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Insurance M&A markets look increasingly sophisticated
Our Global Capital Confidence Barometer shows 100% of insurance executives see the global M&A market as stable or improving in the next 12 months.
Insurance M&A markets look increasingly sophisticated
Financial Services Divestment Study 2018
Insurance Accounting Alert - February 2018
Designing a workforce for the future of insurance
Global tax points for insurers (Volume 2, Issue 2)
The evolution in self-driving vehicles
Insurance execs show strong appetite for M&A
EU General Data Protection Regulation
Cyber strategy for insurers
Global insurance: vast potential
The global insurance market is remarkably strong, despite continued fallout from the financial crisis. Low interest rates coupled with relatively poor investment returns have impeded growth, but demand for insurance products and services remains high.
We keep you prepared by providing insights into the nuances of your market, as well as global trends putting pressure on the industry.
Stay nimble amid risk and regulation
Waves of global legislation continue to pressure management and absorb precious resources. Combined with the need to innovate in a highly competitive environment, this is causing some insurers to withdraw from long-standing core markets and product lines.
However, insurers are adapting by leveraging technology and developing operating models that are compliant with Solvency II. New business architectures will enable insurers to release better products more quickly and cheaply.
Gain market insight
The balance of power is shifting toward the customer, and distribution models are rapidly evolving. Emerging markets in Latin America, Asia, Africa and Eastern Europe are future battlegrounds that offer big prizes – but only if insurers can get it right.
Success will be achieved with patience, long-term investment and genuine understanding of local dynamics.
- Risk transformation
In many insurance companies, risk management and actuarial capabilities have grown organically over time -- with new organizational units, processes and technology gradually added to meet evolving requirements for risk control and regulatory compliance. Too often though, these structures are not agile, efficient or aligned to the rest of the business (especially finance and treasury functions).
Insurance companies need risk and actuarial processes that link effectively with the rest of the organization. The processes must be effective at protecting the balance sheet from unexpected risks, while adding value to business decision-making within tight cost constraints.
We have the experience and tools to support your design and implementation of the following:
- Optimal vision and Target Operating Model for risk management
- More agile and simplified systems and data landscape to support risk-management analytics and reporting
- Cost-effective risk and actuarial oversight processes, including alternative sourcing options (offshoring and near-shoring)
- Rationalized approach controlling operational, reporting and compliance risks
- Underwriting and pricing effectiveness
Given unrelenting economic uncertainty and prolonged low interest rates, insurers face significant profit- and growth-related pressures and thus must improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their underwriting capabilities.
One way to improve risk selection and pricing is leveraging data to embrace more sophisticated segmentation. However, success will ultimately depend on adopting enhanced analytical and modeling techniques.
We can help you optimize the following:
Underwriting and pricing operations: We review your organization's current underwriting and pricing performance, measure it against industry standards to determine where to make investments and provide technology solutions to fill operational gaps.
Solution architecture: We offer program management, functional and technical design, integration, configuration and testing and deployment. We also assist in the technology selection process, helping you narrow the wide spectrum of underwriting automation components and applications.
- Policy administration and billing transformation
Insurers are under constant pressure to reduce underwriting operations costs, while continuing to grow their customer base without increasing headcount. They also face tougher demands from producers and customers who want faster quoting, more accurate policy issuance, diversified billing and payment options and real-time self-service capabilities.
We can help you optimize the following:
- Assessment
We perform a detailed assessment of the current state of operational efficiency using our proven cost-related tools across rating, quoting, issuance and billing activities. This assessment can include an evaluation and quantification of the total cost of ownership for legacy policy and billing systems.
- Business and solution architecture
We develop a business architecture and implementation roadmap that sequences deployment of functionality by product line, geography, channel and transaction type. Our business case frameworks can accelerate measurement of business and technology cost reductions as aligned to the roadmap.
- Policy administration and billing solution implementation
We provide a full range of implementation services including solution selection, requirements, design, configuration, integration and deployment. We also assist with the change management aspects of these programs, helping establish new processes and controls to improve regulatory and internal audit compliance.
Working with leading policy and billing solution providers, we present you with objective insights to navigate the complex vendor landscape. Our extensive delivery experience with vendors helps with software selection and guides you through project delivery to achieve cost reductions and process improvements.
- Assessment
- Product development and delivery
Incompatible systems, organizational silos and disjointed processes perpetuate costly and low- quality product development approaches. As a result, many insurers have redundant product portfolios that complicate underwriting, operations and claims processes.
As insurers look to refresh and expand their products, these issues restrict their ability to react to market changes and satisfy their customers.
Product design and delivery architecture are central to innovation and fulfilment across the insurance enterprise, and they must be integrated into both business processes and technology solutions.
We can help your organization take the following steps to develop a robust suite of products designed for specific customer needs:
Assessment: We review your current product development, processes, systems data, interfaces and delivery capabilities to increase speed to market. We offer tools to evaluate your products, learn if there are ways to simplify them and help reduce costs.
Business and solution architecture development: We help you properly align organizational needs and technical priorities for product development. We ensure assessment and future state definition can be delivered using best market practices. By applying our proprietary tools, maturity models, product design know-how and business case frameworks, we assist with architecture assessment and help insurers deliver future solutions that are in line with best market practices.
Product development workstation: We align and integrate product development workstation capabilities with other underwriting and policy administration systems. This includes developing a target solution architecture, as well as selection, design, configuration, integration and deployment of an effective workstation.
- Claims offerings
Our offerings enable transformational or step changes in claims capabilities. Our expertise and analytical insight can help you achieve better claims outcomes and expense management.
Our team can help insurers in the following ways:
- Claims performance analysis
An independent review can help your organization identify areas of claims inefficiencies and processes that can lead to failed implementation or claims overpayments.
- Claims analytics and predictive modelling
Predictive modelling techniques are crucial to improving your claims operations. Our teams have a deep understanding of these techniques and can use the resulting analytics to assist organizations in several ways:
- - Identifying drivers of unexpected claims development
- - Providing data guidance
- - Implementing models
- - Prioritizing processes via loss mitigation strategies
When combined with data from our claims leakage analysis teams, these analytics can be incorporated into a program that reduces overall claims costs and expenses and enhances underwriting practices.
- Claims management reporting and business intelligence
We help insurers focus on all aspects of the adjudication and expense management process.
The reporting process includes the following:
- - First notice of loss (FNOL) identification and tracking
- - Coverage investigation, verification and identification of potential subrogation
- - Claims triage for direct process or severity indexing for more advanced monitoring and expense control
- - Vendor management and expense mitigation
- - Development and implementation of effective claim reserving and exposure tracking
- - Claim planning, negotiation and settlement
- Claims capability maturity assessment
This assessment benchmarks your current business claims processes and capabilities against industry-leading practices. By knowing where your organization stands, you are one step closer to a strategic business and technology program.
- Claims target operating model and organizational design
We help organizations redesign their claims organizations, processes, governance and technology to align to business and operational strategies. We serve you by focusing on performance, process excellence, skill specialization, shared services, sourcing and continuous improvement.
- Claims transformation business case development
Our deep industry knowledge helps us prioritize claims initiatives that will provide the best return on an insurer's investment.
- Claims technology enablement
Our full-service claims system selection, design and implementation capabilities leverage onshore- and offshore-based functional and technical claims professionals. They provide extensive delivery experience in project management, business analysis, process design, business and systems architecture, product configuration, systems integration, conversion and testing.
- Claims change management
We offer a compelling vision so you can drive change, improve stakeholder engagement and communications and boost operational readiness. We also help you support training and align human resource processes (such as career paths and performance management) to encourage desired behavior and sustain results.
- Claims customer experience strategy
A review of the claims customer experience can result in a differentiating, multi-channel design that aligns with an insurer's corporate customer strategy. By bringing industry insights and experience to the process, we provide guidance in developing a customer experience roadmap that is tailored to claims strategic initiatives and practical to implement.
- Claims performance analysis
- Are you ready for Solvency II?
At the recent Trilogue meeting, the European Commission proposed a deferral of the implementation date of Solvency II to January 1, 2015, but the proposal did not reach consensus.
Are you ready?
Related content
- Actuarial and risk management strategies
Never has it been more critical for companies to understand and stay in tune with the changing climate of their business. Companies want to achieve competitive advantage and adapt quickly to the evolving business environment. Yet, there is a growing gap between the volume and complexity of risks that companies face today and the techniques available to manage them. We can help fill those gaps by providing services that can enhance your company's decision-making.
We combine global insight and local reach to assist financial services and insurance clients in developing and validating strategies to make sound decisions. The outcome of this collaboration is important to the success of your enterprise.
Our areas of focus include the following services:
- Actuarial transformation
- Actuarial review
- Actuarial operations
- Changes to financial reporting methods
- Performance improvement
Related content
- Be prepared for IFRS/accounting changes
We are increasingly living in a global economy — with trade and inbound and outbound investment a fact of life. It's no wonder capital markets have long advocated for globally recognized accounting standards.
Until recently, that common accounting language has been a missing link. Now, policymakers, lawmakers and regulators are working alongside standard-setters to provide a single set of high-quality, global accounting principles.
Benefit from our timely insights as your prepare for this transition.
Related content
- Customer agenda
The buying behaviors, attitudes and preferences of insurance customers worldwide are changing. To understand this transformation, insurers need to determine how they must adapt to attract, deepen and preserve customer relationships.
Related content
- Governance facing the industry today
We, along with Tapestry Network, established the Insurance Governance Leadership Network (IGLN), a global network centered around non-executive directors from a select group of the largest insurers from Europe, North America and Asia. The IGLN provides a peer-to-peer platform for participants to discuss critical issues facing the industry globally. Its primary focus is the non-executive director, but it also engages senior management (notably chief risk officers) and regulators, all of whom are committed to outstanding governance and supervision in support of the mission to build strong, enduring, and trustworthy insurance institutions.
Related content
- Operations and technology: implementing efficiencies
In recent years, a new generation of technologies has created a renewed appetite amongst insurers for using IT to manage claims more effectively.
Yet there are still a large number of challenges to be overcome in delivering the anticipated business benefits. Are you achieving the improved claims performance you need from your IT investments?
According to our latest research, insurers could get much greater value by changing their approach.
Our survey "Delivering results through claims technologies" explores the challenges and opportunities of investing in claims technologies in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.
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California Department of Transportation
Date: June 24, 2011
District: 10 - Stockton
Contact: Christopher Mayfield
Phone: (209) 948-7977
$825 Million allocated to create jobs and improve transportation
STOCKTON – The California Transportation Commission (CTC) today allocated $825 million in new funding to 92 highway, transit, and rail projects that will strengthen California's economy and upgrade the state's vast transportation system. The allocations included nearly $9 million from Proposition 1B, a 2006 voter-approved transportation bond. To date, the state has allocated nearly $8 billion in Proposition 1B funds.
"From one end of the state to the other, transportation projects are providing jobs and improving mobility for people and businesses in California," said Caltrans Acting Director Malcolm Dougherty.
Two notable design-build projects in Los Angeles County received $526 million in allocations: the Gerald Desmond Bridge ($470 million) and the Interstate 10/Interstate 605 Direct Connector ($56 million). Design-build streamlines a project by overlapping design and construction to speed up construction and potentially reduce costs. Design-build is currently being used in 32 other states. Caltrans obtained design-build authority in February 2009 with the passage of Senate Bill 4 (second extraordinary session). The legislation established a demonstration program, which allows 10 design-build projects for Caltrans and five for local transportation agencies, subject to authorization by the CTC.
Other highlights of the allocations include:
Alpine County - $12,000 to install bicycle and pedestrian signage and striping at various locations on State Route 4, State Route 88 and State Route 89 to improve motorist's awareness of bicycle and pedestrian areas.
San Joaquin County - $8.4 million for a project that will construct 15.3 miles of new double track on the San Joaquin Corridor to enhance the efficiency of the corridor by allowing future increases in both speed and volume of intercity and freight service and strengthening future intercity rail connections to the California High-Speed Rail System.
San Joaquin County - $2 million for a project that will construct signal upgrades on the Altamont Commuter Express (ACE) Corridor to reduce traffic congestion, improve passenger and pedestrian safety, and increase operational safety along the corridor. Improvements will also benefit Amtrak intercity trains and future High-Speed Rail trains.
Stanislaus County - $390,000 to construct landscaped median to improve safety and enhance the environment in the City of Turlock.
For information about all projects that received allocations please visit: http://www.dot.ca.gov/docs/ctcprojectallocationsjune2011.pdf
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subset: commoncrawl


