Fall is a busy time for cattle producers, so now would be a good time to begin planning for things that will be taking place in the upcoming weeks. more

Peace can indeed get messy and complicated. We live in a world of conflict, but peacemaking is costly and countercultural. The world is full of division in families, communities, churches, nations and within individuals.People often prefer avoiding conflict or retaliating, rather than pursuing peace. more

When I see things on television or in a movie, like old cars that remind me of ones I owned in my younger days, it takes me back to a time when they were mine. more

If your legs ache, swell or feel heavy, especially at the end of the day, you’re not alone. Millions of Americans live with venous disease that includes conditions like chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), lymphedema and lipedema, which can cause pain, swelling and other symptoms. more

Sometimes, I get angry emails. It doesn't happen often, which is good because I don't try to inspire irritation. But when you write for the public every week for more than 20 years, you're bound to tick off a few people now and then. Want to know what topic has most often sparked unhappy responses? It's not politics. Not religion. It's snakes. more

Weekends should be enjoyed, and this weekend I thoroughly enjoyed attending a couple of events in Sedalia on Saturday and then taking a scenic drive on Sunday. more

My husband, Jeff, and two of our friends attended the soft opening of The Vault Ristorante on Wednesday, July 16, and thoroughly enjoyed the Italian fare. more

Independence Day 2026 will be a major milestone, when the United States of America turns 250 years old. more

It’s hard to accept that the Supreme Court has lost its way, but it has. more

When I was a kid, I rode shotgun in my father’s beat-up Chevy Silverado, hand out the open window so I could try to catch the wind. more

A few years ago, a young man named David saved up to buy a pair of virtual reality goggles. He was fascinated by the promise of seeing new worlds —high-definition, immersive, breathtaking. But when he tried them on, the screen was blurry, the colors were off, and the experience was dizzying. He was frustrated. more

The trial of John Cookman, being tried for killing John McBride near Dresden on May 21, 1901, continued with the cross examination of John Jackson by Cookman’s attorney Shain, who asked Jackson if he had taken been interested in the case and had helped hire attorneys Sangree and Lamm to assist the prosecutors. more

I like to tell a Sea Story every once in a while just so I don’t forget how to do it. more

Yesterday, I drove past a house a few doors down from ours and noticed that new neighbors had just moved in. For the past several months of renovation, that house has been a blur of contractors, carpenters, and tile deliveries. But yesterday, I spotted the king of the renovated castle — a small bulldog sitting a few feet outside the new front door, surveying his freshly mowed empire. more

Life can change in an instant — I know this firsthand because I lost two family members due to tragedies three and four years ago. Our family almost lost another one this past week. more

Agritourism—the intersection of agriculture and tourism—has become a vital part of the rural economy in Missouri and the United States. According to the USDA’s 2022 Census of Agriculture, U.S. farms and ranches generated an impressive $1.26 billion in agritourism income, marking a 12.4% increase from 2017 when adjusted for inflation. With 57% of U.S. counties reporting agritourism income, it’s apparent that these niche agricultural enterprises are becoming a mainstay in the industry and a major source of revenue for those farmers and ranchers. more

My dad was not a fan of Ivy League colleges. When teaching methods or ideas changed, he grumbled, “I don’t want hippies from Harvard wearing love beads telling me how to teach a class!” While I just rolled my eyes when he kvetched during my junior high school days, I learned later that he was using an ad hominem attack – criticizing or dehumanizing a person instead of criticizing an idea. In other words, he was arguing that the idea was bad because a person was “bad.” more

Have you ever completely forgotten about a lunch, a meeting, or a commitment? I tend to be hyper-organized. Last fall, I no-showed for a commitment. No text. No call. Nothing. I felt awful. When I realized it later that evening, I braced myself for a cold shoulder or a passive-aggressive reply. But instead, they just said, “Hey, I figured something must have come up.” That was it — no guilt trip, no bitterness — just mercy. more

A few years ago, the term "downsizing" was frequently used by businesses and the government as they reduced their workforces due to inflation and other problems the country was experiencing. more

On May 21, 1901, John Cookman of the Dresden Township shot and killed his neighbor John McBride. His trial began on June 17, 1901. more