Local News – Monday, August 29th, 2022
A Public Hearing concerning the Ozark Run Scenic Byway will be held this Tuesday, August 30th from 2:00 until 4:00 in the afternoon at the Eminence City Hall. This new proposed Scenic Byway does not go through Dent County in its current form but could lay the groundwork for other extensions in the future that could possibly affect your property. An organization called “Scenic Missouri” out of Ballwin, Missouri, has applied to the Missouri Department of Transportation to designate 375 miles of existing highway stretching from St. Louis to Thayer and Branson as a “Scenic Byway” made up of five “sprints.” Their goal is to “recognize the intrinsic qualities” of our region and help the world “discover the Ozarks”. This would in turn bring tourism dollars to the area. According to their 102-page application with MoDOT, it says “no changes can be made to existing laws, nor can new laws be established without approval by the local governments. Property rights are not infringed upon with the designation of a byway.” However, further reading shows that not to be entirely the case as once implemented, all advertising such as signs and billboards are prohibited except upon your own property for your particular business. What is also described in the application goes beyond just the roadway and its right-of-way but would include “the area adjacent to the roadway that possesses any of the intrinsic qualities. This may or may not include everything that can be seen from the roadway.” The ultimate vision for the Ozark Run Scenic Byway is to provide a designated driving route across the entire Ozark/Ouachita region running from one corner to the other spanning through Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma which would make it a National Scenic Byway. The full route, as currently proposed, would cover 1,155 miles. This would make it one of the five longest National Scenic Byways. With its unique and significant qualities, the Ozark Run may even be a strong candidate for All-American Road status. To review the entire application, go to www.modot.org/ozark-run-proposed-scenic-byway. If you can’t make it on August 30th to the Eminence public hearing, additional town hall meetings will be held in Oregon County on Thursday, September 1st at the Town Hall in Alton from 5:00 until 7:00 PM, and in Howell County at the West Plains Civic Center Theater on Tuesday, September 13th from 6:00 until 8:00 in the evening. All of the public hearings are open to the public.
An accident happened Thursday afternoon at 3:50 in Reynolds County on Highway 72 about five miles east of Bunker. According to the highway patrol report, a 2000 Gold Dodge Durango driven eastbound by 61-year-old Richard Frost of Bunker, ran off the right side of the roadway, struck an embankment and overturned. Frost suffered serious injuries and was transported by Air Ambulance to Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. The Dodge Durango was totaled and removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing in Salem.
An accident occurred in Phelps County Friday morning at approximately 7:21. According to the highway patrol report, a westbound 2018 Yamaha R1 Motorcycle, operated by 35-year-old Jonathan Anderson of St. Louis, travelled off the left side of the roadway and overturned. Anderson suffered serious injuries and was transported by medical helicopter to Missouri University Hospital in Columba. The report stated that Anderson was wearing safety devices at the time of the accident. The motorcycle sustained extensive damage and was removed from the scene by D & D Towing. The Highway Patrol was assisted by The Doolittle Fire Department and the Phelps Health EMS.
Salem Memorial District Hospital has issued revisions to their visitor policy per the Compassionate Care Visitation Act-SB710, No Patient Left Alone Act-HB-2116, and the Essential Caregiver Program Act. SMDH has developed these revisions to protect patients and health care professionals before and during an infectious, contagious, communicable, or dangerous diseases. Some of the revisions are all visitors will be screened for Covid-19, visitors must be at least 12 years of age, and only two visitors per patient at a time, unless extenuating circumstances. Also, visitors are expected to stop the nurse’s station before entering a patient room. For more information contact SMDH at 729-6626, check out their website at smdh.net or Facebook page.
Dent County Prosecutor Andrew Curley reports that on Friday, August 26th in the Dent County 42nd Judicial Court in front of Judge Michael Randazzo, Britta Terrill of Salem, who was on probation for the felony possession of a controlled substance, had her probation revoked and was sentenced to seven years in the Department of Corrections. In the next case, Prosecutor Curley reported that Daniel Lloyd of Salem pled guilty to the felony possession of methamphetamines. He was sentenced to serve seven years in the Department of Corrections under State Statute 559.115 due to his prior felony criminal history.