News

Dent County Sheriff Rick Stallings released a report involving a 911 call about an incident that occurred at 3:36 in the early morning on Thursday, April 19^th at a residence located near Highway 72 and FF Highway. According to Sheriff Stallings, 27-year old James Stobbs of Salem was stabbed multiple times after a verbal argument and a physical altercation with 37-year old Aaron D. Zachary of St. James. Stobbs was airlifted by Air Evac to Mercy Medical in St. Louis and was listed in stable condition. Stallings reported that law enforcement officers from the Dent County Sheriff’s Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Salem Police Department searched the woods as Zachary had fled into the woods nearby. Zachary was found walking on Highway 72 and was taken into custody at 7:49 am without incident. Zachary is being held in the Dent County Jail.

The Dent County Commissioners held their meeting Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. In road reports, District One Commissioner Dennis Purcell reported that grading would be done on Dent County Roads 4210, 5610, 5615, 6080, 6083 and 6085. He said that brush would be cut on Dent County Road 6280 and two trucks would be hauling brown rock. Purcell reported that he attended a Meramec Regional Development Corporation meeting Wednesday in St. James. Purcell also reported that chip and seal would be performed on county road 4180 the middle of next week. District Two Commissioner Gary Larson reported that materials would be hauled and grading would be done on Dent County Roads 2120 and 2135 and that grading would also be done on Dent County Roads 2210 and 4380. He said that rolling has begun on Dent County Road 2250, preparing that road for chip and seal next week. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported that he attended a Transportation Advisory Committee meeting and the MRPC meeting last Thursday at the MPRC in St. James. Skiles reported that Preston Kramer, MoDOT Engineer informed Skiles that a 2-foot paved shoulder with rumble strips would be added to Highway 19 from Steelville to Salem and on Highway 32 East to Highway 21. The project would be done in phases. The first phase would from Steelville to Cherryville on Highway 19 beginning this summer and the second phase from Cherryville to Salem next summer. The first phase on the Highway 32 project is scheduled to begin this summer for Highway 32 East to the Junction of Highway 72 and then phase two would be next summer to continue from the Junction of Highway 32/72 East to Highway 21. All three Commissioners and Dent County Clerk, Angie Curley attended the Missouri Association of Counties Legislative Conference on Monday, where one of the topics discussed was the collection of sales tax for items purchased out of state. Skiles wanted to remind everyone that the Dent County Commissioners would be holding their Quarterly Night meeting on Monday, April 23^rd at the Judicial Building in the Associates Courtroom beginning at 7:00 pm, and everyone is welcome to attend. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the Dent County Courthouse and that meeting is open to the public.

There will be a Rolla Technical Institute/Rolla Technical Center information night on Tuesday, April 24^th beginning at 6:30 PM in the high school library. This is free and open to the public. If your child is attending RTI/RTC next school year or you are interested in any adult program, please attend. For more information you may call the high school counselors’ office at 729-5990.

A bridge replacement project on Route NN over the Dry Fork Creek in Dent County is under way. The bridge is located east of County Road 6110.  The bridge closed to traffic on Monday, April 16^th, and will remain closed through late May. Motorists are advised to seek an alternate route around the construction area. The work is part of MoDOT's Safe & Sound Bridge Improvement Program, which will improve 802 of Missouri's worst bridges by the end of 2012. Currently, more than 680 bridges have been improved statewide. For more information, please call 1-888-ASK-MoDOT (275-6636). 

CenturyLink is sponsoring the “Jumpin Java” morning coffee today. This informal networking get together for chamber members will be held in the chamber office, 200 South Main, from 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. Stop in anytime during the hour to catch up, enjoy coffee and donuts and share what’s new at your shop. Don’t forget to bring your business cards and promotional material. Bring along a friend who is interested in the chamber.

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