4th of July Boat Parade will start at noon, Saturday, July 6. Meet at the dam with your patriotic vessel to parade around the lake. Win prizes for best show of red, white and blue spirit!
Fireworks will start at dark the same day.
Tom Bush is once again hosting the fireworks show. You can donate to the considerably impressive project directly to him — and mention if you would like to assist at the show while you’re at it.
Parade line-up 2023. Mark Martinez, former Board Secretary, got all mariners to tow the line starting at the dam, and managed judging and prizes. 2023 winners were the Fosses, the Pellegrins, and the Oldfathers.
I like my beer cold, my coffee black, and my tea in the harbor.
From countryliving.com
Lake ecology study results
Scott Williams, a Biologist from the Missouri Department of Conservation, completed an electrofishing survey of Peaceful Valley Lake May 21. He published formal results for the board in June.
Based on his recommendations, the board decided, or is considering the following amendments and suggestions:
The lake will be restocked with 500 Channel Catfish of 8 to 11 inch length. Williams suggests restocking every 3 years.
Considering stocking Crappy
In order to stock Crappy in a lake full of Bass, small fish need hiding places. Since adding vegetation has proved difficult (with surface fowl and grass carp) the Board suggests people place natural or designed fish habitat/attractant structures around your waterfronts, at minimum 12 foot depth. Lake administration will be placing structures as well.
Speaking of restoring aquatic vegetation as Williams suggests, any planting would have to be protected with cages to solve the hungry vegetarian issue. The expense and labor may not be constructive in the long run.
Over population of Bass, causing generally smaller size fish, can be aided with “a protected slot length,” meaning do not harvest 12 to 15 inch fish, but do take smaller and larger Bass.
Bluegill, Redear Sunfish, and Green Sunfish are smaller and more common than historically, suggesting you could take 20 fish per day with no minimum size. The remaining fish will grow.
Generally, Gizzard Shad are new to the lake population since 2019. Williams believes they are negatively impacting the Bluegill count and size, based on his experience at other lakes.
Update on wastewater treatment work
From Mike Garlock, PWSD board president: Efforts have begun on the new Wastewater Treatment Facility (WWTF). The current schedule calls for project completion in approximately 10 months. As mentioned at the annual meeting, water and sewer rates will remain the same this year and will be reevaluated next year to ensure we meet our financial obligations.
You will notice concrete and dump trucks running regularly, but limited larger equipment. The trucks are scheduled to route through the upper entrance and follow the outermost roads to the site. They will not be traveling on Lakeshore.
NOTE: “We would like to wish a fond farewell to Bob Kayser, who has served on our board for nearly 8 years. Bob and his wife, Toni, are selling their home and will be leaving Peaceful Valley Lake.
“Many thanks to Bob for his service as our PWSD VP and best wishes to Bob and Toni in their new location. You will be missed, but hopefully you’ll be able to come back and visit from time to time.”
Bob’s replacement on the board will be announced in the near future.
FYI waste services and recycling
Members at Peaceful Valley Lake are obliged to handle household waste using a sanitation service, including bulk item removal. The board is considering bulk pick up days a few times per year. More on that soon.
RTS 573.552.7076: Provide weekly pickup at $20 per month with your can; $25 if they provide their can; $40 for one-time bulk pickup, per truckload (even with rim of truck bed); they may have other prices and requirements for specific hauling, including no hazardous waste, yard waste, cement or tires. Call them for specifics and pricing.
Swinger 573.885.7596: Provide weekly pickup at $26 per month with your can, billed quarterly; $30 per month with their can, billed quarterly; If you have smaller bulk items like mattresses, box springs, toilets, they can pick up, but may be an extra charge. Call them for specifics and pricing.
RECYCLING
The board is asking for volunteers for community-level organized recycling. Contact Brian Tharp at 660-787-0058 or by email at [email protected] if you would like to join the effort.
Collapsed boxes can be deposited in a steel mesh bin, center of town on N. First St., Owensville. Look for the parking lot at the mural. The bin is at the far end of the lot… then you might try a local restaurant on Main!
EVENTS OF NOTE
Friday, Jul 19, 6:00 PM, monthly association board meeting, Lodge. All are welcome.
Monday, Jul 15, 5:00 PM, Monthly Public Water Supply District (PWSD) meeting, Lodge. All are welcome.
Save paper and mailing:
CLICK HERE for PWSD consent form to get bills via email or text.
Covid Tests through the mail again. Go to covidtests.gov or call 1-800-232-0233
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Recycling research
The Board at PVL is seeking any members interested in being part of a working group to help research recycling options for our lake community. If you would like to be involved or participate, please contact board member Brian Tharp at 660-787-0058 (call or text) or by email at [email protected]
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Emergency alert links you should know
If you would like weather alerts, including severe storm warnings and spring-season tornadoes:
Get local alerts for the Owensville area, Gasconade County, HERE. You can also go to the county Emergency Management Agency FaceBook and register to get notified via phone or text. You will have to log in and access “my account” HERE
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Volunteers needed for Beautification Committee
Historically, members of the community have attended to community vegetation that is usually close to their home. In recent years, those dedicated gardeners (Master Gardeners in some cases) have advanced to consulting. They will be more than happy to get anyone started with weeding, mulching, and planting near where you live. Please contact Joan Strong ([email protected]) for information and/or to sign up.
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Bumps are in and Speed is 20 mph!
Be aware of your speed as you drive through the community — during summer months in particular! There are more children out, especially on roads in beach and pool areas.
After residents expressed concern about the straightaway toward the lower entrance, Lakeshore may be gaining a few more speed bumps.
Remind young drivers and guests to drive carefully with an eye out for other, slower vehicles, people and pets walking, and children. Speed is 20 mph on all roads here.
