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

Editor's note: This week's column from Stephanie is from the Democrat archives and was originally published March 10, 2021. more

The 1882 History of Pettis County praised Sedalia’s manufacturers by identifying the increase in business done by each category between 1880 and 1881. It explained the process involved in compiling the data, noting that the process started by visiting each factory in December 1881 and asking the proprietors and managers for information from the previous two years. more

Long ago and far away: In 1975, I was struggling to decide what to do with my future. I had no idea what I wanted “to be,” and so I lived at home, worked part-time for the Blue Springs Bank, and took additional music hours at Jewell. more

Editor's note: OK, so I know last week I said I'd get back to regular column writing, but I'm going to take one more week-long hiatus. In my defense, I'm out of office for a few days to enjoy a family lake vacation, and I just ran out of time in my preparations to leave. But, here is a rerun of a light-hearted column I wrote last summer that apparently resonated with many of you. Although the destination is different, my boyfriend and I battled lake traffic again this week and we had all the same complaints, so this seems like a fitting fill-in column.  more

Long ago and far away: In 1975, I was struggling to decide what to do with my future. I had no idea what I wanted “to be,” and so I lived at home, worked part-time for the Blue Springs Bank, and took additional music hours at Jewell. more

Barbie by Greta Gerwig is finally out in theaters. I’d like to see it. Even though I was never much of a Barbie girl, there’s something irresistible about a toy that was present in the background of every American girl’s life since 1959. more

As I am getting older, I have discovered that sports are something I watch more than participate in. But every once in a while, I will jump in and try to create the illusion that I know what I am doing and have the skills to make it happen. more

Lack of pasture growth and extremely poor hay yields have producers seeking feed options for beef cow herds. Here are some general ideas to consider. Each of these has specific details for implementation, which can be covered at a different time. more

Meeting people where they are has its challenges. Each of us has different experiences in life that create a pattern of how we receive, process and react to certain situations. more

In June 1881, J. West Goodwin, outspoken editor of the Sedalia Bazoo, published a list of things “we would like to see” in Sedalia. His rather pointed list included perhaps impossible things as “less loafers on the street corner at night” and “a place where the sun don’t shine so hot.” more

I’d never encountered the word “presentism” until recently, but it helps explain a lot of the crazy stuff that’s going on today. more

Hi! I’m back! Did you miss me? (Don’t answer that, it’s rhetorical.) more

Some mornings are just for lying in bed and reading a book. The sky is gray, thunder rolls in the distance, rain begins to pelt against the windows in the house – yes, a day for staying in bed and reading a book. more

It’s hard to believe, but summer is halfway over and back-to-school thoughts and promotions will soon be replacing summer activity plans. more

My husband, Darren, and I saw the movie “Sound of Freedom” over the weekend. more