Local News – Tuesday, November 5th, 2019
The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell said grading only would be done on Dent County Roads 5100, 5105 and 6190 while materials will be added and grading done on county road 5690. He stated brush would be cut on county roads 6400 and 6410. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 2050 and 2070. He also indicated brush would be cut on county road 2300. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles had nothing to report and Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said work on the 2020 county budget continues. She also said the courthouse would be closed on Monday, November 11th for veteran’s Day. County Treasurer Denita Williams reported the 4th quarter payment from the Senior Citizens Funds would be made to the Salem Nutrition Site of $14,250 and to the SMTS bus service for $7,000. Dent County Collector Shannon Van Kirk wanted to let people know that tax bills would be sent out in the mail on Wednesday, November 6. Anyone who wants to pay their tax bill may do so online, by mail, by dropping their payment off in the dropbox on the courthouse lawn, or by coming by the collector’s office during regular business hours, Monday through Friday from 8:00 in the morning until 4:30 in the afternoon. She also wanted to let the citizens of the City of Salem that if they have a nuisance violation fee imposed by the city, they must pay that fee at the City of Salem Administrative offices at the corner of 4th and Iron Streets. On some of the letters sent out by the city, they instruct you to pay the fees at the County Collectors office, but the collecting of specials assessments and fees is not part of their contract with the city for the collection of real estate and personal property taxes. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.
An accident occurred Sunday, November 3rd, shortly after 4:00 in the afternoon in Dent County on Route FF about 4 miles east of Highway 72. According to the report released by the highway patrol, a 2014 Nissan Titan driven by 44-year old David Coleman of St. James, was southbound and swerved to avoid a deer on the roadway. Coleman’s vehicle traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck a fence. Coleman received minor injuries and was taken by a private vehicle to Phelps Health in Rolla for treatment. The Nissan sustained minor damage and was removed from the scene by Ron Dishman’s Towing.
A one vehicle accident happened around 8:30 Sunday evening in Phelps County on Phelps County Road 1210 about four miles north of St. James. According to the highway patrol report, a 2009 Hyundai Elantra driven southbound by 20-year old Nicole Blair of St. James, crossed the centerline. The vehicle then traveled off the left side of the roadway, striking a fence and several trees before overturning. Blair, who was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident, received minor injuries and was transported by St. James Ambulance to Phelps Health in Rolla for treatment. The Hyundai sustained extensive damage and was towed from the scene by Spurgeon’s Towing.
The Salem Police Department has released some reports. On Thursday afternoon, October 24th at about 3:06, an officer transported a 54-year-old male of Rolla, to the New Hope Mental Facility in Sullivan due to a mental commitment order. The next evening near 9:45, an officer located a 25-year-old male of Salem in the 100 block of East Third Street who had an active arrest warrant from Phelps County. The suspect was taken into custody on the warrant and incarcerated pending extradition. on Monday, October 28th at approximately 2:42 in the afternoon, an officer was contacted at the Salem Police Department in reference to stolen checks. The investigation of the report revealed that a female suspect had taken two checks, forged them and then cashed them for a total of $320.00. The report is under investigation. Please contact the Salem Police Department at 729-4242 if you have any information regarding an ongoing investigation.
Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation shows that hunters checked 1,952 turkeys during Missouri’s fall firearms turkey season, October 1st through the 31st. Top harvest counties were Crawford and Greene with 61 birds harvested in each, followed by Laclede with 59, and Phelps with 58. Forty nine birds were harvested in Dent County. Hunters harvested 2,170 birds during the 2018 fall firearms turkey season. A wet spring and flooding during the spring and summer created challenging nesting conditions across much of the state and contributed to below average production throughout much of the state. Fall archery turkey hunting continues through November 15th then resumes on the 27th and continues through January 15th.
Congratulations to the students who represented the Salem High School Band in the 2019 District Bands on Saturday November 2. Those students were Martin Jones as the 1st Chair Contra Clarinet, Christopher McSwain as the 9th Chair Trumpet, Johnathan Stark as the 10th Chair Trumpet, Toby Hutto as the 7th Chair Clarinet and Christopher Harris as the 2nd Chair Baritone. Congratulations Tigers!