News
The Dent County Commissioners regular meeting was held Thursday morning at the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, District 1 Commissioner Dennis Purcell reported that patch grading was going to be done on Dent County Roads 2400, 2430, 5110, 5130, 5525 and 6255. He went on to say that brush would be cut on Dent County Road 5170. District 2 Commissioner Gary Larson said that grading was going to be done on Dent County Roads 2090, 2303, 4380, 6120 and 6123. Larson indicated that brush would be cut on Dent County Roads 2030 and 2070. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles reported that he attended the Salem Area Community Betterment Association meeting on Monday and they are still working on getting the parking lot at the Farmer’s Market paved. They have to decide on how thick of asphalt they will need and hope to get that accomplished this fall. He also said that he was at Wurdack Farm Tuesday and saw Senator Claire McCaskill. She said that the USDA is working on a disaster plan to help out those farmers and ranchers affected by the drought. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said that the last day to register to vote for the General election is October 11th. She asked that if anyone has had an address change or has not voted in quite some time to please call her office at 729-4144 so that can help you with your voter registration. The Commissioners then approved setting the tax rate hearing for the General Revenue Fund, the Road and Bridge Fund, the Sheltered Workshop and the Senior Citizens Service Fund for August 30th at 10:00. A pre-construction meeting was then held at 11:00 with Great Rivers Engineering, Amy Sullivan from the Forest Service, Nick Girando from the Department of Conservation and Widel Construction to discuss the work to rebuild the bridge on Dent County Road 5680 to replace the old Sweeney Bridge. The Commissioners also approved working with the City of Salem if they decide to host the MRPC Annual Awards Dinner in Salem in November. The next meeting of the commissioners will be Monday morning at the courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.
The new substance-impaired driving message is clear and simple: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over. Approximately 240 Missouri state and local law enforcement agencies will participate in the national effort to deter substance-impaired driving by conducting statewide sobriety checkpoints and DWI saturation patrols today through September 3rd. The strong enforcement presence reinforces the importance of driving sober and the legal consequences of ignoring that advice. Missourians will hear and see the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over message during a television, radio, digital and print public awareness campaign. Statewide, law enforcement made 852 DWI arrests during the impaired driving campaign in August and September of 2011. In 2011, 216 people were killed, 865 seriously injured in accidents that involved at least one impaired driver. To learn more about impaired driving and how you can Arrive Alive, visit saveMOlives.com.
There are some upsides to this summer’s withering heat and drought conditions that have lowered pond and lake levels. In ponds with deep enough water for fish to survive, the big fish are eating well. For pond owners, low water offers a good time to make improvements in ponds that can help in future drought. Some ponds receive too little fishing pressure, which can lead to stunted growth in bass and bluegill. Plus, vegetative growth can get heavy near pond banks and keep prey fish hidden. But when water levels drop below vegetative lines, prey fish are forced into deeper water with the predators like largemouth bass. The setback for vegetation can also provide a few years with less growth and improved fishing conditions for anglers. Shallow depths and hot temperatures can cause low oxygen levels in pond water, which can cause fish kills. A partial fish kill in a pond with an overabundance of fish can thin out the weaker fish and allow survivors to grow larger in coming years. Major fish kills are not good. Some have been reported in shallow ponds this summer. The best prevention for summer fish kills is to construct ponds properly or deepen them if siltation occurs. Ponds that have water depths eight feet or greater over at least 25 percent of the pond’s acreage are much more likely to keep fish alive during these hot and dry conditions. If your pond does have a fish kill, it may be time to deepen it and make it more hospitable for fish in extreme weather. Good rains, full ponds and healthy aquatic ecosystems make for happy fishing outings. But even in this summer of extreme drought, the fish in many ponds will survive and thrive in seasons ahead. For more information, visit MDC online at mdc.mo.gov/landwater-care/lake-and-pond-management.
The 12th Tiger Club is sponsoring a Football Parade to be held on Friday, August 24th. This will be the first home football game for the Salem Football Tigers. Businesses, clubs, organizations, churches and individuals are encouraged to participate in the parade and show their Tiger Pride and Spirit. Floats and vehicles should line up around 5:30 pm, between the City of Salem Administration Building and the East Salem Hill. The parade will take off around 6:00 pm and will arrive at the Salem High School Football Stadium before the beginning at the game. For more information, please contact the 12th Tiger Club President, Stephanie Floyd by calling 247-1441.
Sports [TOP]
Back-to-back homers by Paul Goldschmidt and Chris Young in the top of the ninth inning lifted the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 2-1 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in the finale of a three-game set. Allen Craig tallied an RBI single in the fifth inning to account for the Cardinals' lone run. Kyle Lohse, looking to extend his winning streak to seven games, fanned five and allowed four hits and three walks over 6 2/3 scoreless frames. The Cards will start a three-game series with the Pirates tonight at 6:40 on KSMO.
Dan Straily worked 6 1/3 shutout innings in just is third major league game and the Oakland Athletics got a 3-0 win over the Kansas City Royals to avoid a three-game sweep at Kauffman Stadium. Eric Hosmer had two hits, and Billy Butler and Salvador Perez each added base hits for the Royals, who lost for just the third time in nine tries. Luke Hochevar (7-11) absorbed the loss after giving up three runs on four hits. He struck out five over seven-plus frames. The Royals will start a three-game series with the Chicago White Sox tonight.
The St. Louis Rams and Kansas City Chiefs will face off at the Edward Jones Dome Saturday night at 7:00. This will be each teams second pre-season game of the year, as the Chiefs won last week while the Rams lost.
Obituaries [TOP]
Memorial services for Dona C. Smith of Salem, age 69, will be held today at 12:00 (noon) the home of Phillip Christ on Doss Road. All arrangements are under the direction of the Wilson Mortuary in Salem.
Funeral services for Alfred Ward of Steelville, age 84, will be held Sunday at 2:00 at the Britton-Bennett Funeral Home in Steelville. Visitation will be held from noon until time of the service. Interment will be in the Liberty Cemetery in Steelville with full military honors.
Funeral services for Sammy J. Holt of St. James, age 73, will be held Monday at 11:00 at the James & Gahr Mortuary in St. James. Visitation will be Sunday from 2:00 to 4:00. Interment will be in the Flag Springs Cemetery in St. James. Memorials may be made to the Flag Springs Church.
Memorial service for Rachel Leigh Pruett of Ackworth, Iowa formally of Columbia, MO, age 16, will be Wednesday at 6:00 pm at the James & Gahr Mortuary in Rolla. Memorials are suggested to the future Rachel Leigh Pruett Scholarship Fund.
Weather [TOP]
