Archive for 2025

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors will meet Tuesday evening at 6:00 at the Fire Station at #2 South Main. After the Call to Order and Roll Call will be the approval of the Consent Agenda, which includes review of previous meeting minutes, the financial report and approval of bills, plus the budget review. The Monthly Reimbursement Report will precede Old Business, which will include the Fidelity (CTI) Tower Lease consideration, Rescue tools quotes, and Policy and Procedures Review. In New Business the Board will review quotes on equipment and consider a Christmas Party. Chief Dennis Floyd will present his report, followed by setting the date for the next meeting and closed session, if necessary, before adjournment.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources and Missouri State Parks recognize and thank all veterans and active-duty military members for their service by offering two promotions in honor of Veterans Day. To show appreciation for their service, all veterans and active-duty military members who camp at a Missouri State Parks campground tomorrow will receive a promotional code for a free night of camping. The veteran must be staying the night of November 11 and show identification of veteran/active-duty military status when checking in to receive the promotional code. Missouri State Parks will accept several types of identification. Veterans and active military members are also invited to take free tours of Missouri state historic sites now through Tuesday, November 11th with valid identification. Visitors are encouraged to check current hours online at mostateparks.com before heading to a state park or historic site. In addition, Missouri State Parks offers a $2 per night camping discount year round at state park campgrounds for military members and veterans. Nightly camping rates vary from campground to campground based on different criteria. Retired, veteran and active-duty military personnel, as well as family members of active-duty military personnel (with valid military identification provided at check-in), will receive the military discount. For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com.

Town and Country Bank was honored as the 2025 Lender of the Year by the Meramec Regional Development Corporation and Meramec Regional Planning Commission for its partnership efforts to bring jobs and private investment to the Meramec Region. Brandon Licklider, the Town and Country Bank Senior vice president of the St. James branch, accepted the award on behalf of the bank. The presentation was made at the MRPC’s 2025 Annual Dinner and Awards Banquet, held October 23rd at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory in Salem. Town and Country Bank was chartered in 1894 as the Dent County Bank and was owned by the Dent family. The president of the bank was Louis Dent. The Gott family purchased the bank in 1993 and is the current owners. Roger Gott is the President and Chairman of the board. Town and Country Bank provides a variety of lending services for personal and business, including agricultural lending, consumer loans and lines of credit. In addition, the bank offers insurance and investment services to its customers. Town and Country Bank has branches in Ava, Bourbon, Licking, Mountain Grove, Pevely, Rolla, Salem, St. James and St. Louis. The Meramec Regional Development Corporation and Meramec Regional Planning Commission work together to provide a gap financing for new and expanding businesses in the Meramec Region. For more information on MRPC’s small business loans program, contact MRPC at 573-265-2993.

The Dent County Commission met Thursday morning at the courthouse. District 1 Commissioner Keith Green said phone bids were taken on the purchase of diesel fuel for the county and the low bid was MFA Oil Company at $2.55 per gallon for 7,000 gallons. In the road report, Green stated grading would be done on Dent County Roads 5017 and 5530, and brush would also be cut on county road 5530. Green said a crew was using the Durapatcher on county roads 6180, 6300 and 6510. District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams reported workers would be grading Dent County Roads 2570, 2580, 2610, 2613, 4380 and 5240, and brush will cut on county roads 2140 and 2150. Williams said dumptuck #122 was being taken to Springfield for repairs. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson had nothing to report. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported her office, the assessor’s office and the collector’s office balanced on all add-ons, abatements and collections for the month of October. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk came in to let the commission know that a letter is being sent to all tax entities letting them know how much tax revenue was lost due to the  implementation of Senate Bill 190 which allows for the Senior Citizen Homestead Tax Credit. The loss of tax revenue to the all entities in the county as a whole is going to be $4,021.35. The County General Revenue Fund revenue will be down $38.09, the County Road and Bridge Department Fund revenue will be reduced by $245.94, and the Senior Citizen Service Fund revenue will drop by $46.33. VanKirk said the initial cost of the software to implement the reduction on the tax bills cost the county $18,000 and there will be another $5,000 charged to the county in 2026 for that program. She also said the annual increase of the software maintenance will be $950 starting in 2026. These items will need to be accounted for in her 2026 budget. VanKirk also said that all residents that were on the monthly prepay property tax program with the collector will receive their tax bills marked paid in full. The next meeting of the commission will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public. 