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The reviews for Aronofsky's movie, Noah, are coming in, and they're mixed. There are parts that are brilliant and provocative, and others that are ludicrous, over-the-top, action movie CGI. One thing everyone is agreeing on, along with Ken Ham and me, is that it is decidedly unbiblical, which is totally unsurprising. Don't people ever read their Bibles? Most of these famous myths out of that old book are short, with little characterization or context, and are more like an elevator pitch than a full narrative…so every Bible story has to be padded. Turning a one page sketch into a two hour movie? What do you expect?
Apparently, this version of the Ark story is more action/fantasy story than reverent Bible worship, which is fine by me. This is pretty much what I expect:
There's so much delusion and so much delight in "Noah" that I have trouble distinguishing one from the other, or determining whether its most outlandish flourishes qualify as mistakes or as strokes of genius. But let's be clear that the CGI-animated opening sequence, an "earlier on our show" montage that tells the story of Genesis from the creation through Adam and Eve and Cain and Abel, is a mistake. Even there Aronofsky and cinematographer Matthew Libatique deliver striking images – the forbidden fruit of the Tree of Knowledge pulsing like a human heart; the father and mother of us all as golden-hued, naked super aliens – but the net effect is something like a Catholic Sunday-school video mixed with the scenes Ridley Scott rejected as too hokey for "Prometheus."
I may have to watch it after all. "Prometheus" was so bad it was entertaining.
By the way, Ridley Scott is working on a Biblical movie, too — a retelling of the Moses story. He's also going to make a sequel to "Prometheus". Oh, and also, Michael Bay is remaking the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
It looks like it's going to be a banner year for really bad big-budget movies. I don't like bad movies all that much.


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3. Transparency
The flip side to the increased consumer access the Internet and mobile technology give restaurants may be consumers' growing expectation that restaurants be more transparent. In 2010, the passing of health care reform forced many chains to disclose calorie counts on their menus, and New York City requires restaurants to publicly display their sanitation grades. In Los Angeles—like New York, a bellwether for the industry—food trucks are also receiving sanitation grades.
Eric Giandelone, director of food research at Mintel, expects the push for more transparency to continue this year.
"Transparency is the big one," he says. "Consumers expect more information, and they are getting more information."
In 2011, Giandelone predicts consumers will continue to demand to know more about the ingredients restaurants are using and how they are getting them. He also expects more restaurants to follow the trend of open kitchens as a sign to customers that they have nothing to hide.
Restaurants need to proactively embrace this new era of openness, not resist it, Giandelone says.
"If you are withholding information, it looks like you're hiding information," he says. "If we [as consumers] are being more open, then we expect companies to be more open too."
4. Crowdsourcing
Mike Samson, cofounder of crowdSPRING, says many restaurants already use his site to outsource menu and signage design to its community of 77,000 designers. In 2011, he says more restaurants will switch from the traditional process of retaining a single agency to the crowdsourcing model.
"Our biggest barrier to growth is lack of awareness," Samson says. "People just don't know that there is an alternative way to go about sourcing creative services."
5. Nothing Too Over-the-Top
This year has seen its share of outlandish roll outs. In April, KFC came out with the Double Down, a breadless "sandwich" that features melted cheese, bacon, and sauce between two chicken filets. In June, Massachusetts-based Friendly's introduced its Ultimate Grilled Cheese Burgermelt, a burger patty between two grilled cheese sandwiches. And in July, CKE Restaurants began testing a foot-long cheeseburger in select Carl's Jr. and Hardee's locations.
Each of the items garnered a lot of publicity, and even though much of it was negative, the Red Light Project's Courtney says 2011 will see a continuation of the over-the-top trend. In fact, he expects some restaurants to introduce even more outrageous items this year, even if it means subverting their own brands.
"In a pound of flesh economy where everybody needs to do whatever it takes to get a bigger piece of the pie, [restaurants] will throw the brand right under the bus if they think it will be successful," Courtney says.
He attributes the recent spate of overindulgent products to the general increase in competition across the quick-service segment due in part to the growing popularity of fast casuals.
Did QSR's predictions for last year's seven hottest trends come true? Below is what we heard from experts at the beginning of 2010.
"There's more competition than ever," he says. "So there's pressure to do something, and the value of these sensational, over-the-top products is obvious. Look at the PR value alone. It really gets you on the radar very quickly."
Even as Courtney sees more Double Down–esque menu items on the horizon, he also says 2011 will see a resurgence of the signature product. It is the Whoppers and Big Macs that can buoy a restaurant in hard times and put it on the path to sustained growth over the long term, he says.
"It can become a halo for your brand," Courtney says.
But concocting a signature product—"something embedded into the brand" —is far harder than wowing customers with an over-the-top sandwich.
"The shortcut to fame is a signature product," Courtney says, "but there's really no shortcut to a signature product."
6. Nontraditional Locations
It remains exceedingly difficult for restaurants to get a loan. This is one reason Jeff Levine, CEO of Salad Creations, says he opened six "nontrad" locations in 2010, and is planning to open 15–20 more this year.
Giant companies handle foodservice at airports and universities—Salad Creations' nontrads of choice—and they have easy access to financing, Levine says.
"So from the standpoint of growth, it is one less problem that we as the franchisor have to deal with," he says.
This single, significant advantage may persuade more restaurants to test out the nontraditional market next year.
7. Raising Prices
However slowly, the economy is improving, and this may tempt restaurants to start raising their prices in 2011—although they shouldn't, says Lombardi, the WD Partners executive vice president.
"I think they will stub their toes if they do it too early," he says. "Consumers are definitely still in a recession mindset, and they are not going to go back to the old ways of spending."
Click here to read the full article on last year's predictions.
The five times weekly e-newsletter that keeps you up-to-date on the latest industry news and additions to this website.


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Designer Royal Saree
- $168.00
- Product Code: BGSA 27215
- Availability: 2-3 Days
Designer Digital Net Royal Saree with thread, jari, diamond, moti work.
Designer Party Wear Heavy Embroidered Saree with thread, jari, diamond, moti work.
As shown blouse can be made available and also can be customised as per your style or pattern subject to fabric limitation.
Slight variation in actual color vs image color is possible.
|Designer Saree
|Stones, Sequins, Diamond, Thread Embroidery Work
|Wedding, Party, Festival
|Fabric Care
|Dry Clean Only
|Time to Deliver
|2 to 3 Weeks


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At Maker Faire Bay Area 2011, Katharine Jolda demonstrates the Cyclocarder, a bicycle powered wool carding machine. Inspired by the cotton gin, pedal power spins raw wool so the fibers are aligned and can easily be used to make thread or fabric.
to the Maker Faire Podcast in iTunes, download the m4v directly, or watch it on YouTube or Vimeo.


