Archive for 2023

The Dent County Commission met Thursday morning for their regular meeting. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray appreciated getting the rain but rock will need to be added to a number or roads that were graded recently that became a bit soupy from Wednesday’s rain. He said brush would be cut on Dent County Road 6110 and shop maintenance will be performed including changing a flat on a truck. He also said crews would be out picking up trash and tires as well as putting up missing or stolen signs. District 2 commissioner Gary Polk indicated grading would be done on Dent County Road 4300 while brush was going to be cut on county roads 3260, 3270, 3273 and 3275. Polk said work crews would be stockpiling rock at the maintenance shed. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said he would be attending the MRPC Dues Committee meeting on Wednesday, October 11th at 2:30. Larson said it will be a busy weekend with the Rose Holland Trout Derby at Montauk State Park, Old Miner’s Days in Viburnum, a flea market at the Dent County Commons and the Community Wide Yard Sale in Salem. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she balanced with the collector and assessor on all collections, abatements and add-ons for the month of September. Doug Barnes from Town and Country Bank brought in the paper work and check for the lease/purchase of two new John Deere graders from McCoy Construction and Forestry. The county does not yet have the graders as they should be delivered in the next couple of weeks. The commission also wanted to let the people know they can still comment on the Highway 19 Bridge at Standing Rock until the 13th of this month. You can e-mail your comments to CDCR@modot.mo.gov or mail them to Dent County Route 19 Standing Rock Creek Project, c/o MoDOT, 1511 Missouri Boulevard, Jefferson City, MO, 65102. If you haven’t seen the exhibits that were presented at the open house, they are available on the project’s webpage at www.modot.org/missouri-route-19-bridge-replacement-over-standing-rock-creek-dent-county. Larson said the courthouse would be closed for Columbus Day on Monday so the next meeting of the commissioners will be Thursday, October 12th at 9:00 at the courthouse and it is open to the public.

The 60th Annual Rose Holland Trout Derby will be held today through Sunday at Montauk State Park. Derby fishing hours on both Saturday and Sunday will begin at 7:30 in the morning. Fishing will end at 6:30 Saturday evening and at 11:30 Sunday morning. Several activities will take place in conjunction with the derby including a cruise-in car show today from 3:00 until 7:00 at the Searcy Building parking lot across from the lodge, and trout bingo with a park naturalist starting at 6:00 tonight in the campground amphitheater. Saturday there will be a “Walk and Explore For Your Heart Guided Hike” starting at 10:00 at the Naturalist office. In the field across from the mill, you can learn about and play old-time traditional and indigenous games from 1:30 to 3:00 in the afternoon. There will also be kids’ inflatables in the open field between the lodge and the mill from 11:00 to 3:00. After the auction at 3:30, set up your lawn chair and enjoy music in front of the lodge starting at 4:00 with the Current River Bluegrass Band until 5:00, followed by James VanKirk from Licking from 5:00 until 6:30. Collin Nash will then perform from 6:30 until 8:30 in front of the lodge. Finally, there will be the “Know The Dark” three-quarter mile night hike starting at 8:00 from the Naturalist’s Office. On Sunday, prizes will be awarded in front of the lodge starting at noon including attendance prizes, the kids’ heaviest stringer, heaviest brown trout as well as any tagged fish that were caught and registered. All the proceeds raised from the derby will benefit the American Heart Association.

In observance of Earth Science Week starting Sunday, October 8th through the 14th, the Missouri Geological Survey is partnering with the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center in Salem. As part of the center’s month-long exhibit on mining and geology, select items from MGS’s Ed Clark Museum of Missouri Geology in Rolla will be on display. Beginning during Earth Science Week, 50 free educational toolkits, donated by the American Geosciences Institute, will be available for educators at the center. Each toolkit includes maps, posters, lesson plans and booklets on Earth Science issues for K-12 students. Missouri State Geologist and MGS Director Carey Bridges said that mastering a knowledge of Earth Science issues and sharing what we learn is foundational to the mission of the Missouri Geological Survey and that during Earth Science Week, he encourages students, teachers and everyone else to visit the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center to learn more about Missouri’s amazing geology and the importance of its mining industry. He says the Earth Science toolkits are a wonderful resource for educators and include enough materials for learning beyond just a single week. Several special events are planned for the center’s geology exhibit. They include this Saturday morning at 10:00 when there will be a presentation by Donna Arthur, Missouri S&T student recruitment specialist for the Mines and Metallurgy Academy. Bob Hemmann, an exploration geologist with the Doe Run Company, will present a lecture on mining Saturday morning, October 14th, at 10:00. That program will be followed by a presentation on maple syrup in Missouri that evening at 6:00. Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center exhibits coordinator Liz Condray expressed appreciation to the Missouri Geological Survey for helping make this exhibit possible and the Center is excited to bring these educational opportunities to the region. They look forward to new ways to connect people to Earth Science topics. Condray went on to say the Center welcomes visitors and field trips if any schools would like to attend.

