Local News – Tuesday, August 29th, 2023

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning for their regular meeting at the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray indicated grading was going to be done on Dent County Roads 6430 and 6435, and rock will be added if needed. He said brush would be cut on county road 6370 and a crew will be out trimming trees on Dent County Roads 5140 and 4160. Mobray said a man went to Springfield to get oil for chip and seal repair. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk reported that his crew would be installing six 40-foot, 42-inch culverts on Dent County Road 3220, also known as the Golf Course Road. Once installed the culverts will be concreted in. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said the Missouri Department of Natural Resources is now accepting applications for the Land and Water Conservation Fund recreational grants for any political subdivision including local governments, cities, counties and public schools. Matching funds are required for one-half the amount of the project. Matching funds can be in the form of cash, donations or in-kind assistance. The maximum amount for any application will be $500,000 with the minimum amount of $25,000. The deadline to submit an application is November 15th. If any entity has the application in before October 11th, a courtesy review of their application will be offered. For more information, please contact the Meramec Regional Planning Commission at 573-265-2993. Larson also said the road to The Commons would be trimmed up before the weekend in preparation of the Labor Day Weekend Rodeo. Madison Baker from Jason Smith’s office was in and said Congressman Smith would doing his farm tour again this year by visiting 15 counties in three days. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

An accident happened Sunday afternoon at 5:00 in Texas County on Strawberry Road about six miles north of Houston. According to the highway patrol report, a 2003 Honda Rancher being operated by 25-year-old Braxton Haaland of Licking and heading eastbound, crossed the center line of the roadway and struck a 2003 Ford Expedition being driven westbound by 27- year-old Heather Dinwiddie of Plato. Haaland suffered minor injuries and was transported by a private vehicle to the Texas County Memorial Hospital. Both vehicles sustained minor damage and were both able to be driven from the scene. The report went on to state that Haaland was not wearing safety equipment at the time of the accident.

The Missouri Department of Conservation reminds deer hunters of regulation changes for the upcoming 2023-2024 deer-hunting season. The changes include a new firearms early antlerless portion, a new firearms CWD portion, changes to firearms antlerless permit numbers, and the addition of 14 new counties to the MDC CWD Management Zone. The changes to deer hunting regulations for the 2023-2024 deer season were motivated by increasing deer numbers throughout much of Missouri and in response to changes in the distribution of chronic wasting disease in the state. Because higher deer densities can increase the rate of CWD spread, additional deer harvest in the CWD Management Zone is needed to prevent further increases in deer numbers and help minimize the spread of the disease. Archery Deer and Turkey Hunting will run September 15th through November 10th and resume November 22ndthrough January 15th, 2024. Firearms Deer Hunting will feature a new Firearms Early Antlerless Portion that will run October 6th through the 8th in open counties. The Firearms Early Youth Portion is October 28th through the 29th. November firearms Portion November 11th through the 21st. New this year will be a Firearms CWD Portion November 22nd through the 26th in open counties. The Firearms Late Youth Portion November 24th through the November 26th. Firearms Late Antlerless Portion will be December 2nd through December 10th in open counties and the Firearms Alternative Methods Portion December 23rd 2023 through January 2nd, 2024. Get more information on regulation changes and other details for deer hunting from MDC’s 2023 Fall Deer & Turkey Regulations and Information booklet, available where permits are sold and online at mdc.mo.gov.

An accident happened Monday morning just after 6:00 in Phelps County at 20279 Highway 8. According to the highway patrol report, a 2012 Honda CRV being driven eastbound by 61-year-old Cynthia Brady of Jefferson City, traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck a fence. Brady, who was wearing a seat restraint, suffered moderate injuries and was taken by the St. James Ambulance to Phelps Health hospital for treatment. The Honda was totaled and removed from the scene by Spurgeons Towing.