Scroll Down for Sports, Weather and Obituaries! For State-Wide News, go to the MissouriNet! To read previous editions of Your World Today please visit our Archives Page.

The Dent County Commissioners held their regular meeting Monday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell reported that grading was going to be done on Dent County Roads 5600, 6380 and 6420. He said that work continued on Dent County Road 5600 that is also known as the Turtle loop, and the work continued on the expansion of the Quarry Road which is Dent County Road 5220. In District 2, Commissioner Gary Larson said that grading was going to be done on Dent County Roads 4020, 4030 and 4290. He said that a crossover pipe was going to be installed on Dent County Road 2103, and it was also going to have rock added to the road and it will be graded. Larson stated that a new driveway pipe purchased by the landowner was going to be installed on Dent County Road 2330 and rock will be added to that road as well. He said that two men took one of the new trucks to Jefferson City for repairs, and that another truck has a bad transmission. He said he had a bid of $6,625 to repair it and was looking to get another bid. Dent County Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said that all the commissioners would be attending an economic stimulus meeting in Columbia on Wednesday. They will be finding out more information about the Recovery Zone Economic Bonds of which Dent County qualifies for $1,089,000; and the Recovery Zone Facility Bonds of which Dent County qualifies for $1,633,000. The economic bonds deal with governmental needs while the facility bonds deal with private industry. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley reported that polls will be open for Salem R-80 School District voters from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM today to vote on the school bond issue proposal. She also reported that the assessed valuation for the county went down from over $15 million dollars in 2008 to $14,825,605 in 2009. Also at the meeting, Danny Lanto came in to discuss the washouts on Dent County Road 6370. Commissioner Purcell said that road was scheduled to be graded Thursday, but it was rained out. He said a grader would be there today after grading Dent County Road 6380. At the last meeting, Sheriff Rick Stallings came in to discuss two proposals for the radio tower where a 50-foot tower will cost $13,673, and a 100- foot tower would cost $15,499. Both proposals came from Imagination Plus, and no action was taken by the commissioners. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be held Thursday morning at 9:00 at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

The Salem Board of Aldermen held their regular meeting Monday evening at the City Hall Council Chambers. At the meeting, the board approved the bid from Mid MO Trailer Sales out of Westphalia for a 6’ by 10’ single axle cargo trailer with double rear doors for $1,999. The trailer is for the electric department to be used in emergency clean up situations. The board then approved the purchase of an 18’ flatbed bumper pull trailer from Cowtown USA for $2,495, and 10 polyethylene recycling bins from Dempster Industries in Nebraska for $6,210.00. These items will be paid for by the Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management grant awarded to the city for recycling. Alderman Jim McDaniels asked about the extension of the city limits on Highway 72 north and Mayor Gary Brown said that the paperwork is on his desk and he just has to check the legal descriptions to be sure they are correct before it is submitted. Alderman Kenneth Nash asked about the weeds and dangerous intersections caused by the overgrowth at the old fairgrounds. The mayor said he would get with the Dent County Festival Board to see what they are going to do about the problem. Both the mayor and Alderman McDaniels complimented the Salem Upper Elementary School Honors Choir on a fine job and a great representation of the school. Mayor Brown said that smoke testing is going to be done this month and next month on the west side of town in the sewer lines. This will be done during weekday hours and the people who will be affected will be notified before the test is done. The mayor said that MoDOT would soon be asphalting Highway 19 from the Highway 68 junction to the intersection of Routes B and K. He also hopes to work with MoDOT in widening Highway 19 between Fifth Street and Rolla Road by about 16 inches on each side. This would be done during non-peak hours. Brown also said that he would be meeting soon with the MoDOT engineer about McArthur. The mayor told the board that natural gas customers could now pay their gas bills in person at the Radio Shack store on Highway 32-72 East. The board approved Bill #3174 that annexes into the city limits the property of Ralph and Laura Yohai at 300 South Dilworth, and approved bill #3175 that allows the mayor to execute an agreement with MoDOT concerning a utility reservation paragraph when one or more utilities are located on property to be deeded away. The board also approved Bill #3176 that made a budget adjustment of just over $36,000 to the new budget in order to pay for the repair work to Well #8. This brings the overall expenditures for the city to $10,167,525. The board then set their tax rate hearing for August 17^th during the Salem Board of Aldermen regular meeting. After the bills were approved, the meeting was adjourned.

Businesses who suffered property damage or loss from the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding from May 8^th through the 16th can register for federal disaster assistance. Registration is available by calling 1-800 621-3362 from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., seven days a week, or at www.disasterassistance.gov. In order to complete an application, the following information is necessary: a phone number, address of the damaged property, a brief description of damages, a Social Security number, any insurance information and a current mailing address. The counties in which residents are eligible to register for disaster assistance are: Dent, Shannon, Texas, and surrounding counties. Businesses of any size and private, non-profit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory, and other business assets The U.S. Small Business Administration also sends loss verifiers to inspect damaged property of those who have submitted completed loan applications. And local building and safety inspectors may come to see if damaged structures are safe. All of these inspectors should have photo identification.

Residents who suffered property damage or loss from the severe storms, tornadoes and flooding from May 8^th through the 16th can register for federal disaster assistance. Registration is available by calling 1-800 621-3362 or at www.disasterassistance.gov from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., seven days a week until further notice. In order to complete an application, the following information is necessary: a phone number, address of the damaged property, a brief description of damages, a Social Security number, any insurance information and a current mailing address. The counties in which residents are eligible to register for disaster assistance are: Dent, Shannon, Texas, and surrounding counties. Assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, in addition to grants for serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property. FEMA disaster assistance covers basic needs only and will not normally compensate victims for their entire loss. For those with insurance, the government may help pay for basic needs not covered by insurance. Residents who applied for disaster assistance and are not insured can expect to hear from an inspector who will schedule a visit to look at damaged property. FEMA schedules inspections within 7 to 10 days to verify losses.

Sports [TOP]

Funeral services for James W. Harris of Salem, age 77, will be held today at 1:00 at the Dent County Memorial Chapel. Visitation will be from 11:00 until service time. Interment will be in the Cedar Grove Cemetery with Military Honors. Memorials may be made to the Salvation Army, Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation or the charity of your choice.

A Funeral mass for Clara Louise Keeler of Steelville, age 90, will be held Wednesday morning at 11:00 at the St. Michaels Catholic Church. Visitation will be held from 9:00 to 10:45 at the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home in Steelville. Interment will be in the Steelville Cemetery.

Funeral services for Flossie M Zika of Edgar Springs, age 86, will be held Saturday at noon at the James and Gahr Mortuary in Rolla. Visitation will be from 10:00 until service time. Interment will be in the Smith Cemetery in Rolla. Memorials are suggested to the Tri-County Center for Independent Living.

Weather [TOP]