Your World Today

A one vehicle accident involving a Salem resident occurred Wednesday morning at 8:40 in Phelps County on Highway 72 about six miles east of Rolla near Phelps County Road 4120. According to the report released from the highway patrol, a 2004 Pontiac Grand Am being driven by 22-year old Angel Spurgin of Salem, was westbound and began sliding on the ice covered roadway. The car traveled off the left side of the road striking a marker post as well as an embankment and a tree. Spurgin, who was not wearing a safety restraint, suffered moderate injuries and was transported to Phelps Health in Rolla. The Pontiac was totaled and removed from the scene by C&C Towing.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Office has released reports for January 17th and 18th. On Friday, January 17th, the Dent County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a 27-year-old Rolla man who stated he had active arrest warrants from Pulaski County. Deputies traveled to the 35000 block of Highway 72 and arrested the man on the warrant. He was taken to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where he was incarcerated. On Saturday, January 18th, deputies traveled to the 3200 block of Route P in an attempt to serve arrest warrants. During the course of the incident, a 23-year-old Salem woman was arrested for having an active arrest warrant through Dent County. Also arrested during the incident was a 28-year-old Salem man for an arrest warrant through Probation and Parole. Both subjects were transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where they were incarcerated. Please call the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241 with information about any ongoing investigation.

Ozark National Scenic Riverways is proposing a temporary closure on the taking, pursuing or releasing of all feral swine within the park. The temporary closure would support interagency efforts to eliminate feral swine in Missouri. The temporary closure would align Ozark National Scenic Riverways with its partners and neighbors in the statewide efforts to eliminate feral swine from Missouri. It is a crucial step in meeting the goals of the Missouri Feral Hog Elimination Partnership. This is a cooperative effort by a number of agencies and organizations within Missouri, including the U.S. Forest Service, Missouri Department of Conservation, the USDA Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service, and the Missouri Department of Agriculture. The proposed closure would include an allowance for opportunistic take of feral swine by persons possessing a valid State deer or turkey hunting permit who are hunting deer or turkey in compliance with the permit. The proposal for temporary closure is available for public review and comment on the Planning, Environment and Public Comment website at parkplanning.nps.gov/ozar. The proposal will be open for comment now to February 11th.

The Meramec Regional Community Foundation is now accepting applications for its 2020 community grant round. All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. on January 31st 2020. The community grantmaking program for Meramec Regional Community Foundation is available for programs and organizations in Meramec’s eight-county region for Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington Counties. An estimated six grants of $250 each will be available to nonprofit, 501(c)3 organizations, schools, faith-based organizations and governmental entities looking for funds to address local needs through their project that will enhance the quality of life within the community. Nonprofit, 501(c)3 organizations, schools, faith-based organizations and governmental entities are eligible to apply for grants. Applications must be for First-time applicants should include a copy of their 501(c)3 status,.For questions please contact Maria Bancroft at 573.265.2993, ext. 114, or email mbancroft@meramecregion.org or Bonnie Prigge, 573.265.2993, ext. 103, or email bprigge@meramecregion.org. The Community Foundation of the Ozarks is a regional public charitable foundation that holds more than 3,000 funds for donors, nonprofit partners and 49 affiliate foundations, including the Meramec Regional Community Foundation.

Come and weave an amazing love knot with straw for yourself or a loved one on Friday, February 7th at 6:30 at the Creative Arts Center. This is an introductory workshop to learn the age old traditional art that yields beautiful results. The cost is just $10.00 for regular love knots and only $5.00 for little hearts. The program is led by professional artist Suzanne Douglass and all the materials will be provided and you can take home your creation at the end of the night. Call or text 247-0279 to register for the program and arrange payment to hold your spot.

This Friday night will not only be the Town and Country Bank “Cat Classic” at the Salem High School gym for the basketball game between Salem and Licking, but Homecoming as well. This year’s attendants are freshman Cayleigh Moody, sophomore Jaden Flores, junior Jodi Gotchal, and the three senior quen candidates: Malia Terrill, Mallorie Dittman and Brooklin Shelton. Last year’s Homecoming Queen, Madi Keith, will crown the new queen at the festivities. This year’s escorts will be Reese Dodson, Dawson Conway, Carter Chilton, Silas Wulff, Braiden Carmack and Luke Morrison.

The Ozark National Scenic Riverways has selected Jason Lott to serve as the Acting Superintendent following the retirement of Larry Johnson on January 3rd. Lott will arrive in the park this week to begin the 120-day assignment while a new permanent superintendent is sought. Lott has been with the National Park Service (NPS) since 2002. Lott is a twenty-year veteran with the Army National Guard, having served ten years as an enlisted soldier with a deployment during Desert Storm, and as an officer who served as a Company Commander for the 1086th Transportation Company during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. Jason retired as a Captain in 2007. Lott holds a master’s degree in History with an emphasis in Cultural Resource Management from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana. He and his wife, Wendy, and their two children are residents of Los Alamos, New Mexico.

The Dent County Commissioners’ regular meeting was held Monday morning at the courthouse. Deloris Gray Wood from the Dent County Historical Society was in attendance to discuss with the commission the 150th anniversary of the Dent County Courthouse. She recommended a celebration on March 30th at the courthouse with a birthday cake and water. March 30th, 1870 is the date the contract to build the courthouse was approved. The other celebration she would like to have is on July 4th. The commissioners agreed to both celebrations and they will discuss further what to do on Independence Day to tie in with the parade and other downtown events. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams presented the January CART tax receipts for the commission. She reported Dent County received $56,050.15 this January compared to the $54,808.09 received in a January of 2019. That is an increase of $1,242.06. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell said patch grading was being done on Dent County Roads 6230 and 6240. He said the southern part of the county received about five inches of snow from the last storm Thursday and Friday. He also stated that a crossover pipe was being repaired and another was being installed on county road 5170. He said additional road materials would be added to that road as well. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said brush was being cut on county roads 2560, 2580, 2613 and 4430. He also said men would be working on Dent County Truck #116 and doing shop maintenance. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported he would be attending a Department of Natural Resources meeting at the Salem Community Center@The Armory at 1:00 today on preservation grant funds. He is interested on anything that may be able to be used for the courthouse provided that it doesn’t have too many strings associated with it. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said absentee voting for the March 10th Presidential Preference Primary would begin today. She also said the last day to register to vote for the primary would be February 12th. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission would be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Office has released some reports. On Tuesday, January 14th, deputies traveled to a residence in the 100 block of South Pershing Street to serve an arrest warrant. During the course of the incident, a 30-year-old Salem man was arrested for having active warrants through Dent County. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where he was incarcerated. Then on January 15th a deputy conducted a traffic stop on McArthur Street. During the course of the traffic stop, a 28-year-old Licking man was arrested for having active arrest warrants from the Houston Police Department and Licking Police Department. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where he was later extradited by another agency. On Thursday, January 16th, a deputy traveled to a residence in the 6500 block of Highway 119 for the report of a burglary. During the course of the investigation, a 19-year-old Salem man was arrested for having an active arrest warrant through Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where he later posted bond and was released. Please call the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241 with any information about an ongoing investigation.