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The Dent County Commissioners held their regular meeting Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. In the road reports, District One Commissioner Dennis Purcell reported that crews would be checking for and repairing washouts in the Bunker area, as they had received over two inches of rain on Wednesday. Crews would also be checking for downed trees and storm damage in the New Harmony area. Purcell said that new tires were being installed on dump truck #117. District Two Commissioner Gary Larson reported that he had gotten a few reports of downed trees and washouts. Crews would be hauling material and checking for storm damage as well. Larson reported that at the Extension meeting last week, Drew and Heather Johnson were named as the Dent County Farm Family with David and Melba Headrick being named as the alternate Dent County Farm Family representing Dent County. He also said that he would be attending a Council for a Healthy Dent County meeting. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported that all three Commissioners attending a meeting at the Master’s Industrial Park Thursday afternoon at 4:45, as Senator Roy Blunt was in attendance. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported that only about 13% of the registered voters turned out Tuesday for the Municipal Election. She said that she and the treasurer’s office balanced on all accounts for March. The Commission was approving bills, and Curley said that she and the assessor had the monthly collections, add-ons and abatements also ready for the Commissioners to review. Phone bids were being taken for the Road and Bridge Department for 1,000 gallons of unleaded fuel and 7,000 gallons of diesel. At the last meeting, Larry Sensintaffer, with the Senior Citizens Service Fund requested to advertise and amend the Fund’s budget on April 23^rd at 10:00 am, due to an over site of a $5,000 expense for the Agency for Aging. Sheriff Rick Stallings was also in attendance to discuss the pseudophederine issue. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Monday morning at 9:00 am at the Dent County Courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Missouri Department of Transportation will close four bridges in Crawford, Dent and Maries counties on Monday, April 16^th so they can be replaced. In Crawford County, the Route N Bridge over the Bourbon River will be closed until May 17^th.  Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes. The Route NN Bridge over Dry Fork Creek in Dent County will close until May 30^th.  Motorists will be detoured around the work area on Routes E and F. Two bridges in Maries County will close - the bridge on Route 42 over Mills Spring Creek and the Route V Bridge over Little Fly Creek. The Mills Spring Creek Bridge, located just east of Paydown, will be closed until May 21^st.  Motorists will be detoured around the work area on Routes Z and 28. Construction on the Route V bridge was originally scheduled for July, but was flip-flopped with the replacement of a bridge on Route A over Spring Creek because of the potential for spring flooding there.  The Route V Bridge, located 1.5 miles south of Route 42, is scheduled to reopen to traffic on May 21^st.  Motorists will be detoured around the work area on U.S. 63, Route 28, and Route N. The four bridges are being replaced under MoDOT's Safe & Sound Bridge Improvement Program, which will improve 802 of Missouri's worst bridges by the end of the year. For more information or for a complete listing of bridges included in the program, please call 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636).

The Salem Police Department has released their reports. On Friday, March 23^rd at 6:21 in the evening, a vehicle was stopped for a traffic violation. The investigation led to the arrest of the driver, a 32-year old Salem male for driving while intoxicated. He was incarcerated and issued summons to appear in court. On Saturday, March 24^th at 3:52 in the afternoon, an officer was dispatched to the Al Brown ball fields in reference to a fight in progress. The investigation led to the arrest of a 19-year old male and two 17-year old males all of Salem for disorderly conduct and fighting in public. The three suspects were issued summons to appear in court and released. Anyone with any information regarding a previously mentioned report is asked to contact the Salem Police Department by calling 729-4242.

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