Former Sedalian Sgt. 1st Class Trenton L. Rhea’s life mission was to put others above himself. He believed until the end of his life that he was making a difference helping the people of Iraq and Afghanistan. On May 15, he died in Kandahar, Afghanistan, during combat operations while serving with the U.S. Army 603rd Military Police Company, U.S. Army Reserve out of Belton.

Volunteers are needed to assist groups who place flags by the graves of deceased veterans for Memorial Day weekend.

Sergeant 1st Class Trenton L. Rhea, 33, of Kansas City, died May 15 in Kandahar, Afghanistan. He was a member of the 603rd Military Police Company in Belton and deployed under Operation Enduring Freedom.

(NAPSI)—Seven months after joining the Army, Sgt. Ryan McIntosh stepped on an improvised explosive device during a routine orchard-clearing mission in Afghanistan. He came home with a deeper commitment to the uniform, despite losing his right leg below the knee.

(NAPSI)—There is a major change taking place in the way consumers get their information—and it’s going on in rural America.

The first thing National Guard Combo Chief Paul Lucito planned to do when he got home: Take a nap.

The Missouri National Guard will host a welcome home ceremony for the 35th Combat Aviation Brigade at 10:30 a.m. today at the Mathewson Exhibition Center on the Missouri State Fairgrounds.

(NAPSI)—Some American heroes can finally get the recognition they deserve.

Tracy Bruner, of Chesapeake, Va., recently retired from the Navy with the rank of chief petty officer.

(BPT) - Many U.S. military veterans like retired Air Force Technical Sergeant David Masters of Omaha, Neb. have bravely fought for their country only to return home to wage another battle against Lou Gehrig’s Disease. No one knows why, but veterans are twice as likely to develop this fatal disease, clinically known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Pettis County Clerk Nick La Strada is hoping a new tool will help reduce lines and waiting time for voters beginning with the April 2 municipal election.
La Strada debuted his office’s set of six new Poll Pads — iPads that contain complete voter rolls and are able to scan any state-issued photo identification cards — which will eventually replace the sometimes multi-volume voter rolls that poll workers currently use to check in voters on election day.
“I think this is really going to speed up the process and make our elections more efficient,” La Strada said.
The devices, paid for through a state grant, will be deployed to all Sedalia precincts and larger voting locations such as Prairie Township, La Strada said.
Voters at those locations may present their photo IDs to poll workers, who can scan the bar code on the back to call up the voters registration information and signature. Those voting without photo IDs can be found by typing in their names. After being verified by poll workers, the voter may then use the tip of their finger or an electronic pen to sign their names.
The device also has space for Democratic and Republican election judges to initial each voting record.
After an election is complete, the device can then be connected to computers in the clerk’s office to download the information. La Strada said that feature would help speed up the certification of elections.
Hard copy voter rolls will also be available at polling places in case there is a problem with the Poll Pad.
On Wednesday, La Strada also conducted the pre-election voting machine test, with Pettis County Auditor Connie Purchase, a Republican, and Pettis County Assessor’s Office employee Sheryl Von Holten, a Democrat, served as judges for the test.
The clerk’s office will be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 30 for in-person absentee voting.
Polls will open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m. for the April 2 municipal election.
For more information, call the clerk’s office at 826-5000, ext. 918.

(StatePoint) Household pets are adorably curious, but they can’t read labels or plant their own gardens.

(NAPSI)—There are several ways to buy a used car, but whether you choose to buy from a dealer, online or from someone you know, it’s always a smart idea to protect yourself. These tips can help:

(NewsUSA) - Across the U.S., home solar installations are on the rise. In 2012, homeowners installed enough residential solar panels to power the equivalent of almost 24,000 homes.

Gov. Jay Nixon declared a state of emergency Thursday in response to the severe winter weather that brought nearly a foot of snow to the Sedalia area.

Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2591 will host a salute to veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan on Sunday at 121 S. Ohio Ave. The public is invited to attend this event.

A Sedalia man was Tasered on Tuesday morning after refusing to follow police orders.

Holly Diaz has visited places around the world she once thought she never would see. On Sunday, she’ll be seen by people around the world.

Jeff Willming didn’t want to waste his mother’s money on college, so he chose to enlist in the Air Force instead.

“Zero Dark Thirty,” a gripping Oscar-nominated drama about America’s decade-long manhunt for Osama bin Laden, was making sparks fly even before it hit the screen.

The Healthy U class of 2013 met for the first of what will be weekly meetings and weigh-ins on Thursday as they began their year-long weight-loss challenge.

(NAPSI)—Entertaining as they are, tablet computers and smartphones are not all fun and games.

Most people are probably still recovering from the holiday buzz of Christmas. They are relaxing in front of a fire in their new fuzzy slippers, reading their favorite book and drinking a cup of coffee. They are thankful to have visited with family, whether they live close by or states away. They are smiling at the array of gifts they received and the ones they gave to others.

Rickey Christian is living the dream his best friend Virgil Taylor desperately wanted to have. Christian is a 1996 graduate of Smith-Cotton High School.