Happy New Year! I’m starting off 2024 writing a monthly column for the Sedalia Democrat, so let me start this adventure by telling you a little bit about myself. more

I read an article not long ago by someone lamenting the loss of cursive writing and I had to agree that it is a shame to see beautiful penmanship going away. more

There’s no month quite like January. It wants us awake at the stroke of midnight for parties, fireworks, a kiss, and a toast to the New Year. But then it steamrolls in at daybreak with demands that we drop and give it 50 push-ups before the first cup of coffee. more

“Singing school was to be in the church … He had paid tuition for two and bought a singing book. The class was already there, and Mr. Clewett was seating them. He placed the bass singers in a group, the tenors in another, and sopranos and altos in groups. Then he taught them the names and values of the notes, the holds, the slurs, and the rests, and the bass, tenor, and treble clefs. After this, he allowed a short recess, and basses, altos, tenors and sopranos all mixed together, talking and laughing, until Mr. Clewett called them to order again. more

After the holiday celebrations and respite, hopefully we will be ready to face the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities the new year will bring. more

At this time last year, the column I wrote to mark the end of one year and the start of another lamented that the 2020s weren’t turning out how anyone had hoped or predicted. Well, here we are again at the end of yet another year that feels like the poster child for a dumpster fire that we’ve all learned to just deal with in the background of our everyday lives. more

In August, I said to myself, “Well, summer is almost over, and then my birthday, and then Oct. 1, and I will blink, and it will be the end of the year.” And here we are. more

My wife and I recently saw “Queen Esther” at the Sight and Sound Theatre in Branson. It was our first time going, and it was beautiful. It was an impressive show with live animals, huge sets with intricate details, and incredibly talented people singing and acting. more

MU Extension recently announced the launch of a new tool to assist livestock producers seeking to buy or sell forage and other feedstuffs. more

When I was a free-range kid in the early ‘80s, I had a Pink Panther bicycle – also known as the coolest bike a girl could have in that day and age. I rode it everywhere. more

The Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City was opened in 1836. The massive limestone building with high walls and guard towers was designed by John Haviland. Its design was, according to the theories of architecture at the time, meant to impress upon passersby the majesty of the law and the horrible nature of punishment. more

At the end of every local news article we publish in the Democrat and Star-Journal, we include contact information for the writer. That makes it common for readers to call our offices with a specific question about an article they read, not realizing we’re the writers and aren’t affiliated with the organizations we interview. more

When I was a kid, if I’d taken a “Christmas” word-association test, I would have immediately responded, “Santa Claus!” If a religious thought crossed my mind, it was quickly shoved aside by the jolly old man in the red suit. more

We started giving food for Christmas gifts the first year we were married. I read Gourmet Magazine every month, and because my mother always gave our friends stöllen and spiced tea at Christmas, and because I had learned that I love cooking, I thought I’d give it a try. Additionally, a lot of people were on our Christmas list, and I thought that cooking would fit our newlywed budget better than buying a “thing” for everyone on the list. more

The light is coming more

Our church normally participates in the Sedalia Christmas parade and we like to be creative and work with the theme each year. But when I heard that this year’s theme was the Nutcracker, I drew a blank. more

If you are a little older, you might remember when there were more dirt country roads around Sedalia than there were paved ones. It was that way all over Missouri and most of the country when I was young. more

What some people call "the most wonderful time of the year" can also be the most exhausting. With all the extra events, shopping, cleaning, cooking, traveling, hosting and more, it can make us want to crawl into the nearest stocking and take a long winter's nap. more

On Dec. 11, 1896, the Sedalia Weekly Democrat reported that Samuel Redcay was arrested at Marshal for forgery. more

We lost a true American legal legend when Sandra Day O’Connor died Dec. 1. Many headlines announcing her death focused on her status as a “first” – specifically, the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court of the United States. While this fact is significant, it fails to encapsulate the true legacy Justice O’Connor leaves behind. more