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Built from 70 to 80 A.D., the Roman Colosseum could hold between 50,000 and 80,000 people for public events and gladiator fights.
Photograph by Horst Gossmann, Dreamstime
Il Duomo di Firenze is a church in Florence built in the Gothic style.
Photograph by Dmitry Rozhdestvenskiy, Dreamstime
St. Peter's Square is a large plaza in front of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, where the Pope lives.
Photograph by Viorel Dudau, Dreamstime
Pasta is a popular food in traditional Italian cuisine.
Photograph by Stevanzz, Dreamstime
A family on the Italian island of Sicily takes a passeggiata—an evening stroll.
Photograph by Ascent, PKS Media Inc., Getty Images
Map of Italy
OFFICIAL NAME: Italian Republic
FORM OF GOVERNMENT: Republic
CAPITAL: Rome
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE: Italian
MONEY: Euro
AREA: 116,324 square miles (301,277 square kilometers)
MAJOR MOUNTAIN RANGES: Alps, Apennines
MAJOR RIVERS: Po, Adige, Arno, Tiber
Italian Flag
Map of Italy
Italy is a boot-shaped peninsula that juts out of southern Europe into the Adriatic Sea, Tyrrhenian Sea, Mediterranean Sea, and other waters. Its location has played an important role in its history.
The sea surrounds Italy, and mountains crisscross the interior, dividing it into regions. The Alps cut across the top of the country and are streaked with long, thin glacial lakes. From the western end of the Alps, the Apennines mountains stretch south down the entire peninsula.
West of the Apennines are wooded hills that are home to many of Italy's historic cities, including Rome. In the south are hot, dry coastlands and fertile plains where olives, almonds, and figs are grown.
Since the rise of the Roman Empire, Italian art, architecture, and culture have had an influence around the world. Famed Italian painters include Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Italy is also at the heart of the Catholic Church, which is governed from Vatican City, a city-state surrounded by Rome.
The family is at the center of Italian society. Young people often live at home until they are in their 30s, even if they have a job. When parents retire, they often go to live with their children.
For 22 centuries, Italians and their ancestors have cleared fields, grazed livestock, and hunted wild animals. Forests that once covered large areas are gone. But the country's remote places and many national parks still have wilderness largely untouched by humans.
The lower slopes of Italy's Alps are covered with forests. Above these woodlands are meadows that explode with specially adapted wildflowers in the spring. Throughout Italy, millions of birds stop to rest during their annual migration to Africa.
Photograph by Scanrail, Dreamstime
In Italy, politics can often be exciting and noisy. Crowds gather in the streets to protest government policies or to show support for their party.
Since World War II, Italy has enjoyed an economic transformation. Industry grew, and by the mid-1960s, Italy had become one of the world's leading economies. Its main exports are clothing, shoes, food, and wine.
Italy's location on the Mediterranean linked it with the trade routes of the ancient civilizations that developed in the region. With the city of Rome's rise to power, the Italian peninsula became the center of a huge empire that lasted for centuries.
Italy's first societies emerged around 1200 B.C. Around 800 B.C. Greeks settled in the south and Etruscans arose in central Italy. By the sixth century B.C., the Etruscans had created a group of states called Etruria. Meanwhile, Latin and Sabine people south of Etruria merged to form a strong city-state called Rome.
Etruscan kings ruled Rome for nearly a hundred years. But Romans tossed out the Etruscans in 510 B.C. and went on to conquer the whole peninsula. They then set out to build a vast empire. At its greatest extent, in A.D. 117, the Roman Empire stretched from Portugal to Syria to Britain to North Africa.
The first sole emperor of Rome, Octavian, took power in 27 B.C. and took the name Augustus Caesar. For more than 400 years, the empire flourished. But by the fourth century A.D., it was in decline. In 395, the empire was split in two, and in 476, Germanic tribes from the north toppled the last emperor.
In the 12th century, Italian city-states began to rise again and grow rich on trade. But Italy remained a patchwork of territories, some of which were controlled by foreign dynasties. Beginning in 1859, an uprising forced the foreigners out, and in 1861, the Kingdom of Italy was proclaimed.
In 1914, Italy took the side of the United Kingdom and the U.S. in World War I, but was left in poverty at war's end. Benito Mussolini and his Fascist Party rose to power promising to restore the Roman Empire. He ruled as a dictator and entered World War II on the side of Germany and Japan. He was later captured and executed.


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Career: A four-year letterwinner … Played in 71 games and started 69 … Played all over the field for the Blue Devils during his career … Played a total of 5963 career minutes … Finished his collegiate career with 14 goals and 18 assists for 46 points … Had six game-winning goals … A three-time All-ACC pick … Drafted by the Seattle Sounders with the 35th pick in the MLS SuperDraft … A two-time ACC Academic Honor Roll member … 2015 All-ACC Academic Team … Two-year team captain ... Three-time ACC Academic Honor Roll.
2015: Team Captain … Played in 19 games with 17 starts in the Duke midfield … All-ACC First Team … NSCAA All-South Region third team pick … Led the Blue Devils' offense with eight goals and eight assists for 24 points … Registered his first career hat trick and career-high seven points in 6-2 win over NC State … Named the ACC Offensive Player of the Week following his performance against the Wolfpack … Also selected to Top Drawer Soccer and College Soccer News Teams of the Week … Tallied the game winner in 1-0 win over DePaul in John Rennie Nike Classic … Named to the All-Tournament Team … Assisted on both goals in 2-1 victories over Iona and Virginia Tech … Voted the team's Most Valuable Player … Drafted 35th by the Seattle Sounders of Major League Soccer … All-ACC Academic Team pick ... ACC Academic Honor Roll.
2014: Started all 16 games in which he played … Team captain … An All-ACC third team choice … Helped anchor Duke's defense to two shutouts … Scored two goals and an assist for five points … Both goals came in the 2-0 victory over Appalachian State (9/30) … Registered an assist versus Wake Forest (10/3) … Went the distance in 11 games … Named to the John Rennie Nike Invitational All-Tournament Team after leading Duke to the title ... Voted the team's Defensive Player of the Year … Played 1,366 minutes overall.
2013: Started 18 games … All-ACC third team … Played both offense and defense during the season … Led the team with five assists … Scored a goal in the first two games of the season to earn the Most Valuable Player award from the John Rennie Nike Classic … Assisted the lone goal in 1-0 win over Georgia Southern (9/10) … Also had an assist in 2-2 draw with No. 15 Wake Forest (10/25) … Provided the assist to the goal in 1-0 win at Clemson (11/8) to clinch a spot in the ACC Tournament … Went the distance in eight games … Selected as the John Rennie Award winner by the coaching staff.
2012: Started all 18 games … All-ACC Freshman Team selection … voted team's Rookie of the Year … tied for the team lead in assists (4) … anchored the defense for much of the season, but also provided a punch on the attack … notched his first collegiate points with two assists against Georgia State (9/11) … had the game-winning assist versus NC State … tallied his first collegiate goal in 2-0 win at Virginia Tech … also had the game winner against SIU Edwardsville … All-ACC Academic Team choice.
Prep: Played his club soccer for Solar Chelsea Academy ... ranked as the No. 72 recruit in 2012 and 18th among midfielders by Top Drawer Soccer and 25th by College Soccer News ...recently guides his club team to the 2012 U.S. Soccer Develpment Academy Finals ... Solar Chelsea took fourth at Academy Finals ... has 14 goals for Solar in 2012 ... selected to the Texas All-State starting 11 in 2011 by ESPNHS magazine ... named to the Disney Showcase All-Star team in 2010 and 2011 ... has started 24 of 29 games this season for Solar ... has registered 12 goals for the academy squad ... helped lead Keller High School to 2009 5-5A District title ... selected as the Offensive Newcomer of the Year for the district in 2009 ... named to the Star-Telegram Super Team in 2009 ... helped guide Solar to the 2009 North Texas state title and to the USYSA Region III title.


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For perfume lovers, the advent of cooler weather may very well inspire a shift in scents. It's a time to abandon the light florals of summer and explore fragrances that reflect autumn and conjure notions of All Hallow's Eve.
For a postmodern interpretation of fall, I reach for Like This by Etat Libre d'Orange (created in collaboration with Tilda Swinton), with its notes of pumpkin, gingerbread spice, woods, immortelle and damp earth.
Christopher Brosius, the founder of the CB I Hate Perfume perfumery in Brooklyn, is the creator of a scent called Burning Leaves, which may very well have you wondering who lighted the bonfire. Brosius' November, on the other hand, embraces the melancholy beauty of decay—with notes of pumpkin pie, fallen leaves and smoke.
If Count Dracula wore cologne, Bram Stoker might have doused him in L'Artisan's Voleur de Roses, a narcotic blend of roses and earthy patchouli that seems perfect for all undead Victorian gentlemen. Like many unisex fragrances, it's also great on ladies. (Patchouli may conjure up 1960s head shops, but perfumers love this note for its versatility. Leaven it with roses, berries, vanilla or spices and it gets all new romantic and neo-gothy, more Duran Duran than Bauhaus.)
In Noir de Noir, Tom Ford offsets the mossy darkness of patchouli with rose and jammy berries. Noir Patchouli by Histoire de Perfumes tilts toward spices, tobacco and leather, growing sweeter as it dries.
But fall isn't only about the dark arts; the season also evokes cheery kitchens with the fragrance of baked goods wafting from warm ovens.
The complex perfumes of the Serge Lutens line are innovative, sophisticated and high-quality. One spritz of Lutens' Five O'Clock Au Gingembre makes me think of the mountains — sitting around an aromatic campfire, sipping hot lemon-honeyed tea and eating spicy-sweet gingerbread.
Demeter's Pumpkin Pie fragrance smells of pumpkins, sugar, cinnamon, ginger and cloves and costs less than $20. Also for those on a budget, the website of L.A.'s Black Phoenix Alchemy Labs offers an entire spooky, scented world. BPAL's 2012 perfumes include Danse Macabre, Bewitched, the Twisted Oak Tree, All Souls' Night, Sugar Skull and Dia de Los Muertos. (The prices range from $17.50 to $30.)
Christian Dior's Poison is a natural for fall, but if you used to run away screaming, don't worry, it has been reformulated and is now milder and more vanillic. I prefer its clever variations — Hypnotic Poison (almondy), Pure Poison (powdery white floral) and Midnight Poison (orange, rose, patchouli, amber).
For those who can't abide aromachemicals, there are plenty of all-natural and organic options. This fall, I'm enjoying Yosh Han's ruby-hued Ominiscent, whose heady mix of florals and spices is both sexy and a little witchy.
Perfumes with oud and incense light up my inner goth girl. Oud, which is extracted from Southeast Asia's aquilaria tree, smells smoky, pungent, earthy and animalic and has been a hot note in perfumery for a while. For the curious, a good starter oud is Czech and Speake's unisex Dark Rose.
The Mt. Everest of rose ouds is Montale's Black Aoud, which pairs the rich attar of roses with dark, earthy, leathery mushroom darkness. Kilian's Rose Oud and Midnight Oud are also worth checking out.
When I smell incense, I think of ancient cathedrals, fallen angels, Bach's haunting "St. Matthew Passion" and Japanese temples. So it's not surprising that I'm a sucker for Commes des Garçons' incense line: Avignon, Kyoto, Zagorsk, Ouarzazate and Palisander. For incense softened with florals, aloe and musk, try L'Artisan's Passage d'Enfer.
Want to test before you buy? Dependable online sites such as Posh Peasant, Surrender to Chance and LuckyScent offer samples of most perfumes listed above for around $7, depending on the scent.
Denise Hamilton writes about perfume for The Times.


