The MSU Bears take a break on their way to a streak-extending win against Creighton in January 2006.

Fans take to the court following Bears' inaugural win at JQH Arena against the Arkansas Razorbacks.

During the morning newscast, KSPR's Natalie Nunn updates her weather graphics following a night of heavy flooding in Springfield.

Dr. Harold Hodgkinson gave the final address of the conference on friday. His presentation focused on the implications of world population trends for the future.

Dr. Hodgkinson describes the major human migration routes over the last several years. Hodgkinson works for the Center of Demographic Policy at the Institute for Educational Leadership.

The first of many audience questions following Hodgkinson's presentation.

To make conference less confusing for out-of-towners, the campus shuttles that went from the garages to the union was clearly marked.

This orchard is located in the hills near Highlandville, about 30 miles southeast of Springfield. While peaches are the primary fruit grown here, apples, pears, strawberries, blueberries, blackberries and tomatoes can also be found.

Owner Paul Lais lives with his wife in Springfield, but during early spring he can be found at the orchard seven days a week, preparing for the growing season. He sleeps in a trailer he bought which he lovingly calls the "Man-Cave".

Lais says peaches and strawberries are the first to start growing; they typically blossom late March to early April.

Peach trees are the most vulnerable to cold during the blossom stage. Lais says if the temperature reaches 28 degrees, he can expect a 10% peach loss. If it dips to 25 degrees, up to 90% can be lost. During an early April cold snap two years ago, Lais lost a majority of his peach and strawberry crop and had to make up for the loss by working in Springfield.

If it gets below freezing, Lais will crank up his lone wind machine. The heat is generated from diesel-powered "smudge pots" placed near the base of the tower, and the propellor will circulate the rising heat throughout the 10 acres of peach trees.

Another tool to keep the peach trees warm is a sprayer. A tractor pulls the contraption between the peach trees as it sprays a mist of freeze-proof liquid calcium on them.

Lais will work the sprayer using a controller as he rides the tractor.

The fruit grown here will be sold to local grocery stores and the Farmer's Market in Springfield. If he loses most of his peach crop to the cold, Lais will have to buy fruit from other orchards and re-sell it. This costs twice as much as producing his own fruit.

On any given mild spring day, geese can be found near South Creek Lake. This bunch is checking out their neighbors on the far shore.

The geese seem accustomed to humans; letting those quiet enough within a few feet.

...and they're off

A memorial to Anne Case Drummond was built to honor the park lover after her death in 2002.

The south side of the lake seems to be the preferred spot for area ducks.

"This may be the beginning of the Republican fracture" Phill Brooks discusses one of the top stories of the day: heated debate in the Senate over business tax exemptions. The acting Dean of the Statehouse Press Corps, Brooks has covered the legislature for nearly 40 years.

"Phooey to Fair" is one of the most important phrases Brooks stresses to journalism students, though he uses a different word than Phooey. Brooks says not every balanced story has to be "fair" to the subject. "Do you think those covering the Holocaust would stress including Hitler's side of the story?"

Brooks with Missy Shelton (L). Shelton was a student of Brooks when she attended the School of Journalism at MU. She is now the news director for KSMU, the NPR affiliate in Springfield.

I can't take credit for this one, obviously. Missy took the picture.

On March 1st, many showed up hours early to stake out a spot by the river.

Clarice and Junior Stephens officially start trout season at Roaring River. The couple from Olathe, Kansas also were honored with the first fishing tags of the season. They have come to every trout day at Roaring River since 1974.

Beth Brown rings up a fishing tag in the park's store. An accounting technician, she drove from Jefferson City to take part in opening day.

Here's some diagonal lines. The fence stops just before the corner, but the driveway keeps going.

This isn't really an example of any specific composition; I just like these cars.