Local News – Tuesday, October 4th, 2022

Due to a reporting error by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, we reported in Monday’s edition of YWT, and on the air that there was a double fatality accident Friday in Texas County. The corrected report from the Highway Patrol was issued stated that only Richard Strom of Licking was killed and there were no injuries for Hayden Mercer of Searcy, Arkansas. Our apologies for an error that was beyond KSMO and YWT’s control.

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse for their regular meeting. Salem and Dent County Economic Development Director Sally Burbridge gave her report discussing a couple of new economic prospects, and reported the city and county have a total number of business licenses to date for 2022 of 482 with 12 new licenses in September. She reported the certified site has been cleared and seeded, and she submitted her final response to questions on September 9th and has not had a return response. Also the contracts for the demolition program have been approved waiting for the owners to sign their paperwork and pay their 50% of the project. Burbridge is waiting on the county surveyor to get back with her regarding the Industrial Park sign as it need to be replaced in the proper location. Her report also included the local unemployment numbers which shows less people in the work force and more unemployed with an unemployment rate of 3.7% in August up from 3.4% in July. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray reported materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 4100 while only grading would be done on county roads 4090 and 6505. Mobray said brush would be cut on county roads 4150 and 4155, while a tree was going to be removed from county road 5550. Mobray indicated workers would be changing blades as well as doing some other maintenance on a grader. Mobray said the chip and seal overlay work began on Monday. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 3150, plus a culvert would be installed on that road as well. He went on to report brush would be cut on county roads 6150 and 6160, and a man would be going to Springfield for oil for chip and seal repair. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said Dent County Surveyor Michelle Elwood approved and signed the contract for the re-monumentation of corners and he also signed the contract. Skiles was also asked by Steelville Telephone Exchange for a letter of support from the commission for them to attempt to bring additional broadband Internet access to Dent County and the commissioners approved. At 10:00, MRPC Executive Director Bonnie Prigge, MoDOT Central District Area Engineer Preston Kramer, plus Transportation Advisory Committee representatives Gary Brown and Sally Burbridge were in attendance to the Dent County Transportation Needs annual meeting. Kramer said the Gladden Bridge on Highway 19 is on the STIP program to be replaced in fiscal year 2023 and it will be relocated with new approaches so as not to close the road, while the other priorities from last year including a new bridge on Route TT over Crooked Creek, a new bridge over the West Fork of the Huzzah Creek, new shoulders and alignment on Route B about two-tenths of a mile from County Road 5390, and the addition of turn lanes at the intersection of Highway 19 and Roosevelt remain to be a priority again for the next year. Kramer said more money is available this year for TAP grants and he recommended the city apply for any project they feel needs funding provided they have the matching funds. Prigge also discussed high priority unfunded needs that need to be address which include the bridge over Crooked Creek on Route TT, and also high priority multimodal needs such as an increase of services provided by the SMTS busses, sidewalks on the East side of Highway 19 from Center Street to Highway 32 and sidewalks from Carty Street to the Craig Industrial Drive on Highway 32 East (Scenic Rivers BLVD). Kramer also discussed changes to the BRO bridge replacement program for the county to consider including the elimination of the shortage in the county BRO fund which Kramer says has been wiped clean by the state. This information will be discussed when the MRPC and other regional commissions get together with MoDOT to address transportation issues. At the last meeting, Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams paid the Salem Nutrition Center $14,500 for their quarterly budgeted distribution and the SMTS bus $7,000 for their budgeted quarterly distribution. 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.

The Dent County Fire Protection District board of directors will be meeting this evening at 7:00 at the fire station located at #2 South Main Street. After the roll call and approval of the consent the board will review the minutes of the September meeting along with the budget review, financial report, and approval of bills. After the calendar reviews will be the monthly reimbursement report, followed by any old or new business before fire chief Brad Nash give his report to the board. The date will then by set for the November meeting before adjourning and going into closed session if necessary. The meeting, other than the closed session, will be open to the public.

An accident occurred in Phelps County Sunday afternoon at 4:00 on Phelps County Road 7240 west of County Road 7270. According to the highway patrol report, an eastbound 2005 Yamaha YZ450, operated by 21-year-old Chase Hayes of Rolla, crossed the center of the roadway, and struck the right side of a 2004 Ford F-250, operated by 32-year-old Tyler Sinnott of Newburg. The Yamaha then traveled off the left side of the roadway and overturned. Hayes suffered moderate injuries and was transported to Phelps Health by a private vehicle. The Yamaha sustained minor damage and was taken to a residence. The Ford sustained minor damage and was driven from the scene. Hayes was not wearing safety equipment at the time of the accident, while Sinnott was wearing a seat restraint.