text: Novella Royale's roots are firmly planted in the lifestyle, music, fashion and rebellions of the 60's and 70's. "We push our girl to evolve into a new bohemian. Steering clear of what our culture has dubbed "boho" and getting back to the real meaning of being such...practicing individuality through lifestyle, fashion, music, art, and literature. when everyone goes right our girl goes left..."


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The City University of New York is pleased to announce the winners of the 2010 Murray Kempton Awards for Journalism. Named for the famed columnist who captured the soul of the city while often serving as its conscience, these awards recognize the contributions of outstanding undergraduate student journalists.
"The Green Initiative Referendum: Why You're Funding a Magazine That Doesn't Exist"
by Jesse Lent, a Hunter College senior. Read the story.
"Small Longwood Church Feeds the Hungry"
by Fausto Giovanny Pinto, a Hunter College senior. Read the story.
"Why Not Ease Up on Stop and Frisk?"
by Kesi Foster, a City College of New York junior. Read the story.


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Star Cluster Bursts into Life in New Hubble Image
Thousands of sparkling young stars are nestled within the giant nebula NGC 3603. This stellar "jewel box" is one of the most massive young star clusters in the Milky Way Galaxy.
NGC 3603 is a prominent star-forming region in the Carina spiral arm of the Milky Way, about 20,000 light-years away. This latest image from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope shows a young star cluster surrounded by a vast region of dust and gas.
The image reveals stages in the life cycle of stars.
Powerful ultraviolet radiation and fast winds from the bluest and hottest stars have blown a big bubble around the cluster. Moving into the surrounding nebula, this torrent of radiation sculpted the tall, dark stalks of dense gas, which are embedded in the walls of the nebula. These gaseous monoliths are a few light-years tall and point to the central cluster. The stalks may be incubators for new stars.
On a smaller scale, a cluster of dark clouds called "Bok" globules resides at the top, right corner. These clouds are composed of dense dust and gas and are about 10 to 50 times more massive than the Sun. Resembling an insect's cocoon, a Bok globule may be undergoing a gravitational collapse on its way to forming new stars.
The nebula was first discovered by Sir John Herschel in 1834. The image spans roughly 17 light-years and was taken Dec. 29, 2005 with the Advanced Camera for Surveys.
For more information, please contact:
Jesús Maíz Apellániz
Institute of Astrophysics of Andalucia, Spain
Ray Villard
Space Telescope Science Institute, Baltimore, USA
Lars Lindberg Christensen
Hubble/ESA, Garching, Germany
NASA, ESA, and the Hubble Heritage (STScI/AURA)-ESA/Hubble Collaboration;
Acknowledgment: J. Maíz Apellániz (Institute of Astrophysics of Andalucía, Spain)


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It may be my imagination but, at times, I feel many of us feel that we are far too often dealing with unfriendly spaces or feeling threatened. We may feel physically, emotionally, or even economically threatened. Regardless, the feelings are the same — discomfort or fear. How can we be better people, a stronger family or community, or a healthy country, if we feel unsafe?
I believe the camp experience allows young people to learn and practice civility — which might be one of the most important attributes in this decade.
I am not saying we should be passive or easily pushed around to avoid conflict; rather, what are the skills we can possess and teach others that will facilitate healthy, constructive, and safe discourse?
Well, I don't believe the answer is rocket science. Frankly, what comes to mind are the lessons my grandmother taught me. Or more recent, the lessons I have observed being taught at camp.
- Be polite. Say "thank you," "please," and "I am sorry."
- Lower your voice if you want me to hear you.
- Stop whining or begging — it is unattractive.
- If you don't like her, she probably doesn't like you. (Ouch, I remember that stinging.)
- Be fair. No manipulating to get your way — again, it is unattractive.
- Don't sweat the small stuff or fight over petty issues.
- No one will change until you change.
- A smile wins more than a frown.
- You are not as important as you might think.
- Don't become your own problem.
The wisdom in some of my grandmother's quips was not always immediately apparent to me, but over time, when I have found myself worked up or hurt, they have provided great counsel. I believe the lessons camp professionals teach may not always be immediately apparent, but I will bet money they will help us secure a more civil world.
Photo courtesy of Camp Aranzazu, Rockport, Texas.


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2. Tell our readers a little about you. Where are from? Is Jennifer Starr your real name?
I am from LA born and raised. My parents were artists and musicians. Due to my fast tracked and supercharged personality, I left home early on to pursue my dreams of dancing and singing. I worked as a dancer in several gay nightclubs and did hair out of my apartment in the Hollywood hills to make a living. It was a fun and free time, but it was the 80s..lol and I was a "disco dolly" so it was a rocky road for several years but I kept pushing and got a break with "Pure Sugar". My real name is Jennifer Storr, but my teachers growing up always read roll call wrong. They thought my last name was Starr....and I liked it, so it stuck. I am photographer now, I shoot fashion, music, and beauty.
Jenstarr in action behind the lens. (Photo by Erika Petty)
3. Correct me if I'm wrong but back in 1995 you appeared on the compilation 'Luminescence' with the track 'Hurting' Inside'. Was this your first recording?
This was my first released recording/remix of a track I wrote with a producer named John Wilmer. We wrote and recorded several song throughout the late 80's but that one he remixed and released on that compilation. Wow! You are good! :) (Found out this tidit thanks to discogs.com)
4. Let's take a trip back in time. I was working at a clothing store in college and I saw a tall woman wearing very little shoot lasers from her hands on the video screen backed by a sick dance beat and a booming voice. The song was called "Delicious" and a love affair w/ my ears began. How did you end up becoming the voice for Pure Sugar?
I was in a band called "The Zen Cowboys" in 1994, they had released an album called "Electric Mistress" (AMAZING ALBUM!!) and I was on stage singing at the Viper room one night freestyle and they were there gearing up for their US tour. They asked, actually demanded (LOL) me to join them on tour. So I did. It was the BEST experience ever! I sang with a girl then named Therase Willis, one of the best singers I have ever heard. She changed me on that tour. Really helped me find my live voice. So as I was touring with Zen Cowboys one night a band friend Pete Lorimer came to a show. I think it was House of Blues. Anyhow, he asked me to join Pure Sugar soon after that. So as the Cowboys tour was winding down, I went into the studio with Pete and Richard Vision and started working on "Pure Sugar".
5. "Very Cherry" would make a great drag queen name wouldn't you say? I honestly believe the Pure Sugar album is one of THE best dance albums ever recorded. In fact I still listen to it on a regular basis all these years later. I think it was mainly due to its exploration of different dance sounds. Looking back on that album what are your thoughts about it now?
I think it's a GREAT drag name! LOL. One of my best friends in the whole wide world wrote that track, Jim Harry. He has 2 Grammy nominations this year for P!nk's album. Well, to go into all of my thoughts on this album would be long. I have not listened to the album completely through in over a decade. In all of the good that I experienced in the process of that project, there was a lot which was extremely painful having to due with creative differences, industry politics, and the way I was handled as an artist by certain people around me. I mean the "Delicious" video budget was around two dollars. LOL. I LOVE the song "Delicious" and several of the tracks on the record. You are right. It was very diverse, and that was a realy strong point to the album I believe. A year ago, A close friend of mine, Tryan, was driving home from dinner and played a song I wrote "Broken" and it was surreal because I wrote that song out of so much pain that I was going through...and hearing that song was bitter/sweet. But mostly happy to hear it and felt like "wow, I should listen to my album sometime". LOL.
6. Was there ever a follow up planned to Pure Sugar's debut? Have you recorded anything since Pure Sugar?
There would have been...we had a #1 in Japan and we did scale the charts with 3 songs off the album as well. We also won "Best Dance Group in the World" at the Winter Music Dance Conference and back in 1998, that was the equivilent to a "Grammy's Dance Catagory" as they did not have one up until 1999. And there was a strong fan base that I felt "got it and loved it" and understood what I was trying to do. Because of the struggle I was going through as a "recording artist" having a vision and not being able to fully see it through, I had fallen sick in the midst of making the album and touring which created a huge issue with needing to get well. YES I play around with music and sing all the time for fun. I love looking at who is out there now, and what makes them special. But now, I see these musicians and I want to photography them in a way they will never be shot again. I understand a part of them and what they are doing and going through.
7. How does music play into your life these days? Please tell me you are still singing. That voice NEEDS to be heard again!
You are very sweet. I love shooting and I shoot to all kinds of great music. My house is filled with music at all times, and for me, it will always be my first and greatest love. I can't say I would ever do it as a profession again. The politics of the industry are bizarre. It's no wonder artists like Britney Spears have those "shave your head" moments. The rules make no sense, and it's hard to be ones self in trying to please the business side of things. So you end up taking various paths you did not ever imagine yourself taking just to stay in the game and in that process you can crash hard internally. It would have killed me eventually even if I am speaking metaphorically. LOL, no lie. My art is something I must feel I am in control and sync with. Every time I shoot, I am free of all boundaries and limits and all that matters is the art and the relationship I am having with it from beginning to end.
8. Everyone wants to know how that big black woman's voice got inside your tiny body. Who did Jennifer Starr listen to growing up?
Well that's a compliment. Thank you. I listened to a lot of jazz and classical growing up. My father was into this "beat nick" style of listening to music and it influenced me. I am grateful he played those artists in our home. It was a great education. But as a kid, I loved Donna Summer and Debbie Harry, Dale Bozio from Missing Persons, and Martha Wash, Chaka Kahn, Mary J Blige, Prince..so many!
9. Going back to your current profession. How does music play a part in your photography? Have you ever sung to your subjects?
LOL. Well, I listen to a lot while shooting and I love french 60's Jazz, classical, old school house (Black box), 80's new wave, Runaways, Prince, Funkadelic, Michael Jackson, 60's Joplin, Hendrix, Beatles, Beyoncé, early Madonna. The list goes on and on. No I don't sing to my subjects. But a few of them sing for me. I like to get my subjects so comfortable they feel they can do anything. :)
Current photo of Jennstar. (Photo by Sean Bolger)
10. Thanks again for taking time out to do this interview. Is there anything you'd like to tell your fans and our readers?
Thank you. Yes, I would like to thank "Pure sugar" fans for enjoying my work in Pure Sugar. It has always been my mission to inspire in any and all ways that I can. Life is a gift, treat yourselves good and enjoy the fruits of your work and endeavors and don't ever stop believing in yourself! I love you so very much....I really do.
I'd like to thank the lovely JenStarr for taking the time to answer my questions. She was a delight! Please make sure you check out her amazing work at her official website @ www.jenstarrphoto.com.


