Local News – Wednesday, June 7th, 2023
The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is proposing adjusting prices for most hunting, fishing, trapping, and commercial permits in an effort to keep up with rising costs of goods and services it uses to manage its more than 1,000 conservation areas along with nature centers, shooting ranges, fish hatcheries, and other facilities. The Conservation Department received initial approval on the proposed permit price adjustments from the Missouri Conservation Commission at the Commission’s May meeting. Most MDC permit prices have remained the same for the past 20 years while costs for goods and services have increased significantly since then. Additional revenue from permit sales will help MDC maintain and improve its nationally recognized programs and services for hunters, anglers, wildlife watcher, and others. Some of the proposed permit price increases are the price of a resident hunting and fishing permit would go from $19 to $20.50; a resident fishing permit would go from $12 to $13; the price of a resident small game hunting permit would go from $10 to $10.50; the price of a resident trapping permit would go from $10 to $11; the price of a resident spring turkey permit would go from $17 to $18; the price of a resident firearm deer permit would go from $17 to $18; the price of a resident antlerless deer permit would go from $7 to $7.50; the price of a youth resident antlerless deer permit would go from $7 to $7.50; and those persons under 16 and over 65 years of age will still get no-cost small-game hunting permits and no-cost fishing permits. Permit sales account for about 17% of MDC annual revenue. Other significant revenue sources include the Conservation Sales Tax at about 62% and federal reimbursements at about 15% of total MDC revenue. The Department of Conservation are seeking public comments about its proposed permit price adjustments. To submit a comment, visit mdc.mo.gov/permits/permit-price-adjustments-2023. MDC will then compile comments received and share them with the Commission prior to their September 8th open meeting when it will give final consideration to the proposed permit price adjustments. If approved, the changes would become effective February 29, 2024. For more information on the proposed permit price adjustments, including a complete list of permits, current and proposed prices, average prices of similar permits for surrounding states, the last year the permit prices were raised, and other information, visit MDC online at mdc.mo.gov/permits/permit-price-adjustments-2023.
A special waste collection for residential and farm electronics, appliances, textiles and tires will be held from 8:00 until noon on June 10th at Brewer Science, 2401 Brewer Drive in Rolla. Brewer Science, the City of Rolla and Meramec Regional Planning Commission (MRPC), with funding through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (MDNR) and Ozark Rivers Solid Waste Management District (ORSWMD), are partnering on the June 10th collection. For this collection, the St. James Caring Center, an Ozark Rivers grant recipient, is partnering to collect textiles at the event free of charge. Clothing, curtains, purses, bedding, coats, belts and shoes will be collected from 8:00 until 11:00 or until the St. James Caring Center’s truck is full. Stoves, washers, dryers, hot water heaters, and other appliances will be collected free of charge. Free electronics also include computer components, laptop computers, keyboards, hair dryers, VCR/DVD players, cell phones or anything that runs on a cord or battery. Oil and gas must be removed from tanks of any items such as push mowers, weed eaters, etc. These items will NOT be accepted: CDs, DVDs, VHS and data tapes, floppy disks, transformers, capacitors or ballasts not clearly marked No PCBs, smoke detectors, thermostats, medical waste, gas containers such as propane, oxygen, nitrous oxide, anything leaking oil or acid, such as batteries, broken ink or toner cartridges, alkaline batteries light bulbs and fluorescent tubes, broken CRTs, TVs or monitors. Fees on certain items will be collected as follows: $25 for CRT TVs over 27 inches and wood console TVs, $20 for CRT TVs under 26 inches, $15 for flat screen TVs, $10 for all computer monitors and refrigerated appliances with Freon. Fees for tires are as follows: $2 each for passenger tires, $7.50 each for semi-truck tires and $35 each for tractor tires. The collection is for residential items only, no materials from businesses will be accepted. The special waste collection is open to residents from Crawford, Dent, Gasconade, Maries, Phelps, Pulaski and Washington counties. To minimize personal contact, those bringing items to the collection are asked to stay inside their vehicles and assistants will unload items. For more information on items accepted or the fee structure, please contact Tammy Snodgrass at MRPC at 573-265-2993 or at tsnodgrass@meramecregion.org. For those unable to participate in the Rolla collection, mark your calendars for collections on September 9th in Salem. For more information about ORSWMD or waste reduction and recycling opportunities in the Ozark Rivers area, contact Tammy Snodgrass, MRPC environmental programs manager, or Jill Hollowell at 573-265-2993.
The Dent County “Love Thy Neighbor” Program will hold a Community Fun Day this afternoon starting at 4:00 and lasting until 6:00 at the Salem City Park in the pavilion and at the pool. Live entertainment will be provided by a local Bluegrass band, and supper will also be provided in the form of hamburgers and hot dogs. There will also be pool passes available good from 4:00 until 6:00 in the afternoon, but remember the pool closes at 6:00. Bring a lawn chair and relax with friends and neighbors from the “Love thy Neighbor” program. It’s FREE and open to everyone!!!
Concerned Citizens for Salem will meet tonight at 7:00 in the Wilson Family Center. Topics to be discussed include utilities, city finances, capital improvements, and more. Everyone is welcome to attend.
The Salem Chamber Business Expo will be held on Saturday, June 17th from 9:00 until noon at the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center Parking Area at the intersection of Highway 32-72 and 19. Anyone who is a chamber member can receive a FREE ten foot wide by six foot deep space and a second space is only $25. Deadline for booth entry will be Tuesday, June 13th. Forms are available at the chamber office or e-mail Chamber Director Tabitha Utley at chamber@salemmo.com and she can send you one. If you have questions, call 729-6900 to get the answers.