Local News

The Salem Board of Aldermen held a meeting Tuesday at the City Hall Council Chambers. In absence of the Mayor, City Council Chairman Kim Shelton ran the meeting. The board tabled the Fire Hydrant Saver Kit bids until the next meeting. After the consent agenda, Planning and Zoning Chairman Gary Brown reported on their meeting that was held prior to the Alderman meeting. The committee recommended and received approval to annex into the city limits approximately 5.6 acres of property located south of Southtown Furniture and owned by Charles and Jan Cunningham. The committee reviewed a fact sheet and draft licensing agreement for short-term rentals. The committee recommended and the aldermen approved drafting an ordinance for short-term vacation rental procedures. The board also approved conducting a public hearing to get comments regarding establishing a liquor license code and licensing of wineries, meadery and micro-breweries. City Administrator Ray Walden gave the Park Board report and announced a grant to build soccer fields has been submitted to the DNR Land and Water Conservation Fund. An Airport Board meeting will be held February 24th at 6 PM at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. Chip and Seal and NovaSeal bids are being sought and will be reported to the alderman for approval on how to proceed. The February utility bills have been sent out and the date of service was misrepresented on the bills. The dates should read November/December instead of October/November. Future electric bills will include additional days to help get the dates more on track. The alderman instructed staff to continue to inform the public about the process and to make sure of consistent messaging to keep everyone informed. Walden presented department structure updates, employee compensation study and succession planning for employees. He stated of the currrent 60 city employees there are 8 that are eligible for retirement. Plans need to be in place to ensure continuity in departments. The board approved Resolution No 4-2020 authorizing the Mayor to sign a contract with the Dent County Animal Welfare Society for animal intake services. This contract included a $10 increase per animal bringing the cost to $30 per intake. City staff will look for ways to collect these fees from the animal owners. The meeting was adjourned.

The Salem FFA Alumni will be conducting their 10th Annual Scholarship Fund Labor and Dessert Auction this evening at 6:30. The auction will be conducted at the Salem R-80 Upper Elementary with all proceeds going to scholarships for Salem FFA members. A meal will be served at
5:30 at no charge to auction supporters. Salem FFA Chapter members will be providing 4, 6 or 8 hours of labor of various types ranging from farm labor to cooking and cleaning, gardening and lawn work and more. There will be delicious homemade pies, cakes, pastries and other desserts auction as well. Come out and support the Salem FFA Alumni Scholarship Fund tonight.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital regular board meeting was held Tuesday evening in the Hospital Library. The board heard a presentation about the Cardiopulminary Department from Jack Linthicum. Chief Finance Officer Monica Stogsdil gave the summary of operations for the month of January where the hospital had 152 inpatient admissions with 371 inpatient census days. There were 1,905 outpatient registrations, 1,889 cardiopulmonary procedures, 8,904 lab tests, 1,354 radiology procedures, 762 rehabilitation treatments, 25 surgeries, 252 home health visits and 745 emergency room visits. The hospital showed a gain from operations of $34,416 and revenues over expenses after taxes of $348,469. Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas gave the Auxiliary report where at their February meeting the 2020 fundraisers were planned that included a Scrub Hub on March 25 and Shoe Roads Productions on May 27. Their next meeting will be held on March 3rd at noon at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. Chief Operating Officer Jason Edwards reported on the Hospital Foundation’s “Dancing with the Salem Stars” that was held on January 25 with 10 couples dancing and 33 sponsored tables that raised just over $9,000. The Golf Tournament is scheduled on June 5th and Wings and Strings will be held on September 12th. The foundation requested and received approval to purchase vinyl tile flooring to replace the carpet in the Acute Care hallway at a cost of $20,683. A Stroke Support group is meeting quarterly and a Diabetes Support group will meet the 2nd Thursday of each month at 4:30 pm at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory. The board approved the budgeted purchase of a bariatric bed for Acute Care from NOA Medical at a cost of $6,662, nine bedside monitors from Nihon Kohden for $45,648 and an elliptical for the Rehab Department from Performance Health for $4,861. The board went into closed session.

