A City Directory was designed to show people what made up a community. It provided a brief history of the town, gave lists of city officials, and listed churches, clubs, service organizations, parks, and other amenities. more

Nearly 220 million American adults turn to their local newspapers regularly for news and information they need to stay informed, feel more connected to their neighbors and improve their lives and communities. more

We planned to watch football last weekend with Emily and James in Little Rock. Though we rarely watch college football, we were going to watch the Razorbacks take on the LSU “Tigahs” on Saturday, and revel in the Chiefs’ mauling the Chicago Bears on Sunday. As it turned out, the Razorbacks game was a go, but we lost the Chiefs game to the Fox Network’s dispute with Direct TV or some other media conglomerate. more

It’s no secret that many of former President Donald Trump’s supporters speak of him in almost godlike terms. more

BEFORE more

The spring grass hay crop was extremely poor across many regions of the state. Beef cattle producers are turning to alternative feeds in order to find winter forage for their herds. Baled corn stalks are going to be one of the more available forage sources for many producers. A discussion of their quality and use is certainly appropriate. more

There is a slight chance that I may be turning into a grumpy old lady, but I honestly don’t believe that my age has anything to do with my observation of behaviors that have changed so rapidly. more

In 1829, Prussian lawyer Gottfried Duden self-published a book detailing his three-year-long visit to Missouri called “Report on a Journey through the Western States of North America.” Duden glowingly praised the Missouri River valley’s fertility and resemblance to his native land. more

I read the lengthy excerpt from McCay Coppins’ upcoming biography of Mitt Romney, which was published in The Atlantic a week or so ago. I’ve found Mr. Romney interesting: he seems to be a reasonable person but inexplicably abandoned some of his “reasonableness” to change some long-held positions on issues when he ran for President in 2012.  more

I was getting ready to can homemade applesauce. Hair up, hands washed, kettle of water heating on the stove. I tied on the old apron I had picked up at Nostalgia Vintage and put my hand into the front pocket. more

Many Christian parents seem to be nervous about sending their children to public schools. My wife and I are grateful that both our daughters successfully attended Sedalia public schools, and graduated from State Fair Community College and the University of Missouri, all secular institutions. If you are a Christian parent of school-going children, please consider implementing these suggestions to boost your family’s life of faith. more

Five years ago, I had the distinct privilege to help open the Boys & Girls Clubs of West Central Missouri’s 12th Club Site in Dresden. It was a wonderful moment and aligned with the Club’s mission to serve more kids, more often. more

Once upon a time, during a moonlit night, an unsuspecting woman descended the steps of her backyard deck and stepped onto the stone patio. Her three rambunctious dogs raced past her, eager to hit the grass and sniff out the perfect place to pee before bedtime. more

When Thomas Williamson was on trial for multiple murders in Pettis County in the late 1880s, the Sedalia Democrat and the Sedalia Bazoo, which closely followed the trial, noted that his brother testified that Thomas had suffered from mental problems since he had recovered from typhoid fever several years before. more

I heavily debated telling this story, but after some consideration, I thought, why not? This is a true story about a most unfortunate series of events that occurred in my life last week. more

I heard from a couple of my Afghan colleagues on my birthday. It’s hard to think that I worked with them 11 years ago, but 11 years it has been. I know this because the memory that popped up on my Facebook page on September 12 was a picture of me standing in full gear in the hall of a governmental building in Herat, where I was waiting to go into a room where all the prosecutors in Afghanistan were congregating. I had written some comment about celebrating my 59th birthday in a bullet-proof vest. I had been invited to this meeting because the featured speaker was to be the Attorney General of Afghanistan, the first woman ever appointed to that position, who was declaring that she would stamp out governmental corruption. more

You know those beautiful, orderly outdoor spreads in Better Homes and Gardens? Perfectly cut paths lined with fine gravel, flower beds six feet deep, pristine outdoor furniture? more

As the editor of two community newspapers, I spend a lot of my time sitting behind a desk sifting through hundreds of emails, editing reporters’ articles, working with our design team on the paper each night, and talking with other departments to make sure we’re all on the same page. But now and then, I find opportunities to make a community appearance. more

Matthew 25:35-40 is that familiar passage in which Jesus tells his followers that when he was hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, a stranger, or imprisoned, they provided for him. Puzzled by this statement, they asked him when it was that they did all this. The answer was then and remains now that just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me. (Matt. 25:40) more

September is National Library Card Sign Up Month. All month long, we are celebrating all the different resources we have access to with our library card. more