News – Tuesday, February 3rd 2026

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Keith Green crews would be performing maintenance on all the vehicles and equipment. District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams reported workers would be removing fallen trees on county road 2240. They will also be working on county dump truck #122 as well as cutting more firewood for the county shed. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson stated he did not attend the Opioid Committee meeting last Thursday as something came up, but the committee did receive four requests for funding but have not yet forwarded any recommendations to the commission. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley stated she has sent a letter out to the taxing entities per Missouri State Statues that provides an estimate for cost of the April Municipal Election. Curley said Green-Forest R-2 School District, Reynolds County Ambulance and Timber Fire District will not have elections this April. Curley also said absentee voting will begin February 24th and if voters have moved since the last election to please update your voter registration in her office. Also, the offices of the Assessor and Collector in the courthouse closed Monday due to a plumbing issue in the restroom. A plumber is scheduled to be at the courthouse for repairs today. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Thursday morning at the courthouse at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public. 

Thursday a helicopter carrying three Missouri state parks team members and a private pilot crashed into the Meramec River. The state park team members were conducting an aerial ecological survey of Meramec State Park when the aircraft may have struck a power line. All those aboard the helicopter were rescued from the river and are under medical care at Missouri Baptist Sullivan Hospital.  Kurt Schaefer, director of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, said that while we continue to investigate, we want to thank the first responders for their quick actions, and we are very thankful that everyone appears to be OK. The Department of Natural Resources continues to collect information. Missouri state parks rangers and other emergency personnel are on site assisting. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

The Missouri Department of Transportation is seeking community input on a project which will replace the Highway 32 bridge over Huzzah Creek in Dent County, southwest of Viburnum. Built in 1931, the Huzzah Creek bridge is in poor condition, showing signs it has reached the end of its useful life, and is in need of replacement. Currently, Highway 32 is expected to remain open during construction, with a one-lane temporary bypass in place and temporary traffic signals directing motorists through the work zone. The public is invited to attend an open-house style public meeting today, at the Quad County Fire Department located at 80 Highway 49 in Viburnum. Visitors may stop by at any time between 4:30 and 6:00 this evening to speak with project team members, view exhibits outlining the planned work, ask questions and leave comments. There will be no formal presentation. Meeting materials will also be available online. In addition to the public meeting, there is a comment period running through February 17th. Input may be submitted online through a form on the project webpage, emailed to CDCR@modot.mo.gov, or mailed to 1511 Missouri Boulevard, Jefferson City, MO, 65102. All comments must be received or postmarked by February 17th.  

Signups for the City of Salem Park and Recreation Department’s Youth Soccer program are going on now for $35 per person until February 6th. Planned age divisions range between four and under, up to 14 and under. To sign up, go to the Salem Park and Recreation Facebook page and use the link to Teamsnap to register your child. For help email, salemparks@salemmo.com.