Local News – Tuesday, July 23rd, 2019

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning for their regular meeting at the Dent County Courthouse. Terry Cunningham was in attendance representing the LAD Foundation and wanted to let the Commission know that they are in support of the ban of not allowing hunters to shoot feral hogs in the Mark Twain National Forest. He said the ban would create a collaborative effort with the National Forest and Missouri Department of Conservation to trap the feral hogs. He said the Pioneer Forest and LAD Foundation have six of their own traps and over the years have killed over 200 feral hogs without the use of hunters. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said that everyone here is on the same side in the attempt to eradicate the hogs. He read the letter the commission is sending to the Forest Supervisor of the Mark Twain National Forest that states the Dent County Commission opposes the ban of hunting feral hogs on the national forest land “without provisions allowing landowners adjoining the National Forest to take whatever measures necessary, including hunting and shooting feral hogs that are destroying their property.” Skiles states in the letter that the commissioners commend the efforts of the state and federal agencies in working toward a goal of eradicating feral hogs. They also need to somehow include in this effort the individual landowner adjacent to that property. Cunningham acknowledged that is a concern of which there is no easy solution and thanked the commission for allowing him to speak at the meeting. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell said his district received over 4.5 inches of rain Sunday night into Monday and crews would be out checking roads for washouts, do patch grading where needed and look for downed trees and limbs. He mentioned brush would be cut on county road 4080 and a man would be going to Springfield to get oil for chip and seal road repairs. Purcell also reported that shipments of trap rock for the chip and seal overlay continues to be stockpiled at the shop. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson stated his crews would also be out checking for washouts in his district as well. He said two men would be hauling and stockpiling rock and another crew would be putting in new bearings in the brush cutter. Commissioner Skiles said he would be attending a CCAM board meeting Wednesday where they will start planning for the commissioner’ annual training that occurs in February. Collector Shannon VanKirk brought in the real estate and personal property tax collection agreement with the City of Salem that pays the county $12,000 and the collector $5,500 each year for their services. The contract was retroactive to the first Monday in March and will expire on February 28th, 2023 which coincides with the term of the county collector. All the commissioners, the collector, clerk and treasurer signed the agreement. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and it is open to the public.

The 2019 4-H and FFA Expo kicked off early Friday morning at 7:00 with the hog show with seven classes of market hogs. Class 1 winner was Bailey Martin with a 238 pound barrow, class 2 winner was Katarina Morris with a 240 pound hog and class 3 was won by Preslie Strader’s 258 pound hog. Class 4 was won by Isaac Westerman with a 266 pound hog, Class 5 winner was Bryce Martin’s hog, Class 6 winner was Wyatt Martin with a 300 pound hog and Class 7 was won by Riley Case with a 315 pound hog. Judge Abby Distler from Russellville, Missouri selected Preslie Strader’s hog as Grand Champion and Bailey Martin’s as Reserve Champion. A lightweight class of market hogs was won by Alexis Black with a 203 pound pig. Breeding class gilt winners were Nathan Williams, Kennedy Major, Corbett Ball and Wyatt Martin. Martin’s Gilt won Champion Crossbred and Champion Commercial Gilt, while Corbett Ball’s gilt won both the Reserve Champion Crossbred and Reserve Champion Commercial Gilt. Judge Distler selected Bailey Martin as Senior Showmanship Champion, Landon Cook as Intermediate Showman and Wyatt Dunlap was tapped as the Junior Showmanship winner.

The morning judging at the Expo on Friday wound down with the small animal show, which started at 11:00. Judge Brad Buttram from Hollister, Missouri selected Isaac White’s Market Meat Chicken Pen as Grand Champion and Aaron White’s as Reserve. Grand Champion Market Meat Rabbit Pen went to Zeph Kunkel and Connor Montoya won Reserve Champion. Both Champion Buck Rabbit and Champion Doe Rabbit went to Alexis Rogers. Rogers also won Champion Cockerel, while Colton Lerma had the Reserve Champion. Colton Lerma also exhibited the Champion Pullet and the Reserve went to Caleb Lerma. Champion Poultry Pair went to Colter Lerma and Caleb Lerma won Reserve. Poultry Showmanship winners selected were Caleb Lerma in the senior division, Alexis Rogers as intermediate and Aaron White as Junior showman. Rabbit Showmanship awards went to Intermediate Alexis Rogers and Junior Charlee Duncan.