispatched to a residence in the 1200 block of South Louise in reference to trespassing. The investigation revealed that two females of Salem, a 20-year-old and a 24-year-old, entered onto property that gave notice of no trespassing. The 20-year-old suspect was later located, issued a summons to appear in court and released. The 24-year-old suspect has not yet been located. The report is still under investigation. Minutes later at about 4:10, an officer was dispatched to a residence in the 1000 block of West Ellis in reference to a burglary not in progress. The investigation of the report revealed that a person or persons unknown had forcibly entered the residence and took items valued at about $800.00. The report is under investigation. At about 10:13 that same night, an officer was dispatched to a traffic accident at Henderson and Rolla Road. The investigation of the accident led to the arrest of a 23-year-old male of Salem for driving while being intoxicated and for careless and imprudent driving. The suspect was issued summonses to appear in court and released. Please contact the Salem Police Department at 573-729-4242 if you have any information about an ongoing investigation.

The Dent County Sheriffs Department has released a number of reports. Saturday, July 27th, deputies conducted a traffic stop in the Casey’s General Store parking lot. During the course of the traffic stop, a 32-year-old Salem man was arrested for felony driving while revoked/suspended. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. Then on Tuesday, July 30th, deputies received information from Phelps County Regional Medical Center in reference to a domestic violence incident that occurred in Dent County. After further investigation, deputies traveled to County Road 2120 and arrested a 55-year-old Salem man for domestic assault in the 3rd degree. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office and was incarcerated. Later that same day, deputies traveled to Dent County Road 5340 in reference to a man causing property damage and trespassing. After investigating the incident deputies traveled to East Highway 32 and arrested a 45-year-old man from Boss for trespassing in the 1st degree and property damage in the 2nd degree. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. Still on that same day, deputies conducted a traffic stop on East Highway 32 and Carty Street. During the course of the traffic stop, a 17-year-old Salem man was arrested for possession of marijuana and /or synthetic cannabinoid of 10 grams or less. Also arrested was a 17-year-old Salem man for possession of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoid of 10 grams or less, and the unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. Both men were transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office, fingerprinted, issued summons and released. Please contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 573-729-3241 with any information regarding an ongoing investigation.

The Salem R-80 Board of Education will hold their regular meeting Thursday, August 15th, at 6:00. Prior to the regular meeting the Board will conduct a tax rate hearing at 5:50. After approval of the agenda the board will approve previous minutes, approve bills, food service, substitute list, summer school attendance report, and program evaluations for Finance and Board Policies. Superintendent John McCulloch will report on Professional Development. In new business the Board will approve the 2018-2019 Annual Secretary of Board Report, 2019 tax rate, Dent County Developmental Preschool Lease, and consider Transportation Agreement with First Student. The board will then move into executive session to discuss personnel. The regular meeting of the board of education is open to the public.

You only have until Friday to visit the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource center to enjoy and learn from The River Exhibit. It is a cultural and natural history display of the Current River which includes artifacts, photos, newspaper accounts of the origin and controversy of enabling legislation creating the Ozark National Scenic Riverways, plus reflections on the life and communities that have disappeared. The exhibit provides a great opportunity for tourists, visitors and local citizens to stop by and take a trip of memories down the Current River. For more information, contact Mary Beth Cook at 573-453-6061 or the ONCRC at 573-729-0029.

A one day bench trial held on Monday, July 29th in front of Judge Randall Head resulted in him finding Manual Lee of Salem not guilty on the charge of making a terrorist threat in the 1st degree. Head also in his directive discharged Lee from any further charges from the incident. Dent County Prosecuting Attorney charged Lee from an incident that occurred on March 9th, 2018, when Lee posted a Snapchat image of himself that had a caption that included “There’s a storm coming and it’s going to hit Salem R80 hard.” Lee was arrested and interviewed by the Salem Police Department and told them the post was not meant to be terroristic in nature and he had no intention of conducting a school shooting. He said a student had snitched on him chewing tobacco at school and another incident involved his girlfriend. A search warrant was executed on the Lee’s home and knives were found in his bedroom while firearms were found in the bedroom of his parents. In a statement released from the Dent County Prosecutor’s office, Curley indicated if confronted with a similar situation in the future, he would respond in the same fashion as he went on to say that children attending school should never be in fear for their safety. Curley also wanted to thank the school children and parents that reported this incident to the school and law enforcement. He reminds anyone that in light of the latest rounds of shootings that if you are aware of any person making statements about harming the school, a business or any other organization, or any individual for that matter, to please report the threat immediately to law enforcement.

