Spring turkey season has begun and, alas, you haven’t harvested a bird yet. more

I told myself I wouldn’t write this column, but Angela just won’t let go, nor would I wish it so. This is for all who mourn Angelas of their own: more

Church folks are my parents’ type of people and they are, to my surprise, a sometimes cheeky group to be around. There are four specifically that, when joined by my parents, form a group of six who tend to hang out quite a bit. They have monthly game days, go on excursions to antique shops or hole-in-the-wall restaurants, and gather for occasional holidays when the rest of their families aren’t coming out to visit. They have always been exceedingly kind to me, even extending invitations to join their game festivities or visit for holiday meals when my parents were out of town. more

Sunshine Bowls and Bakery more

Due to the Elections on April 2, the Aldermen meeting was moved from its usual Tuesday to Thursday evening. The session began with the approval of the elections followed by the swearing-in ceremony for the four Aldermen elected at the beginning of April. more

How to beat the “I don’t wanna” beast into submission more

Good news, armchair critics: Young people can still write compelling and coherent prose and poetry with exceptional candor and grammatical skill. more

No matter how much is written about how beneficial black snakes are to humans, these rodent-eating reptiles will always be at the top of many people’s fear lists. more

Spring fever more

Writer witnesses bird-on-bird violence more

I can’t predict as I write this what the weather will be like when you read it, but one thing I’m fairly sure of: We are into the gardeners’ cover/uncover season. more

April already! With the recent literally freezing temperatures, I’ve done fairly well at keeping my spring fever at bay. Yes, I have planted a few seeds just for the pure joy of watching them sprout, but I haven’t gone crazy. Yet. The temptation is always there, though. Intellectual, I understand that it is still too early for most things, but I am ready to get this gardening party started. more

If we were bison, we’d probably have a much higher opinion of brown-headed cowbirds. You’d be hard-pressed to find a birding enthusiast – or anyone else, for that matter – that holds much love for the brown-headed cowbird. This bird, which is common throughout Missouri and many other parts of the U.S., has earned the ire of many people because it parasitizes nests of other birds. Mid-April is usually when female cowbirds begin plopping their eggs into nests of various species. Although there’s little appreciation for these nest-infiltration tactics, even the most ardent cowbird-hater would have to admit it’s a rather remarkable method of producing the next generation. more

As you may know, the Bolivar R-1 school board recently took action against one of its own. The board, at the urging of the board president, voted to censure a fellow member. The reason listed is the violation of board policy BBF. more

Writer gets loose with a goose more

What has happened to the “Ghostbusters” movie franchise? For over a quarter century Hollywood resisted the temptation to spoil the one-two punch of the 1984 comedy classic and its decent-enough 1989 sequel. Then there came the 2016 reboot, which was controversial for its female cast, and the controversy is all anyone remembers. The 2021 legacy sequel didn’t always nail its humor, but there were some charming new characters and a nice kick of nostalgia at the end. But now with “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” this once-mighty property has officially become, well, a ghost of its former self. more

The Historical Society of Polk County will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 28. The meeting will take place at the Polk County Museum, 201 W. Locust, Bolivar. Jerald Andrews will be speaking about his involvement with the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. more

Now and then I am reminded that we born after World War II were witnesses to some of the most momentous events of the 20th century. Following are selected events from the Time-Life series, “Our American Century.” more

As recent as 20 years ago, any bear sighting in Missouri made state-wide headlines. more

I’m not going to sugarcoat it: this was not a good week for new releases. The battle for the top spot at the domestic box office was a fierce one, with “Kung Fu Panda 4” in its second weekend narrowly edging out “Dune: Part Two” in its third. But after those two holdovers, the box office fell off a cliff, with newcomer “Arthur the King” taking a weak third place with barely a quarter of either’s take. Granted, the relatively small-scale production is not one that has ambitions of conquering the box office. It’s okay with being a nice little crowd-pleaser, which would be fine if it were actually more pleasing. more

What I learned while upside down more

Just a few days ago I poured myself a glass of orange juice, something I seldom do because we seldom have any in the refrigerator unless grandkids are coming to visit. more

If you think you see a lot of red-winged blackbirds in the spring and summer, national bird surveys indicate you’re right. more

She has a special set of skills more

Since Po (Jack Black), the main character of the “Kung Fu Panda” movies, is known for his more