News – Thursday, September 12th 2024

The Dent County Fire Protection District Board of Directors met Tuesday evening at the fire station at #2 South Main Street. The minutes from the previous meeting were reviewed and approved. The financial report was reviewed with an ending balance of $162,732.83. All bills, payments, and statements were reviewed and signed. The budget was reviewed and approved as presented. The monthly reimbursement report showed a total of 12 calls for the month of August bringing the total calls year to date to 185. Some of those calls included one building fire, carbon monoxide incident, and a medical assist. In old business grants for the AFG radios open next week. They are also looking at Harris radios. Chief Floyd will put information together to compare the two. In new business the draft audit results were discussed as sent by KD Audit, Kristen Deluca. It was noted that internal control of financial statements was weak due to the limited number of people working in the office. The recommendation was for the board to thoroughly review the monthly financial statements and supporting documentation as a mitigating control. The board discussed having a predetermined amount of time at each board meeting to review and discuss the finances. Also, each quarter the board will spend more time looking at finances. They will look for further ways to make the finances better. In the Chiefs report to the board, he asked that Greg Thies be paid for the smoke machine Thies purchased for the department. Also, a Basic Firefighters class is being held and graduation will be in about three weeks. Chief Floyd stated that the bays are striped for the trucks and the department is in need of a nozzle for 8020 at approximately $300.00 to $900.00. The date for the October board meeting was set for 6:00, Tuesday evening, October 8th at the Dent County Fire Station. 

Healthy Dent County will be hosting an informational meeting to help women learn how to navigate their way to hormonal happiness and maintain a healthy and happy life through menopause on Tuesday, September 17th at the

Salem Community Center at the Armory. April Greener, DNP, APRN, FNP-BC, with the Dent County Health Department will be the guest speaker. The cost to attend this meeting is free and this event is open to the public. The meeting will begin in the evening at 5:30 and last until 6:30 in the Rotary Conference Room. For more information, call the Healthy Dent County Fitness Center at 573-739-1127 or email susie@salemcommunitycenter.org. 

Missouri hunters should note several changes for the upcoming deer and turkey hunting seasons, as announced by the Missouri Department of Conservation. These changes affect hunting dates, permits, and regulations aimed at managing wildlife populations and controlling Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD). Archery deer and turkey seasons open September 15 and run through November 15, reopening November 27 until January 15, 2025. For deer, the firearms season kicks off with the Early Antlerless Portion on October 11-13, followed by various portions throughout November and December. Turkey hunters will need to purchase a new fall turkey-hunting permit, as it’s no longer included with the archery deer-hunting permit. The harvest limit for turkeys has been reduced to two birds for both archery and firearms portions combined. Several counties, including Dent, Phelps, and Shannon, have been added to the CWD Management Zone. This expansion removes the antler-point restriction in these areas to help control CWD spread. During the November portion opening weekend (November 16-17), hunters in CWD Management Zone counties must take harvested deer to mandatory sampling stations. Other notable changes include increased antlerless permit limits in some counties and the allowance of drones for tracking wounded deer and turkeys. Hunters are strongly encouraged to review the full regulations at mdc.mo.gov/CWD before the season begins.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly half of all car seats are used incorrectly. To address this, They are hosting several free car seat check events to be held during Child Passenger Safety Week, September 15-21. Certified technicians will inspect car seats, review expiration dates, and provide installation guidance at several locations, including Licking and West Plains. Other participating cities are Cape Girardeau, Marble Hill, Mountain Grove, Perryville, Poplar Bluff, Sikeston, and Van Buren. Each 30-minute check could make a crucial difference in your child’s safety. Key safety tips include use of age and size appropriate car seats and boosters. Children under 13 are safest riding in the back seat. Remember to never leave a child alone in a vehicle, as temperatures can quickly rise to a very dangerous level. Always set a good example and wear your seatbelt. For more information visit www.savemolives.com or contact Emily Church at (573)339-6365.