City of Salem Administrator Ray Walden has said that February utility bills have been mailed. Bills paid by February 28th will not be charged a penalty. Customers signed up for auto payment of their bill will have the payments processed February 28th. The February bills cover usage for the general period November 21st through December 22nd, although a given customer’s bill may be for a slightly different period depending on specific days their meter was read if it’s not been replaced with a new AMI meter. Walden anticipates March bills to go out the normal time and will be for utility usage for the general period December 23rd to January 26th, however again, a given customer’s bill may be for a slightly different period since old meters are still being read manually. Anyone with questions about their utility bill can contact the utility office to get the most current information and they can look up any specific account.

The City of Salem Board of Aldermen will be meeting tonight at 7:00 at the City Hall Council Chambers following a Planning and Zoning Commission public hearing and public meeting that begins at 6:30. At the Board of Aldermen meeting, the board will review bids for fire hydrant saver kits that will be used to replace fire hydrants. After the consent agenda, Planning and Zoning Chairman Gary Brown will update the board on the Planning and Zoning hearing and meeting that will be held prior to the board meeting. City Administrator Ray Walden will report on the Park and Recreation Department meeting held on February 12th and then give his report that will include updates on city projects, the organization of city departments, an employee compensation study and succession planning. The board will hear Resolution #4-2020 authorizing the mayor to sign an agreement for the city to use the Dent County Animal Welfare Society for the intake of animals from the city. In new and miscellaneous business, the board will then discuss licensing for wineries, a meadery and micro breweries before going into closed session to discuss personnel. The regular Board of Alderman meeting at 7:00 and the Planning and Zoning Public Hearing and Meeting at 6:30 are all open to the public.

The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors will conduct their February meeting on tonight in the hospital library beginning at 6:00. The board will hear the administrator’s report that will include a department director presentation, a summary of the operations for the month of January by Monica Stogsdill, the Chief of Nursing Report for the month by Debbie Hines, a Home Health report by Ashley Sullins, and a report on the hospital foundation, plus the marketing and community perception with COO Jason Edwards. Hospital Administrator Kasey Lucas will the present the auxiliary report. In old business the Board will get an update on the Strategic Planning Meeting and will consider a Home Health Bylaw Change. In new business the meeting dates for the fiscal year 21 Finance Committee will be set and any purchases will be reviewed. The February board meeting of the Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors is open to the public.

Need a little adult time! The Salem Area Arts Council will hold their first Art Party this Friday night at 6:30 at the Creative Arts Center. For $40 per couple (or $25 for singles), all supplies are provided at this fun event that include your acrylic paints, aprons, brushes, canvas and easel! Paint a fun romantic scene and put your own special creative spin to it, then take it home. Led by Danielle Norris, this event for adults does NOT require any talent or previous experience, just a happy spirit and willingness to try. Reservations can be made by calling or texting 247-0279 or messaging through the SAAC Facebook page. Bring your own personal style, your favorite beverage, and they will do the rest.

Your Community Cares Rural Health Coalition will be holding a follow up community conversation with a FREE screening of “Not My Child” at the Salem High School Library at 1400 Tiger Pride Drive on Tuesday, February 18th at 5:30. This documentary explores different paths to recovery and looks at the disease of addiction. The coalition hopes that by watching this film, families will be more capable of addressing substance misuse in their children. In doing so this could provide more open conversations surrounding substance misuse and help find hope that recovery is possible. Following the film, there will be a short question and answer with the integrated health staff present. The goal of the follow up conversation is to help families understand recovery. This event is FREE and there will be a limited number of complimentary appetizers and drinks. If you plan on attending or need more information, contact Felisha Richards at 573-426-6033.

