Local News – Friday, September 28th, 2018

The Dent County Commissioners met Thursday morning for the regular meeting at the courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell indicated materials were going to be added and grading done on Dent County Road 6240 while county roads 6630 and 6633 were to be graded. Materials were also going to be added to Dent County Road 6090 while brush was going to be cut on county roads 6150 and 6370. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 2530 and 2540, while only materials were going to be added to county road 4050. Larson said grading would also be done on Dent County Road 4340 while brush was going to be cut on county roads 3233 and 3235. He did report that a pipe was being installed on county road 4050 and Dent County Road 5260 was back open at the low water crossing. The county will address the new issue they found at the crossing next week and the road is expected to be closed again on Monday and for a few days after. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles stated he attended the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District Board meeting Tuesday where they were able to award 15 grants, most of which were partially funded. He said five applications were not funded at all as they scored too low. He said the Salem Memorial District Hospital’s grant application for internal recycling was funded at $10,995 or about 60% of the amount requested. Skiles said that right now rates for recycled materials are very low. He did want to report that an electronics and tire collection will be held at the Vichy Community Park on Saturday, October 6th. If people are interested in taking their old electronics or tires to the collection, they should contact the MRPC at 265-2993 for more information about any fees. This is for residential purposes only and not commercial businesses. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said the last day to register to vote is October 10th. She also said absentee voting is going on now through November 5th in her office and the last day to mail out an absentee ballot will be October 31st. Curley said her office will be open in the courthouse on Saturday, November 3rd from 8:00 in the morning until noon. She said sample ballots are now available in her office and recommends people pick one up before voting to read and possibly research the amendments and propositions. This will make it easier when you come in to vote as some of the wording can difficult to understand. It was reported by Commissioner Purcell that the Road and Bridge Department will be taking bids for the purchase of diesel fuel, and Commissioner Larson said the handicapped accessible automatic door opener has been installed on the west side doors of the courthouse. At the last meeting, Teresa Sellers who is the Dent County Court Advocate for the Phelps County Family Crisis Services, was at the meeting asking to use the gazebo on the courthouse lawn to display a banner and sign during the month of October to make people aware that October is Domestic Awareness Month. Her request was approved. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Monday morning at the courthouse at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

An accident occurred at 4:12 Thursday morning in Phelps County on Joseph Road two miles east of Rolla. According to the highway patrol report, a 2017 Ford F-250, driven by 30-year old Joshua C. Mathews of Thompson, Missouri, failed to negotiate a curve and struck a wood pile. Mathews suffered moderate injuries and was transported by EMS to Phelps County Regional Medical Center. The report stated that Mathews was not wearing a safety device at the time of the accident. The Ford was totaled and taken from the scene by Dishman’s Towing of Rolla.

An accident occurred in Texas County Wednesday night at 11:50 on southbound Highway 63 about five miles south of Houston that took the life of a Houston teenager. According to the highway patrol report, a 2008 Chevrolet 2500, driven by 19-year old Connor Clifton, traveled off the right side of the road, struck a guard rail and overturned several times, ejecting the driver. The report stated that the Chevrolet was totaled and removed from the scene by Jay’s Towing of Houston.