Archive for 2019

Dent County Collector Dennis Medlock has announced the Forte Credit Card website for those wanting to pay their real estate and personal property taxes will be shutdown from February 22nd until March 1st. This is due to the transitioning of the Collector’s office from Medlock to Collector elect Shannon Van Kirk. NO credit cards or debit cards will be accepted on the website or at the Collector’s Office in the Dent County Courthouse during that time. Medlock also reported that checks will NOT be accepted from February 25th through February 28th at the Collector’s office. Any checks mailed during that period will be processed on March 1st, and there will be no additional interest or penalties if they envelopes were postmarked in February. Any payments made at the Collector’s office during the February 25th through the 28th time period MUST be made in cash, by cashier’s check or by a money order. If anyone would like to know the exact amount of taxes they owe before they come in and pay, they can contact the Dent County Collector’s office at 729-3911. Medlock, Van Kirk and the entire Dent County Collector’s office wishes to apologize for any inconvenience to the public during this changeover. If you have a question, stop by the Collector’s office in person at the courthouse or by phone at 729-3911.

The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday morning at the courthouse. Mary Beth Cook representing the Dent County Foundation which is subsidiary of the Community Foundation of the Ozarks was in to see if the commission had made a decision on her request for hours from the MRPC to use to help the Missouri Cybersecurity Center of Excellence Fund get their 501 C 3 non-for-profit status. The commissioners agreed to let them use three of their hours. In the road report, Commissioner Dennis Purcell from District 1 and Gary Larson from District 2 both indicated it was too wet to grade roads and if they tried, they would do more damage than good. They do know there are a number of potholes and issues with some roads, but citizens will need to be patient and the county will get those problems as quickly as they can once the roads dry out. Purcell said crews would be out checking the roads for low limbs and cleaning out culverts where needed. He said patching would be done on Dent County Road 5015 which is a chip and seal road and other workers would be replacing missing county road number signs. Purcell did report he would be attending a Dent County Tourism Tax Committee meeting Monday at 5:00. Commissioner Larson said workers have set the trusses for the new building to house the dump trucks at the Road and Bridge Department. He said some materials will be added to some roads that are extremely soft due to the very wet conditions. Larson said he attended the Dent County Extension Banquet Tuesday evening and the Healthy Dent County meeting Thursday. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles indicated The SACBA Trivia Night would be held March 8th at the Salem Community Center @The Armory and urges everyone to attend. He talked with the commission about extending the food service bids for the new jail project until Thursday, February 21st due to the courthouse being closed on Monday for President’s Day. Those bids will now be due by 11:00 on February 21st. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported March 6th would be the last day to register to vote in the Municipal Election in April. She also said absentee voting starts Tuesday for the Municipal Election. She wanted to report that Dent County voters in the Bunker area will be voting at the Bunker City Hall at 620 6th Street in Bunker and NOT at the Bunker school. This was changed at the request of the Bunker R-3 School Administration. Curley also reported she would be at the South Central County Clerks meeting in Howell County on February 22nd. Thirteen counties will be represented at the meeting. Curley said Chrissy Peters with the Secretary of State’s office will be speaking about new election laws and voter registration canvass maintenance. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be February 21st at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

An accident happened last Thursday morning in Salem on Highway 32 near the intersection of Phillips Street. According the Salem police report, a 2007 Freightliner, owned by Springfield Iron and Metal, and driven by David Johnson, was eastbound on Highway 32. At that time, a 1997 Peterbilt, owned by Parks Ready Mix, and driven by Rodney Ramsey, was westbound on Highway 32, just past Dillworth approaching Phillips Street when the rear dual wheels came off the vehicle. The wheels traveled together west before separating. The outside wheel veered to the south and struck the Freightliner in the driver’s side front wheel. The inside wheel traveled farther west on Highway 32 before veering to the north, entering the County Fuel lot, striking two separate fuel pumps. The trucks and fuel pumps sustained minor damage but neither driver was injured in the accident.

