JEFFERSON CITY, Mo -- It’s will be a year of anniversaries at the 2012 Missouri State Fair. As the Missouri State Fair commemorates 110 years of celebrating the state’s outdoors and rural lifestyles, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will be celebrating its own 75-year anniversary of serving nature and you. The Missouri State Fair, with the theme of “Celebrate Then & WOW,” will run from Aug. 9-19 in Sedalia.
MDC’s Conservation Pavilion, located at the south end of the fairgrounds, will again feature live animal displays and demonstrations as well as special exhibits on topics including black bears, native-plant landscaping and wildlife restoration. The always-popular fish aquaria will again provide a fun and refreshing break, while a display of live amphibians and reptiles will excite fairgoers of all ages.
MDC’s air-conditioned Conservation Kids’ Discovery Room, open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily, will provide children’s programs and hands-on exhibits designed for family fun and learning about Missouri’s forests, fish and wildlife.
Live demonstrations offered at the Conservation Pavilion this year will include:
- The Bald Eagle’s Return, Aug. 9 and 16, 11 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.: Presentations from Springfield’s Dickerson Park Zoo, a partner in bald eagle restoration, will feature Phoenix, an adult bald eagle.
- Fish Cooking and Cleaning, Aug. 10-11, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.: MDC Fisheries biologists will demonstrate how to clean and fillet Asian carp, and attendees will be able to sample fried fish.
- Calling All Wildlife, Aug. 12, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.: MDC Outdoor Education Supervisor Jake Hindman, an expert wildlife caller, will demonstrate how to mimic the calls of a variety of Missouri animals.
- Know Your Trees, Aug. 13, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.: MDC Urban Forester Chuck Conner will help homeowners identify Missouri trees and give tips for their care.
- Living with Wildlife, Aug. 14, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.: MDC Wildlife Damage Supervisor Rex Martensen will cover the basics of how to live with wildlife around your home or yard, including how to deal with conflicts.
- Feral Hogs, Aug. 15, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.: MDC staff will provide updates on the feral hog population in the state and what Missourians can do to help.
- Insects and Disease in Trees, Aug. 17, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.: MDC Forestry experts will share information on the season’s insect and disease threats to trees, including thousand canker disease and emerald ash borer updates.
- Turtles of Missouri, Aug. 18, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.: MDC Herpetologist Jeff Briggler will give a lively and popular talk about the state’s turtles, including live animals.
- CWD and Deer Management, Aug. 18, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.: MDC Deer Biologist Jason Sumners will cover current deer management in Missouri, along with updates on Chronic Wasting Disease.
By to the ShowMe Times by,
Missouri SMP
Medicare scams can be elaborate or simple, but the results are the same. Everyone pays the price in higher health insurance premiums and the quality of care is often poor. You can help your aging parents stay a step ahead of scammers by looking out for the following.
No, it’s not Uncle Sam
Remember, Medicare doesn’t call or visit to sell you anything.
Review the MSN together
Always review the Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) and Part D Explanation of Benefits (EOB) for mistakes. Medicare accounts are available 24 hours a day. Simply visit www.MyMedicare.gov
Look for these three things;
· Charges for services that were not received
· Billing for the same thing twice
· Services that were not ordered by their doctor
Be wary of potential scams;
· Great deal on medical equipment – yeah, right
If someone calls saying he or she represents Medicare and wants to send you medical supplies, assume the person is a phony. Only receive supplies that have been ordered by your physician.
· Get clarity on health care changes
There is a potential for scams as a result of confusion over changes in the country’s health care system. Make sure that your parent’s understand changes to their healthcare coverage.
· Just say no to freebies
Advise your parents not to accept free offers of medical equipment, health services or gift cards from companies. The catch may be that they are asked for their Medicare or Social Security numbers, which scammers may use for fraudulent purposes, including identity theft.
Talk to your parents
Your parents may not suspect they are being manipulated by fraudsters. Consider making an agreement that when they get a medical statement, you will go over it with them. It also doesn’t hurt to go through your parents’ credit report for any unpaid medical bills or equipment they didn’t receive. Monitor their credit cards for any medical-related charges that shouldn’t be there.
Report suspicious activity if you suspect potential Medicare fraud
If you think someone is trying to scam your parents, speak up. Contact the Missouri SMP with questions or to report potential fraud at 888-515-6565.
The Missouri SMP receives funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration on Aging to educate health care consumers about fraud and abuse and to offer assistance in reporting complaints. SMP Volunteers have been trained and are available to assist you with questions and concerns regarding Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse at no cost to you.
All 114 counties in Missouri, which include the seven that make up the 25th Senatorial District, received the designation as primary natural disaster areas. This designation allows eligible farmers to be considered for assistance from the FSA, which includes emergency loans administered by the agency.
“You only need to step outside and take a look at the conditions that surround our state,” said Sen. Mayer. “This string of hot, humid and precipitation-free days and weeks has had a serious impact on our farmers and ranchers — hard-working Missourians who work each day to support our state’s No. 1 industry.”
The drought disaster declaration came after the USDA’s drought damage assessment, which found that every county in Missouri either lost at least 30 percent of its estimated single crop yield or individual farmers suffered production losses totaling more than 30 percent.
Sen. Mayer states the numerous devastating social, environmental and economical effects severe droughts can inflict on Missouri and its citizens, including damages in crop quality, and ultimately food shortages; water-usage conflicts; reduction and degradation of fish and wildlife habitat, leading to a complete loss of wildlife in some areas; a reduction or complete loss of economic development; and an increase in the cost of food for those who live in and get their food from Missouri, among other factors.
Most recently, a state of an emergency was issued that authorizes the State Soil and Water Districts Commission to implement an emergency cost-share program for water source development and/or water distribution practices to assist farmers and livestock producers who are adversely impacted by the current drought.
“This emergency program implementation means continued assistance for Missourians within the agriculture industry whose livelihood has been threatened by the drought,” said Sen. Mayer. “Farmers and livestock producers can benefit from the emergency program, which will make it easier for these industry professionals who have been severely impacted by this ongoing drought, allowing them to drill for or deepen water wells or take up other water distribution projects more quickly in order to take care of their crops and livestock.”
Eligibility criteria for the emergency program include:
- The applicant must be engaged in livestock or crop production and experiencing a water shortage caused directly by the current drought conditions.
- The water shortage is severely impacting the well-being of the farmer’s livestock or crop production.
- The proposed water source development or water distribution practice will immediately benefit livestock and crops.
- Drilling for or deepening water wells will not adversely affect a public water supply.
“With the FSA’s assistance and the recent executive order declaring a state of emergency, Missouri farmers and ranchers now have available channels to receive much-needed help to get them through the rest of the summer and into the fall and winter months,” said Sen. Mayer. “I’m pleased the FSA answered our call to provide our citizens with these valuable resources. It only takes a few minutes in speaking with these dedicated farmers and ranchers to know that conditions are beyond bad. However, our state’s citizens are resilient, and with this assistance, Missourians will be able to begin to rebound from this long-lasting drought.”
For more information on all disaster designation and declaration assistance in the Show-Me State, contact the Missouri State Farm Service Agency Office at (573) 876-0980 or your local county agency office. To apply for the emergency cost-share program implemented this week, contact your county local soil and water district or visit SWCD.MO.gov to view each county’s soil and water district. Applications for this emergency program must be submitted by Aug. 6, 2012, and the local soil and water district will act on each application within 72 hours of its receipt.
Above, Locust Str. Flowers team members (from left) Lexi, Willa, Kim, and Daryl prepare arrangements to be delivered this afternoon. (ShowMe Times photo by Andrew Cato)
