Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Editor
Missouri - Summertime is hunting, fishing, camping, and hiking time. It also is tick time, and the Missouri Department of Conservation reminds those visiting conservation areas to take time to prevent tick bites.
Ticks can transmit diseases, including ehrlichiosis, tularemia, anaplasmosis, Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI). The risk of contracting these illnesses is small but serious, so it is worth taking a few simple precautions to avoid them.
Protective clothing is the first line of defense against ticks. When outdoors, wear long-sleeved shirts, long pants, and boots with pants tucked into socks or boots. Rubber bands, blousing bands, or tape can be used to secure the cuffs of your pants.
Once indoors, conduct a thorough tick check and shower as soon as possible to remove any unattached ticks. Tumble clothes in a dryer on high heat to kill remaining ticks before washing your clothing.
Insect repellents also reduce the risk of being bitten. Products containing DEET are most effective. Apply DEET-based repellent on exposed skin and clothing. Use a product with at least a 20-percent concentration. Lower concentrations do not repel lone-star ticks, Missouri’s most common ticks. Essential oils and natural products are not registered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for tick repellency. Be sure to follow label instructions to ensure safety and best results.
Products containing permethrin can be applied to clothing and equipment but not directly to skin. Garments must be allowed to dry thoroughly before wearing. These products kill ticks rather than merely repelling them. Again, be sure to follow label directions.
Most tick-transmitted diseases are not transferred to the host until the tick has been feeding for some time. The earlier the tick is located and removed, the less the chance of being infected with a tick-borne disease. When you are active outdoors, never allow more than a few hours to pass without a tick inspection.
Remove any attached ticks immediately. Proper removal is important, because improper removal can increase the likelihood of infection. Follow these steps to remove a tick that is already attached.
• Use fine-tipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to the skin's surface as possible. If you use your fingers, cover them with tissue or rubber gloves. Use only as much pressure as necessary to avoid forcing the tick’s stomach contents into the bite.
• Remove the tick with a firm outward movement. Never jerk or twist the tick when removing it.
• After removing the tick, thoroughly clean the bite area and your hands with rubbing alcohol, an iodine scrub, or soap and water.
Watch for symptoms of tick-borne disease in the days and weeks following a tick bite. These include any unusual rash and unexplained flu-like symptoms, including fever, severe headaches, body aches, and dizziness.
Symptoms of tick-borne diseases often are mild, but they should not be ignored. If you know you’ve been bitten by a tick and any of the above symptoms appear, consult a doctor and mention the recent tick bite. Prompt treatment with antibiotics can prevent serious illness or even death.
For more information about tick-borne diseases, visit cdc.gov/ticks/resources/Hunterfactsheet.pdf and cdc.gov/ticks/diseases/.
Written by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Editor
Poplar Bluff, Missouri – The John D Hale Band and Powder Mill will be in concert at the Black River Coliseum this Friday night with special guest Maggie Thorn of Bloomfield.
Maggie will open for these two fantastic bands at 7:00 p.m. Friday, May 30, 2014. She is the 20-year-old singer/songwriter from Bloomfield, Missouri. Her musical journey has earned her regular performances at local events, clubs, wineries, charities and other venues in Missouri and Tennessee.
Her first EP “Gravel Road” debuted in March of 2013. As a college student at Belmont University she juggles studies with her musical career. She is currently pursuing a degree in commercial music. You won’t want to miss hearing this outstanding young lady. She is talented with a tremendous voice!
Tickets are just $10 each and you can still get tickets at the Box Office! Doors open at 6:30 p.m. For more information call 573-686-8001.
The John D. Hale band is a blend of country, Americana, southern rock and a little bluegrass. They have crafter their own edgy and raucous sound since forming back in 2005 with their debut album, “One of a Kind”. Their hometown of Jackson, Missouri is where they have set up shop. The quartet of John D. Hale, Kurt Tietz, Chris Brotherton and Mason Wakins give an energetic and rowdy showcase of great country music.
Powder Mill released their latest album “Land of the Free” online in September 11, 2013, their 5th album. It features eleven original songs, most of which were tracked in early 2012 within the walls of Jim Dickinson’s legendary Zebra Ranch Studio in Coldwater, Mississippi. The band brought the tracks back home to their Trumble Hill Studios in Carter, County, Van Buren, Missouri to finish recording the album. Powder Mill’s own Jeff Chapman, along with Mark McPheeters, mixed and produced the album incorporating the their home-grown Ozark grit. They bring to mind an outfit of roughians, backwoods hillbillies that love rock and roll, but if you dig a little deeper they are honest, homegrown, down-home simple.
Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Editor
Dexter, Missouri – The Stoddard County Coroner’s office, Kenny Pope, and Aaron Mathis, along with Stoddard County Presiding Commissioner, Greg Mathis recently fed the members of the Dexter Fire Department and Extrication Team.
