News – Monday, November 11th 2024

Ozark National Scenic Riverways has experienced widespread flooding due to significant rainfall that began on November 3rd. The upper Current River reached historic levels on November 5th, with rainfall totals of 9 to 12 inches across the watershed causing historic flooding from Montauk to Round Spring. At Akers, the river gauge stopped reporting at 23.23 feet, but water levels are estimated to have reached 32 feet, far surpassing the previous record of 26.08 feet set in April 2017. Below Round Spring, both the Current River and Jacks Fork River experienced heavy flooding but did not exceed previous records. Park Rangers conducted several river rescues on Monday and Tuesday for visitors caught off guard, though no major injuries were reported. Many facilities, campgrounds, and river access points throughout the park sustained damage and will be closed for assessment, hazard mitigation, and repairs. Unprecedented river levels caused significant damage to facilities at Akers and Pulltite. The Akers Ranger Station had approximately two feet of water throughout, while the old Akers Ferry Canoe Rental store was almost fully submerged. At Pulltite Campground, water reached the roof of the Ranger Station and shower house, causing extensive destruction. For visitor safety, the Current River from Baptist to Round Spring will be closed to all vessels until approximately this Wednesday, November 13th. Additional closures include all backcountry campgrounds, Pulltite Campground, Akers and Round Spring group campsites, the old Akers Ferry Canoe Rental Store, Baptist River access, Lipps Hole, Alley Spring Campground, and Big Spring Campground. National Park Service staff will be working to reopen high-priority areas as quickly as possible. For more information and updates, visit the park website at nps.gov/ozar, follow their Facebook page, or call (573) 323-4236.

On Thursday, October 31st in the U.S. District Court in St. Louis, 43-year-old Justin Bradley Durham of Rolla, pleaded guilty to one count of production of child pornography, two counts of receiving child pornography and three counts of destroying records in a federal investigation. Durham, a former Phelps County Sheriff’s deputy, admitted as part of his plea that he requested and received a sexually explicit video from a 16-year-old in 2013. He later provided $200 to the victim after she engaged in sex acts with him. He also admitted engaging in sex acts multiple times with a 17-year-old victim, including in his patrol vehicle. He exchanged sexually explicit images and videos with her. Durham met the second victim in 2016 when her friend contacted the police, and he responded to the call. The FBI interviewed Durham in 2023 after learning that his PayPal account had been used to send money to another account associated with the sale of child pornography. Durham denied purchasing child pornography and claimed that he hadn’t accessed his Dropbox account for years. He refused agents’ request to search his cell phone. Two days later, Durham bought a new phone, destroyed his old phone and deleted about 37 gigabytes of data in his Dropbox account before deactivating it. Among those files were hundreds of sexually explicit images and videos, including files containing child sexual abuse material. Durham was terminated by the Sheriff’s Department on August 9th, 2023, and arrested by them. In jail, he told FBI agents that he also destroyed a laptop computer, threw away his phone and conducted a “digital footprint scrub” of his online accounts, his plea agreement says. Durham is scheduled to be sentenced February 5th, 2025. The production of child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison, and the receipt of child pornography charge has a five-year mandatory minimum. The FBI and the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kyle Bateman is prosecuting the case.

The Creative Arts Center in Salem will hold a class on recycling old Christmas Cards into Ornaments tomorrow from 6:00 to 8:00 in the evening with Angela Dingess. Learn how to turn your old Christmas cards into a handmade ornament to treasure or give as gifts. The cost of the class is $25 and all the supplies will be provided. The class size will be limited to 24 people, but at least four people need to sign to hold the class. To sign up, go to the SACBA website, click on “Programs” link and then on the Creative Arts Center.