Archive for 2021

An accident happened in Reynolds County on Highway 72 about five miles north of Bunker Monday night at 11:15 that left a woman from Bunker with serious injuries. According to the highway patrol report, 43-year-old Laura Tuner of Bunker was driving a 2020 Jeep Latitude southbound when the Jeep crossed the center of the road and traveled off the left side of the road where the Jeep struck two trees. Tuner suffered serious injuries and was taken to the Mercy Hospital in Jefferson City by Air Evac. Tuner was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The Jeep was totaled and removed from the scene by Dement Towing of Centerville.

The Missouri Conservation Commission approved Missouri’s second annual elk-hunting season at its March 26th meeting. They have designated a nine-day archery portion running October 16th through the 24th and a nine-day firearms portion running December 11th through the 19th. The five permits will be for bull elk and will be valid for both portions. All permits will be assigned through a random drawing. Only Missouri residents are eligible to apply for and purchase elk-hunting permits in Missouri. During last year’s inaugural elk season for Missouri, all five hunters that were drawn harvested an elk. At least one permit will be for qualifying area landowners with 20 or more contiguous acres in Carter, Reynolds, or Shannon counties with the remainder for the general public. A $10 application fee is required for all applicants. Those selected for each of the five permits must pay a $50 permit fee. All permits are nontransferable. The Conservation Department will limit the random drawing to one application per-person, per-year with a 10-year “sit-out” period for those drawn before they may apply again. To apply for an elk permit, applicants must be Missouri residents at least 11 years of age by the first day of the hunt. Those selected to receive a permit must have their hunter-education certification or be exempt by age before they may purchase the permit. All applications must be completed online or at a local vendor. You can apply for the random elk-permit drawing between May 1st and 31st at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits, through MDC’s free MO Hunting app, through a permit vendor, or by calling 1-800-392-4115.

Twenty-eight community health centers in Missouri will receive $124,293,750 in American Rescue Plan funding to support COVID-19 vaccination and services for vulnerable populations according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services this April. The funding will be awarded by the Health Resources and Services Administration. These health centers will be able to use the funds to support and expand COVID-19 vaccination, testing, and treatment for vulnerable populations; deliver needed preventive and primary health care services to those at higher risk for COVID-19; and expand health centers’ operational capacity during the pandemic and beyond. This investment will help increase access to vaccinations among hard-hit populations, as well as confidence in the vaccine by empowering local, trusted health professionals in their efforts to expand vaccinations. The health center in our area that received funding was the South Central Missouri Community Health Center in Rolla and they received $1,990,000. The Health Resources and Services Administration funded health centers are community-based and patient-directed organizations that deliver affordable, accessible, quality, and cost-effective primary health care to medically underserved communities and vulnerable populations. Health centers serve 1 in 5 people living in rural communities, and more than 91% of health center patients are individuals or families living at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

Missouri turkey hunters can expect this spring season to be about as challenging as the past few spring seasons according to the Missouri Department of Conservation. The spring turkey hunting season starts with a youth-only weekend April 10th and 11th followed by the regular spring season April 19th through May 9th. According to Conservation Department, turkey production was generally poor statewide in 2019. Therefore, hunters can expect fewer two-year-old gobblers available for harvest during this year’s spring hunting season. Considering the prospects for the 2021 spring season, hunters who aim to harvest a gobbler that is two-years-old or older should be prepared to put in a bit more effort to be successful this year. Although the prospects for this year’s spring season aren’t encouraging, this isn’t the first-time poor turkey production has reduced turkey numbers in Missouri. After reaching a population peak in the early-to-mid 2000s, Missouri’s turkey population experienced four years of poor production from 2007–2010, causing the population to decline. Turkey numbers then rebounded following several years of improved production. Get detailed information on spring turkey hunting from Missouri Department of Conservation 2021 Spring Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet. It is available from MDC offices and nature centers, other places where permits are sold, and online at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov.

The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting at the Dent County Courthouse Monday morning. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray stated materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 2410, 5520 and 6090 while brush would be cut on Dent County Roads 5680 and 5690. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson reported materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 3330 and 5260, while only grading would be done on county roads 3333, 3335 and 3337. Larson said brush would be cut on county road 2510. He went on to thank Todd Williams for helping out this past weekend when Larson said he received a call that someone had dumped concrete on Dent County Road 3120 near the intersection of Dent County Road 3130 toward the Blackwell Cemetery. Williams helped remove the concrete off the road and out of the way with his backhoe so that the road was passible without doing damage to vehicles. Commissioner Larson indicated that a crew was going to be out checking roads in the northern part of District 2 to see if there was any damage from the storm on Saturday night. He did say a man would be going to Springfield to get a load of oil for the Durapatcher to do some chip and seal repair this week, then do some maintenance work of truck #124. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said the commission has still not received any explanation from the Missouri Department of Revenue about them withholding the sales tax revenue for Dent County in five different funds. On February 22nd, Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams called them and found out Dent County was not going to be receiving sales tax money for over three months. Commissioner Skiles asked them to let him know what statute gave them that right to keep the sales tax. The statute they quoted did not address that situation and Skiles sent another request on February 26th. Since the commission has not received any correspondence from the Department of Revenue, Skiles recommended the county involve attorney Travis Elliott from Ellis, Ellis, Hammons and Johnson, P.C. in Springfield. Elliott serves as the counsel for the Missouri Association of Counties and the county commission voted, 3-0 for him to find out more information on why the county has not received an answer to their inquiry on sales tax funds. Skiles also said the county will have to amend this years’ budget this spring with the loss of sales tax revenues, but they also may have to wait on the impact the American Rescue Plan has on funds available for county governments. Skiles suggested to the commission that they interview two of the firms that responded to the county request about work needed at the courthouse. He suggested speaking with Corky Stack and Associates and Bill Anderson Engineering. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said absentee voting will continue until 5:00 on Monday, April 5th. She said sample ballots are available at her office and online at the Salemmo.com website at the bottom of the Dent County Election Authority tab page. At the last meeting, Dent County Collector Shannon Van Kirk reported on the annual collector’s settlement. This year, she collected 8.4 million dollars and it was properly distributed to the entities. Last year, the collector collected 8.2 million dollars. The collector’s office has started a new tax pre-payment program where taxpayers can make payments on their taxes for 11 months and in the month of December there would be no payment due. These payments would be made electronically from a taxpayer’s account and the withdrawal can be made on the 5th or 20th of the month. Taxpayers who are interested can stop by the Dent County Collector’s office or call VanKirk at 729-3911 to get more information. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Monday at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

