Local News – Tuesday, June 5th, 2018

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell stated Montauk State Park received five inches of rain on Thursday evening in just under an hour and a half and another 2.5 inches on Saturday afternoon. Road crews had to address damages to the roads around and to the park. After the Saturday rain, Dent County Road 6600 sustained extensive damage as the road and road base eroded causing a hole of about 30 feet wide and 20 or so feet deep, totally washing out the road. Road crews from both districts put 26 truckloads of gravel in the crevice to make the road passable. Crews were continuing to work on washouts throughout both districts. Purcell said that regular grading schedule for the county has been postponed as the crews continue their emergency repairs. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson reported materials would be added and grading would be done on Dent County Road 2510 while materials will be added and patch grading done on county road 2120. Grading is also going to be done on Dent County Road 4430. Larson said grader #27 was being worked on with a hydraulic line that blew out. Larson went on to say that a man would be patching pot holes on chip and seal roads with the ultimate paving material. Larson again wanted to remind everyone to be patient as the county continues to address emergency road situations before their normal grading schedule can be addressed. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he attended an MRPC Investment Committee meeting Friday to discuss the fee structure that member cities and counties will need to pay to the MRPC. The committee will make their recommendation to the entire MRPC Board. Skiles also said the time is now for all entities involved to review the draft of the Hazard Mitigation Plan for Dent County and make their comments by June 13th. It is also imperative the entities involved in the program, which includes the schools, need to submit a record of the time they have put in reviewing the plan to MRPC. This will help reduce the cost of the plan to the county. That information needs to be submitted as quickly as possible. For more information, people or entities can contact Ryan Dunwoody at 265-2993. The commission received one carpet bid for the courthouse courtroom and adjacent areas and elected not to open the bid. Instead they elected to re-bid the project and extend the deadline to June 24th at 10:00. The county did receive three bids for the installation of the windows on the 3rd floor of the courthouse. The county selected the bid from Armin Scheller of Restoration Services for $10,750.00. Kendra Mobray from the Dent County Health Center was in to make a presentation to the commission to get a resolution that would allow the health center to become part of the St. Louis County’s Prescription Drug Monitoring Program. The commission voted to approve moving forward to join the program as it applies to Schedule 2 through 5 narcotic prescriptions at an annual cost of $264.10. A resolution to that effect will be presented at the next commissioner meeting that will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse it will be open to the public.

The Salem Police Department has released the following reports. On Thursday evening, May 24th, at about 8:24, an officer was dispatched to a residence in the 700 block of West First Street in reference to a domestic disturbance. The investigation of the report revealed that a 45-year old male of Salem had assaulted a 20-year old female of Salem. Further investigation led to the arrest of the suspect who was incarcerated pending the application for a warrant. Later that night at approximately 10:26, an officer was dispatched to Wal-Mart in reference to a shoplifter. That investigation led to the arrest of a 41-year old male of Salem for stealing merchandise valued at $22.47. The suspect was issued a summons to appear in court and released. Then on Friday morning, May 25th, at about 8:26 an officer was dispatched to a residence in the 100 block of North Pershing Street in reference to a theft. The investigation of the report revealed a person or persons unknown took a push type lawn mower valued at $300.00. The report is under investigation. That afternoon at approximately 2:00, an officer was dispatched to a residence in the 600 block of South Hickory Street in reference to a theft from a vehicle. The investigation of the report revealed that a person or persons unknown took a Stihl weed eater valued at $329.00 from the back of a truck. The report is under investigation. Please contact the Salem Police Department at 729-4242 if you have information regarding an ongoing investigation.

An accident happened in Crawford County on Highway 8 just east of Eagle Hurst Road at 4:15 Sunday afternoon. According to the highway patrol report, a 2010 Ford Fusion driven eastbound by 22-year old Cody Miller of St. James was slowing to turn into a driveway when the Ford was struck from behind by a 2018 Ford Mustang by 21-year old Bennett Covington of Cadet, Missouri. Suffering minor injuries was 36-year old Tara Martin of St. James who was a passenger in the Fusion. She was taken by the Steelville Ambulance to the Phelps County Regional Medical Center in Rolla. Everyone involved in the accident was wearing seat restraints. The Ford Mustang was totaled and the Fusion sustained extensive damage. Both vehicles were removed from the scene by Miles and Sons Towing of Steelville.