The Missouri Department of Conservation is warning people not to feed the bears or leave potential sources of food where they can access it as the animals begin the process of storing extra weight for the winter months.

“A fed bear is a dead bear,” said MDC Wildlife Management Coordinator Alan Leary. “Feeding bears makes them comfortable around people and the places they associate with food from people, such as campsites, yards, and trash containers. When bears lose their fear of people by being fed, they may defend these food sources or territory. This can make them dangerous. When this happens, the bear has to be destroyed.”

According to the MDC, as summer turns to fall, Missouri’s estimated 350 native black bears enter a phase called hyperphagiain which they eat heavily, accumulating a layer of fat that results in a 30 percent weight gain preparing them for hibernation. In preparation for hibernation, bears eat a wide variety of food including grasses and forbs, berries, ants, bees and wasps, beetles, crickets, fish, frogs, small rodents and other small animals.

Leary said a fed bear that becomes a problem in one place cannot be relocated to another.

“Once a bear associates people with food, its life is ruined,” Leary said. “Even if it is relocated, it will go in search of other places to get food from people, such as homes, residential areas, farms, and campsites. Common temptations include pet food or trash left outdoors, dirty grills or smokers, birdseed or other food at wildlife feeders, food at campsites, and gardens and orchards.”

Avoid Attracting Black Bears

MDC offers these tips to avoid attracting black bears to possible food sources:

• Don’t leave pet food sitting outside. Feed pets a portion they’ll eat at each meal and remove the empty containers.
• Store garbage, recyclables, and compost inside a secure building or in a bear-proof container until the day of trash pick-up.
• Keep grills and smokers clean and store them inside.
• When camping be sure to keep cooking and cleaning areas separate from sleeping areas.
• Only use birdfeeders in bear country (which is primarily south of the Missouri River) when bears are typically hibernating — from early December through early March — or hang them at least 10 feet high and four feet away from any structure.
• Use electric fencing to keep bears away from beehives, chicken coops, vegetable gardens, orchards, and other potential food sources.
• Keep campsites clean and store all food, toiletries and trash in a secure vehicle or strung high between two trees. Do not burn or bury garbage or food waste.
• Report bear sightings by calling MDC at 573-522-4115, ext. 3080 or online at http://bit.ly/2ya2lhe.

Avoid Encounters and React Right

While close encounters with bears are uncommon in Missouri, MDC offers this advice when outdoors in black-bear country:

• Make noise while walking or hiking to prevent surprising a bear. Clap, sing, or talk loudly.
• Travel in a group if possible.
• Pay attention to the surroundings and watch for bear sign, such as tracks or claw or bite marks on trees.
• Keep dogs leashed.
• Leave a bear alone! Do not approach it. Make sure it has an escape route.
• If encountering a bear up close, back away slowly with arms raised to look larger. Speak in a calm, loud voice. Do not turn away from the bear. Back away slowly. Do not run.
• Report bear sightings by calling MDC at 573-522-4115, ext. 3080 or online at http://bit.ly/2ya2lhe.

When Hunting and Fishing

MDC offers this advice when hunting or fishing in bear country:

• Process or remove fish and game as quickly as possible, and alert others that there is game residue in the area.
• Keep a clean camp and store attractants where bears can’t access them.
• Stay alert and aware of your surroundings while hunting or fishing.
• Report bear sightings by calling MDC at 573-522-4115, ext. 3080 or online at http://bit.ly/2ya2lhe.

A native of Missouri, black bears were abundant throughout the state until the late 1800s when they were nearly wiped out from unregulated killing and from habitat loss when Ozark forests were logged. MDC research shows that a small number of native black bears survived and others from Arkansas moved north into Missouri. Over time, their numbers increased and continue to do so. Results of ongoing black-bear research by MDC staff and others show that the animals have been sighted in about half the counties in Missouri, primarily south of the Missouri River, with most bears located in the southern third of the state in the Missouri Ozarks.

