Features

by Mark Hughes Missouri’s cigarette tax, at 17 cents-per-pack, is the nation’s lowest. This makes the tax an irresistible target for advocates who want to raise money for public uses. This year two initiative petitions to raise the cigarette tax have been approved by the secretary of state, circulated by supporters and turned in to

Clean line no better the second time by Blake Hurst, President of Missouri Farm Bureau Well, they’re back.  The Grain Belt Clean Line project has re-submitted an application to the Public Service Commission of Missouri for certification as a utility, which would give the company the power of eminent domain.  The original application was denied

If your basement sprung a leak during recent intense rainfalls, you’re not alone. University of Missouri Extension state housing and environmental design specialist Michael Goldschmidt recommends inspecting basement walls and floors to locate cracks or breaks that can turn into active water leaks. Find the source of the leak if possible. Water takes the path

by Blake Hurst The Senate will soon be voting on a bill that will require mandatory labeling of food products produced by genetic engineering. Farm Bureau and most farm groups have long opposed mandatory labeling, arguing correctly that there was no reason for a label that tells the consumer absolutely nothing about the safety, nutritional

How to find financial assistance for elderly parents Dear Savvy Senior Where can I go to locate financial assistance programs for seniors? I have been helping support my 70-year-old mother the past couple years and really can’t afford to do it any longer. Feeling Overwhelmed Dear Overwhelmed, There are actually a wide variety of financial

It’s the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States, affects more than 5 million Americans and one out of every three seniors will die from it. Yet misconceptions surround Alzheimer’s disease. Contrary to what many people think about Alzheimer’s, it’s not a normal part of growing older. And while there’s not yet a way

Approximately 20 percent of Americans live with hearing loss, according to the Hearing Loss Association of America. If you’re among them, you may think all you need to do in order to hear better is to turn up the volume. But many factors make up hearing, including sound quality, clarity, the ability to identify where

By Trevor McDonald Hannibal Courier-Post reporter Just outside the window, a furry surprise appeared for a Hannibal boy who loves to watch wildlife with his caretaker. Patty Lawrence said she takes care of a boy who loves to watch the various creatures who fly and scurry through his yard. Recently, Lawrence snapped photos of an

Floods and severe storms can leave more than just people homeless. Displaced snakes, rodents and other nuisance wildlife often will seek shelter and food in areas close to people, said Bob Pierce, MU Extension fisheries and wildlife specialist. Heavily damaged structures are particularly attractive to displaced animals because they offer a number of accessible entrances,

Large numbers of Japanese beetles in corn and soybean fields this year have farmers concerned that those fields will be infested again next year. But that is not likely, says retired University of Missouri entomologist Ben Puttler, because Japanese beetles do not lay eggs where they feed. They feed in corn and soybean fields but