The current report on the peak fall color changes shows there are two phases. In the first phase, almost all of the tree species have changed or are changing; and the second phase occurs when the few remaining species (usually oaks) peak. Within any particular species, there are differences based largely on topographic position, slope direction, and sunlight exposure. Our Ozark red color species include red maple, sassafras, black gum, dogwoods, sumacs, northern red oak, black oak, and scarlet oak. Our yellow and orange trees include sycamore, sugar maple, the various hickory species, white oak, post oak,chinquapin oak, and bur oak. Of these, the oak species are mostly lagging, as usual, but soon they will be in full color. If you hit the right hillside, you’ll see a wonderful array of autumn hues. Remember to stay aware of the hunting seasons as rifle season will start on November 15, so be sure to wear bright orange for safety. The largest tracts of public lands in the east central region include Angeline, Rocky Creek, Sunklands, and Peck Ranch conservation areas. 

An accident happened Sunday evening at 11:04 on Highway 5 in Camden County about 8/10ths of a miles north of Dry Hollow Road that took the life of a Steelville teenager. According to the highway patrol report, a 2011 Chevy Impala driven northbound by the 19-year Steelville man, crossed the center of the roadway and was struck head-on by a 2022 Peterbilt 389 semi driven southbound by a 45-year-old man from Owensville. The teenager was pronounced dead at the scene by the Camden County Medical Examiner Drew Hall at 11:57 Sunday evening. Both vehicles were totaled and were removed from the scene by Bledsoe Conoco. The teenager was not wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident while the driver of Peterbilt was. The body of the teenager was taken to the Allee Holman-Howe Funeral Home. The highway patrol was assisted at the scene by the Camden County Sheriff’s Department and the Washington County Sheriff’s Department.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control announced that criminal charges have been filed against 39-year-old Melvin J. Fincher of Rolla regarding the theft of cattle. Fincher has pending charges in other counties which include Phelps, Dent, Polk, and Nodaway Counties. Fincher was arrested on October 24th after an investigation conducted by the Rural Crimes Investigation Unit with the assistance of area law enforcement. In July of 2024, the highway patrol was made aware of suspicious activity involving the sale of livestock and farm equipment in Phelps County. During the investigation, Rural Crimes Investigation Unit investigators were informed by Texas authorities of a cattle theft investigation, involving 42 head of cattle from a livestock market in Texas. The theft occurred between August 10th and 11th of 2024, and the total value of the cattle was $71,078.00. After further investigation, it was determined the cattle were received by Melvin Fincher, a resident of Phelps County. During the investigation, and while searching property associated with Fincher, USDA livestock tags were located in the livestock pens on the premises. Identification numbers indicated the tags were issued to the livestock market in Texas where the cattle were originally stolen. Additional evidence was collected connecting Fincher to the theft of cattle in Texas. On December 2nd, 2024, Fincher was formally charged by the Phelps County Prosecuting Attorney with one count of Stealing Livestock and/or Wildlife-a Prior Offense. Fincher later pled guilty to this charge. This October 27th, Fincher was sentenced to serve ten years incarceration with the Missouri Department of Corrections. The sentence was suspended in execution of sentence, and Fincher is currently serving five years of supervised probation. Fincher is also facing numerous charges in Dent, Polk, and Nodaway Counties for other related criminal offenses including identity theft, livestock theft, and farm equipment theft. The total value of damages involving these cases exceeds $219,000.00. The Missouri State Highway Patrol is appreciative of the assistance from the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, the Missouri Livestock and Farm Protection Task Force, USDA, and the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. If you have any further information regarding these cases, please contact Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control at 573-526-6122.

The City of Salem Planning and Zoning Commission held a public hearing Tuesday evening in the City Hall Auditorium to consider a request from John Lewis for a conditional use permit to install a manufactured home at 402 South Pershing. No one was present to speak on the request, so the commission closed the public hearing and proceeded to the regular meeting. After approving the agenda, the commission voted to approve the conditional use permit. The commission then heard from J.D. Norris, owner of the Truman Mobile Home Park, who expressed interest in developing up to ten individual mobile homes, each measuring approximately 16 feet by 40 or 50 feet. The proposed project would include a new road, sewer system, and underground electrical service, with the goal of offering affordable lots for sale or rent. Building Inspector Jarred Brown explained that the next step for Mr. Norris is to create a detailed site and construction plan outlining the layout of the new lots and proposed utility upgrades. Once those plans are submitted, the commission will determine the appropriate next steps. With no further discussion, the meeting was adjourned. 

A class on Repurposed Christmas Card Ornaments will be held tomorrow from 5:30 to 7:30 with Angela Dingess at the Creative Arts Center at 202 South Main. The class is for those who are aged 13 and up with a cost of $25 which includes all supplies. In this class participants will be repurposing used Christmas cards in order to make beautiful one-of-a-kind ornaments. To sign up, go to the SACBA website, click on “Programs” link and then on the Creative Arts Center.