It's been a wet year for many farmers in Northwest Missouri, and the Missouri Department of Transportation recently decided to offer a little relief.

Since Oct. 30 and through Nov. 30, farmers can drive their loaded trucks at 10 percent above the maximum licensed weight limit if they are hauling row-crop commodities to a local storage facility and planning empty return trips to the farm. When crossing a bridge, the truck speed can't be greater than 45 mph, and the driver must center the truck between two lanes of the bridge.

The relief doesn't apply to Missouri interstate highways. Farmers are required to carry a copy of the declaration in each vehicle that is operating under the emergency waiver. The declaration can be found online at www.modot.org/mcs.

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Elmo road woes

Road conditions in northwest Nodaway County have folks in Elmo, Mo., upset. The condition of their roads and the growing number of potholes led to a petition some residents mailed to the MoDOT's district office in St. Joseph, asking for relief.

A letter from the district office is traveling back to the community with a promise to fix potholes. Insufficient funds and a lot of state routes that are in worse condition suggest that it will be some time before Elmo gets all its roads repaved.

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A private jail?

Up in Sheridan, Mo., residents are listening to Gary Hamilton, a Missouri Department of Corrections employee who works at the state prison in St. Joseph and lives in Albany. Mr. Hamilton wants to operate a private jail.

He proposes to rehab the old schoolhouse and create a private jail. Mr. Hamilton talked to the Worth County sheriff about the plan six months ago.

It could save the county money, because now county prisoners have to be taken to Bethany, Maryville or Pattonsburg, and that costs money for the transportation, said Sheriff Terry Sheddrick.

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Trip advice

Sunday afternoon could be a good time to visit Tarkio and participate in the "Seasonal Tour of Homes." The walking tour includes refreshments and visits to five homes. The cost is $10 per person.

For those who have a holiday this Veterans Day, a drive to Fairfax might be in order. The local American Legion post will erect an "Avenue of Flags" in the city park as a tribute to the memory of local men who have served in the military.

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KCI construction

If you're planning a trip between now and August that includes catching a flight out of Kansas City International, you may need to consider adding some extra time.

Construction crews have started roadway work around Terminal B, which houses Delta, Northwest and Southwest airlines. The project includes building three new pedestrian bridges, roadway repairs, re-configuring medians, replacing bus shelters, signage and other work.

While construction will be performed in nine phases to minimize the impact to travelers, people are being encouraged to park at Garage A or C and take a Red Bus to Terminal B.

Marshall White can be reached

at marshall@npgco.com.