Local News – Tuesday, May 7th, 2024

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning for their regular meeting. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray said rock was being added and spread out on Dent County Road 5080 in preparation for chip and seal. He said a crew is adding a speed limit sign on county road 6040 to replace one that is missing. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk said if it is dry enough, rock was being added and grading done on county road 4060 while only rock was being added to county road 5310. He said brush was being cut on county roads 4030 and 4040. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson wanted to report that the Department of Natural Resources is offering non-playground Scrap Tire Material Grants for running tracks, walking trails, equine/livestock stalls/riding areas or similar types of surfacing projects or molded products. Approximately $400,000 is available for the cost, delivery and vendor installation of scrap tire surface material. Grant recipients may be eligible to receive up to $50,000. There are also Playground Scrap Tire Surface Material Grants available. There is approximately $600,000 available for the cost, delivery and vendor installation of scrap tire surface material for playgrounds only. Grant recipients that are requesting mats/tiles or pour-in-place surface material will be eligible to receive up to $40,000. To find out more or see if your organization is eligible to apply, go to dnr.mo.gov and type in “Tire Recycling Grant” in the search bar. The commission approved the purchase of a new “Road Groomer” made by Road Groomer for $23,106.00. This machine can be pulled behind a truck or tractor and will repair washboard and other rough roads. It is 11-feet wide and can grind up to 60 miles of road per day. Since the “Road Groomer” is only made by this one manufacturer, no bids were sought. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said her office balanced with the assessor and collector on all collections, add-ons and abatements for the month of April. She also said the courthouse would be closed Wednesday for Truman’s Birthday and also on Memorial Day. At the last meeting, the commission appointed Derrick Martin as the Dent County representative for the Meramec Regional Local Emergency Management District. The next meeting of the commission will be Thursday at 9:00 at the courthouse and it is open to the public.

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation shows turkey hunters checked 43,380 birds during Missouri’s 2024 regular spring turkey season, April 15th through May 5th. Top harvest counties for the regular season were Franklin with 940 birds harvested, Callaway with 822, and Texas with 780. Other top counties in our area include Phelps with 739 turkeys checked, Dent County hunters harvested 597 birds, Shannon County had 364 turkeys harvested, Reynolds had 221 turkeys checked and Iron finished with 190 turkeys checked. Young turkey hunters also harvested 3,739 turkeys over the youth weekend, April 6th and 7th, bringing the overall 2024 spring turkey harvest to 47,119. According to MDC, that is a 6-percent increase in total harvest from 2023 and a 20-percent increase in total harvest compared to the previous five-year average. The ability to hunt all day on private land may have had a role in this increase. Successively better hatches starting in 2021 meant there were also likely more turkeys on the landscape as well. Last year, young turkey hunters harvested 2,566 turkeys over the spring youth season and hunters harvested 41,977 during the regular spring season for a 2023 spring season total harvest of 44,543. For more information about turkey hunting in Missouri, visit MDC online at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov.

Join Danielle Norris Friday evening May 10th from 5:30-7:30 for Mommy & Me “This or That” kids paint party. Bring your little ones and come paint a picture just in time for Mothers Day!! You have a choice of two pics to choose from! When complete, your painting will line up with your kiddos and become one! (painting can also be done as a single ) This activity is also perfect for grandmothers and grand kids! You will be taken step by step through the whole process and all supplies are provided. What a special gift for any mom! Cost is $20 for adults and $5 for kiddos attending with an adult. For kiddos attending alone it’s $10.Children under 5 must have an adult present. There needs to be a Minimum of 6 and a Maximum of 20 attendees. Class registrations are on a first come, first serve basis with online registrations.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol would like to remind the public that driver examination stations throughout the state will be closed on Wednesday, May 8th, in observance of Harry S Truman’s birthday. Normal operations will resume on Thursday, May 9th. They will also be closed on Monday, May 27th, in observance of Memorial Day. Normal operations will then resume on Tuesday, May 28th.