Local News – Monday, February 8th, 2021
An accident happened in Carter County at 11:42 Thursday night on Highway 21 at Highway 60 about five miles east of Van Buren that left two area women with serious injuries. According to the highway patrol report, a 2000 Ford Fusion driven southbound by 39-year old Sunshine Hilderbrand of Boss, went off the right side of the road and overturned. Suffering serious injuries were Hilderbrand who was transported by Air Evac to St. Louis University Hospital in St. Louis. A passenger in the car, 23-yaer old Deanna Leasor of Viburnum, also suffered serious injuries and was transported by the East Carter Ambulance to the Poplar Bluff Regional Medical Center in Poplar Bluff. Neither woman was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The Ford Fusion was totaled and will be removed at a later date.
An accident involving a Salem resident occurred Thursday afternoon at 2:25 in Phelps County on Highway 68 about twelve miles south of St. James. According to the highway patrol report, a southbound 2017 Freightliner, driven by 33- year old Michael Price of Salem, and a northbound 2016 International, driven by 41- year-old Bobby Revelle of Potosi, met in a curve of the roadway and the International struck the trailer of the Freightliner. The International then traveled off the right side of the road, struck a MoDot sign, and came to rest in the ditch. Revelle suffered minor injuries, but chose to seek his own treatment. According to the report both drivers were wearing safety restraints at the time of the accident. The International was removed from the scene by C & C Towing, while the Freightliner was driven from the scene.
Dent County Prosecuting Attorney Andrew Curley has released a number of reports from cases heard in Dent and Crawford County in front of Judge Megan Seay. On Tuesday, February 2nd in Crawford County, Curley reported that Joshua Smith pled guilty for failing to register as a sex offender within three days of his loss of employment. He was convicted as a prior and persistent felony offender and was sentenced to 10 years in the Department of Corrections under Section 559.115 with a shock incarceration of 120 days as requested by the prosecutor. On Friday, February 5th in Dent County, Curley reports that Joshua Benton of Bunker had his probation revoked and his sentence of ten years in the Department of Corrections was executed by Judge Seay. Also on Friday, the sentence hearing was held for Levi Cardwell of Salem. He was on probation for the possession of a controlled substance when he was caught in the law enforcement roundup in January of 2020 for distributing meth to an undercover officer. Prosecutor Curley sought the execution of the previously imposed sentence of seven years. Over the objection of the state, Cardwell was allowed to continue to be on probation with the added condition of drug court. Also over the objection of the state, the defendant was released on jail on his own recognizance. The next case was James Stobbs of Salem who was on probation after his release from a 559.115 program from the beginning of 2020. His probation was revoked and he was sentenced to serve seven years in the Department of Corrections. The next case last Friday was for Sean Rice of Salem who was sentenced to serve seven years in the Department of Corrections. This sentence was requested by the state for receiving stolen property and for the felony possession of a controlled substance. The last case heard Friday before Judge Seay was that of Coren Miles from Bunker. She pled guilty to two counts for the possession of a controlled substance-methamphetamine and was given five years probation supervised by Probation and Parole.
Volunteers for AARP are still conducting free tax filing assistance at the Salem Community Center@ the Armory computer lab if you haven’t already filed your taxes and need help. Appointments for this free tax filing assistance need to be made and the month of February has already been booked. You can still make appointments for all Fridays in March and those will continue every Friday until April 9th. Call the Salem Community Center at 729-8163 to make your appointment. This is the 16th year that Healthy Dent County has partnered with AARP to provide this free tax service to our community. This local service is provided entirely by AARP trained volunteers. The AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers are trained in filing certain tax forms and schedules, including the Form 1040. However, the Volunteer Protection Act requires that the volunteers stay in the scope of the program. If counselors feel they do not have adequate knowledge or your return is too complex, you may need to seek another qualified counselor or paid tax assistance. The Salem Community Center @ the Armory is located at 1200 West Rolla Road.