Columns | Sedalia Democrat

My Great-Uncle Alfred is 100 years old. He doesn’t get out much, he says. “Just stays at home and has doctor appointments.” He’s been a widower for six years and has outlived … more

By Liz Schleicher, Contributing Columnist | 6/5/25

Susie

I was going to tell Susie that I bought a clarinet. I thought she might smile – even laugh. I was going to tell her that I found the music I played at her wedding 50 years … more

By Deborah Mitchell, Contributing Columnist | 6/5/25

Tornado threat expanding eastward

May lived up to its reputation as the peak tornado month in Missouri, with tornados crisscrossing the state leaving death and destruction in their wake. The St. Louis area was hammered the most, … more

By Doug Kneibert, Contributing Columnist | 6/5/25

Hug? No Thank You!

I have a cap I bought at the Missouri State Fair a few years ago. It’s one of my favorites to wear because it fits my head and the bill is curved just the way I like it. On the front of the cap … more

By Sherry Broyles, Guest Columnist | 6/5/25

Clothing themselves

In 1903, according to the pamphlet published by the Sedalia Sentinel, Sedalia had many clothing and dry goods stores that sold ready-to-wear clothing for men, women, and children. Many Sedalians … more

By Rhonda Chalfant Contributing Columnist | 6/2/25

My dusty shelves

As I sat lounging in my easy chair the other day, I began to look at the shelves that take up one whole wall of my family room. The shelves hold items I received over the years for … more

By Jack Miller Contributing Columnist | 6/2/25

What goes around

A few weeks ago, we had this short but wonderful pocket of time right before our oldest son’s college graduation. For four days, we had all three of our big kids home. After graduation, two of … more

By Gwen Rockwood Syndicated Columnist | 6/2/25

Ragtime Festival creates something special for Sedalia

As always, it was a pleasure attending the Scott Joplin International Festival this year. Interviewing and meeting all the people and musicians is always a treat. It is also lovely to see how … more

By Faith Bemiss-McKinney Contributing Columnist | 6/2/25

Licorice stick

It’s official. I’ve entered a new phase. While the line of vitamin and prescription drug bottles says that I’m “old,” my new phase is “mid-life … more

By Deborah Mitchell, Contributing Columnist | 5/30/25

Make America boring again

On May 16, an EF-3 tornado ripped through St. Louis, Missouri, wreaking havoc on more than 20 miles of city neighborhoods and causing massive damage to homes, churches, parks, and even the famous St. … more

By Liz Schleicher Contributing Columnist | 5/30/25

Empty to full

What do we look for when we visit someone or are in a new place? Wi-Fi. You might have the best device in the world, but without a strong, connected signal, it’s limited, slow, frustrating, and … more

By Bob Wauchope Lead Pastor at Maplewood Church | 5/30/25

Dressing well in the late 19th and early 20th centuries

Clothing for humans has been seen as a necessity since Adam and Eve stitched together fig leaves to cover themselves. Hand-sewn clothing, whether made by a tailor, professional dressmaker, or … more

By Rhonda Chalfant, Contributing Columnist | 5/26/25

Is a blank stare an anti-aging strategy?

The children are afraid. Terrified, in fact. But you’d never know it by looking at them because they’re too scared to move a muscle, especially the ones around their eyes. What are … more

Gwen Rockwood Syndicated Columnist | 5/26/25

Catching two 'Fish' with one pole

I've gravitated toward blues music more in the past several years, and it was a delight to catch two "Fish" with one pole on Friday, May 23, at the Gillioz Theatre in Springfield. … more

By Faith Bemiss-McKinney, faithb@sedaliademocrat.com | 5/26/25

Crash Reports for May 23

Wheaton woman hurt in Henry County crash A Wheaton woman, 49, suffered minor injuries at 11:52 a.m. Tuesday, May 20, in Henry County accident. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol … more

5/22/25

Words are important

Over the past few years, I’ve heard complaints about having to be “politically correct” so that people can’t really say what they mean. What I figure is what those … more

By Deborah Mitchell Contributing Columnist | 5/22/25

Do you know what you’re eating?

I welcomed the natural/organic foods that began showing up in supermarkets in the 1970s. But food technologists didn’t, for they’re now loading foods with a blizzard of additives, … more

By Doug Kneibert, Contributing Columnist | 5/22/25

Defining a country heritage

The lyrics of an Alan Jackson song played recently at my cousin Jerry’s funeral have me thinking about family, particularly extended family. In “Small Town Southern Man” … more

By Debbie Noland Guest Columnist | 5/22/25

What Sedalians read

The 1866 Missouri Constitution mandated that free public schools be provided for both black and white children. While some Sedalians did not want to pay taxes to educate working class children, … more

By Rhonda Chalfant Contributing Column | 5/19/25

What the wind can’t blow away

A year ago, a tornado hop-scotched through our town. It was past midnight, and I was watching a movie at home with our teenagers. When our phones screamed a long, loud beep, we switched to local news … more

By Gwen Rockwood Syndicated Columnist | 5/19/25