Archive for 2022

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the courthouse for their regular meeting. At the beginning of the meeting, Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles asked all in attendance for a moment of silence for the people of Ukraine and what they are enduring at this time. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray stated crews would be out checking roads and road signs, and treating roads where needed to make them passible. He said he is hoping for continued dry and warm weather to dry out the gravel roads as they are in need of attention after the snow and ice. He also said that the water reported being backed up on Dent County Road 4170 was caused by two basketballs being lodged in the culvert. Once removed, the water flowed smoothly. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said crews would be working on graders #32 and #37 installing shims and doing maintenance. He said another crew would be out replacing signs and spreading sand on slippery areas. Larson also indicated there was a washout on Dent County Road 3370 that crews would be addressing. He went on to say he would be attending the Tourism Tax Meeting on March 7th. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported that last March, the Dent County Commission and Dent County Sheriff’s Department signed the Dent County 2nd Amendment Preservation Act. In light of what is happening in Ukraine at this time, Skiles hopes more people across the country understand and appreciate how vitally important our 2nd Amendment right to bear arms is to guarantee all our other freedoms. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said the winner of the “I Voted” sticker design contest was the design submitted by Olivia Wisdom. She said the last day to register to vote for the Municipal Election will be March 9th and that absentee voting for the April 5th election is going on now at her office in the courthouse. Commissioner Skiles said the commissioners would be going into closed session at 11:00 Monday morning for the pending litigation between the county and the Missouri Department of Revenue concerning the misappropriated sales taxes by the state and how they are to be paid back. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

A beginners-stained glass class with Jennifer Curry will be every Thursday in March at the Creative Arts Center. The 4-week class will hold two evening sessions each Thursday at 3:30-5:30 or 5:30 to 7:30. Learn the art of Stained Glass and create a suncatcher choosing from 8 to 10 patterns that will be provided. All supplies and safety equipment will be provided and the fee for all 4 weeks is $150. For more info or to register, call 247-0651 or 247-5306 or you can e-mail salemartscouncil@outlook.com.

The Dent County Fire Protection District board of directors will be meeting this evening at 6:00 at the fire station located at #2 South Main Street. After the roll call and approval of the consent agenda the board will review the minutes of the January meeting before hearing the financial report, approving bills, and reviewing the budget. Next on the agenda will be the calendar review, followed by the monthly reimbursement report. Any old or new business will then be brought before the board followed by a report to the board by fire chief Brad Nash. The date will then be set for the April meeting before adjourning and going into closed session if necessary. The meeting of the Dent County Fire Protection board of directors is open to the public.

An accident happened Saturday morning at 10:20 on Old Highway 60 about two miles west of Winona that left two people from Eminence with injuries. According to the highway patrol report, a 2003 Ford Taurus driven westbound by 18-year-old Mary Ferguson of Eminence, ran off the right aside of the roadway and struck a tree. Suffering serious was a passenger, 57-year-old John Ferguson of Eminence, was transported by Mercy Ambulance to the Cox South Hospital in Springfield. Mary Ferguson suffered minor injuries and sought private medical treatment. Mary Ferguson was wearing a seat restraint while John Ferguson was not. The Taurus was totaled and removed from the scene by Bakers of Birch Tree.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released reports from the department’s activities last week. On Sunday, February 20th, a deputy responded to Dent County Road 5240 for a report of a stolen vehicle. During the investigation, a 36-year-old Salem man was arrested and charged with tampering with a motor vehicle in the 1st degree. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail and placed on a 24-hour hold. Then on Tuesday, February 22nd, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Hunt Street. During the stop, a 30-year-old Salem man was arrested for the possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia, and an active Texas County warrant. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail where he was placed on a 24-hour hold and held on the active warrant. On Thursday, February 24th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Eighth Street During the stop, a 26-year-old Salem woman was arrested for driving without a valid driver’s license, a 2nd Offense. The woman was transported to the Dent County Jail where she was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. The next day on Friday, February 25th, a deputy responded to the Mt. Zion Church to check the well-being of a subject. The subject was located and upon further investigation, a 60-year-old Salem man was arrested for the possession of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail where he was placed on a 24- hour hold. If you have any information on any ongoing investigation, contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Department at 729-3241.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds Missouri hunters and anglers that related annual permits expire TODAY, including 2021 permits for small game, fishing, trout fishing, and combination hunting and fishing. Missouri hunting and fishing permits can be bought from one of many vendors around the state, online at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits, 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. Save time by buying hunting and fishing permits for multiple people in a single transaction. Select the “Additional Customer” option during the permit purchase. Avoid having to renew permits each year by using MDC’s Permit Auto-Renewal Service. It allows customers to enroll eligible permits in a service that will automatically renew their permits prior to the start of the next season or permit year. The process was designed to ensure customers never have expired permits when they need them most. Learn more at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/permits/permit-auto-renewal. Commercial and lifetime permits can be purchased only through the MDC Permit Services Unit by calling 573-522-0107 for an application.

