Local News – Monday, December 23rd, 2019

Everyone from KSMO Radio and Your World Today wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas. Because of the holidays, there will not be a Your World Today published on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Our next edition will be Thursday. Thank you from our family to yours!

Christmas Eve will be last day the Dent County Service Unit of the Salvation Army will have their bell ringers at Wal-Mart. The local unit has set a fundraising goal of $35,000 to help those with needs in the 2020 year. We thank all those who have already contributed and remind those who have not yet given, the money you contribute may be helping your neighbor or friends as the money stays right here in Dent County. New this year, in an effort to expand its reach to people who don’t carry cash, donors are able to use their Apple Pay or Google Pay. Users can tap their smartphones on a sticker and make a donation. People with older phones can scan the QR code for the same process. Red kettle bell ringers will continue to accept cash as well. Your local Salvation Army Service Unit of Dent County, doing the most good.

KSMO Radio, Fairground Auto Plaza in Rolla, Southtown Furniture, Your Community Health Center in Rolla and Echo Bluff State Park in Shannon County all participated in the KSMO Radio Big Family Christmas Giveaway which ended Friday night. This years winners include Harlow Canaday whose name was draw at the Salem Community Center@The Armory which was the signup location for Your Community Heath Center; Megan Caesar was the name that was selected at Echo Bluff State Park; Judy Harris was the name that was drawn at Southtown Furniture, and winning the Big Family Giveaway at Fairground Auto Plaza was Chris and Jessie Crocker. Also for the first time, KSMO Radio and Aaron’s in Salem teamed up to provide the Big Kid Christmas Giveaway and Logan Hall was the winner of that giveaway. Congratulations to all the winners and a big “thank you” to everyone who registered for the chance to win. KSMO and Your World Today also want to thank the sponsors this year for making it all possible for this promotion to be held.

An accident happened on Saturday afternoon in Crawford County on westbound Interstate 44 at the 210 mile marker that left a Rolla woman with serious injuries. According to the highway patrol report, a 2017 Dodge Ram towing a motor home driven westbound by 64-year old Glenda Goodin of Rolla, began braking and the Ram and the motor home both traveled off the north side of the roadway where the Dodge Ram became separated from the motor home and began to overturn. As the Ram was overturning, the motor home ran over the Ram. A passenger in the Dodge, 50-year old Carrie Noonan of Rolla, suffered serious injuries and was flown to Mercy Creve Coeur Hospital by the Arch Air Ambulance. Goodin suffered minor injuries and was transported to Phelps Health by the North Crawford County Ambulance District. Both ladies were wearing their seat restraints. The high way patrol was assisted by the Cuba Fire Department.

Dent County Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Curley released the results from action taken in court in Dent County on December 18th in front of Judge Kelly Parker. Curley stated that Michael Rickey of Salem was in court on two probation cases: one for stealing and the other for the financial exploitation of the elderly. Rickey had previously completed a 120 day program under Revised State Statutes of Missouri Section 559.115. Rickey sought continued probation, but was denied and was sentenced to 10 years in the Department of Corrections as requested by the state. In the case against Rachel Casey of Salem, she pled guilty to the distribution and possession of a controlled substance. Casey sought incarceration of five years under the state program described in RSMO 559.115, but was sentenced to five years in the Department of Corrections under the long-term care drug treatment program under state statute 217.362. Also heard in Dent County was the probation hearing of Gregory Brooks of Salem. Prosecutor Curley asked for the execution of a 10-year sentence while Brooks requested drug court. Judge Parker sentenced Brooks to serve 10 years in the Department of Corrections under state statute 217.362.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol asks motorists to make safety a priority this Christmas season. The 2019 Christmas holiday counting period begins at 6:00 Christmas Eve night and will end Christmas night at 11:59. If faced with a traffic emergency, become involved in a traffic crash, witness a crash or crime, or observe a stranded motorist in need of assistance motorists can contact the Missouri State Highway Patrol at 1-800-525-5555 or *55 on a cellular phone.