Local News – Tuesday, May 7th, 2019
The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning for their regular meeting. City of Salem Economic Development Director Sally Burbridge reported on some new economic prospects interested in Salem and Dent County as well as updated the Commission on some of the ongoing projects she is still working on. Burbridge told the commissioners that there are currently 27 buildings listed along with 16 different sites or land. She updated the commission on the City of Salem Facebook page and told the commission the next economic development workshop would be held May 30th at 5:30 at the Dent County Firehouse. She said the city is still waiting to hear on the Workforce Training Initiative Grant that was submitted along with the R-80 School and Healthy Dent County. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell indicated that materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 5220, 5610 and 6580 and also on county road 5615 if time permitted. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 4060 and 5330, while only grading would be done on county roads 2510, 2520 and 3330. Larson also said brush was going to be cut on county road 3090. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said the gazebo rails have all now been repaired and he would be attending the Central Region Workforce Investment Board and Caucus today. City Attorney William Camm Seay came in to apologize for a statement he had made at a previous meeting regarding the promise of an elevator in the courthouse during the election by Commissioner Skiles when in reality, Skiles said the commission was exploring their options on the elevator. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting was open to the public.
An accident happened in Miller County Monday morning at 7:25 on Highway 42 approximately 1979 feet east of the Mill Creek Road that left a Bunker man with injuries. According to the highway patrol report, a 1991 Chevrolet 2500 driven eastbound by 47-year old Donnie Jones of Bunker, came to sudden stop in the roadway. At that moment, a 2004 Ford F-150 driven eastbound by 74-year old William Monfort of Eldon, who was following the Chevy, traveled off the right side of the road to avoid striking the Chevy. However, the Jones vehicle made a right turn off the road and into the path of the 2004 Ford F-150 resulting in a collision. Suffering minor injuries was a passenger in the Chevrolet, 57-year old Barry Houston of Bunker, and he was taken by ambulance to the Lake Regional Hospital in Osage Beach. Everyone involved in the accident was wearing a seat restraint. The Ford sustained moderate damage and was driven from the scene while the Chevrolet also sustained moderate damage and was removed from the location by Hi-Tech Towing.
Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation shows that turkey hunters checked 36,231 birds during Missouri’s 2019 regular spring turkey season, April 15th through May 5th. Top harvest counties were Franklin with 785 birds checked, Texas with 729, and Callaway with 672. Young turkey hunters harvested 2,546 birds during the 2019 spring youth season, April 6-7, bringing the overall 2019 spring turkey harvest to 38,777. Harvested birds from surrounding counties include Crawford with 495, Dent with 639, Iron with 199,Phelps with 638, Reynolds with 236 and Shannon with 394. Last year, young turkey hunters harvested 1,729 birds during the spring youth season and hunters harvested 34,072 during the regular spring season for a 2018 spring season total harvest of 35,801 birds.
Local schools and young children are invited to Montauk State Park to get a sneak peek of the park’s Old Mill Days celebration on Friday, May 10th from 9:00 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon before the celebration opens to the public the next day. Student participants will have the opportunity to explore hands-on historical skills and other activities. On Saturday, May 11th from 9 in the morning until 4:00 in the afternoon, the public is invited to step back in time and explore some of the lost historical skills and traditions from a time many have forgotten. The annual celebration will bring the valley to life with historical re-enactors, traditional artisans and other local Ozark crafters to celebrate the historic mill and the region’s rich Ozark heritage. Montauk State Park is located at 345 County Road 6670 in Salem. For more information about the event, call the park at 573-548-2225.