Missouri House Resolution: Environmental Editor Recognized For Books Published

Posted on December 14, 2024 | Leave a comment

State Rep. Deb Lavender, D-98th District, presented journalist Don Corrigan with a Missouri House Resolution recognizing his recent work as an author of pop culture books, all with an environmental component.

Author Don Corrigan of Environmental Echo was recognized at a Dec. 12 lunch event with a Missouri House Resolution recognizing his recent work as a writer of pop culture books – all with an environmental component.

Corrigan, who is journalism faculty emeritus at Webster University, was joined for the award presentation by teaching colleagues: Kit Jenkins, public relations; Barry Hufker, audio studies; Van McElwee, video studies; Art Silverblatt, media literacy studies; Kathy Corley, film studies.

Corrigan received the House Resolution from Missouri Rep. Deb Lavender, who represents the 98th District. The official recognition was signed by House Speaker Dean Plocher of Des Peres, who recorded its adoption on Nov. 8.

Rep. Lavender noted that Corrigan has served more than four full decades as newspaper editor of the Webster-Kirkwood Times; and as a professor of journalism for four decades at Webster University.

“Corrigan appears to have chosen a third career now as a prolific author of books and as a presenter and regular contributor to the national Popular Culture Association,” Lavender said.

“He has published five books in five years, including Amazing Webster Groves, which celebrates the town where he was editor-in-chief of the local newspaper for 40 years” Lavender added.

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Missouri: A Sinkhole State Karst Geology Accounts For Show-Me-State Sinkholes

Posted on December 12, 2024 | Leave a comment

Sinkholes in Blackburn Park in Webster Groves are relatively small, but can clog with leaves and brush.

by Don Corrigan

Missouri is famous for mood rings, monster trucks, ice cream cones, toasted ravioli, floatable streams and show caves. Something the Show-Me-State should also be known for is its sinkholes.

Missouri is the Sinkhole State with huge, medium and teeny sinkholes. It has urban and rural, prairie and forest sinkholes. Technically a sinkhole is defined as a natural depression in the ground that can swallow lots of rain, but also on occasion a car or even a house.

For a good look at some small suburban sinkholes, take a walk in Blackburn Park in the St. Louis suburb of Webster Groves. For a good look at rural sinkholes, take a drive to Boone County south of Columbia.

The largest known sinkhole in Missouri encompasses approximately 700 acres southeast of where Interstate 70 crosses the Missouri River. Records are not kept about depth, but some sinkholes in Boone County are greater than 100 feet deep.

Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, located five miles south of Columbia, is a  2,273-acre park with sinkholes, a rock bridge, and an underground stream. The park also has a trail called the Sinkhole Trail.

Heavy rain across southern Missouri this fall opened up a new set of problems beyond flooding – sinkholes. When they open, they can swallow garages, houses and drain lakes and ponds.

The suburb of Webster Groves and parts of South St. Louis County are dotted with sinkholes, according to Missouri Department of Natural Resource geologic maps.

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Experience An 1860s Victorian Christmas At Hunter-Dawson State Historic Site

Posted on December 10, 2024 | Leave a comment

Friday, Dec. 13 and Saturday, Dec. 14, 5:30 – 8:30 p.m. – Christmas Candlelight Open House at Hunter-Dawson State Historic Site.

The public is invited Friday, Dec. 13 and Saturday, Dec. 14 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. to experience an 1860s Victorian Christmas during a candlelight open house of the Hunter-Dawson home.

The mansion will be aglow with the warmth of oil lamps and candles and decorated with fresh greenery, Christmas trees and 1860s-style ornaments. Site staff will be dressed in period clothing and will be present to answer any questions. Standard daytime tours on those days will be offered from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The open house is free and open to the public, and reservations are not required. However, there are fees for the daytime tours.

For more information about the daytime tours, visit mostateparks.com/page/58550/interpretive-programs-and-tours. Hunter-Dawson State Historic Site is located at 312 Dawson Road in New Madrid.

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Chirping At Mighty Cricket! Sustainable Startup Scores $650,000 In Grant Support

by Don Corrigan

Munching on crickets may not be what you have in mind with a season of Christmas cookies, salty snacks, and New Year’s Eve toasts.  However, delectable crickets are very much on the mind of Sarah Schlafly.

Schlafly is the founder of Mighty Cricket, which this season is celebrating the gift of a grant to further efforts to convert food waste into nutritious cricket feed. The $650,000 nod of support comes from a Small Business Innovation Research grant through the Department of Agriculture.

This is not the first grant that the young cricket lady has scored. Three years ago, her sustainable protein startup, Mighty Cricket, received a $50,000 equity-free grant from Arch Grants. The company competed with hundreds of applicants and was one of 35 chosen.

“We are thrilled to receive this level of acceptance here in the Midwest,” said CEO Schlafly at the of the Arch grant . “Historically, the heartland has lagged behind the east and west coasts in terms of food trends.

