Your World Today

You can go native with the Missouri Department of Conservation. Native trees and shrubs can help improve wildlife habitat and soil and water conservation while also improving the appearance and value of private property. The George O. White State Forest Nursery near Licking offers a variety of low-cost native tree and shrub seedlings for reforestation, windbreaks, erosion control, wildlife food and cover, and other purposes. The nursery provides mainly one-year-old, bare-root seedlings with sizes varying by species. Seedlings varieties include: pine, bald cypress, cottonwood, black walnut, hickory, oak, pecan, persimmon, river birch, maple, willow, sycamore, blackberry, buttonbush, hazelnut, redbud, ninebark, spicebush, elderberry, sumac, wild plum, witch hazel, and others. Seedlings are available in bundles of 10 or increments of 25 per species. Prices range from 34 cents to $1 per seedling. Sales tax of 6.1 percent will be added to orders unless tax exempt. There is an $9 handling charge for each order. You can receive a 15% discount up to $20 off seedling orders with a Heritage Card, Permit Card, or Conservation ID Number. The nursery grows millions of seedlings each year, but some species are very popular and sell out quickly. Even if a species is listed as sold out, customers can still place an order for them. Sometimes orders get cancelled, freeing up inventory. Customers won’t be charged for seedlings unless they are available to ship. Learn more and place orders through MDC’s 2021-2022 Seedling Order Form. Find it in the September issue of the Missouri Conservationist, at MDC regional offices and nature centers, online at mdc.mo.gov or by contacting the State Forest Nursery at 573-674-3229 or StateForestNursery@mdc.mo.gov. Place orders now through April 15, 2022. Orders will be shipped or can be picked up at the nursery near Licking from February through May.

The Missouri Department of Conservation now offers a new design option for its Conservation Permit Cards that features target-shooting equipment. The new design is in appreciation of recreational target shooters and the contributions they make to wildlife conservation funding through their purchases of firearms, ammunition, and other items. MDC is offering free Permit Cards to shooting-range users at its five staffed shooting ranges for a limited time. The new Permit-Card design featuring target shooting equipment shows an over/under hinge-action shotgun, a semi-automatic handgun, ammunition, paper targets, and clay targets displayed on a rustic wooden shooting bench. Permit Card buyers can also select from four other design images: a white-tailed buck, smallmouth bass, mallard duck, and eastern bluebird. Permit Cards are another option to MDC’s paper and electronic permits and provide a durable alternative to carrying hunting, fishing, and trapping permits in paper or electronic form while in the field. As new permits are purchased and old ones expire, the updated information is automatically accessible through the one-time-purchase permit cards. Conservation agents can scan users’ cards to verify active permits. A Permit Card costs $2 and does not expire. Purchase a Conservation Permit Card online at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits, at MDC offices and nature centers, or retail permit vendors. After purchase, the Permit Card it will be mailed to the address on file within four to six weeks. Learn more at mdc.mo.gov/permits/conservation-permit-card. Because of permit-notching requirements and Telecheck steps required for deer and turkey hunting permits, Permit Cards cannot be used as a form of permit proof for deer and turkey hunting. Permit Cards cannot be used as proof of daily trout tags at trout parks so anglers will still need to purchase and wear their daily trout tags. Permit Cards cannot be used to show possession of a Federal Duck Stamp so waterfowl hunters must still carry the document verifying the purchase of a Federal Duck Stamp or the actual stamp. Permit Cards do not replace commercial permits and lifetime permits, which must be purchased through the MDC Permit Services Unit by calling 573-751-4115.

A motorcycle accident happened Wednesday evening around 6:45 in Crawford County on Highway at the Steelville High School. The report from the highway patrol says that a 2018 Kawasaki EX650 being operated by 36-year-old April Verble of Cherryville was traveling too fast for conditions when she traveled off the right side of the roadway, struck and embankment, and overturned. Verble suffered minor injuries and chose to seek her own treatment. The Kawasaki had minor damage and was removed from the scene by the owner. The report went on to state that Verble was wearing a safety device at the time of the accident.

The Dent County Sheriff’s Department has released reports from the latter part of August. On Saturday, August 21st, a deputy observed a 24-year-old Salem woman near a residence on North Iron Street. The deputy knew the woman to have an active arrest warrant through Dent County. She was arrested and transported to the Dent County Jail and was incarcerated. She was also arrested for possession of a controlled substance except for 35 grams or less of marijuana/synthetic cannabinoid. The next day, a deputy traveled to a residence in the 1000 block of Dent County Road 5070 to serve an arrest warrant. At that time, a 34-year-old Salem man was arrested for an active arrest warrant through Dent County. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail and was incarcerated. On Tuesday, August 24th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop in the 3000 block of West Highway 32. During the course of the stop, a 38-year-old Salem man was arrested for driving while being intoxicated. He was transported to the Dent County Jail where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released to a sober party. On August 26th, a deputy observed a 27-year-old Salem man riding a bicycle on Second Street. The deputy knew the man to have an active arrest warrant through Dent County. The deputy attempted to make contact with the man, but he fled and ignored commands to stop. The deputy caught up to the man on Water Street and he was arrested for the active warrant and resisting arrest by fleeing. He was transported to the Dent County Jail and was incarcerated. The next day, Friday the 27th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on North Highway 19 near the Short Bend Conservation Area. During the traffic stop, a 24-year-old Salem man was arrested for the possession of 10 grams or less of marijuana and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail where he was fingerprinted, issued a summons and released. Later that same day, a deputy traveled to a residence in the 2500 block of North Highway 19 to serve an arrest warrant. As a result, a 58-year-old Salem man was arrested for having an active arrest warrant through Dent County. The man was transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. And finally on August 30th, a deputy conducted a traffic stop in the 500 block of South Main Street. During the stop, a 34-year-old Salem woman was arrested for having two active arrest warrants through the Dent County Sheriff’s Office. The woman was transported to the Dent County Jail and incarcerated. Please call the Sheriff’s Office at 729-3241 if you have any information regarding an ongoing investigation.

The Dent County Fire Protection Board of Directors will be meeting this evening at 6:00 at the fire station at #2 South Main. After the roll call and approval of the consent agenda, the board will review the minutes of the August meeting before hearing the financial report and approving bills. The next item on the agenda will be the calendar review followed by the monthly reimbursement report before addressing any old or new business, followed by various reports. The date will then be set for the October meeting before adjourning. The meeting of the Dent County fire protection district board of directors is open to the public.

An accident happened Monday afternoon just before 5:00 in Phelps County on CR3060 at HyPoint Industrial Park Drive. According to the report from the highway patrol a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado being driven by 52-year-old Susan Cornelius of St. James turned into the path of a 2010 Ford Flex being driven by 59-year-old Lorri Waldron also of St. James. Waldron was taken by EMS to Phelps Health in Rolla for treatment of minor injuries. Both vehicles had moderate damage and were removed from the scene by Spurgeon’s Towing. The report went on to state that both drivers were wearing seat restraints at the time of the accident.

There will be a University of Missouri Grazing School at the MU Wurdack Research Center September 22-24 at Cook Station, Missouri. To enroll or for more information contact Nathan Bilke online at nathan.bilke@usda.gov or call (660) 654-4576 or contact Gatlin Bunton online at buntong@missouri.edu or call (573) 775-2135. There will also be a Grazing School in Houston September 15-17. Call the Texas County Extension Office at (417) 967-4545.