The Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is beginning to receive some reports of hemorrhagic disease (HD) in deer this summer and is asking the public to help determine the extent of the disease by reporting suspected cases.

HD is a general term for two related viruses: epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) and bluetongue (BTV). They are spread to deer through the bite of a tiny, native midge, often called a “no-see-um” or “gnat.”

Reports from the public help biologists monitor deer health and better understand the impacts of the disease.

“Hemorrhagic disease is a naturally occurring virus in Missouri’s deer population,” explained MDC Wildlife Health Program Supervisor Brigid Niemeyer. “Outbreaks are most common between July and October and typically end after a heavy frost kills the midges that spread the virus.”

Signs of HD in deer can include reluctance to move; difficulty breathing; swelling of the head, neck, or tongue; and unusual behavior such as appearing dazed or unresponsive. The virus can cause high fever, prompting infected deer to seek water. Deer that die from HD are often found in or near water. Death can occur within days of infection, though some deer survive and develop immunity. There is no cure or vaccine for HD.

HD kills deer quickly, making the effects of the disease highly visible. However, the disease does not have long-term effects on the overall health or sustainability of Missouri deer herd. Even after a severe outbreak, the deer population recovers within a few years.

“We care deeply about Missouri deer and deer hunting,” Niemeyer said. “By reporting suspected cases of HD, members of the public can help us track where the disease is occurring and how it’s affecting deer numbers in specific areas.”

Missouri’s most severe HD outbreak occurred in 2012 during an extreme drought when deer gathered around limited water sources, increasing their exposure to infected midges.

Learn more about hemorrhagic disease at mdc.mo.gov/wildlife/wildlife-diseases/hemorrhagic-disease.

To report a suspected case of HD, contact the local MDC office or speak with a conservation agent. Find local MDC offices and agents online at mdc.mo.gov/contact-engage/local-mdc-contacts.

People can also report suspected cases online through MDC’s Wildlife Health Event Reporting Application at mdc12.mdc.mo.gov/applications/WildlifeHealthReporting.

Crews with the Improve I-70 Warrenton to Wentzville Project will shift all eastbound Interstate 70 lanes to the left and reduce lane widths to 10-foot lanes at Route Z starting overnight from 9 p.m. Monday, September 14. This lane shift and width reduction will be in place by the morning commute Tuesday, September 15 and remain in place through spring 2027. All work is weather permitting. 

In addition to the lane shifts and lane reductions, the eastbound I-70 exit ramp to Route Z (exit 209) will be closed for 30 days starting at 9 p.m. Wednesday, September 9. Crews will be working on connecting the new paving to the interstate and exit ramp.

For more on roadway closures due to construction, additional work zone information, and real-time roadway weather conditions, go to  http://traveler.modot.org/map.  For real-time traffic, visit www.gatewayguide.com.

East Central College will soon be picking up the pace ... by about 150 mph.

Thanks to longtime partner Clemco Industries, the ECC name will be along for the ride when Ricky Stenhouse Jr. takes the Hyak Motorsports No. 47 Chevrolet to the track at World Wide Technology Raceway on Sunday, Sept. 13.

“East Central College” will stretch across the rear spoiler and appear on the roof of the No. 47 during the Enjoy Illinois 300, putting the College name before NASCAR fans at the track and a national television audience. Fans will get their first look at the No. 47 Chevrolet featuring East Central College when the car design is unveiled Wednesday, Sept. 9, on NASCAR.com.

The appearance will also mark a first for community colleges in the state. ECC will be the first Missouri community college to have its name featured on a NASCAR Cup Series car.

“This is certainly one of the fastest ways we’ve ever shared the East Central College name,” ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer said. “But what makes this opportunity especially meaningful is the partnership behind it.

“Clemco has been part of this community for generations, and our relationship shows what can happen when education and industry work together. We’re helping people build skills, advance in their careers, and strengthen the workforce right here in our region.”

Clemco, headquartered in Washington, is a primary sponsor of Stenhouse and the No. 47 and is sharing space on the car with two Washington-area organizations, East Central College and Blues Hog. The opportunity comes at no cost to the College.

Clemco has spent 85 years developing surface preparation equipment and technologies used by industries around the world. Throughout its history, the company has maintained its headquarters in Washington and invested in its employees and the region.

ECC has worked with Clemco to provide education and training that helps employees develop new skills, strengthen technical capabilities and prepare for greater responsibilities and leadership roles.

That relationship reflects an increasingly important role for community colleges as technology and manufacturing continue to evolve.

“Learning doesn’t stop when someone earns a degree or starts a career,” Bauer said. “As industries and technology change, people need opportunities to keep learning and developing new skills. That’s where partnerships like the one we have with Clemco make a real difference.”

For Clemco, that partnership has a direct impact on its workforce.

