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By My Courier-Tribune Now is the time to get out and start listening for one of our most unusual birds, the woodcock, also known as timberdoodle, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation. Woodcocks are odd quail-sized birds that has a long skinny bill and large eyes that set high on its head. They are

By My Courier-Tribune The Missouri Department of Conservation once again urges drivers to keep a cautious eye on the road this spring and give turtles a brake. Many species of Missouri’s turtles become more active during the spring as they emerge from their burrows and cross the roads in search of food and a mate,

By My Courier-Tribune As the weather starts to warm up, what can boaters do to prepare for a summer of boating? The 800,000-plus member Boat Owners Association of The United States has 20 fuel-saving tips boaters can do to help save on fuel and still enjoy a fulfilling season on the water. While some of

By Metro Creative Ireland’s rich pasture and lush land has made the Emerald Isle well known for its butter. In fact, butter long has been a popular export of this western European nation. The southwestern coast of Ireland has been known for producing rich and flavorful butter since the late 1700s. Although butter is delicious

By Associated Press NEW YORK — It’s tax season in the U.S., and for many people, filing tax returns can be a daunting task that’s often left until the last minute. But if you want to avoid the stress of the looming deadline, start getting organized as soon as possible. Whether you do your taxes

By Associated Press PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Rory McIlroy had a lot of birdies and a little drama Thursday in The Players Championship. All that mattered to him was having a share of the lead at the TPC Sawgrass. McIlroy tied The Players Championship record with 10 birdies, offset by two tee shots into

By Wealth of Geeks via AP The average single parent thinks about their child’s financial future about five times a day. 75% admitted feeling overwhelmed when they became a single parent. With good reason. According to a study conducted by One Poll for the nonprofit life insurance educator Life Happens, the minimal amount of savings

By Associated Press NEW YORK — U.S. stocks slipped Thursday after a mixed batch of economic data seemed to drive the final nail into hopes that easier interest rates may arrive very soon. The S&P 500 fell 14.83 points, or 0.3%, to 5,150.48, though it’s still close to its all-time high set Tuesday. The Dow

By Associated Press DES MOINES, Iowa — A bill that would have made changes to Iowa’s fetal homicide law has been shelved after a Senate Republican joined Democrats in voicing concerns about the potential impact on in vitro fertilization after an Alabama court found frozen embryos can be considered children. The Senate declined to consider

By Associated Press NEW YORK — More than 75 million student loan borrowers have enrolled in the U.S. government’s newest repayment plan since it launched in August. President Joe Biden recently announced that he was canceling federal student loans for nearly 153,000 borrowers enrolled in the plan, known as the SAVE plan. Forgiveness was granted

By Associated Press NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Police in Tennessee are searching for a University of Missouri student who was last seen by friends at a Nashville bar Friday night. Metropolitan Nashville Police released video Tuesday that shows Riley Strain, 22, crossing a downtown street Friday night. Police have said Strain was last seen just before

By Associated Press Former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Thursday that he will put together an investor group to buy TikTok after the House passed a bill that would ban the popular video app in the U.S. if its China-based owner does not sell its stake. During an interview on CNBC’s “Squawk Box,” Mnuchin, who

By Associated Press TOPEKA, Kan. — Republican legislators in Kansas are close to banning gender-affirming care for minors over the Democratic governor’s expected veto after winning over previously skeptical GOP colleagues, fueling fears that success will encourage further attempts to roll back transgender rights. Supporters were confident Thursday that the Republican-controlled Senate would approve a

By Associated Press DENVER — A major storm dumped heavy snow in Colorado on Thursday – forcing flight cancellations and shutting down a highway that connects Denver to Colorado ski resorts. The storm, which began Wednesday night, delivered the slushy, wet snow typical for March, one of the snowiest months in Denver, and wasn’t expected

By Associated Press JERUSALEM — A brother contemplated suicide. A sister stopped going to school. A father barely speaks. With each passing day, the relatives of hostages held in Gaza since Oct. 7 face a deepening despair. Their hopes were raised that a cease-fire deal was near to bring some of their loved ones home

By Associated Press ATLANTA — Former Kentucky swimmer Riley Gaines was among more than a dozen college athletes who filed a lawsuit against the NCAA on Thursday, accusing it of violating their Title IX rights by allowing Lia Thomas to compete at the national championships in 2022. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in

By Associated Press Ukraine fired at least eight missiles at Russia’s Belgorod border region, killing two people and wounding 12, local officials said Thursday, as Kyiv’s forces apparently kept up efforts to rattle the Kremlin on the eve of Russia’s presidential election that is taking place amid a ruthless crackdown on dissent. Also, Ukrainian forces

By Associated Press Gov. Jim Pillen said Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts’ sudden decision to take the same job at Texas A&M was disappointing, and he implored the university’s board of regents Thursday to act quickly to fill vacant leadership positions. Pillen, a former regent who played football for the Cornhuskers from 1976-78, issued a

By Associated Press NEW YORK — New York prosecutors said Thursday they are open to delaying the start of Donald Trump’s hush-money criminal trial by a month “in an abundance of caution” to give the former president’s lawyers time to review evidence they received only recently from a previous federal investigation into the matter. The

By Associated Press FORT PIERCE, Fla. — A federal judge on Thursday rejected a bid by Donald Trump to throw out out his classified documents criminal case, and appeared skeptical during hours of arguments of a separate effort to scuttle the prosecution ahead of trial. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon issued a two-page order saying

By Associated Press MECHANICSBURG, Pa. — Jody Mikhail was a sophomore at Pennsylvania’s Cumberland Valley High School when a poster for a new girls’ wrestling club caught her eye. So Mikhail, a senior now, tried the sport. “I fell in love with it the first time,” she said. Unlike previous generations, she’s hardly alone. Girls’

By Associated Press March Madness wouldn’t be March Madness without the excitement of those early upsets in the NCAA Tournament. The 68-team field won’t be announced until Sunday, but it’s a safe bet that one or more high seeds will get bounced early. Purdue was a 23 1/2-point favorite when it went out in the

By Associated Press As Dartmouth men’s basketball players move toward forming the first labor union in college sports, a majority of Americans say they are against college athletes unionizing — though younger respondents are more supportive. A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that most adults, 55%, believe NCAA

By Associated Press ST. LOUIS — Massive chunks of hail pelted parts of Kansas and Missouri on Wednesday night, bringing traffic to a standstill along Interstate 70, as storms unleashed possible tornadoes and meteorologists urged residents to stay indoors. There were three unconfirmed reports of tornadoes in Wabaunsee and Shawnee counties with reports of damaged