Local News – Tuesday, September 20th, 2022
An accident happened Sunday evening at 6:30 in Dent County on Route H about a mile and half west of Route C. According to the highway patrol report, a 2006 Yamaha V-Star being operated by 42-year-old Stephen Morgan of Lenox, was traveling west when he lost control which caused the bike to travel off the left side of the road and overturn. Both Morgan and a passenger, 44-year-old Branda Gamblin, also of Lenox, were thrown from the bike. Gamblin suffered serious injuries and was flown by Phelps Air to University Hospital in Columbia. Morgan and Gamblin were both wearing safety equipment at the time of the accident.
An accident occurred Saturday morning at 11:31 in Phelps County on Route Y about three miles west of Rolla. According to the highway patrol report, an eastbound 2017 Kia Forte, driven by 19-year-old Eric Ware of Rolla, crossed the center line of the roadway and struck a westbound 2016 Ford F-250, operated by 39-year-old Joshua Grisham, also of Rolla. Ware suffered serious injuries and was transported by Phelps Air to University Hospital in Columbia. Grisham suffered moderate injuries and was transported by a private conveyance to Phelps Health Hospital in Rolla. According to the report, Grisham was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident, while it was unknown if Ware was. Both vehicles sustained extensive damage. The Kia was removed from the scene by C&C Towing, while the Ford was removed by Ron Dishman’s Towing.
An accident occurred Saturday evening around 10:12 on Highway 42 about three miles west of Vienna. According to the highway patrol report, a 2015 Harley Davidson ridden by 58-year-old Troy Downs of Steelville, was traveling eastbound and travelled off the right side of the roadway and struck a fence. Downs suffered serious injuries and was flown by Phelps Air to the University Hospital in Columbia. The Harley was totaled and removed from the scene by 9 Lines Towing.
An accident occurred Saturday evening around 5:28 on Highway 19 near the 208-mile marker overpass at I-44. According to the highway patrol report a 2014 Buick Enclave driven by 72-year-old Nora Buchannan of Leasburg attempted to merge into the right turn lane and side swiped a 2022 Buick Envision driven by 27-year-old Breanna King of Steelville. A 6-year-old juvenile male in the Envision from Steelville, suffered minor injuries and was transported to Phelps Health by private conveyance. He was wearing a safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Envision sustained moderate damage and the Enclave sustained minor damage, both vehicles were driven from the scene.
An accident occurred Saturday morning in Phelps County at 6:17 on Highway 63 at county road 5020. According to the highway patrol report, a northbound 2017 Ford Escape, driven by 77-year-old Norma Wallace of Rolla, was slowing to make a turn and was struck in the rear by a 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier operated by 40-year-old Joel Anderson also of Rolla. Wallace suffered minor injuries and was transported to Phelps Health in Rolla. The report stated that both drivers were wearing safety restraints at the time of the accident. The Escape sustained minor damage and was left at the scene. The Cavalier sustained extensive damage and was removed by Ron Dishman’s Towing.
The Dent County Commissioners met Monday morning at the courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray stated grading would be done on Dent County Roads 5080 and 6630 while brush would be cut on county roads 4080 and 4090. Mobray said they would be hauling off dirt from Dent County Road 5080, better known as the Schwartz Road, to get it ready for asphalt. The workers are also putting on new cutting edges on Grader #36. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said workers would be installing new driveway pipes on Dent County Roads 3250 and 6150 with additional materials being hauled to those roads. He said ditch work would be done on county road 3010. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said he would be attending a Meramec Community Enhancement Corporation meeting Wednesday in St. James. The commissioners are contacting local financial institutions to bid on a five-year lease/purchase annual interest agreement for $382,245.90 for two new graders with those bids due in by 10:00 at the county clerk’s office on Thursday, September 29th. They also approved the bid from Viebrock Sales for 20 30-foot long, 16 gauge, 15-inch-wide culverts for $10,320. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said the last day to register for the November election will be October 12th and the first day to vote absentee is September 27th. At the last meeting, Curt Faigle from the 100-Acre Wood Rally was in attendance and said the rally this year would be held March 17th and 18th. Sarah Massengale from the University of Missouri Extension visited with the commission. The next meeting of the Dent County Commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00.
The Salem Memorial District Hospital Board of Directors will meet tonight at 6:00 at the hospital library. The board will hear the summary of operations and statistics for the month of August as well as the Chief Nursing Officer report, get a staffing update, talk about the clinic, get an update on the hospital foundation and talk about marketing and community relations. After the Chief of Staff’s report, the board will be updated on the status of the needed transformer before discussing new purchases. The board will also talk about the kitchen drain repair, the annual bylaw committee meeting, a strategic planning retreat, appointments to the finance committee and the MHA conference. The meeting tonight is open to the public.