Local News – Tuesday, March 3rd, 2020
The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. Congressman Jason Smith was in to absentee vote in the March and April elections and stopped in to visit. Deloris Gray Wood from the Dent County Historical Society was in to remind the commissioners of the celebration of 150th anniversary of the signing of the contract to construct the courthouse on March 30th at 4:00. There will be cake and water served and the event will be held outside the courthouse, weather permitting. A representative of Senator Blunt was also in attendance and said the senator is working on the transportation infrastructure bill and health care bill. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell said brush was being cut on Dent County Road 6620 and chip and seal repair was being done on county road 4180. Purcell said maintenance was being performed on county trucks #57 and #119, plus the 430 Cat backhoe. He also said workers were finishing up repairing the bucket on the Cat 924 loader. Purcell did say if there was time some workers may get out to check and clean out some crossover pipes. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said brush would be cut on county roads 2320 and 2330, while materials would be hauled to Dent County Roads 3120 and 3280. He said chip and seal repairs would be made to various chip and seal roads. Larson said his crew would be working on county truck #115 and that brush cutter #16 is out with a flat. He also said maintenance was being done in the shop. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles wanted to congratulate former Missouri State Highway Trooper Ron Copeland on his retirement after serving 28 years on the force. Copeland will be traveling to Jefferson City to sign up to run for the 143rd State Representative Seat. Skiles also said he would be attending the Meramec Community Enhancement Board meeting Tuesday. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said absentee voting continues for the March 10th and April 7th elections and the last day to register to vote in the April election will be March 11th. The commissioners decided to put out bids for grader blades and those bids would need to be submitted by 10:00 March 19th. The next meeting of the dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.
A fatality accident occurred at 5:06 Monday morning in Phelps County on Highway 63 approximately 300 feet north of County Road 8010. According to the highway patrol report, a northbound 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer, driven by 61-year-old Charles Faulkner of Vichy, attempted to make a U-turn and was struck by a northbound 2001 Chevrolet Silverado driven by 59-year-old James Lutz of Rolla. Faulkner was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:50 by Phelps County Coroner Andy Davis. Faulkner was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident and the body was taken to Null and Son Funeral Home in Rolla. Suffering moderate injuries in the accident were Lutz and an occupant of the Silverado, 24-year-old Tanisha Reed of Rolla. Both were transported by ambulance to Phelps Health in Rolla. The report stated that Reed was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident while Lutz was not. Both vehicles sustained extensive damage and were removed from the scene by Ron Dishman’s Towing.
The Salem Cosmopolitan Club will hold their 69th Variety Show and Miss Salem Competition this Saturday, March 7th at the Salem City Hall Auditorium starting at 7:00. There will be nine girls vying for the title of Miss Salem at the show and they are Trinity Gorman sponsored by T. Fulton Construction, Ceceilia Reed sponsored by Salem Truss, Cheyanna Click sponsored by Salem Publishing Company, Inc., Emma Southards sponsored by Main Street Café, Harmony Alexander Sponsored by McDonalds, Brecklyn Holtz sponsored by Country Mart Pharmacy, Jainey Pettus sponsored by Riverways Federal Credit Union, MacKensie Thompson sponsored by Lake Road Steel and Cheyenne Roderman sponsored by Elwood Real Estate. David Massengale will be the emcee for the event that will also feature the talents of dancers from Linda Maledy’s Academy of Dance, plus performances by Rachel Privett and Friends, Neely and Noah Leathers, and the Salem Upper Elementary 5th grade teachers and friends. Judges from South Central Missouri will determine this year’s Miss Salem as well as the first and second runner-ups. The girls will vote on the Miss Personality title. The 2019 Miss Salem, Lauren Grogan, will crown the new Miss Salem at the event.