Each December, over 1,200 farmers and ranchers from across Missouri gather at the Lake of the Ozarks to reconnect with old friends, learn from national experts and debate policy positions for the coming year. The 2022 Missouri Farm Bureau Annual Meeting will be the 108th of its kind, a tradition unrivaled for its longevity and breadth. more

To the editor: more

To the editor: more

I have more car stories to tell than pennies in a kid's piggy bank, or finches and sparrows at a bird feeder on a cold winter day. more

If you grew up more than 50 years ago you are likely a storehouse of obsolete, if not completely worthless, skills. more

For Thanksgiving this year, many Americans traveled to be with family and enjoy a feast. It truly is one of our country’s best holidays, where we get to spend cherished time with family and give thanks for the many blessings we enjoy. But sadly, thanks to the decisions made under one-party Democrat rule over the last two years, this year’s celebration will be significantly more expensive compared to previous years. That’s a cruel consequence of Washington Democrats’ trillion-dollar spending spree, which ignited and continues to fuel the highest increase in the cost-of-living in 40 years. more

I grew up on Walker Street. Reese School was close by. The Walker Street grocery store, where Elbe’s gourmet specialty was chocolate covered grasshoppers, was also nearby. more

At this time of thankfulness, Summersville Branch Library is so very thankful to this newspaper for publishing our news and photos of library activities throughout the year. Many readers who may never have the opportunity to physically walk through our library door read this column and feel as if they are part of our library family. They are. more

It’s not uncommon for folks with farms or gardens to bring homegrown foods to the Thanksgiving dinner table. more

As we approach the holiday season, everyone knows how much damage inflation has done to Americans’ pocketbooks and retirement accounts. We have all been fretting about higher costs at both Thanksgiving and Christmas over the next five weeks. From pie crusts to presents, costs are skyrocketing. more

A higher prevalence of gun ownership in rural America has contributed to increased suicides, raising the overall gun-death rate in rural areas above that of urban communities. more

The Willow Springs Tuesday Study Club met Nov. 15 at the Willow Springs Senior Center for a regular business meeting. After a brief discussion of club business, Mary Knott, who was also hostess of the meeting, gave a wonderful presentation on Byers’ Choice Carolers, an art form of people caroling, which are just one of the things that she’s collected. She started collecting with the Christmas Carolers. The ones she had displayed on the tables at the meeting are from the Fall and Harvest collections. more

I go places, I see people I know and think, “Now, there’s a story.” I realize that the stories written are only a glimpse of who these people are. more

I should not need to break the law to drive safely. more

The Summersville Library’s Coffee Club group is sponsoring a Gingerbread House Workshop for adults-only at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 6. Seating is limited to 12, so preregistration is needed. Contact the library for important info. more

To the editor: more

With Veterans Day freshly behind us, I catch myself reflecting on its significance. It occurs to me that at some point in my adult life, Veterans Day transitioned from a day in which I reflect on the lives and service of my grandfather and his peers in WWII, and my parents' generation as impacted by Vietnam. more

As a U.S. Air Force veteran — not a war hero or anything close — I appreciate veteran discounts at places such as Freddy’s restaurants and Lowe’s building supply. Though not handicapped, I don’t hesitate to use parking reserved for veterans, either. more

There really was a time when life seemed simple and not so complicated. In “Life Through the Seasons: A Story Collection,” John Comer reflects on those times. In his personal memoir, he describes life through the eyes of a farm boy growing up in rural Missouri during the 1940s and 1950s. more

Rural Missourians have faced numerous challenges that have created a precarious economic reality in communities, including family farmers struggling with volatile markets, the encroachment of corporate-owned factory farms, and job displacement as factories close and move overseas. more