Opinion

Tulip Talk

Rob Perez sits across from a vibrant, solid blue potted perennial herbaceous bulbiferous geophyte, more commonly known as a tulip. ROB: Well, this is very unusual.
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Small town state of mind . . .

Small towns are a place where values are important, they are practiced, and the people are authentic. One only must look at the popularity of Hallmark movies, the Andy Griffith Show, Sweet Magnolias, Bedford Falls, and the Gilmore Girls’ town of Stars Hollow with themes around small town living to see that people embrace small towns and all they symbolize.
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Wild Gobblers, Now, Yesterday and Tomorrow

There is only one answer to bringing wild turkeys back to the numbers seen many years ago! Hunters will have to do it! The Missouri Department of Conservation is too inept now to do much of anything but cut timber. And cutting back on turkey seasons and bag limits and eliminating the senseless “youth season” will cost them money. They will do nothing to cost themselves money. But if we can organize a large number of turkey hunters, we can make them do some things to help the numbers increase, which would be the first time that has happened in more than ten years.
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A Day for Mother

Mother’s Day is the one day a year when Mother gets to put her feet up and is waited on hand and foot by her minion. Father brings her an iced coffee, just the way she likes it. The children deliver the remote control, blankets, and a snack. Uninterrupted, Mother watches an entire episode of BBC-produced British period piece on PBS. It is pure bliss.
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The faces of Democracy . . .

Last week the Courier and some of our sister newspapers owned by CherryRoad Media in Arkansas had a visit from the new Vice President of Growth and Development, Lee Bachlet. I proudly discussed the Courier and our community. I explained that we strive to cover local news, and our people, all while fulfilling our role of watchdog for the community. It’s a delicate balance. The newspaper must have the backs of residents and support the school, local governments and businesses. I like to think of the newspaper as a vehicle to help people in the community. The role of the newspaper should be about doing what you can to help solve problems in the town and county where it resides. It’s about supporting the community by shining a light on what is right and what needs to be fixed. It’s challenging work, especially if an entity tries to throw up a roadblock to transparency that is a right given to the public.
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Interesting things about the Blue Jay

Blue Jays are a beautiful bird, they are a large, crested songbird with broad, rounded tail. Blue Jays are smaller than crows, larger than robins. The Blue Jay Color pattern is white or light gray underneath, various shades of blue, black, and white above. The size of the male and female Blue Jay range in this range; Length: 9.8-11.8 in, Weight: 2.5-3.5 oz, and Wingspan: 13.4-16.9 in.
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