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It's the fate of many an international head of state: They get a coveted invitation to the White House and then, as they are photographed with the president, everybody asks the American president a question about a subject that has nothing to do with the visiting dignitary.
Last week, that was the fate of Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, who met with President Obama in the Oval Office on the day Muammar Gadhafi was killed in Libya.
This time, however, Obama went out of his way to praise his NATO ally for its contributions to the alliance's military mission.
"I've said this before but I want to repeat, Norway punches above its weight," Obama said. "And their participation in the humanitarian mission, protecting civilians, the capacity of Norwegian pilots, their willingness to engage in some very critical missions there, made an enormous difference."
President Obama invited the Norwegian prime minister to the White House in 2008, when he visited Oslo to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.
"Michelle and I have incredibly fond memories of our visits to Oslo, and the extraordinary hospitality that the Norwegian people extended to us and our family," Obama said after the meeting with Stoltenberg.
It has been eight years since a Norwegian prime minister was invited to the White House, and a big group of Norwegian press had gathered to cover the event. But as Stoltenberg said to Norwegian reporters after the show was over: "I think Obama spends more time on his 2012 campaign than on thinking of Norway."


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Flora Marynak, firstname.lastname@example.com, Work Phone: 814-863-0621
College marshal composes both musical compositions, chemical equations
Main Content
What happens when a student has strong interests in two vastly different fields of study? How does the student choose a path? Josh Laughner decided not to choose and successfully pursued degrees in both chemistry and music.
Laughner, a resident of Wadsworth, Ohio, recently graduated as the Penn State College of Arts and Architecture student marshal, having earned the highest overall grade-point average in the college. He earned a bachelor of music composition in addition to a bachelor of science in chemistry from the Eberly College of Science.
"When I started as a freshman, I intended to pursue a musical career, eventually earning a position as a faculty composer. But as I entered higher level courses, I realized that I didn't want to give up chemistry, either," Laughner said. "I'm excited that I had the opportunity to continue learning more about chemistry, and simultaneously had incredibly creative freedom in my composition."
A Schreyer Honors Scholar, Laughner has been active in both the School of Music and Department of Chemistry. He was a trumpet student of Professor Langston Fitzgerald, as well as a member of the composition studio, studying with associate professor Paul Barsom.
According to Barsom, Laughner has grown as both performer and composer. "His gift to us has been the way he has taken everything we have offered him and used it to metamorphose into a composer with a large collection of finely crafted work and a performer who is a leader in the trumpet studio. His example reminds me to work hard to liberate the potential of every student that enters my studio."
Laughner has received numerous honors, including the College of Arts and Architecture's 2012 Golumbic Scholarship Award; the Chemistry Department's Teas Scholarship; a 3M Summer Research Fellowship in 2012; Pentz Memorial Academic Scholarship; and Evan Pugh Scholar Award. He was a winner in the Symphonic Wind Ensemble's 2013 Concerto Competition. He is a member of Pi Kappa Lambda Music Honor Society, Phi Eta Sigma Honor Society, and the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP).
Laughner will continue his education in chemistry, working toward a doctorate in physical chemistry at the University of California at Berkeley. He plans to continue to pursue both performance and composition by connecting with a community orchestra, student ensemble and composition faculty at UC Berkeley.


