Archive for 2019

Tuesday in Crawford County in front of Judge Kelly Parker, a sentencing hearing was held for Roberto Herrera of Boss. Herrera had pled guilty in March of this year for statutory sodomy in the 1st degree with a child under the age of 12. Dent County Prosecutor Andrew Curley sought 25 years in the Department of Corrections for the felony charge while the defense sought 15 years. Judge Parker ruled in favor of the state and sentenced Herrera to 25 years in the Department of Corrections beginning Tuesday, June 11th.

Don’t take a vacation from safety! In 2018, there were 307 fatalities on Missouri roads in the 100 days between Memorial Day and Labor Day. The Missouri Department of Transportation and the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety urge all who travel in and around the Show-Me State during the “100 Deadliest Days of Summer” to buckle up, slow down, drive sober and never drive distracted. In 2018, more than half of the 107 motorcycle fatalities occurred in the 100 Deadliest Days of Summer. The warm, sunny days also bring out more bicyclists and pedestrians. And last winter’s brutal weather conditions mean you’re likely to encounter more MoDOT road crews who will be repairing the damage. Just a single moment’s distraction can lead to a life-or-death encounter. Be proactive in your own safety. Of the drivers and passengers killed in 2018 traffic crashes, 62% were not wearing a seatbelt. Nelson also encourages drivers to plan ahead for summer celebrations and sporting events.

Echo Bluff State Park invites the public to an informational meeting at 1:00 this Saturday at the lodge. The public is invited to share comments about the state park and its operations. State park staff will be on hand to provide information and answer questions. Input from the public is important to Missouri State Parks. These informational meetings, which are being held in all state parks and historic sites, help create two-way communication with the public. The meetings give staff the opportunity to let people know the current status and future plans for the parks and historic sites, and they offer visitors the opportunity to comment on the facilities. Echo Bluff State Park is located at 34489 Echo Bluff Drive in Eminence. For more information, please contact Echo Bluff State Park at 573-751-5211. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit the web at mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

Renewing Missouri hunting, fishing, and trapping permits is now easier and more convenient through the Missouri Department of Conservation’s (MDC) new online Permit Auto-Renewal service. Permit Auto-Renewal allows online permit buyers to automatically renew their permits prior to the start of the next season or permit year so they never have an expired permit when they need it most. Participation in Auto-Renewal is voluntary, and the service can only be activated by the permit buyer. Enrollment in Auto-Renewal can be done during an online permit purchase or by using the “Manage Your Account” feature. Within the “Manage Your Account” feature, users can also update their Auto-Renewal settings including payment method and enrolled permits and turn off the service. There are no additional fees for the service. Auto-Renewal will automatically charge permit buyers for their enrolled permits. Permit buyers must have a valid email address and credit card to participate. The Auto-Renewal service will send personalized email updates to participants – including initial enrollment, changes made by the buyer, 30-day and seven-day reminders of upcoming permit renewals and associated charges, and notifications of successful renewals and associated charges. Permit buyers can enroll in Auto-Renewal at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits during an online permit purchase or by using the “Manage Your Account” feature. Learn more about Permit Auto-Renewal at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/permits/permit-auto-renewal. In addition to buying Missouri hunting, fishing, and trapping permits online at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits and through MDC’s free mobile apps (MO Hunting and MO Fishing), permit buyers can also purchase permits from numerous retail vendors around the state. Auto-Renewal-eligible permits purchased from retail vendors are not able to be enrolled into the service during the purchase process but can be enrolled later using the “Manage Your Account” feature.

Celebrate Flag Day at the Art Party this Friday night from 6:00 until 8:00 at the Creative Arts Center. Paint a picture and put your own special creative spin to it, then take it home to display prominently in your home or give away! This event for adults does NOT require any talent or previous experience, just a happy spirit and willingness to try. Reservations can be made by contacting the Salem Area Arts Council at 247-0279 and arranging to pay the $25 fee to reserve your spot. They will provide everything you need for the classes including the canvas, paint, brushes, aprons and easels. Bring your own personal style, your favorite beverage and they will do the rest.

