Opinion | Sedalia Democrat

I have been deeply saddened this spring to hear news of multiple deaths involving floodwaters, especially the deaths of a 12-year-old boy at a low water crossing in Latham, Moniteau County, and of a … more

By Liz Schleicher Contributing Columnist | 6/18/26

Unconditional surrender

This time, it’s ours. Although President Donald Trump never clearly articulated the reasons for entering a war with Iran, several purported reasons emerged over the first few weeks of the … more

By Deboorah Mitchell Contributing Columnist | 6/18/26

Men, mental health and the burdens we carry

In May, I wrote about longevity, not just the kind measured in years, but the kind that matters to our families, farms, livelihoods and future. I wrote about the importance of taking care of … more

By Garrett Hawkins Missouri Farm Bureau | 6/18/26

How will you respond to relentless love?

Most people know what it feels like to be loved less than they hoped. We also know what it feels like to love others less than we promised. Imagine a couple who, early in their marriage, transformed … more

By Dr. Bob Wauchope Maplewood Church - Lead Pastor | 6/18/26

LETTER: The landfill battle isn’t nearing an end

Dear Editor, Doug, you are correct about this being an uphill battle because we are fighting Big Money - not Right from Wrong. You are incorrect about the DNR issuing a permit because they … more

6/15/26

Grandma’s house

There is a little two-bedroom house on North Hurley here in Sedalia that was a place of wonder to me when I was a little boy. It was my Grandmother and Grandfather Wickliffe’s house, and … more

By Jack Miller Contributing Columnist | 6/15/26

Ask for help

I’m about to tell you something I’ve never told anyone, and it’s going to sound crazy. It’s weird and 100 percent true. Brace yourself because it’s about periods and prayer, but I’ll keep … more

By Gwen Rockwood Syndicated Columnist | 6/15/26

More about telephone companies in Sedalia

As last week’s column noted, the Queen City Telephone Company was chartered according to Missouri law. It had a capital stock of one hundred thousand dollars. The city council passed a … more

By Rhonda Chalfant Contributing Columnist | 6/15/26

Out and about with two artist friends

It’s always a pleasure to talk with fellow artists in the area, and I was pleased to hear that my friends, the “Two Lindas,” Linda Hoover and Linda Rhoads North, have an exhibit featuring new … more

By Faith Bemiss-McKinney Contributing Columnist | 6/15/26

What to do if a snake bites you this summer

As we get into the summer months, families will likely be spending more time outside, which means more exposure to the elements and wildlife. One such encounter you may not be looking forward to is a … more

By Logan Stiens, MD Bothwell Regional Health Center | 6/15/26

Is the landfill battle nearing an end?

When the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) recently granted Presidio Environmental a permit to construct a landfill and recovery facilities in the La Monte area, it brought what looks … more

By Doug Kneibert Contributing Columnist | 6/11/26

Tall shoe tale

I began wearing high heels when I was a teenager. I wanted to look older and, more important, taller. I also wanted to be like my mother, who wore high heels every day to school. … more

By Deborah Mitchell Contributing Columnist | 6/11/26

Legislative victories strengthen Missouri agriculture

The 2026 legislative session proved to be productive, with lawmakers passing 100 bills in total, out of nearly 3,000 bills that were filed. Keep in mind, it takes countless hours and minds to sift … more

By Mark Figenbaum Guest Columnist | 6/11/26

How do your memories taste?

One of my favorite things about food is how even one smell or bite can become a time machine. It happened last week when a friend, who knows my guilty pleasures, gave me a box of Cap’n Crunch … more

By Gwen Rockwood Syndicated Columnist | 6/8/26

My other alarm clock is a train

Some mornings, the thing that wakes me up is the distant sound of a train’s horn as it moves through the railroad crossings blocks away from my bed. I call these trains my other alarm … more

undefined | 6/8/26

Telephone companies providing service in 1904

Alexander Graham Bell was granted a patent for the invention of the telephone in March 1876. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, telephone service in Sedalia was provided by … more

By Rhonda Chalfant, Contributing Columnist | 6/8/26

Why this 'comfort movie' is still driving

Buford T. Justice is the Smokey in the Smokey and the Bandit movies. No one knows what the T. stands for. Buford is the sheriff of Portague County, Texas. He has one son, Junior, who he can’t … more

By Sherry Broyles Contributing Columnist | 6/4/26

Lying leads to moral rotting

My first job in the USA was selling books door to door during the summer after two semesters at the University of Missouri. In a small Midwestern town hundreds of miles from here I knocked on … more

By P.C. Thomas Sedalia Bible Academy | 6/4/26

Blessings abound

I was ready to write about the Supreme Court’s disgusting decision in the Alabama case. After all, the Supreme Court doesn’t just overturn its own three-year-old decision, offering no … more

By Deborah Mitchell, Contributing Columnist | 6/4/26

The power grid doesn’t work in pieces

Most of the systems we rely on every day receive attention only when something breaks. We don’t talk about roads when traffic flows, or water systems when the tap turns on. These systems fade … more

By Scott Rupp Guest Columnist | 6/4/26