Archive for 2023

The Phelps County Sheriff’s Department has released a statement regarding the arrest of 33-year-old Joseph D. Snow of St. James who was charged by Phelps County Prosecuting Attorney Brendon Fox Wednesday with Murder in the First Degree in the death of 49-year-old Luke A. Moreland of St. James. He was also charged with two counts of Armed Criminal Action, and one count of Assault in the First Degree. According to the release, on Tuesday evening, May 9th at 6:40, Central Communications in Rolla received a 911 call regarding a stabbing in St James. Law Enforcement Officers from the St James Police Department and the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department responded to the 600 Block of Saint David Street in St. James. Law enforcement officers determined two men had been stabbed: Luke Moreland who died at the scene from eight stab wounds, and 44-year-old Jeffrey W. Pitts who was airlifted to a St. Louis trauma center in critical condition from nine stab wounds. Witnesses identified Snow as the assailant and he was arrested by officers Tuesday after fleeing the scene in a red Chevrolet Impala. Snow admitted to stabbing both victims during an argument. He was incarcerated in the Phelps County Jail, where he is being held without bond.

Saturday at the Creative Arts Center, the Spring Creek Artisans will be hosting “Springfest” from 9:00 in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon. There will be numerous arts and crafts available as well as baked goods, demonstrations and a whole bunch of fun! The artisans are providing a FREE special Mother’s Day gift for all Moms!!! Everyone is welcome as there is no charge to come and browse around.

This Saturday will be a busy one in the Ozarks! The Ozark Riverways Foundation will hold an Upper Current River Celebration at the Big Rock Candy Mountain starting at 10:00 with story telling, a book festival, crafts, vendors and cultural demonstrations throughout the day until 4:00 for no charge, and the Baker Family Bluegrass Concert headlining the 2nd Annual “Rendezvous on the Ridge” at 7:00. Tickets for the concert are $15 for those 12 years of age and older and are available at Big Rock Candy Mountain while there will be free admission for those under 12. Also Saturday will be the Montauk State Park “Old Mill Day” from 9:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon where the day will be devoted to celebrating life in the Ozarks at the start of the 20th century, when the old mill was in its prime. Free tours of the mill will be offered upon request, plus there will be local citizens demonstrating historical skills, such as blacksmithing, atlatl throwing, horseshoe pitching, Dutch oven cooking, weaving, rope making, wood carving, beekeeping, chocolate making and more! The event will also include an arts and crafts fair showcasing all of the finest homemade pottery, jewelry, clothing and other products that local artisans have to offer. With all this going on, the Ozark Riverways Foundation has created a 24-mile loop where you can share your day at the Old Mill Day at Montauk State Park, the Upper Current River Celebration at Big Rock Candy Mountain, plus visit Bo’s Hollow from 10:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the afternoon which allows you to take a step back in time with Model A rides and a classic village not to mention great Bar-B-Cue and jerky; and the Jadwin Outpost Trading and Grill which will be open from 7:00 in the morning until 7:00 Saturday night. If you take the ‘Drive 24 for More” loop drive, don’t foget to collect stamps from all four locations and received a FREE sweet treat at the Jadwin Outpost & Grill, Bo’s Hollow or Big Rock Candy Mountain. Maps are available at all the locations!

An accident happened Thursday morning at 11:25 in Iron County on Highway 32 about a mile east of Banner. According to the highway patrol report, 46-year-old Benjamin Litton of Bixby, was driving a 2021 Ford Ecosport eastbound when he drove off the left side of the roadway, struck a fence and the ditch. Litton suffered moderate injuries and was transported by ambulance to the Mercy South Hospital in St. Louis. Litton was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The Ecosport sustained moderate damage and was removed from the scene by Adams Custom Towing.

Have you signed up your team for trivia yet? The Salem Senior Center will be hosting a Trivia Night Fundraiser and Silent Auction Saturday night at the Salem Community Center @ The Armory at 6:30. There will be 10 categories with 10 questions in each and the cost for a table of six people is $100. Can’t find a team of your own? Come by yourself and pay $20 and you will put at a table with other individuals that also just ant to participate. The winning team receives $300 and 2nd place team will receive $200. Concessions will be available and there will be mulligans sold but only for cash! This is an adult only venue and you can still register a team, sponsor a round or to donate to the silent auction. Just contact Jody Schaefer at 729-2373 or email her at jschaefer@agingbest.org. The doors will open at 5:45.

