News – Tuesday, September 17th 2024

The City of Salem has announced that they will be testing the storm sirens tomorrow at 10:00 in the morning. If there are storms in the area during the scheduled test time, the city will postpone the test until next Wednesday.

The Dent County Commission met Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. Dent County Treasurer Denita Williams gave her sales tax report for the money collected this month. She said the General Revenue Fund and Law Enforcement Sales Tax Fund each received $103,147.49 which is $18,520.84 more than for September of 2023. Year-to-date, the General Revenue Fund and the LEST funds are up about $41,557 which is about a 5.2% increase. The Road and Bridge Fund received $48,498.22 this month, and that is up $10,632.31 more than September of 2023. Year-to-date, that fund is up $18,597.30 which is near 5%. The County Jail Operating and Trust funds each received $97,418.01 in September and that is up $21,264.53 from the September 2023 receipts. Year-to-date, those funds are up $38,385.44. Williams said the county has so far paid back  $199,960 of the $933,148.23 sales tax the state said the county should not have received. There is still $733,187.85 remaining to be paid back which the state deducts from the county monthly receipts by a total of just over $11,000. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley says many counties are not in this good of shape financially even with the reduction each month by the state. She said many counties have to borrow money to do any major construction or renovations where Dent County was able to do the 1.7-million-dollar courthouse renovation from their own reserves.

In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Wes Mobray stated brush would be cut on Dent County Roads 5160 and 5170 while crews will be removing two trees from county road 5080. Mobray said a man would be going to Springfield to get oil for chip and seal repair. District 2 Commissioner Gary Polk said grading would be done on Dent County Roads 3190, 3220, 4430 and 6140; while brush would be cut on county roads 4380, 4390 and 5225. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson said he attended the MRPC meeting Thursday night and will attend a grant proposal meeting Wednesday at the MRPC building. Dent County Clerk Curley said the last day to register to vote for the General Election would be October 9th, absentee voting with an excuse begins September 24th, while “no excuse” absentee voting will begin on October 22nd. At the last meeting, the commissioners discussed three bids for a truck for the coroner. The state bid was from Don Brown Chevrolet for $48,256, while other bids received included Ford Joe for $51,680 and Billman Dodge for $50,498. Coroner Ben Pursifull was present and recommended the Ford as it is a one-ton XLT truck with options and better re-sale value. The commission approved the purchase of the Ford for the Coroner’s Office. The commission also agreed to seek bids for a new courthouse roof and the replacement of damaged screens in the Judicial Building from the hail damage. Bids will be due on Thursday, October 3rd at the county clerk’s office and will be opened at 10:00 in the morning. If anyone has questions about placing a bid or specs, contact Commissioner Gary Larson at 729-3044 or 368-9099. The next meeting of the commission will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

An accident occurred in Maries County Sunday on Highway 28 east of Highway C that took the life of a man from Arkansas. According to the Highway Patrol report an eastbound 2005 Subaru Outback, driven by 41-year-old Michael Edington of Rolla, crossed the center line and struck a westbound 2008 Dodge Ram 2500, driven by 21-year-old Elijah Woodward of Locust Grove, Arkansas, head-on. The Subaru went off the right side of the roadway, while the Dodge went off the left side of the roadway and overturned. Woodward was ejected from the Dodge. He was pronounced deceased at University Hospital in Columbia at 9:03 by Dr. Chris Nelson. The report stated that neither Woodward nor Edington were wearing safety restraints. The Dodge was totaled and removed from the scene by Owens Towing, while the Subaru sustained extensive damage and was removed by Fastlane Towing.