Local News – Monday, October 16th, 2023
An accident happened in Texas County Saturday evening around 6:35 on Highway 32 about two miles west of Licking. According to the highway patrol report, a 2017 Jeep Wrangler driven westbound by 53-year-old Regina Vestal of Licking, went off the left side of the roadway and she overcorrected. The Jeep then went off the right side of the roadway, hit a fence and overturned, ejecting Vestal from the Jeep. Vestal suffered serious injuries and was taken by ambulance to the Mercy Hospital in Springfield. Vestal as not wearing a seat restraint at time of the accident. The highway patrol was assisted at the scene by the Licking Fire Department and the Texas County Sheriff’s Department.
Two Edgar Springs residents were injured in an accident that occurred Friday evening at 7:15 in Jefferson County on Route Y near Wilson Place. According to the highway patrol report, a 2003 Chrysler Voyager being driven by 66-year-old Chris Whitley of Edgar Springs, was traveling southbound when he failed to negotiate a curve. The Chrysler traveled off the left side of the roadway, when Whitley overcorrected, causing the vehicle to overturn. Chris Whitley and a passenger, 62-year-old Tesha Dannis, also of Edgar Springs, both suffered moderate injuries and were both taken by Valle Ambulance District to the Mercy Hospital in Jefferson County. The Chrysler sustained extensive damage and was towed from the scene by Shank’s Towing. Both occupants were wearing seat restraints at the time of the accident.
Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation shows that hunters harvested 16,575 deer during the state’s new firearms early antlerless portion of deer season, October 6th through the 8th. The top-three harvest counties were Franklin with 489 deer harvested, Howell with 454, and Ripley with 437. With deer numbers being at desired levels in most counties but continuing to increase, additional antlerless harvest is needed to stabilize the deer population. The goal of the new firearms early antlerless portion is to help increase antlerless deer harvest prior to the November portion of firearms season when many hunters focus on harvesting bucks. The timing of the early antlerless portion was chosen to provide hunting opportunity when weather conditions are usually favorable and to minimize conflicts with archery hunters, who hunt most in late October and early November. Deer hunting in Missouri continues with archery hunting through November 10th and again November 22nd through January 15th, 2024. Get more information on deer hunting from MDC’s 2023 Fall Deer & Turkey Regulations and Information booklet, available where permits are sold and online at mdc.mo.gov.
The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors will hold their regular meeting at 6:00 in the hospital library Tuesday evening. Interim Administrator Jason Edwards will give his report before the board hears the summary of operations for the month of September as well as statistics for the month. They will also hear about the 340B program, hear the Chief Nursing Officer report, be updated on Human Resources, and receive a report on the hospital foundation. In old business, the board will discuss both state and matching fund updates for needed capital improvements, strategic planning, a long range capital plan, and discuss the finance committee dates. New business to be discussed include the holiday board meeting dates and revenue cycle updates. The board may then vote to go into closed session. The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors meeting is open to the public.
The community of Salem is invited to attend a volunteer meeting at the Bonebrake Center of Nature and History this Wednesday evening. What interests you? What would you like to see offered at the Bonebrake Center? What skills can you share with us? They would like to match up those skills with the Center’s needs. If you have an interest in art, music, cultural history, nature, science or almost anything else, and can spare even one or two days a year, they would love to hear from you. Imagine what we could all do, together! The Bonebrake Center is located at 601 North Hickory St at Rolla Road. For more information, contact moonshadowmomentsllc@gmail.com or call 573-546-2450 and leave a message.