Your World Today

The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday morning for their regular meeting in the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report District One Commissioner Dennis Purcell said that weather permitting materials would be added and grading would be done on Dent County Roads 4412, 4124, 5430 and 5450, plus brush would be cut on county road 6670. He also noted that part of his crew was rebuilding the loader bucket on the 924 Cat, while others were building a back bumper for Cat Grader #24. District Two Commissioner Gary Larson reported that no grading was being done in his district and that brush would be cut on Dent County Roads 2330 and 4433. He said that materials would be added to county roads 3120 and 3180 where two pipes were being installed. Larson went on to say that patching would be done on county road 3190 chip and seal, plus Grader #31 was being serviced. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said that on Monday he attended the Missouri House Sub-committee informational meeting on prisoner per-diem. He said several commissioners and sheriffs testified concerning the approximately $32,000,000 owed to the counties by the State of Missouri, with over $150,000 owed to Dent County. Skiles said that Wednesday he participated in the Missouri Partnership’s Raising the Bar program’s site evaluation of the community and assets by Ginovus, a business site selection firm from Indianapolis. He said the goal was to obtain an independent evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses in drawing companies to Salem. The Commissioners approved a resolution 3-0 affirming Dent County’s membership in the Magic Health Insurance Consortium. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported that bills were being approved by the Commissioners for payment and that absentee voting for the March 10th election continues through March 9th. She said that testing of the voting equipment would take place today at 9:00. Curley also noted that filing for the August 4th Primary continues through March 31st, plus the last day to register to vote in the April 7th Municipal Election is March 11th. Mike Elliot with Town and Country Insurance was in to discuss cost estimates and coverage for the Courthouse, the Judicial Building and the new Jail. The Commissioners approved by a vote of 3-0 moving the coverage of the new Jail from Builder’s Risk Coverage to Permanent Insurance Coverage. They also voted 3-0 to set the deductible for the new Jail at $5,000. They will look at changes on coverage on the other buildings in March. Ron Copeland was in to visit with the Commission. Nick Smith and Dwight Ramsburg with Septagone, Sheriff Bob Wells, and Major Len Pabin came in to discuss the new jail. The Commissioners are tentatively looking at a ribbon cutting ceremony in mid-April. The Commissioners agreed 3-0 and signed the letter and abatement for the 2014 Timber Industries Real Estate tax bill. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk and Curley signed the letter and abatement. The next meeting of the Commission will be Monday at 9:00 in the courthouse and it is open to the public.

An accident happened in Dent County Wednesday morning at 7:15 on Highway 72 about nine north of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, a 2007 Saturn Vue driven northbound by 31-year old Jennifer Shaw of Salem, lost control of the Saturn on an ice covered bridge and the Vue traveled off the roadway and struck a guardrail. Shaw suffered minor injuries and was taken by the Salem Ambulance to the Salem Memorial District Hospital. The Saturn sustained moderate damages and was removed form the scene by Whitaker’s Towing. Shaw was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) and the Conservation Federation of Missouri (CFM) thank the thousands of Missouri deer hunters who donated 348,535 pounds of venison to the state’s Share the Harvest program this past deer season, including 6,795 whole deer. MDC and CFM also thank the more than 100 participating meat processors throughout the state who grind the donated deer meat into ready-to-use packages, and the many sponsors who financially support the program. Meat-processing fees are covered entirely or in part by numerous local sponsors, along with statewide sponsors that include: Shelter Insurance, Bass Pro Shops, Gateway Area Chapter Safari Club International, Missouri Chapter National Wild Turkey Federation, Midway USA Inc., Missouri Food Banks Association, and MDC. The donated deer meat goes to local food banks and food pantries to help feed hungry Missourians all around the state. To get Share the Harvest venison, contact local food banks or food pantries. Share the Harvest is coordinated by MDC and CFM. Since the program was started in 1992, it has provided more than 4.3 million pounds of lean, healthy venison to help feed hungry Missourians, including this past season’s donations. MDC Director Sara Parker Pauley said hunters Through Share the Harvest, Missouri hunters can help provide those in need with high-quality protein in the form of naturally lean, locally harvested deer meat. For more information on Share the Harvest, visit Conservation Federation of Missouri online at confedmo.org/programs/outreach.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released some reports. On Friday, February 14th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop at the Route FF and Highway 68 intersection. During the course of the traffic stop, a 21-year-old Salem man was arrested for having active arrest warrants through Dent County. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office Jail where he later posted bond and was released. On Saturday, February 15th, a deputy traveled to a residence in the 1500 block of Route K to serve an arrest warrant. During the course of the incident, a 30-year-old Salem man was arrested for having an active arrest warrant through Dent County. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office Jail where he was incarcerated. Finally on Monday, February 17th, deputies traveled to Route NN for a report of a vehicle that was blocking the westbound lane of traffic. During the course of the incident, a 35-year-old Salem man was arrested for driving while having his license revoked or suspended, a 1st offense. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. Please contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241 if you have any information from any ongoing investigation.

This Sunday marks the annual opening of catch-and-keep trout fishing in Missouri at the state’s four trout parks: Bennett Spring State Park near Lebanon, Montauk State Park near Salem, Roaring River State Park near Cassville, and Maramec Spring Park near St. James. The catch-and-keep season at the trout parks runs through October 31st. Trout anglers need a daily trout tag to fish in Missouri’s trout parks. Daily trout tags can only be purchased at each of the four trout parks. Missouri residents age 16 through 64 and nonresidents who are 16 years old and older also need a fishing permit in addition to the daily tag. A daily fishing permit for Missouri residents is $7.00 and now $8.00 for nonresidents. The cost of a daily trout tag to fish at three of Missouri’s four trout parks: Bennett Spring State Park, Montauk State Park and Roaring River State Park, is now $4 for adults and $3 for those 15 years of age and younger. The daily limit is four trout. New this year, the Department of Conservation is conducting a pilot program at Maramec Spring Park. The daily limit there has been raised from four to five trout and the cost of a daily trout tag for adults has gone from $3 to $5 and from $2 to $3 for anglers 15 years of age and younger. You can buy Missouri fishing permits from numerous vendors around the state, online at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits, or through MDC’s free mobile apps, MO Hunting and MO Fishing, available for download through Google Play for Android devices or the App Store for Apple devices.