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Welcome to Pulaski County Daily — Pulaski County’s best in-depth FREE news coverage, delivered seven days a week, 365 days a year, for comprehensive news in the Fort Leonard Wood area of south-central Missouri.
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Tom Murphy of Basswishes displays his wares at the St. Robert Outdoorsmans Show. |
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St. Robert Outdoor Sportmans' Show continues until 6 pm today
SAINT ROBERT, Mo. (March 13, 2010) — Like the outdoors? Want to go to a hunting, fishing, camping, and other retail show? If so, the inaugural St. Robert Outdoor Sportsman’s show is still open until 6 p.m. at the St. Robert Community Center on Old Route 66. Event coordinator Ashley Sielke said attendance so far has been more than 400 people — far more than she expected for a first-year event. “In Pulaski County, we have a lot of hunting and fishing and outdoors-type people,” Sielke said. “We just want people to get out and fish and hunt and camp and have a good time in the outdoors.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Farnham to Texas Road residents: Stop stealing county road rock!
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (March 12, 2010) — Commissioners did little during a mostly quiet Thursday morning meeting other than hold closed session meetings on undisclosed subjects, but in some of the few public comments of the day, Eastern District Commissioner Bill Farnham said he wants to give a stern warning to people on Texas Road that piles of gravel placed for the road crews are to benefit the public, not private homeowners. “Apparently one of the neighbors saw someone backing their pickup to our road piles. The sheriff’s dispatch called the road foreman and asked what he should do about it; the deputy told him to put it back, gave him a stern warning and said they’ll be back if it happens again,” Farnham said. “Those piles were put there for a reason: To fill potholes, not to fix people’s driveways with.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Andy Anderson explains the fire to Waynesville Superintendent Judene Blackburn. |
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Fire caught before it spread out of Waynesville Middle School art room
WAYNESVILLE, Mo. (March 11, 2010) — Superintendent Judene Blackburn had a simple message for Andy Anderson, one of her school board members and custodians: “You saved our building!” Anderson happened to be in the right place at the right time Wednesday evening when a passing motorist noticed flames coming through the window of a room at Waynesville Middle School and called 911. That 911 call resulted in firefighters being dispatched to the scene, but before they arrived, Anderson had successfully used a fire extinguisher to stop the blaze. Initially reported as being a fire in the gym, the blaze was actually located in an art room in a building in front of the gym, but that wouldn’t be clear from outside the school to someone not familiar with the building layout. “The whole counter was on fire and the room was full of smoke,” Anderson said.
Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Waynesville Councilwoman Luge Hardman explains her city's issues at Wednesday's Chamber of Commerce meeting. |
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Chamber told Waynesville is growing, school road realignment hits snag
WAYNESVILLE, Mo. (March 10, 2010) — Projects in Waynesville’s downtown are progressing, Councilwoman Luge Hardman told members of the Waynesville-St. Robert Chamber of Commerce during their noon meeting Wednesday, but efforts to realign the GW Lane and Ichord Avenue intersection by Waynesville High School have hit a snag that may force creation of a “roundabout” or traffic circle. “Downtown projects continue; there’s a lot of good stuff going on in downtown Waynesville,” Hardman said, including $2 million worth of construction work. “We also continue to work on some excellent projects that are going to start this summer. Most of you know that we did pass a bond issue for our wastewater and sewer treatment plant, a $5 million project, and that’s also going to begin this summer,” Hardman said. “I will tell you that it is the goal of the city to work to improve the traffic flow of the high school ... Keep your eyes to the local media to what happens there; hopefully there will be something that happens shortly.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Developer Tom Townsend explains his plans. |
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Dogwood Trailer Court plans change; developer now proposes duplexes
WAYNESVILLE, Mo. (March 9, 2010) — A closed 2.5-acre trailer court on the north end of Waynesville off Highway 17 may end up being converted to multifamily rather than single family homes, based on a plan approved Tuesday evening by the Waynesville Planning and Zoning Commission. If it’s also accepted by the city council at its March 18 meeting, that rezoning proposal means Tom Townsend, who purchased and is redeveloping the former Dogwood Trailer Court on Booker Road, will be allowed to build duplexes but won’t be required to do so; he could still build single-family homes. “In talking to the community, people that were in real estate, the builders, just checking around to see what the need for the community is, it seems to bounce back and forth between single-families and duplexes,” Townsend said. “Since I limited myself to just single-families with the R1 zoning, I thought I’d ask to rezone to R2 so I could put some duplexes in there. If the duplexes do well, I’ll go ahead and stick with duplexes all the way through.” Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman Tim Bartlett said he didn’t have a problem with the duplex concept, and in the past has noted that the existing trailer court has been a significant problem for the city. “That property can’t go anywhere but up,” Bartlett said. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Firefighters at I-44 hazmat case say they learned from recent exercise
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (March 9, 2010) — Less than a week after a misstep in a training exercise “killed” an entire duty shift of Waynesville firefighters, members of that same shift responded with extra caution Tuesday evening to a report of a 20-pound bag of suspicious powder found by state troopers on Interstate 44. Waynesville Rural Fire Chief Doug Yurecko received a call to respond and immediately called for backup. “My initial thought was whatever this was, the trooper on the scene had been exposed to it because he tested it to see if it was a drug or not. The second thought was, jeez, this is on the side of the interstate, this is going to be fun,” Yurecko said. After testing, the suspicious substance turned out to be a beeswax and low-density polyethylene compound that is used in detergents and a number of other products, Yurecko said, and most likely fell off a passing truck. “It happened to be the same crew that was involved in the exercise last week. They didn’t park quite as close this time,” Yurecko said. “They all claim to be walking dead bodies now.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Pizza ovens are for food, not towels, Waynesville fire chief warns Caseys
WAYNESVILLE, Mo. (March 9, 2010) — Pizza ovens are supposed to be used for baking pizza, not towels, but according to Waynesville Rural Fire Chief Doug Yurecko, misuse of the oven by a late-night worker at Casey’s General Store in Waynesville came close to burning the store down. “(Firefighters) did determine where the fire was with a thermal imager and determined it was contained to the stainless steel drawer,” Yurecko said. “Our thermal imager was showing it was still a couple of hundred degrees. If it hadn’t been in a stainless steel drawer, or if it had been in a regular cabinet, we would have had a fully involved building ... You probably should make a mental note at home that if your dryer doesn’t work, don’t use your toaster oven to dry your socks or your dishwasher to wash your shirts.”
Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
An out-of-control trash fire destoyed a mobile home Monday. |
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Resident tries to burn cardboard box, destroys neighboring trailer instead
SAINT ROBERT, Mo. (March 8, 2010) — Dry weather, wind, and momentary inattention led to an out-of-control fire that destroyed a vacant mobile home Monday evening. Waynesville and St. Robert firefighters responded to a blaze about 4 p.m. on Hamlet Lane, which is about two miles north of St. Robert off Highway 28, and found a mobile home fully involved in a swiftly moving natural cover fire. “They were burning a cardboard box and then he walked away, turned around, and saw the wind had taken it into the brush and then into the empty mobile home,” said Waynesville Deputy Fire Chief Andy Baker. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Emergency personnel respond to a wreck on I-44. |
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Teen driver careens hundred yards in ravine beside Interstate 44 Monday
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (March 8, 2010) — A teenage driver managed to avoid rolling her car Monday night despite skidding more than a hundred yards down into a ravine on the side of Interstate 44 near mile marker 165. Emergency personnel responded to a report of a two-vehicle crash involving a semi truck and a passenger vehicle in the eastbound lane at 9:10 p.m., and found a silver 2004 Ford Taurus SE station wagon driven by Ariel N. Johnson, 18, of St. James, had been eastbound when she attempted to pass a 2009 Peterbilt conventional tractor-trailer unit owned by Balbach Transport of Rancho Cordova, Calif., and driven by Alfredo Cortes, 55, of Compton, Calif., but struck the semi while trying to pass. Ariel Johnson suffered minor injuries; her passenger, James A. Johnson, 18, also of St. James, suffered moderate injuries. The semi driver was not hurt. In unrelated incidents, state troopers arrested Joshua A. Williams, 28, of Crocker, Alvin D. Crain, 30, of Vegas, Nev., and Denny W. York, 41, of Dixon, on various charges. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Drive-by shooter plea-bargains sentence down to seven years
SAINT ROBERT, Mo. (March 6, 2010) — A man who sheriff’s deputies say committed a drive-by shooting last April on Happy Drive off Highway 28 and then threatened potential witnesses with warnings that “snitches end up in ditches” will spend seven years in state prison following a plea bargain accepted Thursday by Associate Circuit Judge John Clayton. The recent plea bargain by Rick Edward Griffith, 39, is to a Class C felony charge of second-degree assault for which Griffith’s seven-year sentence is the maximum penalty. However, it’s far less than he could have received on the original charges. He had originally been charged by Prosecuting Attorney Deborah Hooper with one Class A felony charge of first-degree assault, an unclassified felony charge of armed criminal action, a Class B felony charge of unlawful use of a weapon and a class D felony charge of hindering prosecution, all connected with accusations that he shot a man on April 25 with a .22-caliber AR7 survival rifle which he discharged from a motor vehicle, and subsequently threatened bodily harm to a witness. Class A felonies are the most serious type of felonies under Missouri law short of murder, and the drive-by shooting, on its own, carried a minimum sentence of 10 years with a maximum of 30 years; other charges could have added at least 19 more years. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Firefighters secure the scene of an ammunition truck rollover. |
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Firefighters shut down interstate on Saturday, remove ammunition truck
HAZELGREEN, Mo. (March 6, 2010) — It took longer than expected, but Hazelgreen firefighters and tow company personnel removed the wreckage of a semi truck Saturday morning that had been carrying small-arms ammunition when it crashed on Interstate 44 early Friday. According to Missouri Department of Transportation reports, the interstate was shut down from 8:45 a.m. to 9:53 a.m. on Saturday for that work. According to Missouri State Highway Patrol reports, Roland D. Walden, 53, of Hermann, had been westbound at 5:37 a.m. Friday in a 2003 Freightliner when he ran off the right side of the roadway, struck a guardrail, ran up an embankment, struck several trees and overturned, totaling his truck but suffering only minor injuries. In unrelated incidents, state troopers arrested Charles A. Beck, 59, of Plato, and Spec. Timothy D. Mahony, 29, of Fort Leonard Wood's 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade, on various charges.
Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Skelton files Friday for re-election; faces serious Republican challenge
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (March 6, 2010) — U.S. Congressman Ike Skelton, the longest-serving member of the state’s congressional delegation, filed Friday morning for re-election to the seat he’s held since 1977. Some in the Washington media had speculated that Skelton, whose heavily rural district contains both Fort Leonard Wood and Whiteman Air Force Base and has trended increasingly Republican in recent years, might join an increasing number of Democrats in deciding 2010 will be their retirement year. Skelton quickly rebutted such claims when they appeared in the press. Skelton chairs the House Armed Services Committee and is considered among the most powerful conservatives in the Democratic Party’s congressional leadership. He faces only nominal Democratic opposition from Leonard Steinman of Jefferson City, who filed Monday, but a crowded Republican field is seeking to replace him including State Sen. Bill Stouffer of Napton in north-central Missouri near Marshall, former State Rep. Vicky Hartzler of Harrisonville, former Jefferson City Councilman Roy Viessman, James Scholz of Warrensburg, Arthur John Madden of Malta Bend, and Brian Riley of Marshall. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Sgt. Kyle Weber, Staff Sgt. Brian Harvey and Sgt. Joe Ramsey of the 7th Civil Support Team survey a hallway inside the old Waynesville Technical Academy. |
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Successful exercise helps Missouri Guard’s 7th Civil Support Team work with civilian first responders
WAYNESVILLE, Mo. (March 6, 2010) — Valuable training and multiagency coordination in response to a simulated terrorist threat occurred Wednesday and Thursday during a joint exercise put on by the Missouri National Guard’s 7th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team at the old Waynesville Technical Academy. “It was a very successful outcome,” said 1st Lt. Nathan Looper, the team’s medical operations officer and the exercise’s creator. “Even though everything didn’t go as scripted, all the agencies involved received much-needed training.” Soldiers and Airmen on civil support teams often train closely with their civilian first-responder counterpartsto prepare for real-world emergencies. The 7th Civil Support Team from Fort Leonard Wood engages in an exercise with a civilian agency within the state around once a month. Six civilian agencies joined the 7th in the exercise, including the Waynesville Police Department, Waynesville Rural Fire Department, St. Robert Fire Department, Pulaski County Sherriff’s Department, Pulaski County 911, and Camden County Special Response Team. Overall, Looper said the exercise received very positive feedback from the civilian responders. “The civilian agencies already were asking what we could do in the future to expand on the joint training,” he said.
Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Matthew J. Wilson/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
Col. Robert Leeker and Major Tim "Bling" Rezac take to the skies in the B-2 Stealth Bomber. |
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131st Bomb Wing commander takes final B-2 flight at Whiteman AFB
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. (March 5, 2010) — Col. Robert L. Leeker began his Missouri Air National Guard flying career 33 years ago piloting Phantoms. This past week, he brought that Guard flying career to a close piloting a Spirit. Leeker took his final flight as the 131st Bomb Wing commander at Whiteman on Thursday. In addition to the F-4 Phantom and B-2 Spirit, Leeker has also flown the F-15 Eagle. “I’ve had some really good times,” said Leeker. “I love flying. The clouds, the ground … I’ve been all over the world.” Leeker has served with the 131st for more than 38 years. When he began his career, it was with the 131st Tactical Fighter Wing in St. Louis. Later, the unit transitioned into the 131st Fighter Wing and, more recently, realigned to support the B-2 mission at Whiteman Air Force Base. Leeker completed his B-2 qualification training in 2009 and was a big part of the transition to Whiteman that has the unit supporting and providing stability to the B-2 mission as the 131st Bomb Wing. Later this month, Col. Greg Champagne will take the reins as wing commander. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Rachel Knight/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
Firefighters secure the scene of an ammunition truck rollover. |
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Ammunition truck overturns on I-44
HAZELGREEN, Mo. (March 5, 2010) — A semi truck carrying ammunition rolled over on westbound Interstate 44 at mile marker 148.0 shortly before 6 a.m., but all lanes are now open and firefighters say danger to the public is now minimal. The driver has been hurt, and following extrication, was transported to an area hospital. Missouri State Highway Patrol troopers are on the scene of the crash but have not yet issued a report, so the driver’s name, medical condition, and the cause of the crash have not yet been released. At least one of the truck’s fuel tanks had ruptured, but firefighters disconnected all of the truck’s electrical systems, meaning that the truck and its ammunition no longer pose a threat. Jack’s Towing personnel will return in the afternoon to remove the truck; the interstate will be shut down for a brief period for removal.
Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Paul A. Cary |
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Fort Leonard Wood man pleads guilty to three robberies while AWOL
SAINT ROBERT, Mo. (March 5, 2010) — A former soldier from Fort Leonard Wood pleaded guilty Thursday to three counts of second-degree robbery involving incidents last June at the Holiday Inn Express, Microtel and Discount Smoke Shop. Spec. Paul August Cary, 33, had been absent without leave from Fort Leonard Wood’s 5th Engineer Battalion when, according to court documents, he admitted all three robberies to St. Robert police “along with an attempted robbery of the Price Cutters in Waynesville.” He was also seen on various security videos that allowed a member of the Fort Leonard Wood Drug Suppression Team to “positively identif(y) the subject as Paul August Carey due to having interviewed him several times for crimes that he has committed on Fort Leonard Wood.” The three cases had been moved to Phelps County Circuit Court on a change-of-venue request and had been scheduled for a two-day jury trial beginning next week Thursday, March 11. Prosecuting Attorney Deborah Hooper had followed requests by police to charge Cary with first-degree robbery, which is a Class A felony, carrying a penalty of 10 to 30 years in state prison. As part of the plea bargain, Hooper accepted Cary’s plea to the lesser offense of second-degree robbery, which is a Class B felony punishable by 5 to 15 years. He’ll be sentenced on May 10. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
7th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team members search for radiation. |
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Guard’s 7th Civil Support Team learns tactics for radiological threat response
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (March 5, 2010) — As one of four new members of the 7th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team, Sgt. 1st Class Joe Mell had no experience dealing with radiological threats. Mell and the rest of the Missouri National Guard unit from Fort Leonard Wood recently spent a week learning techniques on identifying and locating radiation sources, and the best way to deal with the hazard once it’s found. Training was conducted by the Defense Nuclear Weapons School at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency on Kirtland Air Force Base in Albuquerque, N.M. “I have a 100 percent difference in the way I look at radiation versus what I did before I ever attended the course,” said Mell, the unit’s decontamination noncommissioned officer in charge. “I learned about the different pieces of equipment there are to detect radiation and how to use them.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Matthew J. Wilson/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
Crocker Fire Chief Mark Fancher helps at a Thursday crash. |
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Crocker crash injures two Thursday
CROCKER, Mo. (March 4, 2010) — An elderly Waynesville couple Jean F. D’Entremont, 74, and Reginald J. D’Entremont, 78, wrecked their car but suffered only minor injuries in a Thursday morning one-vehicle crash on Highway 17 about two miles south of the Crocker city limits. The crash was originally reported as a multi-patient wreck with extrication required, but when Crocker firefighters arrived at the crash scene on Highway 17 just north of Rambo Road, they found the damage was less serious than expected. In unrelated incidents, state troopers arrested Albert D. Nicholson, 23, of Fort Leonard Wood, and Michael T. Esparza, 22, of Devil’s Elbow, on various charges. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Emergency response personnel prepare to set up a perimeter. |
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Waynesville, St. Robert agencies train with National Guard on mock attack
WAYNESVILLE, Mo. (March 3, 2010) — Wednesday afternoon’s scanner traffic in Waynesville went from routine stops of motorists to a report of shots fired with victims down, seven firefighters and several police officers incapacitated by an unknown liquid near Waynesville Technical Academy, and an unknown man fleeing from police who may be connected with the incident. Those are just some of the challenges being faced by civilian police, firefighters, ambulance personnel, and others working with the Missouri National Guard in a two-day joint training exercise that began at 4 p.m. today. Emergency personnel emphasize that the staging area being set up near Westside Baptist Church and the Waynesville High School football field is only a training exercise and there’s actually no emergency and no threat to the public or anyone else. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Don Mayhew filed Monday for the Republican nomination for Pulaski County Presiding Commissioner. |
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Mayhew files Monday for Pulaski County Presiding Commissioner post
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (March 3, 2010) — Another candidate filed Monday for the Pulaski County Presiding Commissioner seat currently filled by Don McCulloch: Crocker resident Don Mayhew, who currently serves as president of the Crocker R-II School Board and was formerly the Pulaski County Surveyor. Mayhew is running in the August Republican primary against Gene Newkirk who filed last week Tuesday, the first day candidates could turn in their nomination papers. So far, McCulloch is unopposed in the Democratic primary for his seat. Mayhew also filed for re-election as Republican Central Committeeman for Tavern Township, which covers Crocker and the northwest part of Pulaski County, along with Dorothy Gilstrap who is running for Republican Central Committeewoman in the same township. So far Mayhew and Gilstrap are the only candidates to have filed for the central committees of either party. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Emergency personnel respond to a rollover wreck on I-44. |
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Two Tuesday morning rollovers total vehicles, badly injure both drivers
SAINT ROBERT/RICHLAND, Mo. (March 2, 2010) — Two separate one-vehicle rollovers injured drivers early Tuesday morning. The worst of the two wrecks happened about four miles away from Richland on Route A in Camden County, about a tenth of a mile west of Fairview Road where William S. McDonald, 19, of Richland, had been westbound on Route A about 1:10 a.m. driving a 1996 Nissan when he ran off the right side of the roadway, overcorrected, crossed the center line, and ran off the left side of the roadway. He then struck a tree and overturned multiple times, went through a fence, and came to rest in a field. McDonald suffered serious injuries. A second wreck at 5 a.m. totaled a red 1991 Chevrolet pickup driven by Carrie D. Burdette, 33, of Rolla, who rolled her vehicle at mile marker 165.4 of Interstate 44 just west of the Big Piney River Bridge, causing her pickup to land on its top and block the right-hand eastbound lane of the interstate. Waynesville firefighters had to extricate Burdette from her pickup; she suffered moderate injuries. In unrelated incidents, state troopers arrested Tonia D. Franks, 25, of Dixon, Howard T. Bascher, 58, of Waynesville, Levi S. Baker, 38, of Hesperia, Calif., Anthony A. Ham, 41, and Kira L. Ham, 25, both of Waynesville, and Albert A. Stiga, 62, of Richland, on various charges. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Missouri National Guardsmen unload equipment at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico. |
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7th Civil Support Team tests ability to fly via Air Guard to training event
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (March 1, 2010) — As part of its yearly training doctrine, the 7th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team, a full-time Missouri National Guard unit based at Fort Leonard Wood, goes through the process of making its tactical vehicles and trailers flight-ready in the event it would need air transport to a real-world incident. “We are a rapid deployable unit,” said Capt. Theresa Wagner, the team’s operations officer who lives in Saint Robert. “If there would be an incident in New York, we would have to be able to get there within our response time.” Sgt. 1st Class Juan Gallego, the team’s reconnaissance noncommissioned officer in charge, led the tasking of preparing the trucks for flight. “It was a lot of hard work,” said Gallego, who lives in Waynesville. Recently, the Missouri National Guard team from Fort Leonard Wood not only went through the preparations, but it also executed them as the team flew from post on Air National Guard C-130s for a week of training in Albuquerque, N.M. “This had good training value just because it showed the team how much detail and hard work it’s going to take when you do have to fly,” said Gallego. “It’s not just like jumping in the truck and going, like we are more accustomed to.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Matthew J. Wilson/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
Firefighters work to extinguish blaze on Happy Drive. |
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Blaze off Highway 28 considered suspicious, local firefighters say
SAINT ROBERT, Mo. (March 1, 2010) — Fire destroyed a vacant mobile home a few miles north of Exit 163 Monday evening. The cause of the blaze is unknown and the incident is considered suspicious, according to Waynesville Deputy Fire Chief Andy Baker. “It was fully involved when the people called it in,” Baker said. “When we arrived, the front end was collapsing in.” The fire on Happy Drive off Highway 28 left little standing of the small 14x70 foot mobile home. Baker said nobody was inside the unit at the time of the blaze. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
County Assessor Roger Harrison says he needs assessment forms back today. |
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County personal property assessment forms due today; penalties apply if late
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (March 1, 2010) — More than 4,000 people living in Pulaski County have only a few hours left to turn in their personal property tax forms, according to County Assessor Roger Harrison. “We sent out something over 12,000 and we had about 4,700 still out last week,” Harrison said. “There are a substantial amount still out there.” The Pulaski County Courthouse closes at 4:30 p.m., but Harrison said there are several other options available for people who haven’t turned in their assessment forms by that deadline. One of the easiest is to cross the street behind the courthouse and drop off the form at the Waynesville post office. Doing that will cost the price of a first-class stamp but could prevent up to $100 in penalties for failure to declare personal property, Harrison said. Assessment forms postmarked by March 1 are still acceptable, he said. Other options include e-mail or FAXing the forms to his office. Click here for the e-mail or FAX number. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Aggressive law enforcement drive underway today promoting seat belts
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 25, 2010) — For those who don’t like to buckle their seatbelts, today is the wrong day to be driving. Waynesville and St. Robert police both issued nearly identical press releases earlier this month announcing their participation in the quarterly “Click it or Ticket” seat belt enforcement campaign, during which police officers aggressively seek to enforce usage of seat belts in vehicles in Missouri. Pulaski County Sheriff J.B. King will also be participating in the campaign, intended by state officials to reduce Missouri’s rate of injuries and fatalities from failure to use seat belts. Pulaski County Ambulance District Director Gary Carmack, who was at one time a police officer and is still the county’s deputy coroner, said he’s been at far too many crashes in which people were killed or injured who might not have been if they’d been wearing their seat belts. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Boulders falling off cliffs, residents can't reach homes on collapsing roads
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 24, 2010) — Most of the county’s complaints from citizens have focused on road conditions in recent weeks, but at Monday’s meeting of the Pulaski County Commission, Presiding Commissioner Don McCulloch told his colleagues that he’s received multiple calls from a local attorney, Wayne Gifford, about the county sidewalks. “Doesn’t he understand that we can’t do anything if we wanted to on the sidewalk because of the weather?” McCulloch asked, noting that a new security light has been installed to improve lighting at night between the current courthouse and the old courthouse museum. Eastern District Commissioner Bill Farnham said he had to call road crews out during the evening to remove large boulders in the middle of Cave Road, and both Farnham and Western District Commissioner Ricky Zweerink said residents need to realize that heavy dump trucks with gravel cannot safely navigate gravel roads without damaging them until the ground thaws. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Bridge consultant James Kempker explains options. |
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Consultant advises county on proposed project for Devils Elbow bridge repair
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 24, 2010) — Restoring and repairing the historic Devil’s Elbow Bridge on the original alignment of Route 66 has been a major goal of Eastern District Commissioner Bill Farnham. At Monday’s Pulaski County Commission meeting, commissioners met with James Kempker of S&B Consultants regarding bridge issues and possible ways to obtain the needed money to save a piece of Route 66 history. A major part of the problem, Farnham said, is that BRO money — funds provided by the Missouri Department of Transportation for bridges and roads that are off the state-owned road system and maintained instead by cities and counties — has been severely cut back due to economic problems. “We’ve been struggling and struggling trying to find money when they took that BRO money away from us,” Farnham said. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Two more candidates file for county office; treasurer hasn't yet decided
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 23, 2010) — Two more candidates have filed at the Pulaski County Clerk’s office for local races. According to County Clerk Diana Linnenbringer, Wayne Gifford, D-Laquey, has filed for nomination as prosecuting attorney and Associate Circuit Judge Greg Warren, D-Richland, has filed for re-election to the probate division seat that he currently holds. Neither candidate faces a primary fight so far, and neither do any of the other Democrats who filed earlier today. At least two races, those for prosecuting attorney and county clerk, will see a Republican primary contest between candidates. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Deborah Hooper and Brent Bassett turn in nomination papers. |
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Aspiring to office, candidates for county races fill hallway at 8 a.m.
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 23, 2010) — Candidates and some of their spouses filled the hallway outside Pulaski County Clerk Diana Linnenbringer’s office shortly before 8 a.m. Tuesday morning to sign nomination papers to run for the Republican or Democratic nominations for county offices. All candidates who turn in their papers on the first day of filing draw a random number to determine ballot positioning, but candidates have until March 30 to file and those who file after today will be placed on the ballot in the order in which they file for office.
Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Presiding Commissioner Don McCulloch plans to be among the first in line today. |
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County candidate filing begins today; McCulloch to be among first-day filers
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 23, 2010) — When the Pulaski County courthouse opens at 8 a.m. today, Presiding Commissioner Don McCulloch plans to be among the first candidates in line to file for the seat. Filing begins today for the Republican and Democratic primaries for numerous county and state offices, including the seats currently held by McCulloch (D-Waynesville), County Clerk Diana Linnenbringer (R-St. Robert), Circuit Clerk Rachelle Beasley (D-Waynesville), Prosecutor Deborah Hooper (R-Waynesville), County Collector Terri Mitchell (R-Richland) and Treasurer Morris Roam (D-Crocker). Candidates for state and federal office will also begin filing today, but those seeking the seats currently held by State Rep. David Day (R-Dixon), State Sen. Frank Barnitz (D-Lake Spring), Circuit Judge Mary Sheffield (D-Rolla) and other state and federal offices will file at the state capitol in Jefferson City, not with local county officials. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Eric Bushley said both dogs and cars have trouble navigating ruts in his gravel road. |
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County road graders made Lament Lane even worse, residents claim
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 22, 2010) — Eastern District Commissioner Bill Farnham has been warning residents for weeks at Pulaski County Commission meetings that the rural roads in his district are in bad shape. Eric Bushley said he’s lived on Lament Lane since 1995 and since he owns a snowplow business, he plows the road regularly since county road crews don’t. However, Bushley said his road has gotten so bad that he’s not sure anything but a four-wheel-drive vehicle can get through the deep water-filled mud ruts in what was once a gravel road. According to Bushley, a road grader operator came out Monday, graded the road, and made matters worse. “I was actually nose-to-nose with the road supervisor and he said it was the best it could be done,” Bushley said. “I politely told him that I could do a better job with my S-10 pickup than he did with his $120,000 road grader … they have not been down to grade this road since a week before Thanksgiving, and I know that because they knocked down my water meter.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Joint Recreation Board challenged on allegedly unbalanced youth teams
WAYNESVILLE/SAINT ROBERT, Mo. (Feb. 22, 2010) — When the Joint Recreation Board meets this evening to discuss local recreation for youth, for the first time in many years, its members will be planning a soccer season without the involvement of the Kiwanis Club. They’ll also be discussing the future of the area’s youth recreation program after concerns about the program voiced at Thursday’s meeting of the Waynesville City Council. Councilman Mike France told his fellow council members Thursday that he’d been approached by a mother whose child’s team had just been beaten in basketball, another sport sponsored by the Joint Recreation Board, by a 40 to 0 margin and hadn’t won a game all season. “The skills assessment that we used to even out the teams to where everybody stood a chance, that is no longer there under the current administration. I think we need to get some input in there to where we can level it out again,” France said. “To go there and never have the opportunity to win is, I think, inappropriate and defeats what we are looking for in a youth sports program.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Trailer court residents aren’t ‘trash,’ Waynesville council members affirm
WAYNESVILLE, Mo. (Feb. 22, 2010) — Responding to questions from a former trailer court manager, Waynesville City Council members said that none of the council members supported calling trailer court residents “trash.” Some council members went further, saying comments like that by employees might be grounds for discipline — if they actually were said. Barbara Wall told the council members that she wanted answers. “I recently was handed a comment that was supposedly made by either a female board member or a city employee that was very inappropriate,” Wall said. “The comment that was supposedly made was that people that live in trailers are trash ... I do not appreciate that.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Enhanced Enterprise Zone application submitted Friday to state officials
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 19, 2010) — Approval this week of an enhanced enterprise zone ordinance by the Richland City Council means all county governmental units have given the green light that allows state officials to consider an application for tax credits that could help businesses throughout Pulaski County. The county’s other five cities and the county commission previously approved the requested ordinance. “Since Tuesday, we’ve been packaging the application and this morning I delivered it to Jefferson City,” said Wayne Morgan, executive director of the Pulaski County Growth Alliance, during Friday night’s Chamber of Commerce award banquet. Morgan said state officials tell him it may be possible to get the application approved more quickly than usual since approving tax credits is important to a specific business. “Typically they’re saying that it takes 60 days to get the application approved, but it may be that since we have some prospects we can get it approved quicker than that,” Morgan said. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Kim Fuhr |
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Humane Society president named Chamber Citizen of the Year Friday
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 19, 2010) — A long-time volunteer helping hurting animals was named Friday evening as the citizen of the year for the Waynesville-St. Robert Chamber of Commerce. Kim Fuhr, the current president of the Pulaski County Humane Society, has been a member of the organization’s board for three terms and has lived in Pulaski County since 1991. Employed by the Waynesville R-VI School District to work with autistic children, her other volunteer activities include Grace Covenant Church and the Heaven’s View home, where she teaches horse riding to girls. Other nominees were Officer Dan Wogan, who recently retired from the St. Robert Police Department, and Kim Hawk, the volunteer coordinator for the Waynesville R-VI School District. The Chamber also named the Pulaski County Tourism Bureau as the “Organization of the Year” and named Sherrie Norris as “Volunteer of the Year.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Kim Fuhr hopes the county will have an animal shelter. |
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Newly named Citizen of the Year plans push for Pulaski County animal shelter
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 19, 2010) — As the newly named Waynesville-St. Robert Citizen of the Year, Kim Fuhr said Friday that her priorities will include trying to find ways to help animals, not only in the county’s five cities but also in the large rural areas outside city limits where the majority of the county’s population lives. “It does push me to want to do more and earn up to this because there’s still a lot that needs to be done,” Fuhr said. “There’s such a need in our county; somehow we’ve gotten caught where there are just so many unwanted animals and it seems to be a lack of education or a lack of resources ... We really want to get a handle on that, hopefully to have a shelter but mainly to curtail the population.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Two illegal aliens arrested in Thursday follow-up to Witmor Farms drug bust
