Columns

Chalfant: Coin-operated conundrum

By Rhonda Chalfant

  Laws against gambling had been a part of the Missouri statutes during most of the 19th Century. Gambling with devices such as the roulette wheel, invented in 1655 by famed mathematician and philosopher Balise Pascal, was deemed illegal by both... Full story

McMullen: Putting the focus on downtown

By Travis McMullen

There’s been a lot of text and a lot of talk lately about what needs to be “done” about the state of downtown Sedalia. The real answer is this: We need to spend time there and spend money there. Instead of doing all this talking and... Full story

Nolen: Feds fill in for parents

By Rose M. Nolen

The governor of Colorado recently signed into law a bill no one should have to pass. This bill will make texting while driving against the law. Anyone over the age of 10 should realize the dangers involved when a person takes his or her eyes off the... Full story

Parkhurst: Where did all the water go?

By Richard Parkhust

Each June the fever hit us again — the floating fever! It was our chance to escape the baby-sitting, changing of diapers and all the other things that go along with a young family.There were four of us guys: John Thornton, John Roos, Gary Rickenbrode... Full story

Walk the walk in your faith

By the Rev. Donald Allcorn

James, the author of the Epistle of James, summarizes religious activity when he states, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.”... Full story

Satnan: Making house a home

By Bob Satnan

“Are we moving the dog house?”   My wife, Melany, was directing the movers at our house back in Arizona when she called to ask if the weather-beaten, never-used-by-a-dog dog house in our back yard would be making the journey to Missouri.   “Absolutely,”... Full story

Nolen: Plenty to see, do in summer

By Rose M. Nolen

  With the exception of an occasional heat wave, there is not a lot to dislike about June in Missouri. The lush, green landscape punctuated with wildflowers spreads across the varied terrains that characterize our state and paints each section with... Full story

Parkhurst: Winging it on Buffalo River

By Richard Parkhurst

Dick called me in early April and told me there was this river in Arkansas that they were going to dam up and it would be lost forever, we had to go and go now!   I could tell there was an urgency in his voice that didn’t have anything... Full story

Chalfant: Fight against gambling goes on

By Rhonda Chalfant

On March 13, 1913, Sedalia police raided three gambling joints and arrested Dave Shuler, Ira “Bud” Shepherd and an unidentified man simply listed by The Sedalia Democrat as John Doe. When The Democrat went to press on March 14, Shuler, represented... Full story

McMullen: Amtrak, pay your fare

By Travis McMullen

Let me start this out by saying that I have never taken a train anywhere in my life. It’s not that I refuse to; I just haven’t. Accordingly, I’ve never had any problems with Amtrak. Any business that does business is Sedalia is a good... Full story

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