Local News – Friday, January 29th, 2021
Dent County Health Center Administrator Kendra Mobray and Chief Operating Officer Jason Edwards from the Salem Memorial District Hospital reports the news of expanding the COVID-19 vaccine eligibility is very exciting and they are eagerly anticipating this next phase of response. However, this does not mean that vaccine is widely available yet. The Dent County Health Center along with Salem Memorial District Hospital, and some local pharmacies, are approved COVID-19 vaccinators. The Department of Health and Senior Services determines how the vaccine allocations from the federal government are distributed each week. Although they have requested vaccine, the Health Center and the Salem Memorial District Hospital do not currently have vaccine available and they have no guarantee of a vaccine availability date. They will continue to order vaccine weekly and hope that the order is filled soon. There is a plan in place to get vaccine out to those eligible as soon as it is received. While some local public health agencies and rural hospitals in Missouri have received small amounts of vaccine, the majority of vaccine is being sent to larger hospital and pharmacy systems. In addition to their efforts to secure vaccine locally, there is a tentative plan for a National Guard Mass Vaccination Site to be held in Dent County in February. The Health Center hopes to have more information on that plan very soon. There have been opportunities to get vaccinated outside of Dent County and they encourage residents to take advantage of those opportunities if they are available to you. The health center wants to be transparent in this process and they will continue to keep you updated. The Dent County Health Center and Salem Memorial District Hospital will utilize our Facebook pages, as well as SMDH’s website and local news media to share information as time progresses.
As part of an Environmental Assessment, the Missouri Department of Transportation will hold a virtual public meeting to discuss a proposed project to improve the Route 19 Round Spring Bridges over the Current River and Spring Valley in Shannon County. The virtual public meeting will be held Thursday evening, February 4th from 5:00 until 7:00 with formal presentations beginning at 5:00 and 6:00. The same presentation will be delivered at both 5 and 6:00 to provide attendees with multiple opportunities to join the discussion. Throughout the online meeting, there will be breaks for attendees to ask questions or share comments. Attendees can join the virtual public meeting online by going to www.RT19VPM.com. The goals of the project are to improve the condition and functionality of these aging structures as well as maintain local and regional connectivity. Although funding is not yet secured for the project, MoDOT is exploring alternatives for replacing or rehabilitating each structure through the study. The Environmental Assessment will include a detailed overview of alternatives for each structure and will ultimately result in a recommendation for a preferred alternative at each bridge location. Properties eligible for protection under Section 4(f) of the Department of Transportation Act which include publicly owned parks, recreation areas, wildlife/waterfowl refuges and historic sites in public or private ownership are found within the project study area. The public is invited to comment on potential uses of these properties and ways to avoid, minimize or mitigate uses. Additional information on these properties and uses will be made available in a future public meeting. The public is invited to offer comments or concerns about properties listed on or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places (historic properties) found within the project area and potential effects on them. Known historic properties include the Current River Bridge, the Spring Valley Bridge and the Three Bridges Historic District. Comments will be accepted through Thursday, February 25th. For more information or to request a hard copy of the meeting materials, please contact MoDOT Project Manager Pete Berry at (417) 469-6242 or Consultant Project Manager David Kocour at (816) 256-8584.
The University of Missouri Extension, in cooperation with the Missouri Department of Agriculture, will be presenting a 2021 Selling Local Food in Missouri series that will feature four distinct session providing producers with the information they need on how to sell their food and agriculture products in Missouri. Sessions will provide participants with the most up-to-date information on rules and regulations they need follow to sell their products to consumers in Missouri presented by speakers from the University Extension and Missouri Department of Agriculture. The first session will be March 2nd and will explore resources that producers need to sell local food. The second session will be March 9th where producers can learn the state regulations you need to know to sell your meat and poultry locally. The session will also include best practices from a successful livestock producer. The third session will be held March 16th where producers can learn the state regulations you need to know to sell your produce and/or eggs. The fourth session to be held March 23rd will concentrate on the state regulations you need to follow to sell value-added products, such as canned products, baked goods, etc. The cost of each session is $15, or sign up for all four session for $40. For more information or to register, call Leslie Bertsch at 314-400-2115 or send an e-mail to bertschl@missouri.edu. You can also register online at extension.missouri.edu/events.