• Items that haven’t made it in the newspaper from the notebook on the county crisis: A report on the cable channel Fox News July 28 jumped the story to the second highest trending story in the country on its website that morning…Personnel matters related to the county jail-dispatch-office staff took up a page of the July 25 minutes of the Texas County Commission. That was a day after it declared a vacancy in the sheriff’s office and named an interim sheriff until an election could be held in November.
• Larry Dablemont, outdoor writer and naturalist, Bob Parker and other area artists have rented the Melba Theatre in downtown Houston on Sept. 15. A calendar is available at melbaperformingartscenter.com
• U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt sent word last week that a Rural Development budget provides $425 million for a new rural broadband pilot grant and loan program. The program will target areas that currently lack access to broadband, and includes provisions that prevent overbuilding existing infrastructure. In addition, the bill provides $33 million in Distance Learning and Telemedicine grants and $20 million to help rural communities combat the opioid epidemic. Blunt says about 50 percent of rural areas don’t have high-speed Internet access.
• Around town: Houston Do-it Center has acquired property to its south that was owned by Gamo Manufacturing. Dent County isn’t the only nearby county working on a new jail project. Wright County commissioners say construction should begin next year at Hartville after voters approved a law enforcement sales tax in April 2017. HMN Architects in Springfield is the architectural firm. It is nearing the bid process.
• You’ll find special sections today in the newspaper on the Texas County Fair and Old Settlers Reunion, as well as everything to know for back-to-school in the county.