Archive for 2026

The City of Salem has released that Sho-Me Power has scheduled a planned citywide power outage for Salem from approximately 1:00 to 3:00 in the morning of Friday, Sept. 18th. The outage is needed so Sho-Me Power can safely replace an insulator on the transmission system that supplies electricity to the city. Because the work is on the system serving the entire community, all city electric customers should prepare to be without power during the scheduled outage window. Residents and businesses are encouraged to charge phones and other important devices before going to bed Thursday, Sept. 17th. Customers are encouraged to keep flashlights nearby and turn off or unplug sensitive electronic equipment. Anyone who depends on electrically powered medical equipment should make sure a safe backup power source is available. Security systems, medical alerts, electronic clocks, timers and other devices may also be affected. Crew members will work to restore power as soon as the planned work is complete. Customers do not need to report the outage while it is occurring during the announced 1:00 to 3:00 in the morning period. The city will provide additional reminders before the outage. Again, that time will be from 1:00 to 3:00 in the morning of Friday, Sept. 18th.

For 66 years, Farm Family Day at the Missouri State Fair has been recognizing Missouri’s Farm Families, and the role they play in the state’s economy and vitality. Nominated families from each county are selected to represent their county for this honor, based on their farming operation, their activity in their community, their participation in or with 4-H and on upholding the qualities that honor farming’s roots. The Missouri Farm Bureau, along with the Missouri Department of Agriculture, the Missouri State Fair and State Fair Commissioners, MU Extension and Engagement and the University of Missouri College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources partners annually to put on this traditional event. The families honored represent all the varied farming operations that make up the state, from row crops and cattle, pork and chicken operations, to organic farms, nut and fruit orchard operations, agritourism and even intercity urban gardening operations — Farm Families represent a slice of rural life in Missouri. The 2026 Missouri Farm Family nominated for Dent County was the JT & Crystal Fleener Family. Congratulations! Nominated by MU Extension County Councils and local Missouri Farm Bureau board members, these families exemplify the innovation, resilience and dedication that keep Missouri agriculture thriving.

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) invites the central district to discuss the updated draft of the High-Priority Unfunded Needs list. Participants can view information about unfunded transportation needs in the region and provide feedback in-person at a meeting at MoDOT’s Central District Office, located at 1511 Missouri Boulevard in Jefferson City. Can’t attend the meeting in person? The draft HPUN document and comment forms will be available online through Thursday, Sept. 10th at modot.org/unfundedneeds. Dent County is on the unfunded multimodal needs list, needing sidewalk added from Center Street to Hwy. 32.

On Monday, the Dent County Sheriff’s Office released that a deputy sheriff had discovered that Shawn Keith Hougardy, a sex offender from Mountain Grove, Mo., was in Dent County and not in compliance with the Sex Offender Registry regulations. In addition, Hougardy had a warrant for his arrest for a probation violation from another county. Hougardy has been arrested and incarcerated in the Dent County Jail.

The Dent County Commission met for its weekly meeting Monday morning at the courthouse. Dent County Health Center Board of Trustees Chairman Bob Parsons notified commissioners that during the emergency meeting conducted Thursday night the board designated Joan Raulston as the County Health Officer, to be in charge of finances relating to Human Resources. Roma Jones, assistant administrator, will be retiring in less than six weeks from her role. Jessica Ricks is to serve as Deputy Administrator, in charge of finances relating to grants. Under road reports, District One Commissioner Keith Green shared that crew members will be attempting to grade and haul rock for continued work on County Road 6280. For the rest of the week, crew members will be installing pipes on county roads 2240, 2470, 2480, and 6083. Chip and seal is estimated to begin next week on county roads 4110 and 4210. District Two Commissioner Jimmy Williams reported that crew members will be finishing a culvert installation on County Road 2150, and then installing more culverts on county roads 2120, 2010, and 2070. Until there is rain, crew members are not able to grade the roads. Deputy County Clerk Crystal Pilkington reported bills are to be approved. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and is open to the public.

The Doe Run Company’s maroon mine rescue team won multiple awards at the 2026 Colorado Regional Mine Rescue Competition July 27th–30th in Loveland, Colorado. Maroon team members Buck Roderman, Andrew Hampton, Luke Davis, Melodie Wilcox, Dustine Keene, Jarred Tackett, Michael Snyder, Craig Turner, and Jacob Piatt placed first on the first day and second place on the second day of the field problem competition. The team also was named overall grand champion based on its combined results in the field, technical, bench, and first aid competitions. Piatt and Turner also competed together against coal and metal/non-metal mine rescue teams and took first place overall in the team technician competition. Co-hosted and sponsored by the Rocky Mountain Mine Rescue Council, the Colorado Division of Reclamation, Mining & Safety, and the Colorado Mining Association, with coordination from the MSHA Rocky Mountain District, the 2026 Colorado Regional Mine Rescue competition featured two days of mine rescue field problems designed to simulate underground emergency situations. On the third day, competitors tested their individual skills in first aid, technician, and bench competitions. To learn more, visit doerun.com.

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has released a list of general highway maintenance and construction work planned in the mid-Missouri area through this Sunday. Most routine work zones will be removed for the Labor Day holiday this weekend, but some long-term work zones and closures will remain in place. Except for emergencies, work will stop at noon on Friday and resume the morning of next Tuesday, Sept. 8th. Bridge maintenance is scheduled to begin over Dry Fork Creek, just north of Montauk, on Hwy. 72 and is scheduled for completion in October. One lane will remain open, and crews will flag traffic through the work zones. On Hwy. 119, bridge maintenance will continue over Pigeon Creek, just north of Montauk, and is scheduled for completion in September. Resurfacing continues east of Salem as the project continues toward Iron County Hwy. KK with expected completion also in September. Pedestrian facility upgrades continue on both Hwy. 19 and 32 within the city limits of Salem with minimal traffic impact expected. That project is also scheduled to be completed in September. In Phelps County, Highways C, CC, and T have pavement repairs planned beginning today and ending Thursday. Bridge rehabilitation continues over Interstate 44 at the Business Loop 44/Hwy. 72/Kingshighway junction, with the bridge remaining closed to all westbound traffic and an expected completion of the project in October. On Hwy. 62, bridge rehabilitation continues over Little Piney Creek near Yancy Mills with temporary traffic signals being used to maintain traffic through the single-lane work zone. That project is also scheduled for completion in October. On Hwy. BB, or 10th Street, in Rolla, bridge rehabilitation continues over the BNSF Railway with one lane open in each direction and no center turn lane. Intermittent closures of Oak Street and Olive Street can be expected.