The Dent County Commission met Thursday morning at the courthouse. During public comments, Lancer Blair said he had been part of discussion in Crawford County where he learned the Central Bank of New York was issuing digital currency starting in December and wondered if the Commissioners had heard anything about the issue. First District Commissioner Wes Mobray stated that according to state stature, it is illegal for the county to deal in digital currency. In the road report, Mobray said grading would be done on Dent County Roads 5460, 6370, and 6570, plus brush would be cut on county roads 6460 and 6470. He also said that steering tires were being replaced on one dump truck, plus a flat tire on it was going to fixed. Mobray also noted that another dump truck is down and being worked on. Second District Commissioner Gary Polk reported that grading would be done and rock would be added to Dent County Road 2540, while only grading would be done on county roads 4403, 4480, and 5260. He also reported that his district was hauling conservation rock and his district also has a truck down. Presiding Commissioner Gary Larson reported that MRPC has asked him to submit names for the Eugene E. Northern Award and Outstanding Youth Award. Deputy Dent County Clerk Melissa Piatt reported that the commissioners were approving bills for payment. Bank bids were opened for the lease/purchase agreement for a new backhoe for three years. The Bank of Salem bid was 6.25%, Progressive Ozark bid was 4.50%, and the bid from Town & Country Bank was 5.15%. The commissioners approved the bid from Progressive Ozark with a 3-0 vote. An Intercounty Electric Cooperative representative was in to share that they have increased their rates by 2%. Corky Stack with AEA Engineering was in and they did a walk around with the commissioners on the Courthouse renovations. They noted that the east door needs painted, the roof was still leaking as of April 11th, and the torn screens need to be replaced. The next meeting of the commission will be Monday morning at the courthouse at 9:00 and the meeting is open to the public.

An accident occurred Wednesday afternoon at 2:07 in Phelps County on I-44 about three miles west of Doolittle. According to the highway patrol report, a westbound 2023 Harley Davidson FLHTP, operated by 54-year-old Patrick Rippy of Owensburg, Indiana, began to reduce speed due to traffic conditions. At that time, a 2019 Ford F-350, driven by 30-year-old Mitchell Lawrence of Salem, struck the rear of the Harley Davidson causing Rippy to be ejected. Rippy suffered serious injuries and was flown to University Hospital in Columbia. According to the report, Rippy was not wearing safety equipment, while Lawrence was wearing a seat restraint. The motorcycle went off the left side of the roadway and struck the cable barrier sustaining moderate damage. The Ford had minor damage and was driven from the scene.

The Salem Memorial Hospital Board of Directors held their regular meeting at the hospital library Tuesday evening. For the month of March, the hospital showed a loss from operations of $239,214. After tax revenues are included, the hospital had an excess of expenses over revenues of $118,129. The SMH Family Clinic also showed a loss during March of $66,079.80 as revenues were over budget, but less than in March of 2023. The hospital had a decrease in cash of $121,258 in March but CFO Doug Hoban said the hospital did receive $428,000 in state funds in April. Another payment from the state is expected of over $288,788. The board discussed a strategic plan meeting to be held May 10th working with the University Extension to pull some numbers together. The board did pass an amendment to the board bylaws for a small group voting resolution. The board elected new officers and they are Mike Swyers as the President with Leigh Ann Price Vice-President and Karen Brown as Secretary. The Finance Committee will be made up of new board members Frank Barnitz, Leigh Ann Price and Karen Brown. Zach Moser will be the alternate to the finance committee. The board then went into closed session.

This Saturday at the Ozark Natural and Cultural Resource Center on Highway 19 at the exhibit called “Crossroads: Change in Rural America,” there will be a discussion of ”One Book” about Edgar Lee Masters’ Spoon Rivers Anthology at 9:00. At 10:30, Becky Imhauser presents “More than Money – Being Rich During the Depression. The exhibit is open Monday through Saturday and there is no charge to visit the exhibit. The “Crossroads” exhibit is part of the “Museum on Main Street,” a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and state humanities councils nationwide. Support for Museum on Main Street has been provided by the United States Congress.