It should be common sense: Criminal justice laws ought to make us safer. more

Those yellow-bellied dusty devils are at it again. They've launched their annual full-scale attack, and no amount of antihistamines can stop them. more

In the mid-to-late 19th century, before Worker’s Compensation, Social Security, and the practice of employers providing life or hospitalization insurance to their employees had been established, an injury or death of a worker could plunge the family into abject poverty. more

What a week! more

The sun was shining through my window, and I could feel its warmth through the windowpane; outside, the grass was past mowing size and looked like a big green bedspread covering my yard. more

No, this piece isn’t about Neil Armstrong’s famous words to NASA when he and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon nearly 55 years ago. Instead, it refers to what happened during breakfast several weeks ago when Gary and I glanced out into our backyard to see a bald eagle on the ground alongside our small lake. He was devouring a squirrel and appearing to enjoy every bite. more

Y’all remember Sisyphus? He was the Greek guy who was doomed by the gods to push a boulder up a hill every day, only to watch it roll back down every day, for eternity. more

When I was tasked with writing this column, I couldn't have anticipated the extraordinary honor that would be bestowed upon Smith-Cotton High School. Just last week, the students of Team SCREAM etched their names in history as the first robotics team in Missouri to secure a FIRST World Championship banner. Their victory, as a part of the winning alliance at the 2024 FIRST Robotics World Championship in Houston, Texas, is a testament to their exceptional skills and dedication, and it brings immense pride to all of Smith-Cotton High School. more

Even though details and plans are still being worked out, dates have been set for a number of educational events in the upcoming months. more

Author’s note: I apologize for an error in last week’s column. I mistakenly deleted a part of a paragraph that explained the upper-class’ use of language, specifically the word “lady” to refer to an upper- or middle-class female who followed society’s rules for behavior and dress, and the use of the word “woman” to refer to a working-class female no matter how properly she behaved. more

Chocolate chip cookies, the Slinky, Play-Doh, Post-It notes, and potato chips. The one thing they all have in common is this: They’re losers. more

This week, the Sedalia Democrat announced its upcoming transition to a twice-weekly newspaper from its former schedule of Tuesday through Saturday publication. more

A few things: more

I worked outside this past weekend, clearing last year’s plant debris from my native beds, and as I raked, I found myself dreaming of summer foods. more

Public art is a great way to capture a city's history, culture, and local accomplishments. It can serve as a highlight reel for those in the community and as a teaching tool for visitors. It can make vibrant use out of otherwise ordinary urban spaces and bring joy and mental well-being to those who gaze upon it. No matter how temporary those feelings may be, they're better to experience in small amounts versus not at all. more

One of the most important considerations for us as a society is the question, “Is progress always better?” For much of my life, I heard that progress and innovation are always better. With every year that passes, we collectively assume that we have become more enlightened and advanced. But is it true? Are we becoming more enlightened? Is progress and newness always better? more

I’ve been meaning to write this column for some time, but just never got around to it. more

Early Sedalia was well aware of class distinctions. For example, in 1870, Col. A.D. Jaynes, George R. Smith, Albert Parker, Cyrus Newkirk and O.A. Crandall agreed to build expensive – $8,000 to $10,000 – houses on Broadway between Washington Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue, creating what was then Sedalia’s premier neighborhood. more

As losses go, this isn't a big one. I shouldn't even care. Still, I'm sad about it. It's hard to accept that the best jeans in my closet – and possibly the world – are on their last threads. more

I have written about my love for a good nap before, and that is something I try to do daily to recharge my batteries, which seem to run down faster these days. more