Archive for 2024

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department released some reports for the period from September 6th through the 10th. On Friday, September 6th, deputies conducted a traffic stop on South Highway 19 and Dent County Road 5083. During the course of the stop, a 41-year-old Newburg man who was operating the vehicle was found to be in possession of a controlled substance, plus his driving privileges had been revoked. The man was arrested. On Monday, the 9th of September, deputies conducted a traffic stop in the 3200 block of South Highway 19. During the course of this stop, a 38-year-old Salem man was found to be driving with a suspended driving privilege. He was arrested and taken to the Dent County Jail for processing. On Tuesday, September 10th, deputies responded to a report of property damage on Dent County Road 6250. The victim was a 72-year-old Salem man who said one of his cows had been shot and killed. The investigation is ongoing. That same day, Dent County Deputies conducted a traffic stop at the intersection of Highway 32 and South Hickory Street. During the stop, deputies searched the vehicle with the driver’s consent, and contraband was located. The suspect, a 44-year-old Salem man, was arrested and taken to the Dent County Jail. Contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at (573) 729-3241 if you have any information regarding any ongoing investigation.

An accident occurred that involved a pedestrian in Phelps County Sunday afternoon at 12:47 on Highway 63 five miles south of Rolla. According to the Highway Patrol report a 2022 GMC Sierra was being driven northbound in the passing lane by 51-year-old Mark Borgmann of Pacific, Missouri. The GMC was overtaking another vehicle when 36-year-old Heather Polk of Rolla was attempting to cross the highway and was struck. Polk suffered serious injuries and was transported to University Hospital in Columbia by Phelps Health Air Ambulance. The report stated that Borgmann was wearing a safety restraint. The GMC sustained minor damage and was driven from the scene.

An accident occurred Monday morning at 9:30 in Dent County on Highway 19 three miles south of Salem. According to the Highway Patrol report a northbound 2008 Mazda 3, driven by 19-year-old Damyan Bagley of Salem, ran off the right side of the roadway striking an embankment and a guide wire. Bagley suffered moderate injuries and was transported to Salem Memorial Hospital by Salem EMS. The report stated that Bagley was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Mazda sustained moderate damage and remained roadside.

Team members from Missouri State Parks invite the public to visit mostateparks.com this month and view informational videos for many state parks and historic sites. After watching the videos, the public is encouraged to provide input and comments, as well as submit questions about the historic sites or parks and their operations. Park team members will respond to the comments, answer questions and provide information. The videos will be online and available for comment through the month of September for visitors to view at their leisure. Once the month ends, the comment function will be turned off, but the video will remain online for viewing. Input from the public is important to Missouri State Parks. For a list of scheduled informational meetings and a list of videos, visit mostateparks.com and search for informational meetings. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

The City of Salem has announced that they will be testing the storm sirens tomorrow at 10:00 in the morning. If there are storms in the area during the scheduled test time, the city will postpone the test until next Wednesday.

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams gave her sales tax report for the money collected this month. She said the General Revenue Fund and Law Enforcement Sales Tax Fund each received $103,147.49 which is $18,520.84 more than for September of 2023. Year-to-date, the General Revenue Fund and the LEST funds are up about $41,557 which is about a 5.2% increase. The Road and Bridge Fund received $48,498.22 this month, and that is up $10,632.31 more than September of 2023. Year-to-date, that fund is up $18,597.30 which is near 5%. The County Jail Operating and Trust funds each received $97,418.01 in September and that is up $21,264.53 from the September 2023 receipts. Year-to-date, those funds are up $38,385.44. Williams said the county has so far paid back  $199,960 of the $933,148.23 sales tax the state said the county should not have received. There is still $733,187.85 remaining to be paid back which the state deducts from the county monthly receipts by a total of just over $11,000. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley says many counties are not in this good of shape financially even with the reduction each month by the state. She said many counties have to borrow money to do any major construction or renovations where Dent County was able to do the 1.7-million-dollar courthouse renovation from their own reserves.

