CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) announces a new site where the federally endangered Hine’s emerald dragonfly is found. This marks the 20th site in Missouri known to be habitat for the imperiled bug. Landowner Gregg Hohl said finding the Hine’s emerald dragonfly on his land verifies that he did the right thing when he bought it in 2013.

“I bought this property with the intention of preserving wildlife and to have a place where we could take our kids and enjoy nature,” Hohl said.

He and his wife, Lauron, have two children, Madison, age 16, and Gavin, age 12.. He said the 228-acre property is dedicated to wildlife habitat development, but it’s also a place for the family to “play, roam and explore together.”

So far, they’ve seen a wide range of wildlife on the property, including bobcats, deer, predatory and migratory birds, turtles, fish and snakes. Finding the Hine’s emerald dragonfly has taken their explorations of nature to a deeper level, he said.

“Now I’m sending the kids out with a bowl and telling them to bring back bugs and leaves and then identify what they found.”

The family is now learning more about the dragonfly species and about its habitat type, the fen.

“I’m digging deeper to find out what this is, how can I encourage this and help wildlife even more,” Hohl said.

The Hine’s emerald dragonfly is an extremely rare insect and the only dragonfly on the federal list of endangered species. The largest known breeding population occurs in Door County, Wisconsin. The only other known populations occur at small wetlands in northern Michigan, northeastern Illinois and in the Missouri Ozarks. It has bright emerald-green eyes and a metallic green body, with yellow stripes on its sides. Its body is about 2.5 inches long and its wingspan reaches just more than 3 inches.

Bruce Henry is a natural history biologist with the MDC. Henry verified the presence of the dragonfly on Hohl’s property after the landowner worked with a private lands conservationist to improve the habitat on his land.

“It’s exciting to report a new site for the Hine’s emerald dragonfly, because that means we’re closer to keeping them around in Missouri,” Henry said.

“One of the first things I did when I bought the property was contact the Conservation Department to find out what I could do to improve habitat,” Hohl said. “I just couldn’t be happier about partnering with them.”

When Hohl and the private lands conservationist, Jeremy Pully, thought they may have identified potential Hine’s emerald dragonfly habitat, they notified Henry, who evaluated the property and verified the presence of the species.

“We spotted two males flying their typical territorial patrol,” Henry said. “It’s exciting to see them utilizing a previously unknown area. If it wasn’t for our private lands program, we wouldn’t be as successful in conserving the species.”

Adult males defend small breeding territories, pursuing and mating with females who enter. The female lays eggs by repeatedly plunging the tip of her body into shallow water. Later in the season or the following spring, immature dragonflies, called nymphs, hatch from the eggs. The nymph lives in the water for two to four years, eating smaller aquatic insects and shedding its skin many times. The nymph then crawls out of the water and sheds its skin a final time, emerging as a flying adult. The adults may live only 4 to 5 weeks.

To complete its life history and reproduce, this species requires a specific type and level of surface water. This is the reason they live in fens. A fen is a shallow wetland continuously fed by spring water. In the Missouri Ozarks, fens are found in the valleys, primarily in privately-owned hay fields and pastureland. Along with rare insects, fens also host a certain group of unique plants such as marsh fern, wild sweet William, fox sedge, bristly stalked sedge and orange coneflower.

Dragonflies play an important role in nature. They catch and eat smaller flying insects, including mosquitoes, biting flies and gnats. In its immature stage, called a nymph, a dragonfly is an important food source for larger aquatic animals such as fish.

“Every species of wildlife plays an important role in our ecosystem,” Henry said. “From large species like bears, to the smaller insects, they all contribute an important piece of the puzzle.”

For the landowner, finding this piece of the puzzle encourages him to keep looking for more. Henry and other conservation employees are working with Hohl to improve the fens on his property to benefit the dragonfly and other wildlife.

“I’m so pleased to have this partnership with MDC so they can help bring the reason I bought this property, to promote wildlife habitat, to fruition,” he said. “It’s already happening with finding this dragonfly and this is just the tip of the iceberg.”