(Missouri Public Service) NEOSHO, Mo. – Born a slave and then orphaned, George Washington Carver was among the unlikeliest of people to grow into a world-famous scholar, inventor and botanist. But that’s exactly what Carver became, and it began as a 10-year-old attending what was then called The Neosho Colored School in southwest Missouri.

An array of dignitaries paid tribute to Carver’s legacy Thursday as they present the 2017 George Washington Carver Distinguished Service and Innovation Award at an event in at an event in Des Moines, Iowa. Monies raised from the dinner will help restore the Neosho schoolhouse where Carver got his start.

The Neosho schoolhouse is being restored to serve as a historic monument to Carver and every African-American who sought education there in the decades following the Civil War.

(Missouri News Service) KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Advancements have been made in premature birth survival in the five years since the American Academy of Pediatrics created the level four designation of neonatal intensive care units.

Known as NICUs, they are facilities that treat the smallest and most critically ill babies.

Neonatology has only been recognized as a profession since 1960. But Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City – the only level four NICU in the region – is demonstrating how much can be accomplished when a band of specialists with a passion for treating newborns is brought together.

Children’s Mercy Director of Neonatology, Dr. Howard Kilbride, said premature birth was, for many years, the single biggest threat to babies.

“That, no longer, is the primary cause of death in babies that we’re seeing,” he said. “It’s close, but congenital anomalies or birth differences make up probably the leading cause of neonatal deaths now for us. ”

Research shows a 2.2-pound baby born in 1960 had a mortality risk of 95 percent. Today the probability of survival for that same 1 kilogram newborn is 95 percent.

Kilbride said his hospital’s NICU has 80 beds and 300 bedside nurses who are specialized in caring for infants.

In his five-plus decades of work as a neonatologist, Kilbride said he’s experienced lots of emotional highs and lows with his patients and their families.

“I am just always in awe at the resilience of the families that we deal with and the ability to be able to cope,” he said.

The creation of a regionalized approach to the most specialized NICUs occurred in the 1970s.

Kilbride said the nearly 50-year-old strategy has worked extremely well because it puts a vast array of resources under one roof to deal with problems that, while rare, have to be taken very seriously.

Kilbride notes that the psychosocial focus of level four NICUs is also vital. A team of social workers and counselors is always available to help families cope while their newborn is in the hospital’s care.

(Missourinet) – U.S. Senator Roy Blunt, R-Missouri, says Obamacare’s “one-size-fits-all” approach does not work. The latest version of a GOP healthcare plan is expected to come up next week for a U.S. Senate vote. The legislation would reduce Medicaid benefits and offer each state a block grant to use to provide coverage however it chooses.

“If you’ve ever bought any one-size-fits-all clothes, you are a very unique person if they actually fit you. One-size-fits-all almost never fits anybody,” Blunt says on the U.S. Senate floor. “Even in a state, it’s hard enough to come up with a plan that fits everybody in the state in the best possible way. But we would be much more likely to do that than we would to suggest that what happens in Manhattan and what happens in Marshfield, Missouri are the same thing, because they’re not.”

Whether Republicans have enough votes to pass the legislation is unknown but they’re trying their hardest to whip votes.

“This is an opportunity to say to the states, we are going to let you be responsible for devising a system for people in your state that meets the needs of people in your state,” says Blunt. “We’re going to do that in a more effective way than has been done in the past.”

Democrats say the plan would cut federal money to states by $215 billion over the next decade. The measure would slash funding for states that have made the Affordable Care Act work while increasing funds for states that have refused to do so.

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, D-Missouri, calls the plan a “bait-and-switch”.

“They’re (Republicans) trying to buy off certain states with promises of more money now, but with no guarantee that healthcare dollars in our state won’t ultimately go down,” says McCaskill. “And that’s to say nothing of the folks in Missouri who’ve been sick before and have a preexisting condition, and older Missourians, who’ll get slammed by this bill. If this proposal is such a good idea, why do healthcare advocates across the country—along with several Republican governors—oppose it?”

