Flat Branch Creek spills over onto the MKT trail on Monday, June 28, 2021, in Columbia. A flash flood warning was put in place until 7 a.m. on Sunday.Kit Wiberg By Kit Wiberg Loaded up with camera gear and permission from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to get up close, John Moon III made…
Say the words “invasive species” in relation to water quality, and most folks immediately think of zebra mussels, Asian carp, and hydrilla. Yet, terrestrial invasives such as wintercreeper, bush honeysuckle, and Tree of Heaven can also threaten our area rivers, streams, and lakes just as much as their aquatic counterparts. An invasive species is one…
I have written prior columns in this publication regarding our rights under the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to “keep and bear Arms.” My assumption in writing on this subject is that the readership includes people who enjoy hunting and owning a firearm or two. As reported in earlier columns, the U.S. Supreme…
Missouri’s seasons are getting warmer and wetter, especially winter and spring. For farmers, this means a longer growing season, wetter fields and potential for more plant diseases and insects. Four of the five warmest winters in Missouri on record have occurred since the early 1990s, said University of Missouri Extension climatologist Pat Guinan. The five…
By Cody Norris Joe Hale, long-term range permittee on the Mark Twain National Forest, is retiring his allotment. For 46 years, Hale conducted grazing operations in an exemplary fashion. Authorized through the permit he applied for and received from the Forest Service, he grazed an average of 150 cattle on the Ava/Cassville/Willow Springs (ACW) Ranger…
The U.S. Postal Service plans to issue several new stamps in 2021. “A handwritten letter shows the recipient how much you care. The stamp you choose to adorn your envelope adds an extra important touch,” said U.S. Postal Service Stamp Services Director William Gicker. “The new 2021 stamps are designed to look beautiful on your…
The legacy of the Civilian Conservation Corps is alive and well in the Ozarks. Not only if you visit state or national parks like Roaring River, Bennett Spring or Ozark National Scenic Riverways (just to name a few), where historic structures and infrastructure serve as a monument to FDR’s “Tree Army,” but also in a…
“It’s all in the details!” The lady offering this time-honored adage was wiping the spare droplets of water from her car she’d just washed. Not accustomed to people paying such care to a vehicle, I had asked about her actions while sharing adjoining gas pumps at a filling station. Seems she’d had the…