“Here is our chance to lead the nation and the world with food options that are better for ourselves and the planet,” said Schlafly, a resident f the St. louis suburb of Des Peres.

Mighty Cricket’s mission is to build a sustainable protein supply. According to the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations, the world is projected to run out of natural resources to feed everyone on the planet by 2050.

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Posted on December 8, 2024 in Environment, Home, Opinion

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MDC Needs Birders to Help with Audubon Christmas Bird Count

MDC needs experienced birders to help with the National Audubon Society’s 125th Christmas Bird Count between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5. Go out over a 24-hour period on one calendar day to count birds, such as these eastern bluebirds.

Become citizen scientists by helping with the National Audubon Society’s 125th Christmas Bird Count between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5.

The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) encourages experienced Missouri birders to become citizen scientists by helping with the National Audubon Society’s 125th Christmas Bird Count (CBC) between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5, 2025.

The CBC is an annual bird census where thousands of volunteers across the U.S., Canada, and other countries go out over a 24-hour period on one calendar day to count birds between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5. The data on winter bird populations helps track the long-term status of species and large-scale trends. Each CBC has a coordinator who assigns portions of a 15-mile diameter count circle to participants to count all birds seen and heard over a 24-hour period.

Missouri hosts about 20 CBCs. Learn more at audubon.org/conservation/join-christmas-bird-count and contact the CBC organizers listed for details on the specific count circles.

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Posted on December 2, 2024 in Home, Local Events, Outdoor/Nature

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November Flash Floods – Storms Dump Rains: Closing Parks, Altering Ecosystems

by Don Corrigan

After an extended period of drought, historic downpours on Nov. 3 severely damaged state and local parks, closed highways and put cars underwater, and actually scoured away ecosystems crucial to fish species.

Horses enjoyed playing in high water near I-44 and Highway 141, but drivers in the area were not amused by traffic problems. Photo by Ursula Ruhl.

In the St. Louis area, drivers in the Valley Park-Fenton area were frustrated when roads closed at I-44 and Highway 141 due to the flooding Meramec River. Horses had to be moved to higher ground at riding stables near the southwest quadrant of the two highways.

Marshall Road in Valley Park went underwater as did trails along the Meramec in Eureka, Valley Park and Fenton. Minnie HaHa Park in Sunset Hills suffered severe damage to its shoreline with trails and facilities washed out.

The National Weather Service reported rain amounts in the 6 to 8-inch range in the southeast St. Louis County area on Nov. 3. However, rain amounts in the Current River watershed area exceeded one foot.

Bike and hiking trail was washed into the Meramec River at Minnie HaHa Park in Sunset Hills.

Missouri’s Department of Natural Resources reported the closure for days after the deluge of such parks as Onondoga Cave State Park near Leasburg, Meramec State Park near Sullivan and Route 66 State Park near Eureka.

Unprecedented river levels shut the Current River down to recreational activities for several days and severe damage occurred on river sites near Akers and Pulltite and Round Springs. Also shuttered were Montauk State Park near Salem and Current River State Park north of Eminence.

 

Damage was incurred at the trout hatchery at Montauk State Park. Fish and wildlife authorities also expressed concern over habitat destruction for Ozark hellbenders in the streams of the Ozark Scenic National Riverways.

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Posted on November 29, 2024 in Environment, Home

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Tree City USA: Tradition Local Arbor Advocates Plant To Please With Street Trees

Students from Kirkwood High School’s Environmental Club pitched in for the 50 Trees
planting project.

by Don Corrigan

Soggy weather on Saturday, Nov. 9, didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of a self-styled tree-planting brigade. Tree partisans met at Kirkwood Park’s Campbell shelter at 9:30 a.m. and fanned out to plant 65 trees.

Delivery trucks arrived near the shelter early in the morning loaded with trees, mulch, and implements. The green cargo, dropped off at the maintenance yard, was then transferred to more than eight tree planting sites.

Seasoned tree planters were joined in their arbor efforts by a markedly younger work crew. The Kirkwood High School Environmental Awareness Club showed up in force. More than a dozen members arrived early for tree planting duty.

“It was great to have them helping us,” said Kirkwood’s Nancy Luetzow. “Any time I mingle with our high school students, my spirits are lifted by their energy, intellect, and enthusiasm. It’s always heartening.

“Our tree group is never deterred by a cool, cloudy, or clammy start to the day,” added Luetzow. “If anything, the recent 10 inches of rain and the additional showers Saturday, made our job easier and gave the new trees a good first drink.”

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Posted on November 26, 2024 in Environment, Home

Wild Lights Starts Nov. 29 at the Saint Louis Zoo

Posted on November 25, 2024 | Leave a comment

Photo by Danny Recklein – Saint Louis Zoo

This holiday season, escape to a wild wonderland with twinkling light displays and festive family fun at Wild Lights presented by Commerce Bank at the Saint Louis Zoo!

