Local News – Friday, October 6th, 2023

The Dent County Commission met Thursday morning for their regular meeting. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray appreciated getting the rain but rock will need to be added to a number or roads that were graded recently that became a bit soupy from Wednesday’s rain. He said brush would be cut on Dent County Road 6110 and shop maintenance will be performed including changing a flat on a truck. He also said crews would be out picking up trash and tires as well as putting up missing or stolen signs. District 2 commissioner Gary Polk indicated grading would be done on Dent County Road 4300 while brush was going to be cut on county roads 3260, 3270, 3273 and 3275. Polk said work crews would be stockpiling rock at the maintenance shed. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said he would be attending the MRPC Dues Committee meeting on Wednesday, October 11th at 2:30. Larson said it will be a busy weekend with the Rose Holland Trout Derby at Montauk State Park, Old Miner’s Days in Viburnum, a flea market at the Dent County Commons and the Community Wide Yard Sale in Salem. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she balanced with the collector and assessor on all collections, abatements and add-ons for the month of September. Doug Barnes from Town and Country Bank brought in the paper work and check for the lease/purchase of two new John Deere graders from McCoy Construction and Forestry. The county does not yet have the graders as they should be delivered in the next couple of weeks. The commission also wanted to let the people know they can still comment on the Highway 19 Bridge at Standing Rock until the 13th of this month. You can e-mail your comments to CDCR@modot.mo.gov or mail them to Dent County Route 19 Standing Rock Creek Project, c/o MoDOT, 1511 Missouri Boulevard, Jefferson City, MO, 65102. If you haven’t seen the exhibits that were presented at the open house, they are available on the project’s webpage at www.modot.org/missouri-route-19-bridge-replacement-over-standing-rock-creek-dent-county. Larson said the courthouse would be closed for Columbus Day on Monday so the next meeting of the commissioners will be Thursday, October 12th at 9:00 at the courthouse and it is open to the public.

The 60th Annual Rose Holland Trout Derby will be held today through Sunday at Montauk State Park. Derby fishing hours on both Saturday and Sunday will begin at 7:30 in the morning. Fishing will end at 6:30 Saturday evening and at 11:30 Sunday morning. Several activities will take place in conjunction with the derby including a cruise-in car show today from 3:00 until 7:00 at the Searcy Building parking lot across from the lodge, and trout bingo with a park naturalist starting at 6:00 tonight in the campground amphitheater. Saturday there will be a “Walk and Explore For Your Heart Guided Hike” starting at 10:00 at the Naturalist office. In the field across from the mill, you can learn about and play old-time traditional and indigenous games from 1:30 to 3:00 in the afternoon. There will also be kids’ inflatables in the open field between the lodge and the mill from 11:00 to 3:00. After the auction at 3:30, set up your lawn chair and enjoy music in front of the lodge starting at 4:00 with the Current River Bluegrass Band until 5:00, followed by James VanKirk from Licking from 5:00 until 6:30. Collin Nash will then perform from 6:30 until 8:30 in front of the lodge. Finally, there will be the “Know The Dark” three-quarter mile night hike starting at 8:00 from the Naturalist’s Office. On Sunday, prizes will be awarded in front of the lodge starting at noon including attendance prizes, the kids’ heaviest stringer, heaviest brown trout as well as any tagged fish that were caught and registered. All the proceeds raised from the derby will benefit the American Heart Association.