News – Monday, July 14th 2025

The Dent County 4-H and FFA Expo kicks off Tuesday, July 16th at The Commons with the setting up of the Exhibit Entries. Those entries will be judged starting Wednesday morning, July 17th at 10:00. Wednesday evening at 6:00 will be the Dessert Auction. Entry forms are available at the Dent County Extension Office or call them at 573-729-3196 and they can e-mail you an entry form. Dessert items must be brought in between 3:00 and 5:00 to the multi-purpose building at The Commons that Wednesday afternoon. On Thursday, July 17th, livestock registration will be from 9:30 until 11:30 and all livestock MUST be in place by 11:00. Weigh-ins are scheduled to start at 12:00 with the Small Animal Show beginning at 3:00. The “Pig Pals” practice will be at 4:00 with the show to follow at 5:00. The exhibitor and family supper will be held at 6:00. On Friday, July 18th, the shows will kick off at 7:00 in the morning with the hog show, followed by the Sheep and Goat Show. The Beef and Dairy Show will start at 2:00 Friday afternoon followed by the Buyer’s supper at 6:30. Saturday morning, July 19th, the highlight of the Expo will be the 4-H and FFA Market Sale which will begin at 9:00. The auction will be carried live on KSMO Radio (AM 1340 and FM 95.7) and also live streamed on KSMO Media (ksmoradio.com, KSMO Stream Facebook and the KSMO YouTube Channel.) For additional information contact the Dent County Extension office at (573) 729-3196.

The countdown to the 2025 Missouri State Fair is on, and organisers are encouraging Missourians to take advantage of advance ticket deals and a packed entertainment lineup. The Fair runs August 7th through 17th in Sedalia. Advance admission and carnival tickets are available now through August 6th, offering significant savings for fairgoers. Adult admission tickets are priced at twelve dollars in advance which is a three dollar savings. Unlimited carnival wristbands tickets are available in advance for twenty-five dollars, a . A bundled “Daily Deal” option, which includes admission and unlimited rides for one day, is available for thirty-seven dollars, a savings of eighteen dollars. During the 11-day Fair, regular-price tickets and daily specials will also be available. Full details can be found on the Missouri State Fair website at mostatefair.com. This year’s State Fair Grandstand, presented by CFM Insurance, will host eight concerts, two tractor pulls, and one auto race. Concert highlights include: Wynonna Judd with The War and Treaty on opening night, August 7th. Followed by Blues Traveler, Gin Blossoms, and Spin Doctors on August 8th, Oliver Anthony with Davisson Brothers Band on August 9th, And closing out the concert series with Jon Pardi and Karley Scott Collins on August 16th. Concerts on select nights will be followed by fireworks and drone shows, sponsored by Missouri S&T and VisitMO.com. All grandstand concert tickets are sold separately from gate admission. Children under two may attend concerts for free but must sit on a parent’s lap. Other scheduled events during the fair include The Governor’s Ham Breakfast on August 14th, featuring Missouri Grown foods and attracting leaders in agriculture and state government. Tickets are fifty dollars and include gate admission. For more information, schedules, and a full list of ticket locations, visit MoStateFair.com.

Interstate 44 nightly core drilling operations are ongoing. Crews from the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) will be obtaining core samples at various locations between Conway and Rolla. Work is planned overnight, 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., Monday through Friday, through July 22nd. Motorist can expect intermittent single-lane closures, both directions, and expect delays. Core drilling allows for a detailed examination of the layers of roadway and supporting geology below the roadway surface. By studying the samples obtained in the cores, the project team can make more informed decisions on design and material elements for future work along I-44. Motorists are advised to use extra caution through work zones, obey all traffic signs, and avoid any distractions.  For traffic updates or other transportation-related matters, please call 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636) or visit their Traveler Information Map.