If we were bison, we’d probably have a much higher opinion of brown-headed cowbirds. You’d be hard-pressed to find a birding enthusiast – or anyone else, for that matter – that holds much love for the brown-headed cowbird. This bird, which is common throughout Missouri and many other parts of the U.S., has earned the ire of many people because it parasitizes nests of other birds. Mid-April is usually when female cowbirds begin plopping their eggs into nests of various species. Although there’s little appreciation for these nest-infiltration tactics, even the most ardent cowbird-hater would have to admit it’s a rather remarkable method of producing the next generation. more

As you may know, the Bolivar R-1 school board recently took action against one of its own. The board, at the urging of the board president, voted to censure a fellow member. The reason listed is the violation of board policy BBF. more

Writer gets loose with a goose more

What has happened to the “Ghostbusters” movie franchise? For over a quarter century Hollywood resisted the temptation to spoil the one-two punch of the 1984 comedy classic and its decent-enough 1989 sequel. Then there came the 2016 reboot, which was controversial for its female cast, and the controversy is all anyone remembers. The 2021 legacy sequel didn’t always nail its humor, but there were some charming new characters and a nice kick of nostalgia at the end. But now with “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” this once-mighty property has officially become, well, a ghost of its former self. more

The Historical Society of Polk County will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 28. The meeting will take place at the Polk County Museum, 201 W. Locust, Bolivar. Jerald Andrews will be speaking about his involvement with the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. more

Now and then I am reminded that we born after World War II were witnesses to some of the most momentous events of the 20th century. Following are selected events from the Time-Life series, “Our American Century.” more

As recent as 20 years ago, any bear sighting in Missouri made state-wide headlines. more

I’m not going to sugarcoat it: this was not a good week for new releases. The battle for the top spot at the domestic box office was a fierce one, with “Kung Fu Panda 4” in its second weekend narrowly edging out “Dune: Part Two” in its third. But after those two holdovers, the box office fell off a cliff, with newcomer “Arthur the King” taking a weak third place with barely a quarter of either’s take. Granted, the relatively small-scale production is not one that has ambitions of conquering the box office. It’s okay with being a nice little crowd-pleaser, which would be fine if it were actually more pleasing. more

What I learned while upside down more

Just a few days ago I poured myself a glass of orange juice, something I seldom do because we seldom have any in the refrigerator unless grandkids are coming to visit. more

If you think you see a lot of red-winged blackbirds in the spring and summer, national bird surveys indicate you’re right. more

She has a special set of skills more