BUCKHORN, Mo. (Feb. 19, 2010 UPDATED 6:20 p.m. Feb. 20) — Two men who told a deputy they were hunting for a lost friend are now in jail after the deputies determined that the friend’s vehicle had been involved in a previous $10.2 million drug bust early Monday morning in the Witmor Farms parking lot. According to sheriff’s records, a deputy stopped a red 2004 Dodge dual-wheeled pickup truck at 8:57 a.m. Thursday on Highway 17 near the Witmor Farms restaurant after seeing it weaving across the centerline. The driver turned out to be a Kansas City man with nine prior convictions who hadn’t had a valid driver’s license since his Missouri license was suspended in August 2006. “As the deputy talked to him, the gentleman made a remark that he was looking for a lost friend who was driving a black car and the deputy make the connection and called for backup,” said Sheriff J.B. King. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Federal prosecutors say Mid-America Bank officials committed more than $10 million worth of bank fraud. |
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Bank fraud, bribery charges filed against local bankers, businessmen
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 18, 2010) — Two former bank vice-presidents, numerous Pulaski County businessmen, and the former branch manager of the Small Business Administration’s office in Springfield face federal charges in connection with what prosecutors say were “at least 31 fraudulent business loans ranging from $100,000 to $1.6 million” and totaling more than $10.1 million. Federal District Attorney Beth Phillips announced to media on Wednesday that she has filed charges against 16 people in connection with the loans, issued by Mid-America Bank and Trust in Pulaski County between January 2005 and January 2007. Other charges include making false statements to the bank and to the federal Small Business Administration in connection with a loan, money laundering, bank bribery, false bank entries and misappropriation of loan funds. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
County Commissioners ask residents for patience with major road problems
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 18, 2010) — County commissioners have a dual message for Pulaski County residents: Yes, the roads are bad, but no, we can’t work any faster. “We are very much aware of the poor condition of the roads, and with the weather conditions the way we’re hearing they will probably get worse before they get better,” Eastern District Commissioner Bill Farnham said during Thursday morning’s county commission meeting. While most of the county’s roads will simply have to wait until the weather improves, Farnham said he’s received good news about one major project: a CDBG grant for $250,000 to help repair the Devil’s Elbow bridge. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Commissioner Ricky Zweerink reviews bids. |
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County finalizes phone, backhoe financing, financial statement bids
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 18, 2010) — Pulaski County Commissioners voted Thursday to spend an additional $1,891.20 on upgrading the county’s telephone system after Fidelity Communications representative Greg Flint explained that the additional up-front cost for equipment would cut the county’s phone bill by $312 per month. Fidelity Communications obtained the county’s telephone service contract several years ago from Embarq, which previously provided phone service to the county and had installed a system that provided one outside line per telephone handset. The two companies submitted competing bids recently to provide county phone service, and Flint convinced the commissioners that spending $47,848 to replace the county’s telephone system and internet service with different equipment that has a lower number of outside lines would better serve the county. The additional bill submitted on Thursday happened because the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Department needed additional internet bandwidth, Flint said. Commissioners also awarded backhoe financing to Security Bank and awarded the annual financial statement printing bid to the Waynesville Daily Guide. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Too many jail inmates are costing too much money, commissioners say
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 18, 2010) — Sentencing decisions and recommendations by local judges and prosecutors may be causing financial problems for Pulaski County, Commissioner Bill Farnham warned at Thursday’s county commission meeting. After reviewing the county jail inmate list, Farnham said he’s not happy that judges have been sentencing inmates to serve their time in the county jail rather than in state prison. Counties receive funding from the state that partially compensates them for the expense of holding inmates before they’re convicted and sent to state prison, but that happens only if they plead guilty or are found guilty and if the judge sentences them to state prison time. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
American soldiers work with Afghan villagers to get a vehicle out of a ditch. |
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Afghan police, grader operator aid stuck Missouri National Guard vehicles
FORWARD OPERATING BASE SHARANA, Afghanistan (Feb. 17, 2010) — Late in the afternoon a convoy on a route clearance patrol mission rolled into an Afghan village which would serve as the furthest point of the day’s patrol. Members of the 203rd Engineer Battalion, Missouri Army National Guard, and 5th Battalion, 3rd Field Artillery (the 5-3), 17th Fires Brigade, an active duty unit based at Fort Lewis, Wash., were working together in road conditions made hazardous by melting snow as well as insurgent-planted explosives. Two-thirds of the way through the village the convoy’s lead vehicle, commanded by Staff Sgt. Gary Rhodes stopped short of a ditch that had been dug across the road by Afghan road crews. A narrow bypass that jutted out to the right of the ditch then turned sharply to the left back towards the road, had been built around the obstacle, and Rhodes — after surveying the area — made a decision to go around. It was the only way through. Slowly Rhodes’ hulking RG-31, with a cumbersome mine roller device attached to its front, eased off the main road onto the bypass, which looked as if it has just been dug only a few days earlier. The MRAP’s tires quickly sank several inches into the fresh earth. Just when it looked as if the crew would make it, the RG’s massive right rear tire sank three feet into the muck within a few feet of the main road, bringing the vehicle to an immediate stop and leaving its crew stranded at a precarious angle. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Jon E. Dougherty/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
Massive drug bust nets $10.2 million worth of cocaine, crystal meth
BUCKHORN, Mo. (Feb. 16, 2010) — An alert Waynesville police officer on routine patrol intercepted $10.2 million worth of crystal methamphetamine and cocaine in what police say is by far the largest drug bust in Pulaski County history. According to Lt. Gary Brankel, one of the city police officers was conducting security checks on closed businesses shortly before 1 a.m. Tuesday morning when he noticed several vehicles at the old Witmore Farms restaurant north of Exit 153. Investigation by police discovered 89 pounds of crystal meth with an estimated street value of $4.1 million and 99.6 pounds of cocaine with an estimated street value of $6.1 million. “I take my hat off to the officer,” Brankel said. “He followed his gut and did good police work.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Snow closes Plato, Dixon, Crocker, Swedeborg, Richland schools Monday
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 15, 2010) — Sunday’s heavy snowfall mostly tracked south of Fort Leonard Wood and has closed the Plato R-V School District, but as of 5:30 a.m. Monday, Fort Leonard Wood had not issued any delayed reporting authorizations and no other area schools that were planning to hold classes on Monday had closed their doors due to snow. School officials in the Dixon R-I School District, Crocker R-II School District, Swedeborg R-III School District, and Richland R-IV School District have also cancelled classes. Today is President’s Day and many governmental offices, including most at Fort Leonard Wood, were already planning to be closed. The Waynesville R-V School District is among the schools observing the President’s Day holiday. As of 5:10 a.m. Monday, Fort Leonard Wood officials report that most roads on post are in “yellow” condition, which means road conditions are considered “difficult to hazardous” and drivers should slow to 10 mph below posted limits to maintain traction and a safe stopping distance. A few areas of Fort Leonard Wood are in considerably worse condition. Missouri Department of Transportation personnel reported at 5:30 a.m. that all local areas of Interstate 44 and most local areas of Highway 17 are completely or partially snow-covered. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Sappers from all services are wanted for this year's Best Sapper competition. |
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Army's 'Best Sapper' competition coming back to Fort Leonard Wood
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Feb. 13, 2010) — Servicemembers who think they’re some of the toughest military engineers are being invited to compete in this spring’s “Best Sapper” competition from April 17 to 21 at Fort Leonard Wood. The competition, which is the Army engineer equivalent to the Army’s “Best Ranger” competition, is open not only to soldiers in the 21-series MOS engineer category but also other soldiers, sailors, airmen or Marines who have earned the “Sapper” shoulder tab. The event “will test the mental and physical stamina, as well as the tactical and technical skills of the participants,” according to an announcement to brigade-level commanders by Engineer School Commandant Brig. Gen. Bryan Watson. “As much as deployments allow, we would like to see all Sappers who wish to, compete and be recognized as the ‘Best Sapper’ team,” Watson said in his invitation. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
High-speed police chase ends with wreck, two arrests in Gospel Ridge
GOSPEL RIDGE, Mo. (Feb. 13, 2010) — A high-speed police chase exceeding 90 mph through three counties ended with the arrest of a driver and passenger late Friday night in the Gospel Ridge neighborhood northeast of Saint Robert after the driver left Interstate 44 at Exit 163. Pulaski County Sheriff J.B. King said the names of the two people arrested haven’t yet been released pending filing of charges in Phelps and Maries County and the results of an investigation by the Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group. It’s not yet clear whether the male driver and female passenger will face Pulaski County charges. The pursuit ended with nearly a dozen patrol cars from four different agencies as well as the Pulaski County Ambulance District filling up the Highland Lane and Hardin Lane areas and blocking so much traffic that Rothmund’s Towing said their tow truck driver couldn’t reach the scene “due to the fact there’s so many emergency vehicles there.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Phone workers will tear out and replace a jumble of outdated phone lines in the courthouse. |
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County tries to save money on phone system, road heavy equipment tires
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 12, 2010) — Drivers from Ozarko Tire Center regularly deliver products to other customers in Pulaski County each Thursday, and company representative Johnnie Bell told county commissioners at their Thursday morning meeting that he might be able to save them a trip to Springfield to purchase heavy equipment tires. “We’re here to basically see what you do for your county tires in the county barns and what we can do to help you lower the cost for the county,” Bell said. “We can give you all the state bids and all of what you need on your county’s programs.” County commissioners made several other equipment purchases as well. As previously agreed, county commissioners paid $86,000 for a John Deere 310SJT backhoe. After discussion, county commissioners agreed to pay $45,000 for a phone system upgrade from Fidelity Communications of Rolla, rather than a competing bid from CenturyLink, the company which purchased the local Embarq telephone franchise. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Western District Commissioner Ricky Zweerink says Pulaski County can't afford to maintain some hard-surface roads. |
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Raleigh Road could go back to gravel, county commissioner warns residents
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 12, 2010) — One of the Western District’s hard-surfaced roads may have to be downgraded to gravel, Western District Commissioner Ricky Zweerink warned at Thursday morning’s Pulaski County Commission meeting. The root of the problem, Zweerink said, is that many of the county’s roads were accepted by the commissioners without adequate attention being paid to road construction standards. According to longstanding county practice, private developers build roads and then maintain them for a year after turning them over the county; after one year, the maintenance becomes the county’s responsibility. “This place was just growing and growing and growing, and it wasn’t really anybody’s fault, but a lot of stuff was accepted that just wasn’t right,” Zweerink said. Raleigh Road is one example of that, he said. “I tell you what, guys, that road is going to have to be torn out all the way and replaced with gravel. We can’t afford to rebuild a mile and a half of asphalt road,” Zweerink said. Eastern District Commissioner Bill Farnham said he’d like to see the county retain a qualified engineer to inspect the roads whose fees would be paid by the developers. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
All area schools open; most roads on Fort Leonard Wood in good condition
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 11, 2010) — After several days in which most area schools except the Waynesville R-VI School District closed their doors due to icy and snow-covered roads in rural areas, all area school districts are open today and Fort Leonard Wood personnel should report at their normal duty time. As of 4 a.m., Fort Leonard Wood reported no crashes. Primary and secondary roads in the cantonment area of Fort Leonard Wood are in “green” condition, which means that weather is not causing any traffic problems, as are Fort Leonard Wood Route 1 south of the Forney Field airport, primary and secondary range roads, the East Gate and Polla Road leading to the West Gate. Most other roads are in “amber” condition, which means driving is “difficult to hazardous” and motorists need to slow at least 10 mph below posted limits to maintain traction and a safe stopping distance. Click here for a detailed post road report. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
St. Robert City Administrator Alan Clark speaks to Chamber of Commerce members. |
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Bridge badly needed for pedestrians crossing Interstate 44, Clark says
SAINT ROBERT, Mo. (Feb. 11, 2010) — Interstate 44 and the business area around Wal-Mart have long been the economic engine of St. Robert, but City Administrator Alan Clark warned at Wednesday’s meeting of the Waynesville-St. Robert Chamber of Commerce that pedestrians crossing I-44 have become a major potential risk. “It’s like trying to dodge rabbits out there,” Clark said, warning that numerous military personnel are running across I-44 rather than walking across the Missouri Avenue overpass. However, even the Missouri Avenue overpass has no sidewalks for pedestrians. “We don’t want anybody getting killed,” Clark said. “One injury or fatality is way too much.” While many communities in Missouri are hurting due to the national economic downturn, Clark said that’s not been an issue for St. Robert which continues to experience dramatic growth despite the downturn elsewhere, finishing 2009 with revenue from sales tax receipts up 9 percent, 3 percent higher than 2008. “That equates to a little over $18 million we were up last year compared to 2008,” Clark said. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Wayne Morgan explains economic development plans at Wednesday's chamber of commerce meeting. |
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County is only one city away from getting an Enhanced Enterprise Zone
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 11, 2010) — Only one more city is needed to approve an enhanced enterprise zone ordinance before Pulaski County can apply to Missouri for a designation that could bring special tax and business recruitment incentives to the county and all of its five cities. That’s what Pulaski County’s economic development official, Wayne Morgan of the Pulaski County Growth Alliance, reported at Wednesday morning’s meeting of the Waynesville-St. Robert Chamber of Commerce. “We’re getting closer and closer, folks,” Morgan said. The last remaining city needed for approval is Richland, whose city council will consider the ordinance next week on Tuesday. Getting accurate census data to attract developers is crucial, said Waynesville Councilwoman Luge Hardman and Fort Leonard Wood spokesman Mike Alley. “Remember the census; my goodness, don’t forget it,” Hardman said. “We need to get this word out about the census.” Hardman reminded local businessmen that the census forms will be in the mail soon and need to be returned by April 1. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Downtown Waynesville dramatically growing, councilwoman tells Chamber
WAYNESVILLE, Mo. (Feb. 11, 2010) — Councilwoman Luge Hardman reported at Wednesday’s meeting of the Waynesville-St. Robert Chamber of Commerce that her city saw major growth in sales tax revenues and is likely to have even more growth in the near future. Hardman said a Roubidoux Creek Bridge improvement project and a sidewalk project near Waynesville Middle School are coming closer to moving off the drawing boards and into actual construction, but she said she was especially proud of downtown Waynesville business owners who made major improvements in their property. “Another thing that is very near and dear to my heart, if you know me at all, is downtown Waynesville. When I first got elected one of the first things I wanted to do is clean my little town up,” Hardman said. “We had a project with the sidewalk and the lights; that project has spurred about $2 million of investment in downtown Waynesville. I said the other night that I am so proud to be driving home from my college class at 10 pm and actually see cars in downtown Waynesville.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Missouri National Guard Spc. Andrew Smith, of Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 35th Engineer Brigade, at Fort Leonard Wood, demonstrates the proper way to fire an M-16 during a weapons familiarization class at this month’s drill. |
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Missouri Guardsmen study weapons familiarization, detection equipment
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Feb. 11, 2010) — Missouri National Guard Spc. Andrew Smith prepped members of his unit Saturday for a future visit to the firing ranges by leading a weapons familiarization class. Smith said his mission was to teach basic fundamentals of firing weapons. “I wanted them to work on their shooting position, sight picture and trigger squeeze,” he said. It was part of the drill weekend, which included another class on nuclear, biological and chemical detection equipment, for the Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 35th Engineer Brigade. Staff Sgt. Roger Yarbrough, a Missouri Guardsman who lives in St. Robert and works as an active-duty instructor for the Incident Response Training Department on post, provided the training on the detection equipment, which included the Improved Chemical Agent Monitor, the M-22 Alarm, Chemical Agent, Automatic, and the M256A1 Chemical Agent Detector Kit. “These soldiers, in the environment they are in, will use this equipment when they set up a decontamination line or as an advanced party setting up an area,” said Yarbrough. “They could have a road grader out doing something and hit unexploded chemical ordnance. The equipment makes sure the soldiers stay safe while doing their job.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Matthew J. Wilson/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
Sgt. Maj. William Porter |
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Missouri National Guardsmen to do joint training mission in South Korea
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Feb. 11, 2010) — Twelve Missouri National Guardsmen from Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 35th Engineer Brigade are scheduled to travel to Korea for their annual training in March. “Every March since the mid-90s there has been a joint exercise between the Republic of Korea and United States military,” said Sgt. Maj. William Porter, who will be the 35th’s senior noncommissioned officer at the annual training event. “It’s more or less a command-post type of exercise and it lasts for two weeks. We are one of the minor players dealing with the engineer support in the exercise.” Known as Key Resolve, the annual joint exercise is a computer-based simulation of how the United States and South Korea would work together in the event of an attack. More than 13,000 troops from outside of South Korea were involved in the exercise last year. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Matthew J. Wilson/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
Preventative maintenance checks and servicing of vehicles is an important aspect of the masters driving course. |
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Missouri MPs attend 175th Military Police Battalion’s Master Driver Course
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Feb. 10, 2010) — Twenty-five soldiers from the eight military police units throughout the state, including Sgt. 1st Class Kimbly Elrod of Newburg, spent two days at Fort Leonard Wood learning all there is to know about five heavily-used military vehicles. “The course is designed to make these 25 soldiers subject matter experts on all equipment that they have to have a license for within the unit,” said Sgt. 1st Class Michael Niekamp, assistant operations noncommissioned officer for the 175th Military Police Battalion. The Master Driver Course taken this weekend will help standardize and unify the way the drivers are taught throughout the companies. It teaches the soldiers how to drive the vehicle, how to document pertinent information, and to provide necessary structure for the program they take back to their armories, Niekamp said. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Rachel Knight and Matthew J. Wilson/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
Col. Gregory S. Champagne |
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Missouri National Guard names new commander of 131st Bomb Wing
