By Annabeth Miller,
ShowMe Times Editor
Missouri has a great heritage of conservation, and a great heritage of naturists who take amazing photographs of the ShowMe State’s natural wonders.
So it only seems “natural” for the Missouri Department of Conservation to celebrate its 75th anniversary with a photo contest.
The MDC invites photographers to enter its 75th Anniversary Photo Contest. Photo-bugs are encouraged to get out their cameras and serve photo files for their best images that celebrate Missouri’s natural wonders. Winners will be featured in the October issue of the Missouri Conservationist, as well as on the MDC website and other media.
A full list of rules and guidelines can be found on the MDC website. Entries will only be accepted via Flickr, an Internet photo sharing service. Photographers currently not on Flickr will find it easy to join. Just go to the75th anniversary photo contest Flickr site for more information.
There are seven categories you can enter:
- Mammals
- Plants
- Reptiles and Amphibians
- Insects and Spiders
- Birds
- Outdoor Recreation
- Habitats and Landscapes
Entries will be accepted through May 15. After that date, a panel of photography and nature experts will select the best entry in each category. These category winners will be posted on the MDC website starting July 1, when the public can vote for their favorite. The photo with the most votes will be named “Best of Show.” All seven winners will be displayed in the October magazine and other MDC media.
Links Of Interest
By Annabeth Miller, SMT Editor
It may have been cold and wet outside Thursday evening, but inside Central Elementary School, the action things were busy, hectic and a little warm for the Parent Night opening the annual Scholastic Book Fair.
Parents and students flocked to Central, as well as Southwest Elementary, for the Parent Night to kick off the annual book fair. The thee for Book Fair this year is “Book Fair Luau – It’s A Reading Celebration!” From “Dewey the Library Cat” to cookbooks to the tale of four little girls in “Shoe-La-La” to a book on America by Callista Gingrich, wife of the Presidential candidate – hundreds of books were just ready for new readers.
The Books Fairs in the Dexter schools will be held through Feb. 6 at Southwest, Central and Middle schools and are administered by each building’s PTO. Proceeds will be used to purchase library materials in the schools.
Each year Scholastic Book Fairs, in partnership with schools across the country, hosts more than 120,000 book-sale events that give more than 35 million students and their families access to thousands of affordable and educational products, helping foster a lifelong love of reading.
ShowMe Times Photo Gallery
Central Elementary Book Fair Parent Night
An SMT Report
Sikeston – A route connecting Stoddard and Scott counties will be closed this Friday for bridge repairs.
The Missouri Department of Transportation reports that Route 91 – connecting the Bell City area and Morley will be closed between Route CC and Route P while crews perform routine bridge repairs.
Work will take place Friday, Jan. 27 from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., weather permitting.
The work zone will be marked with signs. Motorists are urged to use extreme caution while traveling near the area.
For additional information, contact MoDOT's Customer Service Center toll-free at 1-888-ASK-MODOT (1-888-275-6636) or visit www.modot.org/southeast.
COLUMBIA - A Bootheel member of the University of Missouri Board of Curators has resigned with one year left in her term.
Judith Haggard of Kennett cited personal reasons that prevented her from fulfilling her term on the University of Missouri Board of Curators. Her resignation was effective Jan. 17.
“It has been an honor to work on behalf of the four campuses of the University of Missouri System,” Haggard said. “I am grateful for the privilege to have served the state in this capacity.”
Gov. Matt Blunt appointed Haggard to the board of curators in 2007. She served as chairwoman of the curators in 2010 where she advocated for the growth of a systemwide, coordinated effort to expand learning opportunities to new and existing students. She has served as chairs of the Executive; Academic, Student and External Affairs; and Governance, Resources and Planning committees.
“Judy’s passion and enthusiasm for higher education will be greatly missed,” said current board chair David Bradley of St. Joseph in the announcement from the University. “She made it a personal mission to ensure that the University of Missouri remains in the top-tier in both research and education and that our campuses provide an affordable education to the state’s citizens so they are equipped with the tools to become contributing members of society. We wish her all the best.”
Haggard was a enthusiastic spokesman for the University, especially at gatherings like the annual Field Day at the University of Missouri Delta Research Center in Portageville.
Haggard is a family nurse practitioner at the SEMO Health Network in Kennett and a past examiner for the certification of substance abuse counselors. She received her bachelor’s degree in nursing from the University of Missouri-Columbia and her master’s degree in nursing from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Haggard is the founder of the Dunklin County Caring Community Council, a founding member of the parent organization at MU, a member of the MU Alumni Association and an elder in her church. She has received the Community Service Award in recognition of her community work in Kennett.
The board of curators is the governing body of the University of Missouri and consists of nine members who are appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. Curators serve six-year terms. Haggard’s term would have expired Jan. 1, 2013. The governor may appoint a replacement to fill the remaining portion of her term.
