I’m not sure how it happened, but Tom and I raised three kids who love scary movies. It wasn’t genetic. more

Democrats have embraced the “politics of joy” as their election theme. Be nice if they’d tell the voters where they find such joy, for 75% of the American people told Gallup pollsters this month they think the nation’s on the wrong track. more

When I was a kid, my little sister used to watch the Disney movie The Fox and the Hound over and over again when she got sad. I never understood it. If you’re already in a low mood, why would you want to watch the most maudlin animated film of the twentieth century? The Fox and the Hound could make a grown man weep! It’s all about orphans and friendships that can never be. Is intentionally wallowing around in your own sadness going to make you feel better? Isn’t that kind of perverse? more

You may remember Kevin Strickland, the man who was wrongfully convicted of three murders and spent over 40 years in prison for a crime he did not commit. more

It was a dark and stormy night. Well, maybe not stormy—and maybe not quite dark either. Flickering black candles and a small hand-held lantern contributed to the eerie atmosphere of “Tales by Twilight,” a reading of spooky short stories at the Cole Camp branch of Boonslick Regional Library on Oct. 18. more

I have a problem. And if the first step is admitting it, here goes: I'm a snooze abuser. If there's a snooze to use, I'll do it. Again and again. more

The murder trial of John Warren, accused of first degree murder in the shooting death of John Wilkerson, ended after just two days in the court room. Preparations by the Criminal Court took much longer than the trial itself. more

This morning, when I flipped the switch on my thermostat from cool to heat to be ready for cold weather, it brought back some memories from days gone by when I was just a boy. more

A few nights ago, in the middle of the night, the dog woke us up barking and pawing at the front windows. My husband peered into the dark, expecting to catch a glimpse of the fox that occasionally stalks our yard. more

TUSCANY, Italy — Rain and smiles are universal, and that’s what I found on our trip to Italy and to the Tuscan countryside. more

With the autumnal equinox having taken place on Sept. 22, we find ourselves almost a full month into the fall season. more

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time to reflect on prevention, early detection and treatment of breast cancers. more

The closer we get to 2025, the more I realize that the science fiction comics and other books I read as a kid lied to me.  more

In addition to hearing the murder trial of John Warren, who was charged with shooting Thomas Wilkerson, the Criminal Court was busy during 1908 and 1909. more

When I get up in the morning, the first thing I do – before caffeine and hygiene – is trick the dog and cat. Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't. But the attempt has become my morning ritual – an act of love and deception. more

During a two-man Bible study recently a young man asked me, “If a person becomes aware of sin, confesses it, but keeps repeating it, is there hope for him?” more

Birthday Blessings is a non-profit organization based in West Plains that provides gifts for Missouri foster children. more

The devastation of Hurricane Helene has reactivated a juicy conspiracy theory that has been floating in and out of the public consciousness for the past 30 years. more

It is hard to believe that only nine days ago, we were riding in a cab along the Seine in Paris in the morning and looking at the cornfields of Missouri in the afternoon of the same day. more

ROME — I have always wanted to visit Italy but never thought I would. more