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This past Saturday night, January 11^th, at about 2:10 in the morning, an officer with the Salem Police Department was contacted at the Dent County Sheriff Office in reference to a gun shot incident. The investigation by the Salem Police Department revealed that an altercation occurred at the intersection of Pershing Avenue and Seventh Street. During this altercation, a weapon was produced and shots were fired. Further investigation revealed that shots had been fired by Andrew Steelman of Salem. The investigation revealed that Kenneth Setzer of Salem had accompanied Steelman to the location. Steelman was taken into custody and charged with felony assault in first degree, felony armed criminal action, felony of unlawful use of a weapon, felony unlawful possession of a firearm. Steelman is incarcerated on a $100,000 cash only bond. Setzer was also taken into custody and charged with felony assault in first degree and is incarcerated on a $25,000 cash only bond. The victim was not struck by the gunshots. The name of the victim is being withheld at this time.

The Dent County Commissioners met for their regular meeting Monday morning at the courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell said that work crews would be doing patch grading where needed and that grading would be done on Dent County Road 6090. Purcell stated that a two- man crew would be working on the floor drain at the maintenance shop. He also reported that workers would be power washing salt off the equipment to get it ready for any future needs. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson indicated that workers would be out checking the roads for soft spots and adding materials where needed. He also said workers would be putting up downed signs, especially in the Boss area. Larson also wants the public to know the Dent County Road crews did the best job they could in getting to over 600 miles of road with the extreme cold that affected graders and even a John Deere Service truck, as well as the winds that continued to drift snow back across the roads that had already been plowed. The Commissioners appreciate the public for their patience in letting the crews clear the snow and ice from the roads. Presiding Commissioner Skiles said that he would be attending a County Commissioner of Missouri Board meeting Wednesday in Jefferson City. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley continues to prepare the budget for the county where a tentative budget will be ready for the public this Friday morning at 8:00. At 10:00, Rich Hall and Thom Haines from the Forest Service were in attendance to discuss Title 2 monies Dent County was entitled to in 2013 from 2012 timber and mineral sales of $22,729. According to Hall, it appears that those monies from last year have been lost to Sequestration from last year, even though they had already been approved to use. Hall said this year’s allocation will be reduced by about 10% and the county is waiting on the letter from the Governor’s office indicating what the 2014 allocation will be from 2013 timber sales and mineral rights. According to the Forest Service website, the amount should be about $19,000 or so. Commissioner Purcell said that money will be re-allocated for the projects previously approved for 2013 and he will budget about $20,000. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

An accident happened at 7:45 Sunday evening in Reynolds County on Highway 72 and Route B, about ten miles east of Bunker. According to the highway patrol report, 30-year old Allen Porte of New Mexico was driving a Ford F-150 pickup truck northbound when the vehicle slid across the roadway and hit a tree. Porte suffered serious injuries and was taken by the Reynolds County ambulance to the Poplar Bluff Regional Hospital. He was not wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The Ford F-150 pickup truck was totaled and removed from the scene by Hills Towing of Ellington.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol has released more arrest reports for Dent County. On Saturday, January 11^th at 2:14 in the afternoon, 23-year old Jennifer Housman of Salem was arrested on a misdemeanor Dent County warrant for bad checks. She was taken to the Dent County Jail and held on bond. On Sunday, January 12^th at 8:55 in the evening, 31-year old Richard Ellerman of Salem was arrested on a St. James municipal warrant for failure to appear on a charge of no vehicle insurance. He was turned over to the St. James Police Department. 

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