Area residents in northeast Kansas are invited to attend a program next week to learn about an invasive bug threatening local trees.
A program talking about the Emerald Ash Borer will be held June 7 by the Kansas Department of Agriculture, K-State Research and Extension in Doniphan County and the Kansas Forest Service. According to a flyer, the event will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the Troy Community Center located at 1225 Last Chance Road in Troy, Kan. There is no cost to attend but RSVPs are requested with the Extension Office. To RSVP contact Margaret at (785) 985-3623 or mchamas@ksu.edu.
As we previously reported, in March several larvae were removed by KDA staff from an ash tree in a native stand of timber in rural Doniphan County near Bendena. Regulatory officials confirmed the presence of the Emerald Ash Boarer and expanded the EAB quarantine to include Doniphan County.
According to the flyer, the EAB program will talk about how to identify the insects, detect when they’re damaging a tree and what to do about it. Homeowners, landowners and concerned citizens are encouraged to attend. CLICK HERE for more information.
Troopers with the Missouri State Highway Patrol are taking part in a statewide operation Monday for peek Memorial Day travel.
Capt. James McDonald commanding officer Troop H, St. Joseph, said Troop H is once again participating in the Memorial Day weekend enforcement operations. He said the operations’ objective is to reduce the number and severity of traffic crashes. Throughout the holiday weekend, troopers within Troop H and throughout the state have been participating in Operation C.A.R.E. (Crash Awareness & Reduction Effort). This means every available officer will be on the road enforcing traffic laws and assisting motorists.
In addition to Operation C.A.R.E., Troop H is also be participating in the statewide peak travel crash reduction enforcement programs during the peak travel periods on Friday, May 26, and Monday, May 29. During this operation, troopers will be assigned to 20-mile stretches of Interstate 35. Enforcement efforts on secondary roads will be conducted during the same timeframe within Troop H.
“Memorial Day is the first major travel holiday of the year and the Missouri State Highway Patrol urges motorists to wear their seat belts and never drink and drive,” Captain McDonald said. “The Highway Patrol wants everyone to have a safe Memorial Day weekend.”
Northwest named Tree Campus. Photo courtesy Northwest
(News release) – For the fourth consecutive year Northwest Missouri State University has been named a Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation for its commitment to effective urban forest management.
Tree Campus USA is a national program created in 2008 by the Arbor Day Foundation to honor colleges and universities for effective campus forest management and for engaging staff and students in conservation goals.
Northwest achieved the title by meeting Tree Campus USA’s five standards, which include maintaining a tree advisory committee, a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance and student service-learning project.
“Trees are a vital component of campus infrastructure and landscaping,” Dan Lambe, president of the Arbor Day Foundation, said in a letter notifying Northwest of the designation. “First, properly placed trees create a welcoming space for students, staff and alumni, providing much-needed relief from heat and a quiet place to reflect or study. Second, trees keep our air and water clean and remove harmful pollutants. Third, trees save money by reducing energy use and improving stormwater management. By earning Tree Campus USA recognition, your campus has shown its commitment to protecting and preserving its valuable tree resources and will recap their benefits for generations of students to come.”
The Missouri state legislature designated the Northwest campus as the Missouri Arboretum in 1993. Today, the campus is home to more than 1,700 trees and more than 130 species cultivated from throughout the world. Three trails – the Gaunt Trail, Tower Trail and Chautauqua Trail – also traverse the campus to help visitors learn about the trees and get an up-close view of them.
The University’s legacy of caring for trees and developing its lush landscape dates back to nearly 50 years before the institution’s founding in 1905. About 85 acres of the 330-acre campus were originally part of a tree farm and nursery established by Thomas Gaunt in 1857. The Gaunt home now serves as a residence for the University president and his family.
Will Stuck to retire from SJPL. Photos by George Denniston/Courtesy SJPL
The St. Joseph Public Library is inviting the public to help say farewell to retiring Children’s Librarian, Will Stuck.
A reception to honor the longtime employee will be held at the East Hills Library, 502 N. Woodbine Rd., on Tuesday from 2 to 7 p.m. The public is encouraged to stop by to wish Will good luck, sign the guestbook and enjoy light refreshments.
