Local News – Tuesday, June 27th, 2023

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the courthouse for their regular meeting. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said work crews were installing new culverts on Dent County Road 5850 in preparation for that road to be chip and sealed next year. Mobray said he sent a man to Springfield to get oil for chip and seal repairs that will be made to many of the roads prior to them getting re-chipped beginning Wednesday. Mobray also stated he has a man with the loader piling the chips being delivered to the county shed that will be used for the chip and seal work. He went on to report the brush cutter is out cutting brush along the edges of the roads that are to be getting the new coating of chip and seal. In District 2, Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson gave that report and said work crews were installing new driveway pipes, adding materials and grading Dent County Road 2070 in preparation for it to be chip and sealed Wednesday. In the Presiding Commissioner report, Larson said the draft fiscal year 2024-2028 Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) 30-day public review and comment period is underway. The draft fiscal year 2024-2028 STIP lists transportation projects planned by state and regional planning agencies for fiscal years 2024-2028 (July 1, 2023 – June 30, 2028) and reflects the transportation needs of communities across the state. The STIP program is available on the MoDOT website: www.modot.org. Those interested in offering comments can send an email to STIPcomments@modot.mo.gov or can call customer service at 1-888-275-6636. The formal comment period ends July 6th. After the public review period, the comments will be presented to the Commission. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said the Dent County Board of Equalization will be meeting July 17th at 1:00 at the courthouse and they now have three appointments. Curley said she wants to remind businesses in the county that sell alcohol that they must purchase their annual County Liquor License by Friday, June 30th. She said there are six businesses that have not yet done so. Dent County Collector Shannon VanKirk also wants to remind those people who still have delinquent Real Estate taxes from 2020 that you will need to pay them IN FULL by THIS FRIDAY during regular business hours from 8:00 in the morning until 4:30 in the afternoon. If you fail to do so, then on July 1st, the taxes for the tax years 2020, 2021 and 2022 will be declared due by Friday, August 25th. If not paid by then, your parcel will be sold at the Delinquent Tax Sale that will be held on Monday, August 28th. The next meeting of the commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting will be open to the public.

Malachi Antle of Licking, a 2023 graduate of Licking High School, is one of four students in Missouri to win the 27th annual Project 21 Scholarship competition sponsored by the Missouri Gaming Association, the professional organization representing casino operators in Missouri. The Missouri Gaming Association awards one $2,500 scholarship and three $1,500 scholarships each year. As the first place winner, Antle will receive a $2,500 scholarship towards tuition at the State Fair Community College, where he plans to study to become either a physical education or history teacher. Antle’s winning essay titled “Under-Age Gambling” discusses how the accessibility of electronic gambling has led to a rise in youth gambling. Antle also designed a poster titled “Effects of Under-Age Gambling” that was displayed at school to bring awareness to his peers. The students were asked to create an essay/article, poster or video aimed at educating their peers about the illegality and dangers of underage gambling. The entries were published or viewed in the students’ high schools in January or February to help educate other students. The Project 21 Scholarship was developed to educate young people about the issues and dangers of underage gambling. In Missouri, it’s illegal for persons under the age of 21 to gamble in a casino. The competition is open to all Missouri high school seniors planning to attend an institution of higher education in the United States within four years of graduation. The scholarships are jointly issued to the winners and the accredited institutions of higher education they select.

The Salem Public Library invites everyone to come by the library on Wednesday and make your own greeting card! Supplies will be provided and the event will be held at the Library Conference Room where you can stop by anytime between 10:00 in the morning until 4:30 in the afternoon. Be creative with your greeting card and bring a friend to share the fun! The event is free and no library card is needed. The library is located at 403 North Jackson. For more information, call 729-4331.

An accident happened Friday afternoon just before 1:45 in Crawford County on Mound Ridge Road about eight miles east of Steelville. According to the highway patrol report, a 2007 Chevrolet Trailblazer being driven north by 19- year-old Landon Henry of St. James, traveled off the right side of the roadway. Henry then over corrected and traveled off the left side of the roadway then striking an embankment and overturning before coming to rest partially in the roadway. Henry and a passenger, 19-year-old Cole Henry, also of St. James, were transported by the Steelville EMS to Phelps Health Hospital for treatment of minor injuries. The Trailblazer was totaled and removed from the scene by Miles and Sons Towing.

The Salem Area Chamber of Commerce and the City of Salem will be presenting this year’s Independence Day Parade at 6:00 on July 4th starting at the SBU-Salem Campus at the corner of South Grand and Franklin. The parade will head east on Franklin, then travel north on MacArthur to 4th Street where the parade will go east again and wind up around the Dent County Courthouse. The Grand Marshall this year is Keith Steelman. Entry forms for floats, classic vehicles, tractors, walking delegations and other entries are now available at the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce office in the Crossroads Shopping Center at the corner of Highways 32-72 and 19. Entry forms need to be submitted by June 30th and all those who plan to have an entry in the parade need to have read and understand the rules and regulations. For more information or to have an entry form sent to you, please call Tabitha Utley at 729-6900.