Local News – Tuesday, September 15th, 2020

The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning for their regular meeting. Salem and Dent County Economic Development Director Sally Burbridge was in attendance to go over the August economic development report that showed unemployment in Dent County dropped in August to 5.1% which is better than the state and national averages. She said there were two new projects considering Dent County, but they did not respond when she contacted them. She still has numerous ongoing prospects. She said the new city, county and chamber website should launch between the end of October and end of November. She also said she is still working on the Certified Site Application for the Masters Industrial Park, but she is still waiting the MDC Heritage Review report and she will have to get an archeological survey before any work can be done. Treasurer Denita Williams presented the sales tax dollars received by the county in September from the state. The General Revenue Fund received $112,462.35 which was about $4,400 less than what was received in 2019 in September, but year-to-date the collections are up $36,694.02. This amount is virtually the same as the Law Enforcement Sales Tax Fund. In the Road and Bridge Fund, sales tax monies received came in at $54,404.38 and that is about $1,500 less than last September. Year-to-date, the Road and Bridge Fund is up $22,784.74. Williams said both the operation and trust funds for the new jail came in at $118,811.98 each. That is down about $2,500 from last year’s receipts, but year-to-date, those funds are up $44,378.55. She also said she is making the budgeted transfer of $30,000 from the Inmate Security Fund to the New Jail Operation Fund. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell said grading would be done on Dent County Roads 5160, 5170 and 6220. He indicated materials would be added to county road 5520, brush would be cut on county road 2400 and a man would be installing a new coolant line to the air compressor on truck #121. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson reported grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2515, 2533, 2550, 2560, 2590, 2595 and 2600. Larson also stated brush would be cut on county roads 2070 and 2080, and materials would be added to county toads 3050 and 3300. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said this week the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District Executive Board will meet to review applications for solid waste reduction grant applications. Skiles also wanted to remind businesses and public entities that the county still has CARES Act funds available. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said her office balanced with the Treasurer’s office on all accounts in August, and that her office also balanced with the collector and assessor on all collections, add-ons and abatements for the month of August. She said the last day to register to vote for the General Election in November will be October 7th and absentee voting will begin on September 22nd and last through November 2nd in her office. The last day to request a mail-out ballot will be October 21st. She also said the US Postal service is mailing out a post card for those who want to vote by mail, but there are some mistakes. An absentee ballot and a mail-in ballot is not the same as mail-in ballots must be notarized and mailed back. Also, you need to request the ballot 13 days before the election, not 15 as indicated on the post card. Also, mail-in ballots MUST be received by November 3rd in the regular mail to be counted, and they cannot be hand delivered. If anyone has any questions, they should call the Dent County Clerk’s office at 729-4144. The next commissioner meeting will be Monday, September 21st at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released a number of reports. On Thursday, August 27th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Highway 72 near Dent County Road 3210. During the course of the traffic stop, a 20-year-old Cuba man was arrested for driving while having his license revoked or suspended. He was transported to the Dent County Sheriff’s Jail where he was fingerprinted, issued summons and released. On Saturday, August 29th, Dent County Deputies traveled to an address in the 300 block of West 9th Street to serve an arrest warrant. During the course of the incident, a 25-year-old Salem man was arrested for active warrants through the Dent County Sheriff’s Office and Crawford County Sheriff’s Office. He was transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. On Sunday, August 30th, a deputy traveled to a residence on Dent County Road 2340 for a report of a subject shooting towards a residence on the county road. Deputies traveled to the area and during the course of the investigation, a 40-year-old Salem woman was arrested on two charges for the unlawful use of a weapon, subsection 4 and subsection 7. The woman was transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. That same day, the Dent County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a vehicle driving at high rates of speed and discharging a firearm out of the vehicle in the 300 block of Dent County Road 2270. Dent County Deputies traveled to the area and located the vehicle. During the course of the investigation, a 37-year-old Salem man was arrested for an active warrant through probation and parole. Also arrested during the incident was a 32-year-old Rolla woman who had an active warrant through Phelps County. Both subjects were transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. If anyone has any information regarding an ongoing investigation, please call the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241.