Archive for 2023

An accident happened in Phelps County at 9:12 Friday night at the intersection of Highway 68 and Route YY. According to the highway patrol report, a 2007 Nissan Frontier driven westbound by 28-year-old Brooke Plowman of Salem, struck an animal in the roadway and she overcorrected the Frontier. The Nissan then traveled off the left side of the roadway and overturned where the Frontier struck a fence. Plowman suffered moderate injuries and was transported by the St. James Ambulance to the Salem Memorial District Hospital. The Nissan was totaled and removed from the scene by D&D Towing.

An accident happened Friday night at 9:27 in Phelps County on Route O at Phelps County Road 5080. According to the highway patrol report, a 1997 Ford Mustang driven by 48-year-old Michael Huffman of Rolla, was traveling westbound on Phelps County Road 5120 and was traveling too fast for the road conditions as he failed to negotiate a curve. The Mustang traveled off the right side of the roadway and Huffman overcorrected. The Mustang returned to the roadway, became airborne, crossed Route O and went onto Phelps County Road 5080. The Mustang continue forward and went off the left side of the county road and struck a tree. Huffman suffered moderate injuries and was taken by ambulance to Phelps Health in Rolla. He was not wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The Mustang was totaled and removed from the scene by Ron Dishman’s Towing of Rolla.

A one vehicle accident happened Thursday night just past 10:30 in Phelps County on Phelps County Road 2310 at Phelps County Road 2300. According to the highway patrol report, a 2012 GMC Sierra being driven by 48-year-old Amy Dahms of St. James, was traveling west when the GMC went off the right side of the roadway. Dahms then overcorrected and traveled off the left side of the roadway and struck a tree. Dahms was taken by St. James ambulance to Phelps Health Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. The GMC was totaled and removed from the scene by Spurgeon’s Towing. The report went on to state that Dahms was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. Dahms was arrested for a DWI for alcohol, failure to drive on the right side of the roadway involving a crash, failure to display valid license plates, driving while having her license suspended and operating a vehicle with no insurance. Dahms was booked and released.

An accident happened in Dent County on Route O about two miles west of Anutt Saturday night at 9:20. According to the highway patrol report, Makenzie Carlson of Rolla, was driving a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt eastbound when she failed to negotiate a curve. The Cobalt went off the right side of the road and struck an embankment. Carlson suffered minor injuries and taken by a private vehicle to Phelps Health in Rolla. The Cobalt sustained minor damage and will be removed later.

During the Rural Philanthropy Summit on April 25th, the Community Foundation of the Ozarks presented Bonnie Prigge with the Fred Lemons Achievement Award. She serves as a board member for the Meramec Regional Community Foundation and as executive director of the Meramec Regional Planning Commission. Prigge was recognized for the outstanding record of asset growth in her 12 years on the board of the MRCF, her service to the Meramec region, as well as her service to Missouri Association of Councils of Government as secretary/treasurer and past- president. She currently serves as chair of MACG’s transportation committee and also is a board member of the Sustainable Ozarks Partnership, a board member of the Missouri Department of Transportation’s federal land access program, a member of the National Association of Development Organizations and an associate of the Economic Development Administration. Founded in 1973, the Community Foundation of the Ozarks is marking its 50th anniversary in 2023 as the region’s largest public charitable foundation serving a network of donors, 53 regional affiliate foundations — including the Meramec Regional Community Foundation— and nonprofit partners across central and southern Missouri through its mission of resource development, community grantmaking, collaboration and public leadership.

Kids’ Free Fishing Day for those age 15 and under is coming up Saturday, May 6th, from 6:30 in the morning until 8:15 in the evening. The registration booth will be open from 2:00 until 5:00 on Friday, May 5th, and all day on the 6th. Volunteers are needed to help with the event. Youth anglers will have the spring branch from the CCC Spillway to the Social Hole reserved for them. Kids are encouraged to bring their own fishing equipment. Adults are welcome to help their kids, but only one pole may be used between the helper and the child. Adults are not allowed to fish by themselves in the youth zone. There will be door prizes, fly tying and casting, an archery range, mobile aquarium, fishing simulator, and free hot dogs and soda from 11:00 until 1:00. For more information contact the Montauk Hatchery at (573) 548-2585.

The Dent County Commission met Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. At the meeting, County Clerk Angie Curley appointed Gary Larson as the acting presiding commissioner for the meeting. In the road report, District One Commissioner Wes Mobray stated the crews would be stock piling rock and doing maintenance in the shop as Mobray says the county saves a lot of money when the crews perform their own maintenance on equipment. District Two Commissioner Larson said crews in his district would be adding materials and grading Dent County Roads 2210, 3260 and 3270 while only grading would be done on county roads 2120, 3273 and 3275. He said brush would be cut on county roads 2110 and 2370. Three members of the Industrial Development Authority Board terms were up for appointment and the commission re-appointed current members Chris Holliday, Jack Todd and Bob Parsons to the board. Later in the morning, 2nd District Commissioner Gary Larson was sworn in officially as the Dent County Presiding Commissioner to replace former Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles who resigned on February 25th. Matt Lloyd with Fabick and Company came in and visited with the commission. The next commissioner meeting will be Monday morning at 9:00 the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

An accident happened Wednesday evening just before 7:15 in Crawford County on Highway 19 at Seven Cedars Road. According to the highway patrol report, a Honda motorcycle being operated by 21-year-old Sawyer Counts of Steelville, was traveling northbound when he failed to negotiate a curve and traveled off the left side of the roadway. Sawyer suffered moderate injuries and was transported to a hospital by a private party. The Honda was totaled and removed from the scene by a private party.