February is Earthquake Awareness month and the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance (DCI) and the Missouri Insurance Education Foundation (MIEF) want to encourage homeowners to assess their financial readiness to recover in the event of a major earthquake event in Missouri. Missouri is the third largest earthquake insurance market in the U.S., following California and Washington. Experts estimate the chance of a major earthquake of a magnitude 7.5 or greater in the New Madrid zone over the next 50 years is 7-10 percent. The probability of an earthquake exceeding magnitude 6 over the same period is 25-40 percent. A joint assessment by the Mid-America Earthquake Center of the University of Illinois and the Federal Emergency Management Agency predict a New Madrid event could constitute the highest total economic loss of any natural disaster in U.S. history. Despite these predictions, a report released by DCI in 2019 shows that residences covered by earthquake insurance in the most at-risk counties of the state dropped by 46 percent between 2000 and 2018. DCI and MIEF have partnered to raise awareness about the financial impact an earthquake could have on Missouri homeowners. Earthquake coverage is not a part of the standard homeowner’s policy. Earthquake insurance, like flood insurance, must be purchased separately from the homeowners policy. Chlora Lindley-Myers, Director of the Missouri Department of Commerce and Insurance, says it’s important that we do all we can to make sure Missouri homeowners know about their options and have time to prepare. We want people to carefully consider how they can take a lead role in their own financial recovery. No one wants to be left without options. Lew Melahn, a MIEF board member and former Director of Insurance in Missouri, says many homeowners and business owners believe their existing insurance policies would cover earthquake damage, but that is usually not the case. We want property owners to be able to make an informed decision about how to protect their investment – and that starts with weighing their options for earthquake insurance. To make it easier to shop and compare earthquake insurance options, DCI provides a shopping guide on their website. Angela Nelson, DCI Director of the Division of Market Regulation, we know insurance seems overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. We want Missourians to know the Department can answer their earthquake questions and tell them which insurers will cover earthquake. Resources to assist consumers as they make their readiness and recovery plans can be found at centralusquake.org.

The Salem Park and Recreation Board met Wednesday evening at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. Salem Park and Rec Director Melissa DuBois gave her report and said the youth basketball season went very well with trophies handed out for the 1st and 2nd place teams, MVP awards for the best boy and girl and a Coach of the Year Award. She reported the “Skills and Drills” football camp was a huge success with 135 children participating. She wanted to express her biggest thanks to Andrew Wynn for his help in keeping the event organized and Salem R-80 Head Coach Dylan Wyrick for bringing some high school players and working with the kids. DuBois explained that she was able to help Healthy Dent County find six retractable basketball goals through govdeals.com and then was with them through the bidding process. This process helped save Healthy Dent County over $20,000 for goals that far exceeded what was expected to be installed. Dubois said 33 children and their parents are signed up for the “Start Smart” Soccer program and late signups for the Youth Soccer Program will continue until Friday at 4:30. She said she is working on the Summer Program this year and it will be a two week all day camp. She is trying to make sure that the camp is held during a time when very few other events are happening. DuBois said the Park and Rec Department was able to purchase five metal picnic tables that used to be at Scoops and put them in front of the baseball concession stand and in the park playground pavilion. DuBois discussed with the board about selling shaved ice at the pool this year and buying a new machine. She also discussed with the board about getting new cheese warmers and a popcorn machine for events. The board approved her request to purchase these items for the concession areas this year. The board reviewed admission prices for the Alice Lou Craig Swimming Pool and also pavilion rentals. The pool prices will remain the same as last year: $4.00 for children and senior citizens and $5.00 for adults. Family pool passes will stay at $160 for two adults and two children with an additional $45 charge for any other family member over those four. Individual pool passes will also stay at $75. Water Aerobics and swim lessons will also remain the same at $50 per month for aerobics and $45 for swim lessons. Pool parties will be unchanged at $150 for the first hour with each additional hour $50. Pavilion rentals will also be the same as last year with $45 for the day for the large pavilion and $35 for the day at the small pavilion. Dubois did request having a pre-season sale of family pool passes for $130 and individual pool passes for $60. She also wanted to offer discounts on private and shared pool parties as well as offering to rent out the Pool Pavilion for parties for $75 for two hours. These pre-season special prices will only be offered in March and April. The board approved her request to offer the pre-season sale. Dubois did report that a Memorandum of Understanding between the Park and Recreation Department and Healthy Dent County for the use of the gym has been negotiated and is all but ready to be signed by both parties. The board also discussed and reviewed the application for the LWCF grant for the new soccer park that is to be submitted by midnight Friday night. Informational discussions on the City Auditorium Theatre improvements, the skate park and possibly adding a concrete ping pong table at one of the pavilions were held with no decisions being made. The meeting was then adjourned.

