Local News – Wednesday, October 7, 2020
Are you a business owner, a business manager or wanting to start a business? There will be a Business at Breakfast event Thursday morning from 7:00 to 7:45 at the Salem Community Center@The Armory hosted by Sally Burbridge, Salem and Dent County Economic Development Director, and by Sarah Hultine Massengale from the MU Extension virtually. This is a change of venue from the original location. Those interested will hear from Kelly Sink from the MRPC who is the administrator of the Dent County CARES funding, to learn what other businesses in our region are doing to creatively utilize the special federal funding to support their businesses. You may come in person, or virtually via zoom. You MUST RSVP to attend by contacting Sarah Massengale at hultines@missouri.edu by noon TODAY and specify you are reserving a seat or needing the virtual link. There will be Danishes and coffee served!
The City of Salem Board of Aldermen will be holding a special meeting in the City Hall Council Chambers on Thursday, October 8th starting at 7:00 to go into closed session to discuss litigation, personnel and contracts. The meeting was called by Aldermen Kevin James and Greg Parker and it is not open to the public.
The death of a 10-year old Salem girl has led to charges being filed against the Salem couple that had adopted her. According to circuit court documents, 51-year old Randall L. Abney and 44-year old Susan A. Abney were each charged with a felony count of abuse or neglect resulting in the death of a child. They are incarcerated in the Dent County Jail and are being held on a $500,000. The incident occurred Saturday evening when law enforcement was called out and found an unresponsive child in the 400 block of Dent County Road 4225. Then child was pronounced dead at 7:41 at the Salem Memorial District Hospital. The charges against Randall and Susan Abney are only accusations and are not evidence of guilt. Any evidence to support these charges will have to be presented before a court of competent jurisdiction whose duty it will be to determine guilt or innocence.
With fall firearms turkey season now underway and lasting through October 31st and archery turkey season underway, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) advises turkey hunters it could be another challenging season. According to MDC, turkey production in
Missouri steadily increased during the 1990s before declining during the 2000s. While production began to increase throughout much of the state from about 2009 to 2014, Missouri has had poor production over the last several years. MDC preliminary data from this year’s annual wild turkey brood survey indicate turkey production will likely be on-par with production during the last several years. According to MDC, the statewide poult-to-hen ratio for this year is projected to be about 0.9, which is the same as the 2018 and 2019 years. Weather conditions during the nesting season and through much of the brood-rearing period were favorable across most of the state. Yet, despite favorable weather, this year’s expected low production isn’t surprising considering the PHR trend from previous years. Get details about fall turkey hunting from MDC’s 2020 Fall Deer and Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet,available where hunting permits are sold or online at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov/fall-deer-and-turkey-hunting-regulations-and-information. Buy hunting permits from vendors around the state, online at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits or through MDC’s free Mo Hunting mobile app, available for download through Google Play for Android devices or the App Store for Apple devices.
An accident occurred Monday afternoon in Phelps County at 4:12 on County Road 8410 at the intersection of County Road 8380 eight miles from Rolla. According to the Highway Patrol Report a southbound 2015 Ford Focus, driven by 32-year old Danielle Durga of Waynesville, failed to yield to a westbound John Deere Tractor, operated by 57-year-old Thomas Parker of Rolla. The tractor struck the Ford in the side and both vehicles came to rest in the ditch. Durga suffered moderate injuries and was transported to Phelps Health in Rolla. According to the report she was wearing her safety restraint at the time of the accident. The Ford sustained extensive damage and was removed from the scene by Big Boys Towing. The John Deere sustained minor damage and was driven from the scene.
Dent County Prosecutor Andrew Curley has released reports of two cases heard in Crawford County Tuesday in front of Judge Megan Seay. In the first case, Curley said Kathy Eplin of Vandalia pled guilty to the distribution of controlled substances, the delivery of controlled substances into a county jail, and also for felony driving while having her license revoked. She was sentenced to 10 years in the Missouri Department of Corrections as requested by the state. Curley also reported that Dawnyale Coffman of Salem pled guilty to the possession of methamphetamine, the distribution of a controlled substance, and for keeping or maintaining a public nuisance. Coffman was sentenced to seven years in the Department of Corrections as requested by the state.