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. (Feb. 10, 2010) — Col. Gregory S. Champagne has been named commander of the Missouri National Guard's 131st Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base. Champagne is well suited to lead the 1,100-member wing, said Brig. Gen. Stephen Danner, adjutant general of the Missouri National Guard. “Col. Champagne is a proven leader and an outstanding Air National Guard officer,” Danner said. “Under his command, the 131st will continue to lead the way with its crucial B-2 Bomber mission.” Champagne, who previously served as the wing's vice commander, will succeed the wing's current commander, Col. Robert Leeker. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Capt. Tamara Spicer/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
Most area schools except Waynesville close; FLW allowing liberal leave
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 10, 2010) — All area schools except the Waynesville R-VI School District have closed their doors today due to icy and snow-covered roads in rural areas, but Waynesville buses will be running snow routes only and Fort Leonard Wood personnel will have a liberal leave policy if they cannot report at their normal duty time. As of 4:06 a.m., Fort Leonard Wood reported no crashes and most road conditions on post were “amber,” which means driving is “difficult to hazardous” and motorists need to slow at least 10 mph below posted limits to maintain traction and a safe stopping distance. Click here for a list of Waynesville snow routes. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Bill Ransdall |
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Ransdall appointed to $80,000 state economic development liaison post
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Feb. 10, 2010) — Former Pulaski County Presiding Commissioner Bill Ransdall now has a new job, but it pays $25,000 less than the Missouri State Tax Commission post to which Gov. Jay Nixon had appointed him. He’s now being paid $80,000 per year to be one of three “Designated Principal Assistants” for the Missouri Department of Economic Development, assigned by the state’s economic development director to work with local cities and regional economic development organizations such as the Meramec Regional Planning Commission and the newly formed Pulaski County Growth Alliance. That’s a position appointed by the governor but which doesn’t require Missouri State Senate confirmation. “Officially, his duties with us will consist of community development outreach. He will be traveling throughout the state and will be representing the department to Missouri’s communities by facilitating communication and providing technical assistance,” said Department of Economic Development spokesman John Fougere. “It’s not a newly created position … Every division in our department by state statute has three of those positions and one of them is open.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Skelton tours units, says Missouri National Guard ‘is truly phenomenal’
(Feb. 10, 2010) — In a whirlwind, 400-mile round-trip tour, Rep. Ike Skelton visited with soldiers at a half-dozen Missouri National Guard armories throughout the state at their February drill. During his journey, the congressman had the chance to speak with a wide range of Missouri’s citizen-soldiers. “The Missouri National Guard is truly phenomenal,” Skelton told soldiers with Company E of the 1/135th Aviation Battalion, in Clinton. “You don’t have to be here. You’re the best in the service, and I thank you for your service.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Michelle Pippin/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
Brig. Gen. Stephen Danner speaks during the 35th Engineer Brigade Ball. |
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NORTHCOM director of operations emphasizes National Guard families
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Feb. 9, 2010) — Maj. Gen. Frank Grass said he always will think of himself as a Missouri National Guardsman first. Grass was the keynote speaker at the 35th Engineer Brigade Ball on Saturday at the Pershing Community Center on post, which also included the presentation of the Distinguished Service Award to Maj. Gen. (Ret.) King Sidwell, former adjutant general of the Missouri National Guard. Although Grass has been the director of operations for Headquarters United States Northern Command at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado since September of 2008, he began his military career when he enlisted in the Missouri Guard in October of 1969. He later completed officer candidate school in 1981 and eventually became commander of the 220th Engineer Company of Festus in 1986 and then the commander of the 203rd Engineer Battalion of Joplin in 1997. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Matthew J. Wilson/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
Erick Carrasco |
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OB's Billiards shooter also attacked second victim Monday, police say
SAINT ROBERT, Mo. (Feb. 9, 2010) — The man shot early Monday morning at a St. Robert pool hall wasn’t the only victim in the fight at OB’s Billiards, according to a probable cause statement filed by St. Robert police. In court documents accompanying Monday’s charges against Erick Carrasco, 22, who claims a Rolla address, police said that Carrasco not only shot a male victim in the abdomen but also struck a different man in the back of the head with a gun “with such force that (the man) was knocked unconscious.” Carrasco faces a Class A felony charge of first-degree assault for the shooting, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 to 30 years in state prison or life in prison, depending on circumstances, and a lesser Class C felony charge of second-degree assault for knocking his victim in the head. Carrasco is on active duty with the 94th Engineer Battalion and three other suspects who have not been charged are all current or recently discharged members of the same unit. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Maj. Gen. (Ret.) King Sidwell, right, receives his Distinguished Service Medal. |
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Retired Missouri National Guard head receives Distinguished Service Medal
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Feb. 9, 2010) — Maj. Gen. King Sidwell, former Missouri National Guard adjutant general, was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal on Saturday at the 35th Engineer Brigade Ball at the Pershing Community Center on post. The award is the third most prestigious in the Army, just below the Medal of Honor and the Distinguished Service Cross. It is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States of America military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United States armed forces or other uniformed services. “Obviously I’m surprised,” said Sidwell, who served in the Missouri Guard’s top position from January 2005 to January of 2009. “It is certainly a great honor and I’m humbled by it.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Matthew J. Wilson/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
Waynesville schools on snow routes; Fort Leonard Wood on two-hour delay
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 9, 2010) — Fort Leonard Wood has announced a two-hour delay for non-essential personnel and most area school districts have cancelled classes, but the Waynesville R-VI School District will remain open with buses running snow routes only. As of 4:30 a.m., Fort Leonard Wood reported no crashes and most road conditions on post were “amber.” Medical appointments at General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital scheduled prior to 9:30 a.m. will be cancelled and rescheduled. A liberal leave policy is in effect throughout the post for those who cannot report at their scheduled duty time; employees must check with their supervisors for leave approval. Students in all six outlying districts, the Dixon R-I School District, Plato R-V School District, Laquey R-V School District, Crocker R-II School District, Richland R-IV and Swedeborg R-III School District won’t be attending classes today. Click here for the Waynesville snow route list. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Charges filed against Rolla man in Saint Robert pool hall shooting
SAINT ROBERT, Mo. (Feb. 8, 2010) — A Rolla man faces charges of both first-degree and second-degree assault in connection with an early Monday morning shooting at OB’s Billiards that sent one victim to the intensive care unit at General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital with a bullet wound to his abdomen. St. Robert Police Chief Curtis Curenton confirmed media reports that Erick Carrasco, 23, was arrested by his department and that the two felony charges against Carrasco stemmed from the pool hall shooting. Online court records indicate that Carrasco is being held on a $250,000 cash or surety bond on a Class A felony charge of first-degree assault causing serious physical injury and a Class C felony charge of second-degree assault and that he was charged on Monday, but don’t give details of the reasons for the two charges filed by Pulaski County Prosecuting Attorney Deborah Hooper. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Facing $17,000 overage charge, county decides to rent backhoe for $10,500
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 8, 2010) — Faced with a choice between spending more than $17,000 for overage charges on a leased backhoe that Eastern District road crews used for more hours than agreed or spending $10,500 to rent a backhoe for one more year, Pulaski County Commissioners agreed Monday to pay $60,300 for a new Western District backhoe, transfer a lightly used backhoe from the Western District to the Eastern District, and pay the one-year rental fees for a second backhoe in the Eastern District. All of the backhoes will be Caterpillar equipment sold or rented to the county by Benny Walker of Fabick, Inc. Western District Commissioner Rick Zweerink won’t be left with only one backhoe in his district; he plans to investigate purchasing a new John Deere backhoe from a different dealer. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Fort Leonard Wood announces two-hour delay; only Plato schools closed
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 8, 2010) — When snow hit Pulaski County last week, schools closed throughout the county but Fort Leonard Wood remained open or was among the last organizations to send personnel home early. However, post personnel decided at 3:40 a.m. today to announce a two-hour reporting delay despite no schools in the county closing their doors. The reporting delay applies only to non-mission-essential personnel; a liberal leave policy is also in effect. Those who have hospital or doctor appointments prior to 9:30 a.m. at General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital will have their appointments cancelled and rescheduled. According to post personnel, the reporting delay is due to expected inclement weather rather than current problems. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Pulaski County isn't planning to ban smoking in bars and restaurants
WAYNESVILLE, Mo. (Feb. 6, 2010) — Contrary to a recent media report, Pulaski County government leaders have no plans to make county bars and restaurants smoke-free. At Wednesday’s county commission meeting, Commissioner Bill Farnham questioned an article in the Feb. 3 edition of the Waynesville Daily Guide. “In this article which doesn’t have a name of who wrote the story, it says ‘Pulaski County doesn’t currently have any laws regarding smoking in bars and restaurants, although there have been rumblings during the past of a possible effort to make the county smoke-free,’” Farnham said. “We’ve never discussed this down here in the five years I’ve been on this board, unless they’ve talked about it down at the health board meeting. I’m just curious.” Rep. David Day, R-Dixon, also said he was surprised by the newspaper article and its statements about a possible effort to make Pulaski County smoke-free and will vote against pending state legislation on the matter if it comes to the House of Representatives floor in its current form. “If somebody owns a bar or restaurant or sports arena or whatever, I feel if somebody owns private property, they have the option to decide if they want smoking there or not,” Day said. “If somebody owns a restaurant and they want to allow smoking, then if somebody else is bothered by that smoke they just don’t have to go there. If somebody wants to have a totally smoke free restaurant, then smokers have that same option.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
The Waynesville Animal Shelter would become a joint facility for Waynesville and St. Robert if the cities approve a new proposal. |
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Waynesville proposes joint animal shelter with Saint Robert for dogs
WAYNESVILLE, Mo. (Feb. 6, 2010) — Members of the Waynesville Police and Emergency Services Committee approved a joint intergovernmental agreement Thursday afternoon that, if also approved by the Saint Robert City Council, could lead to a joint animal shelter that would have space for more than twice the number of dogs as the current facility. Located in the terminal building for what was once the Waynesville Municipal Airport at the top of the Waynesville Hill on Ousley Road behind the stations for the Pulaski County Ambulance District and Waynesville Rural Fire Protection District, the Waynesville animal shelter currently has seven dog runs that typically can hold two dogs per run, or sometimes a mother dog and her puppies. The proposed intergovernmental agreement between the two cities would add an additional 10 runs. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Fort Leonard Wood, most area schools allowing early outs Friday afternoon
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Feb. 5, 2010 UPDATED 3:45 p.m.) — Fort Leonard Wood officials have announced that an early staggered release for non-essential personnel is being authorized due to the weather. According to a post press release, supervisors are encouraged to manage early release beginning at 3 p.m. today. A liberal leave policy is in effect; those with questions should check with their supervisor. Many local school districts including Waynesville, Laquey, Crocker, and Dixon have also authorized early release. Richland schools had a planned early-out day anyway on Friday and released students as planned. In addition, at 3 p.m. post officials announced that many Morale Welfare and Recreation facilities will close early and Saturday youth sports may be affected. Click here for a complete list. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Missouri National Guard personnel work to retrain soldiers as MPs |
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Missouri Guard retrains out-of-state soldiers to become military police
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Feb. 5, 2010) — A mixed unit of 30 soldiers, led by a contingent of 13 Army Reservists from Puerto Rico, recently completed the first phase of military police reclassification training with the Missouri National Guard on post. “Some of them will be able to pick up the difference between the civilian law enforcement and the military law enforcement,” said Sgt. 1st Class James Brown, military police branch chief for the training institute. “Those who have never been exposed to it, hopefully, will get a good feel for being able to respond to situations as they come up.” Along with Guardsmen from Missouri and Reservists from Puerto Rico, Brown said there are three Guardsmen from Florida and one each from Kansas, Pennsylvania and New York in the class. The popularity of the course from soldiers outside of the state likely has to do with Fort Leonard Wood's status as the home of the Military Police schoolhouse, Brown said. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Matthew J. Wilson/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
Bill Ransdall |
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Governor pulls Ransdall's nomination and 83 others from senate review
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Feb. 4, 2010) — Gov. Jay Nixon has pulled 84 names back from Missouri State Senate consideration for various boards and commissions, including former Pulaski County Presiding Commissioner Bill Ransdall. The governor’s decision came Wednesday, just one day before the nominations would have died. Ransdall was appointed last fall to one of three seats on the Missouri State Tax Commission, which pays $106,000 per year and by state statute must be a full-time position. As a condition of his appointment, Ransdall was required to give up numerous positions including his elected office. It’s not clear whether Ransdall’s name would be coming back to the state senate with the governor’s recommendation for appointment — but that’s the case for the other 83 people, too. “There has not been any decision made on individual names that were withdrawn as far as whether they will be resubmitted,” said Scott Holste, a spokesman for Nixon’s office. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Missouri National Guardsmen participate in Bataan Memorial Death March prequalifier. |
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Missouri Guardsmen vie to represent state in Bataan Memorial Death March
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Feb. 4, 2010) — More than 55 Missouri National Guardsmen from around the state participated in a 13-mile Bataan Memorial Death March prequalifier Jan. 23 on post. Soldiers attempted to finish in the top five of their respective category to make one of the state’s teams and advance to the 26.2-mile Bataan Memorial Death March on March 21 at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. This year’s event marks the 21st anniversary of the march. About 5,400 people participated in last year’s event that honors the 78,000 American and Filipino prisoners who were forced to endure a 65-mile march to a prison camp with little food and water in 1942 after the fall of the Bataan Peninsula in the Philippines. Roughly 11,000 prisoners died on the march, and tens of thousands more died in Japanese prison camps. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Matthew J. Wilson/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
Saint Robert staff offer help for those with unusually high heating bills
SAINT ROBERT, Mo. (Feb. 4, 2010) — Utility billing staff in St. Robert knew Monday would be a bad day when they came into the office and found 56 messages on their answering machine from residents questioning a note on utility bills saying their bills were overdue. The city’s utility bills arrived in most residents’ mailboxes during the weekend when city hall was closed. Unfortunately for city staff and the utility customers, many and perhaps most of the city’s nearly 5,000 utility bills were printed and mailed with an incorrect notice that the bill was overdue. That, combined with severely cold temperatures that sent some residential utility bills over a thousand dollars for the month, generated numerous questions about the bills. city staff members work hard to accommodate customers facing an unexpectedly high bill. Rather than just failing to pay their bill, they said customers who have questions about the accuracy of their bill or who expect to have difficulty paying the bill should contact Lee Whitely by calling city hall at (573) 451-2000, ext. 1104. “Every year when we have had high bills in the winter, we have tried to help make arrangements,” said City Clerk Debra Adkins. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
George Harry Widener |
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Coach Don Nelson's family seeks punitive damages; Widener wants case moved away from Pulaski County
WAYNESVILLE, Mo. (Feb. 3, 2010) — Lawyers for George Harry Widener, a Jerome man accused of killing former Waynesville High School baseball coach Don Nelson by running over his motorcycle, failed Wednesday morning in an attempt to get Circuit Judge Tracy Storie to send the civil portion of the case to another county. Rather than ruling on the motion from Lawrence R. Smith, Widener’s civil lawyer from the St. Louis suburban law firm of Brinker and Doyen, Storie disqualified himself, which means the civil case will have to be heard by a different circuit judge. The criminal case of involuntary manslaughter against Widener is also stalled with no action since September when Storie disqualified himself from that case after Widener’s lawyers requested a change of judge from Presiding Judge Mary Sheffield, who had originally been scheduled to hear his case. The case has been sent to the Missouri Supreme Court for assignment of another judge, but according to records in the Pulaski County Circuit Clerk’s office, they haven’t yet acted. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Laura Huffman reviews county records of the Pulaski County Poor Farm. |
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Historical Society members continue efforts to research county poor farm
WAYNESVILLE, Mo. (Feb. 3, 2010) — Two members of the Pulaski County Historical Society have been working each Wednesday to review old county records of what was once the Pulaski County Poor Farm, but so far haven’t been able to identify any of the unmarked graves in the Poor Farm Cemetery. “We’re finding lots of records of burials, and sometimes (the county commission minute book) has records of names of burials, but when I look up the death certificates there is no record, so we don’t know if they’re buried there,” historical society member Laura Huffman told Presiding Commissioner Don McCulloch during Wednesday morning’s special meeting of the county commission. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Bill Ransdall |
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Ransdall likely to lose $106,000 post on Missouri State Tax Commission
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Feb. 2, 2010) — To avoid conflicts of interest, longtime Waynesville politician Bill Ransdall had to resign not only from his seat on the Pulaski County Commission but also numerous other local boards and organizations last fall when he accepted an appointment by Gov. Jay Nixon to the Missouri State Tax Commission. However, recent developments in the Missouri State Senate mean Ransdall could be returning to Pulaski County without Senate confirmation of his appointment to the state post paying $106,000 per year. It’s not clear what will happen next. Even though Ransdall and another gubernatorial nominee received a majority recommendation by the committee reviewing gubernatorial appointments, if the state senators don’t act, their nominations will die without a vote. Any senator could also filibuster against a nominee and obtaining the large majority needed to break a filibuster by a Republican would be unlikely in a Republican-controlled chamber. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Waynesville schools on snow routes; Fort Leonard Wood on schedule
WAYNESVILLE, Mo. (Feb. 1, 2010) — After a weekend of melting which cleared most paved roads but turned some outlying gravel roads to ice, Waynesville R-VI School District officials have decided to hold classes Monday but send buses on snow routes only for both morning and afternoon student pickups. As of 4 a.m., Fort Leonard Wood officials reported no crashes on post and no delayed reporting has been announced. A liberal leave policy had been in effect for most of the weekend on Fort Leonard Wood, which was open Friday but allowed personnel to leave by 3 p.m. that day, with road conditions at “red” levels on Saturday. The Waynesville school snow route list can be found on the internet at this link: Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
MoDOT personnel are clearing area roads. |