The Salem Police Department has released a number of reports. On Thursday evening, January 30th at about 8:58, an officer was dispatched to the Salem Police Department to speak with a female about a domestic disturbance that had occurred on Warfel Street. An investigation was conducted and as a result of that investigation, a 23-year-old Salem man was arrested and issued summons to appear in court. On Saturday morning, February 1st at about 1:21, an officer attempted to make a traffic stop on a vehicle for a speeding violation. The vehicle refused to stop right away. After a short pursuit the vehicle stopped near the intersection of Warfel and Third Streets. As a result of the investigation, two 22-year-old males were arrested and issued summons to appear in court for possession of Marijuana as well as a DWI and traffic offences for the driver. On Tuesday morning, February 4th at about 8:08, the School Resource Officer was contacted by school officials about a juvenile being in possession of alcohol on school grounds. After an investigation it was found that a juvenile student was in possession of a vape device and also cans of beer. The juvenile was detained, and the case is being forwarded to the Dent County Juvenile office for further investigation. That afternoon at about 4:56, an officer was dispatched to area of Grand and Third Streets for a report of a stolen vehicle. An investigation was conducted. Later in the evening the vehicle was located in Cabool. The suspect and driver of the stolen car were arrested and placed in the Dent County Jail on a 24-hour hold pending the application of warrants. The suspect is a 30-year-old female from Springfield, Missouri. On Thursday, February 6th near 3:30 in the afternoon, an officer was dispatched to the Salem Memorial District Hospital to transport a 38-year old male of Alton, Missouri to Joplin for a 96-hour evaluation. Please contact the Salem Police Department at 729-4242 if you have information regarding an ongoing investigation.

The Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital and the Columbia Vet Center are teaming up to provide area Veterans with services such as Veterans Health Administration enrollment as well as counseling for post-traumatic stress disorder and military sexual trauma TODAY at the Wal-Mart Supercenter in Rolla at 500 South Bishop from 9:00 in the morning until 1:00 in the afternoon at their Mobile Vet Center. The Mobile Vet Center is a 37-foot-long mobile resource unit that not only allows veterans to enroll and seek counseling, but also provides services such as bereavement, marriage and family counseling. They also can provide additional resources for Veterans that include VA benefits information and suicide prevention referrals. The customized MVC vehicle is equipped with confidential counseling space to extend access to these VA services to Veterans, service members and their families, especially those living in rural or remote communities. The Mobile Vet Center also provides readjustment counseling and information resources to Veterans to assist them in the difficult transition between military and civilian life. For more information, call (573) 814-6206.

Gary Brown, Chairman of the Planning and Zoning Board of Commissioners, has called for a Public Hearing by the Board for Tuesday evening, February 18th, at 6:30 in the City Hall Council Chambers, 202 North Washington. The Public Hearing is relative to the proposed annexation of commercial property at 1805 South Main owned by Charles W. and Janet L. Cunningham Trust. Immediately following the closing of the Public Hearing, the Board will conduct a Public Meeting at the same location to discuss annexation and zoning of the property at 1805 South Main, short-term rentals, and wineries and meadery. The public hearing and public meeting are both open to the public.

The Salem Rotary Club Annual Pancake Day will be held this Saturday morning from 7:00 until 11:00 at the Salem Middle School. The cost is $6.00 for adults and $3.00 for children that are 12 years of age and under. Rotary members will be serving up “all you can eat” pancakes, sausage, coffee and milk. Tickets are available from any Rotary Club member in advance or you can buy your tickets at the door. The money that is raised goes toward community projects and scholarships.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Office has released the following reports. On Sunday, January 26th, a Deputy responded to the 500 block of County
Road 6590 for a report of a burglary which had occurred at a neighboring residence on County Road 6590. Upon arrival, the Deputy discovered that a 55 year-old man and a 59 year-old man were the reported victims of the burglary. This investigation is still ongoing. Then on Wednesday, January 29th, Deputies responded to the 1300 block of Iron Mountain Road for a report of a theft. Upon arrival, Deputies discovered that a 56 year-old man was the reported victim. This investigation is still ongoing. Finally on Friday, January 31st, Deputies traveled to a residence in the 700 block of County Road 6620 to serve an arrest warrant. During the course of the incident, a 29 year-old Licking man was arrested for an active warrant through the Licking Police Department. The man was later transported to a Licking Police Department Officer. Also on the 31st Deputies traveled to a residence in the 1500 block of South Gertrude Street to serve an arrest warrant through Dent County. During the course of the incident, a 25 year-old Salem man was arrested for the active warrant. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where he later posted bond and was released. Please contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241 if you have any information on an ongoing investigation.

