Local News – Friday, July 28th, 2023
The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control announces the arrest of 27-year-old Kristopher L. Cain of Viburnum, who was was arrested Wednesday, July 26, for four counts of possession of child pornography and one count of promoting child pornography. These charges came following an investigation by the Division of Drug and Crime Control’s Digital Forensics Investigations Unit. The investigators with the State Technical Assistance Team also assisted in the investigation. On Wednesday, the investigators executed a search warrant at Cain’s home in Viburnum. During a search of Cain’s cellular telephone, investigators discovered videos of child pornography. Investigators interviewed Cain who admitted to downloading the child pornography over the last year using his cellular telephone. Cain is currently being held in the Iron County jail with no bond. The Division of Drug and Crime Control encourages internet users to promptly report to the Patrol or local law enforcement anyone who attempts to engage in unwanted, inappropriate, or sexualized communications with children. The charges are only accusations and are not evidence of guilt. Evidence in support of these charges must be presented before a court of competent jurisdiction whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.
The Dent County Commission met Thursday morning at the courthouse for their regular meeting. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson was not in attendance due to a family emergency so Dent County Clerk Angie Curley appointed 1st District Commissioner Wes Mobray as the acting presiding commissioner for the meeting. In the road report, Mobray said crews are still rebuilding Dent County Road 5080 for chip and seal work that will be done next year on that road. He also said grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2440 and 6230. District 2 Commission Gary Polk reported grading would be done on Dent County Roads 3300 and 3310 while brush would be cut on county road 3230. Mobray said the county has surplus equipment as well as a vehicle that they will be selling to the highest bidder. Bid specs on the equipment and the vehicle will be available at the Dent County Clerk’s office Monday morning, and may be seen at the Dent County Road and Bridge Department at 1621 West Scenic Rivers Blvd between 7:00 in the morning until 5:00 in the afternoon, Monday through Thursday. Bids will be accepted until 10:00 on Monday, August 14th at the county clerks office for any of the surplus items and vehicle. The bids will then be opened at 10:00 at the commissioner’s office that same morning. The commission has the right to accept or reject any and all bids. At the last meeting, Corky Stack from AEA Stack Engineering visited with the commission about the copper and aluminum that had been removed from the courthouse and put in storage. The commissioners decided to have a silent surplus material sale and those interested in bidding can meet with the commissioners at The Storage Unit on Rolla Road, just north of the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 1:00 on Thursday, August 17th. Bids will be accepted on the material at the Dent County Clerk’s Office until 11:00 Monday morning, August 21st. The bid must be sealed in an envelope with the words “sealed material bid” written on the outside of the envelope. Stack said later some windows from the courthouse will be removed and put in storage, and they will also be sold by bid at a later date. Stack and the commission talked about the redbud tree on the square where the overhead power line will go as part of the renovation electric upgrade. After viewing the tree, some limbs will be removed to accommodate the new line. County Clerk Angie Curley reminded the commission about the tax rate hearing scheduled for 10:00 the morning on August 21st for the General Revenue Fund, the Road and Bridge Fund, the Senate Bill 40 Fund and the Salem Senior Citizen Service Fund. The next commissioner meeting will be held Monday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting will be open to the public.
An accident happened Wednesday evening near 6:15 in Phelps County on Interstate 44 at the 174 mile-marker. According to the highway patrol report, a 2014 Ford Focus being driven eastbound by 20-year-old Allison Tucker of Rolla, struck the rear of a 2017 GMC Acadia being driven eastbound by 76-year-old Jerry Wellington of Bourbon. Allison Tucker and a passenger in the Ford, 20-year-old Rebekah Tucker of also of Rolla, had minor injuries and chose to seek their own medical treatment. A passenger in the GMC, 75-year-old Patricia Wellington of Rolla, suffered moderate injuries and was taken by ambulance to the Phelps Health hospital. The Ford was totaled and removed from the scene by D&D Towing. The GMC had extensive damage and was also removed by D&D Towing. The report went on to state that all involved wear wearing seat restraints at the time of the accident.
The statewide “Back to School” sales tax holiday will be here Friday, August 4th starting at 12:01 in the morning until midnight, Sunday, August 6th. Effective January 1st of this year, certain back-to-school purchases, such as clothing, school supplies, computers, and other items as defined by the statute, are exempt from Missouri state and local sales taxes are exempt for this time period only and that is for everyone, not just students. There are limits established for the sales tax holiday. An article of clothing cannot exceed a taxable value of $100. School supplies are not to exceed $50 per purchase and graphing calculators are not to exceed $150. Computer software cannot exceed a taxable value of $350 and personal computers or computer peripheral devices cannot exceed $1,500.
The Missouri Mines State Historic Site will host an open house-style public meeting inside the site’s Powerhouse Museum beginning at 5:00 Saturday evening, August 5th. Representatives from Missouri State Parks will be on hand to provide information about the historic site and to answer questions. The public is invited to share comments about the site and its operations. For more information about this event contact the historic site office at 573-431-6226. Missouri Mines State Historic Site is located at 4000 State Highway 32 in Park Hills.