Local News – Tuesday, October 8th, 2019
The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the courthouse for their regular meeting. Melissa Weed from US Bank brought in the documents for the lease-purchase agreements for the two new Cat graders that were financed for $330,000 for the commission to sign. Since the new graders have not yet arrived, the acceptance agreements could not be signed and won’t be until they arrive. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell stated that the entire crew would be doing the final concrete pour Monday morning on Dent County Road 6580. Purcell said he hopes the road can be reopened Friday, but it may be Monday before the concrete cures. He said after the pour, workers would be grading on Dent County Roads 5150 and 5600 while brush would be cut on county roads 2400 and 6210. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 2530 and 4020 while only grading would be done on county roads 2520 and 2540. He went on to say brush would be cut on county roads 3270, 3273 and 3275. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles wanted to remind those interested in filling the assessor’s position when Tina Whitaker retires at the end of the year need to come and let the commission know they are interested. When it is time, the commissioners will appoint a person to temporarily replace Whitaker until the governor makes his decision on who will fill that position. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said the Facebook National Voter Registration period ended September 28th where a person could register online and a total of 18,106 people took advantage of the chance to do so in Missouri. MoDOT District Engineer Preston Kramer, MRPC Executive Director Bonnie Prigge and Anne Friend from MRPC were in attendance to review the annual Dent County Transportation Needs priorities for the upcoming year. Two projects have already been added to the MoDOT STIP and they are the Highway 68 project that will add two foot shoulders to the road from Highway 19 to the Phelps County Line, and also the bridge replacement on Route FF over Norman Creek which has been scheduled for 2021. After reviewing the needs that have already been identified, the commissioners agreed to set the replacement of the Highway 19 bridge over Gladden Creek as their first priority, the intersection of Highway 19 and Roosevelt Street as their 2nd priority, and the Highway 32 bridge over the Huzzah Creek in Boss as their 3rd priority. The low water crossing on Route TT is still a priority but Kramer said the MoDOT work crews have installed three new 36” metal culverts under the road in addition to the box culverts already there to help with the water flow. The commission kept it on the list as the 4th priority. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Thursday at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.
The 2019 Football Homecoming Court has been announced for this Friday night’s game. This year’s court includes freshman, Ashton Bowers;
sophomore, Sierra Rusco; and junior, Grace Kunkel. The Senior Homecoming Queen candidates include Emma Brakefield, Leighann Pope and Nicole Brookshire. This year’s Homecoming game will be Friday night, October 11th against Mountain Grove starting at 7:00 and the festivities will be held prior to the start of the game.
The 56th annual trout derby this past weekend at Montauk State Park was a huge success. 735 tags were sold on Saturday and another 139 on Sunday for the event. Fourteen lunkers were caught, including the largest lunker, an 8 pound 4 oz fish caught by Dan Hatch of Licking. Thirty two kids also brought in stringers and 62 tagged fish were caught during the event. Linda Jones of Bismark brought in a 2 pound 5 ounce rainbow for the heaviest fish in the women’s category while a youngster from Rolla, Wyatt Martin, landed a 7 pound 12 ounce fish. In all, $14,370.50 was during the event with proceeds going to the American Heart Association.
The Salem Police Department reports that an accident occurred Tuesday, September 24th, shortly after 11:00 in the morning. Jayden Brown of Salem, was traveling east on Franklin Street on a pedacycle when the vehicle crossed into the westbound lane as he was distracted by speaking with someone who was walking along Franklin. The pedacycle struck the right passenger side bumper of a 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis being driven west by Harold Holloway of Salem. Brown was taken by Salem EMS to Salem Memorial District Hospital for treatment of minor injuries.
Jason Stotler, Forester with the Missouri Department of Conservation and Max Butler are excited about telling tales about Indian Trails Conservation Area where Jason lives on Tuesday, October 8th, at 6:00, at the Dent County Historical Society Speaker Series at the new James & Gahr Fellowship Hall, after dinner at the Pizza Inn Meeting Room. Indian Trails has an interesting history, including the CCC camp, deer restoration, game preserve, camp ground, shooting range, and many other tidbits. If you have relics or stories of Indian Trails, there will also be a sharing time to participate. Come hear Jason & Max, at the James & Gahr Fellowship Hall, at 6 p.m., and maybe join others who enjoy the senior special at Pizza Inn at 5 p.m. For more information about the program call Deloris Gray Wood, president, at 573 729-2545.