News – Monday, August 17th, 2026

An accident happened at 5:57 Thursday evening in Crawford County at 136 Highway E that left two people with serious injuries and two others with injuries as well. According to the highway patrol report, a 2006 Honda Accord driven southbound by a 17-year-old female from Steelville, went off the right side of the roadway. The driver overcorrected and then re-entered the roadway when the vehicle crossed over the centerline. The Honda then traveled off the right side of the road again where it struck an embankment and overturned, ejecting all four occupants. Suffering serious injuries were the female driver and a 22-year-old male passenger from Sullivan. An 18-year-old male passenger from Steelville suffered moderate injuries while a 22-year-old male passenger from Sullivan suffered minor injuries. The driver was transported by EMS to the Mercy Hospital in St. Louis while the 22-year-old male who suffered serious injuries was taken by Air Evac to the Mercy Hospital in St. Louis. The other two male passengers were transported by EMS to the Missouri Baptist Hospital in Sullivan. None of the occupants were wearing seat belts at the time of the accident. The Honda was totaled and removed from the scene by Miles and Sons Towing.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Office has released that on Aug. 10th, after an investigation into the compliance of a convicted sex offender with the Sex Offender Registry requirements, a deputy arrested 64-year-old Dent County man, Jimmy Lee Channel. On Aug. 11th, Judge Nathan Kelsaw issued a warrant charging Channel with Failure to Register as a Sex Offender. Channel is being held in Dent County Jail pending the posting of a $25,000.00 bond. Listed charges are merely accusations and do not constitute evidence of guilt. Evidence in support of the charges must be presented before a court of competent jurisdiction whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

The Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has released the project to repair the driving surface of the Phelps County Hwy. BB (10th Street) over BNSF Railway, in Rolla, is scheduled to begin Monday, Aug. 17th. Built in 1974, the supporting structures of the bridge are in good condition, but the driving surface needs rehabilitation. The project will be completed half at a time with traffic shifted. One lane each direction will remain open, with no center turn lane through the work zone. While the bridge will remain open throughout construction, motorists should expect delays during peak traffic hours. For motorists’ safety while work is occurring overhead, intermittent closures of Oak Street and Olive Street beneath the bridge will be necessary when crews are working in the immediate area. Work is expected to continue through November 2026.

ServMO has announced the recipients of the America 250-Grants, which will support meaningful, community-driven service projects in honor of the 9/11 Day of Service and Missouri Good Neighbor Week from Sept. 28th through Oct. 4th. These mini-grants are funded in partnership with Missouri’s Show Me America 250 Commission. ServMO announced the $15,000 funding opportunity with the goal of supporting mini-grant projects ranging from $500 – $3,000. Recipients include the following organizations: Bismarck United Methodist Church, which will provide a free family style meal for the community; Community Foundation of the Ozarks (CFO), which will coordinate the Ozark Foothills Community Connection Day of Service; Community Partnership of SEMO (CPSEMO), which will implement a beautification landscaping project throughout the South Cape neighborhood of Cape Girardeau; Missouri State Public Defender (MSPD), which will participate in meal pack events hosted by the National 9/11 Day Organization; St. Joseph Youth Alliance Youth Volunteer Corps (YVC), which will design and host an “Answering the Call” project honoring firefighters; St. Lucas United Church of Christ, which will host a community meal; and West Central Missouri Community Action Agency, which will host “The Community Heroes in Action” event.

Flash flooding can happen fast, even if it’s not raining where you are. To keep your trips to Missouri’s State Parks safe and fun, be sure to check the weather forecast before you go and keep an eye on upstream conditions. Set up camp on higher ground. Avoid low-lying areas