More information on Hine’s emerald dragonflies and how to improve wildlife habitat can be found at mdc.mo.gov.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.—The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is partnering with the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), Quail Forever (QF), Pheasants Forever, Friends of the NRA, U.S. Forest Service, and landowners to provide mentored hunts for first-time dove hunters all across Missouri.

Mentored hunts will be offered on the opening day of dove season Sept. 1, with additional dates pending. No equipment is necessary, but participants 11 to 15 years old must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Registration is required by Aug. 24.

Interested applicants can apply online at mdc.mo.gov/node/31059%20.

(Missourinet) – The Kansas City council has voted to increase the minimum wage for businesses in the city, but members wonder whether the hike will stand.

The council passed an ordinance that would on August 24 set the minimum wage in Kansas City at $8.50 an hour; an increase from the state’s minimum wage of $7.65. It would then increase that minimum annually on January 1, eventually to 13-dollars in 2020 and based on the cost of living each year after that.

Councilman Ed Ford said being the first city to pass such an ordinance makes Kansas City a target.

“We will be the first and only city in Missouri to have an enacted a minimum wage statute so we will bear the brunt of all the lawsuits and the legal shenanigans that go on,” said Ford, who cast the only vote against the ordinance. “We will not have the final say today. We know this is going to go to court. We know that the legislature next January will probably strike down whatever we pass. There may be a referendum. There may be a petition.”

Ford said to pass the ordinance with the potential challenges it will face would present a “false hope” to people trying to make a living.

Kansas City council staff have also said that enforcement of such ordinances has proven the greatest challenge in Seattle, San Francisco, and Washington D.C.

Mayor Sly James acknowledged the ordinance’s lack of an enforcement mechanism, but despite such concerns he supported the plan.

“Why are we doing it? Because we believe that it is moral and right to try to give people a higher wage so that they can live better,” said James.

Proponents hope the vote will prove a higher wage works so that the state and other cities will follow.

The increase would only apply to those 18 and older and exempts government employees except Kansas City employees, as well as apprentices, certain charity workers and volunteers, and interns working for academic credit.

Tipped worker’s pay would be at least half the state’s minimum wage.

(Missourinet) – Governor Jay Nixon (D) isn’t interested in an investigation of allegations that Planned Parenthood has violated laws, based on a hidden camera video released by an anti-abortion group.

Republicans say the video clearly shows the organization’s director of medical research discussing the illegal sale of fetal organs, but Planned Parenthood says its work has been falsely portrayed, and says the allegations are not true. Those Republicans, including Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder and senators Kurt Schaefer (Columbia) and Mike Parson (Bolivar) have called for investigations by the state legislature and the Attorney General’s Office.

Nixon said he hasn’t seen that video.

“We’ve got to focus on what matters in this state – creating a good job environment, moving the economy forward, not taking the story of the day and trying to sensationalize it,” said Nixon.
“I understand some of the issues behind this, but I’ve not had a chance to look at that. We’ve been working on creating jobs and expanding the economy.”

Two committees in the Republican-controlled House will hold hearings on the allegations.

(Missourinet) – Democrats and Republicans are at odds over President Obama’s nuclear deal with Iran. Some GOP members say the agreement would fund terrorism while Democrats say the agreement would bring greater peace.

Mizzou Political Science Professor Cooper Drury says both positions are exaggerations and the President is jumping the gun by saying his deal is already a success.

“This is where I have my biggest problem with it. It’s not a success yet,” said Drury. “All it is, is the start of a process. If the Iranians start cheating tomorrow, it was a failure. So we’ll have to see.”

Obama says the U.S. would gain extensive monitoring of Iran’s key nuclear facilities and comprehensive inspections.

“Without a deal, those inspections go away and we lose the ability to closely monitor Iran’s program and detect any covert nuclear weapons program,” said Obama.
Drury says he thinks lawmakers should choose the lesser of two evils and go with the President’s deal.

“I think we have to take risks like this. It could turn out badly and that’s why I think it’s very important we’re diligent over the next few years. If it starts going bad, we need to revert back to the sanction regime.”

