Eight counties | 36 cities | one region

ST JAMES—Emergency responders, health care workers, law enforcement, educators and high school students from throughout central Missouri gathered at Meramec Regional Planning Commission Jan. 28 to learn how to plan docudramas and safety day events to teach students about highway safety issues, such as seatbelts and distracted driving.

Speakers at the event included retired St. James teacher Mag Roberts, Dianna Johnson of MoDOT’s Central District Education and Outreach office and MRPC Executive Director Bonnie Prigge, who is a member of the Central District Coalition for Roadway Safety.

The workshop was sponsored by the coalition and coordinated by MRPC and offered at no charge to participants.Participating in the event were Deborah Hobson of Salem Memorial District Hospital; Bill Patt and Michael Keen of Steelville Ambulance District; Sandra Taurone of MoDOT; Shelby Oberle, Hali Smith and Morgan Aytes of Owensville High School; Tessa Wright and Shirley Schmidt of Osage County Health Department;Jamie Cantrell, Hannah Blakley, Gabrielle Whitesides and Lindsey Moore of Rolla High School; Tierra Evans, Casey Byers and Amber Blankenship of Iberia HighSchool; Courtnie Glenn of Wright County Health Department and Matt Peters and Josh Stockman of Cole County Sheriff’s Department.