Local News – Tuesday, September 19th, 2023
An accident happened Monday morning around 5:45 in Dent County on Highway 72 about seven miles north of Salem. According to the highway patrol report, 28-year-old Trent Corbett of Jefferson City, was driving a 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe eastbound when he fell asleep behind the wheel and crossed over the center line of the highway striking a 2015 Chrysler 200 driven westbound by 62-year-old Steven Hampton of Salem. Corbett and Hampton each suffered moderate injuries. Corbett was treated at the scene by the Salem EMS and was then released. Hampton was transported to the Salem Memorial Hospital by the Salem EMS. The Chevy Tahoe sustained moderate damages while the Chrysler sustained extensive damage. Both vehicles were removed from the scene by Whitaker’s Towing.
The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning for their regular meeting at the courthouse. At the meeting, KSMO’s General Manager Stan Podorski stated Maria Bancroft from the MRPC will be interviewed Wednesday morning at 8:30 to let people or businesses looking for capital for their business, or trying to start or expand one, know there are numerous options available through the Meramec Regional Development Corporation. She will discuss SBA loans, revolving loan funds, and other local business resources to be considered. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray stated materials would be added and grading done on Dent County Roads 6040 and 6410, while only grading would be done on county road 5650. He said all the MoDOT paperwork on the Cooley Bridge FLAP project has now been completed. He also said the low phone bid on fuel went to Phil-Mart at $3.35 per gallon. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk said extensive work would be done on Dent County Road 4280. Polk reported the ditches will be pulled, rock will be added and grading done on that road, plus signs will be installed on county roads 2590 and 3295. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson reported on the Transportation Advisory Committee meeting, External Relations Committee meeting and the MRPC meeting he attended last Thursday. He said there were ten sidewalk improvement TAP projects submitted at the meeting for consideration and the one for Dent County came in 3rd in the voting. He said the External Relations Committee discussed the MRPC Annual Dinner and Awards banquet to be held on October 26th. Tickets are available for $40 for the dinner. To reserve or purchase tickets, call Linda Carroll at 573-265-2993 or e-mail lcarroll@meramecregion.org. Larson said Wes Hester, owner of Foxhole Technology, was at the MRPC meeting discussing Cybersecurity for local governments and grants that may become available. Larson said he would be attending the tourism tax committee meeting tonight. He also said Jill Hollowell from the MRPC said a semi-tractor truck picked up about eight tons of old tires from the county road and bridge department and from the special collection held in Salem with a value of $2,310.75. Larson said that there is an opening on the MRPC Board for a small business representative for anyone who may be interested, plus he said the county received a survey from the MRPC asking for input from the member representatives on state issues they may have concerns with that can be addressed in 2024. It needs to be submitted by the end of the month. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said she balanced with the Treasurer on all accounts for the month of August. Engineer Corky Stack submitted a payment request of $263,018 and with the 10% contingency reduction, the amount the county would be issuing would be $236,718.47. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.
The Salem Police department has released their report for the month of August. The department responded to 11 accidents during the month. Officers also responded to one alarm sounding and addressed 39 animal calls. The department investigated three assaults or fights in progress, four burglaries, performed 21 well being checks and 10 area checks during the month. The department also investigated 18 domestic disputes, conducted 57 follow-up investigations and provided ten escorts. They investigated two incidents of fraud, four harassment reports, took three missing persons report, and offered assistance to four motorists. The Salem police wrote ten property damage reports during August, plus made five stealing reports and five shoplifting reports. Officers investigated four intoxicated pedestrians, 17 suspicious circumstance calls, eight suspicious person calls and ten suspicious vehicle calls. Officers responded to two trespassing calls and attempted to serve 14 warrants in August. Officers conducted 95 traffic stops during the month. The police responded to a total of 564 in incidents in August. The average response time to calls during August was two minutes and 25 seconds and the average time spent on the scene was 19 minutes and 20 seconds.
Last Thursday at the Dent County Judicial Building in court in front of Judge Nathan Kelsaw, Michael Stagner of Salem pleaded guilty to the possession of methamphetamine and his probation was revoked. Stagner had previously been released from the Missouri Department of Corrections after completing the RSMO Section 559.115 program. Stagner was sentenced by Judge Kelsaw to serve 12 years in the Missouri Department of Correction as requested by Dent County Prosecutor Curley.