Close to two years ago, I decided to set out on a journey to get to know myself better. more

On June 3, 1890, the Sedalia Weekly Bazoo reported that only a few days after Thomas Williamson was placed in the Pettis County Jail to await trial for the murders of Jefferson and Charlie Moore, two men from southeast of Sedalia, former neighbor Albert Bradley remembered a conversation he had with Williamson in November 1889. more

I have come to appreciate spell check and other editing programs that keep my mistakes in writing to an acceptable level. more

I have rediscovered that I am my mother’s daughter, in that I really don’t want to turn on the air conditioning until it is absolutely necessary. I enjoy hearing the outdoor sounds through open windows and doors — the robins, cardinals, and other birds sing to me and give me peace. Not quite so pleasing is the sound of 18-wheelers screeching down Broadway, slamming on their brakes or shifting gears. Ambulance and law enforcement sirens are also not enjoyable, but somehow, that cacophony fades away into the background, and I am left with the music of the birds and the coolness of the morning air. more

From ancient Greek philosophers to modern social media influencers, humans have consistently asked the same existential question — why are we here? This question becomes especially pertinent as we’re currently in Mental Health Awareness Month (May). more

Our family loves dogs. I can’t remember a time in our lives when we haven’t had a least one to love. At one point, we had five at the same time. That was a handful, but we adored each of them. more

On June 3, 1895, the Sedalia Weekly Bazoo reported on a series of events that had been reported in the previous week’s daily papers. They involved an attempted suicide, three disappearances, three murders, accusations of lying, two coroner’s inquests, another disappearance, multiple investigations, numerous interviews by Bazoo reporters, and a revelation of the morbid curiosity displayed by Sedalia residents. more

Becky was always one of my mother’s favorites. Clever and intelligent, she lived in a huge house catty-cornered to the old Methodist Church in Thayer. Her dad was a doctor, her mom a homemaker, and her older sister, Elizabeth, taught ballet. more

Feb. 12, 2015 more

Grace to you, and peace from God our Father and the Lord, Jesus Christ! more

A few weeks ago, I was in the Children’s Department at the library for our Kid’s Night event, which is hosted at 5:30 p.m. every Monday. A new family came in and after completing the craft, the daughter asked me, “How do I get books?” She told me her family did not have library cards. I explained the process of getting a card and how to check out books. Her dad did not speak English, so she translated what I said to him and he shook his head “yes” – they could get library cards. more

I have mentioned before that I believe every generation has at some point said, “What is the world coming to?” When I was in early adulthood, I thought to myself, “What is so wrong with where we are right now?” In my mid-50s, I have had a change of heart. more

In the years after the Civil War, the South underwent the Reconstruction, an attempt by the Federal government to bring the South back into the union more smoothly by stationing troops in the southern states. more

The headline in The Missouri Independent reads thus: more

Bill Chapman was the reason I became Municipal Judge. Then the City prosecutor, he talked to me about being a substitute judge about three years after I opened my office. I liked the idea and agreed to accept an appointment. more

The zombie movie genre, along with TV shows like AMC's "The Walking Dead," are fascinating tales of the dead coming to life. I have reflected a few times on what it would be like to wake up in a world where death rules. Where even if you die, you will have to be killed a second time to truly die. It makes the zombie a fearsome enemy that is hard to put down. more

Cool-season grasses prefer the shorter, less intense summers of northern climates. Warm-season grasses thrive in the long, hot summers of the south. more

George Scruton, editor of the Sedalia Sentinel, came to Sedalia in 1901 to become the editor of the Sedalia Sentinel, one of Sedalia’s newspapers. Scruton brought a wide background to his job. more

The second Ukrainian Festival hosted Saturday in downtown Sedalia attracted a good crowd, and everyone appeared to be having a good time. Earnings from the festival will be sent to war-torn Ukraine, where a good time is hard to come by these days. more

It has rained one measly tenth of an inch this month at my house. more