Will Stuck will be leaving the St. Joseph Public Library system June 2. According to a news release, Will began working for the libraries in St. Joseph in June of 1993 as a page and held various positions over the next four years until he found his home in children’s services. Eventually he became manager of the children’s department at the East Hills Branch of SJPL in 2002.
Library Director Mary Beth Revels said at the start of his role as department head, Will made it a mission to turn the library from a “place in the community” to a “part of the community”.
“To do this he joined multiple youth related boards and organizations around St. Joseph and made it a priority to visit any school or organization that called requesting a visit from the library,” Revels said. “Will’s outreach efforts are evident by the increased participation in the summer reading program, as well as other library events and the numerous library cards that were made out to children who said, ‘This funny guy read to me at school today. He said that he works here.'”
Will is making the leap into full-time children’s entertainer and public speaker.
Researchers say bicycling is considered one of the best ways to stay in shape. (Virginia Carter Missouri News Service)
(Missouri News Service/Veronica Carter) JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – At this time of year, cycling becomes the choice of many people for getting some exercise and enjoying the outdoors. But a study by Yale researchers in 2006 linked cycling to problems with sexual health and urinary dysfunction. Now, a new team of scientists is disputing those results.
According to new research, the Yale study was too small and focused mostly on extreme athletes, not those who bike for exercise, leisure or to commute. Dr. Mohannad Awad, resident physician at the University of California-San Francisco and a member of the American Urological Association, authored the new study.
“Surprisingly, the results were completely contradictory to the previous results,” Awad said. “We found that cyclists have no worse sexual or urinary functions compared to other, non-cyclist athletes.”
There are many cycling events happening in communities around the state, and guides to Missouri’s bike trails are available online. Popular trails include: Two Rivers Bike Trail, Swope River Trail, Matson Hill, Sac River Trail, Rock Bridge State Park and the South Trace of the Ozark Trail.
Awad said previous studies raised questions about the risks associated with prolonged perineal pressure in men and women who bike regularly. They linked this pressure to numbness, pain and erectile dysfunction in men, and suggested cycling also may be a hazard to women’s sexual health.
But Awad said the new research was focused on the average weekend cyclist, rather than athletes who ride for very long distances.
“When the previous studies have been done in the past, the cycling community just got worried. And a lot of people might have just stopped cycling for a long time,” he said. “So, we just wanted to reach out to all the cyclists, all over the world, and let them know the results.”
Awad said riding a bike is one of the healthiest forms of exercise. His advice: strap on a helmet and enjoy the ride.
A new health cancer program will open next month in Maryville which will include a chemotherapy and infusion center.
According to a news release from SSM Health St. Francis Hospital, the hospital and SSM Health Medical Group plan to open SSM Health Cancer Care on June 12 which will be headed by oncologist Rolando Breier, MD.
Located at the hospital, SSM Health Cancer Care will offer infusion therapy in conjunction with patient appointments with Dr. Breier for treatment of a wide array of cancers, as well as benign hematological conditions.
“I believe in providing a more patient-focused approach to cancer care that gives patients the time and support they need in their fight against cancer,” Breier said.
SSM Health Cancer Care and new infusion center are located on the main (first) floor of the hospital directly behind the Jimmy Jones display on the east wing. The area has been remodeled to provide three exam rooms, a private treatment room and a group room with six infusion recliners where patients can receive blood transfusions, chemotherapy and other medications.
The hospital pharmacy has expanded its services to allow for mixing the chemotherapy drugs on-site to make the infusion process more efficient for patients needs
“The program will allow patients to see the doctor and receive treatment as well as other services through our multidisciplinary approach,” said Mike Baumgartner, hospital president. “The infusion center will provide privacy for those who want it or a group setting for those who prefer to be interactive.”
Northwest Missouri State University said according to a review the school has realized an estimated $66.5 million in cost containment and efficiencies in recent months.
According to a news release, Northwest compiled the report this spring, through the guidance of University President Dr. John Jasinski and Nola Bond, Northwest’s vice president of strategy and operations, by gathering documentation and input from all areas of the University.
The total represents cumulative savings documented by Northwest between 2012 and 2016. The University took similar actions between 2009 and 2012, but the recent review does not quantify those measures.