A few of the proposals she’s offered to try and fix the current law include:

-Allowing individuals in counties with no insurers participating in the individual insurance marketplaces access to the same insurance plans offered to members of Congress and Congressional staff,

-a Medicare “buy-in” for people ages 55-65,

-a Cooper plan designed for younger, healthier people that’s cheaper and intended only to cover preventative and catastrophic care,

-making cost-sharing payments permanent that aims to bring stability to insurance markets and lower premium costs, and

-reinsurance programs that are meant to reduce the incentives for insurers to charge higher premiums.

The Congressional Budget Office is not expected to complete projections about the bill’s effects on premiums and coverage by the time next week’s vote rolls around.

(Missourinet) – After a prolonged selection process, the Kansas City Council voted overwhelmingly, 10-2 Thursday, to embrace Maryland-based Edgemoor as its developer for a proposed single terminal project at Kansas City International Airport (KCI).

The vote was 10-2 among council members, despite efforts from state lawmakers earlier in the week to influence their decision.

A bipartisan group of three Republicans and three Democrats, in a letter and through other measures, tried to persuade the council to examine all four proposals that were submitted for the project instead of allowing a special committee to make the choice, which was for Edgemoor.

All six lawmakers had criticized the six-member KCI Selection Committee’s selection process.

House Democrat Gregg Razer’s 25th district includes local firm Burns & McDonnell, who’s plan was rejected. “I would just like to see that the full council has the full slate of applicants, or presenters, Burns and McDonnell being one of them,” says Razer.

Senate Republican Ryan Silvey has looked at the Kansas City code, and notes a distinction that’s often made at the state level – the difference between “shall” and “may”.

“Section 3-31(c)(2) of KC Ordinance says that all submissions ‘shall be ranked,’” said Silvey, the 17th District Senator. “One of the first things you learn when dealing with the law is that ‘shall’ is absolute. Based on what I have read, it appears the process did not follow the procurement laws in place for the city or the State of Missouri, as neither has an option of ‘disqualification,’ or ‘fail to advance.’”

Burns & McDonnell made its own pitch at a news conference earlier this week, where one of the firm’s vice presidents called for the proposals of all four firms vying for the roughly $1 billion contract to be advanced so that the full City Council can make a decision.

Representative Razer points to a study Burns & McDonnell provided him with as proof the KCI Selection Committee made a mistake in offering one choice. “When I looked over the legal analysis that they provided, it did appear that the committee did not have the legal authority to not allow Burns and McDonnell to go before the full city council.”

Republican House Majority Floor Leader Mike Cierpiot represents the 30th District, which includes some eastern suburbs of Kansas City. He’s less bullish on the KCI project overall than the other lawmakers, but is even more skeptical of the way the selection went.

“While I am not fully convinced we need a new airport, if one is to be put before voters it should be a plan that uses the world class local talent we have right in our own backyard,” says Cierpoit. “It is further troubling to read the opinions presented by the top legal minds in Missouri who say the process violates city and state laws, as well as the Constitution of Missouri.”

Cierpoit’s Democratic counterpart in Jefferson City, House Minority Floor Leader Gail McCann Beatty of the 36th District, questions the grounds of the selection process as it stands. “(The) legal opinions certainly beg the question about whether or not this process followed the laws of Kansas City and the State of Missouri,” McCann Beatty says.

House Democrat DaRon McGee of the 36th District in South Kansas City has concluded the selection committee erred.

“I have studied the city ordinances governing a qualifications based selection process, and it is clear to me that the city selection committee violated these ordinances and its own request for qualifications by not ranking the qualifications of all four groups of proposers as required” McGee says.

The city council was unswayed by the the efforts of the state lawmakers.

