Missouri

Tim O'neil and Terry Hillig

A top federal official on Friday viewed the rival plans for reshaping the Arch grounds and declared the project "one of our highest priorities," despite the recession's pressure on government budgets.

"We will get this done somehow, some way," U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said during a news conference in the Old Courthouse. "We are in tough economic times, but we are optimists. So I won't say 'if,' but 'when.'"

American historian and writer Wallace Stegman said that "National parks are the best idea we ever had. Absolutely American, absolutely democratic, they reflect us at our best rather than our worst."

The Ozark National Scenic Riverways Park in southern Missouri certainly represents Missouri's best - beautiful rivers, abundant wildlife and lush rolling hills. But the Ozark Riverways Park is no longer the safe, family-friendly atmosphere we all treasured. There is not enough patrol to keep out unsafe and raucous activity. People illegally enter with trucks and ATVs to tear up trails and riverbanks at one of the 130 illegal access points (about one per each mile of the rivers). But we have a great opportunity for more funding through the America's Great Outdoors Initiative. Department of Interior Secretary Ken Salazar is taking public commentary on which parks should be prioritized. Let him know that we treasure Missouri's best outdoors at www.doi.gov/americasgreatoutdoors/.

Adam Van Hart

A decision or even a consensus on how permits would be implemented for U.S. Forest Service roads was not reached during the meeting, but commissioners were resolved to create a county program.

Stephen Deere

A popular kickball league has been booted from Tower Grove Park, accused of being nothing more than a "drinking club."

The city this week revoked the permit for the BigBalls Kickball league to play in the park. Park Director John Karel said the league drew frequent complaints of public urination, drinking and nudity.

According to a news release from the sheriff's department, the victim was working in his yard at the Lake Kah-Tan-Da development Aug. 16 when another man passed by on an ATV and the victim told the ATV driver to slow down. The ATV driver returned later, at which time the victim again yelled at him to slow down.

Kim McGuire

LEADWOOD, MO. — A heavy downpour in May uncovered something hidden in the
soil on Gary Griffith's property.

Cow bones. Hundreds of them, Griffith estimates. Some were almost complete
skeletons. Others were fragments — a rib here, a vertebra there.

"Honestly, it looked like a snowstorm had hit," Griffith said.

A crash involving an ATV being driven on a Howell County road resulted in a variety of citations for the driver Friday night, the Missouri Highway Patrol reported.

The crash resulted in moderate injuries to the ATV operator, and serious injuries for a passenger.

Thomas W. Labo, 34, Koshkonong, was flown to St. John’s Hospital in Springfield for treatment of serious injuries after the 10:30 p.m. crash on County Road 9640 eight miles southwest of Koshkonong.

Sarah AuBuchaon

In the blink of an eye a family outing on an ATV tragically changed former Arnold resident Meaghan Bauer's life forever.

Bauer was just 9 years old when her father's four-wheeler flipped over with the two of them, almost instantly killing her dad in February 1998.

"I was driving the four-wheeler and we went up a hill," she said. "My dad told me to go back up the hill again and we flipped backward. It threw both of us off."Bauer said her dad, who had landed just behind her, leaned over, kissed her on the cheek and asked if she was OK. Then he fell away and his nose started bleeding.

Certificate of Ownership Section 301.703, RSMo., states it is unlawful for any person to own an ATV in this state unless a certificate of ownership (title) has been issued by the Department of Revenue. Application for a certificate of ownership must be made within 30 days after the owner acquires the ATV.