The future of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways — whether it will be treated more as a national park to be preserved in perpetuity, or more as a national recreation area, or if things should stay pretty much as they are — hangs in uncertainty. That uncertainty will be clarified after the National Park Service finishes hearing comments and drafts its new General Management Plan for the Riverways, which includes 134 miles of the Current and Jacks Fork rivers and surrounding lands in southern Missouri. Jo Schaper explains the proposed management alternatives and the process for commenting on them. The public comment period runs until July 31.

In an editorial, Traveler favors a plan that will protect water quality but allow river-based businesses to continue attracting recreational users.

Coming from a fundamentalist religious upbringing in the Bootheel, when Bill Cooper caught his first goggle-eye with red eyes and fearsome spines, he thought it came straight from hell. He now views goggle-eyes as Ozark beauties and writes that catching them is the best of summer fun. Coop also offers a piece on the undeserved bad rap that snakes get. To know 'em is to love 'em, he says.

Johnson's Shut-Ins have long been a favorite summer hangout for Missourians, that is until the Taum Sauk Reservoir collapse in 2005 that buried them with tons of debris. The shut-ins are cleaned out and swimmable for good, Jo Schaper writes, while construction of trails and other amenities in the state park continues.

Steve Felgenhauer took in the Missouri State Nite Coon Hunt and gives a colorful account of this team effort of dogs and owners. Steve also turned in a fascinating story about a couple of young women from Bolivar who create jewelry from such items as a raccoon baculum.

We have two entertaining letters to the editor. A.K. Love, Pasadena, Texas, writes to praise Traveler as "Real Americans" for sending him a Traveler cap made in the U.S.A. Mr. Love actually won the cap in our monthly "Where's Trav?" contest. Charlie Slovensky, Dacula, Ga., takes Jo Schaper to task for mislocating The Narrows as west of Thayer in a recent Rock Talk column. "Did I miss some massive geological event in the last 40 years that made the Narrows swap places with Grand Gulf?" asks Charlie.

Outdoor education, water conservation and connecting families with nature were identified as top priorities for Missouri's next 75 years at an outdoor summit convened by the Conservation Federation of Missouri.

Publisher Emery Styron attended a media tour of outdoor opportunities at Lebanon. After getting outfished by Jason Jenkins of Rural Missouri magazine and a two-hour fly fishing lesson from Jim Rogers at Bennett Spring State Park, plus lots of good eating and fellowship, he reports the area has lots to offer.

A shaky-head worm is his number one go-to bait, says fishing expert Scott Berry, according to John Meacham, who interviewed him

Former lower Current River outfitter Teresa Lee recalls the 50s and 60s in Doniphan when tubing was not yet a big commercial activity. Back then, you could borrow a tube from Johnny's Mobil downtown and float the river. As the railroad tie business faded from the local economy, tubing, rafting, canoeing and kayaking developed. One thing is constant, Teresa writes; People love the river and keep returning to renew the connections with nature and friends.

July can be hot, humid and miserable, but outdoor opportunities abound, writes Bob Todd. Bob also has a piece urging us to look up and behold the wonders of starry summer night sky.

Picking blackberries is a hot, sweaty, bloody and dangerous mission, but the objective is worth all the pain, say Jim and Donna Featherston.

Folks around Park Hills really know how to throw a great rock swap, opines Jo Schaper in her monthly Rock Talk column. She covers the annual Missouri Mines Rock Swap in words and photos.

Howard Helgenberg and Pete Hartwell planned to set some lines and bring in some tasty catfish, but found Howard's fishing dock on the Bourbeuse under about six feet of chocolate brown water. A bad day of fishing still beats a good day at the office, writes Howard.

You don't want to heat up the house with the oven this time of year. Pat Todd gives some recipes for cool, easy summer eating. Spaghetti salad, stuffed pepper soup, buttermilk salad, venison taco pie, mmm!

Kathleen Brotherton reminds us that Indians valued plants for their food and medicinal properties as well as their beauty.