In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray stated brush would be cut on Dent County Roads 5160 and 5170 while crews will be removing two trees from county road 5080. Mobray said a man would be going to Springfield to get oil for chip and seal repair. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk said grading would be done on Dent County Roads 3190, 3220, 4430 and 6140; while brush would be cut on county roads 4380, 4390 and 5225. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said he attended the MRPC meeting Thursday night and will attend a grant proposal meeting Wednesday at the MRPC building. Dent County Clerk Curley said the last day to register to vote for the General Election would be October 9th, absentee voting with an excuse begins September 24th, while “no excuse” absentee voting will begin on October 22nd. At the last meeting, the commissioners discussed three bids for a truck for the coroner. The state bid was from Don Brown Chevrolet for $48,256, while other bids received included Ford Joe for $51,680 and Billman Dodge for $50,498. Coroner Ben Pursifull was present and recommended the Ford as it is a one-ton XLT truck with options and better re-sale value. The commission approved the purchase of the Ford for the Coroner’s Office. The commission also agreed to seek bids for a new courthouse roof and the replacement of damaged screens in the Judicial Building from the hail damage. Bids will be due on Thursday, October 3rd at the county clerk’s office and will be opened at 10:00 in the morning. If anyone has questions about placing a bid or specs, contact Commissioner Gary Larson at 729-3044 or 368-9099. The next meeting of the commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

An accident occurred in Maries County Sunday on Highway 28 east of Highway C that took the life of a man from Arkansas. According to the Highway Patrol report an eastbound 2005 Subaru Outback, driven by 41-year-old Michael Edington of Rolla, crossed the center line and struck a westbound 2008 Dodge Ram 2500, driven by 21-year-old Elijah Woodward of Locust Grove, Arkansas, head-on. The Subaru went off the right side of the roadway, while the Dodge went off the left side of the roadway and overturned. Woodward was ejected from the Dodge. He was pronounced deceased at University Hospital in Columbia at 9:03 by Dr. Chris Nelson. The report stated that neither Woodward nor Edington were wearing safety restraints. The Dodge was totaled and removed from the scene by Owens Towing, while the Subaru sustained extensive damage and was removed by Fastlane Towing.

The Salem Police Department has released their report for the month of August. The department responded to nine accidents during the month. Officers responded to 13 alarms sounding and addressed 28 animal calls, investigated six assaults or fights, two burglaries, performed 25 well-being checks and 32 area checks in August. Police investigated 15 domestic disputes, eight verbal and three physical disturbances, conducted 56 follow-up investigations, and provided 21 escorts. They investigated two harassment reports, two nuisance violations, three parking complaint calls, one intoxicated pedestrian report, one shoplifting report and offered assistance to eight motorists. The Salem Police wrote four property damage reports, made 11 stealing reports, wrote four trespassing reports and responded to four traffic complaints during the month. Officers responded to four reports of suicidal persons, 20 suspicious circumstance calls, ten suspicious person calls, and ten suspicious vehicle calls. Officers attempted to serve six warrants and conducted 105 traffic stops during the month. The police  responded to a total of 552 incidents in August with the average response time to calls being two minutes and nine seconds. The average time spent on the scene was 16 minutes and 47 seconds.

Make plans for the 12th Annual Smokin’ Hot Veterans Rib Cook-Off this Saturday, at the American Legion Post 99 on Highway 32, west of Salem. Judging will start at 3:00 and ribs and dinners will be available for purchase at 5:30. In memory of Clint Medlock, prepaid Yellow T-Shirts are available for purchase by calling 573-247-0154 or see the sign-up sheet at the Post. The Cook-Off competition will be for wet or dry rubs and contestants may enter one or both

categories. The Entry Fee is $35.00, and contestants are to provide their own ribs. The 1st Place Trophy, Apron and $200 go to the winner, while 2nd Place will receive an Apron and $150, and 3rd Place will win $100. To sign-up to cook ribs, get information, and a list of rules contact Raul Segovia at 573-247-5074 or Barb Medlock at 573-247-0154. Music will be provided by Moonshine Express from 4:00 until 7:00.

The Dent County Historical Society will sponsor a round table discussion about the Ashley area at 2:00 in the afternoon this Sunday. The event will be held at the James & Gahr Family Center in Downtown Salem. Speakers: Alex Primm, Justin Mutrux, and Deloris Gray Wood will share insights about the region, which spans parts of Dent and Texas Counties. Topics will include the historical Saltpeter Cave, its role in early commerce, and local family histories. The discussion will cover William Henry Ashley, Missouri’s first Lieutenant Governor, who had Saltpeter hauled from the cave to Potosi for gunpowder production during the War of 1812. Henry Rowe Schoolcraft’s 1818 documentation of the area’s flora and fauna will also be discussed. Primm, an oral historian and author, will bring a large painted mural map of the Ozarks for display. His recent book, “Ozark Voices: Oral History from the Heartland,” is currently being adapted into an audiobook by the Library of Congress. The program is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the Dent County Historical Society at 573-729-2545.