News – Tuesday, October 1st 2024

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray stated rock would be added where needed and grading done on Dent County Roads 2470, 5015 and 5420. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk said rock would be added and grading done on Dent County Road 2570 while only grading would be done on county roads 4283, 4285 and 4287. He also said brush would be cut on county roads 5240 and 5245. Polk went on to say a fallen tree was removed from the Dent County Road 3120. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson discussed two grant programs: one from the MRPC for public food projects and the other from the Missouri Humanities. For more information about the Community Food Projects grant, contact the MRPC at 573-265-2993; and for more information on how to apply for $25,000 from the SemiQuincentennial Humanities Grant, visit mohumanities.org/grants. Grant applications will be accepted from December 1st through January 1st, 2025. Deputy County Clerk Melissa Piatt said excused absentee voting continues at the courthouse. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Thursday morning at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

The Doe Run Company (Doe Run) and the Viburnum community will once again commemorate the rich mining history of southeast Missouri at the 38th Annual Old Miners’ Days festival October 4th and 5th. The community event includes two fun-filled days of entertainment for all ages and features free tours of Doe Run’s Buick Mine on Saturday. Community activities get underway Friday afternoon at 5:00 with the annual Tiny Tot Contest and Miss Viburnum Scholarship Pageant at the Elmer P. Beard Gymnasium in Viburnum. Saturday events begin at 9:00 in the morning at the outdoor Viburnum Center. Visitors 12 or older may sign up for a free underground tour of a working Doe Run mine. Tours begin at 9:00 and conclude at 4:00. Guests can travel through the Buick Mine shaft over 1,000 feet underground and see the company’s operations, including heavy mobile equipment, the maintenance shop and rock pillars full of valuable ore. Free bus transportation will be provided to shuttle guests the short distance from the Viburnum Shopping Center to the Buick Mine and back. Throughout Saturday, guests will enjoy live music, kids’ games and activities, food trucks and booths, craft vendors, a community parade and much more. In the evening, Inspyral Circus will provide circus-style performances that will inspire and amaze the audience with juggling, acrobatics and other performances. The show begins at 6:30 in the evening in the Elmer P. Beard Gymnasium. Doors open at 6:00. Weekend festivities conclude Sunday morning with a community church service hosted by local area churches at 11:00 in the Viburnum Center. Learn more about Old Miners’ Days, including a full schedule of events, online at oldminersdays.com.

The Cultural Craft Co-op at Shannondale and Timber Lodge, 41277 Highway 19 south of Salem, will be holding their fall workshop October 4th through 6th and the offerings promise to be spectacular. They have talented instructors lined up to teach and share their knowledge with participants. Nearly 20 classes will be offered ranging from toothbrush rugs to blacksmithing to broom making to native American seed beaded bracelets. For more information on what’s being offered, costs of classes, a list of local B&B’s contact Mary Ficker at 573-729-7065 or via cell phone at 573-247-1777. To pre-order meals and lodging contact Shannondale at 573-858-3284.