On June 4, 1873, the Sedalia Democrat reprinted a dispatch from Austin, Texas, to the St. Louis Republican. The item noted that “innumerable numbers” of grasshoppers had appeared in Texas, eating vegetation and “destroying the corn, consuming it down to a level with the ground.” more

For the first time in a very long time, I am excited for tonight’s Republican debate. Why, you might ask? It is because former President Donald Trump will not be in attendance. more

We joined the masses last week, attending “Barbenheimer,” the two movies that have made hundreds of millions of dollars in the past month. One of the two movies is an in-depth, interesting look at the man who created “The Bomb,” and the other is a fun-filled piece of pink cotton-candy fluff with unexpected messages. Though I thoroughly enjoyed it and its lessons about self-discovery and being kind to others, one viewing is enough for “Barbie”; however, I will be revisiting “Oppenheimer,” the three-hour marathon that gives its audience insight as to why and how the atomic bomb was developed, what we did with it, and some of its after-effects. more

A little shock ran through me when I saw the headline from ABC17: “Tyson Foods closing four chicken processing plants; two in Missouri.” more

The smell of something deep-fried is in the air, there are more tractors on the road and at Walmart, the school supply aisles are starting to get more crowded – it must be August! more

A series of robberies of stores and houses frightened citizens of Sedalia during 1873. Most involved small amounts of merchandise, money or personal property, and the robbers escaped. The local police concluded that most of the robberies were committed by professional thieves slick enough to evade law enforcement. more

Columnist's note: This column was originally published on July 15, 2020, in the Democrat. I'll be back with a new column next week. more

I’ve written several columns about the restoration of the Trust Building, centering mainly on the progress of the work and its historic importance. But its value goes beyond that. It has been, and will continue to be, an important economic asset for downtown Sedalia. more

It’s no secret that attending the Missouri State Fair is a tradition for many, so it’s fitting that this year’s theme is “Where Traditions Grow.” more

My kids have been crazy lately. And not just regular crazy. more

My long-running, never-ending battle with Charter/Spectrum may be coming to an end. Fastwyre is the “new sheriff” in town, and as far as I am concerned, it can’t get to our condominium quickly enough. more

Our book club this month is reading the memoir, “Educated” by Tara Westover. Even though this book came out in 2018, I had not gotten to it on my reading list yet. At the end of July, my family went on vacation and I was finally able to read it. Wow! What a story! more

In 1873, the Sedalia Democrat reported on a series of robberies in and near Sedalia. While not as dramatic as the train robberies or bank robberies that happened elsewhere and that the Democrat reported regularly, this flagrant lawbreaking worried Sedalia residents who feared they might become victims. more

The Missouri State Fair is now upon us and I would like to extend a huge welcome to those who are visiting Sedalia. more

Max and I, geeks when it comes to the law, have been glued to the television for the past couple of weeks, awaiting information on new indictments of the former President. And our “glue” was rewarded this past week. Donald Trump was finally indicted for his part in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol, which includes his actions between the election and Jan. 6. I say “finally” because the insurrection occurred two and a half years ago. more

As we mark the anniversary of the historic passage of Medicare and Medicaid in 1965, we celebrate that Medicare provides health coverage, including routine preventive care, hospitalization and prescription medicines, to over 65 million seniors and people with disabilities. I’m one of those seniors, and I work with many more of them in the fight to make prescription drugs that maintain our health and save our lives affordable and available to us all. more

St. John Church in Bahner was struck by lightning early Tuesday morning, sparking a fire that destroyed the historic building. Built in 1838, St. John was reportedly the oldest Catholic church in Missouri outside of St. Louis. It was the spiritual home of some of Pettis County’s earliest settlers. more

For as long as I’ve lived in Sedalia, there have been three key parts to the summer season: Memorial Day and the end of school signals that summer has arrived, our annual Fourth of July vacation in Michigan indicates we’re halfway through, and the Missouri State Fair and sorority recruitment means the season is coming to an end (even if the summer heat isn’t). Well, we’ve made it through Memorial Day, and somehow opening day of the Missouri State Fair is in less than a week, but my normal midpoint marker shifted a little later this year. more

The proverbs of the Bible are the treasure trove of wisdom for all humanity. They teach us how God has designed the world, what is right and what leads to the good life. It is the well that parents should go to every day to instruct themselves and their children in the wisdom of God. more

One of the most revered summer vegetables by home gardeners is the tomato. The fruit typically begins to ripen in mid- to late July for most tomato varieties in home gardens, and this is when many tomato fruit disorders are noticed. more