Columns | Sedalia Democrat

A centuries-old Jewish legend tells of a stone rejected during the building of Solomon’s Temple, dismissed by builders as unusable and cast into the valley below. Years later, when the cornerstone … more

By Dr. Bob Wauchope Lead Pastor at Maplewood Church | 3/26/26

Sentinel pamphlet praises local officials

According to the Sentinel pamphlet praising Sedalia, Sedalia city government consisted of a mayor and eight city councilmen, two from each of the city’s four wards. The mayor was elected from a … more

By Rhonda Chalfant, Contributing Columnist | 3/23/26

Sunrise at sea

Based on my last two columns, you could probably guess I have been feeling a little nostalgic lately. This usually happens when a memory from my past pops up in my thoughts or dreams. With … more

By Jack Miller Contributing Columnist | 3/23/26

Welcome to a weird, wild Wednesday

Only three days after clocks sprang forward, I watched snow fall outside our living room window. It was March 15th. Four days before the official beginning of spring. The unexpected blast of … more

By Gwen Rockwood Syndicated Columnist | 3/23/26

Almost three decades of stories

This is my last column as a full-time staff member at the Sedalia Democrat, as I plan to retire on Friday, March 27. Although I’ll still be writing “All in a Day’s Words” as a freelancer … more

By Faith Bemiss-McKinney, faith.bemiss@sedaliademocrat.com | 3/23/26

The cluttered story of my life

I have little patience with people who tell me there are “two kinds of people in this world, those who . . .” But I think there are instances where it might be true, such as people who are … more

By Doug Kneibert, Contributing Columnist | 3/19/26

Spring mish-mash

Is it possible that spring has sprung? I certainly hope that as the days grow longer, they also grow warmer. I’m not foolish, though. I know that spring often plays dirty tricks … more

By Deborah Mitchell Contributing Columnist | 3/19/26

No rules for Big Brother

Last week, I wrote about Flock cameras and related technologies, called ALPR (Automated License Plate Readers). I covered the basic workings of ALPRs, their customer base, their presence in Sedalia, … more

By Liz Schleicher Contributing Columnist | 3/19/26

From roommates to romance

A husband once joked, “Before we got married, I couldn’t stop thinking about her. After we got married, I sometimes can’t remember where she is.” The humor resonates because many couples … more

By Dr. Bob Wauchope Lead Pastor at Maplewood Church | 3/19/26

For the birds

There are chirping sounds outside my office window today, and I bet this visiting bird is doing a countdown to the first day of spring. Now and then, I go to the window to see if I can spot her – … more

By Gwen Rockwood Syndicated Columnist | 3/16/26

House memories

Is it just me, or do other people get nostalgic about the places they lived when they were children? As I have done many times over the years since I lived there, I drove by the old … more

By Jack Miller Contributing Columnist | 3/16/26

Sedalia Sentinel pamphlet examines education in Sedalia

The Sedalia Sentinel’s pamphlet praising Sedalia devoted a section to education. The pamphlet boasted that Sedalia’s schools with excellent teachers offered a “more thorough and practical … more

By Rhonda Chalfant Contributing Columnist | 3/16/26

Fickle March and flying kites

March has turned her fickle head, producing snow, high winds and dangerous cold across Sedalia after giving us some delightful days of sunshine, 70-degree temps, and blooming trees and flowers. … more

By Faith Bemiss-McKinney, faith.bemiss@sedaliademocrat.com | 3/16/26

Spring back into activity without getting injured

Caring for people at Bothwell Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, I notice the same pattern in the clinic every spring as the weather starts to improve here in the Midwest. More patients are coming in … more

By Cade Chiles, PA-C | 3/16/26

Big Brother is watching. Really.

You might have seen them at the crossroads of Highways 50 and 65, clustered around the entrances to Lowe’s, driving by State Fair Community College or heading into Smith-Cotton High School: … more

By Liz Schleicher Contributing Columnist | 3/13/26

Money, money, money

This past fall, Democrats shut down the government because the so-called Big, Beautiful Bill cut health care subsidies for the people who fell through the cracks in the Affordable Care Act insurance … more

By Deborah Mitchell, Contributing Columnist | 3/13/26

Missouri families are paying a heavy toll for outrageous drug prices

Every month, I get a sinking feeling as I walk into the pharmacy. I’m a mom of three looking after kids with complex medical needs, as well as my own, so I’m a familiar face there. I hold my … more

By Sarah Stolberg Guest Columnist | 3/13/26

Is church necessary?

“I have Jesus, I don’t need the church.” Maybe we’ve never used those exact words, but we’ve believed some form of it. It’s easy to like things Jesus said, yet not like what churches do. … more

By Dr. Jeremiah Greever Senior Pastor First Baptist Church of Sedalia | 3/13/26

Sedalia area police reports for March 10

Pettis County Sheriff's Office Arrests March 6 6:50 p.m.: Jamie Cunningham was arrested after Pettis County deputies responded to the 27000 block of Hwy M in Pettis County for a … more

3/9/26

Bib overalls and barefeet

I was looking through some old pictures today and came across one from my bib overalls and barefoot days. I was around 10 years old at the time of the picture. It was a time when, for many boys … more

By Jack Miller Contributing Columnist | 3/9/26