“East Central College is an important partner in the health and continued success of our business,” said Mark Warren, President of Clemco Industries. “Many of our employees have attended ECC or are enrolled today, and we see firsthand how those experiences help people grow both professionally and personally.

“ECC gives our employees opportunities to learn more, develop new capabilities and prepare for what comes next in their careers,” Warren added. “That investment in people makes Clemco stronger, and it makes our entire community stronger.”

The NASCAR appearance will put that partnership on display before a national audience while highlighting the role education and industry play together in developing the regional workforce.

Clemco’s support of ECC extends beyond the racetrack. The company recently served as a VIP sponsor of the ECC Music Festival, which kicked off the College’s 2026-27 music season.

Stenhouse, winner of the 2023 Daytona 500, will drive the Clemco-sponsored No. 47 Chevrolet at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Ill., just across the Mississippi River from St. Louis. The Enjoy Illinois 300 begins at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 13, and will be televised nationally on USA Network.

Union Police Take Fleeing Suspect Into Custody Near Walmart

On September 2, 2026, at approximately 1:45 p.m., a Union Police Officer conducted a traffic stop in the area of East Central College.

During the traffic stop, the officer identified the male driver and believed he had an active arrest warrant. The male subject subsequently fled from the vehicle on foot. The officer pursued the suspect, who entered a thick, wooded area near Walmart.

Union Police Officers quickly established a perimeter around the wooded area with assistance from the Franklin County Sheriff's Office. The Union Police Department's drone was also deployed to assist officers in locating the suspect.

A K-9 and handler from the Franklin County Sheriff's Office responded and began tracking the suspect through the wooded area. The suspect was subsequently located and taken into custody without further incident.

The suspect, a 44-year-old male from Union, Missouri, was found to have an active parole violation warrant with no bond.

Additional charges will be sought for Driving While Suspended/Revoked and Resisting Arrest.

The Union Police Department would like to thank the Franklin County Sheriff's Office for their assistance in the successful apprehension of the suspect.

In response to public feedback, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will meet with landowners this fall to develop a localized pilot effort in eight CWD Core Areas around the state to help manage deer and chronic wasting disease (CWD).

CWD is a contagious, deadly brain disease of white-tailed deer and other members of the deer family, called cervids. CWD Core Areas are locations within approximately one to two miles of a confirmed CWD case. According to MDC, CWD is a growing threat to deer health and the future of deer hunting in Missouri.

MDC will hold meetings with landowners in the eight CWD Core Areas during early fall to share information about deer management and CWD, answer questions, and learn about landowners’ deer management goals. Landowners in the CWD Core Areas will receive an invitation by mail from MDC before their area meeting with additional details.

All landowner meetings will be held from 6-8 p.m. unless otherwise noted.

• Sept. 22 in Mountain View – Mountain View Community Center, 125 E. 1st St.
• Sept. 23 in Lowry City – Lakeland Scout Center, 2740-2998 State Hwy A
• Sept. 28 in Carthage – YMCA Youth Activity Center, 400 S. Maple St.
• Sept. 29 in Moberly – Lodge at Rothwell Park, 109 Rothwell Park Road
• Oct. 1 in Hillsboro – Hillsboro Intermediate School, 10486 Business 21
• Oct. 5 in Cape Girardeau – Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center, 2289 County Park Road
• Oct. 6 in Harrisburg – Lions Club, 120 E. Sexton St.
• Oct. 8 in Tina, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. – Tina-Avalon School Gymnasium, 11896 US-65

During the landowner meetings, MDC staff will share information about the role of hunter harvest in managing deer populations. According to MDC, by increasing deer harvest near (within 1-2 miles) where CWD has been found, CWD will spread slower, the herd will be healthier, and quality hunting opportunities will be maintained into the future.

“The new approach focuses on building partnerships with landowners and putting hunters at the forefront of deer and CWD management by encouraging additional harvest during deer season,” said MDC Cervid Program Supervisor Jason Isabelle. “We’ll use what is learned through this year’s pilot to develop a template that can be replicated in other CWD Core Areas in the future.”

MDC encourages landowners and hunters in all CWD Core Areas to help protect the herd by harvesting additional deer and having their deer tested. To provide hunters with more opportunity to harvest deer, landowners with at least 20 contiguous acres in CWD Core Areas can receive five no-cost CWD Management Permits for use on their qualifying property.

As a result of engagement and continued evaluation, MDC paused its targeted removal efforts in 2025 and currently has no plans to resume this approach. This spring, MDC held meetings with the public throughout the state to seek input on the future of deer management. 

“During our conversations, it was clear that landowners and hunters want to maintain a healthy herd and they want to work together to manage deer and CWD through the regular hunting season,” said Isabelle. “This fall’s pilot is in direct response to public feedback we received this spring, and we look forward to partnering on this important effort.”

