Local News – Tuesday, November 28th, 2023

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning for their regular meeting at the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray stated materials would be added and grading would be done on Dent County Road 2490, while only grading would be done on county roads 5220 and 6400. Mobray also said brush would be cut on county road 2400. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk reported materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 5240, while only grading would be done on county roads 2110 and 2120. Polk said brush would be cut on county roads 3190 and 3220 and the grader blade is being changed on Grader #41. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said all three commissioners, the county treasurer, the county clerk and county assessor all attended the MAC Conference last week at the Lake of the Ozarks. There were good discussions on the distribution of the opioid settlement as well as on Senate Bill 190 among other topics. Overall, Larson felt the conference was very informative and went very well. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she balanced with the county treasurer on all accounts for the month of October. She also reported she was elected to the MAC board as the representative of District 16. Curley wanted to remind those candidates who are wanting to run for a position during the Municipal Election in April that you will need to file at the office of the particular political subdivision you wish to be elected beginning December 5th, with filing continuing through December 26th. So if you want to run for the school board, you would file at the school district office; if you want to run for a city office, you would file at the city administration building, etc. Curley also said the 2024 county budget hearing would be January 29th at 10:00 at the courthouse. Tentative 2024 county budgets will be available to the public after 10:00 on January 18th at the county clerk’s office. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams presented the CART money received by the county this month. Williams said the county received $84,769.38 this month and that is up $13,031.46 from the November funds received in 2022 of $71,737.92. Year-to-date, the CART Funds are up $116,986.56 from last year or about a 15.9% increase. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning and it will be open to the public.

Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation shows that deer hunters in Missouri harvested 193,669 deer during the November portion of firearms deer season, November 11th through the 21st. Of the 193,669 deer harvested, 105,614 were antlered bucks, 16,081 were button bucks, and 71,974 were does. Top harvest counties statewide were Franklin with 4,289 deer harvested, Texas with 4,208, and Howell with 3,749. Top counties in our area include Dent County with 2,621 deer harvested, Reynolds County had 2,023 deer taken, Phelps hunters took 1,937 deer, and Iron County saw 1,400 deer taken. This year’s harvest total was 3% lower than last year and 2% higher than the previous five-year average. Deer hunting continues in Missouri with archery deer hunting resuming through January 15th, 2024. The late antlerless portion of firearms deer season will run December 2nd through December 10th in open counties, and the alternative methods portion will occur December 23rd through January 2nd, 2024. Get more information on Missouri deer hunting from MDC’s 2023 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet, available where hunting permits are sold and online at mdc.mo.gov.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports four people died in traffic crashes during this year’s Thanksgiving holiday counting period that started Wednesday evening, November 22nd at 6:00 and lasted through 11:59 Sunday night, November 26th. There were no boating crashes or drownings. During the Thanksgiving holiday counting period, troopers reported there were 431 traffic crashes resulting in 138 injuries and 4 fatalities. There were 103 DWI and 10 drug arrests. During the 2022 Thanksgiving holiday counting period, troopers investigated 414 traffic crashes, which included eight fatalities and 115 injuries. Statewide, 9 people died, and 482 people were injured in 1,355 traffic crashes over last year’s Thanksgiving holiday. Troopers arrested 113 people for DWI during the 2022 Thanksgiving holiday counting period.

The Salem Board of Alderman will be meeting tonight at 6:00 at the City Hall Council Chambers. After they approve the consent agenda, the board will discuss a public comment policy at alderman meetings, and hear the financial report from Finance Director Stacey Houston. In old business, the board will discuss the recommendation made by the Planning and Zoning Board to deny a request for a conditional use permit at 1509 South Louise Street. The board will then hear the first reading of Bill #3578 that would change the Community Services Committee to the Community Involvement Committee for the City of Salem. The board will hear the second reading of Bill #3578 officially changing the names of the streets in the Master’s Industrial Park for recording purposes. After the reports from the city officials, the board will go into closed session to discuss personnel and contracts. The meeting tonight is open to the public.