A special meeting of the Salem R-80 school board was held Thursday morning. The meeting was held to discuss insurance coverage. After a discussion, the board members approved the United Health Care option #2 for medical insurance, and approved the ancillary renewal for insurance with Principal. The meeting was then adjourned.

A meeting of the City of Salem Finance and Capital Improvement Committees has been called by finance committee chair Alderwoman Kala Sisco and Capital Improvements chair Alderman Shawn Bolerjack. The meeting will take place Monday at 6:00 at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory located at 1200 West Rolla Road. The agenda for the meeting will include an update on the passage of the additional 1% sales tax and what effect it will have on future budgets, a review of the third quarter financials along with a year-to-date review of capital improvement projects. The committees will also discuss the scheduling of future committee meetings before the meeting is adjourned. The meeting Monday evening at 6:00 will be open to the public.

This spring, the Doe Run Company has shown its dedication to furthering education in Southeast Missouri by donating $6,000 to support STEM curricula and activities in four local school districts. These contributions will expand access to potential career pathways for primary and secondary school students near Doe Run’s operations. In the Bunker R-III School District, Doe Run’s donation is providing elementary students with the supplies necessary to build a STEM Club, as well as offering high schoolers more comprehensive STEM courses. The funds will allow the school district to create a 3D printing program and buy a go-cart kit for students to experiment with motors, speed and motion. Doe Run presented Potosi R-III School District with funds to help them purchase additional VEX IQ robotics, giving more students the chance to learn the science and technology behind robotics. With more robotics equipment, students will be able to put their mathematics and computing skills to the test, improving their ability to think critically and create their own designs. At Lincoln Intermediate School in Farmington, Doe Run’s contribution will help pupils build a compost pile and learn about the science of growing food, as well as hydroponic gardening. Meanwhile, Iron County C-4 will use the donation to expand their 3D printer and robotics technology, teaching kids the basics of coding and providing hands-on activities. Their program has expanded from seventh- and eighth-grade students to now include sixth-grade students. Doe Run takes pride in providing scholarships and STEM programs to students of both elementary and high schools to equip the future generations with more chances to learn and to prepare them for their career paths.

The 8th Annual Veteran Affairs Day will be held tomorrow from 10:00 in the morning until 2:00 in the afternoon sponsored by the American Legion Post 99 and All-American VFW Post 6280 located at 2522 Highway 32 West in Salem. The Affairs Day is where veterans can learn about the changes and requirements for them to get their benefits. Veterans can also enroll in VA health care. Veteran Affairs Day is an annual outreach to veterans of central rural Missouri in an attempt to provide easier access to VA services. It includes American Legion District 16 and VFW District 2 which includes Camden, Cole, Crawford, Dent, Howell, Laclede, Maries, Miller, Phelps, Osage, Pulaski, Reynolds, Shannon, Texas and Wright counties. Representatives from the Department of Veteran Affairs will include enrollment and claims processing specialists from the Truman VA Hospital, as well as benefit advisors from St. Louis VA Regional Office. The Columbia Veteran Center will have counselors and advisors on hand in their mobile unit. The Missouri Veterans Commission will also have Service Officers at the event, as well as a Department of Education Veterans Employment Representative. They have also invited representatives from elected officials, including Congressman Jason Smith, US Senator Josh Hawley and State Representative Ron Copeland. The event starts at 10:00 and a light lunch provided around noon. It doesn’t matter when you served. If you have questions, a claim or need to enroll into the VA healthcare system, please attend. Don’t miss out on your hard earned benefits. Call the American Legion Post 99/VFW Post 6280 at 573-729-3710 for questions or to schedule private time with a counselor.

The Salem Police Department released these reports for the first week of April. During the week of April 1st to April 7th, there were 140 calls for service. Officers conducted 20 traffic stops for various traffic violations with four resulting in a summons or arrest. Officers also conducted two traffic accident investigations along with three informational reports. On Monday, April 3rd around 4:00 in the morning, officers were dispatched to the 1200 block of East Third Street for a report of someone trying to break into a house. Officers contacted the subject who was highly impaired on narcotics. The subject was placed on a 12-hour safe keep at the Dent County Jail due to his level of impairment. The victim in this case did not wish to pursue charges. On Wednesday, April 5th near 5:00 in the morning, officers were dispatched to the area of Forrest Hill Drive for a report of property damage. It was reported that in the overnight hours someone had tampered with and attempted to steal a UTV. This incident is still under investigation using video surveillance from the area. Around 8:00 Friday evening, April 7th, officers were dispatched to Franklin and Grand for a report of a vehicle doing donuts in the field. Officers discovered the driver was intoxicated. After an investigation, a 25-year-old St. James male was arrested and later released on a summons for excessive Blood-Alcohol Content. Later that same evening around 11:30, officers conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of Highway 19 and 68 for a vehicle not maintaining a single lane. Officers contacted the driver and he was found to be intoxicated. After an investigation the driver of the vehicle was arrested for a DWI and later released on summons. Please contact the Salem Police Department at 729-4242 if you have information regarding an ongoing investigation.

Montauk State Park will be handing out free seedlings on Friday April 28th in celebration of Arbor Day. Park visitors can pick up the seedlings at the White Oak Hole parking lot from 9:00 in the morning until 3:00 in the afternoon. The trees are provided courtesy of the Missouri Department of Conservation’s George White Nursery. For more information, contact the park at 573-548-2201.

You are invited to a special workshop at the with Brooks Blevins on “How to Talk Ozark in Seven Simple Steps” this Saturday at 10:00 at the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center. The event is free and open to the public. Check out the Dent County History exhibit at the ONCRC which will be open from 9:00 until 2:00 this Saturday.