News – Monday, September 9th 2024

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors will be meeting tomorrow evening at 6:00 at the fire station at #2 South Main Street. After the roll call and approval of the consent agenda which includes the budget review and financial reports, the monthly reimbursement report will be heard. In old business, the board will discuss the AFG grant for radios before the board reviews the audit results in new business. Chief Floyd will then give his report to the board. The date will be set for the October meeting before the board adjourns. The meeting Tuesday evening will be open to the public.

An accident occurred Sunday morning in Phelps County at 9:20 on Phelps County Road 7210 and County Road 7240 about nine miles south of Rolla that left a 13 year old juvenile in serious condition. According to the highway patrol report, the juvenile, was driving southbound in a 1995 Honda Fourtrax 300 failed to yield at the intersection and was struck by Emily Arthur, of Newburg, driving westbound in a 2016 Jeep Wrangler. The minor was flown by Phelps Air to St. Louis Children’s Hospital. The juvenile was wearing a safety device at the time of the accident. The Fourtrax sustained extensive damage and was removed from the scene by the owner. The Jeep sustained minor damage and was driven from the scene by Arthur.

The Missouri Department of Transportation has announced several road maintenance projects for this week, affecting nearby areas. In Dent County: Missouri Route 32 will have pothole patching from the Texas County line to Route F. Route CC will undergo pavement repair from Route C in Texas County to Route H. Route H will see pothole patching from Route 63 in Phelps County to Missouri Route 72. Route K will have roadside work from Route KK in Shannon County to Route E. In Phelps County: Route BB will have a seal coat operation from St. James to Rolla, today through Wednesday. Route F will undergo a seal coat operation from Route 68 to Route 72, beginning on Wednesday to conclude on Saturday. Routes 8 and DD in St. James will have ongoing pedestrian facility upgrades until October 2024. In nearby Reynolds County, Route KK will be closed for paving on Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. between County Roads 900 and 906. The bridge will remain reduced to one lane until September 30. All projects will maintain one open lane with flaggers directing traffic through work zones. Motorists should expect delays and are advised to use caution when traveling through these areas. Weather may affect scheduled work. Drivers are encouraged to plan accordingly and stay alert for slow-moving equipment in these areas.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds hunters of regulation changes for the upcoming turkey hunting season. The changes include a new fall turkey permit, allowing drones for tracking wounded turkeys, and more. The fall turkey season is now divided into archery and firearms portions, and the harvest limit for both portions combined has been reduced from four to two birds of either sex. Archery turkey hunting in Missouri opens Sunday the 15th and runs through November 15th. It reopens November 27th and runs through January 15th, 2025. Fall firearms turkey hunting runs October 1st through the 31st in open counties. MDC has created a new fall turkey-hunting permit, so turkey permits are no longer included with an archery deer-hunting permit. Both fall firearms turkey hunters and fall archery turkey hunters must purchase this new permit to be able to harvest turkeys during fall seasons.

A new National Park Service report reveals that Ozark National Scenic Riverways had a significant economic impact on local communities in 2023. The park attracted 1.3 million visitors who spent $66.8 million in nearby areas, supporting 908 jobs and generating $76.8 million in economic benefits. Superintendent Jason Lott highlighted the park’s role in supporting the local economy, noting that visitors come to enjoy the Current and Jacks Fork rivers while contributing to area businesses. The report, titled “2023 National Park Visitor Spending Effects,” shows that nationwide, 325.5 million visitors to national parks spent $26.4 billion in surrounding communities. This spending supported 415,400 jobs and provided $55.6 billion in economic output across the country. Lodging and restaurants were the top beneficiaries of visitor spending, with $9.9 billion and $5.2 billion in economic output respectively. For more information about national parks in Missouri and their impact, visit  ww.nps.gov/missouri.