Local News – Wednesday, March 31st, 2021

An accident happened in Reynolds County on Highway 72 about five miles north of Bunker Monday night at 11:15 that left a woman from Bunker with serious injuries. According to the highway patrol report, 43-year-old Laura Tuner of Bunker was driving a 2020 Jeep Latitude southbound when the Jeep crossed the center of the road and traveled off the left side of the road where the Jeep struck two trees. Tuner suffered serious injuries and was taken to the Mercy Hospital in Jefferson City by Air Evac. Tuner was wearing a seat restraint at the time of the accident. The Jeep was totaled and removed from the scene by Dement Towing of Centerville.

The Missouri Conservation Commission approved Missouri’s second annual elk-hunting season at its March 26th meeting. They have designated a nine-day archery portion running October 16th through the 24th and a nine-day firearms portion running December 11th through the 19th. The five permits will be for bull elk and will be valid for both portions. All permits will be assigned through a random drawing. Only Missouri residents are eligible to apply for and purchase elk-hunting permits in Missouri. During last year’s inaugural elk season for Missouri, all five hunters that were drawn harvested an elk. At least one permit will be for qualifying area landowners with 20 or more contiguous acres in Carter, Reynolds, or Shannon counties with the remainder for the general public. A $10 application fee is required for all applicants. Those selected for each of the five permits must pay a $50 permit fee. All permits are nontransferable. The Conservation Department will limit the random drawing to one application per-person, per-year with a 10-year “sit-out” period for those drawn before they may apply again. To apply for an elk permit, applicants must be Missouri residents at least 11 years of age by the first day of the hunt. Those selected to receive a permit must have their hunter-education certification or be exempt by age before they may purchase the permit. All applications must be completed online or at a local vendor. You can apply for the random elk-permit drawing between May 1st and 31st at mdc.mo.gov/buypermits, through MDC’s free MO Hunting app, through a permit vendor, or by calling 1-800-392-4115.

Twenty-eight community health centers in Missouri will receive $124,293,750 in American Rescue Plan funding to support COVID-19 vaccination and services for vulnerable populations according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services this April. The funding will be awarded by the Health Resources and Services Administration. These health centers will be able to use the funds to support and expand COVID-19 vaccination, testing, and treatment for vulnerable populations; deliver needed preventive and primary health care services to those at higher risk for COVID-19; and expand health centers’ operational capacity during the pandemic and beyond. This investment will help increase access to vaccinations among hard-hit populations, as well as confidence in the vaccine by empowering local, trusted health professionals in their efforts to expand vaccinations. The health center in our area that received funding was the South Central Missouri Community Health Center in Rolla and they received $1,990,000. The Health Resources and Services Administration funded health centers are community-based and patient-directed organizations that deliver affordable, accessible, quality, and cost-effective primary health care to medically underserved communities and vulnerable populations. Health centers serve 1 in 5 people living in rural communities, and more than 91% of health center patients are individuals or families living at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

Missouri turkey hunters can expect this spring season to be about as challenging as the past few spring seasons according to the Missouri Department of Conservation. The spring turkey hunting season starts with a youth-only weekend April 10th and 11th followed by the regular spring season April 19th through May 9th. According to Conservation Department, turkey production was generally poor statewide in 2019. Therefore, hunters can expect fewer two-year-old gobblers available for harvest during this year’s spring hunting season. Considering the prospects for the 2021 spring season, hunters who aim to harvest a gobbler that is two-years-old or older should be prepared to put in a bit more effort to be successful this year. Although the prospects for this year’s spring season aren’t encouraging, this isn’t the first-time poor turkey production has reduced turkey numbers in Missouri. After reaching a population peak in the early-to-mid 2000s, Missouri’s turkey population experienced four years of poor production from 2007–2010, causing the population to decline. Turkey numbers then rebounded following several years of improved production. Get detailed information on spring turkey hunting from Missouri Department of Conservation 2021 Spring Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet. It is available from MDC offices and nature centers, other places where permits are sold, and online at huntfish.mdc.mo.gov.