A two vehicle accident happened Monday afternoon at 4:00 in Shannon County on Highway 19 about a mile north of Eminence. The report from the highway patrol states that a 2005 Buick Century being driven by 35-year old Joshua Galardo of Eminence was traveling north on Highway 19 when he ran off the roadway and overcorrected, crossed the centerline and struck a 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt being driven by 57-year old Jerald Keeling also of Eminence. Galardo suffered moderate injuries. Keeling received minor injuries. Both drivers were transported by ambulance to Ozarks Medical Center in West Plains. According to the report, neither were wearing safety restraints at the time of the accident. The Buick was totaled and removed from the scene by Bakers Towing of Birch Tree. The Cobalt sustained moderate damage was removed by Sartin’s Towing of Winona.

The Salem Park and Recreation Board will be meeting today at 5:30 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory. At the meeting, the board will hear the report from Park and Recreation Director Melissa DuBois who will talk about the football “Skills and Drills” camp, the Start Smart Soccer signups, the Your Soccer league signups, the Alice Lou Craig Municipal Pools, give an update on the Community Center Gym and talk about the baseball, softball and T-Ball Opening Day Ceremonies. The board will also receive a copy of the updated Park Board by-laws, and hear about the LWCF Grant application for the Soccer Park. After any miscellaneous business is heard, the meeting will adjourn. The meeting of the City of Salem Park and Recreation Board is open to the public.

The Meramec Regional Planning Commission is working to convene a consortium for the Opioid Affected Youth Initiative. In October of 2019, MRPC was awarded a $997,000 grant to develop a two-phase, three-year project through the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). MRPC was one of seven grant recipients nationwide for this round of funding. The consortium will consist of membersfrom law enforcement, prosecutors, courts, probation, children’s division, health care, mental health, prevention organizations, schools and counselors. The three-year project will be delivered in two phases. During the initial phase, the consortium will meet monthly as they work to develop and implement in the first year an effective, data-driven, coordinated response that addresses the misuse of opioids and provides services to children, youth and families impacted by the opioid crisis in the Meramec region. Years two and three will include the implementation phase and will consist of the implementation of coordinated responses and services. The MRPC recently hired Jane Johannsen, a former Steelville resident, and Rebecca Losing of St. James to work on program implementation. For additional information or if you interest in being involved with the consortium, contact Jane Johannsen at 573-265-2993, ext. 149.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning for their regular meeting. District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell said parts of his district received as much as two inches of rain over the weekend to go with very windy conditions Sunday. Because of this, he has crews out checking for washouts as well as downed trees and limbs. He does have a crew on Dent County Road 6050 trimming low limbs back. Purcell indicated he has another crew out replacing missing Dent County Road number signs. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said service is being done on County Truck #24. He said that a crew plans on adding materials to Dent County Roads 2050, 3300, 6120 and 6123 provided they are not too soft for the trucks to bring in the gravel. He also said a worker would be cutting brush on county road 2510 if the shoulders are not too soft. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he attended a Transportation Advisory Committee meeting Thursday where they discussed the possibility of adding passing lanes to Highway 63 between the Vichy Airport and Westphalia. There is a better chance to get this done over a period of years than making Highway 63 a four lane highway. At the MRPC Board meeting, Skiles said representatives of US Representative Jason Smith and US Senator Roy Blunt were on hand as they talked about finding ways to make broadband more available at an affordable cost. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported that Wednesday is the last day to register to vote in the Presidential Preference Primary. The courthouse will be closed that day due to Lincoln’s Birthday so if you want to register in person, that will have to be done today at the courthouse in the county clerk’s office. You can register online on Wednesday. Curley also reported that the courthouse would be closed on Monday, February 17th for President’s Day. She went on to report that she balanced on all monthly accounts with the Dent County Treasurer. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk told the commissioners that just over $645,000 in taxes were collected in January and has been properly distributed. She said her office has updated the County Merchants License and they look different than before. It was also brought up in the meeting the feral hog situation is now getting worse in Dent County with property being affected in the eastern and southern parts of the county. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday, February 20th at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