With the selection of Edgemoor now in place, voters will go to the polls November 7th to decide whether or not the airport terminal is actually built.

(Missourinet) – More than 3,000 people jammed into the big tent next to Bass Pro Shops flagship location in Springfield Wednesday night for a gala grand opening of the Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium.

Bass Pro founder and CEO Johnny Morris’ vision for a world-class conservation-focused venue was nine years in the making. There were numerous appearances by celebrities and politicians, including a tribute to Morris from Kevin Costner.

“Somehow Johnny has managed to touch us all,” Costner said. “Your friendship is legendary, but it’s your sense of detail, the love of the land and the animals that inhabit it that are forever on display for all of us.”

The number of stars and dignitaries on hand for the Wednesday event was astonishing.

Governor Eric Greitens was held up in the St. Louis area because of unrest following a controversial court decision. But local Congressman Billy Long of the 7th District was a special guest.

Former Presidents Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush offered representation from both parties to have occupied the oval office. The two men were honorary Co-Chairmen and Featured Guest. The gathering’s chief honoree, Former President George H.W. Bus, is suffering from health issues and was unable to attend.

Country music legends appearing included Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley, Craig Morgan, Easton Corbin, Chris Janson and Tracy Byrd.

The list of auto racing legends was dominated by NASCAR stars, but also included power broker Chip Ganassi, who fields teams in both NASCAR and IndyCar.

The Fishing Legends camp was fronted by familiar names – Bill Dance and Jimmy Houston – but included at least 20 additional members. And there were no fewer than 10 Hunting Legends.

As well, actor Mark Wahlberg was a strong presence, offering a celebrity dive into one of the tanks at the aquarium.

Bass Pro CEO Johnny Morris addressed the audience where, among other things, he said outdoor enthusiasm has a long lineage in the U.S.

“What tonight is all about is celebrating the sportsmen and women in this country,” said Morris. “The anglers and the hunters, who really from the time of those who came before us, the Native Americans, and the time of Roosevelt and Audubon, and to today, the impact they’ve had not just for hunting and fishing, but for all our nature.”

The $290 million, 350,000-square-foot Johnny Morris’ Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium aquarium and museum officially opens to the public tomorrow Friday.

(Missourinet) – In a hearing where both sides called the subject matter “a case of honesty”, the Missouri Supreme Court heard arguments in Jefferson City on Wednesday about whether an attorney should be disciplined over his own felony plea.

The lawyer in question, a nervous Dustin Dunfield of Nevada, represented himself before the high bench. Without elaborating, he stated he wasn’t able to get an attorney to agree to serve as his counsel.

In 1996, Dunfield pleaded guilty to statutory rape and was given a two year suspended sentence and placed on probation for two years.

In 2007, he admitted on his application for law school in Arkansas that he’d pleaded guilty to the rape charges. And in 2010, he admitted to the same plea twice when he applied to become a lawyer in both Arkansas and Missouri.

But in 2014, he swore on a candidate declaration form that he had not been convicted, found guilty or pleaded guilty to a felony under state law. At the time, Dunfield was running for county prosecutor in southwest Missouri’s Vernon County.

State law bars anybody who has been convicted, found guilty, or pleaded guilty to a felony from qualifying for public office.

Incumbent Prosecutor Lynn Ewing, who was also running for re-election, challenged Dunfield’s candidacy in court. Meanwhile, Dunfield moved to have his guilty plea set aside, and for his name to be removed from the state sex offender registry.

Both cases ended up in the same place on the same day, before Newton County Circuit Judge Timothy Perigo, who heard arguments in nearby Cedar County.

Judge Perigo found that “contestee” Dunfield had been found guilty of statutory rape and declared him ineligible to be a prosecuting attorney. Dunfield’s name was ordered to be removed from the ballot.

The judge also denied Dunfield’s motion to have his guilty plea set aside as well as his petition to have his name removed from the sexual offender registry. Judge Perigo “advised” Dunfield to register as a sex offender within three days.