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Waynesville schools close early; all other area districts also cancel classes
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Jan. 29, 2010 UPDATED 11:15 a.m.) — Overnight snow dumped several inches throughout the Ozarks and has closed all seven school districts in Pulaski County, though three tried to hold classes but decided to close early. Buses in the Waynesville R-VI School District will be running snow routes only. The last district to close was Waynesville, where school officials decided shortly before 11 a.m. to let students out two hours early. By 9:50 a.m., school officials in Laquey and Plato had decided to close school at 11 a.m. and 11:15 a.m., respectively. Plato day care will get out at 4 p.m. Officials in the Richland R-IV School District and Swedeborg R-III School District cancelled school early on Friday morning; Crocker R-II School District officials initially planned to run snow routes but later decided to close school entirely. The Dixon R-I School District is also closed. Click here for the snow route list and further details. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
This military museum and its eagle are expected to be visible up to five miles away from Waynesville. |
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$9.5 million military museum, $6 million hotel coming to Waynesville
WAYNESVILLE, Mo. (Jan. 28, 2010) — Following months of work by heavy equipment on the northwest corner of the Exit 156 overpass at Ichord Avenue, Waynesville city officials have announced that what’s now bare dirt and rock will soon become the site of the National Military Artifacts Museum. Partners in the Waynesville museum project include the owner of the Branson veterans museum; a companion $6 million hotel is under contract and will be added later, city officials said. The $9.5 million museum project in the West Gate Subdivision will feature 16 life-size sculptures by sculptor Fred Hoppe, memorial walls with the names of all servicemembers killed in action for World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and other 20th Century conflicts. However, the most visible part of the museum will be an 11-story tall copper and bronze eagle, scheduled to be added in 2011 and expected to be visible from up to five miles away. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Benjamin Morrow |
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Pulaski County resident facing seven felony child pornography charges
SAINT ROBERT, Mo. (Jan. 28, 2010) — Photography of a mother having sex with her pre-teen daughter. Children tied or in handcuffs. Oral and anal sodomy involving children, vibrators, and candles. A nine-year-old girl tied up with straps, rope, and a collar waiting for a dog to sexually penetrate her. Those were just a few of the images in six movies and 26 photographs Pulaski County deputies say they found on three computers of Benjamin Morrow, 42, who they arrested Thursday at his home near St. Robert after Pulaski County Prosecutor Deborah Hooper approved a seven-count felony warrant for child pornography. Morrow, who is being held in the Pulaski County Jail in lieu of a $500,000 cash-only bond, pleaded innocent to seven separate Class B felony charges accusing him of knowingly or recklessly possessing obscene material involving sexual conduct of minors under 18 years old. Each of the seven charges could lead to him spending five to 15 years in state prison. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Fort Leonard Wood officials release name of Polla Road fatal crash victim
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Jan. 27, 2010) — Officials at Fort Leonard Wood have released the name of the man who died last week in a crash on Polla Road that shut down the West Gate for hours leading out of Waynesville and snarled main gate traffic from Saint Robert due to the higher number of vehicles. Post spokesman Jeff Maddy said the Jan. 20 crash remains under investigation, but the fatality victim was Adam William Owens, 28, a civilian contract employee on the post. Information on Owens’ job duties or home city wasn’t immediately available. The other person hurt in the crash was Melvin Wright, 34, who suffered only minor injuries. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Staff Sgt. Yvonne Lugo, right, and Master Sgt. Timothy Uptegrove use scissors to cut off the Hazmat suit of a member of Jefferson City SWAT during a man-down training exercise. |
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Guard’s 7th Civil Support Team trains with Jefferson City civilian agencies
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Jan. 26, 2010) — The 7th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team recently participated in joint training with state agencies in Missouri’s capital city. The 22-person Missouri National Guard unit worked with the Cole County Emergency Response Team at the first responders’ office compound, along with the Jefferson City Special Weapons and Tactics Team, on a series of scenarios that involved responding to chemical and explosive-making labs. “As a general rule, our philosophy is that we don’t want to show up at a real incident site and that’s the first time that we exchange business cards,” said Maj. Jeffrey Ford, the 7th’s deputy commander. “We want to get to know our customers, because that’s really who they are — the first responders, the fire chiefs, the police chiefs and the local emergency planning committee officials. We want to get to know them before we actually have to respond to the real event. We want to know their capabilities and we want them to know our capabilities, so that they know what we can do and what to ask of us when we show up on site.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Matthew J. Wilson/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
Last-day filers swell ranks of school board, city council candidates
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Jan. 21, 2010) — A rush of last-day filings on Tuesday led to a considerable expansion in the number of candidates running for school board and city council positions in the April 6 election. The last-day rush to file was especially noticeable in Richland, where none of the three incumbent aldermen decided to file for re-election and until Jan. 15, nobody had turned in any candidacy papers at all. On the last day of filing, candidates Jason Lobland and Paul Geddes Jr. filed on the last day to run against Ronny Leonard, who filed on Jan. 15 for the seat being vacated by Ward III Alderman Nathan Sheridan. Also on the last day, Leroy Stenson filed for the Ward I seat now held by Alderman Chris Lane and Cory Rowden filed for the Ward II seat now held by Alderman Gary Brown, neither of whom are running for re-election. Other last-day filers included Dorsey Newcomb in the Waynesville R-VI School District, Crockr Ward I Alderman Jeff Curry and Crocker Ward II challenger Denise York, Crocker R-II School Board candidate Kelly Newcomb, Waynesville Ward II Councilman Tim Mann, Swedeborg R-III School Board candidate Libby Poulson, and Plato R-V School Board candidate Mickey Bowers. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Crocker's H&L Supermarket was struck by a car Wednesday morning. |
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Car crashes through front window of Crocker H&L Supermarket Wednesday
CROCKER, Mo. (Jan. 20, 2010) — A vehicle plowed through the front door of H&L Supermarket in Crocker Wednesday morning, but police say nobody was hurt and any structural damage to the building was minor. “The two window panes and the footing that holds the window panes up were damaged, along with gumball and toy machines. We also had some possible minor structural damage, along with a register and counter,” said Police Chief Stephen North. “The windowpanes were completely smashed; half of the vehicle entered the building through the damaged window panes.” No citations are expected and North said the name of the driver would not be released. “It’s uncertain at this time what the cause was, but we have no reason to believe alcohol or other substances were involved,” North said. “We’re just happy no one was injured, and that’s it.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
One man killed in Wednesday morning Fort Leonard Wood head-on wreck
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Jan. 20, 2010) — Post officials have confirmed that one civilian male was killed in an early Wednesday morning traffic crash on Polla Road between Waynesville and Fort Leonard Wood that shut down the West Gate from Waynesville and snarled traffic for hours at the main gate from Saint Robert. Early reports indicate that the crash happened near a bridge on Polla Road; Pulaski County Ambulance District personnel confirm that they were called at 6:52 a.m. to assist in transporting an additional patient, Melvin Wright, 34, from the crash site. In a Wednesday afternoon media release, post spokesman Jeff Maddy said the fatality crash victim was a civilian but the name is being withheld pending notification of next-of-kin. The incident remains under investigation, he said. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Crocker officers shut down Highway 17 while stopping man at gunpoint
CROCKER, Mo. (Jan. 19, 2010) — An emergency situation with a man stopped by police at gunpoint shut down the main road through Crocker for more than half an hour late Saturday night and early Sunday morning until police used a Taser to stun the suspect and clear the roadway. Crocker Police Chief Stephen North said the man isn’t being identified pending filing of charges; circuit court offices were closed Monday for the Martin Luther King holiday. “It’s been a rather hectic weekend and the holiday threw in a few things as well,” North said. According to police logs, Pulaski County 911 personnel reported at 11:23 p.m. that Crocker police were requesting assistance with a traffic stop in which the officer had a suspect in his car at gunpoint near Newcomb Hardware and Crocker City Hall on Highway 17. Numerous other agencies were summoned to assist including Crocker firefighters, who blocked Highway 17 until the incident ended at 12:09 a.m. Sunday. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Missouri National Guardsmen participate in the new Unit Fitness Coordinator Course. |
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National Guard's 140th RTI offers new unit fitness coordinator course
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Jan. 19, 2010) — The 140th Missouri Regional Training Institute is offering a new course that will promote the Missouri Army National Guard’s goal of total fitness. The Unit Fitness Coordinator Course is designed to train officers and noncommissioned officers with physical fitness knowledge and skills that they can take back to their units to promote a healthy lifestyle for all soldiers. With total fitness as the goal, Richland resident Spc. Rita Brumley, from the Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 35th Engineer Brigade on post, said it is important that the Guard find an educational way to teach its soldiers to be physically fit. “If they don’t know what to eat or how to find personal motivation to complete their physical training, they can’t achieve total Army fitness,” Brumley said. “The intent was that every unit will have a soldier that has been to this course,” said course instructor Maj. Joe Campbell Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Matthew J. Wilson/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
Swedeborg plans $10,000 payment tonight on tuition bill to Richland
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Jan. 19, 2010) — When the Richland R-IV School Board meets tonight, it will be offered a $10,000 payment on more than $26,000 owed by the Swedeborg R-III School District in tuition. Swedeborg District Administrator Joe Dunlop strongly recommended at Monday night’s Swedeborg school board meeting that his district make the payment to show a good-faith attempt to pay its bills since the Richland board will vote tonight on whether to grant a tuition payment deferral to the cash-strapped Swedeborg district. One option, Dunlop said, is to cash in a $12,000 certificate of deposit to pay the bills due to Richland. “We have one remaining CD in the bank. I’ve guarded it like a mother hen but I think it’s time,” Dunlop said. “They aren’t expecting us to make it all up but they are expecting us to make some type of payment … When I talked to (Richland Superintendent Joe) Ridgeway, I asked how he would assess the situation, and he said Richland doesn’t even have any CDs right now.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
PTO representative Kristi Cargill explains her playground proposal. |
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Swedeborg PTO has almost enough money for new playground equipment
SWEDEBORG, Mo. (Jan. 19, 2010) — Representatives of the Swedeborg PTO told school board members Monday night that their school is less than $500 away from obtaining heavily-discounted playground equipment from Fry and Associates of Kansas City for $11,749, including a $650 supervised installation fee. All of that money will be paid by community residents and supporters rather than from taxpayer funding, said PTO representative Kristi Cargill. So far, $11,293 of the needed funding has been raised. The deadline for the special discount price is Jan. 29 but Cargill said meeting that deadline shouldn’t be difficult with a basketball game, chili cookoff, and several other fundraisers in the near future. “This was by far, especially for the price that we were given, the nicest set of equipment that we could find for that,” Cargill said. “It’s much lower than comparable pieces of equipment that we have been able to look at so we have been really pleased by that.” Raising the money from private donations is especially important because of a proposal on the April election ballot for a substantial tax levy to pay off tuition deficits and put the school district on a sound financial footing, she said. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Many races for city councils, some school boards, have little opposition
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Jan. 18, 2010) — With only one day left to file, numerous municipal and school board seats appear to be going without significant challenges in the April election. Candidates for school boards, city councils, fire districts, water districts, ambulance districts and the county health board have only until the close of business on Jan. 19 to file their candidacy papers for the April 6 election. Voters have until March 10 to register for the April 6 election. In most cases, that means candidates should file at their city hall, school district offices, or other administrative building; the only candidates who should turn in papers at the Pulaski County Courthouse are those running for the Pulaski County Health Board. It’s become common practice for some candidates to turn in their candidacy papers shortly before the deadline, but since not all offices close at the same time, those who intend to file late in the afternoon on Tuesday should verify the last time their governmental agency will accept filings. Click here for a complete list of incumbents and candidates who had filed as of Monday afternoon. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Justin Jay Hinkle |
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Sheriff joins drug task force in felony drug arrest of man living near Dixon
DIXON, Mo. (Jan. 16, 2010) — Pulaski County Sheriff J.B. King announced Friday that his deputies, working with the Lake Area Narcotics Enforcement Group, arrested Justin Jay Hinkle, 24, near Dixon on Thursday for possession of marijuana, hashish, and other drug paraphernalia. Associate Circuit Judge Greg Warren set his bond at $30,000 cash or surety. King said his officers and LANEG personnel seized about 12 ounces of marijuana and “a small amount” of processed hashish, along with firearms, more than $900 in cash and the drug paraphernalia. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Ashley Gilbert |
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Teenage girl charged with murder could be bailed out with $5,000 cash
DIXON, Mo. (Jan. 16, 2010) — Over the objections of Pulaski County Prosecuting Attorney Deborah Hooper, a teenage suspect in the beating death of a Dixon man has had her bond reduced to the point that she could bail out with as little as a $5,000 cash payment by her parents. That’s the second time Circuit Judge Tracy Storie has reduced Ashley N. Gilbert’s bond; on Aug. 5, Storie reduced what was initially a $1 million cash-only bond down to $100,000, and now has reduced it further. Meeting with attorneys in his chambers without the media present, Storie decided Thursday morning that Gilbert, 18, would be allowed to post bond of $50,000 cash or surety, with 10 percent payment allowed if posted by her parents. “If she does bail out, she will be required to be on house arrest,” said Brendon Fox, a Rolla lawyer who represents Gilbert. “She does have a good family support structure that will help assure that she follows all the conditions of her bond.” As of Saturday evening, jail personnel confirmed that Gilbert is still in jail and no one has yet posted bond for her. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Military Police company protecting VIPs to be given farewell Saturday
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Jan. 14, 2010) — A squad-sized unit of military police tasked with protecting VIPs will soon deploy to Iraq from Fort Leonard Wood, and post personnel will hold a farewell ceremony at 9 p.m. Saturday evening at Pippin Youth Center for the soldiers. The 13th Military Police Company is a relatively new unit at Fort Leonard Wood and is part of the new “go-to-war” units coming to Fort Leonard Wood’s 4th Maneuver Enhancement Brigade from other installations. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Afghan civilians crowd around American soldiers on a mission to clear away explosives. |
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Missouri Guardsman describes engineers' use of route clearance mission to improve Afghan relations
FORWARD OPERATING BASE FENTI, Afghanistan (Jan. 14, 2010) — As time for the pre-mission brief drew near, crews began to gather around 1st Lt. Chris Johnson, their platoon leader. Dawn had begun to break and a winter chill hung in the air. As Johnson prepared to speak, a senior NCO waved the crews closer to form a semi-circle facing the junior officer. “Intelligence says there was a cache found [nearby] containing quite a bit of bomb-making materials, but other than that, there is nothing new,” said Johnson, of Basehor, Kan. “We’ll be the first mission down this route in a few weeks.” But there were some additional, non-combat related components that have the potential to contribute as much toward the objective of defeating extremism here as any offensive military action, Johnson said. While the primary focus of the 41st’s mission was to clear key routes of improvised explosive devices, they would also be providing humanitarian aid to a local community. “At tent city, we’ll hop out and drop off the boxes of clothing to the residents there,” Johnson told his crews, referring to a tented community called Chamtala. At the end of the route, the crews would rest overnight at an Afghan National Police compound. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Jon E. Dougherty/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
Cities lose power supplier; Waynesville wants to keep its own electric utility
WAYNESVILLE, Mo. (Jan. 13, 2010) — Members of the Waynesville Utility Committee received a report Tuesday afternoon from City Administrator Bruce Harrill warning that they’ll have to find another supplier for their city’s electric power within three years. Harrill told committee members that Sho-Me Power, a large electric power supplier that primarily serves electric cooperatives such as Laclede Electric and Gascosage Electric, has decided to stop supplying power to municipal utilities. That’s not a problem for Crocker or Dixon which rely on Gascosage Electric, but it does create problems for Waynesville, Saint Robert, and Richland which have their own electric utility operations. “We discussed different options; one of the options that we’re going to look at is joining a collection of cities under the Missouri Public Utility Alliance umbrella,” Harrill said. “We’re also going to look at some other options as well such as getting supplied through the bigger utilities.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Dogwood Trailer Court finally closed; two housing developments OKed
WAYNESVILLE, Mo. (Jan. 13, 2010) — A troubled trailer court on the north end of Waynesville is finally vacant and the developer, Tom Townsend, says he should soon be able to start building infrastructure for a new 15-unit residential housing development. Members of the Waynesville Planning and Zoning Commission voted unanimously Tuesday evening to approve Townsend’s final plat for the new Townsend Subdivision, which will replace Dogwood Trailer Court. Located on Booker Street off Highway 17 near the old Rice’s Cleaners building, City Administrator Bruce Harrill said the development should be a welcome change. “We did have a definite eyesore down there and this will be a great improvement,” Harrill said. Planning and Zoning Commission members also approved a small expansion to Curt Cox’s Woodland Hills subdivision in West Waynesville. Don Mayhew, Cox’s project engineer, said when the Woodland Hills development is finally finished it should have about 166 homes in total. “I think most developers, with the economy the way it is, are approaching the problem from saying they will develop what they can afford to develop at a time. Ten or 15 lots seems like about what people can do, depending on topography and other issues,” Mayhew said. “For a while, I think the days of doing a hundred lots at a time are probably over until the economy turns around and money becomes available.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Wayne Morgan |
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Economic developer outlines goals to improve Pulaski County economy
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Jan. 13, 2010) — When Waynesville-St. Robert Chamber of Commerce officials announced their lineup of speakers for an upcoming televised community forum on economic and community development, they included one participant whose primary duties focus on that work. Wayne Morgan, the executive director of the Pulaski County Growth Alliance, will join Col. Charles Williams, the Fort Leonard Wood Garrison Commander, St. Robert Mayor George Sanders, Waynesville Mayor Cliff Hammock, Waynesville R-VI School Superintendent Judene Blackburn, and U.S. Census Bureau Partnership Specialist Laurie Patton-Glasson at the Jan. 25 forum held at the Waynesville High School Library. Participating in the televised forum will be a first for Morgan, who said he looks forward to what he sees as an opportunity to explain his role with the Pulaski County Growth Alliance to the community. “The organization itself is still at its fairly infant stages,” Morgan said. “We’re working for the next three years with those individuals who are in private enterprise as well as the municipalities and the county to work to bring new business here ... I think what you will see as a determining factor of whether this program goes or doesn’t is one, whether the sales tax dollars continue to increase, and two, if the unemployment numbers go down. Those are the two real indicators of whether a program is working or not.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Spc. James Brinkley, of Rolla, prepares to fire an MK-19 grenade launcher. |