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation shows turkey hunters checked 41,970 birds during Missouri’s 2023 regular spring turkey season, April 17th through May 7th. Top regular season harvest counties were Franklin with 973 birds harvested, Callaway with 801, and Osage with 792. Young turkey hunters also harvested 2,566 turkeys over the youth weekend, April 1st and 2nd, bringing the overall 2023 spring turkey harvest to 44,536 which was the highest harvest total since 2016. Top harvest counties in our area were Texas with 845. Phelps County had 812 birds checked. Dent County hunters checked 645 turkeys, followed by Shannon County with 400, and Iron with 188. Last year, young turkey hunters harvested 2,894 turkeys over the spring youth season and hunters harvested 33,359 during the regular spring season for a 2022 spring season total harvest of 36,253.

An accident happened in Shannon County on Highway 19 about a mile north of Eminence Tuesday afternoon around 1:30. According to highway patrol report, a 2022 Ram 2500 being driven by 62-year-old Paul Ahrens of Lamar, Arkansas, went off the side of the left side of the road and went down an embankment about 30 feet before coming to rest in some thick brush after striking a tree. According to the report from the Shannon County First Responders, had the accident not been witnessed, the vehicle would have been completely hidden and perhaps not found for days. Two Emergency Medical Responders from the Shannon County First Responders were able to gain entry to the truck through the rear and begin care. Volunteer firefighters from the Eminence Area Volunteer Fire Department and employees of Baker’s Towing worked to stabilize the truck, which was perched precariously on some rocks and tree trunks. EMTs and paramedics from Mercy used a rope line to descend to the vehicle and take over definitive medical care from the First Responders. The patient was placed in a basket stretcher which was lifted up to the road via ropes and with a lot of hard work by several volunteers of several agencies. Ahrens suffered serious injuries. He was stabilized and transported via Mercy ambulance to the Eminence Fire Station where a Mercy helicopter transported them the Mercy St Louis hospital. The Ram was removed from the scene by Baker’s Towing.

A fatality one vehicle accident happened early Wednesday morning at 5:30 in Reynolds County on Route N about 8 miles west of Lesterville. According to the highway patrol report, a 2007 Chevy Tahoe was being driven north by 30-year-old Jacob Adams of Potosi. The accident occurred as the vehicle ran off the right side of the roadway. Adams then overcorrected and lost control of the vehicle before striking a tree and overturning. Adams was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:20 Wednesday morning by Reynolds County Coroner Jeff McSpadden. The Tahoe was totaled and removed from the scene by Rowdy’s Towing. The report went to state that Adams was not wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The highway patrol was assisted on the scene by the Reynolds County Sheriff’s Department.

The Dent County Sheriffs Department has released several report for the first week of May. On Monday May 1st, a deputy responded to Seville Care Center on Highway 72 for a report of medication missing from the facility. This an open investigation and suspect information is pending. That same day a deputy responded to the 3000 block of Highway K for a report of items being stolen from a boat. The victim, a 50-year-old Salem man, told officers that a trolling motor and graph were stolen from his boat by an unknown person or persons. The investigation is ongoing, pending investigative leads. Still on the same day deputies responded to the 300 block of Dent County Road 6280 for a dispute between neighbors. The reporting party, a 35-year-old Jadwin woman, told deputies that her neighbors had fired a gun in the direction of she and her husband. Contact was made with the alleged suspect and the investigation is ongoing. And finally on Thursday, May 4th, a deputy conducted an investigation into a littering complaint in the 7500 block of East Highway 32. A suspect was identified and contacted. Charges are pending against the individual responsible. If you have information regarding any ongoing investigation, please contact the Dent County Sheriffs office at 729-3241.

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors met Tuesday evening at the fire station at #2 South Main Street. The board heard the financial report which showed an ending balance of $204,519.33 as of April 30th. Bills, payments and statements were reviewed and the election bill from the County Clerk for $9,870.00 was presented and approved by the board. During the calendar review it was noted today a group of first graders would be touring the station and that a home school tour would also take place later this month on a date yet to be determined. The monthly reimbursement report showed a total of 22 calls for the month of April bringing the total calls year to date to 117. Some of those calls included five building fires, three brush or a combination of brush and grass fires, and two either propane or natural gas leaks, and two special type of incidents. By-laws were then reviewed with no changes being made. Fire Chief Brad Nash then made his report to the board. Chief Nash reported that Engine 85 is still in the shop awaiting parts and that Engine 83 has some transmission problems and is being repaired in Springfield. He also mentioned that the search and rescue John Deere gators are at John Deere for repair. The repeater is still having some problems since the electric storms two weeks ago. The radio company has been out and got it going but parts are weeks out and possibly not even available. Board members asked Chief Nash to get more information so the board can move forward with the repair or replacement of the repeater. Before adjourning the date for the June meeting was set for 6:00, Tuesday evening June 13th.