For more information, visit MDC online at mdc.mo.gov/cwd.

The countdown to kickoff is on as football season approaches, and the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) reminds motorists and football fans that construction season is also ongoing, as work to improve and add a third lane in each direction to Interstate 70 is underway across the state.

MoDOT is urging motorists and sports fans traveling via I-70 to get their game plan ready when traveling on game days. While MoDOT and its contractors are working to minimize traffic impacts during peak travel times, travel across the state via I-70, and through major work zones, will require extra time.

Motorists should prepare to leave early and allow for extra time when traveling on I-70 during game days. Increased game day traffic this football season is expected to cause additional delays both before and after games. Work zones often include narrow lanes, changing and atypical lane configurations, and reduced speeds.

How Fans Can Prepare:

• Plan ahead and allow for extra time. Leave for your destination early.
• Be prepared for work zone delays.
• Anticipate reduced speeds and abide by those set limits. They’re in place for your safety and the safety of construction crews.
• Pay attention in work zones as there could be narrowed lanes and atypical configurations.
• Account for any unexpected impacts such as extra gameday traffic, rush hour, crashes, etc.
• Refer to MoDOT’s Traveler Information Map to see the latest work zone information.
• Sign up for project e-mails on MoDOT’s website.
• Don’t drive impaired. Plan for a sober driver.
• Buckle up. Phone down.
  
  

2026 I-70 Construction Projects:

• Improve I-70: Kansas City
• Improve I-70: Blue Springs to Odessa
• Improve I-70: Boonville to Rocheport
• Improve I-70: Rocheport to Columbia
• Improve I-70: Columbia to Kingdom City
• Improve I-70: Warrenton to Wentzville
  
  

Missouri’s FY2024 budget, approved through the state legislative process and signed into law by the governor, provides $2.8 billion in General Revenue to build a third lane of I-70 across the state. The program will plan, design, construct, reconstruct, rehabilitate, and add a third lane in each direction on nearly 200 miles of I-70, from Blue Springs to Wentzville. For more information on the Improve I-70 Program and to sign up for program e-mails, visit http://www.modot.org/improvei70.

For more information, call MoDOT at 888-ASK-MODOT (275-6636) or visit www.modot.org. To receive the latest statewide news and text alerts, signup for e-updates.

#ImproveI70

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With fall hunting seasons upon us, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds hunters that now is the time to sharpen shooting skills, sight in rifles, and pattern shotguns.

MDC’s August A. Busch and Jay Henges Shooting Ranges and Outdoor Education Centers begin fall/winter hours of operation Tuesday, Sept. 1.  Both ranges are closed Monday and Tuesday for maintenance and special group events during their fall/winter schedules.

The fall/winter hours of each range are as follows and will be effective through March 31, 2027. 

Busch Range

• Wednesday-Sunday: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
• Closed Monday-Tuesday for maintenance and special use

Henges Range

• Wednesday through Sunday: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
• Closed Monday-Tuesday for maintenance and special use

Both shooting ranges have shooting lanes for rifle and pistols up to 100 yards.  Use fees are $5 per hour at both facilities and include paper targets and eye and ear protection if shooters don’t have their own.  Both shooting ranges feature trap fields, static archery ranges, and shotgun patterning boards.  The Busch Range also offers skeet shooting.  $5 covers a round of shotgun shooting and clay birds at either facility, or an hour at the patterning board. 

Shooters should note that all transactions must be paid by cash or personal check only, and that steel core ammunition is not permitted—range staff use magnets to test ammunition. 

The August A. Busch Shooting Range and Outdoor Education Center is located at 3550 Route D, approximately five miles west of Highway 94 in Defiance.  The Jay Henges Shooting Range and Outdoor Education Center is at 1100 Antire Road, just off I-44, exit 269 in Eureka. 

MDC is committed to accessibility at all its nature centers, regional facilities, and conservation areas. To request an ADA accommodation for participation in MDC programs, visit https://mdc.mo.gov/accessibility.

Dove hunting season begins in Missouri Sept. 1.  Whether a hunter or birdwatcher, doves and pigeons are a distinct part of the Show-Me State’s landscape.  Missouri is home to several species of both native and introduced doves and pigeons. 

To help people learn more about these birds, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) is offering an online program, Doves and Pigeons, on Friday, Sept. 11 from 11 a.m. – noon.  This is a free program open to all ages. 

In this virtual event, MDC naturalists will discuss how to identify each species that has been documented in the state by both sight and sound. These include the ubiquitous rock pigeons, along with mourning doves, Eurasian collared-doves, and occasionally, the white-winged dove.  Dove hunting in Missouri will also be addressed.

This program will be held virtually. A link will be sent both the day before and morning of the program to the email address provided during registration.

