Your World Today

The Dent County Sheriff’s Office has released reports on activities for December 31st, 2019 through January 2nd, 2020. On Tuesday, December 31st, a deputy conducted a traffic stop at Highway 19 North and Route JJ intersection. During the course of the traffic stop, a 45-year-old St. Clair man was arrested for an active warrant through the Licking Police Department. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where he later posted bond and was released. Then on New Year’s Day, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on South Henderson Street. During the course of the traffic stop, a 20-year-old Salem man was arrested for driving while having his license revoked, a 2nd or 3rd offense. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. Also on January 1st, a deputy conducted a traffic stop in the 5500 block of West Highway 32. During the course of the traffic stop, a 34-year-old man from Licking was arrested for driving while having his license revoked or suspended. The man was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Office where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. Then on Thursday, January 2nd, the Dent County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a verbal dispute occurring at a residence in the 1000 block of County Road 6400. Deputies arrived on scene and during the incident, a 20-year-old Salem woman was arrested for an active warrant through Phelps County. The woman was later transported to the Phelps County Sheriff’s Office. Please contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241 if you have any information on any investigation.

The Salem Police Department has released more reports for the month of January. On Monday morning, January 6th at about 9:50, an officer located a 50-year-old female of Salem in the 200 block of North Missouri Highway 19 who had active arrest warrants from Pulaski County, Rolla and St. James. The suspect was taken into custody on the warrants and incarcerated pending extradition. That same afternoon at about 5:10, an officer was dispatched to a domestic disturbance at a residence in the 1800 block of South Oak. That investigation revealed a 59-year-old male of Salem had assaulted a 30-year-old female of Salem causing serious injuries. Further investigation led to the arrest of the suspect who was incarcerated pending the application for warrants. The victim was transported to a hospital in St. Louis to treat injuries to the face including broken facial bones. On Thursday morning, January 9th, close to 8:30, an officer observed a female drinking liquor from a bottle on the side of the road near the 500 block of Highway 19 North. Upon further investigation the officer placed the female, a 36-year-old resident of Springfield, under arrest for having an open liquor container. The suspect was issued a summons to appear in court and released. Please contact the Salem Police Department at 729-4242 if you have any information regarding an ongoing investigation.

An accident happened Monday afternoon at 5:40 in Crawford County on Highway 19 three and a half miles south of Cuba. According to the Highway Patrol Report a 2000 Chevrolet Pickup, operated by 61-year old James Hewkin of Cuba, was stopped in the roadway waiting to make a left hand turn when the Chevrolet was struck in the rear by a 2000 Oldsmobile Intrigue driven by 35 year old Travis Townzen of Cuba. Hewkin suffered minor injuries and was to seek his own treatment. The report stated that both Hewkin and Townzen were wearing safety restraints at the time of the accident. The Oldsmobile was totaled and removed from the scene by Miles and Sons Towing. The Chevrolet sustained moderate damage and was driven from the scene.

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning for their regular meeting at the courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell stated many areas of his district received between three to five inches of rain from Thursday night through Saturday. He reported that Saturday he was called by the sheriff’s office due to an exposed pipe on Dent County Road 5170 which was repaired. Purcell also said that Dent County Road 5520 south of Gladden sustained significant damage to the road that made it impassible. A grader was called in Sunday to repair the road to make it passable for school busses to make their way over the road safely. Purcell also said crews would be out checking roads and opening clogged pipes. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said crews were out Sunday repairing roads that were reported impassible. Road crews temporarily fixed those roads on Sunday until materials could be added followed by grading and patch grading to improve the roads putting them back into near normal condition. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he attended the Public Housing Authority Board at the MRPC offices last Thursday. Skiles said that as of December 31st, there were 737 units under lease with the PHA with another 208 people on the waiting list which is about 3 to 4 months long. Skiles also stated the PHA had a clean audit. He went on to report at the MRPC meeting that evening that the region’s state legislative priorities were discussed. He said a couple of state legislators were present and also there was Matt Dane from Josh Hawley’s office. He said the MRPC Day at the Capitol would be on Tuesday, January 21st. Skiles said he would be attending the MAC Board meeting Wednesday morning and the CCAM Board meeting in the afternoon on Wednesday. Skiles said the commission received a letter from the MRPC indicating that SEMA is writing a new grant to update all Hazard Mitigation Plans in the region and Dent County’s plan will expire October 23rd, 2023. The county‘s portion to contribute will be $7,666.67 of which the county will have to pay $4,666.67 in 2022 and provide $3,000 of in-kind services. The commissioners approved committing the funds for the program. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she is working on the budget and the tentative budget will be ready by Thursday afternoon at her office. She said the annual financial statement is ready to be published in the Salem News, and the courthouse will be closed on Martin Luther King Day, January 20th. She said the last day to register for the Presidential Preference Primary is February 12th and voters will have to choose the party they wish to vote for from Republican, Libertarian, Green, Democrat or Constitution Party. Curley said she would also be at the MAC meeting Wednesday. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk said the total amount of taxes collected for 2019 as of December 31st was very close as to what was collected in 2018 except the online payments increased by 63%. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Thursday morning at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Dent County Coroner’s office has released the names of the people discovered dead at The Commons last week have been released. The
male was identified as 61-year old Dale Gabrovic and the female was identified as 72-year old Judy Gabrovic. They were from South Dakota and North Carolina. During the course of the investigation, with help of a forensic anthropologist, it was determined the female, Judith Gabrovic had been deceased approximately 3-6 weeks prior to being discovered. At this time the cause of death on both individuals is still under investigation and is pending toxicology.

The Missouri Department of Conservation reports deer hunters in Missouri harvested 12,002 deer during the alternative-methods portion of the fall firearms deer season which is down 107 deer from last year. The alternative methods season is from December 28th through January 7th. Top harvest counties in 2019 were Callaway with 315 deer harvested, Franklin with 297, and Pike with 261. Dent County had 155 deer checked during the alternative methods season. Archery deer hunting continues through January 15th.

Healthy Dent County Fitness Center will host its Third Annual month of Line Dance Classes. They will be held Tuesday evenings at 6:00 on February 11th, 18th & 25th and 6:30 on March 3rd. The cost is $5 per person and you can pay at the door. Rosalie Wright will be the instructor for the classes. Classes will be held at the Salem Community Center @ the Armory on the event floor at 1200 West Rolla Road. Call 573-739-1127 for more information.