John F. Hodge High School will celebrate its fall football homecoming this Friday, October 18, as the St. James Tigers take on Union. Due to ongoing construction throughout the school district, this year’s activities have been altered slightly, with the coronation being moved to 6:15 p.m., prior to the night’s home game.
Old Iron Works Days returned to Maramec Spring Park over the weekend, drawing a huge turnout to the park. This was the 41st annual event held and thousands came out to celebrate the way of life in the mid-1880s.
The City of St. James will hold a public forum on a proposed use tax this Thursday, October 17 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the James Memorial Public Library. The tax would be a two-percent sales tax placed on online sales from stores with a physical presence in Missouri. It is estimated to generate $35,000, which will be used to fund animal control and support for the facility of the Tri-County Humane Society in addition to new police computers and equipment for the St. James Police Department.
Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) wildlife biologists are spending time in the field tuning their ear to the sound of quail coveys. A group of quail is called a covey. Quail form their coveys, as few as five birds to as many as 50, in late summer and stay together through the fall and winter. By listening to the calls, biologists can estimate the quail population in a particular area.
To follow up on last week’s column I think someone somewhere had better begin to think about finding ways to raise whippoorwill fledglings in a captive environment for release into the wild. That may be the answer in the wake of constantly increasing numbers of woodland predators that eat the bird’s eggs. As I pointed out last week, birds which nest in woodlands face problems from opossums, skunks, armadillos, black snakes, weasels and raccoons.
Current Assistant Coroner Darren Dake approached Crawford County Commissioners at their October 8 meeting to discuss plans for a new coroner’s facility. The commission has been researching the issue in preparation for the retirement of current Coroner Paul Hutson, who has been in the position for many years and utilized his private business – a funeral home – to assist the county with needed facilities for the coroner. Hutson has expressed his intent not to run again for the elected position, and that will leave the county without the necessary place to house the coroner’s office.