Friday, March 1st marks the opening of catch-and-keep trout fishing in Missouri at the state’s four trout parks: Bennett Spring State Park near Lebanon, Montauk State Park near Licking, Roaring River State Park near Cassville, and Maramec Spring Park near St. James. The catch-and-keep season at the trout parks runs through October 31st. The Missouri Department of Conservation operates trout hatcheries at all four parks. To help predict angler turnout on opening day, hatchery staff rely on permit records going back more than 80 years. Records show that good weather and opening days that fall on weekends tend to attract more anglers. With this year’s opening day falling on a Friday, hatchery staff at Montauk, Bennett Spring, and Roaring River expect crowds of about 2,300 anglers at each location opening day. Maramec Spring staff are planning for a crowd of about 1,600. Based on these predictions, hatchery staff will stock three rainbow trout per expected angler on opening day for a total of more than 21,000 fish averaging around a foot in length. The hatcheries will also stock a mix of “lunkers” ranging from three to 10 pounds. Trout anglers will need a daily trout tag to fish in Missouri’s trout parks. Daily trout tags can only be purchased at each of the four trout parks. Missouri residents 16 through 64 and nonresidents 16 and older will need a fishing permit in addition to the daily tag. People can buy Missouri fishing permits from numerous vendors around the state, online at mdc.mo.gov, or through MDC’s free mobile apps, MO Hunting and MO Fishing, available for download through Google Play for Android devices or the App Store for Apple devices.

The Doe Run Company is pleased to announce several promotions at its corporate office that will enable the company to continue to pursue operational excellence in finance and accounting. Gary Mard has been promoted to vice president of finance and chief financial officer, who is succeeding Terry Fox who recently retired. Over the last decade, Mard has instituted defined processes, controls and practices that have enabled Doe Run to reduce debt, strengthen the balance sheet and build a very competitive supply chain, all of which have contributed to solid financial results under varying market conditions. Mard is a certified public accountant with over 40 years of finance knowledge and expertise. He holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting and an MBA, both from Saint Louis University. Additional promotions include Greg Mackey to corporate controller and Robert Hart to manager of financial planning and analysis.

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce will hold a “Business After Hours” on Thursday, February 21st at Echo Bluff State Park starting at 6:30 in the evening. Please make your reservation at chamber@salemmo.com or call 729-6900 if you have not yet done so. A bus will be available at Salem United Methodist Church to transport members to Echo Bluff. Due to limited seating, RSVP is required. The bus will leave at 5:30 that afternoon for the “Business After Hours.'” This event is being held in lieu of the February Chamber luncheon meeting.

An accident happened last Monday afternoon at 3:50 resulting in moderate injuries to the driver. According to the police report, a 2012 Chevrolet Malibu, driven Austin Reed of Salem, and owned by Kaitlyn Ball of Salem, was traveling South on McArthur when the Malibu crossed the centerline and the Northbound lane at struck a parked and unoccupied 2011 Dodge 1500 owned by Randall Moser of Salem. The Malibu then came to rest on its top after the accident. Both vehicles received extensive damage and were both towed from the scene. Reed was transported by ambulance to Salem Memorial District Hospital.

On January 23rd, the Salem Chapter of FCCLA attended STAR events (Students Taking Action for Recognition) and participated in the Missouri Region 5 Officer Elections. Salem R-80 is proud to announce the election of Trinity Lewis as Region 5 Parliamentarian. Lewis will serve as the Parliamentarian for Region 5 for the 2019/2020 school year. She will conduct regional trainings at FCCLA State Conferences, plus she and the other officers will be responsible for putting on the Regional Conference next October. Lewis will also conduct the Regional elections next January. Lewis is currently the Recreational Leader in the local Salem FCCLA chapter. Congratulations Trinity!

If you’ve ever wondered where maple syrup comes from or how it is made, join personnel from the park staff at the Montauk Spring parking lot for this rare winter program this Friday morning from 9:00 until 11:00. You will learn how to identify and tap maple trees, collect the sap and make pure maple syrup during this program. Dress appropriately for the weather as it is often cool and breezy this time of year. Montauk State Park is located 22 miles southwest of Salem on Highway 119 in Dent County. For more information about the event, call the park at 573-548-2225 or visit us on our Facebook page.