A one vehicle accident happened early Thursday morning at 5:15 in Reynolds County on Route KK, about six miles north of Bunker. According to the highway patrol report, Brandon Santhuff of Centerville, was driving a 1998 Pontiac Grand Prix southbound when he traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck a tree. Santhuff suffered serious injuries and was transported by the Iron County Ambulance to the Iron County Hospital before being transferred to Barnes Jewish in St. Louis by ground ambulance. According to the report, Santhuff was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Pontiac was totaled and removed from the scene by Aissie Tow and Auto of Ellington.

A one vehicle accident happened around 11:40 Saturday morning in Iron County that left two children from Arcadia with injuries. According to the report from the highway patrol, a 2015 Can Am ATV driven by Christae Morris of Arcadia, was traveling southbound on Iron County Road 205, about five miles south of Arcadia, when the vehicle overturned and ejected the passengers. Receiving minor injuries was eight-year old Troy Dean while nine-year old Aiden Morris suffered serious injuries. Dean was transported by ambulance to Iron County Medical Center while Morris was flown by Air Evac to Children’s Hospital in St. Louis. According to the report, no one was wearing any type of safety device. The ATV sustained minor damage and was driven from the scene.

An accident happened in Phelps County at 10:45 Saturday night on Route Y about two miles east of Rolla that left a Rolla man with moderate injuries. According to the highway patrol report, a 1997 Chevy Blazer driven eastbound by 26-year old Trevor Smith of Rolla, went off the right side of the roadway and struck a tree. Smith was taken by the Phelps Health Ambulance to Phelas Health with moderate injuries. Smith was wearing a seat restraint at ttime of the accident. The Blazer was totaled and removed from the scene by Ron Dishman’s Towing of Rolla.

Theresa Davidson, the Acting District Ranger of the Mark Twain National Forest, Salem Ranger District, will be the speaker at the Dent County Historic Society Speaker Series at 6:00 Tuesday evening at the Salem Pizza Inn meeting room. Theresa has invited Clint Davis, the new District Ranger; Lester Lakey, the District Archaeologist; and Cory Roegner the Recreation Program Manager in Rolla or Chris Woods, District Recreation Manager. Davidson believes there are some wonderful opportunities to partner with projects proposed by the Dent County Historical Society. One of those is led by Tom Botkins, who has been working on the documentation for exhibits where Howes Mill was located in the Mark Twain National Forest; while another is led by Deloris Gray Wood and the Missouri Chapter Trail of Tears Association, to get exhibits at the Marcoot Towers across Highway 72 from where the marker is located on Reynolds County Road 903. For more information, call Deloris at 573-729-2545 or Theresa at 573-729-6656. Theresa is the Forest Service Wildlife and Fisheries Biologist with the Mark Twain National Forest and can be reached at 573-341-7499, when her duties return her to Rolla. Theresa can also be contacted online at theresa.davidson@usda.gov.

Contractors working for the Missouri Department of Transportation will begin a project to repair the Interstate 44 and Route V interchange in Rolla on Friday, August 16th. Crews will replace the current asphalt on the entrance and exit ramps with full-depth concrete pavement, which will handle the high volume of tractor trailers utilizing the ramps at the interchange. The work will require a full shutdown of the ramps and overpass for ten days. I-44 traffic will not be impacted by the work. Motorists utilizing Route V are advised to seek an alternate route around the work area. For more information about this project or other transportation-related matters, please call 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636) or visit www.modot.org/central.