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Phelps elected to second term as chair of the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission
More than 200 hunter education classes scheduled this summer and fall
Mark your calendars - 2006 Wildlife Expo to be held Aug. 25-27
"Operation Game Thief" offers cash rewards for anonymous tips
Senate recovers conservation funding for Oklahoma – state officials hopeful as Senate resolves final budget with House
Expo offers nearly 200 different booths and activities for wildlife enthusiasts
Department to hold vehicle auction
Are you in the market for a used vehicle? If so, you will want to head out to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's public vehicle auction. It will be held Thursday, June 8, at 6 p.m. at the Department's headquarters located at 1801 N. Lincoln in Oklahoma City.
"We have a good variety of Ford and Chevrolet trucks. All of them are four-wheel drive and many of them are extended cab models," said Johnny Hill, property manager for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "We're going to sell everything as is to the highest bidder."
A total of 25 vehicles will be available at the event, including a ¾ ton Chevrolet truck, a 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe and a 1996 Dodge Caravan.
For more information about the auction call (405) 521-4600 or for a complete list of auction vehicles, log on to wildlifedepartment.com. The sale will start promptly at 6:00 p.m. and items may be inspected from 10 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. the day of the sale.
The Wildlife Department's weekly television show, "Outdoor Oklahoma," show is now available 24-hours a day over the internet and the best part about it, it's free!
Podcasting is the method of distributing multimedia files, such as audio programs or music videos, over the Internet for playback on mobile devices and personal computers. Podcasting's essence is about creating content (audio or video) for an audience that wants to listen or watch when they want, where they want, and how they want.
To learn more about "Outdoor Oklahoma" television show podcasts log on to www.wildlifedepartment.com
Sign up now to attend a Selman Bat Watch
Come watch over a million bats fly out of their cave, over your head, and off into the nighttime sky at a Selman Bat Watch. There are 12 opportunities in July to see the only public viewing of Mexican free-tailed bats in Oklahoma. The Bat Watch begins July 6 and occurs each Thursday, Friday and Saturday the rest of the month. Register by June 26 to attend. Download a registration form at www.wildlifedepartment.com.
Every summer night, the bats leave their roost to dine on flying insects. They'll cruise right overhead according to Melynda Hickman, event organizer and biologist for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
"From a distance, the flying columns of bats look like smoke. But when you're sitting right there, and the bats pass over your head, there's no doubt you're seeing and hearing bats. It's a unique experience," she said.
The bat flight is the highlight of the Bat Watch, but there's more to the evening than watching. There's also learning and exploring.
The Bat Watch begins at Alabaster Caverns State Park – 6 miles south of Freedom and 30 miles northeast of Woodward in northwestern Oklahoma. Buses take visitors from the state park to the Selman Wildlife Management Area, which is usually closed to the public. Once there, visitors learn facts about bats and the prairie community.
Since 1996, the Wildlife Department has managed the area because of its importance to the Mexican free-tailed bat. This is one of only five major sites in Oklahoma used by female free-tailed bats to raise their young.
The bats return to Oklahoma year after year from their wintering grounds in Mexico and Central America. They spend daylight hours inside the cave. Then, from dusk until dawn, they fly over the countryside consuming more than 10 tons of insects each night.
"If you like watching wildlife, or just want to experience something extraordinary, you'll want to check this out," Hickman said.
Sign up now through June 26 to see this amazing natural spectacle. The cost is $10 for adults and $5 for children. Seating is limited to 75 people per night and evenings fill quickly. Children must be 8 or older to attend a Friday or Saturday night, which run from 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. Thursday nights are shorter to accommodate children ages 3 – 7 and run from 7:15 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. Check for open viewing dates, get a registration form, and find out more at www.wildlifedepartment.com or call (405) 424-0099.
Photo Caption: See more than one million bats spiral out into the evening sky at a Selman Bat Watch.
Phelps elected to second term as chair of the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission
The Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission unanimously voted to approve a new slate of officers. Bill Phelps of Lawton was elected chairman for a second consecutive term; M. David Riggs of Sand Springs was elected vice-chairman; and Wade Brinkman, Altus was elected as secretary. Officers will serve a one-year term beginning July 1.
"It is appreciated and humbling to have my fellow commissioners give me the opportunity to serve again. I am really looking forward to working the next year with ODWC commissioners and the Wildlife Department in conserving Oklahoma's great wildlife resources," said Phelps, who is an active member of Ducks Unlimited, Quail Unlimited, the National Wild Turkey Federation, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the National Sporting Clays Association.
Phelps, who was appointed to the Commission in 2002, represents District 6 which encompasses Blaine, Kingfisher, Canadian, Caddo, Grady, Comanche, Stephens, Jefferson and Cotton counties. He has worked for CenterPoint Energy for 33 years, and since 1994 has served as the vice president and general manager of its Oklahoma Division. Phelps attended both the University of Arkansas-Monticello and East Texas State University majoring in agri-business.
In other business, Commissioners heard a presentation on the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation 2006 Landowner of the Year - Randy Lively, of Sharon. Producing beef, sheep and crops, the Lively Ranch is a diversified operation, but wildlife is always an important consideration in land management decisions.
"For several generations the Lively Ranch has placed an emphasis on quality wildlife habitat on the 2,000-acre property in Woodward County. Randy Lively is a great example of real-world conservation in action," said Wade Free, northwest region wildlife supervisor for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
According to Free, Lively uses a variety of methods to encourage the growth of beneficial native plants including, patch burning, roller chopping, rotational grazing and strip disking. In northwest Oklahoma, water is always a top concern and Lively has built six separate watering areas which are used by both wildlife and cattle.
"When my kids were young, I realized that if I didn't manage for wildlife for my kids' future, nobody was going to do it for me," Lively said.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation has recognized a landowner conservationist each of the past 16 years and continues to work closely with landowners by providing technical assistance and in some cases financial support for land practices that benefit wildlife. Projects may include fencing, brush management, timber thinning, wetland restoration and more.
In employee matters, the Commission recognized Trent Hodgins, District Four Law Enforcement Chief, for his 35 years of outstanding service to the sportsmen of the state.
In other business, the Commission approved the 2007 fiscal year budget and approved a two percent cost of living increase for Department retirees. The retirees' increase is tied to the Consumer Price Index and will become effective July 1.
Additionally, the Commission received a report on the 2006 Legislative session. For a complete update on wildlife-related bills, log on to the Wildlife's Department legislative tracker at wildlifedepartment.com.
The Wildlife Conservation Commission is the eight-member governing board of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. The Wildlife Commission establishes state hunting and fishing regulations, sets policy for the Wildlife Department, and indirectly oversees all state fish and wildlife conservation activities. Commission members are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate.
The next scheduled Commission meeting is July 10 at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation headquarters (auditorium), at the southwest corner of 18th and North Lincoln, Oklahoma City at 9 a.m.
Caption: The Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission unanimously voted to approve a new slate of officers. Bill Phelps of Lawton was elected chairman for a second consecutive term.
Mabrey appointed to second Wildlife Commission term
Bruce R. Mabrey, Okmulgee, was recently appointed by Gov. Brad Henry to serve another term on the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission. Mabrey's current term will run through 2014.
A lifelong resident of Okmulgee, Mabrey has been the executive officer of a family-owned bank holding company with ownership in several eastern Oklahoma banks. Mabrey, an avid hunter particularly of deer, elk and turkey, is currently the executive vice president of Citizens Security Bank & Trust Company in Okmulgee.
"It is a great honor to be able to serve the sportsmen and women of Oklahoma," Mabrey said. "I believe strongly in the youth of our state and I realize the importance of providing kids opportunities to go hunting and fishing. I'm confident we have taken some great strides in these efforts over the last few years with things like the Archery in the Schools program, the Wildlife Expo and the new youth turkey hunting season that takes effect next spring."
The Wildlife Conservation Commission is the eight-member governing board of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC). The Wildlife Commission establishes state hunting and fishing regulations, sets policy for the ODWC, and indirectly oversees all state fish and wildlife conservation activities. Commission members are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate.
Mabrey, who earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, will serve as the Wildlife Commission's District 2 representative. The district includes Adair, Sequoyah, Cherokee, Wagoner, Muskogee, Haskell, McIntosh and Okmulgee counties.
Active in a number of local conservation organizations including Friends of the Deep Fork National Wildlife Refuge, Eastern Oklahoma Chapter of the Quality Deer Management Association, National Rifle Association, National Wild Turkey Federation, Okmulgee County Bowhunters, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Boone and Crockett Club, Mabrey has also served as the past president for Okmulgee County Cattlemen's Association, Okmulgee Chamber of Commerce and Okmulgee Main Street Association.
Mabrey and his wife Karen have four children: two daughters, Mollye and Melanie, and two sons, Matt and Mark.
Caption: Bruce R. Mabrey, Okmulgee, was recently appointed by Gov. Brad Henry to serve another term on the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission. Mabrey's current term will run through 2014.
Oklahoma could lose conservation dollars
Most Oklahomans know something about the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's work to conserve bald eagles, horny toads and interior least terns. What may not be such common knowledge is the work that's being done on behalf of squirrel tree frogs, tiger salamanders, regal fritillary butterflies, prairie warblers, long-billed curlews, swift foxes and some 230 other species of conservation concern.
The goal, said Ron Suttles, coordinator of the Department's natural resources and wildlife diversity program, is to keep additional species from becoming threatened or endangered.
Like wildlife agencies from all 50 states, the Wildlife Department depends on a federal aid program called State Wildlife Grants for funding wildlife diversity efforts. According to a new report that documents the last five years of the program, state fish and wildlife agencies are working ahead to prevent threats to habitat, population and health, and making a real difference for America's wildlife.
Despite the success of the federal aid program, it recently received a major cut in the U.S. House of Representatives when they recommended only $50 million of the $74.7 million in the President's budget.
In March, a bipartisan group of 170 representatives and 56 senators, including Oklahoma's Sen. James Inhofe and Reps. Tom Cole and Dan Boren, called for increased State Wildlife Grant funding. The Senate still needs to consider the appropriation.
Since 2001, Oklahoma has received an average of $790,000 a year in State Wildlife Grants. At least $1.1 million state and partner dollars have matched those funds. If Congress does cut the funding to $50 million in the final 2007 budget, Oklahoma's effort to keep wildlife off the endangered species list will shrink by nearly $350,000.
Prior to State Wildlife Grants, virtually no federal funding focused on preventing wildlife from becoming endangered. The federal grants are designed to help wildlife agencies create programs that fit their states' wildlife diversity needs. In Oklahoma, the grants are used to study species not usually looked at.
In a survey of 32 states, State Wildlife Grants was the single largest source of funds for wildlife diversity programs.
"The grants have been a boon to struggling budgets," Suttles said. "They're essential to maintaining our diversity of birds, fishes, mammals, mussels and their habitats."