KSMO’S FFA Day scheduled for today with students form the Salem FFA Chapter being interviewed on KSMO Radio and streamed LIVE on ksmoradio.com and KSMO Media by former FFA Advisory Bob Parsons, has been postponed and rescheduled for Friday, March 4th from 8:00 AM until 3:00 PM.

Missouri’s catch-and-keep trout fishing season officially begins at 6:30 Tuesday morning, March 1st, at Montauk State Park near Salem, Bennett Spring State Park near Lebanon, Roaring River State Park near Cassville as well as Maramec Spring Park. Missouri State Parks and the Missouri Department of Conservation are encouraging trout anglers to buy their fishing permits prior to the season’s opening. The Montauk State Park store hours for purchasing trout tags will be 8:00 in the morning to 8:30 in the evening on Monday, February 28th, with normal store hours beginning Tuesday, March 1st. Trout anglers 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. MDC encourages trout anglers to have the correct amount of cash for daily tags if possible. Missouri residents 16 through 64 and nonresidents 16 and older also need a fishing permit in addition to the daily trout tag. The cost of a daily trout tag to fish at Bennett Spring State Park, Montauk State Park and Roaring River State Park is $4 for adults and $3 for those 15 years of age and younger. A daily fishing permit is $8. The daily limit is four trout. At the Maramec Spring Park, the daily limit is five trout and the cost of a daily trout tag for adults is $5 and $3 for anglers 15 years of age and younger. Anglers can learn more about the regulations at mdc.mo.gov/fishing. The parks will not have warming stations as in past years and fish cleaning stations will remain closed. For more information on the opening of trout season, visit mostateparks.com or call Montauk State Park at 573-548-2201. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

The Private Pesticide Applicator Training that was to be held Thursday night was postponed and rescheduled for Tuesday evening, March 1st from 6:00 until 8:30 in at the Dent County Extension Office in the Judicial Building at 112 East 5th Street. The private pesticide applicator license issued by the Missouri Dept of Agriculture is required for producers who want to purchase and apply restricted use pesticides. Application by unlicensed workers under the supervision of licensed applicators will no longer be allowed. Agricultural producers needing to obtain or renew certification of this license must take this pesticide safety training every five years. You must be 18 years of age and directly involved in the production of agricultural commodities to obtain this license. Each person participating in the training is required to have a copy of the Private Pesticide Applicator Manual on their farm. There is a $25 to cover the cost of the manual and you may purchase it at the training with either cash or a check, no credit cards are accepted. In response to COVID-19, the extension in-person training sessions will have masks and sanitizer available for those who wish to use them. They plan to offer both virtual and in-person events this season to better meet your needs. You can still register online or contact Dent County Extension Center at 573-729-3196. There is no charge to attend the training. If you have any questions about the training, please contact Gatlin Bunton, 573-775-2135.

The AARP tax appointments scheduled for today at the Salem Community Center@The Armory have been cancelled. Everyone who had an appointment may call 729-8163 to reschedule. Appointments can be made through April 8th.

A one vehicle accident happened Wednesday afternoon just after 2:30 in Phelps County on Highway 63 two miles south of Rolla. According to the highway patrol report, a 2003 Chevrolet Silverado being driven by 64-year-old Fritz Lizama of Rolla was traveling south when he attempted to avoid another vehicle. This caused the Chevrolet to slide on the ice-covered roadway, travel off the road, and strike a ditch. Lizama was taken by Phelps Health Ambulance to Phelps Health Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. The Chevrolet sustained moderate damage and was removed from the scene by D & D Towing. The report stated that Lizama was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident.

A ceramics painting class with Isabella Knack will be held Sunday at the Creative Arts Center from 1:00 until 3:00 in the afternoon where you can choose a ceramic figure that has been bisque fired to glaze or paint from 5 to 30 dollars each. The cost of the class is $5.00. The glazes and all supplies are provided. For more information or to register, call 247-0651 or 247-5306 or you can e-mail salemartscouncil@outlook.com.