The Dexter Fire Department recently held their regular monthly training for all the people who assist the Coroner’s office and Stoddard County emergency personnel when emergency situations arise. These people are dedicated to saving lives and sometimes don't get the recognition or appreciation from the general public. We would like to thank them for their dedication and hard work and for saving lives and property.
Presiding Commissioner Mathis stated, “The cities and towns of Stoddard County are very fortunate to have dedicated men and women to meet the challenges of fire protection and emergency response.”
Submitted by Mark Reed
Bloomfield, Missouri - If you are looking for a great way to get the kids’ summer started, look no further. Local volunteers with support from local businesses along with The National Wild Turkey Federation and the Missouri Department of Conservation will be holding the Stoddard County JAKES Event on Saturday, May 31. This annual event has proven to be popular with kids and parents alike so if you haven’t attended one yet, here is your chance. The day begins at 800 am sharp so arrive early. We will wrap up activities around 100 pm just after lunch.
The JAKES Event is open to all kids age 6 thru 16 and lunch is provided. The day is free thanks to financial support from the community and local businesses. As in past years, the event will be held at the Holly Ridge Conservation Area archery range and pavilion on Stoddard County Road 517. The easiest way to find the area is to travel east from Bloomfield on HWY E then turn south on CR 517. Stay on 517 and you will find us.
Popular activities include archery, trapping, target shooting, nature hike, primitive skills, and more. The kids are divided into small groups based on age and move around the area on a schedule, allowing everyone to participate in all activities. Friends and family will be able to stay together throughout the day. The NWTF and MDC are strong supporters of family and introducing others to the great outdoors. The NWTF’s philosophy of “Share the Hunt” encourages avid sportsmen and women to take others along not only on hunting trips but also a variety of other outdoor experiences.
All equipment will be provided by the NWTF and the MDC so you don’t need to bring anything except an appetite for adventure and maybe some bug spray. Most of the day will take place in mowed areas but closed toe shoes are recommended for walks in the woods. Each activity will be supervised by experienced personnel to ensure a safe and enjoyable day.
There’s no better way to get the kids off their electronic devices and in touch with Mother Nature for a few hours than with this free and enjoyable day. As a bonus, we provide lunch and you don’t have to do the dishes. For more information, contact Dale Kemp at 624-1283, John Pyles at 568-3774, or Mark Reed at 421-3240.
Submitted by
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Editor
United States of America - By order of the President of the United States, in accordance with Section 6 of the U. S. Flag Code, all flags at all State facilities are to be flown at half-staff on Monday, May 26, 2014 until noon that same day in recognition of Memorial Day.
For locations that display illuminated flags that remain up at all times, these flags need to be lowered to half-staff for the morning of May 26, 2014 and returned to full staff at noon that same day.
For flag locations at which the flags are not illuminated or for other reasons are raised and lowered each day, the flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position, and returned to full staff at noon.
Your office is responsible for distributing this information throughout your department for compliance with this order on May 26th. Following is the proclamation from the President.
PRAYER FOR PEACE, MEMORIAL DAY, 2014
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
A PROCLAMATION
Constant in the American narrative is the story of men and women who loved our country so deeply they were willing to give their all to keep it safe and free. When a revolution needed to be won and our Union needed to be preserved, brave patriots stepped forward. When our harbor was bombed and our country was attacked on a clear September morning, courageous warriors raised their hands and said, "send me." On the last Monday of each May, our Nation comes together to honor the selfless heroes who have defended the land we love and in so doing gave their last full measure of devotion.
Today, we pause to remember our fallen troops, to mourn their loss, and to pray for their loved ones. Though our hearts ache, we find a measure of solace in knowing their legacy lives on in the families our heroes left behind -- the proud parents who instilled in their sons and daughters the values that led them to serve; the remarkable spouses who gave our Nation the person they cherished most in the world; and the beautiful children who will grow up with the knowledge that their mother or father embodied the true meaning of patriotism. To those we lost, we owe a profound debt that can never be fully repaid. But we can honor the fallen by caring for their loved ones and keeping faith with our veterans and their fellow brothers and sisters in arms.
The security that lets us live in peace, the prosperity that allows us to pursue our dreams, the freedom that we cherish -- these were earned by the blood and the sacrifices of patriots who went before. This Memorial Day, as we near the end of more than a decade of war, let us never forget their service and always be worthy of the sacrifices made in our name. And today and every day, let us pray for and hold close the families of the fallen.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Memorial Day, May 26, 2014, as a day of prayer for permanent peace, and I designate the hour beginning in each locality at 11:00 a.m. of that day as a time to unite in prayer. I also ask all Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance beginning at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day.
I request the Governors of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, officials of the other territories subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct that the flag be flown at half-staff until noon on this Memorial Day on all buildings, grounds, and naval vessels throughout the United States and in all areas under its jurisdiction and control. I also request the people of the United States to display the flag at half-staff from their homes for the customary forenoon period.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-third day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand fourteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-eighth.
BARACK OBAMA
