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Popular Missouri destination named one of best fall foliage spots in America

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A USA Today readers poll ranks Lake of the Ozarks second in destinations for fall foliage. Central Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks finished in the polling behind Michigan’s Upper Peninsula but topped eight other destinations, including the Pocono Mountains, Door County in Wisconsin, the White Mountains in New Hampshire, among others.

A scenic overlook at Ha Ha Tonka State Park near Camdenton, MO at the Lake of the Ozarks (PHOTO COURTESY OF LAKE OF THE OZARKS TRI-COUNTY LODGING ASSOCIATION & CONVENTION AND VISITOR BUREAU)

“Every autumn, we have many visitors return to the Lake of the Ozarks area for the changing of the seasons,” says Tim Jacobsen, executive director of the Lake of the Ozarks Convention and Visitor Bureau. “The majority of our fall visitors come from Missouri, but we get a lot from all over the Midwest and the west coast, as well, because they don’t get to experience fall like we do here in Central Missouri. They plan their entire vacations around it. Perhaps with this recognition, we’ll see more visitors from around the country traveling to our beautiful destination to enjoy our stunning scenery.”

The peak of the fall color at the Lake of the Ozarks typically occurs in mid- to late-October, when the trees are at the height of their fall display. The peak season varies from year to year, depending on the weather and can span until early November.

The Lake of the Ozarks has more than 1,100 miles of shoreline, with forests stretching along most of it with vibrant shades of red, orange and yellow in the fall.

Copyright © 2018 · Missourinet

Lieutenant Governor’s program showcases Missouri-made items to buy

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During this first annual Buy Missouri Week underway, Lt. Gov. Mike Kehoe wants the public to “support our own backyard folks” and purchase Missouri-made goods the state has to offer. He says the Buy Missouri program, which includes about 150 companies both large and small, aims to boost the state’s economy and businesses. They are promoted for free on the website Kehoe’s office runs – BuyMissouri.net – with the hope of getting many more.

Buy Missouri Week is underway

“It’s very exciting. All across Missouri, there’s somebody down some road that nobody even knew about maybe in the community that says ‘Hey did you know they make whatever down that road? They make pontoon boats, they make sausage.’ It’s fascinating to find all those places out,” Kehoe says. “When you buy Missouri-made products, you’re likely helping somebody that you go to church with, that’s on the soccer field with you or the parents of somebody that your kids go to school with.”

It’s not even Halloween yet, but some Missourians are already thinking about the holidays. Kehoe, a Republican from Jefferson City, says the website is a good place to go shopping and find gifts.

“If you want a consumable, outdoor equipment, building supplies, or whatever it is you’re looking for, you can look and find a company that manufactures one of those products and then you might want to consider that as you go out and shop,” Kehoe says.

The list of goods goes on and on. BuyMissouri.net promotes all sorts of items, like automobiles, clothing, tool boxes, food and beauty products, agriculture goods, adult beverages, windows, and various candies.

“Missouri products are everything from GM cars and trucks built in Wentzville, Ford cars and trucks in Kansas City, Quaker windows in Freeburg, which is one of the nation’s largest window manufacturers, all the way down to someone who manufactures charcoal,” he says.

Kehoe says the most unique product he’s encountered is Cherry Mash – a popular sweet treat made for the past 100 years in northwest Missouri’s St. Joseph.

“Most people are familiar with it, have seen it on the shelves, have eaten it, have bought it,” Kehoe chuckles.

Gov. Mike Parson, R, pioneered the Buy Missouri Initiative as lieutenant governor. Kehoe sponsored Senate Bill 891 establishing Buy Missouri Week. It was signed into law having received overwhelming bi-partisan support in both legislative chambers.

To sign up for the program or browse the different products, click here.

Copyright © 2018 · Missourinet

Missouri emergency responders urge hunters to use boating app

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As boats quickly turn to bows for hunting season, Missouri 911 dispatchers want outdoorsman to keep a summertime mobile app installed on their smartphone. Fire Chief Jeff Dorhauer of mid-Missouri’s Osage Beach tells Springfield television KOLR the software called “Raft Up” will help emergency responders find people on land and water.

