ShareThe results are now known for the 2010 Mingo Swamp Friends Flora and Fauna Photo Contest.
Aaron Horrell, co-chair of the event and Traveler nature writer, sent this list of winning photos and photographers:
Best of Show:

• “Black – Bellied whistling Ducks on Monopoly Marsh” by Chris Barrigar of Bloomfield – Winner.

• “Foggy Fall Color” by [...]

Share I’ve been pretty busy this week, but not too busy to send out attaboys (and one attagirl) to actual friends of mine from the St. Louis metro area who replied to an Internet call for help from total strangers to rescue a prized coonhound trapped in a cave for over two days. The rescue [...]

ShareIf you have nothing else to celebrate today, try Missouri Statehood Day.
No one gets off. Nothing is closed. Only a few historians obsessed with dates seem to recall that on August 10, 1821 Missouri officially joined the Union as the 24th state.
Along with Maine, Missouri has the distinction that its statehood nomination 188 to [...]

ShareIf it weren’t for Mizzou, there’s some question if Traveler would exist as it is today.
As people found out in the August Traveler Reader’s Choice articles, founder Bob Todd (’60), and current owner Emery Styron (’72) are both Tigers. Bob’s degree is out of the Ag department, Emery’s in journalism. Assistant [...]

ShareKenny Collins and Aaron Pruiett, both of West Plains, DID NOT win the annual Dale Kipp Birthday Goggle-eye Tournament on Current River at Van Buren.  John Conner, West Plains, and Merlin Pyrtle of Jackson — in the new shirts — did win the tournament. They were so sure of themselves they had these shirts printed [...]

ShareThe Nature Conservancy has hired Preston Mabry as the new Current River Project Manager in the Missouri Ozarks. Mabry will work to restore and preserve the health of Ozark natural communities, including the Current River watershed. His focus will be sustainable land management practices that promote biodiversity, preserve critical natural features, and prevent degradation [...]

ShareEleven Missourians were honored by the Conservation Federation of Missouri at its annual awards ceremony recently at Lake of the Ozarks. The CFM recognizes efforts in several fields of conservation endeavor every year. More than 300 conservation supporters, including Gov. Jeremiah “Jay” Nixon and Bass Pro Shops founder John L. Morris, were on hand to [...]

ShareWe know Traveler readers like our Traveler Calendar. As a monthly paper publication, we cannot keep it as up-to-date as we like, and often events come in after press time but still a month in advance of when it happens.
We’ve chosen to somewhat mitigate that in these “news as fast as it happens” days. Please [...]

ShareFor Scott Sandusky, the most exciting fish in the world is the Missouri state-record brown trout he landed Nov. 20. For the rest of us, the most exciting fish are the even bigger brown trout that might still be prowling the depths of Lake Taneycomo.
Sandusky, a 49-year-old resident of Arnold, caught his 28-pound, 12-ounce fish [...]

ShareGene and Eleanor Maggard, longtime owners of Akers Ferry Canoe Rental, Jacks Fork Canoe Rental and Jason Place Campground, were inducted into the Missouri Tourism Hall of Fame at the Missouri Governor’s Conference on Tourism, held Sept. 29-30 in Branson.
The Hall of Fame award is given annually to recognize people whose long-term contributions have [...]