This past Friday, February 7th, Richard Kneib of St. Charles pled guilty in connection with a charge involving the felony possession of a controlled substance, methamphetamine, as a persistent drug offender for charges in connection with his arrest on May 18th, 2018. Kneib was the driver of a vehicle that was searched after the Salem Police Departments canine alerted for the presence of narcotics following a traffic stop. A search was conducted as a result and approximately 90 grams of methamphetamine was located in the rear passenger search behind the driver. This plea occurred on the eve of trial as the case was scheduled for a jury trial in Iron County in March. A sentencing hearing was conducted and the defendant was sentenced to 10 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections as a result of the hearing. This was the sentence that was requested by Dent County Prosecutor Andrew M. Curley. Judge Megan Seay presided over the case.

The Missouri Department of Public Safety has awarded a total of $708,000 in federal Local Law Enforcement Block Grant (LLEBG/JAG) funds from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance to 106 law enforcement agencies, including municipal police departments, county sheriffs department, public university police departments, and state law enforcement agencies. The money granted will help purchase essential equipment used by officers, including ballistic vests, first aid and trauma kits, police radios, light bars, and sirens. The grants are designed to help protect officers and increase safety across Missouri. Locally, the Dent County Sheriff’s Department received $8,775 to help purchase nine bullet proof vests; the Crawford County Sheriff’s Department received $9,890.70 to help buy three light bars for vehicles, five helmets or shields or batons, and eight miscellaneous items; the Shannon County Sheriff’s Department was given $9,999.97 to help purchase a vehicle; and the St. James Police Department will be receiving $9,985.04 to help purchase mobile data transfer equipment. Grant recipients must purchase their approved equipment by June 30, 2020.

An accident happened in Dent County Wednesday night at 8:08 on Highway 32 about a mile east of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, an eastbound 2013 Freightliner Conventional, driven by 44-year-old James Randle of Nashville, Illinois, traveled off the right side of the roadway and overturned. The report stated that Randle suffered minor injuries and was transported to Salem Memorial District Hospital by Salem Ambulance. According to the report, Randle was wearing a safety restraint when the accident occurred. The Freightliner sustained moderate damage and was left at the scene.

An accident happened Wednesday morning at 11:45 in Texas County on Route AF near Route N just west of Licking. According to the highway patrol report, 29-year old Amber Merrell of Licking lost control of a 1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee on the ice covered roadway going west and slid off the roadway where the Grand Cherokee overturned. Merrell suffered moderate injuries while an 11-year female juvenile suffered minor injuries. Both were taken by ambulance to the Texas County Memorial Hospital for treatment. Everyone was wearing their seat restraints when the accident occurred. The Jeep Grand Cherokee sustained moderate damages and the owner made arrangements to have it removed.

A one vehicle accident happened Thursday night at 8:30 on Highway 32 about four miles east of Salem. According to the report from the highway patrol, a 2003 Nissan Altima being driven by 17-year old Ethan Simpson of Salem was westbound when he ran off the right side of the roadway while attempting to avoid another vehicle that came into his lane and struck a tree. Simpson was taken by a private vehicle to Salem Memorial District Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. The Nissan was totaled and removed from the scene by the owner. According to the report, Simpson was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident.

