Posts by Stan Podorski

The Dent County Sheriff’s office released these reports. On Friday January 17th deputies responded to the 500 block of County Road 5200 for a wanted subject. The suspect, a 33-year-old Rolla woman, was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Dent County Jail. The next day on Saturday January 18th deputies responded to Montauk State Park for a reported trespassing. Deputies discovered two males’ suspects had moved barriers and entered the park, which is closed to the public due to flooding damage. Charges are pending against 50-year-old St. Louis man and 70-year-old Byrnes Mill man. The next week on Monday January 20th deputies responded to Salem Memorial Hospital for a wanted subject.  The suspect, a 38-year-old Salem woman, was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Dent County Jail. Later in the week on Thursday January 23rd deputies responded to 500 block of County Road 6303 for a forgery complaint. The victim, a 45-year-old Salem woman, alleges a check she had mailed was altered. The investigation is ongoing. If you have any information on an ongoing investigation, please contact the Dent County Sheriff’s office at # 573-729-3241.

The Missouri Department of Agriculture has suspended all poultry and waterfowl auctions, shows, and swap meets in counties with confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) cases. Federal officials have identified HPAI in commercial poultry flocks in Newton, Jasper, McDonald, and Lawrence counties. Missouri State Veterinarian Steve Strubberg stated, “The Missouri Department of Agriculture is working hard to contain and eliminate the HPAI virus. Restricting the comingling of poultry is crucial to stopping the spread of avian influenza in Missouri.” Poultry can still be sold and exhibited in unaffected counties with strict biosecurity measures in place. Producers should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds; and report sick birds or unusual death increases to the state veterinarian’s office at (573) 751-3377. HPAI is a contagious viral disease known to be deadly for domesticated poultry. It has impacted poultry in all 50 states since first confirmed in the United States in 2022. The suspension will extend to other counties if additional cases are confirmed in the coming weeks. More information is available at Agriculture.Mo.Gov.

The Mark Twain Beekeepers will be holding a beginner’s beekeeping class on Saturday, February 22nd at the Salem Senior Center located 604 N McGrath Lane from 9:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon. The cost is $55 per person or $90 for couple or a duo. You will learn all facets of starting your own bee colony and hear from a number of speakers. Lunch will be provided, and you won’t leave hungry. Please register by Saturday, February 1st by calling Gregg at 573-689-2254 or e-mailing marktwainbeekeepers@gmail.com. Your registration will include the name, address and phone number of all who are attending.

Dent County Assessor Jamie Homeyer wants to remind everyone that you should have received your annual assessment form that lists your personal and business property for 2024. These forms were mailed just after the first of the year and they are due on Saturday, March 1st. Those forms MUST be in the Dent County Assessor’s Office by that day or postmarked that day to avoid paying a penalty. You may drop off your assessment list at the assessor’s office at the courthouse and they are open from 8:00 in the morning until 4:30 in the afternoon, weekdays. There is also a drop box on the front lawn of the courthouse for your convenience if you can’t make it by until after hours. You can also mail in your assessment list forms but make sure you have the postal clerk postmark your envelope. You can also e-file your assessment list form online. Just follow the instructions on the assessment form you received in the mail. If you have lost your assessment list form or never received one, or you are new to the area, additional blank forms are available at the Dent County Assessor’s Office in the Dent County Courthouse. The penalty for not getting in your assessment form on time is determined at $10 per every $1,000 of assessed valuation with a maximum penalty of $100 if you have assessed valuation of $10,000 or more.  If you have any questions or need assistance with the form, call the Dent County Assessor’s office at the Dent County Courthouse at 729-6010 or stop by during regular business hours at the corner of Highway 19 and 4th Street in downtown Salem.

The National Forest Service has scheduled a controlled burn this morning starting at 11:00 in Reynolds County about seven miles east of Bunker. The burn will cover approximately seven hundred acres. Controlled burns are only held when conditions allow, and should winds or humidity change before 11:00, the burn could be postponed.

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the courthouse where Amanda Sapaugh from the SB 40 board was in to ask that Phil Christensen, Ron Hutson and Stephanie Floyd be re-appointed to the board. Her request was granted unanimously by the commissioners. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams reported on the CART taxes received by the county in January. This month, Dent County received $85,533.40 while last January, the county received $78,575.56. Stan Podorski from KSMO Radio informed the commission of the visible deterioration on the cap on the gazebo in front of the courthouse. The commission said they would check on it. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Keith Green said workers continue to service a dump truck. He also stated that if they can get the brush cutter started, they will begin to start cutting brush in District 1. Green said rock would be added and graders would be out working on select FEMA roads. District 2 Commissioner Jimmy Williams said rock would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 3355, while only grading would be done on county roads 3350, 4020 and 4260. Williams went on to say brush would be cut on county road 4320, and a different dump truck would be sent to Gahr Equipment in St. James for repairs. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson had no report, and County Clerk Angie Curley said taxing entities have until end of business today to get in their certification for the April Municipal Election. She said she attended and sworn in on the Missouri Association of Counties board last Thursday in Jefferson City. She said they heard from Trent Watson, Steve Hobbs and attorney Travis Elliott, plus the board was updated on the NACO activities. She hopes to be able to attend the NACO Conference in July. Curley said she is finishing the financial statements that will need to be published in the Salem News by March 1st. Commissioner Williams wanted to thank the public for the good turnout at the budget hearing last Thursday which he felt went very well. Questions from the public were answered and he said he was glad to see previous commissioners in attendance at the hearing. Commissioner Larson also said the 2% COLA increase for office holders was investigated and found that it was allowable as that was approved in 2023 for 2024, and with no salary commission meeting held to change any salaries, that same approval carried on to 2025 budget. At the last meeting after the budget hearing, the commission agreed to put out bids for culverts and grader blades that will be due in the commissioner’s office by March 3rd. The culvert bids will be opened at 10:30 and grader blade bids will be opened at 11:00. The next meeting of the commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