The Ozark National Scenic Riverways invites you to take the Current River Challenge as it passes through three amazing parks including Ozark National Scenic Riverways, Echo Bluff State Park, and Current River State Park! This activity includes three components, each measuring four miles in length. You can do the whole challenge or just a portion of it. The first segment begins at 9:00 this Saturday morning, at the Carr’s Canoe Rental Store for a four-mile guided hike from Round Spring to Echo Bluff State Park. Hikers should park in the overflow parking behind Carr’s Store. The second four-mile hike begins at Echo Bluff State Park at 11:00 that morning and ends at Current River State Park. Finally, after reaching Current River State Park, the last four-mile stretch is a float back to Round Spring that begins at 1:30 that afternoon. For visitors who only want to do part of the challenge, shuttles will be available for transport. Anyone wishing to attend the float should bring their own vessel or reserve one from a concessionaire. Hikers are encouraged to bring their lunch if participating in all three segments. Anyone completing the full challenge will receive a special award decal. All hiking activities are free to the public, and no registration is required. Always plan accordingly when hiking or participating in any outdoor recreational activity. Hikers should take weather conditions into consideration and be prepared during all seasons. Drinking water, rain gear, map, snacks, flashlight, sturdy hiking shoes, clothing appropriate for the weather and terrain, and emergency campfire supplies are recommended. For general information on each of these hikes and to get information on other upcoming fall hikes by visiting nps.gov/ozar or call (573) 226-3945.

An accident happened Wednesday morning just after 7:30 in Texas County on Highway 32 about two miles east of Licking. According to the highway patrol report, a 2011 Ford Taurus, driven eastbound by 36-year-old Laura Hughes of Licking, attempted to pass a 1990 Ford pickup being driven by 38-year-old James Bradshaw, also of Licking, as the Ford pickup was making a left turn. Hughes suffered minor injuries and was taken by ambulance to Texas County Memorial Hospital. Both vehicles sustained extensive damage with the Taurus being removed by Jays Towing and the Ford truck being removed from the roadway by a private party. The report went on to state that both drivers were wearing seat restraints. The highway patrol was assisted at the scene by the Licking Fire Department.

This Saturday during the City Wide Yard Sale, the Bonebrake Center of Nature and History will be holding a native plant sale starting at 8:00 in the morning and lasting until 1:00 in the afternoon. All the proceeds raised will benefit the Bonebrake Center. The Bonebrake Center is located at the intersection of East Rolla Road and North Hickory Street.

A Car Cruise-In will be held this Friday from 3:00 to 7:00 at the Searcy Building Parking Lot across from the Dorman L. Steelman Lodge. Dash Plaques will be awarded to the first 50 registered cars and trucks. Trophies will be awarded for Montauk Park Choice, which will be chosen by Park Staff, and for the Longest Distance Driven. Outside lighting will be provided for the viewing of all the classic vehicles. For more information, contact Carl Smith, the Cruise Coordinator, of Current River Cruisers Car Club at (573) 729-7883. All proceeds raised will benefit the American Heart Association. This is a free event, however the minimum suggested donation is $10.00.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol would like to remind the public that driver examination stations throughout the state will be closed on Monday, October 9th, in observance of Columbus Day. Normal operations will then resume on Tuesday, October 10th.

