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 regular meeting was held Thursday at the Dent County Courthouse. In the road report, District One Commissioner Dennis Purcell reported that grading was going to be done on Dent County Roads 6630 and 6633; brush was going to be cut on Dent County Roads 4110, 4120 and 5600; and that two trucks would be hauling creek gravel. In District Two, Commissioner Gary Larson said that grading was going to be done on Dent County Roads 2240, 2270 and 4290; brush was going to be cut on Dent County Road 3050 and that materials were going to be added and repairs were going to be done on Dent County Road 5310. Larson also stated that creek gravel would be stock piled for the winter. Presiding Commissioner Darrell Skiles said that he attended the Region I Homeland Security Oversight Committee Thursday afternoon to discuss the grants awarded in 2009 and the process for the grant applications for 2010. Those applications will be accepted in November and due in December. Dent County Clerk Angie Curley said that the courthouse will be open from 8:00 until noon Saturday for absentee voting, and people can vote absentee on Monday, November 1^st as well. She said that if voters have moved or are unsure where they are to vote, please contact the clerk’s office at 729-4144. She also wants to remind everyone voting to bring their voter registration card or some other form ID when they go to vote. At the last meeting, the commissioners signed the lease/purchase agreement on the two-2010 graders from the Bank of Salem with the first payment due on October 25^th, 2011 for $21,098.84 per grader. The annual payments will continue through October 25, 2015. The next meeting of the Dent County Commissioners will be Monday morning at 9:00 at the Dent County Courthouse and the meeting is open to the public.

On Wednesday, State Auditor Susan Montee filed a brief in the Missouri Supreme Court regarding excess utility charges levied by certain city-owned utilities. The brief, submitted by Attorney General Chris Koster on behalf of the Attorney General and State Auditor, includes references to audit reports where State Auditor Montee identified several cities that collect excess utility charges that are then transferred to the general revenue of these cities. State Auditor Montee believes these actions implicate the provisions of Missouri's Hancock Amendment that require voter approval of new taxes or fees. The cities listed include Salem, Marceline, Farmington, Springfield, Lebanon, Hermann and LaPlata. In many instances, overcharges created reserves in city utility funds that the municipalities then used to pay for other government operating expenses.

The United States Attorney’s Office announced that eight people have been sentenced on methamphetamine related charges involving their activities between February of 2008 to April of 2010 in Phelps County. Those individuals and theis sentences are Matt E. Shockley of St. James, age 39, was sentenced to 57 months in prison; Amy Koepke Shockley of St. James, age 30, was sentenced to 36 months in prison; Brandon L. Proffer of St. James, age 24, was sentenced to 60 months in prison; Brenda L. Bonney of St. James, age 41, was sentenced to 46 months in prison; Karen A. Cook of Rolla, age 47, was sentenced to two years probation; Jerry D. Cook of Rolla, age 42, was sentenced to 120 months in prison; Mathew D. Garms of Steelville, age 31, was sentenced to 84 months in prison; and Amanda M. Housel of Rolla, age 27, was sentenced to 29 months in prison. This case was investigated by the South Central Drug Task Force, Rolla Police Department, Phelps County Sheriff's Department, and the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Assistant United States Attorney Jeannette Graviss handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Troop I of the Missouri State Highway Patrol recorded four traffic fatalities during the month of September 2010. This is two more than 2009. There were 194 accidents with 116 injuries and four fatalities reported for September 2010 compared to 235 accidents with 91 injuries and two fatalities for September 2009. The total fatalities for 2010 are now 20 as compared to 15 for the same time period last year. In Crawford County, there were 22 accidents reported with nine injuries, while there were 16 accidents with 13 injuries and one fatality reported in Dent County. In Laclede County, threw were 29 accidents reported with 23 injuries and one fatality. Also for September 2010 within Maries County, there were 11 accidents reported with 16 injuries; Phelps County had 78 accidents with 33 injuries and one fatality reported while Pulaski County had 38 accidents reported with 22 injuries and one fatality. Captain Lee Ann Kenley, commanding officer of Troop I, wants to remind everyone those cooler temperatures, shorter days, and occasional fog and frost are signs that winter isn’t far around the corner. This is a good time of the year to get your vehicles safety checked so it will be ready for winter driving conditions.

Sports [TOP]