“One of Northwest’s core competencies is being resourceful,” Jasinski said. “We have been resourceful for 112 years and will continue to do so. We are stewards of taxpayer money and focus on quality, access and affordability. This study reinforces the Bearcat culture and climate as we carry out our traits and competencies.”
According to the review, Northwest realized about $18.3 million, the largest portion of savings, by replacing University spending on academic, program and facility needs with grants and other funds.
Northwest also reports it generated more than $11.2 million in funding by offering additional products and services, and it saved more than $9.7 million by refinancing debt. The University review references its internationally benchmarked student employment program, which offers some 1,200 profession-based roles to students as a vehicle to earn valuable professional experience, while being resourceful and reducing or avoiding costs through repurposing or restructuring its workforce, saving an additional $7.1 million in labor costs.
Additional efficiencies were captured by managing contracts to optimize services ($5.8 million) and optimizing processes ($4.9 million). Northwest saved about $2.5 million by using technology to reduce labor costs, and it tracked nearly $2.4 million through employee wellness programs that yielded employee benefit savings.
The school estimates it saved more than $2.6 million in energy costs during the last four years.
Northwest reports it realized additional savings through outsourcing ($827,500), refining academic programs ($481,500) and targeting capital funding ($441,500).
The University said it’s making plans to log additional savings in coming years. Earlier this spring, it announced the closure of its Missouri Academy of Science, Mathematics and Computing – which is project to save the University about $468,000 in FY18 – and Northwest-St. Joseph to save between $450,000 and $500,000 annually in coming years, and it will end its English as a Second Language program. The University also offered a voluntary retirement incentive to retirement-eligible faculty and staff while choosing not to fill open positions to realize additional budget savings.
The Brown County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents of a scam circulating in the county involving tax warrants.
Sheriff John Merchant said the scam is familiar to the county but it’s circulating once again.
“Residents have contacted me stating they are receiving calls informing them that they have a tax warrant issued against them and they are subject to arrest unless they immediately pay the warrant amount,” Merchant said. “Most of these have been automated messages and several have been conveyed by a live person.”
He said on the automated messages there is a number for residents to call back.
“Several times a warrant for their arrest is mentioned if they do not return the call,” Merchant said. “One resident reported that they were informed that the Sheriff would be at their home to arrest them if the warrant wasn’t paid immediately.”
Merchant affirms that it is a scam and for residents not to return the call or give out any personal information
The Humane Society of Missouri and Animal Medical Center of Mid-America offers pet safety tips for the holiday weekend.
Missouri’s kickoff to summer will have a stormy start. While the holiday weekend forecast shows temperatures in the 80s, it also comes with looming thunderstorms. Temperatures above 70 degrees can still be deadly for furry companions, especially those left unattended in parked cars.
Keep these animal safety tips from the Humane Society of Missouri’s Animal Medical Center of Mid-America in mind this stormy holiday weekend as we welcome the change of season:
70 Degrees & Over, Don’t Take Rover! Even when the sun is not shining, when the temperature outside is over 70 degrees, the temperature inside the car can reach more than 100 degrees in just minutes, regardless of whether a window is cracked. Leaving a pet in a hot, unattended car is inhumane and can cause severe injury or death within minutes. Harming a pet in this way is illegal, punishable by fines and imprisonment.
Don’t sit… speak! Act immediately if you see a distressed animal in an unattended car. Call the local police and the Humane Society of Missouri Animal Cruelty Hotline at (314) 647-4400. A pet showing signs of distress such as heavy panting, unresponsive behavior, seizure or collapse needs immediate attention.
Stay fresh! Make sure outdoor pets have access to fresh, clean water at all times. Secure plastic water bowls (never metal) to the ground so your pet can’t accidentally tip them over.
Keep it cool! When the weather is warm and stormy, keep pets inside your home where it’s cool and quiet. Provide a place to retreat from the heat and noise by finding an interior room or basement with access to clean, cool water. Close all windows and turn on the radio or television to help mask the thunder, and have your pet’s favorite toys and bed for comfort.
IDs please! Time spent outdoors – as well as the presence of thunderstorms – increases the risk of pets escaping. Be sure pets wear collars and ID tags at all times. Having a microchip also increases the chances of a wandering pet’s return home.
Prevent the parasites! Fleas, ticks and heartworms are more prevalent during warm months. Make sure pets receive regular parasite preventatives.