Oklahoma's 1999 wildlife diversity budget was $230,000. State Wildlife Grants provided nearly $930,000 in 2005 alone.
"This funding is as important to Oklahoma's people as it is to the wildlife," Suttles said. "These same natural places that keep wildlife populations healthy also contribute to our quality of life and outdoor traditions here in Oklahoma."
To remain eligible for State Wildlife Grants, all 50 states were required to submit to Congress by last October Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategies, also known as wildlife action plans. Oklahoma and other states met that challenge. Nationwide, these dynamic action plans are the source of ideas for wildlife diversity conservation projects to keep native wildlife populations healthy in every state.
"Oklahoma's action plan identifies some species we know virtually nothing about," Suttles said. "We need to fill information gaps to make informed management decisions and benefit these lesser known species."
Now funding to implement the action plans is in jeopardy.
"We need the State Wildlife Grants program to keep Oklahoma's wildlife and the places where they live healthy now and into the future for generations of Oklahomans yet to come," he said.
For more information about State Wildlife Grants visit www.teaming.com.
The Wildlife Diversity Program - a program of the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation - monitors, manages and promotes rare, declining, and endangered wildlife, as well as common wildlife not fished or hunted. Oklahomans help fund the Wildlife Diversity Program through an annual state income tax check-off, the purchase of wildlife conservation specialty license plates, product purchases, and individual donations. Find out more at www.wildlifedepartment.com.
Caption: Biologists are gathering information about the number/abundance of long-billed curlews in Oklahoma and their distribution. In the process, biologists have discovered curlews are found in different habitats than previously known, raising interesting questions to be answered in order to keep their populations healthy into the future.
Side bar stories:
Oklahoma State Wildlife Grant Success Stories:
Gathering Information to Take Action - Freshwater Mussel Study
The state's wildlife and people will continue to enjoy clean water and healthy stream systems, in part, through an Oklahoma freshwater mussel study funded by State Wildlife Grants. Freshwater mussels play a primary role in keeping lakes and streams clean.
Since the health of wildlife is often an early indicator of disease and pollution, understanding the relationship between water conditions and freshwater mussels will benefit wildlife and people. Information gathered in the study will help gain a clearer understanding of this relationship and will provide important data that can influence natural resource management decisions.
Caption: Biologists take measurements from mussels in an Oklahoma stream to answer a pressing question – Are, they reproducing or is the population entirely adult mussels? With answers, biologists can conserve Oklahoma's mussels before they become more rare and more costly to protect.
Benefiting Wildlife and People - Patch Burning Project
A State Wildlife Grant project will test an innovative new land management approach that makes it possible to simultaneously maintain livestock production and manage for native wildlife species. The technique is called patch burning, and it's receiving international attention.
Historically, wild fires and grazing influenced the grasslands of the Great Plains. Patch burning mimics these historical conditions and results in nutrient-rich forbs and a greater diversity of plants and animals. Patch burning was first tested on Oklahoma's Tallgrass Prairie Preserve with beneficial results to both biodiversity, and agricultural production.
To discover if it will benefit other natural areas around the state, biologists will test patch burning at Cooper Wildlife Management Area near Fort Supply in western Oklahoma. If successful, area landowners can use patch burning to benefit their own pastures and native wildlife.
Conservation of Land, Water and Wildlife – Conserving Wild Birds
Oklahoma's wild birds capture the attention of more than 700,000 people every year. State Wildlife Grants is helping the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and its partners benefit approximately 300 migratory species of songbirds, waterfowl, shorebirds and water birds that spend time in Oklahoma.
Oklahoma biologists are working with partners in other states and countries to identify conservation actions across geographic borders. Working together, biologists can restore and protect the natural places these birds live so they may continue to bring peace and relaxation to bird watching enthusiasts.
Q & A about the Selman Bat Watch
Discover a far-from-ordinary summer adventure in Oklahoma through this Q&A with Jenny Thom, Wildlife Department information specialist:
Q: Is it true that there is now an official
state of Oklahoma flying mammal?
A: Yes! In April, Governor Henry designated the Mexican free-tailed bat as the state-flying mammal.
Q: Do Mexican free-tailed bats live here year
A: No. The bats travel 1,400 miles each spring to give birth and raise their young in Oklahoma. In late summer, the bats begin their return trip to Mexico and Central America.
Q: Where in Oklahoma do these bats go?
A: Mexican free-tailed bats migrate to about five different sites throughout Oklahoma. The largest colony in Oklahoma annually gathers on the Selman Bat Cave Wildlife Management Area in the northwest. The Wildlife Department manages the area to protect the bats.
Q: Can the public see the bats?
A: Yes. The Selman Bat Watch Program provides an opportunity to watch these bats. You can see more than a million bats leaving the cave and fly directly over your head.
Q: What makes the bats do this?
A: Around dusk the bats leave their roost to dine on flying insects in the night sky. Because this is a natural event, we never know the exact time it will happen. But the bats eat every night, so they fly every night.
Q: How many insects can one Mexican free-tailed
bat eat in a night?
A: 600 - which means the bat colony at Selman eats more than 10 tons (20,000 pounds) of flying beetles, moths and mosquitoes every night!
Q: When is the Bat Watch?
A: The Bat Watch begins July 6 and happens each Thursday, Friday and Saturday night the rest of the month. That means you have 12 chances in July to see the bats. Thursday nights start at 7:15 p.m.; Friday and Saturday nights start at 6:00 p.m.
Q: Where is the Bat Watch?
A: It begins at Alabaster Caverns State Park near Freedom, Okla. Registered Bat Watch participants are escorted to the bat-viewing area from there.
Q: Do I have to register to attend a Bat Watch?
A: Yes. Each night is limited to 75 people and the sessions typically fill up pretty quickly. So, to ensure you have a place we require a reservation.
Q: Is there a registration deadline?
A: Register by June 26. Sign up early, because evenings fill quickly. In fact, Friday, July 7 Saturday, July 8 and Saturday, July 15 are already closed. You can check to see which dates are still open and download a registration form at www.wildlifedepartment.com.
Q: What does it cost?
A: Adults cost $10; Children (12 & under) cost $5.
Q: How can I find out more about this summer's
Selman Bat Watch?
A: Log on to www.wildlifedepartment.com or call (405) 424-0099.
Caption: The amazing natural spectacle of flying bats attracts visitors from all across Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas and New Mexico to the Selman Bat Watch.
Caption: Watch millions of bats fly overhead against the setting sun as they leave their cave to dine on more than 10 tons of insects.
SCI to hold an open meeting in Tulsa, July 31
The Oklahoma Chapter of Safari Club International (SCI) is holding a special open meeting at 7 p.m., July 31 in Tulsa.
The Oklahoma Chapter of SCI has been an important contributor to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. SCI has partnered with the Wildlife Department on a number of projects including hunter education, shotgun training, wetlands conservation, and deer and elk management. SCI works internationally as well, but 70 percent of the funds raised through the Oklahoma Chapter go back to support programs in Oklahoma.
"We're excited about this upcoming meeting. We are looking forward to a good turnout, both from longtime SCI members and those who just want to know what the organization is all about," said Mike Mistelske, SCI director. "This is a great opportunity to get together with old friends and to make new ones; after all, we all share a common passion – the love of the outdoors."
The free meeting will be held at the new indoor shooting range of the Tulsa Red Castle Gun Club, at 1115 Zunis (about seven blocks east of Utica and just south of 11th). All participants are eligible to join in the contest for door prizes, and two hunts (one in Oklahoma and one in Argentina) will be on the auction block.
"This meeting is a great chance to learn about how SCI provides important support for wildlife conservation here in Oklahoma, and what SCI does to ensure that our hunting heritage continues for our children," Mistelske said. "SCI is not just for hunters who would like to go to Africa. SCI is a tremendous asset to each and every hunter right here in Oklahoma. If you like to hunt, this meeting is important to you."
Long-time Oklahoma resident Roger Raglin, "America's Whitetail Deer Hunter," will be the featured guest speaker for the evening. Raglin earned his nickname through his knowledge and expertise as a deer hunter, including having taken more than 100 bucks that score 130 Boone and Crockett (B&C) points or better. Seven of his bucks top the 170 mark, including his biggest whitetail scoring just over 220 B&C points. He has also hunted extensively for other species, including many in Africa, but like many other SCI members and fellow Oklahomans, Raglin loves to hunt in Oklahoma.
Zebra mussels continue to spread
Fisheries biologists from the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation made an all-too-familiar discovery recently. While conducting research on striped bass in the Arkansas River, zebra mussels were found below Zink Dam in Tulsa. With the recent discovery of zebra mussels in Sooner and Skiatook lakes, this makes the third new location for zebra mussels this summer.
Zebra mussels, native to Baltic area of Europe and Asia, were brought to the Great Lakes in ballast water of ocean-going ships in 1986. Zebra mussels have been estimated to cause three billion dollars in economic losses annually. Zebra mussels attach to solid surfaces in large numbers and have clogged water intake pipes six feet in diameter. They have also interfered with shipping by clogging locks and dams. Biologically, zebra mussels filter large volumes of water daily, removing nutrients and plankton that serve as the base of the food chain. Even though zebra mussels have increased water clarity, this has lead to reductions in fish numbers and, in some cases, overabundance of aquatic plants.
Zebra mussels moved down the Mississippi River, most likely with barge traffic, and were discovered in the McClellan-Kerr Navigation System in 1993. Numbers remained low in the Navigation System but after being moved to Oologah Lake, most likely with recreational boat traffic, the abundance has exploded, exceeding historically high levels in the Great Lakes. Swimmers must now wear tennis shoes or risk cuts on their feet when swimming in Oologah.
Recreational boat traffic was also the likely pathway to infestation of El Dorado Lake in Kansas. From there, zebra mussels moved downstream with water releases, entered the Arkansas River, and became established in Kaw in 2004. Mussels continued to move downstream with adult mussels being found in Keystone in 2005.
The recent discovery below Zink Dam verifies continued downstream movement. Oklahoma Gas and Electric pumps water from the Arkansas River to maintain stable water levels in Sooner Lake. This is a likely means of transfer to Sooner. Zebra mussels likely were spread to Skiatook Lake by boaters moving from a lake infested with zebra mussels to Skiatook without taking proper precautions to clean mussels from the boat.
Even though it is likely too late to stop the natural movement of zebra mussels down the Arkansas River, boaters need to take precautions to avoid spreading mussels to lakes not currently infested. Before moving from one lake to another, all boaters should:
Zebra mussels pose a serious threat to our state's waters and all citizens need to take an active role in preventing further spread. For more information on zebra mussels, log on to www.protectyourwaters.org or www.100th meridian.org.
More than 200 hunter education classes scheduled this summer and fall
It may be hard to think about hunting with temperatures reaching 100 degrees, but now is a great time to get prepared for the upcoming fall seasons – by taking a hunter education class. There are more than 200 classes scheduled between now and the opening day of deer gun season, including classes on just about every weekend.
"This is the first time we've ever had this many hunter education courses scheduled this early in the year. This should give hunters and their families a great chance to plan ahead and take a course near their community," said Lance Meek, hunter education coordinator for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
Approximately 14,000 hunter education students are certified annually at more than 300 courses statewide. To find out more about the hunter education program or to find a course near you, log on www.wildlifedepartment.com
According to Meek, taking a hunter education class is now easier than ever before.