2024 Event Dates & Ticket Prices

Wild Lights is open from 5 to 8:30 p.m. on the following select dates:
Friday-Sunday, Nov. 29-Dec. 1 — $12/Member; $15/Non-member
Thursday-Sunday, Dec. 5-8 — $12/Member; $15/Non-member
Monday, Dec. 9 — Sensory-Friendly Night for neurodivergent guests with sensory sensitivities: $10/Member; $10/Non-member
Nightly, Dec. 11-23 — $15/Member; $18/Non-member
Thursday-Sunday, Dec. 26-29 — $12/Member; $15/Non-member

Tickets for ages 2 and up are required and must be purchased in advance online at stlzoo.org/wildlights. Free admission for children ages 0-23 months. High demand is expected, and popular dates may sell out quickly. Proceeds from the event help the Zoo provide the highest quality care for its animals.

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Sound-Off On Annoying Ads! “ODDVERTISING” Set For Blumenhof Winery Nov. 23

 

 

 

 

 

On the heels of its opening in Chicago, Don Corrigan will bring his humorous presentation, “STORY OF ODDVERTISING,” to Blumenhof Winery in Dutzow at 5:30 p.m., Nov. 23. The audience at the free show is invited to the Winery Tasting Room to “Sip, Snicker and Sound-Off!”

The Sound-Off Session will have attendees nominate the most annoying TV ads that they put up with this year. For discussion: Why are there so many goofy ads on TV? Why is the time given to ads expanding? Who are the creative geniuses behind Oddvertising?

Don has studied and taught media at universities for 40 years. He espouses media theories of Wally Armbruster, creator of top Budweiser and toilet bowl ads; Marshall McLuhan, the guru of hot & cool media; and Mike Johnston, the ad creative who coined this term: “ODDVERTISING.”

Don also will discuss his media books, which examine, in part, how squirrels, roadkill, and flatulence are used in ODDVERTISING. Sound-off night participants can enter a drawing to win the infamous Christmas Flatulence Basket. The basket winner will be announced at Blumenhof’s Christkindl Market on Nov. 30.

Not all “ODDVERTISING” is bad. As a fan of Wine Country and author of The Washington Missourian’s “Off The Vine” column, Corrigan is interested in audience ideas on how to promote wine country in unique ways. No charge for this event, but purchase of wine and books is encouraged!

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Posted on November 17, 2024 in Home

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Birds Of A Feather: Nature Enthusiasts Honor Birder At Kirkwood Park Event

(left to right) Kirkwood Mayor, Liz Gibbons, WGNSS President Bill Duncan and Kirkwood Parks Board Chairperson, Ellen Edman stand beside the new J. Earl Comfort display. Photo by Richard Thoma.

by Don Corrigan

Saturday, Nov. 2, was a fine, sunny day to dedicate the new J. Earl Comfort Bird Sanctuary display in Kirkwood. A well-known St. Louis area birder, Comfort was a conservationist, educator and writer of bad bird puns.
No one ducked the issue of Comfort’s wayward wit, such as his contention that gulls may not be such gullible birds. The dignitaries at the dedication on the banks of Sugar Creek in Kirkwood Park, chose instead to focus on other aspects of his life.

Bill Duncan, volunteer extraordinaire of the Webster Groves Nature Study Society, outlined the work of Comfort as a WGNSS writer who contributed 461 articles to its Nature Notes publication.

Ellen Edman, Kirkwood Parks Board Chair, was among those wowed by Comfort’s birding in Kirkwood Park during the period he lived in Kirkwood from the 1950s until his death in 1977. He was born and raised in central Illinois, then moved to Webster Groves, then Kirkwood.

Kirkwood Mayor Liz Gibbons talked about the importance of community participation to protect wild areas within the Kirkwood Park system. She also mentioned that bird populations have been declining and the need to insure bird-friendly habitats.

Naturalists of all kinds attend the dedication of the new J. Earl Comfort Bird Sanctuary display dedication Photo by Richard Thoma.

At the park event, Richard Thoma, longtime WGNSS board member and author of its 100th anniversary history, said he was most impressed that a young birder – not yet in her teens – was already able to use the Comfort exhibit for avian identification purposes.

 

“Of particular note for me, a young girl was the first to use the J. Earl Comfort Display to identify two birds in the bird sanctuary,” said Thoma. “The two birds that Francesca Bennett-Hartmann identified were the Carolina Chickadee and the Downy Woodpecker.

“And WGNSS birding expert David Becher, also at our dedication, verified that Francesca was correct,” added Thoma. “I’m so pleased that Francesca’s mother said that we could include Francesca’s name for a future article for WGNSS Nature Notes and in our local newspaper.”

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Posted on November 10, 2024 in Home