Local News – Friday, May 3rd, 2024
A fatality accident occurred Thursday at 12:00 noon on westbound I-44 at the 170 mile marker that took the life of a Salem resident. According to the highway patrol report, a 2004 Kawasaki, operated by 54-year-old Thomas Zielinski of Salem, traveled off the left side of the roadway and overturned ejecting Zielinski. Zielinski was transported by the Phelps Health EMS to Phelps Health where he was pronounced dead at 12:52 by Doctor E. R. Cameron. The Kawasaki continued into the eastbound lane and was struck by a 2012 Kia Sedona, operated by 74-year-old Gail Petersen of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The report stated that Zielinski was wearing safety equipment at the time of the accident. The Kawasaki was totaled and removed from the scene by C & C Towing. The Kia sustained moderate damage and was driven from the scene.
The Dent County Commission met Thursday morning for their regular meeting at the courthouse. Democrat Jen Tracy running for the 120th District House of Representatives seat was in attendance to introduce herself to all the commissioners. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said crews are still working on road repairs from the storms over the weekend and Wednesday night. He said ditch line repairs are being made to Dent County Road 4110 where it is eroding the chip and seal. He said they will be reinforcing the ditch with rock. Mobray stated if there is time, oil will be changed on a grader and crews will be cleaning out culverts. District 2 commissioner Gary Polk said rock was being added and grading done on Dent County Road 4060 while only grading was being done on county roads 2110, 5300 and 5310. He said rock would also be added to county road 4110 and a crew is cleaning storm debris off a bridge in Boss. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said he was able to reach John Smith and he is still interested in remaining on the MRPC board at the “at large for profit” board position. The board approved his re-appointment. At the last meeting after speaking with Sheriff Bob Wells and Deputy Roderman, the commission approved proceeding with the NG911 Data Services Project Assessment Agreement Grant for $58,555 as presented to them by Rural Address Coordinator Sherry Lea at the April 26th meeting. The next meeting of the commission will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and it is open to the public.
In Tuesday’s edition of Your World Today in the story concerning Sara Lynn Cunningham, the kidnapping charge in the 1st degree from the original probable cause statement was dismissed by the prosecutor. We apologize for the ommission.
It was recently announced by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, that the ‘Huzzah Creek Fish Passage Restoration Project’ received funding through Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, National Fish Passage Project funds. The project was awarded $1,459,850 to remove two Huzzah Creek fish passage barriers and replace them with climate resilient bridges located at John Coleman and Seller roads in Crawford County, Missouri. Removing these barriers builds on a recent Huzzah National Fish Passage Program aquatic organism passage project. This will continue to restore natural hydrological conditions and provide open passage to an additional 25 miles of stream habitat for the benefit of federally listed species. Native species that will benefit include endangered eastern hellbender, endangered mussel species, mussel hosts species and game species such as the smallmouth bass. Local communities will benefit from reduced maintenance costs, increased safety, and greater public and emergency vehicle access during high-flow events. Key partners for this project include Crawford County leadership, USFWS, The Nature Conservancy, and Missouri Department of Conservation. They all worked closely with the Forest Service to collaboratively bring the Huzzah bridge replacement project to a point where it could compete for this type of funding opportunity. This is the first Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, National Fish Passage project of its type to come to Missouri. All partners involved are looking forward to working together to accomplish this work in the coming years. To see updates about this and many other Forest projects, follow us at facebook.com/marktwainnationalforest. The National Fish Passage Program is a national leader connecting watersheds and people. The program has decades of experience implementing infrastructure projects with partners. Fish passage project proposals can be initiated by any individual, organization, government, or agency.