Missouri emergency responders urge hunters to use boating app (photo/Mo. Dept. of Conservation)

“We expect our Uber to be able to find us quickly and efficiently, we expect pizza delivery to find us quickly and efficiently, but nobody stepped up and said we want our emergency services to find us quickly and efficiently,” he says.

RaftUp was an app originally developed in Arkansas but has already seen widespread use around Lake of the Ozarks.

“It has been a long time coming,” says Linda Clemons, who adopted the tech this past summer in Camden county.

“We have elderly, we have the tourists, and they are used to dealing with their large cities but this is a totally different area,” says Clemons, Assistant 911 Director for Camden County. You can’t just tell us that you are at the Lake of the Ozarks because that doesn’t tell us where you are at.”

The large ring buoy in the program would indicate the app is only for use on the water, but that’s not the case. Camden County Dispatch is urging hunters to keep it installed on their phones year round.

“It can be used if you are traveling and especially on the highways that don’t have intersecting roads or when you are way between mile markers. You can use it anywhere,” explains Clemons.

Camden, Morgan, Miller Counties, and Osage Beach all currently have the technology up and running.

Clemons also says that Camden County now has the ability for text-to-911. While text-to-911 might be great for certain situations, they always prefer voice communications like a phone call.

By Missourinet television partner station KOLR in Springfield

Southwest Missouri college to honor Beetle Bailey cartoonist

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A popular comic strip has its roots in southwest Missouri’s Neosho. Cindy Brown with Crowder College says the creator of Beetle Bailey, Mort Walker, has a connection to Crowder College, which sits on the former Camp Crowder Army base.

Photos courtesy of Beetle Bailey.com

“Mort Walker was actually stationed at Camp Crowder. Camp Swampy was actually named for Camp Crowder. Beetle Bailey evolved from Mort’s time in the Army here,” Brown says.

Walker, who died in January, references the Camp Swampy Army base in the comic strip.

Crowder College will mark the 76th anniversary of Camp Crowder during a free event on Thursday. Brown tells Missourinet affiliate KZRG in Joplin there will be speakers and displays about Walker.

“We found that when we have historical things like this, it’s neat to share them with students in kind of an informal gathering because they get to go around and ask questions and find out thing that they didn’t realize are part of the history of the college,” says Brown.

The event begins at noon at Wright Conference Center at Crowder’s Neosho campus.

Joe Lancello of Missourinet affiliate KZRG in Joplin contributed to this story.

St. Louis divorce attorney says January is known as “Divorce Month”

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The holiday decorations are barely down but many Missourians and others will be getting one more special delivery in the weeks ahead. CEO of Cordell & Cordell Law Firm and St. Louis divorce attorney Scott Trout says January is known worldwide as “Divorce Month”.

Scott Trout (Photo courtesy of Cordell & Cordell Law Firm)

“They get caught up before January and the holidays, pretty light merriment and they believe they can actually make the relationship work. Once the clock strikes midnight on January 1, the real-life problems start piling up again and reality kicks in. They realize it’s not going to work,” says Trout.

He also says fewer people are tying the knot these days.

“We have single people really thinking about whether or not this is something they really want to do, considering the divorce rate is over 51%. It is an effort to make sure you make it through because divorce is something you never want,” says Trout.

January is also known to have a drastic climb in the number of people signing up for dating websites. Many of those registering are married and planning a divorce. Trout recommends to his clients that they lay off social media because posts could turn out to cost them on the witness stand.

“There’s all kinds of material in there. About 52% of divorce attorneys are utilizing social media in their cases in trials. Whether it be posts about bashing your ex, bragging about a job that you claim you don’t have or vacations. There is a treasure trove of information on social media,” he says.

Trout says divorce filings kick in after the holidays and peak in March.