Missouri’s Complicated Fence Law will be addressed this Wednesday evening, February 12th starting at 6:30 at the Salem Community Center at the Armory. Landowners need to be aware of what fence law applies in their county, so they know their rights and responsibilities. Joe Koenen is an Agricultural Business Specialist with University of Missouri Extension who will be presenting the program that night. Missouri continues to have a very complicated fence law, in large part due to the fact that two separate laws cover the state depending on the county that your land is in. Other problems are both laws are subject to interpretation and can be a little different, depending on the county. A comparison of the two laws will happen during the program. According to Koenen, if you own land, you really need to know the law and how it impacts you whether you own livestock or not. Furthermore, in 2016 a portion of the law was changed to address livestock liability that affects livestock and non-livestock owners alike. This program will be conducted via Zoom so attendees can see the presentation and ask questions of the presenter. It allows Koenen to talk to several folks in a wide area without traveling to each location. There is a $25 charge for the first person and $15 for each additional person from the same operation. The charge covers the program and materials. Contact Rachel Hopkins at the Washington County Extension Office 573-438-2671 if you have any questions or need special accommodations. To register, contact the Dent County Extension Office at 573-729-3196.

An accident happened in Phelps County Wednesday afternoon at 12:20 on Highway 63 just south of Phelps County Road 6250. According to the highway patrol report, a 2019 Ford F-150 driven northbound by 52-year old Robert Rippee of St. Charles, began to slide on the ice covered roadway and crossed the center line where he struck a 2015 Chevrolet Impala driven southbound by 79-year old Olen Gibson of Licking. The Ford came to rest in a ditch and the Impala came to rest in the roadway. Two passengers in the Impala, 77-year old Frances Gibson and 96-year old Doris Lay of Licking, suffered moderate injuries and were taken by the Phelps County Ambulance to Phelps Health in Rolla. Olen Gibson suffered minor injuries and was also taken to Phelps Health by the Phelps County Ambulance. Rippee did not suffer any injuries in the accident. The Ford was removed from the scene by Triple AAA Wrecker with extensive damages while the Impala was totaled and removed from the scene by Lucas Garage. Everyone involved was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The highway patrol was assisted by the Phelps Health Ambulance, Rolla Rural and Licking Fire Departments

The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday morning for their regular meeting in the Dent County Courthouse. During public comments Economic Development Director, was in with her monthly update which showed a drop in ongoing prospects from 17 to 12. She noted that 176 business licenses were granted including four new businesses. Finally Burbridge said that there has been a slight up-tick in Dent County unemployment from 2.9% to 3.4%. Curt Faigle with the 100 Acre Wood Rally was in to update the Commissioners. He reported that as of Wednesday they had 106 cars entered for the March 20th and 21st rally. Faigle said that in the past they had capped the entries at 75, but are planning to start 90 cars this year. He also reported that the Dent County roads used for the stages would be the same as last year. Dent County Sheriff Bob Wells was in to discuss the sign design for the outside of the new jail, plus the body scanner, the hand scanner, and the kitchen food service for the new jail. Panic buttons for the Courthouse and the Judicial Building were also discussed along with the interview recording system. The Commissioners voted 3-0 to seek bids for the recording system, security alarm buttons and food service. Bids will be opened February 20th at 10:00 and bid information can be obtained by contacting the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 573-729-3241. Wells said he has quotes for the hand scanner and body scanner, both of which are from the only source of purchase. Sheriff Wells will get more information on signage and get back with the Commission. In the road report District One Commissioner Dennis Purcell and District Two Commissioner Gary Larson both indicated that their crews were out treating intersections, curves and other slick spots, particularly on chip and seal roads. Presiding Commission Darrell Skiles said that he would be attending the TAC and MRPC Meetings Thursday afternoon. He noted that during the MRPC meeting board members would have the opportunity to visit with representatives of US Senators and Congressmen about legislative priorities. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported that bills were being approved by the Commissioners for payment. She said she balanced with the Collector and Assessor on monthly collections, add-ons and abatements for January and that the Commissioners reviewed her reports. Curley reminded voters that the last day to register for the March 10th Presidential Primary is February 12th and that the Courthouse will be closed that day due to Lincoln’s Birthday. On the 12th, applications to register can be completed online. Bill Ard was in to visit with the Commission. The next meeting of the Commissioners will be Monday at 9:00 at the Courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.