Drury says if the U.S. doesn’t take a chance, it will cripple Iran’s economy, their people will be against the U.S. and Europe will be fed up and lift its sanctions. He says then the U.S. will be alone.

One of America’s key allies is Israel and their Prime Minister is not a fan of the President’s deal with Iran, but Drury thinks the U.S.’s relationship with Israel won’t be any more strained than it is now.

“The Israeli lobby in the U.S. has a lot of influence on U.S. politics. It doesn’t control it of course, but it has influence. The United States is very important to Israel and to its survival. We’ll continue to be allies, but they’ll be unhappy about this for awhile.”

Drury says there’s been friction between Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Obama for the past few months, but dismisses it as not unusual between world leaders.

(Missourinet) – Elected Missouri Republicans say a hidden camera video does show Planned Parenthood’s director of medical research discussing harvesting organs after abortions, and selling them. That director also tells two men posing as potential buyers to consider the organization’s facility in St. Louis as a potential supplier.

“They do [second trimester abortions], they have a very extensive collaboration with all kinds of research, and they have a really dynamic medical director,” Dr. Deborah Nucatola says about St. Louis in the video. “I think that’s definitely worth your while. Just thinking of the map and if there was some place that was untapped, I would say St. Louis.”

State Senator Kurt Schaefer (R-Columbia) has written a letter to Attorney General Chris Koster (D), saying the Planned Parenthood facility in St. Louis should be investigated.

“It’s disturbing, it’s a violation of the law, and as I said to the Attorney General, it’s both legally and morally imperative that be prosecuted,” Schaefer told Missourinet.

He says several state laws would be violated if what he believes Dr. Deborah Nucatola is admitting to is happening.

“From trafficking human body parts to disposing of a baby in a way other than what the mother intended all the way to violations of Missouri’s merchandising practices act, because under the definition of ‘merchandise’ it includes ‘services,’ which is what Planned Parenthood delivers.”
Planned Parenthood says fees discussed by Nucatola are not profit, but cover the cost of shipping fetal remains to medical research facilities.

Lieutenant Governor Peter Kinder (R) is not convinced.

“The paid liars for Planned Parenthood are asking us to believe them instead of our own eyes and ears,” he said.

Kinder believes the video reveals things he calls “ghastly,” and “inhuman.”

“Now we have a video with the medical director of Planned Parenthood telling us what’s going on as she sips her wine and munches on her salad. Everyone should see the video.”

“Keep in mind,” said Schaefer, a pro-life Republican who is running for Attorney General, “that liver that they’re taking, that heart that they’re taking, as the woman in that video so callously says, that’s the organ that minutes before that was keeping that baby alive and they’re harvesting it in a particular way to keep it intact so they can sell it for some amount of money.”

While Schaefer and State Senator Mike Parson (R-Bolivar) are calling for Koster to investigation, Kinder is also seeking an investigation by the state legislature.

Planned Parenthood and its supporters say the video is heavily edited to paint the organization in the worst possible way, but Kinder and Schaefer says the evidence is found in the unedited version.

(Missourinet) – A second facility in Missouri is about to offer abortions.

Planned Parenthood of the St. Louis region has been the only abortion provider in the state of Missouri, but Planned Parenthood of Kansas & Mid-Missouri says in a media release, abortions will be performed at its facility in Columbia.

In a statement the organization writes, “In addition to the robust offering of family planning services already in place, an experienced physician will join the team of highly trained, compassionate health care professionals in Columbia to provide medication abortion services and restore abortion access in Mid-Missouri.”

“We are proud to support women making their own health care decisions by expanding reproductive health services in an area where women have faced extreme barriers for too long,” write Laura McQuade, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri.

The Kansas & Mid-Missouri chapter also announced it is adding two accepted insurance providers: Coventry Health Care, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Missouri. McQuade called those additions, “a sign of our commitment to our patients in Mid-Missouri and to those newly covered under the Affordable Care Act.”

The facility in Columbia stopped performing abortions in 2011 when its doctor was deployed with the military, and last year became unlicensed to perform abortions and began only offering abortion referrals.

Attempts to reach Planned Parenthood for additional comment were unsuccessful.