By Karla James of Nebraska Radio Network

MU Chancellor in daily talks on conference realignment

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The Big 12 board of directors is hoping Missouri stays in the conference. Last Friday, the Board of Curators gave MU Chancellor Brady Deaton the power to make decisions regarding conference alignment. Mizzou is considering a move to the SEC. The Chancellor says a lot of work is being done behind the scenes regarding the decision. He says he has had meetings every day on the issue.

Monday’s Big 12 meeting included all 10 current members along with Texas Christian University, which will join next season. The board reportedly discussed television rights during the meeting.

David Gaines at affiliate KFRU contributed to this report.

Auditor: Highway Patrol and Water Patrol merger costing state more instead of saving money

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The State Auditor’s Office says merging the Highway Patrol and the Water Patrol was supposed to save the state $3 million dollars a year, but instead is costing the state almost a million more.

The first of this year, the State Highway Patrol absorbed the Water Patrol. Auditor Tom Schweich’s office says though the state will save some money from cutting support staff, not filling vacancies and terminating a lease, the merger is costing the state almost $2 million a year more in retirement and healthcare costs.

Deputy Auditor Harry Otto says the state will save some money from cutting support staff, not filling vacancies and terminating a lease, the merger will cost the state nearly $1.8 million more in increased retirement and health care costs each year. Also, the savings estimates claimed the state would save $2.4 million by reassigning water patrol officers, but the state will still have to pay these officers; it will just pay the $2.4 million using other state funds.

To view the complete audit report, visit www.auditor.mo.gov/press/2011-60.htm.

Colonel Ron Replogle, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, says in response to the audit that “At a time when other state highway patrols have faced significant financial pressure, Missouri has benefited from the combined efforts of the Water Patrol and the Highway Patrol. As a result, there are more troopers available to respond both to our roadways and waterways.”
 
“The merger of the Highway and Water patrols was designed to provide Missourians with a seamless, fluid patrol force-an efficient, fully integrated team, from the state’s highways and roadways to its lakes and rivers. In just six months it has already exceeded our expectations in the capabilities demonstrated in response to large scale emergencies and natural disasters.”

However, Otto says the Auditor’s Office doesn’t feel that’s a response to the problem at hand, which is a major cost over-run. He says now there’s really no turning back, but the staff is recommending that any other agency mergers in the future first go through a strategic process of working out all of the numbers with all departments that have a vested interest.

Replogle says in a statement, “Many of the long-term cost savings predicted from the merger have already occurred. Redundant administrative staff reductions have resulted in cost savings of approximately $403,000. Elimination of the Water Patrol headquarters facility has resulted in savings of about $250,000. Through attrition, redundant Water Patrol command staff positions have already reduced costs by about $250,000.”

Otto says those savings are a good thing, but the retirement and healthcare costs are still pushing the total cost way over what it was before the merger.

AUDIO: Jessica Machetta reports [Mp3, 1:20 min.]

MODOT chip sealing operations might help it live ‘Bolder’ going forward

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The Department of Transportation is ramping down some of its summer operations, like chip- and cinder sealing. Practices like those might be one of the biggest pieces of the Department’s “Bolder Five Year Plan.”

Chip sealing keeps water from penetrating a roads surface and softening its base. Maintenance Superintendent Mike Belt says that work is done in the summer to help get roads through the next two seasons. He says it helps roads survive fall rains and the freeze-and-thaw cycle of the winter.

Belt says such preventive maintenance practices pay the Department back in dividends by helping to put off the replacement of a road’s surface, which he adds is one of the most expensive parts of maintaining a road. He says those processes often lengthen the life of a surface two-fold or more.

MODOT says its “Bolder Five Year Plan” is intended to help it live within a 600 million dollar budget; about half the size of previous years. Under that plan Belt says work like chip sealing might be seen more, going forward.

He notes many of the crews who have been conducting sealing work in the summer are, or soon will be, out assessing road damage from this summer’s floods as the waters recede.