Local News – Wednesday, January 13th, 2021

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released some reports from the late December. On December 20th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop in the 1000 block of North Highway 19. During the course of the traffic stop, a 59-year-old Steelville man was arrested for driving while having his license suspended, a 1st offense. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. On Christmas Eve, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on Dent County Road 2030. During the course of the traffic stop, a 53-year-old Rolla man was arrested for operating a vehicle on a highway without a valid driver’s license, a 3rd or subsequent offense. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. Later that same day, a deputy conducted a traffic stop at Pershing and Center streets. During the course of the traffic stop, a 46-year-old Salem man was arrested for driving while having his license revoked or suspended, a 1st offense. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. On December 26th, the Reynolds County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance at a residence in the 200 block of Reynolds County Road 931 for a report of a domestic disturbance occurring. A deputy traveled to the residence and during the course of the incident, a 72-year-old Bunker man was arrested for an active warrant through Dent County. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail where he was incarcerated. On December 27th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on East Center Street. During the course of the traffic stop, a 51-year-old Salem woman was arrested for driving while having her license revoked or suspended, a 1st offense. The woman was transported to the Dent County Jail where she was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. If anyone has any information regarding an ongoing investigation, please contact the Dent County Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241.

Need trees and shrubs for your landscape? Go native with the Missouri Department of Conservation. Native trees and shrubs can help improve wildlife habitat and soil and water conservation while also improving the appearance and value of private property. The George O. White State Forest Nursery near Licking offers a variety of low-cost native tree and shrub seedlings for reforestation, windbreaks, erosion control, wildlife food and cover, and other purposes. The nursery provides mainly one-year-old, bare-root seedlings with sizes varying by species. Seedlings varieties include: pine, bald cypress, cottonwood, black walnut, hickory, oak, pecan, persimmon, river birch, maple, willow, sycamore, blackberry, beautyberry, buttonbush, deciduous holly, hazelnut, redbud, ninebark, spicebush, elderberry, sumac, wild plum, witch hazel, and others. Seedlings are available in bundles of 10 or increments of 25 per species. The prices range from 22 – 90 cents per seedling. Sales tax of 6.1% will be added to orders unless tax exempt. There is an $8 handling charge for each order. Receive a 15% discount up to $20 off seedling orders with a Heritage Card, Permit Card, or Conservation ID Number. The nursery grows millions of seedlings each year, but some species are very popular and sell out quickly. Occasionally the seedlings succumb to uncooperative weather or hungry wildlife, despite the nursery staff’s best efforts. Fiaoni said that even if a species is listed as sold out, customers can still place an order for them. Sometimes orders get cancelled, freeing up inventory. Customers won’t be charged for seedlings unless they are available to ship. Learn more and place orders with the Missouri Department of Conservation’s “2020-2021 Seedling Order Form.” You can pick one up at Department of Conservation regional offices and nature centers. You can also access the form online at mdc.mo.gov/seedlings, or by contacting the State Forest Nursery at 573-674-3229 or by e-mailing them at StateForestNursery@mdc.mo.gov. You can place your orders now through April 15, 2021. Orders will be shipped or can be picked up at the nursery near Licking from February through May.

Road maintenance doesn’t take a break for the winter. When snow and ice are cleared from the roads and forecast, drivers should expect to see maintenance crews at work on Missouri’s highways, often in slow moving operations. Fluctuating temperatures and precipitation mean potholes and other types of pavement damage are common during Missouri winters. As the weather allows, the Missouri Department of Transportation will have crews making repairs to roads and bridges throughout the winter season. In 2020, MoDOT’s truck/trailer-mounted attenuators were struck a record-setting 48 times, compared to 36 in 2019. These protective vehicles serve as a warning to traffic approaching a temporary mobile work zone and are the only thing separating workers making road repairs and the traveling public. Since 2018, nearly two-thirds of all trailer mounted attenuators struck during pothole patching operations occurred during the winter months from November through March. Many of these crashes were the result of drivers not paying attention and/or speeding. When motorists approach MoDOT or any other responders or emergency vehicles on the side of the highway with flashing lights, they should move over. Missouri’s Move Over law requires drivers to either change lanes or slow down when approaching MoDOT, law enforcement or other emergency vehicles with flashing lights. Drivers can report the location of potholes and other road repair needs by calling 888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636) or by visiting modot.org/report-road-concern.