May 2023

Field Specialist in Agricultural Engineering, University of Missouri Extension We have all seen them, ugly cracks in the foundation walls of a house. Most of the time we just live with them until they cause a problem because we think it is too difficult and expensive to repair them. We wait until water comes through the crack before we designate them “worthy” of being repaired. However, with today’s products, you no longer need to wait to fix a problem.

Got plans Memorial Day weekend? Missouri has a lot to offer with its state parks, lakes, sporting events, and attractions. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reminds everyone to include safety when they plan their holiday weekend. Expect more travelers on Missouri’s roadways and an increase in boating traffic on the state’s lakes and rivers. Drivers and boat operators are reminded to follow all Missouri’s laws and be courteous. Always wear a seat belt when traveling in a vehicle and wear a life jacket when near, on, or in the water.

Missouri non-farm payroll employment increased by 4,700 jobs in April 2023 from March 2023, and the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged at 2.5%. Private industry employment increased by 3,700 jobs and government employment increased by 1,000 jobs. Over the year, there was an increase of 59,900 jobs from April 2022 to April 2023, and the unemployment rate increased by two-tenths of a percentage point, from 2.3% in April 2022 to 2.5% in April 2023.

The North Missouri Sportsman’s Alliance (NMSA) and the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) will be hosting their annual free Kids Fishing Derby on Saturday, June 4, at the pond located on the west side of the Baptist Home in north Chillicothe.

Human Development & Family Science Field Specialist for the University of Missouri Extension May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Since it is an excellent time to bring awareness to this subject, let’s look at some of the research about mental health and the challenges that we are facing. Mental illnesses are common in the United States. More than one in five U.S. adults is estimated to live with a mental illness (57.8 million in 2021). Now that number is tough to imagine, so let’s take that number down a little—1 in 5 adults in Missouri, which would be about 1,228,000 Missourians. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 1 in 20 U.S. adults experience severe mental illness yearly. But it isn’t just adults facing these challenges; it’s our children.

communities to honor fallen warriors on National Poppy Day Honor our fallen warriors and contribute to the continuing needs of our veterans on National Poppy Day, May 26, 2023 from 9 a.m., to 12 p.m., at various locations across the area when members of American Legion Auxiliary (ALA) distribute bright red poppies in exchange for a donation. The Flanders Fields poppy has become an internationally known and recognized symbol of the lives sacrificed in war and the hope that none died in vain. The American Legion Family called upon Congress to proclaim the Friday before Memorial Day as National Poppy Day, which was officially designated as such in 2017.

Nickie McCracken, CNA at Pioneer Nursing Center, Skilled Nursing by Americare, recently received the Team Champion award. Nearly 300 of Americare’s top frontline staff attended four Caregiver Conference sites throughout the company having been nominated by their peers and facility residents.