Local News – Friday, June 29th, 2018
According to a report released by the Missouri Highway Patrol, an accident occurred Wednesday evening at 8:48 p.m. in Miller County involving a man from Salem. According to the report, 37-year old Robert J. Clavier of Salem, was traveling on Route Y near Beacon Road in Miller County on a 2001 Suzuki motorcycle at a high rate of speed when he ran off the right side of the roadway and struck a tree, ejecting the driver. Clavier received moderate injuries and was transported by Miller County EMS to Lake Regional Hospital. Safety restraints were in use at the time of the accident. The Suzuki motorcycle was totaled in the accident and removed from the scene by Praters.
An accident happened in Phelps County at 7:43 Thursday morning at the 184-mile marker westbound exit ramp on Interstate 44. According to a report from the highway patrol, a 2007 Dodge Ram 1500 driven westbound by 53-year old Cynthia J. Walls of St. James. The report stated the Dodge Ram traveled off the left side of the roadway, then returned to the roadway where the Ram began to skid. The Dodge then traveled off the right side of the roadway and overturned striking a sign. Walls suffered moderate injuries and was transported by the Phelps County Ambulance to the Mercy Hospital in Lebanon. The Dodge Ram was totaled and removed from the scene by Spurgeon’s Towing. The Missouri State Highway patrol was assisted at the scene by the Rolla Fire Department and the Rolla Police Department.
Highway 137 in Texas County will be CLOSED as Missouri Department of Transportation crews perform bridge repairs. The bridge over the Jacks Fork River is located between Route U and Route AZ. Weather permitting, the bridge will CLOSE at 6:00 Monday morning, July 9th with plans to reopen on Thursday, July 12th at 5:00 in the afternoon. The work zone will be marked with signs. Motorists are urged to use extreme caution while traveling near the area. For additional information, contact MoDOT’s Customer Service Center toll-free at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (1-888-275-6636) or visit www.modot.org/southeast.
The Dent County Commissioner met Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell said grading would be done on Dent County Roads 5220, 6090, 6110 and 6350, while materials would be added and grading done on county road 5150. He added workers had already repaired a number of washouts in the Bunker area on Wednesday from this weeks’ rain. He also indicated brush would be cut on county road 6580 and that chip and seal road resurfacings are expected to occur in the middle of July. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson reported grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2500, 3120 and 3130, while some men would be patch grading on county roads 4280, 4283 and 4290 in the Boss area from the rains this week. Two men would also be patching various chip and seal roads in the district. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he attended the Central Region Workforce Investment Board Caucus on Wednesday. He said employment was good in the area, but many employers are having trouble finding enough qualified workers who can pass a drug test and show up on time to fill open positions. Skiles stated he was elected as the vice-chairman of the caucus with Gary Jungermann elected chairman. Skiles also said a nice turnout was at the webinar Monday on the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program for the county including all the pharmacies, first responders as well as hospital and clinic personnel. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said absentee voting is going on now at the Clerk’s Office at the courthouse and you must have a picture ID to vote. Absentee voting will continue until August 6th while the last day to mail out a ballot will be August 1st. Sample ballots are available now at the clerk’s office. Curley is asking residents to please make sure their voter registration is correct and up to date. You can stop by her office at the courthouse, call 729-4144 or go online to www.sos.mo.gov. The commissioners went into closed session to visit with a state financial auditor before coming back into open session to open bids for oil changes for the Dent County Sheriff’s Vehicle Fleet. Sheriff Bob Wells was out of town, so he will review the bids received and make his recommendation at the meeting Monday. Five bids were received for oil changes from Knight Auto Care, Whitaker’s Auto Body and Towing, Heavin Motors, Hubbs Tire and Auto Connection. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Monday morning at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.
The Missouri Department of Conservation is accepting online applications now through August 5th for its next class of conservation agent trainees. Just visit the mdc.mo.gov homepage and click on “Careers” and then “Job Openings” to apply or to get more information including the salary range, duties and responsibilities, degree requirements, qualifications, and special-ability requirements. Selected candidates will undergo 26 weeks of intense training in all facets of law enforcement and resource management. Those who make the grade will receive county assignments and become the face of conservation in their assigned communities by enforcing the Wildlife Code of Missouri and helping the public with issues such as nuisance wildlife and land management. For more information, contact MDC Protection Programs Supervisor Cheryl Fey at 573-522-4115, ext. 3819 or Protection Programs Specialist Travis McLain at 573-522-4115, ext. 3261.