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Guard's 35th Engineer Brigade uses simulator for firing range preparation
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Jan. 12, 2010) — The Missouri National Guard's Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 35th Engineer Brigade opened its 2010 training calendar by utilizing the Engagement Skills Trainer 2000 on Saturday near its home armory on post. From zeroing weapons to qualifying on pop up targets, whatever a Guardsman can do on a weapons range can be accomplished by using the trainer. Another advantage is that indoor training avoids outdoor weather issues. With the cold temperatures outside, Spc. Steven Bain, of Waynesville, said he simply enjoyed the hands-on training indoors. The simulator provides soldiers with realistic marksmanship and combat scenario training using a wide range of weapons. The unit worked with the M-2 Browning .50 caliber machine gun, the M-249 squad automatic weapon, the MK-19 grenade launcher, the M-16 rifle and the M-9 9mm pistol. The targets are projected onto a large screen and lasers are mounted on the front of the weapons. Where the lasers hit the screen is recorded by a computer and instructors can give instant feedback on how soldiers need to adjust their aim. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Matthew J. Wilson/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
Water cascaded out of Laquey ceilings and closed the school Monday. |
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Water line break drenches Laquey classrooms, closes school Monday
LAQUEY, Mo. (Jan. 13, 2010) — Students in the Laquey R-V School District had an unplanned vacation Monday when water lines in a ceiling deluged four classrooms and one counselor’s office. Classes had been cancelled for most of last week, but Superintendent Bob Boulware said his staff members had been concerned about cold temperatures and were checking each day last week — except for the one day the break occurred in the water lines. “We’d been in every day, but it was so cold that they didn’t thaw out until sometime Saturday night,” Boulware said. Classes missed Monday will be made up on Martin Luther King Day, he said. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Chamber of Commerce receives three nominations for Citizen of the Year
WAYNESVILLE/SAINT ROBERT, Mo. (Jan. 12, 2010) — This year’s selection as Waynesville-St. Robert “Citizen of the Year” might be a police officer, Daniel Wogan, who has worn his St. Robert police uniform longer than many of his colleagues on the force have been alive. Or it could be Kim Hawk, who has seen her volunteer program at the Waynesville R-VI School District dramatically expand in her six years of service. Alternatively, the selectee could be Kimberly Fuhr, a volunteer who dedicates her life to helping abandoned or abused animals as well as autistic and other special needs children. The three candidates will be honored Feb. 19 at the Chamber’s annual banquet in the St. Robert Community Center. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Maj. Gen. David Quantock (courtesy FLW public affairs) |
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Fort Leonard Wood gets first military policeman as commanding general
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Jan. 12, 2009) — Department of Defense personnel announced Monday that Maj. Gen. David E. Quantock, who currently heads American prison facilities in Iraq, will succeed Maj. Gen. Gregg Martin as Fort Leonard Wood’s commanding general. Quantock, a career military policeman who previously served as the commandant of the Military Police School at Fort Leonard Wood, is known as the American commander brought in to repair the damage caused by the 2004 detainee abuse scandal at the Abu Ghraib prison in which several American soldiers abused Iraqi detainees and photographed them in various sexually humiliating positions. More recently, Quantock has been working to release detainees or transfer them to the control of Iraqi security forces and was responsible for the Sept. 17 shutdown of Camp Bucca, a large American-run prison in Iraq that once housed more than 21,000 inmates. “We understand at some point many of these detainees will be released and it does no good to improperly treat detainees who will someday be released,” Quantock said in an interview with Arab media. “Our focus inside our facilities is to separate extremists from moderates, to give them some educational and vocational training so that when they leave our facilities, they can positively contribute to the future of Iraq and to themselves. And that’s why, as we start to transition Taji, one of our main efforts is to put a vocational training center at Taji that, when we leave, that will not stop because we would like to leave, at Taji, a model facility that can be replicated throughout Iraq.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Sgt. Brian Harvey tests a drop of an unknown substance. |
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Guard uses creativity to train safely despite severe weather conditions
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Jan. 11, 2010) — Severe winter weather last week handicapped many civilian government agencies and came close to cancelling a planned Branson training exercise for a Missouri Natiional Guard unit based at Fort Leonard Wood. However, with a little creativity, the 7th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team was still able to execute its first training exercise of the new year. Not wanting to unnecessarily risk the health of its 22 Missouri National Guard soldiers and airmen through exposure to frigid temperatures and potentially hazardous over-the-road travel, the unit utilized technology and some clever planning by its deputy commander, Maj. Jeffrey Ford, to conduct what was originally designed as a “Branson-based” exercise at its home facility on Fort Leonard Wood instead. The original plan called for the team to respond to an incident where a pair of laboratories was discovered by civilian authorities at a storage facility in Branson. The unit’s objective was to determine what potentially hazardous materials were being used or created in the labs, and then recommend the best way to safely clean up those materials. Ford had previously set up the labs in Branson and used still and video photography to provide visual data the team would need to complete its objective. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Matthew J. Wilson/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
All area schools still closed but FLW personnel to report as scheduled
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Jan. 8, 2010) — Bad weather conditions closed all school districts in the Fort Leonard Wood area for another day on Friday, and also led to most on-post roads being considered either “difficult to hazardous” or “extremely hazardous.” However, as of 3:30 a.m., post officials said military and civilian personnel should report for duty at their regularly scheduled times. The Waynesville R-VI School District is usually one of the last to close but school officials had already decided by 4:30 p.m. Thursday not to hold classes on Friday; many other districts had already made the same decision. Schools are closed in Laquey, Richland, Swedeborg, Crocker, Dixon and Plato. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Snow shutters all Fort Leonard Wood area schools; post on two-hour delay
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Jan. 7, 2010) — Bad weather conditions including significant overnight snowfall have closed all seven school districts serving the Fort Leonard Wood area, as well as the Pulaski County Courthouse. On the fort, military and civilian personnel who are not considered “key and essential” have a two-hour delayed report time with a liberal leave policy in effect for those unable to report. Key and essential personnel have a normal report time. School districts in Laquey, Richland, Swedeborg, Crocker, Dixon and Plato had all announced Thursday closures by 9:50 p.m. Wednesday. Officials with the Waynesville R-VI School District announced their closure later. Click here for additional closure announcements and weather-related alerts. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Maj. Gen. Gregg Martin |
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Fort Leonard Wood commander assigned to Kuwait for Iraq drawdown
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Jan. 4, 2010) — The commanding general of Fort Leonard Wood announced Monday afternoon that he will be leaving the installation later this month for a new assignment in Kuwait. Maj. Gen. Gregg Martin, who has served at Fort Leonard Wood’s commander since October 2008, said that on Jan. 27 he will become the deputy commanding general of the Third Army, US Army Central Coalition Forces Land Component Command. Martin saw the beginning of the Iraq war and his new assignment is likely to correspond to the end of major American troop operations in Iraq. “The success of the responsible drawdown of US forces from Iraq by 2011 has been placed in the hands of Third Army,” according to the Third Army website. “In the year falling between fall 2009 and summer 2010, Third Army will facilitate the closure or handover of hundreds of military bases and camps in Iraq, entailing the movement, refurbishment, and possible redeployment to Afghanistan of thousands of end items and millions of pieces of equipment.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Most schools except Waynesville closed Monday; FLW liberal leave in effect
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Jan. 4, 2010) — Poor weather conditions in rural areas led school officials in most of the six rural school districts serving the Fort Leonard Wood area to call a snow day for what was supposed to be their first day back from class after Christmas break. However, the Waynesville R-VI School District will be in session with buses traveling on snow routes only. As of 5 a.m. Monday morning, school officials for the Crocker R-II School District, Dixon R-I School District, and Laquey R-V School District had announced that they will not hold classes. Classes in the Plato R-V School District and Richland R-IV School District were not scheduled to begin until Tuesday; Monday was a scheduled teacher in-service date for both districts. No information was immediately available regarding classes in the Swedeborg R-III School District. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Skelton plans Pulaski County meetings about economic and military issues
SAINT ROBERT/DIXON, Mo. (Jan. 2, 2010) — U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton announced Wednesday that he will hold a three-day series of meetings next week on job creation and the economic impact of military installations with local leaders in several communities of his district, including St. Robert, Dixon and Lebanon. The St. Robert meeting will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, sponsored by the Waynesville Chamber of Commerce in the Hampton Inn located at 103 St. Robert Plaza off St. Robert Boulevard. Those who want more information may contact Mike Dunbar at (573) 451-2265. Another meeting will be the same day at 3 p.m. at Greater Ozark Enterprise Center in Dixon, located at 400 South Elm Street. Those who want more information may call (573) 759-6096. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Marge Scott and Laura Huffman present their Poor Farm proposal to the county commissioners. |
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Commissioners OK effort to research history of Pulaski County Poor Farm
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Dec. 31, 2009) — In one of their last actions for 2009, Pulaski County Commissioners voted Thursday to approve a request by Laura Huffman and Marge Scott to do research in the county archives for the history of what was once the Pulaski County Poor Farm. Located on Superior Road, the low-level bottomland road between Waynesville and Saint Robert that parallels the higher-level ridge road that later became Route 66, the Pulaski County Poor Farm was a place where indigent residents went to earn a living if they couldn’t do so on their own. Developed prior to Depression-era concepts of welfare and public assistance, most counties once had poor farms so people would have a place to live while working to support themselves. Located near what’s now the Laughlin family farm, the Pulaski County Poor Farm also had a cemetery for its residents; Huffman and Scott said many of the cemetery graves are in disrepair and others aren’t marked with headstones or their locations aren’t known at all. “This is mostly so we can document those cemetery plots and know where they are,” said Pulaski County Courthouse Museum Curator Marge Scott. “We just need to see the books and if after those two days (the researcher) feels she needs more time, we’ll get back with you and schedule a day.”
Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
County Clerk Diana Linnenbringer |
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Diana Linnenbringer won't seek re-election as Pulaski County Clerk
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Dec. 31, 2009) — Despite having one of the county’s highest margins of victory in her 2004 re-election campaign, Pulaski County Clerk Diana Linnenbringer announced at the last county commission meeting of the year that she won’t be running for re-election. Linnenbringer acknowledged that despite her high re-election margin, her duties as county clerk have been difficult. “I told the girls here I like my job but it doesn’t outweigh some of the other things I have to go through around here,” Linnenbringer said. “I’m not sure I’m ready to totally hang it up, but I’m going to look for a stress-free job and hopefully one that is flexible.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Trees kept cars sliding off Longview Road from careening down a ravine. |
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Dixon wreck hurts one, Longview Road slide-off snarls long line of traffic
DIXON/WAYNESVILLE, Mo. (Dec. 31, 2009) — Icy roads Tuesday night and Wednesday morning led to numerous slideoffs and one major traffic backup north of Waynesville. The only crash that caused injuries happened on Highway 28 about a mile east of Dixon when Donley O. Baker, 26, of Dixon, was eastbound at 6:40 p.m. Tuesday in a 1999 Jeep Cherokee, ran off the right side of the roadway, and struck a tree. Most slideoffs caused little damage to vehicles or injuries to their drivers, but one wreck on Longview Road, the only open entrance to the Shalom Mountain and Northern Heights Estates residential subdivisions north of Waynesville off Highway 28, snarled traffic more than an hour and backed up 46 cars after Waynesville firefighters shut down the road so Rothmund’s Towing workers could remove the vehicles and Pulaski County Road and Bridge Department personnel could apply additional salt to the road. According to Sgt. Darryl Suhr of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the wreck involved a 2003 Kia Spectra driven by Maria Pfeiffer and a 2006 Dodge Durango driven by Chastity Still. “The Durango (driver) was going along fine and the car in front of her skidded and they both went off the road,” said Sgt. Darryl Suhr of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
County Collector Terri Mitchell receives a tax payment from Leon Layman. |
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Tax payment deadline draws closer as courthouse closes at 4:30 p.m. today
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Dec. 31, 2009) — Pulaski County residents have less than two hours left to pay their personal property and real estate taxes if they want to do it in person at the courthouse in Waynesville, which closes today at 4:30 p.m. Lines in County Collector Terri Mitchell’s office have been lengthening in recent days as the tax deadline approached, but are traditionally the longest on Dec. 31. People living in cities such as St. Robert which also charge property tax must pay municipal property tax bills as well and usually must pay those bills in their local city halls to the local city collector. This year, Crocker aldermen voted to delegate their city property tax collection to Mitchell’s office, so Crocker city residents need to pay their city taxes to the county collector, who then processes the payments and passes them on to Crocker. Those who miss the 4:30 p.m. deadline can still use electronic payments or the post office, as long as the checks are postmarked or electronically processed today. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Commissioners ask whether county should require posting home addresses
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Dec. 28, 2009) — After receiving notice earlier this month from the lawyer for the Missouri Association of Counties that third-class counties such as Pulaski do have the legal right to adopt ordinances, commissioners debated Monday whether they ought to adopt an ordinance to deal with an ongoing problem of residents who fail to post their home addresses or, in at least one case, have posted an address that isn’t theirs. That originated with a specific problem near Dixon where one person is using the address of another person and has posted an incorrect address, contrary to a written decision by Pulaski County 911 addressing officials that he’s using the wrong address. “I’m not real big on wanting to impose on people, but it’s for their own safety,” said Eastern District Commissioner Bill Farnham. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Firefighters weren't able to save this home on Christmas night. |
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Richland woman loses home to attic electrical fire on Christmas night
RICHLAND, Mo. (Dec. 28, 2009) — Tri-County firefighters nearly saved the home of a Richland woman whose attic caught fire late Christmas night, but as they were finishing their work, the weakened attic beams gave way and sent flaming debris crashing down into the living room. Tri-County Fire Chief Rick Hobbs said the blaze broke out about 11:30 p.m. Christmas night and when his department personnel and Hazelgreen firefighters arrived, they found that about half to three-quarters of attic of the home on 210 East McClurg Avenue was on fire. “There was actually no fire in the living area at all,” Hobbs said. “The guys went in and got a pretty good knockdown, and as they were extinguishing the fire, the ceiling in the living room area fell in which made it a little more difficult to get it fully extinguished.” Once the attic beams collapsed, Hazelgreen and Richland firefighters spent considerably more time working to put out the blaze. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
County Commissioner Ricky Zweerink reviews budget data. |
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Zweerink says careful budgeting now could prevent county layoffs later
PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (Dec. 28, 2009) — As the county commissioners prepared Monday to begin work on the 2010 budget, Western District Commissioner Ricky Zweerink warned that it’s important to have county officeholders submit budgets staying within 1 percent of last year’s budget, and if possible, to show no growth at all. While union representatives have asked for a pay increase in the Road and Bridge Department, Zweerink said that probably won’t happen — and can’t, considering the county’s financial condition. “My guys are just happy to have a job, to a man,” Zweerink said. While local media have been reporting large increases in revenues for some cities, especially Saint Robert but also Waynesville, County Clerk Diana Linnenbringer noted that the cities have revenue sources such as taxes on utilities that the county doesn’t have. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Station Capt. Jeff Porter wants residents to practice fireplace safety. |
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Crocker fire on Christmas leads to warning: Don't burn paper in fireplace
CROCKER, Mo. (Dec. 25, 2009) — Station Capt. Jeff Porter of the Crocker Rural Fire Protection District has a warning for people who want to get rid of Christmas wrapping paper: Don’t try to burn it in a fireplace. A family on Highway 17 south of Crocker learned that the hard way on Christmas night when their chimney flue caught on fire about 6 p.m. Putting out the chimney fire required dropping chemical bags down the chimney, Porter said, which wasn’t easy because of the Christmas snowfall. Porter said flue fires are a common but usually preventable problem. “A wood stove is made for wood only. You don’t want to throw things in there that don’t need to be put in there ... That’s the main thing that we need to deal with: the amount of green wood that the people have been burning poses more of a problem for buildup in the pipe,” Porter said. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Otisha Desir, wife of Pfc. Mackendy Desir, speaks to her husband by cell phone. |
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50th Multirole Bridge Company returns Christmas Eve from Iraq deployment
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Dec. 24, 2009) — Many family members have already gathered at Nutter Field House awaiting the Christmas Eve return of more that 150 soldiers from the 50th Multirole Bridge Company, which deployed to Iraq last December. The unit’s military mission was “full spectrum bridging operations in support of the 555th Engineer Brigade and Central Command Forces,” according to Fort Leonard Wood spokesmen. The company is part of the 5th Engineer Battalion, most of which returned from a 15-month Iraq deployment earlier this summer. Military personnel do not routinely announce the precise arrival time of returning units for security reasons and because travel plans can change rapidly due to weather and air traffic conditions, but Fort Leonard Wood spokesman Jeff Maddy said the unit arrived earlier today in the United States and will be home on Christmas Eve. Click here for comments from two military spouses, Otisha Desir, wife of Pfc. Mackendy Desir, and Mary Magnia, wife of Staff Sgt. Jess Magnia. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Darrell Todd Maurina |
Master Sgt. Timothy Uptegrove, right, is pinned with his new rank by his unit commander, Lt. Col. Raymond White. |
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Timothy Uptegrove named top NCO of weapons of mass destruction team
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Dec. 15, 2009) — Timothy Uptegrove, of Lebanon, was recently promoted both in rank and position in the Missouri Army National Guard to become the first sergeant of the 7th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team, a full-time National Guard unit at Fort Leonard Wood. Uptegrove rose from the rank of sergeant first class to master sergeant and moved up from his position as logistics noncommissioned officer with the 7th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team. “This promotion gives me a chance to apply what I have learned from, and a means to pay tribute to, the truly great senior noncommissioned officers who have mentored me throughout my career,” Uptegrove said. Uptegrove earned the dual promotion by being the most qualified for the job through his vast experience on the team, said Lt. Col. Raymond White, 7th Civil Support Team commander. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Matthew J. Wilson/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