Dent County Prosecutor Andrew Curley detailed four criminal cases heard by Judge Michael Randazzo in the 42nd Judicial Circuit Court. Jeff Wakenight of Summersville, previously convicted of felony driving while revoked, violated his probation by breaking state laws. Prosecutor Curley recommended a 4-year sentence under RSMO 217.362, a long-term treatment program involving at least 12 months of incarceration. Wakenight initially sought continued probation but was instead sentenced to 4 years in the Department of Corrections under RSMO 559.115, including a 120-day shock incarceration program. Christopher Black of Salem faced probation revocation on two felony charges: tampering with a motor vehicle and possession of methamphetamine. Specific violations included two instances of methamphetamine use and failure to complete court-ordered community service. Prosecutor Curley sought concurrent 7-year sentences under RSMO 559.115. Despite the state’s objection, Black was continued on probation with a suspended sentence, resulting in felony convictions and a mandatory 5-year probation term through the probation and parole department. Hunter Meade of Salem, on felony probation for heroin possession, was previously ordered to complete the Dent County Alternative Treatment Court. After unsuccessfully terminating from the program, Meade was sentenced to 7 years in prison, as recommended by Prosecutor Curley. Amber Good of Davisville pleaded guilty to distributing 0.2 grams of methamphetamine to an undercover taskforce officer. During her January 22nd sentencing hearing, Good was sentenced to a 10-year suspended sentence. With no prior criminal history, she was placed on 5 years of probation and will serve approximately 90 days in Dent County Jail.

An accident occurred in Dent County Sunday morning at 2:20 on Highway 19 four miles north of Salem. According to the Highway Patrol report a northbound 2021 Nissan Versa, driven by a 22-year-old Salem man, traveled off the left side of the roadway and struck a tree. The man suffered minor injuries and sought his own treatment at Salem Memorial Hospital. The report stated that the driver was not wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Nissan was totaled and removed from the scene by Hayes Auto Salvage.

The Dent County Commission held their 2025 budget hearing Thursday morning at the Dent County Judicial Building. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson presided over the hearing. The General Revenue Fund ended 2024 with net cash available at $2,583,638.27. The estimated revenues for 2025 are $2.505 million dollars while estimated expenses for 2025 are expected to be $2.960 million dollars. This would result in an estimated ending balance of $2,128,313.58 as of December 31st, 2025. Former county commissioner Darrell Skiles questioned the proposed cost of living increase for elected officials without a salary commission meeting in 2024 which is required by state statute to determine an increase, if any. The statute says that without a salary meeting being held, officer’s salaries will be the same as before. The commission said they would check that out and see if the COLA increase based upon previous salary commission meeting minutes is permissible. The Road and Bridge Fund ending cash balance in 2024 was $368,939.36. The commissioners have estimated revenues in 2025 at $3.054 million dollars, and estimated expenses of $3.031 million dollars. This would result in an estimated ending balance of $391,454.36 at the end of 2025. Major expenses will include the road repairs from the November flood of which many will be reimbursed through FEMA, but in what time frame will the money arrive. The Assessment Fund ending balance for 2024 was $110,370.76. The estimated revenues for 2025 came to $237,516.00, and with estimated expenses of $297,327.42, an estimated ending balance at the end of 2025 of $50,559.84 would be expected. The Law Enforcement Sales Tax (LEST) Fund ending balance in 2024 was $889,803.90. With estimate revenues in 2025 expected to be $1.232 million dollars and estimated deductions of $1.410 million dollars, this should leave an estimated ending balance of $711,046.92 at the end of 2025. The 9-1-1 fund had an ending balance of $57,441.13 in 2024. With expected estimated revenues of $35,001 in 2025 and estimated expenses of $45,500, there would be an expected ending balance at the end of 2025 of $46,942.36. The Jail Construction and Operations Fund finished the 2024 year with cash available of $2,442,035.45. The fund is expected to have revenues in 2025 of $2.383 million dollars, and with estimated expenses of $2.674 million dollars, that would leave an estimated ending balance of $2,150,892.19 at the end of 2025. The Jail Construction Trust Fund finished 2024 with an ending balance of $1.672 million dollars. The commissioners estimated revenues of $1.145 million dollars, and with anticipated expenses of $1.360 million dollars, that would leave the fund with a projected ending balance of $1,457,644.37 at the end of 2025. The budget for 2025 was then approved unanimously by the commissioners with the salary increase contingency for the elected officials. The hearing was then adjourned. 

On January 24, 2025, Sheriff Bob Wells and Prosecutor Andrew M. Curley presented a check for the sum of $415.60 to Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams to be placed into the general revenue fund for Dent County. The money is the result of efforts by law enforcement involving the seizure of firearms and prosecution of a James M. Larson for an arrest that occurred on April 30, 2024. James Larson was prosecuted for unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In addition to the criminal conviction, the seizure is authorized by Missouri law as a punishment and deterrent to persons that commit a criminal offense. This money will be used for the benefit of Dent County Government.

MoDOT has scheduled road work. In Dent County, roadside work is planned for Routes 32 and H. The Route 19 bridge replacement project at Standing Rock Creek continues, with intermittent lane closures expected through May 2025. In Crawford County, Interstate 44 will undergo pavement repairs from mile marker 224 to 214. Route 49 roadside work is planned from Route 19 to Route Y during the same period. In Phelps County, projects include bridge maintenance on Route 63 at Yancy Mills, culvert replacement on Routes H and M, and roadside work on Routes E and CC. Outer Road 44 will see bridge maintenance starting this week until February 7.