Local News – Tuesday, October 1st, 2019
The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning for their regular meeting at the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell reported that his crew would be pouring concrete on the low water crossing on Dent County Road 6580 over Pigeon Creek. The work will be done in two phases with the walls and abutments being poured first. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson stated grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2400, 2115 and 6160, while materials would be added and grading done on county road 2110. He went on to report the correct starter for Loader #3 has arrived and that will be installed, plus brush would be cut on Dent County Road 3330. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he would be attending the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District Executive Board meeting to finish scoring the waste reduction and recycling grant applications and then awarding those grants. Skiles said the requests totaled $295,275.07 and the District has approximately $193,000 to award. At 10:00, the commission opened bids for the oil changes to be done for for the Dent County Sheriff’s Department vehicles. There were two bids received: one from Whitakers Auto for $47.50 per vehicle and the other from American Muffler for $40.80 per vehicle. The commission approved going with the low bid from American Muffler and that contract would begin October 1st. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.
An accident occurred at about 5:45 Monday morning on Highway 32 about five miles west of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, a 2006 Mack Trash Truck, operated by 52-year old Gary Mink of Graff, Missouri, traveled off the right side of the road striking some landscape items and a 1999 Ford Crown Victoria. Mink suffered moderate injuries and was transported by EMS to Salem Memorial District Hospital. The report stated that he was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Ford was totaled and the Mack sustained extensive damage. Both vehicles were removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing.
An accident occurred Saturday afternoon about 12:10 in Shannon on Highway 19 about one mile south of Winona. According to the highway patrol report, a 1997 Ford Pickup, driven by 52- year old James Fears of Doe Run, Missouri, traveled off the right side of the roadway, where Fears overcorrected causing the Ford to travel off the left side of the roadway where it overturned. Both Fears and a passenger, 61- year old Dale Weber of Winona, were ejected from the vehicle. Both were pronounced deceased by Dr. Fraizier at St. Francis Mercy Emergency Room. At that time, both bodies were transported to Yarber Mortuary in Mountain View. The Ford was totaled and removed from the scene by Baker’s Towing.
The monthly meeting of the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission will be held Wednesday, October 2nd at Echo Bluff State Park located at 34489 Echo Bluff Drive south of Salem and north of Eminence. The meeting will begin at 10:00 a.m. and is open to the public and media. The Commission is a six-member bipartisan board that guides the Missouri Department of Transportation. Commission members are appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Missouri Senate. Public presentations will include a presentation from the South Central Ozark Council of Governments-Cody Dalton, Assistant Director. A MoDOT presentation regarding the history of Highway 19 and the Sinking Creek Bridge in Shannon County will be shared by MoDOT Resident Engineer Audie Pulliam. For more information, please contact MoDOT’s Customer Service Center toll-free at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (1-888-275-6636).