Jefferson City, Missouri - The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reports that young turkey hunters harvested 4,441 birds during the 2015 spring youth season, April 11 and 12. Top harvest counties were Franklin with 117 birds, Greene with 88, and Cedar with 87. For more harvest information by county, visit the MDC online harvest map at mdc.mo.gov/node/263.

Young hunters checked 4,332 turkeys during last year’s spring youth weekend.

Hunters age 6 through 15 are allowed to take one male turkey or turkey with a visible beard during the youth season. Those who harvest a turkey during the youth season may not take a second bird until the second week of the regular spring turkey season, which runs April 20 through May 10.

Conservation makes Missouri a great place to hunt. For more information on spring turkey hunting, get a copy of the Department’s 2015 Spring Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet where permits are sold or online at mdc.mo.gov/node/4051.

Youth and adult hunters who harvest their first turkeys can have the accomplishment recognized through MDC’s First Turkey certificate, complete with photo. Learn more to create the certificate at mdc.mo.gov/node/10469.

Shown in the photos is 12 year-old Lindsey McWaters with her first turkey.  She is the daughter of Christina and Scot McWaters of New Madrid, Missouri.  They used a hand crafted turkey call by Scot's Game Calls.

Cape Girardeau, Missouri - Baseball Hall of Famer and former St. Louis Cardinal Ozzie Smith will close out the 2014-2015 Speakers Series at Southeast Missouri State University when he speaks at 7:30 p.m. April 20 in the Show Me Center.

His presentation is titled “An Evening with Ozzie Smith.”

Tickets are required and are $10. They can be purchased at www.showmecenter.biz and the Show Me Center Box Office. Current Southeast faculty, staff and students can use a valid Redhawks ID to pick up a free ticket for this event in the University Center Room 204 or the Show Me Center Box Office.

Smith is affectionately known in baseball as “The Wizard” and the best defensive shortstop of all time. He was a first ballot inductee into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002.

Smith retired from baseball in 1996 after playing 19 years in the major leagues, the first four years with the San Diego Padres and the final 15 with the St. Louis Cardinals. His nickname describes the way he played shortstop—he performed magic with his glove and performed in the infield with amazing acrobatic agility.

He has contributed to many charitable endeavors benefiting children and has spent countless hours assisting various charities in the St. Louis area, including the American Heart Association and St. Louis Effort for Aids Dining Out for Life program.  He is currently president of the Gateway PGA Foundation, an organization that reaches out to inner city youth via mentoring and golf programs. He also serves as the education ambassador for the Baseball Hall of Fame and headlines a fundraiser, “Play Ball with Ozzie Smith,” every year in Cooperstown, New York, during Induction Weekend.

Since retirement from baseball, Smith has hosted “This Week in Baseball,” was the color analyst for Cardinal broadcasts in 1997-1999 and served as the baseball analyst for CNNSI, a joint venture between CNN and Sports Illustrated from 1999 to 2002. He operated Ozzie’s Restaurant and Sports Bar at Westport Plaza in St. Louis.

In 1998, 1999 and 2001, Smith was cast in three theatrical productions at The St. Louis Municipal Theatre. He had a cameo role in “Damn Yankees” in 1998. In 1999, he sang and tap danced in “The Muny Goes British,” a musical revue based on songs from various Broadway musicals, and in 2001, he starred as The Wizard in The Muny’s production of “The Wizard of Oz.”

In 2005, the CD, “Oh Say Can You Sing,” was released featuring Smith singing the Sam Cooke song, “Cupid.” The CD includes 10 other major league baseball players singing their own versions of popular songs. Proceeds from this project go to the players’ designated charities.

Smith has three children and makes St. Louis his home because he feels a deep responsibility to give back to the community that has so enriched his life.

Missouri - The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) has expanded pheasant hunting in Missouri from only the northern half of the state and a portion of the southeast to statewide starting with this year’s fall hunting season.

The new regulations are listed in the Department’s recently released 2015 Summary of Missouri Hunting and Trapping Regulations booklet available at MDC offices, nature centers, other places where permits are sold, and online at mdc.mo.gov/node/3657.

Pheasant hunting starts with a youth-only weekend on Oct. 24-25 followed by the regular season of Nov. 1 through Jan. 15, 2016. Hunting remains limited to male pheasants only. The daily bag limit is two male birds and the possession limit is four. Valid permits are Daily Small Game Hunting, Small Game Hunting and Fishing, or Small Game Hunting.

Pheasant hunting in Missouri was previously limited to a North Zone consisting of all counties north of Interstate 70 and a portion of St. Charles County south of I70, and a Southeast Zone consisting of Dunklin, New Madrid, Pemiscot, and Stoddard counties.

According to MDC Resource Scientist Beth Emmerich, the expansion of pheasant hunting to statewide will simplify harvest rules for hunters across the state with minimal impact to the overall pheasant population.

“Hens are protected from harvest and one rooster often mates with multiple hens. Our rooster-only hunting season has very little impact on overall population size and growth,” Emmerich said. “Habitat is what’s key for developing and maintaining wildlife numbers, including game birds such as pheasants and quail. Pheasant populations improve with ample nesting and brood-rearing habitat, including open grassy and agricultural fields.”

She noted that not all areas of the state have pheasants.

“There is noticeable variation in pheasant populations around the state with northwest Missouri and portions of the northeast holding the most birds,” said Emmerich. “Many parts of the state do not have the type of habitat required to hold pheasants. Expansion of pheasant hunting to statewide does not imply that birds can be harvested or even observed in all areas of the state.”

She added that other game species also have statewide hunting seasons regardless of not having significant populations in all parts of the state, including quail, swamp rabbit, and woodcock.”

Visit the MDC website at mdc.mo.gov for more information on hunting pheasants and other game.

Dexter, Missouri - Lately, our community has been abuzz with speculation over what will become of the old Wendy's building on N. One Mile Road. Direct from their Minneapolis headquarters, Buffalo Wild Wings announced today they will purchase the property with plans to open their fourth Southeast Missouri location. 

Montrose, Missouri - The Henry County Sheriff's Office has issued an Amber Alert for a 13-year-old girl from Montrose, Mo.

Hannah Sue Kennish, a white, 13-year-old female is believed to have been abducted between 3 a.m. and 8 a.m. on March 29.

Kennish is described as 5 feet 2 inches, 130 to 140 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a pink short sleeve shirt and pink capri pants.

The suspect is Raymond C. Vallia, white, male, age 55. He is 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighs between 230 to 250 pounds. Vallia has grayish brown hair and brown eyes. 

The suspect vehicle is a black, 2013, Ford F-150 four-door truck bearing Texas registration CGL8981. 

Anyone with any information is asked to dial 911 or call the Henry County Sheriffs Office at 660-525-1544.