When I was a boy almost all of my heroes were clean-shaven. more

Did you know that according to legend the Ozark mountains owe their very existence to razorback hogs of long ago? (This was, I suppose, at the time when the razorbacks roamed the earth with the dinosaurs.) At the time, the Ozarks land was very flat, covered with huge oak trees. The hogs that fed off the giant acorns grew so large they became gargantuan and fierce. One year the acorn crop, or mast, failed to produce, and the enormous beasts grew so hungry that they went raging up and down the land in search of food. They dug and rooted so deep in the ground that gravel and rock scattered "ever which a-way." This ripping and tearing turned the once flat land into nothing but deep hollers and high hills that we know as the Ozark Mountains.  more

Hey, West Plains! It’s that time of year again when the air starts to get a little crisper, the leaves begin to change, and the whole town comes together for one of the most anticipated events of the season—the 3rd annual Downtown Fall Block Party on Court Square! If you haven’t marked your calendar yet, you’re going to want to circle the date because this year’s block party is shaping up to be bigger and better than ever before. more

To the editor: more

Dear Readers, more

As someone who strongly believes that the best government is that which is closest to the people, I’m incredibly frustrated by how much the federal government has grown since our nation was founded nearly 250 years ago. Whenever the Left is in control of Washington, they do everything they can to force their values on the rest of America — and the biggest tool they have is the Washington bureaucracy. Whether they’re trying to ban gas powered vehicles, dictating what you can or can’t do on your land, or even deciding what kind of appliances you can purchase for your home, there is no limit to how far they will go to expand government command and control. more

After working more than 32 years for Texas County Library, I’m taking the first week of my very first vacation this week. Oh, I’ve utilized my regular days off over the years to visit Branson, Memphis, and Eureka Springs several times, and even Central Illinois for a 50th high school reunion, but I’ve always been back on the job on Monday morning. more

It’s approaching bedtime as I jot down notes for this column, while watching a mystery on television and fighting to stay awake long enough to see it solved. more

How does a family last for hundreds of years? Not just to live but to continue and prosper for generations. My Ozarks family has mostly been rural, non-city dwelling, independent farmers who maintained a subsistence lifestyle. Occasionally, a generation would experience a brief time of prosperity only to be brought down by the next disaster. Therefore, none of my lineage is known as the area’s bankers, lawyers, doctors, merchants, and other “names” that are bandied about as founders or upper-class folk who have much written about them. more

There’s something special about holding a camera in your hands, hearing the satisfying click of the shutter, and knowing that the image you just captured is more than just pixels on a screen. It’s a moment in time, preserved on a strip of film, with all its imperfections, nuances, and beauty intact. In a world that’s increasingly digital, where instant gratification is the name of the game, I find myself clinging to the warmth, the feel, and the authenticity of film photography. And while digital photography has its place—no doubt about it—it’s film that will always have my heart. more

In June, the electric co-ops lost an icon. Frank Stork was CEO of Missouri Electric Cooperatives for more than 30 years. During his time here, he led the rural electric co-ops through many challenges and received plenty of recognition.  more

Dear Readers, more

Recently, CFO communications specialist Matthew Stewart reminded me it was almost time for this monthly column. In previous months, he has shared a theme or something to highlight, but this time’s gentle nudge didn’t come with a recommendation. The page was my oyster. Yikes.   more

I’ve no way to know as I write this who were the winners in the August primary elections. more

When I started writing about my Martin ancestors, I thought when I came to my Great- Grandma Katie that it would be very easy capture her character. She has been the stuff family legends are made of- scary and kind of bizarre. However, I found that she was much more multi- dimensional than I thought. When I started this column about my great-grandmother, I think I had a very skewed view of her. Somewhat based in fact, but not quite the whole picture. more

There's a magic in revisiting an old, beloved book, a magic that transforms the familiar into the astonishingly new. I'm currently re-reading John Steinbeck's "East of Eden," a novel that, to my surprise, still holds untapped depths of wisdom and beauty. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve immersed myself in its pages, but each time I do, I find myself uncovering fresh perspectives, discovering layers of meaning that previously eluded me. more

Author’s note: I first published this newsletter 12 years ago, however I think it may fit more today than when it was first published.

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I’m always excited to see a book on our holdshelf with my name on it! Of course, it would be better if both requests didn’t come in at once, causing me to have to choose which one I begin reading first. As much as I enjoy Fannie Flagg’s writing, I can’t help but choose “The Five Wishes of Mr. Murray McBride” by Joe Siple this time due to the excellent reviews it has received. more

I have been fortunate over the years to have two collections of my personal columns published in softcover books. more

In my continuing saga of my Martin family history, James Pinkney Martin and his wife, Elizabeth (my 3x great grandparents) had moved to one of the most isolated areas of the Ozarks to set up a homestead in 1854. They were situated on the Bryant River (also called a Creek at times but river sounds more respectable) section of the White River. more