Doves and Pigeons is free and open to the public; however, each participant must register separately in advance at http://short.mdc.mo.gov/oNE to receive the online meeting link.   Log-in instructions will be provided to participants beforehand.  The program will be held via Webex, and participants will have the chance to use the chat feature for a question-and-answer portion with the naturalists.

Sign up for email or text alerts to stay informed of MDC’s latest programs and events by going to  https://short.mdc.mo.gov/ZoP.

With fall hunting seasons upon us, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) reminds hunters that now is the time to sharpen shooting skills, sight in rifles, and pattern shotguns.

MDC’s August A. Busch and Jay Henges Shooting Ranges and Outdoor Education Centers begin fall/winter hours of operation Tuesday, Sept. 1.  Both ranges are closed Monday and Tuesday for maintenance and special group events during their fall/winter schedules.

The fall/winter hours of each range are as follows and will be effective through March 31, 2027. 

Busch Range

• Wednesday-Sunday: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
• Closed Monday-Tuesday for maintenance and special use

Henges Range

• Wednesday through Sunday: 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
• Closed Monday-Tuesday for maintenance and special use

Both shooting ranges have shooting lanes for rifle and pistols up to 100 yards.  Use fees are $5 per hour at both facilities and include paper targets and eye and ear protection if shooters don’t have their own.  Both shooting ranges feature trap fields, static archery ranges, and shotgun patterning boards.  The Busch Range also offers skeet shooting.  $5 covers a round of shotgun shooting and clay birds at either facility, or an hour at the patterning board. 

Shooters should note that all transactions must be paid by cash or personal check only, and that steel core ammunition is not permitted—range staff use magnets to test ammunition. 

The August A. Busch Shooting Range and Outdoor Education Center is located at 3550 Route D, approximately five miles west of Highway 94 in Defiance.  The Jay Henges Shooting Range and Outdoor Education Center is at 1100 Antire Road, just off I-44, exit 269 in Eureka. 

MDC is committed to accessibility at all its nature centers, regional facilities, and conservation areas. To request an ADA accommodation for participation in MDC programs, visit https://mdc.mo.gov/accessibility.

The East Central College Foundation has received $20,000 from Healthy Blue to provide scholarships for students preparing for health care careers in rural Missouri.

The funding is part of a broader Healthy Blue investment benefiting all five community colleges in the Missouri Health Professions Consortium. Each consortium member is receiving $20,000 to support scholarships for students enrolled in high-demand health care programs.

At ECC, scholarships will be available to students enrolled in the Medical Laboratory Technician, Occupational Therapy Assistant and Respiratory Care programs.

“Students who enter these programs are preparing to fill essential roles in communities where the need is often greatest,” said ECC President Dr. Jon Bauer. “Healthy Blue’s support will help reduce financial barriers for our students while strengthening the rural health care workforce across Missouri.”

The Missouri Health Professions Consortium includes North Central Missouri College, Moberly Area Community College, State Fair Community College, East Central College and Three Rivers College. Together, the institutions expand access to health care education and help address workforce needs in rural Missouri.

Rural communities across the state continue to face shortages of health care professionals, which can limit access to care. Through its partnership with the consortium, Healthy Blue is investing in students preparing to enter these careers while helping reduce the cost of their education.

“At Healthy Blue, we believe where someone lives should never determine their access to quality healthcare,” said Jeff Davis, president of Healthy Blue in Missouri.

“These scholarships help create opportunities for students while strengthening the pipeline of healthcare professionals who will serve rural and underserved communities across Missouri,” Davis added. “We are proud to partner with the Missouri Health Professions Consortium and its member colleges to invest in Missouri’s future healthcare workforce.”

Over the past five years, Healthy Blue has invested more than $500,000 in rural health care scholarship initiatives designed to address workforce shortages and improve access to care in underserved Missouri communities.

For information about ECC’s health care programs and for scholarship information, visit eastcentral.edu.

About East Central College

East Central College is a comprehensive community college and the primary provider of higher education in east-central Missouri. The College serves its district and region by providing quality educational programs and services. As an open-access institution, ECC welcomes students with diverse backgrounds and abilities.

The main campus in Union spans more than 200 acres. ECC also operates two locations in Rolla, with a 107,000-square-foot facility scheduled for renovation to house all Rolla services by 2027.

Approximately 2,500 students enroll each semester. Students can complete the first two years of coursework toward a bachelor’s degree or choose from more than two dozen career and technical programs designed to prepare them to enter the workforce.

WalletHub.com ranked ECC the No. 1 community college in Missouri for the 2025-26 and 2026-27 academic years.

About Healthy Blue

Healthy Blue is a care management organization serving Missouri Medicaid participants through a statewide network of health care providers and community partners. Healthy Blue is committed to improving the health and well-being of Missourians by expanding access to quality, affordable care and supporting initiatives that strengthen health care delivery in communities across the state. For more information, visit healthybluemo.com.