Next week from Monday, October 9th through Friday, the 13th, the GFL Green For Life Environmental Services will be providing the semi-annual residential Community Cleanup for Salem residents on your normal trash pick up day. To have your items picked up, residents should place items curbside the night before your regularly scheduled trash pickup for the week. These special Community Cleanups assist residents with the disposal of items not regularly accepted for trash pickup. It is important that residents note that there are some restrictions on the types of items that may be disposed of during Community Cleanup week. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will not allow collection yard waste (leaves, grass or twigs,) batteries, tires, motor oil, chemicals or solvents, paint, appliances or non-compactable items such as concrete, tree stumps, steel, construction debris, etc. For questions about the Fall Community Cleanup, call GFL at 1-800-926-3953 or 1-417-741-7714. If you need help with removing your yard waste such as limbs, grass bags or leaf bags, you may schedule a pickup with the City for $40 per pick-up by calling the Utility Office at 729-4117

The annual Producers Field Day for 2023 at the Wurdack Extension and Education Center at Cook Station will be this Friday from 9:30 until 12:00 noon. A variety of featured speakers will share information on topics including utilizing winter annual forages in cool-season pastures, incorporating native warm-season grasses into producers’ operations, the economics of keeping cattle through a drought, beef management during a drought with forage shortages, winter grazing grain sorghum, Missouri weather and resources, and feral hog elimination. For more information contact Gatlin Bunton, Director, Wurdack Extension and Education Center at (573) 775-2135 or online at e-mail him at buntong@missouri.edu.

Time is coming to an end for those turkey hunters who want to comment on possible changes to the spring and fall wild turkey hunting seasons, including all-day spring hunting and reduced harvest limits for fall seasons. In the nearly 20 years since the last significant regulations change for turkey hunting, much has changed for both hunters and wild turkeys as both turkey populations have declined and turkey hunting participation, over time, has also declined. According to Missouri Department of Conservation, research indicates that the current season structure, combined with the reproductive ecology of turkeys, has resulted in relatively low harvest rates on juvenile and adult gobblers over the years. This means that a small increase in the total number of the males harvested each spring would be sustainable. Extending shooting hours during the spring season may expand the opportunity for individuals to take up turkey hunting or offer more time for others to return to the field while maintaining a healthy turkey population. The department is considering changes to fall turkey hunting regulations that aim to balance the wellbeing of the turkey population while trying to maximize hunting opportunities. The Conservation Department encourages turkey hunters to go online to mdc.mo.gov/turkey-regs for more information on potential regulation changes and to provide comments. The comment period closes this Friday.

A Collage ‘N’ Sip Art Party with Lexie Mutch at the Creative Arts Center will be held Saturday evening from 5:00 to 6:00. Join us for an art night out, cutting and pasting a piece of collage art for yourself or as a gift for a friend. A man with a pansy head in suit and tie? A flower-headed women contemplating life in the cosmos? We will play with hybridization and re-contextualization. Snacks and non-spiked cider will be there ready to share! Feel free to bring your own magazines and ephemera ready to cut too (many magazines will be available first come first serve, but to ensure you’re inspired by your source materials, it may be fitting to bring your own). Let’s cut and glue a new scene or two, enjoy a laugh and the company of others! The cost is $10, there is a minimum of five attendees and a maximum of 20. This workshop is for participants 12-years-old and up. The cost is $10 per person for ages 12 and up. There is a minimum of 5 attendees and a maximum of 20 attendees. Interested persons can sign up under “Programs” at the salemcommunitybetterment.com website for activities at the Creative Arts Center.

The Salem Park Board met Tuesday at the Salem Community Center@The Armory,. At the meeting, the board voted unanimously to recommend to the Board of Aldermen to appoint Luke Heithold to the Park Board to replace Tiffin Felkerson who resigned. The other person interested in serving was Tracy Kent. The board discussed the railroad trail project with John Hambacker and Jay Anderson where they talked about signage and additional benches parallel to the trail totaling three on each side. The large 5 by 8 foot sign issue will still need to be reviewed by building inspector Jared Brown before it can be approved. The board approved allowing Hambacker and Anderson to develop a plan with Park and Recreation Director Melissa Dubois, then bring the final plan back to the board for their approval. The board also discussed creating a policy for the parks to set definitive hours of operation, probably 11:00 PM to 5:00 AM, and also to prevent loitering or after hour access to the park. Dubois is to create the ordinance to be reviewed by the city attorney before being brought to the Park Board for their review. The board then went into closed session.