"Thanks to our dedicated state game wardens and volunteers, this year we have more classes in more locations. Plus, there are several options to take a class. You can complete the entire course in one eight-hour day, you can study at home with a workbook or over the Internet and come to an abbreviated class," Meek said.
A unique hunter education class will be offered for aspiring hunters, Saturday, August 26 and Sunday, August 27 at the free Wildlife Expo at the Lazy E Arena just north of Oklahoma City. Each day, one lucky participant will a lifetime hunting license.
"We had a great time last year at Expo hunter ed course. It's really a fun way for the whole family to go through the course and you won't find a more flexible, hands-on hunter ed class," Meek said.
To sign up for this course call (405) 521-4636 and be prepared to provide your name, address, and date of birth. Before you come to the Wildlife Expo, be sure to complete the online home study course at wildlifedepartment.com. You can also pick up home study booklets at Wildlife Department offices in Oklahoma City, Jenks, or Higgins. Booklets are also available at the Midwest City Library, Oklahoma City Bass Pro Shop, Sportsmen's Warehouse and the H&H Gun Range in Oklahoma City.
Anyone born on or after January 1, 1972, upon reaching 16 years of age must have completed a certified hunter education course in order to purchase a hunting license. Additionally, any hunters under the age of 16 (below the age required to purchase a hunting license) must complete a hunter education course in order to use a firearm to hunt big game (deer, elk or antelope).
Mark your calendars - 2006 Oklahoma Wildlife Expo to be held Aug. 25-27
Kick off the autumn outdoor season with rewarding new experiences. Attend the 2006 Oklahoma Wildlife Expo, Aug. 25-27 at the Lazy E Arena between Guthrie and Oklahoma City.
The free Wildlife Expo, which drew more than 45,000 people from around the state last year, will offer hands-on learning opportunities at nearly 200 booths and activities. The Expo is designed as an entertaining and educational event for both avid outdoor enthusiasts and those new to hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities. Every visitor will be sure to find something that interests them, from shotgun shooting, to mountain bike riding, to dog training, to wild game cooking and eating.
The Wildlife Expo will take place on the expansive grounds of the Lazy E Arena. Expo hours will be from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is partnering with a wide range of other state agencies, private individuals and outdoor-related companies to host this huge event. The Expo is designed to promote and perpetuate the appreciation of Oklahoma's wildlife and natural resources and provide hands-on learning opportunities for all types of outdoor enthusiasts.
According to survey results, more than two-thirds of children and youth visiting the inaugural Expo experienced a new activity during their visit. Most said they were likely, or very likely, to try the activity again in the next year. More than 80 percent of Expo participants were satisfied or very satisfied with the Expo and said they were likely or very likely to attend the 2006 Oklahoma Wildlife Expo – so come early.
For more information regarding activities available at the Oklahoma Wildlife Expo log on to wildlifedepartment.com.
"Operation Game Thief" offers cash rewards for anonymous tips
There's an occasional bad apple in every bunch, even among Oklahomans who use fish and wildlife. Thanks to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's "Operation Game Thief" program, hunters and anglers have a method to report those who may not respect our natural resources and the laws that protect them.
"Operation Game Thief," which is supported by private donations, allows a citizen the opportunity to anonymously report wildlife violations and receive cash rewards for arrests that lead to convictions.
"The program is a great way to help protect our state's wildlife and fisheries resources for future generations," said Jim Edwards, assistant chief of law enforcement for the Wildlife Department.
Anyone with information regarding a violation of fish and wildlife laws is encouraged to call the Wildlife Department's Operation Game Thief Hotline at 1-800-522-8039 Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Callers may remain anonymous and are eligible for a cash reward.
One Million Educators Gone WILD!
Wildlife agencies across the nation are celebrating the fact that one million educators have gone WILD. State wildlife agencies, including the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, serve as the primary sponsors of Project WILD, a conservation education program established in 1983. The agencies have achieved this remarkable milestone by training one million educators throughout the United States.
In Oklahoma, more than 20,000 educators have been trained in Project WILD. The Project WILD curriculum guides are distributed at six-hour workshops that give state K-12 educators training and materials to assist them teach students about wildlife and the environment.
"Project WILD essentially teaches educators the most effective ways to teach kids about wildlife conservation," said Lisa Anderson, Project WILD coordinator for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
The exciting, award-winning curriculum helps teachers and youth leaders teach a wide range of subjects such as math, science, social studies, language arts and expressive arts while teaching about the importance of our environment at the same time.
"The Project WILD curriculum really has something to offer to everyone, from high school biology teachers to elementary art teachers to 4-H and Scout leaders," said Anderson.
Oklahoma Project WILD conducts workshops statewide for educators or anyone who is interested in teaching kids about wildlife. At the workshop, participants receive two activity guides consisting of over 170 hands-on activities. Guides are only available by attending a workshop where participants actually do activities and learn more about Oklahoma's wildlife.
The Oklahoma State Department of Education recognizes Project WILD workshops for professional development credit. Educators can learn more about Project WILD and view a list of upcoming workshops by logging onto the Department's official Web site: www.wildlifedepartment.com and clicking on the link for education programs. Anderson can also provide educators with details on the Wildlife Department's new Archery on the Schools Program (AIS). AIS provide schools with the training and equipment to teach students Olympic style archery.
Senate recovers conservation funding for Oklahoma – state officials hopeful as Senate resolves final budget with House
Funding to keep Oklahoma's wildlife healthy and off the endangered species list may hold steady at last year's level after the Senate announced the Interior Appropriations budget Tuesday, June 27. The U.S. Senate increased wildlife funding for the State Wildlife Grants Program by $17.5 million from the $50 million suggested last month by the U.S. House of Representatives. A joint conference between the Senate and the House will determine the final budget.
Oklahoma's Sen. James Inhofe was pleased with the Committee's decision, which will help Oklahoma conserve its wildlife and natural places before they become more rare and more costly to protect.
"The State Wildlife Grants Program is one of our nation's greatest opportunities to prevent species from needing the emergency care of the Endangered Species Act," Senator Inhofe said. "The committee recognized the strength of this program and did everything possible in a year of tight budgets to maintain steady funding."
Prior to State Wildlife Grants, virtually no federal funding focused on preventing wildlife from becoming endangered. The federal grants help wildlife agencies create programs that fit their states' wildlife diversity needs.
Congress created the program in 2001 ultimately to save taxpayer money, because it's more expensive to bring a species back from the brink than to keep it from becoming endangered.
"Taking action to conserve wildlife before it becomes endangered is environmentally sound and fiscally smart. It is now essential for members of the upcoming conference committee to maintain the funding level for this important program," Senator Inhofe said.
In Oklahoma, the grants fund research and conservation for species not usually looked at. Those include rare, declining and common wildlife not fished or hunted – about 82 percent of Oklahoma's wildlife.
In addition, State Wildlife Grants are the primary funding source for the implementation of a new, groundbreaking conservation effort called the "state wildlife action plans." Oklahoma's wildlife action plan is a thorough look at all wildlife in Oklahoma and the actions needed to prevent problems before they threaten wildlife and affect humans.
The action plans are a result of a collaborative effort by scientists, sportsmen, conservationists, state fish and wildlife agencies, and the general public. Oklahoma's strategy highlights 250 species that need conservation work today to keep their populations at healthy levels, according to Ron Suttles, coordinator of natural resources at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation.
"The State Wildlife Grants Program is an important tool to help us conserve Oklahoma's wildlife for future generations," Suttles said. "We conserve wildlife by protecting natural places, which contribute to clean water, air and the quality of life we've come to expect here in Oklahoma."
In March, a bipartisan group of 170 representatives and 56 senators, including Oklahoma's Sen. Inhofe and Reps. Tom Cole and Dan Boren, called for increased State Wildlife Grant funding. The current funding recommendation of $67.5 million is still short of that request and the President's budget request of $74.7 million.
Tuesday's decision was met with mixed emotions by Teaming with Wildlife, a coalition of more than 3,500 member organizations and businesses working for increased state and federal funding for wildlife conservation and related recreation in every state. The coalition supports full implementation of the state wildlife action plans and had hoped to fund the State Wildlife Grants Program at $85 million, instead of the $67.5 million approved by the Senate. The coalition now awaits the final figure to be decided between the House and Senate.
Fishing at night has its advantages
No need to wake up at the crack of dawn to go fishing. In fact night owls might just have an advantage during the dog days of summer.
"Fish aren't that much different than people, they aren't going to be as active or eat as much as the temperatures warm up. As it cools down in the evening, many fish become more active and are out looking for a meal especially if there is a little breeze on the water," said John Stahl, northwest region fisheries supervisor for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. "Fishing at night is relaxing and it can also be quite productive."
According to Stahl, a wide range of popular fish species, such as walleye, crappie and bass, become active at dark, but one of his favorite pursuits is catfish.
"I like to set out my poles around dusk and bait my lines with live sunfish for flatheads and fresh cut shad or stinkbait for blue and channel catfish," Stahl said. "I like to go after the big fish, so my theory is big bait equals big fish."
When heading out after dark, under water structure is the place to be for crappie, while bass often move up into shallower water looking for unsuspecting baitfish. Whether you're fishing out of a boat, a lawn chair or even wading, don't forget to bring along a flashlight and bug spray.
For more information about fishing in Oklahoma, log on to wildlifedepartment.com or pick up a copy of the "2006 Oklahoma Fishing Guide" at a sporting goods retailer near you.
Expo offers nearly 200 different booths and activities for wildlife enthusiasts
If you have heard about the Wildlife Expo, you probably know you can shoot a shotgun or catch a fish at the free event. But did you know you can get up close and personal to live butterflies, see trained falcons, go on a birding trail, or learn about cooking. The 2006 Oklahoma Wildlife Expo, Aug. 25-27 at the Lazy E Arena between Guthrie and Oklahoma City will have it all.
"We just had so much fun last year at all the different booths and activities, I am really looking forward to this year's event. It is going to be even bigger and better," said Melynda Hickman, one of the many Wildlife Department employees working on the free Wildlife Expo. "From the Forest of Family Fun to mountain biking to kayaking, there is so much for families to do together they might have to come back a second day."
The free Wildlife Expo, which drew more than 45,000 people from around the state last year, will offer hands-on learning opportunities at nearly 200 booths and activities. The Expo is designed as an entertaining and educational event for both avid outdoor enthusiasts and those new to hunting, fishing and other outdoor activities. Every visitor will be sure to find something that interests them, from shotgun shooting, to mountain bike riding, to dog training, to wild game cooking and eating.
The Wildlife Expo will take place on the expansive grounds of the Lazy E Arena, Aug. 25-27. Expo hours will be from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday, and from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday and Sunday.
The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation is partnering with a wide range of other state agencies, private individuals and outdoor-related companies to host this huge event. The Expo is designed to promote and perpetuate the appreciation of Oklahoma's wildlife and natural resources and provide hands-on learning opportunities for all types of outdoor enthusiasts.
For more information regarding activities available at the Oklahoma Wildlife Expo log on to www.wildlifedepartment.com


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