Watch for critters!
Please keep an eye out for otters, beavers and muskrats. They can be destructive at the dam and around shores and seawalls.
Report any critters you see to the Lodge office, 573-617-9615.
The rumor mill
Word seems to be circulating, upon installation of the security gates, the board/administration will revoke/limit entrance for community infractions and/or extreme use of gate privileges.
FACT CHECK: That rumor is false!
That extreme has not even been brought up or considered! Please be assured, the board and administration are not planning to levy punishment preventing entrance or limiting guest privileges to access your land, house or lake facilities. The gates will enhance security for everyone.
If anyone seems to be crossing community norms, as is the case now, the member will be contacted long before ANY measures are taken. The board respects that "We the People..." are a community of individuals deserving civil discourse and fair consideration. Happy 4th of July!
Look skyward for an exploding star!
NASA news release 6 June 2024: Around the world this summer, professional and amateur astronomers alike will be fixed on one small constellation deep in the night sky. It’s a dark spot where an impending nova event – so bright it will be visible on Earth with the naked eye – is poised to occur.
In a nova event (as opposed to a “supernova”), the dwarf star remains intact, sending accumulated material hurtling into space in a blinding flash. The cycle typically repeats itself over time, a process which can carry on for tens or hundreds of thousands of years. This one, dubbed “Blaze Star,” was recorded in 1217 and again in 1946.
Dr. Rebekah Hounsell, an assistant research scientist specializing in nova events at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, said,“There are a few recurrent novae with very short cycles, but typically, we don’t often see a repeated outburst in a human lifetime, and rarely one so relatively close to our own system, It’s incredibly exciting to have this front-row seat.”
What should stargazers look for? The Northern Crown is a horseshoe-shaped curve of stars west of the Hercules constellation, ideally spotted on clear nights. It can be identified by locating the two brightest stars in the Northern Hemisphere – Arcturus and Vega – and tracking a straight line from one to the other, which will lead skywatchers to Hercules and the Corona Borealis.
Dog Days
From The Old Farmers Almanac: The term “Dog Days” refers to a period of particularly hot and humid weather occurring during July and August.
Sweltering weather coincides with the year’s heliacal (meaning “at sunrise”) rising of Sirius, the Dog Star. Sirius is part of the constellation Canis Majoris—the “Greater Dog”—where Sirius gets its canine nickname, as well as its official name, Alpha Canis Majoris. Sirius is the brightest star in the sky, not including our own Sun.
In ancient Greece, Egypt, and Rome, it was believed that the dawn rising of Sirius in mid-to-late summer contributed to the extreme weather of the season. The “combined heat” of bright Sirius and our Sun was thought to be the cause of sweltering temperatures. The name “Sirius” stems from the Ancient Greek “seírios,” meaning “scorching.”
The exact dates of the Dog Days can vary from source to source, and because they are traditionally tied to the dawn rising of Sirius, they have changed over time. However, most agree that the Dog Days are mid-to-late summer.
The Buck Moon
From almanac.com: July’s full Moon, the Full Buck Moon, occurs on Monday, July 21. It reaches peak illumination around 7:17 A.M. here, rising above the horizon after sunrise—but it will still be spectacular in the night sky.
The full Moon in July is called the Buck Moon because the antlers of male deer are in full-growth mode at this time. Bucks shed and regrow their antlers each year, producing a larger and more impressive set as the years go by.
Alternative July Moon Names
Several other names for this month’s Moon also reference animals, including Feather Moulting Moon (Cree) and Salmon Moon, a Tlingit term indicating when fish returned to the area and were ready to be harvested.
Plants are also featured prominently in July’s Moon names. A sampling: Berry Moon (Anishinaabe); Moon When the Chokecherries are Ripe (Dakota); Month of the Ripe Corn Moon (Cherokee); and Raspberry Moon (Algonquin, Ojibwe).
image from science.howstuffworks.com
Lake Classifieds
Contact the editor to run an ad in Splash: $5 per month (a monthly publication); $50 per year; maximum 5 lines in print version of the newsletter, approx. 30 ltrs per line.
Jamie Gerloff, Mary Kay, Independent Sales Director. Contact me: 573-241-2793. 60 years of Quality Skin Care & Cosmetics. Fast & Free Samples & Delivery
Oct24
Looking for local reel cleaning and repair? Give me a call. 630/334-6107. Doug August
Nov24
Karen Hoemeke, helping people buy and sell homes for 17 years. Top 5% all MO Coldwell Banker Realtors. I live in PV and specialize in PV. 314-973-1218
Dec24
Lot for sale, $3,600. Beautiful trees on a level lot (Lot 15 East Hills II Blk IV). Quiet street with water and sewer accessibility. Near tennis court, pool and Lodge. Dan Warta 815.272.0719
Jul24
The newsletter reaches 272 people through direct email, is available to anyone on the PVL website, and paper copies can be picked up at both gates and the Lodge.
Organized fun
Join the Wednesday dinner club 5:30 Wednesdays: The location changes each week. Randy Fuller (or friend) posts on Nextdoor by Wednesday evening where to be the following week. People decide where to meet drawing out of a "hat.” All invited!
PVL Book Club: The next gathering is tentatively July 23. Book discussion will be “The Librarian of Burned Books,” by Brianna Labuskes. Meet at 4:30. Discuss by 5:00 pm. at the Lodge. If you wish, bring snacks and beverages. Anyone is welcome, whether you have read the book or not!
Pickle Ball at the Park: The City of Owensville is celebrating the newest addition to the park system: two pickleball courts! Go to Winter Park, located at 409 Red Oak Road. A ribbon cutting was held, with much fanfare, June 24. Come to play!