The Salem Police Department has released reports for May 25th through the 27th. On Saturday afternoon, May 25th, at about 12:26 an officer was dispatched to Phil-Mart in reference to theft of fuel. The investigation of the report revealed the driver of a dark colored Chevrolet truck pumped fuel valued at $57.86 and left without paying. The report is under investigation. A bit later that afternoon at approximately 1:29, a vehicle was stopped for a traffic violation. The investigation of the stop led to the arrest of a 27-year-old male of Salem for driving while having their license suspended. The suspect was issued a summons to appear in court and released. The next afternoon, Sunday May 26th, near 12:51, an officer transported a 25-year-old female of Columbia, Missouri to the Phelps County Health Center due to a mental health commitment order. Finally on Monday night, May 27th, at about 9:47, an officer was contacted at the Salem Police Department in reference to a theft. The investigation of the report revealed a person or persons unknown took a cell phone valued at $300.00 from a vehicle that was parked at Wal-Mart. The report is under investigation. Please contact the Salem Police Department at 573-729-4242 if you have any information regarding any ongoing investigation.

“Art of the Spiderwoman,” a fiber arts exhibit featuring the work of Susan Ream Wilson, is now on display at the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center at 202 South Main. The exhibit reflects Susan’s lifelong passion of fiber arts including weaving, spinning, and dying yarn. Her craft includes fingerweaving, knitting, weaving and spinning yarn. Several of her hand made pieces are included in the exhibit along with tools reflecting her trade, spinning wheels, and hand spindles. Stop by and find out the story of the Art of the Spiderwoman. The Ozark Natural and Cultural Resources is open Monday-Friday from 9:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the afternoon, and on Saturdays from 9:00 in the morning until noon. Susan will be there every Wednesday to demonstrate her talent from 9:00 to 5:00 during the month of June.

Have you ever wanted to try kayaking but didn’t know where to begin? Do you want to get out on the water but don’t have your own kayak? You’re in luck! Missouri State Parks is offering to teach you how to paddle and have a safe enjoyable time on the water. This summer, parks staff will offer free two-hour kayaking instruction session at Current River State Park. This will be a great opportunity to try something new and experience some of Missouri’s lakes. They supply the equipment and the expertise. You supply the enthusiasm and an eagerness to discover nature and a new skill. Missouri State Parks provides the kayaks, a paddle, life jackets and instructors. Participants provide a good attitude and willingness to learn, plus appropriate swimwear and footwear. Before you register consider the following. Participants must be at least 10 years of age. Children 17 and under must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. The Parent/guardian does not have to participate but must be there to provide adult supervision. Participants should be comfortable around water. This event will be held in a Missouri state park and all rules and regulations apply. This is a family-oriented event. Alcohol and tobacco products are not allowed while participating in the Learn2 Paddle Program. The classes are free on Saturday June 22nd and Saturday July 20th at the Current River State Park, south of Salem from 10 in the morning until Noon. To register for the class, go to https://mostateparks.com/learn2paddle. Click on the “Register Here” near the bottom of the page. Then enter “learntopaddle” in the search box. The classes currently open for registration will pop up. All slots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

During the annual school bus inspection program, buses found to have no defective items are rated as “approved.” Buses having one or more defective items which do not constitute an immediate danger are rated as “defective.” Buses with a defective item which constitutes an immediate danger are rated as “out-of-service.” Buses rated as “defective” may continue to be operated for the purpose of transporting students until repair is made. School districts are allowed 10 days following initial inspection to repair identified defects before being re-inspected by Highway Patrol motor vehicle inspection personnel. Buses rated as “out-of-service” must be repaired, re-inspected, and then placed back into service by Highway Patrol motor vehicle inspection personnel prior to transporting students. Buses not presented for re-inspection within the required 10-day period are reported to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. The results for the schools in our area are for Bunker R-III where they had 8 busses inspected with 5 busses being approved, two were defective and one was placed out of service; Dent-Phelps R-III had 8 busses inspected with 5 busses being approved and 3 were defective; Green Forest R-II had 7 seven busses inspected with 6 busses being approved and one bus was found defective; North Wood R-IV had seven busses inspected with six of them being approved and one was placed out of service; Oak Hill R-I had 5 busses inspected with 3 of them being approved, one was found to be defective and one was placed out of service; and Salem R-80 had 11 busses inspected with 8 of them being approved and three of them were found defective.