Command Sgt. Maj. Ray Harding |
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Command Sgt. Maj. Ray Harding retires after 37 years serving National Guard
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Nov. 19, 2009) — Command Sgt. Maj. Ray Harding, a Saint Robert resident, was called “a soldier’s friend” and assured that “he will be missed” during his recent retirement ceremony at the Missouri National Guard’s 35th Engineer Brigade. Harding has more than 35 years of service in the Missouri National Guard and two in the Kansas Guard. For the last four years, Harding has been the brigade command sergeant major after moving over from his position as the command sergeant major and commandant of the 140th Regiment Missouri Regional Training Institute, also at Fort Leonard Wood. Before that, Harding was with Company B, 203rd Engineer Battalion in Joplin. In his civilian career during the week, Harding works as a contractor for Battelle Corporation. Before that, Harding spent 24 years as a teacher and head football coach or athletic director at Carthage High School. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Matthew J. Wilson/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
Capt. Jean Bernard Le Gall |
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Capt. Jean Bernard Le Gall promoted in Missouri National Guard’s 7th CST
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Nov. 16, 2009) — Jean Bernard Le Gall, of Waynesville, was recently promoted from the rank of first lieutenant to captain in the Missouri Army National Guard. Le Gall has been with the Missouri National Guard for five years with an additional 10 years of active-duty Army experience as an enlisted Soldier. He is a physician assistant and officer in charge of the medical section for the active Guard 7th Weapons of Mass Destruction Civil Support Team at Fort Leonard Wood. Along with his duties with the unit, Le Gall also works three days a week — two in family practice and one in the emergency room — at General Leonard Wood Army Community Hospital. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Matthew J. Wilson/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
Pfc. Bryan Kaolowi |
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Pfc. Bryan Kaolowi named Soldier of the Quarter for National Guard unit
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Nov. 12, 2009) — Pfc. Bryan Kaolowi of Saint Robert, a 2004 graduate of Waynesville High School, was recently named Soldier of the Quarter for Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 35th Engineer Brigade for his service with the Missouri Army National Guard. The award stated that Kaolowi, who has been in the Guard less than a year, had an exceptional performance during the board, made up of the senior enlisted soldiers. Kaolowi had to perform well on his physical fitness test and answer two current events questions, as well as questions over counseling, the different types of flags and common soldier tasks. During the week, Kaolowi is a sales associate at the Discount Smoke Shop. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Matthew J. Wilson/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
Spc. David Eley |
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Spc. David Eley receives promotion in Missouri National Guard unit at FLW
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (Nov. 9, 2009) — David Eley, a Springfield resident and 2000 graduate of Laquey High School, was recently promoted from the rank of private first class to specialist in the Missouri Army National Guard. Eley has been with the National Guard for three years. He is a combat engineer with Headquarters and Headquarters Company of the 35th Engineer Brigade, of Fort Leonard Wood, and plans to transfer to Missouri State University in Springfield where he will enroll in ROTC on his way to becoming an officer. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Matthew J. Wilson/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
Diana Eberharter, of Waynesville, has her warrant officer rank pinned on her. |
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Waynesville woman among 10 new National Guard warrant officers
FORT McCLELLAN, Ala. (Oct. 30, 2009) — Ten Missouri Army National Guardsmen from six different branches recently graduated from the Warrant Officer Candidate School at Fort McClellan, Ala. That follows training in the 140th Regiment Missouri Regional Training Institute Warrant Officer Candidate School at Fort Leonard Wood. It was a moment of exuberance for the newly-pinned warrant officers. “I had finally accomplished my goal — it was a long road,” said Warrant Officer Diana Eberharter, of Waynesville. “I was glad to be finished.” Warrant Officer Jesse Darden, of Columbia, said it was the fulfillment of his childhood dream to fly for his country. “I have wanted to be a military aviator since age 3,” said Darden, who is now an aviator with the 3rd Battalion, 135th Theater Aviation Battalion, of Lebanon. “My dream is becoming a reality. I have gained a deeper commitment to my country and the United States Army. I feel that I am now in a position to truly serve where my greatest potential and passion lies.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Matthew J. Wilson/Missouri National Guard Public Affairs |
County Collector Terri Mitchell |
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March Collector’s Report
The 2009 tax collection season was the smoothest yet with the collection percentage again reaching an excellent rate of 92 percent. The Pulaski County Collector’s Office web site was used more frequently for electronic payments, and we opened the last Saturday of December again, which was a tremendous help to taxpayers and this office in staying current on receipting mail and making daily deposits. New this year is an installment plan for the 2010 real estate taxes; 113 taxpayers with approximately 150 accounts are taking advantage of this opportunity to pay their taxes in equal increments throughout the year. With the program, installments will be automatically withdrawn every month with the final payment in November 2010. On the other hand, if you received a delinquent statement but have an escrow account with your mortgage company, you need to call their customer service number on the mortgage statement and let them know the taxes are unpaid. Although our returned mail decreased considerably each year, we still have some returned mail with no known address. Address changes/corrections are extremely important to us, and we offer different notification options when changes need to be made. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
County Collector Terri Mitchell |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Skelton accepts VFW congressional award, says another ‘Great Generation’ coming from current wars
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 8, 2010) — Today, Congressman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) honored past veterans and called for the continued support of America’s military personnel after being awarded the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) 2010 Congressional Award at the VFW’s Annual Meeting in Washington. During the event, Congressman Skelton stated: “All of us have heroes in our lives. My boyhood heroes were those Missourians, veterans from the First and Second World Wars, who made such a positive contribution to every facet of society. The men and women serving today, our veterans of tomorrow, are heroes too; heroes to the boys and girls who are their neighbors, heroes to their parents, and heroes to me.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Press Office of U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Skelton promotes National Consumer Protection Week focus on financial literacy at ‘Every Stage of Life’
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 7, 2010) — The Federal Trade Commission has designated March 7 to 13 of this year as the 12th annual National Consumer Protection Week to highlight consumer protection and education efforts around the country. This year the theme of National Consumer Protection Week is “Dollars and Sense: Rated ‘A’ for All Ages.” Americans make countless purchases and conduct millions of transactions each day, but sometimes even wise consumers can make misinformed financial decisions. Poor choices hurt our pocketbooks and make it more difficult for citizens to realize the American Dream, but consumers can protect themselves through financial education. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton |
Sheriff J.B. King |
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Sheriff’s View #11 for March 8 to 12, 2010
This past week, the National Weather Service office in Springfield sent an instructor to Waynesville to teach the annual weather spotter class. The topic of severe weather and tornadoes can get a bit complex, and once again, we went through the types of storms, wind shear, and a host of other topics that we viewed from the perceptive of the National Weather Service. In other business, I drove to Springfield to meet with officials from the Missouri Department of Transportation to go over the 2011 year grant applications. They were not sure if the recent cutback in federal traffic safety money that forced the reduction in our current grant would continue to be a problem for the future grants. While there, I went to the Springfield office of the Drug Enforcement Agency office and delivered some reports to them on a recent case, and met with our attorney assigned by our insurance company to discuss a lawsuit case issue that had suddenly jumped up. With the help of the Pulaski County Law Enforcement Restitution Fund, we were able to buy a 2006 Ford with 81,000 miles for only $4,910, $3,000 of which was from CLERF. On March 22, at 9:30 a.m., there will be a presentation to the Pulaski County Commission by the GS&M Company. This presentation is open to the public and is designed to supply information to the commissioners about the several ways that a 124-bed jail could be built, with or without a tax increase. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Sheriff J.B. King |
Ambulance Director Gary Carmack |
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Paramedic’s Corner: Preparing for tornado season is crucial in Missouri
The dead, 330 in all, died from what would later be called the deadliest tornado outbreak in America’s history. On April 3 and 4, 1974, 148 tornadoes went through 13 states. Another 5,484 people were injured during the 1974 outbreak. More recently, 16 Missourians died on May 10 and 11, 2008. Why do these deaths and injuries from tornadoes happen? The warning systems in 1974 were nothing like today. Meteorologists had to depend on old World War II-type radar systems intended to spot airplanes, not twisting deadly wind. But in 2008, readers may remember over Mothers’ Day weekend that year, a tornado touched down and destroyed properties in a 20-mile path across Jasper, Newton and Barry Counties. Two hundred people were injured and sixteen people died! Warning systems are the best they have ever been; yet those people died. In this modern era, the communication age, why did these Missourians die? Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Ambulance Director Gary Carmack |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Skelton commends House for creating jobs by tax cuts, new infrastructure
WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 4, 2010) — Today, Congressman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) thanked the House of Representatives for approving H.R. 2847, the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment (HIRE) Act: “One of Congress’ top priorities is to promote private sector job growth during this tough economy. The jobs bill that passed out of the House today would do that by enacting a bipartisan payroll tax holiday for businesses that hire unemployed Americans, by cutting small business taxes to help them expand and hire workers, and by investing in highway and infrastructure improvements throughout the United States.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Press Office of U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Skelton says new law halting abuse by credit card companies is crucial
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 28, 2010) — For years, credit card companies have used tricky fine print, hidden fees, and unannounced interest rate increases to gouge people across the country. These practices have repeatedly punished responsible families and small businesses, especially as the economy worsened over the past several years. Halting these practices is yet another way Congress is working to rebuild an economy that works for families and small businesses, not just Wall Street bankers. That is why it was essential to pass landmark credit card reforms last year, reforms that take effect this week. Many of you have received notices from banks and credit card companies describing some of these changes, but I wanted to take a moment to share some of the most important aspects of H.R. 627, the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure Act of 2009. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton |
Sheriff J.B. King |
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Sheriff’s View #10 for March 1 to 5, 2010
With the case numbers on the increase and the deputy positions on the decrease business as usual gets harder to do each year. I have said before that the train is approaching the washed-out bridge and the wreck will not be nice when it happens. I stand by those words once again. It is getting much harder to pull the law enforcement rabbit from the hat each month. We were notified this past week that our Missouri Department of Transportation traffic safety grant has been severely cut in mid-grant year due to a shortfall in federal funds that MoDOT received to pay for the grants. A 25 percent reduction of funding will impact our overtime traffic safety work in a big way. Along the same lines, our efforts to take part in the MoDOT “Click it or Ticket” special statewide seatbelt enforcement day on Thursday, Feb. 25, hit a big snag when we had three overdose calls on the day shift. Also, Deputy Jimmy Bench will be on medical leave for several days after he went to an address on Tampa Road outside of St. Robert to check on the welfare of a person and was attacked by two very large Great Dane dogs. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Sheriff J.B. King |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Pay-as-you-go budgeting becomes law; will balance budget, Skelton says
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 22, 2010) — Paying the bills on time and balancing the budget are sensible principles that any family or business must embrace. As a responsible steward of taxpayers’ money, the government should too. Sadly, this has not been the case over the past decade. Since 2000, in fact, the American budget has gone from record surpluses to record deficits. This is simply not acceptable. Congress and the Administration have an obligation to produce sensible, bipartisan solutions that will financially change the direction of our country. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Skelton, Peterson, Emerson sponsor joint resolution against EPA plans to begin regulating greenhouse gases
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 25, 2010) — Today, Congressman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), Congressman Collin C. Peterson (D-Minn.), and Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.) introduced a joint resolution in the House of Representatives to nullify the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) finding in December 2009 that greenhouse gases are a threat to human health and therefore could be regulated under the Clean Air Act. Under the Congressional Review Act of 1996, Congress has 60 legislative days to review a major rule under expedited legislative procedures and consider a resolution to disapprove of the rulemaking. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Press Office of U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton |
Sheriff J.B. King |
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Sheriff’s View #9 for Feb. 22 to 26, 2010
Welcome aboard one more time for another trip around Pulaski County with the employees of the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office. Today our trip will be shared by members of the Waynesville City Police Department for much of the column. I am sure by now that most of you have heard of the massive drug seizure made by Waynesville police this past week. I will address that case at length today in the column. Let me restate that point. I will address parts of this case in a public forum but there is much that I cannot reveal at this point. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Sheriff J.B. King |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Skelton commends USS Truman aircraft carrier on Battle Efficiency Award
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 19, 2010) — Today, Congressman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) commended the crew of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S Truman (CVN-75) for earning the East Coast Battle Efficiency Award for 2009. The Battle ‘E’ Award recognizes sustained superior performance in an operational environment. Skelton wrote in a letter to Captain Joe Clarkson, the commanding officer of the USS Truman, that “the Battle ‘E’ is significant because it is the only competition that evaluates the ship’s performance in all mission areas over a complete year. I am very pleased that your fine crew has earned the Battle ‘E’ for the second year in a row and for the fifth time in the ship’s history.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Press Office of U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Skelton says federal education aid helps contribute to the economy
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 13, 2010) — According to a 2008 study by the U.S. Department of Education, Americans who have a bachelor’s degree earn, on average, over $20,000 more per year than those who have high school degrees. Those with Associate’s degrees fall between the two, making on average about $10,000 more per year than high school graduates. These numbers are striking and highlight the value of an advanced education in the modern marketplace. Yet higher education has grown increasingly expensive in recent decades. As families continue to suffer from the worst economic crisis in recent memory, the resources needed to attend school are, in many cases, nowhere to be found. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Skelton says he's encouraged by recent events in Afghanistan and Pakistan
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 16, 2010) — House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) released the statement below following media reports of the capture of senior Taliban official Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in Pakistan: “Media reports of the capture of Mullah Baradar highlight the effectiveness of this Administration’s new strategy in Afghanistan and speak to the progress we can continue to make through our strengthened relationships in the region—particularly with Pakistan. This capture of a senior Afghan Taliban leader would be the most significant capture since the start of the war and is a serious setback to the Taliban efforts.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Press Office of U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton |
Sheriff J.B. King |
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Sheriff’s View #8 for Feb. 15 to 19, 2010
Welcome aboard one more time for another visit with the employees of the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office. Here we are on another gloomy and overcast day in the Ozarks with the weatherman making all kinds of nasty statements. Are you ready for some springtime? I know my deputies are tired of driving on ice in rear wheel patrol cars. They are ready for sunshine. We had a bang up week last week. The problem was the “banging noise” was caused by our patrol cars hitting things. We have been involved in a bunch of criminal cases of late but the pace has been fast and I have had no time to put together news releases. Examples of those include a high-speed car chase through three counties that ended in Pulaski County and may have involved a mobile meth lab, a series of multiple burglaries in three counties two weeks ago on Friday, and a possible meth lab incident on Highway NN in the Laquey area. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Sheriff J.B. King |
Ambulance Director Gary Carmack |
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Paramedic’s Corner: Crush syndrome can kill trapped victims after rescue
As the death toll in Haiti climbs to maybe 200,000 or more, many people wonder why so many die after being rescued. This article will attempt to explain the syndrome to the readers. The reason many of the people die hours, days, or even weeks after being rescued is called “crush syndrome.” Crush syndrome is due to injuries related to having been crushed under collapsed structure. Crush syndrome is usually seen in times of warfare, but can also be from earthquakes, structure collapse, trench rescue, industrial accidents, motor vehicle crashes, or other prolonged inactivity such as a drug overdose or a stroke patient who has been lying on a leg or arm for an extended period of time. The problem is that patients who have survived entrapment for days may die shortly after rescue if not treated appropriately and aggressively pre-release. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Ambulance Director Gary Carmack |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Skelton calls Murtha a “first-class Marine and member of Congress”
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 8, 2010) — Today, Congressman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) expressed his condolences on the passing of U.S. Rep. John Murtha (D-Penn.): “Jack was a first-class Marine and Member of Congress. His advocacy of the Armed Forces and the state of Pennsylvania made him a true champion for his constituents. I extend my heartfelt condolences to his family.” Murtha, a 19-term Congressman and retiree of the U.S. Marine Corps, passed away today from surgical complications. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Press Office of U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Skelton says he wants a responsible approach to energy legislation
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 7, 2010) — Last week, I introduced H.R. 4572, a bipartisan bill that would prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the authority of the Clean Air Act. I submitted this legislation to the U.S. House of Representatives because, simply put, we cannot tolerate turning over the regulation of something as important as the American energy system to unelected bureaucrats. In 2007, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Massachusetts v. EPA that the EPA had authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Since that time, EPA has been putting in place a framework to do just that. I, like many residents of the Fourth Congressional District, do not agree with the Supreme Court. Congress never explicitly granted EPA the authority to regulate greenhouse gases, like carbon dioxide, under the Clean Air Act. Instead, that law was meant to eliminate lead in the air and to reduce smog. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton |
Sheriff J.B. King |
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Sheriff’s View #7 for Feb. 8 to 12, 2010
For three days this week, I attended the Missouri Sheriff’s Association winter training conference. I returned to the county in time to visit our deputies at a location on Route NN in the Laquey area as they served a search warrant on a suspected meth lab location. We had requested help from the Lake Ozark Narcotic Enforcement Group (LANEG) and the troops were busy in the snow. At this time I do not have enough information to do a news release, but I hope to get one out soon. While I was gone, I also know that progress was made on several burglary cases. Hopefully the next few days will see several news releases from us. I would like to say thanks to Maj. Tom Cristoffer and Capt. Bill Anderson for holding down the fort in my absence. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Sheriff J.B. King |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Skelton responds to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 31, 2010) — Last week, the President delivered his State of the Union Address to a joint session of Congress. I attended this speech, which touched on many of the challenges confronting the American people. I was pleased that much of the address was focused on jobs and families. I hope the Administration is finally acknowledging that creating jobs must take precedent over pushing massive reforms through the House and Senate — reforms that do not have the support of many American people. Missourians with whom I talk are frustrated and even angry with last year’s legislative direction. Sometime over the past year, the White House lost its way. I am hopeful the President’s speech signals a new focus on the needs of everyday people. But, speeches are easy — putting words into real action for the people of this nation is the tough part of governing. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Skelton to hold job-seeking skills and resources workshop in Lebanon
LEBANON, Mo. (Feb. 3, 2010) — Congressman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) will hold a job-seeking skills and resources workshop in Lebanon next week Friday, Feb. 12. The workshop, which is open to the public, will provide an opportunity for workers in the Fourth District to meet local community organizations and career services representatives. Specifically, it will focus on building a winning resume, writing a cover letter, important interviewing techniques, the federal jobs application process, and valuable resources available to Missourians that include job training and education opportunities. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Press Office of U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Skelton, Emerson try to stop EPA from regulating greenhouse gas emissions
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Feb. 2, 2010) — Today, Congressman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), Congressman Collin C. Peterson (D-Minn. and Chairman of the House Agriculture Committee), and Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson (R-Mo.) will introduce legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives to prevent the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating greenhouse gas emissions under the authority of the Clean Air Act and to change federal law to strengthen America’s renewable fuels industry. “Simply put, we cannot tolerate turning over the regulation of greenhouse gas emissions to unelected bureaucrats at EPA. America’s energy and environmental policies should be set by Congress,” Skelton said. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Press Office of U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton |
Sheriff J.B. King |
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Sheriff’s View #6 for Feb. 1 to 5, 2010
I traded in my small front-wheel-drive patrol car this past fall for a rear wheel drive full-size patrol car. Right now, today, that seems to have been a mistake, but I know that the snow will pass and responding to crimes in progress in a fully equipped vehicle is much safer than my former little car so I guess I should shut up for now. However, I do wish we had more 4x4 vehicles for the department. Then again, we just finished budget number six for my time in office and my perfect record of not one penny for a car purchase in the budget is still standing. Repeat, not one cent for the purchase of a car in six years. If you do not see this as a major financial failing for the county, then I do not know how to explain it to you. We still make house calls and cars are critical equipment for us. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Sheriff J.B. King |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Responding to State of the Union, Skelton says White House lost its way
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 27, 2010) — Tonight, Congressman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) attended President Barack Obama’s State of the Union Address. His reaction is set forth below, including this statement: “Somewhere along the line, the White House lost its way. Instead of focusing on solutions to help America’s families wade through the wreckage of the worst economic crisis since the 1930s, Washington has wasted valuable time wrestling with partisan politics in an effort to rush through drastic reforms that do not directly address our most immediate needs. People in Missouri and across the nation are frustrated, as am I. The President’s address has lent us all hope — hope that the Administration is finally heeding our concerns. It’s about time.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Press Office of U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Skelton says Washington must focus on the needs of everyday Americans
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 24, 2010) — Over the past six months, Washington has ignored many everyday problems in order to rush too much change. Instead of focusing on the economic problems crippling many American families and paying closer attention to the war against terrorists, Washington has spent valuable time wrestling with health reforms that many believe should not be the top priority. In response, many Americans have become increasingly frustrated. Every day, I hear from people who are concerned and even frightened. They are concerned about the state of the economy, about the security of our nation, and about the uncertainties of recent reform proposals. This is not news to me, and I share much of their sentiment. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton |
Sheriff J.B. King |
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Sheriff’s View #5 for Jan. 25 to 29, 2010
We have made a lot of changes around the Sheriff's Office and the jail over the past few years. We have new lights, a new ceiling, new plumbing fixtures and a host of other improvements that have been added to the jail. We added five new jail staff members with the federal grant I wrote about last week. We added our own medical unit for the best ever inmate medical care in the jail. These improvements to the jail are all great news because they all increase the quality of the inmate care, but as the saying goes, progress may produce change and some days you may not like the change. The one problem that has now surfaced is the federal HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) law. In the old days if your relative was booked into the jail after a fight and we sent him to hospital X to have his broken arm set, I could tell you that news because we were not a HIPAA-covered facility. Adding the Advanced Correction Healthcare (ACH) medical unit to our jail makes us a covered entity under the HIPAA law and we can no longer tell you that news. In fact, it is debatable if I can tell you we sent him to hospital X and I for sure cannot tell you about the medical problem. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Sheriff J.B. King |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Skelton announces additional $111 million for FLW training barracks
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 19, 2010) — Congressman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.), chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, announced that Fort Leonard Wood will receive an additional $111 million for two trainee barracks projects this year. This funding is in addition to more than $175 million for construction projects at Fort Leonard Wood included in the Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Act. “As the Army grows, we must have the training facilities the men and women who volunteer to serve our country deserve. Longstanding concerns about the age and condition of some military training facilities led Congress to include $350 million to improve troop trainee barracks in last year’s defense bill. I am very pleased that Fort Leonard Wood will be one of the installations to receive this critical funding,” said Skelton. A copy of the Army’s letter to Skelton is attached. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Press Office of U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Skelton praises Navy-USDA planned cooperation on renewable energy
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 22, 2010) — House Armed Services Committee Chairman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) released the following statement praising the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of Agriculture for signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to work together to reduce energy consumption derived from fossil fuels and to increase energy production from renewable resources: “I was very pleased to learn that the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Department of Agriculture are committed to working together to help our country reduce the consumption of foreign oil and promote renewable energy alternatives. I commend Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack for this important step, which will benefit both the Navy and USDA.” Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Press Office of U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Skelton urges release of Federal Home Energy Assistance Program funding
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 17, 2010) — Though the winter season is young, Missourians have experienced one of the coldest periods in recent memory. Many in the Fourth Congressional District awoke Christmas morning to fresh snow, and, two weeks ago, temperatures plummeted amid more snow, high winds, and tall snow drifts. And, as these tough weather conditions drive heating costs up, many Americans continue to face bleak economic hardships. That is why, last week, I signed a letter to President Obama urging him to release contingency resources from the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP).
Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton |
Sheriff J.B. King |
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Sheriff’s View #4 for Jan. 18 to 22, 2010
The big news of the week for us would be that on Sunday, Jan. 17, we at very long last get to start the training process for the five new jail staff members. The federal grant that we won last year in September has been very slow to develop due to red tape that we had to overcome, but at last we begin. Also, the new staff will get their medical training from the Advanced Correctional Health Care staff in the morning session. In the afternoon session they will be trained in the operation of the live scan fingerprint machine. Somewhere in all of that they will also get to listen to a speech from me for 30 minutes or so as the low point of the day. I have to be in the office Sunday to set up the payroll anyway and I thought I might as well bore them to death as a bonus.
Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Sheriff J.B. King |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Skelton decries Wall Street bonuses
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 13, 2010) — Yesterday, Congressman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) issued a statement before the House of Representatives urging Wall Street banks to review their payroll policies with regards to the awarding of bonuses to top executives. In concluding his remarks, the Congressman stated: “I fully realize that American companies must retain good workers to be competitive in the global marketplace and it takes pay to do that, but I am angered that executives at firms that received federal taxpayer assistance do not possess the common sense to share in the sacrifices being made by the American people during this tough economic climate. I urge them to take a step back and to reconsider their actions.” Click here for his full remarks. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Press Office of U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Skelton says thwarted Christmas Day plane attack must serve as warning
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 10, 2010) — On Christmas Day, a Nigerian with alleged ties to al Qa’ida attempted to detonate a bomb on board a Detroit-bound airliner. For many reasons, this attack disturbs me. Despite all that our law enforcement, intelligence, and policy communities have done to keep Americans safe, this incident demonstrates that weaknesses still exist in our global strategy to protect the American people against terrorism. I understand that there were failures across the government and the international community that quite frankly, eight years after the attacks on 9-11, should not have happened. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton |
Sheriff J.B. King |
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Sheriff’s View #3 for Jan. 11 to 15, 2010
Usually in the third column of the year I have much to say about the ongoing budget process. The snow has helped slow down that budget process. I have turned in a budget for 2010 that exactly mirrors what we were given in 2009. I have moved the dollars around within the budget to better cover our needs based on last year’s expense, but the bottom line is the exact same as for 2009. Since we already know that the sales tax revenue for the 2009 year increased, that should be a fairly safe way to present round one of the budget process. I will keep you informed on our progress. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Sheriff J.B. King |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Skelton says Missouri National Guard aiding communities, defending nation
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 2, 2010) — Last month, I asked Gen. Stanley McChrystal, the commander of American forces in Afghanistan, about the quality of National Guard troops serving overseas during a House Armed Services Committee hearing. His answer was simple: “They are extraordinary ... they bring unique skills ... and maturity that active components don’t have.” Whether supporting police training in Iraq, developing local agribusinesses in Afghanistan, or clearing debris after natural disasters right here in Missouri, the National Guard remains a critical component of our national defense and a vital contributor to the safety of communities throughout the Fourth Congressional District of Missouri. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Skelton sends letter to President Obama on attempted terrorist attack
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Dec. 31, 2009) — Congressman Ike Skelton (D-Mo.) sent the following letter to President Barack Obama following a briefing yesterday about the attempted terrorist attack on a Detroit-bound aircraft on Dec. 25. The Congressman, who has worked to better coordinate anti-terrorism efforts since the 1990s, expresses concern about information sharing across intelligence agencies and emphasizes the need to remain on the offensive to destroy extremist groups' ability to recruit, train, and plan terrorist activities. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Press Office of U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton |
Sheriff J.B. King |
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Sheriff’s View #2 for Jan. 4 to 8, 2010
I am sure that you have all noticed that in January of each year I devote a lot of space to budget issues. This may be somewhat dull reading at times but the new budget is a very important issue for the department. Whatever is decided on and set in stone in January of each year is what we must operate with for the remainder of the year. In the 2009 budget we lost 3.5 employee positions. During 2009 I had spent a lot of time researching economic issues on the state and national scene that I hoped I could apply to our local scene. The research led me to believe that we could lose more employee positions in the 2010 budget. However at this time I have a small ray of hope that will not happen. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Sheriff J.B. King |
Ambulance Director Gary Carmack |
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Paramedic’s Corner: New Year’s resolutions we’d like people to make
It’s that time of year again when we all start thinking of changes we want to make, or improvements that we usually refer to as New Year Resolutions. If we at the Pulaski County Ambulance District (PCAD) could make some resolutions, many might go like this: We do not want any of our citizens to die from heroin overdoses this year. Motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) are the great trauma killer and the highest cause of disability and death from trauma causes in our nation. Our resolution: If people would just slow down, wear their safety devices, and pay attention when driving. Alas ... I fear we will work many this year. We would also like to see people make resolutions to recognize the signs and symptoms of heart attacks and strokes. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Ambulance Director Gary Carmack |
Sheriff J.B. King |
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Sheriff’s View #1 for Dec. 28 to Jan. 1, 2009
I would like to start out this column with a huge word of thanks from the road deputies to the members of the Grace Covenant Christian Center. As many of you will remember, the folks at Grace Covenant host a celebration each year on spook night in October and the proceeds are given to the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office. In the past, we have purchased ballistic vests for the troops, new equipment and many other items for the road deputies’ use. This year, we used the donation to buy very warm and waterproof coats for each road deputy. As luck would have it, the coats were delivered on Christmas Eve right along with the lovely blast of cold air from way up north. We issued them immediately and a bunch of road deputies went slightly nuts over the new coats. As a bonus, each coat came with a reflective lime green safety vest to wear at accident scenes so they will help save us two ways. Since our deputies are constantly backing up our local troopers from the Missouri State Highway Patrol at accident scenes here in Pulaski County, the safety vest is an important piece of equipment. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Sheriff J.B. King |
Ambulance Director Gary Carmack |
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Paramedic’s Corner: Monthly statistics and what we’re doing during Christmas
Writing this column at Christmas time presents a dilemma. “Paramedic’s Corner” is usually about people being sick or getting injured. Once in awhile this column also addresses death, often an unsolved or mysterious death, as this column originated as “Coroner’s Talk” years ago when I was the county coroner. The dilemma is that people don’t want to hear about illness, injury, or death at Christmas time. Of course, a big part of the column is preventative, as the paramedic has been charged, by national curriculum recommendation, to do public education regarding illness and injury prevention as much as possible. Therefore I often recommend preventative strategies in the column. For this holiday season, I think I will just submit statistics in for November and other ambulance news. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
Ambulance Director Gary Carmack |
Congressman Ike Skelton |
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Skelton says New Year’s resolutions could include calling him for help
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Dec. 27, 2009) — At the beginning of each year, it is customary to make New Year’s resolutions. In keeping with tradition, let me suggest three resolutions for the year 2010. First, of course, see your doctor once a year. Second, see your dentist twice a year. Third, contact me, your representative, at least once during 2010. I work hard to stay in touch with the people I represent. In 2009, I made 142 public appearances in Missouri’s Fourth Congressional District and spent time in each of the 25 counties that I represent. The advice I receive from Missourians during these visits serves me well in Washington. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton |
County Collector Terri Mitchell |
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September Collector’s Report
We wish to thank everyone who participated in the 2009 Land Tax Sale held Monday, Aug. 24. There were only six properties offered this year, the fewest number of properties ever offered in the sale. In May, we started with approximately 215 eligible accounts owing three years of delinquent taxes. Of the six properties auctioned, four sold on the day of the sale; the two unsold properties will be offered again in the 2010 sale. Our office worked extremely hard to inform the rightful owners, heirs or interested parties of the upcoming sale. This year the City of Crocker requested we act as their collection agency by collecting the city’s real estate taxes. Some county collectors in Missouri collect both real and personal property taxes for one or more cities in their county by simply including the city amount/s on the county statement, and we are delighted to provide this money saving service for the city of Crocker. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
County Collector Terri Mitchell |
Why should you advertise with the Pulaski County Daily News?
People advertise with newspapers for many reasons. Sometimes they want to support a local business. Most of your other local media choices are owned by out-of-town and often out-of-state companies; as the owner of the Pulaski County Daily News, I not only live and pay taxes in Pulaski County, I’m committed to buying products and services locally whenever possible and reasonable. Local newspapers are supposed to be covering the local community. While I can’t be everywhere all the time, those who know me and know my background know I’m committed to covering local news. I live in Pulaski County, and I’m perfectly willing to get out of bed in the middle of the night or drive 30 minutes on ice and snow to get to a breaking news story. But advertising decisions are first and foremost business decisions — who can provide you the maximum readers for your dollar? For $100 per month, a sitewide ad on the Pulaski County Daily News in February was seen almost 120,000 times by more than 1,400 people per day. Those are readership numbers that exceed almost every print newspaper in Pulaski County. Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
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Click here to read more on Pulaski County Daily News ...
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