Local News – Friday, January 15th, 2021
The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released reports for the first full week of January. On January 6th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop at Shawnee Mac Conservation Area. During the course of the traffic stop, a 25-year-old Salem man was arrested for driving while having his license revoked or suspended, a 1st offense. He was transported to the Dent County Jail where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. On January 7th a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Dent County Road 4180. During the course of the traffic stop, a 47-year-old Salem woman was arrested for driving while being intoxicated. She was transported to the Dent County Jail where she was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released to a family member. On Friday, January 8th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop Highway 72 and Route C. During the course of the traffic stop, a 58-year-old St. James man was arrested for driving while having his license revoked or suspended, a 1st offense. He was transported to the Dent County Jail where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. On Sunday, January 10th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Route H and Highway 72. During the course of the traffic stop, a 25-year-old Salem man was arrested for having an active warrant through the Camden County Sheriff’s Office and for the possession of marijuana or synthetic cannabinoid of 10 grams or less, a prior drug offense. He was transported to the Dent County Jail where he was issued a summons. He posted bond and was released. if anyone has information regarding any ongoing investigation, please call the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241.
Today is the last day for landowner enrollment into the Missouri Outdoor Recreational Access Program (MRAP) through the Missouri Department of Conservation. MRAP provides incentive payments of $15 to $25 per acre and habitat improvement financial assistance to participating landowners in return for allowing public access to their land for recreational activities such as hunting, fishing, and wildlife viewing. Participating landowners can choose the recreational activities allowed on their property by selecting one of the following MRAP access types: all access hunting and fishing, small game and turkey hunting, youth only hunting and fishing, archery hunting, fishing only, or wildlife viewing. Offered lands must meet minimum eligibility requirements such as being 40 contiguous acres in size or five contiguous acres for wildlife viewing access types or one pond acre for fishing-only access types. MRAP properties must also consist of at least 20% quality wildlife habitat which includes native grass fields, crop field buffers, or managed woodlands to be eligible for the program. There are currently more than 50 properties enrolled in the program, totaling over 13,000 acres of lands available for public outdoor recreation. MRAP funding is provided through a U.S. Department of Agriculture federal grant. This funding allows for the additional enrollment of approximately 7,500 new MRAP acres. For more information on how to apply to the MRAP program, visit short.mdc.mo.gov/Zcs.
January is National Radon Action Month and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) encourages Americans around the country to test their homes for radon, the second leading cause of lung cancer. Make 2021 a healthier, safer new year by testing your home. Last year nearly 21,000 people died from lung cancer caused by exposure to radon. EPA’s radon program began more than 30 years ago as the scientific and public health community began to understand the risks associated with indoor radon exposure. Since then, elevated radon levels have been fixed in approximately two million homes in the United States and millions more have been tested. In many states, radon testing has become a standard part of real estate transactions. However, EPA estimates that about seven million high-radon homes remain across the United States. Testing is the only way to know if a home has an elevated level of radon. Affordable do-it-yourself radon test kits are available online and at most home improvement and hardware stores. You can also hire a qualified radon professional to test your home. Taking action to reduce your exposure to radon is a long-term investment in your families’ health and your home. The cost of reducing radon in your home depends on how your home was built and the extent of the radon problem. Most homes, however, can be fixed for about the same cost as other common home repairs. For more information on testing and contact information for radon resources in your state, please see: https://www.epa.gov/radon.