Local News – Friday, June 21st, 2019

The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting Thursday morning in the Dent County Courthouse. Delores Gray Wood was in to mention that the County needs to be thinking about a date next year for the 160th year celebration of the founding of Dent County and the 150th anniversary of the building of the Courthouse. She also shared information about four original L.L. Broadfoot portraits and the mural on the third floor of the Courthouse. Randy League was in asking permission for the Midwest Blue Oval Club to use the Courthouse lawn during its Rally on September 7th. The Commissioners approved the request. In the road report District One Commissioner Dennis Purcell reported that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 5410, 5440 and 6345, while materials would be added and grading done on county road 5170. He said that a crossover pipe would be installed on county road 6055 and materials would be added to that area, plus brush would be cut on county road 4110. Purcell said that trash containing identifying material was dumped on Dent County Road 5015 at the intersection with Highway B. He said that law enforcement was investigating and that a crew went out with a backhoe to clean up the dumping. Purcell noted that he attended a Tourism Commission meeting Monday night where three proposals were presented and approved plus three reimbursement requests were submitted and approved. He said that on Tuesday night he had a South Central Community Action Agency meeting and that all the programs have funds available for those who meet income requirements. Information can be obtained by calling 573-729-3500. District Two Commissioner Gary Larson reported that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 3140, 6160, 4040, 2210, and 4260, while materials would be added and grading done on county roads 2180, 2183, and 2185. He said two men were repairing chip and seal on county road 2250 and that brush would be cut on county road 3255 if time permitted. Larson said that on Tuesday he attended the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District meeting and banquet and on Wednesday he represented the County at Dent County After Hours at Slabs Restaurant. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said that on Monday he attended the Salem Area Community Betterment Association meeting. Then on Tuesday afternoon he also attended the Ozark Solid Waste Management District meeting, plus the Rolla USDA Forest Service meeting to hear what the proposals were. Skiles said there was a large turnout and he felt safe in saying that most in attendance were opposed to the Forest Service’s proposed guidelines, while nearly all were in favor of eradication of the feral hogs. He said the Forest Service has 22 trappers attempting to control the problem on over 1.5 million acres averaging over 90,000 acres per trapper. Skiles pointed out that the proposal included fining landowners if they were apprehended on Forest Service acreage hunting feral hogs. Skiles wanted to make the sure that the public is crystal clear on the fact that the article in Tuesday’s Salem News was absolutely, totally wrong to the point of absurdity. He said the County Commission is not in any way looking at or planning a courtroom on top of the new Jail. Skiles said if a new courtroom is built it will be on the property west of the new Jail. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported that bills were being approved by the Commissioners for payment. She also reminded businesses with Liquor Licenses that their County License is due by June 28th at 4:30. Curley also reported that phone bids were taken for 7,500 gallons of diesel and that the low bid was $1.907 per gallon by MFA Oil. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams was in to report CART receipts for June were $57,048.64, which was down just a few dollars from June of 2018 which was $57,055.37. She said that year to date CART is down $3,990.65 or 1.18%. Dwight Ramsburg and Nick Smith with Septagone and Steve Davis with Shive-Hattery were in with a Jail update. The next meeting of the Commission will be Monday morning in the Courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

A one vehicle accident occurred Thursday night at 11:00 at the 172 mile marker in Phelps County on eastbound I-44 resulting in injuries to two Rolla residents. According to the highway patrol report, a 2004 Pontiac Grand Prix driven by Joshua Gray of Rolla was eastbound when he attempted to avoid an animal on the roadway and overcorrected. The vehicle started skidding, traveled off the left side of the roadway, striking an embankment and overturning. The driver received moderate injuries while a passenger, Jeremiah Gray received minor injuries. Both were transported by Phelps Health Ambulance to Phelps Health in Rolla. The Pontiac sustained total damage and was removed from the scene by Ron Dishman Towing.