After the court determined Dunfield ineligible for office, Prosecutor Ewing filed to have him punished before the state Chief Disciplinary Counsel.

A regional three-person Disciplinary Hearing Panel determined Dunfield had broken rules by stating he had not been found guilty in his candidate declaration form. The panel recommended that Dunfield be suspended from practicing law for two years, but with the suspension stayed, and replaced with a two-year period of probation.

The Chief Disciplinary Counsel disagreed and is asking the Supreme Court to suspend Dunfield indefinitely, without an option to apply for reinstatement for one year.

Before the high court, Disciplinary Counsel Attorney Kevin Rapp said Dunfield had changed his position multiple times throughout the legal process surrounding him.

“He’s been all over the place, and offered different multiple explanations of whether or not he plead guilty,” said Rapp. “It’s basically whatever suits him at the time, being when you’re applying for admission to bar of facing disciplinary action, whether or not you plead guilty.”

Dunfield, representing himself, admitted he was wrong to have said he hadn’t pleaded guilty when filing for office, but contended he did so under good faith because he’d been advised that he wouldn’t be breaking any rules.

“I had spoken to a local judge,” said Dunfield. “(I) had talked to my former public defender, had gotten a hold of the Missouri Ethics Commission. Everyone that I spoke to was of the opinion that I could fill that form out in the negative.”

Dunfield confessed that he couldn’t confirm any opinion from the Ethics Commission because the commission had told him in writing that they wouldn’t issue a comment.

Chief Justice Zel Fischer questioned how Dunfield could declare he didn’t plead guilty, after stating that he did multiple times before he’d become a lawyer.

“So you’re trying to convince me that you got less informed, or less intelligent about what that question was asking you, after having gone to law school and consulted lawyers and a judge,” said Fischer. “That’s what I’m supposed to believe.”

Dunfield’s original 1996 felony statutory rape conviction was tossed out in 2016, but it’s current status has no bearing on whether he was justified when he made his various plea declarations.

The Supreme Court, as is their custom, will release a decision in the case at a later date. In Missouri, the high bench is the final word on any complaints or disciplinary action against attorneys licensed in the state.

(Missourinet) – The number of Missouri districts going to school four days a week has increased from 15 to 18 in the past year.

State Rep. Bill Reiboldt, R-Neosho, tells Missourinet he’s received excellent feedback on four-day weeks, especially in rural areas.

“I’ve had opportunities to talk to a lot of people from teachers to administrators to parents,” Reiboldt says. “Everybody loves it in our area.”

Former Governor Jay Nixon (D) signed the optional four-day school week into law in 2011. Reiboldt, who supports that law, describes a four-day school week as another “tool in the toolbox” for districts.

“We’re saving money on transportation, families like it,” says Reiboldt. “They’ve worked around, you know, where mom and dad are both working. Maybe the grandparents get to stay or get to keep the kids for one day extra.”

Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) spokeswoman Sarah Potter says 18 of Missouri’s 518 districts currently have a four-day school week.

That number has increased by three since February.

“It won’t work in every community, we understand that. But it’s working very well, especially in the rural communities in our area,” Reiboldt says.

The 2011 bipartisan law signed by Nixon moved from requiring 174 days of instruction to a total of 1,044 hours for districts that wanted to go to four days.

The Lathrop R-II District in northwest Missouri was the first district to make the change.

DESE says the 18 Missouri school districts that currently have a four-day week are:

** Community R-VI

** Miami R-1

** Harrisburg R-VIII

** East Lynne 40

** Stockton R-1

** Lathrop R-II

** Everton R-III

** Albany R-III

** Jasper County R-V

** Laclede County C-5

** Miller R-II

** Pierce City R-VI

** Maries County R-II

** Holliday C-2

** Wellsville Middletown R-1

** Montgomery County R-II

** Orearville R-IV

** Niangua R-V