Local News – Wednesday, May 12th, 2021
In what appears to be a murder/suicide at a residence in Phelps County Saturday morning is being investigated by the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department. The incident occurred on Phelps County Road 3160. The Phelps County Coroner’s Office reported 73-year-old Lawrence R. French and 66-year-old Vita M. French died from gunshot wounds. Sheriff Kirn stated the individuals had not been seen for several days and their bodies were discovered by a family friend checking on them. The Phelps County Sheriff’s Department was assisted on scene by the Rolla Rural Fire Department and Phelps County Coroner Ernie Coverdell. If anyone has any information about the incident, please call the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department at (573) 426-3860 or 426-2936.
Missouri Department of Transportation bridge crews will be making bridge deck repairs on Highway 19 this week over Interstate 44. Crews will close one lane of the work area from 7:00 in the morning until 4:30 Thursday afternoon. This work is weather permitting and could be delayed. MoDOT appreciates the patience of motorist traveling through the work area. Drivers are advised to watch for workers on the road and obey all traffic signs. For more information and updates about this project or other transportation-related matters, please call 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636) or visit www.modot.org/central. Follow the MoDOT Central Missouri District on Facebook and Twitter for project updates.
Preliminary data from the Missouri Department of Conservation shows that turkey hunters checked 31,798 birds during Missouri’s 2021 regular spring turkey season, April 19th through May 9th. Top harvest counties were Franklin with 710 birds telechecked, Texas with 666, and Callaway with 639. Dent County had a total of 582 turkeys checked, Phelps County had 659, and Iron County saw 137 birds checked. Across the state young turkey hunters also harvested 2,795 birds over the youth weekend, April 10th and 11th, bringing the overall 2021 spring turkey harvest to 34,593. Last year, young turkey hunters harvested 2,724 birds during the spring youth season and hunters harvested 38,734 during the regular spring season for a 2020 spring season total harvest of 41,458 birds. The spring turkey harvest was down this year, which can partially be explained by a decline in hunting participation according to MDC officials who went on to say that last year they saw a big increase in the number of permits sold and there was a subsequent increase in turkey harvest. This year, the permit sales total was closer to what was observed before the 2020 season. When turkey hunting participation declines, they expect to see a subsequent decline in turkey harvest. MDC had one report of a non-fatal hunting incident during the 2021 spring turkey season. For more information about turkey hunting in Missouri, visit MDC online at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov.
An accident happened late Saturday afternoon at just after 5:00 in Maries County on Highway 28 and Route E. The report from the highway patrol states that a 2012 Volkswagen Jetta being driven by 88-year-old Earl Arnold of Rolla was traveling west on E and failed to stop at the stop sign, crossed the intersection and traveled off the west side of highway 28. Arnold was transported by private conveyance to Phelps Health for treatment of minor injuries. A passenger in the vehicle, 82-year-old Jacquelyn Arnold, also of Rolla, was transported by Dixon Ambulance Service to Phelps Heath for treatment of minor injuries. The report went on to state that both occupants were wearing seat restraints at the time of the accident. The Volkswagen sustained moderate damage and was towed from the scene by Tunes Towing.
Residents and students of Phelps and Dent counties are asked to participate in online surveys, one for students and one for general public, about the potential for the creation of a Southeast Missouri Transportation Services (SMTS) deviated fixed-route bus service in the Rolla area with possible connections to St. James and Salem. The surveys are available at meramecregion.org/surveys. SMTS in conjunction with the Meramec Regional Planning Commission is conducting the feasibility study for the potential new route. This bus service would be modeled after the Bluff Area Transit Service in Poplar Bluff and the Connect Service in St. Francois County, both of which are operated by SMTS. Both systems have fees ranging from $1 per boarding, $3 all-day passes, as well as pre-paid punch cards with discounted prices. While the Rolla service would not be identical to Bluff Area Transit Service or Connect in the number of stops or pricing, it will likely operate very similar, if such a service is found to be a possibility. Feedback is critical to determining the viability of such a service in the Phelps and Dent counties area. SMTS has contracted with MRPC to conduct the feasibility study. SMTS is a nonprofit general public passenger transportation service. SMTS transportation services are available throughout South Central and Southeast Missouri. For more information, please contact Anne Freand, MRPC planning department manager, via email at afreand@meramecregion.org or via phone at 573-265-2993 ext. 105.