Drivers are encouraged to be mindful of potential lane closures this week as efforts to repair the driving surface of Highway 19 in Shannon County will be underway. Crews with Missouri Department of Transportation are planning to repave Highway 19 from Route A to Route KK. Work is scheduled to begin today and will continue through this Thursday, April 1st. One lane will be closed at various locations between 6:00 in the morning until 4:30 in the afternoon while work takes place. Flaggers will be in place to guide motorists through the work zones. Drivers are advised to seek an alternate route around the work areas or expect minor delays. MoDOT says they appreciate the patience of travelers while this work takes place. The work is weather permitting and could be delayed. 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.

An accident occurred Friday morning in Phelps County at 11:32 on westbound I-44 four miles west of St. James. According to the Highway Patrol report a 2006 Dodge Dakota, driven by 25-year-old Leah Ornelas of St. James, traveled off the left side of the roadway, returned to the roadway and struck a westbound 2019 International Tractor driven by 57-year-old Allen Howard of Terra Haute, Indiana. The Dodge then traveled off the left side again and struck the median cables. Ornelas suffered minor injuries and was transported by EMS to Phelps Health in Rolla. The report stated that both Ornelas and Howard were wearing safety restraints at the time of the accident. The Dodge sustained extensive damage and was removed from the scene by Dishman’s Towing. There was no damage to the International and it was driven from the scene.

An accident occurred Friday evening at 5:32 in Dent County on Route H about eight miles west of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, a 2006 Ford Ranger driven by 21-year-old Amanda Beck of Salem was travelling eastbound when the Ford Ranger ran off the right side of the roadway and struck a tree. Beck suffered serious injuries and was transported to Salem Memorial District Hospital by Salem EMS. She was not wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Ranger was totaled and removed from the scene by American Automotive and Towing. The Highway Patrol was assisted by the Dent County Sheriff’s Department.

Beginning today, a contractor working for the Missouri Department of Transportation will begin work on box culvert extensions along Highway 68. Once that work is complete, crews will begin resurfacing and widening the shoulders of Highway 68 in both Dent and Phelps Counties and in Dent County on Route HH near Salem. They will also be resurfacing Route F in Dent County and Route K in Phelps County. This work will require daily lane closures at various locations. Signs will be in place to alert motorists of the lane closures and flaggers will be used to guide them through the work zones. Drivers are asked to slow down and obey all traffic signs. Later this summer, culvert replacement work will require the closure of Highway 68 at the intersection of Highway 8, near Saint James, for several days. Updates will be sent in advance of the closure. The project is expected to be completed by November 2021. This work is weather permitting and could be delayed. 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.

The Dent County Health Center Board of Trustees met Thursday, March 18th. Administrator Kendra Mobray updated the board on the current COVID status in Dent County. She said that as of March 18th, there were 962 confirmed cases and 177 probable cases have been investigated. She stated that 81 of those cases required hospitalization, but as of the time of the Board meeting, there were no active cases. She did say that 28 deaths have been confirmed from the COVID-19 virus. Mobray reported the Health Center has worked closely with the Salem Memorial District Hospital to host several vaccine events. A large mass vaccination clinic was held at the Dent County Commons on February 11th and 12th with booster doses for those vaccinated at the Commons given on March 11th and 12th. Mobray thanked the Maxwells for the use of the Dent County Commons and also thanked Riverways Federal Credit Union and Progressive Ozark Bank for providing food and refreshments to the staff. Other vaccine clinics have been held at the Dent County Fire Station for individuals that qualify in Phase 1A and Phase 1B, tiers 1 through 3. As of last Thursday, A total of 2990 first doses have been administered through the vaccine clinics with 2130 booster doses. According to the Missouri Department of Public Health and Social Services, 1953 Dent County residents have received 1 dose of vaccine and 952 have had a complete series of 2 shots through March 21st. Governor Parson announced that Missouri’s Vaccine Phase 2 will open TODAY, and Phase 3 will open April 9th. For more information on who is included in these new phases, go to covidvaccine.mo.gov/. The vaccine is also available at the Dent County Health Center, Moser Pharmacy, Vandivort Pharmacy, and Wal-Mart Pharmacy. To schedule an appointment at the Health Center, call 573-729-3106. Information will be released to the public through Facebook and local media outlets as additional vaccine opportunities arise. The old Dent County Health Center location on MacArthur has been listed with Elwood Real Estate since September 2020. After much discussion, the board approved dropping the price to $159,900. The board also rescinded the motion to increase their monthly payment at the new location at this time. They will revisit that at the April meeting. Mobray stated the season-to-date total of reported influenza cases remains at 1 in Dent County. She also said the WIC interviews are being mostly conducted over the phone. The next meeting will be held on Thursday, April 15th at the Health Center.