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Weekly Trivia Question
Which Missouri city is home to the historic Union Station, now a family attraction with an aquarium and science center?
(Hint: It’s a major city in western Missouri.)
Last Week’s Answer:
Last week’s answer, “Which Missouri town is home to Big Spring?” is Van Buren, located in Carter County.
Hometown Business Spotlight
Hometown Business Spotlight: Gordon Building Center
When it comes to creating, building, and improving your home or commercial space, Gordon Building Center in Salisbury, Missouri, is your trusted local resource. They provide a broad range of innovative building materials and solutions designed to add value, enhance ...
Local News
Chariton County Schools Celebrate Final Four Wildcats, Thunder Team Spirit, and Student Achievements
Chariton County schools are celebrating student achievements and exciting athletic milestones this week! From the Brunswick Wildcats advancing to the Class 1 Final Four in Columbia, to Keytesville and Northwestern students supporting their Thunder teammates, and Salisbury students excelling in music and science competitions, the…
Hometown Business Spotlight: Salisbury Meat Market and Processing
Located just a quarter mile outside Salisbury on Highway PP, Salisbury Meat Market and Processing has been serving Mid-Missouri for over 43 years. This family-owned and operated business combines traditional craftsmanship with modern services, offering custom meat processing and a well-stocked retail shop full of…
Keytesville R-III School District Names New Principal, Seeks 7–12 Mathematics Teacher
The Keytesville R-III School District in Chariton County, Missouri, has announced a significant leadership change for the 2026–2027 school year. In addition, the district is now accepting applications for a 7–12 mathematics teacher position at Keytesville High School, offering a unique opportunity for educators seeking…
Chariton County Classrooms & Courts: Student Success, School Spirit, and Winter Highlights
Students across Keytesville, Northwestern, Brunswick, and Salisbury schools continue to excel academically, compete at a high level in athletics, and remain deeply involved in extracurricular and community-focused activities. This in-depth Chariton Beacon roundup highlights student achievement, school spirit, and important district updates from across Chariton…
State News
Who Does Rusty Black Actually Represent? $640K+ From Outside Donors Floods His Campaigns
Chariton Beacon Investigation — Missouri State Senator Rusty Black (R-District 12) was elected to represent 18 rural counties in north Missouri — a district defined by family farms, small towns like Chillicothe and Trenton, livestock auctions, and working-class communities. Yet a comprehensive review of every…
Governor Mike Kehoe’s 2026 State of the State Address: Fiscal Discipline, Tax Reform, and Potential Challenges for Rural Missouri
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — On January 13, 2026, Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe delivered his second State of the State address, marking one year since his inauguration. In a speech centered on themes of resilience, government efficiency, and long-term growth, Kehoe outlined a vision for Missouri’s…
The Missouri Prenatal Equal Protection Act: The Only Answer to Ending Abortion in Missouri
The Missouri Prenatal Equal Protection Act (HB 1682) was filed in the Missouri House by State Representative Burt Whaley. The same bill (SB 951) was filed in the Senate Chamber by State Senator Mike Moon. This legislation aims to provide equal justice and equal protection…
Bill to Fully Abolish Abortion Filed in Missouri
JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI — Missouri State Senator Mike Moon and Missouri State Representative Burt Whaley filed the Missouri Prenatal Equal Protection Act this week in their respective chambers to completely abolish abortion in the state. Senate Bill 951 and House Bill 1682 would provide equal…
US & World News
BREAKING: Trump Announces Israel “Violently Lashed Out” and Hit Gas Fields in Iran, Claims US “KNEW NOTHING” of Attack and “NO MORE ATTACKS WILL BE MADE BY ISRAEL”
President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House Feb. 5, 2025 President Trump on Wednesday announced on Truth Social that Israel hit a “major facility known as South Pars Gas Field in Iran,” prompting Iran to launch retaliatory attacks on Qatar’s…
Joe Kent Under FBI Investigation For Leaking Classified Information: Semafor
According to Semafor, Joe Kent, the top counterterrorism official who just resigned in protest of the Iran war, is under FBI investigation for leaking classified information. The investigation predates Kent’s departure, Semafor’s White House correspondent reported. Joe Kent resigned on Tuesday and said the US…
Sen. John Kennedy Launches Push to Ram SAVE America Act Through Reconciliation Which Only Needs 50+1 Votes
Screenshot Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) is now openly calling for Republicans to ram the SAVE America Act through reconciliation, a legislative maneuver that would allow passage with just 50 votes plus the Vice President. Budget reconciliation is a special parliamentary process in the U.S. Senate…
Leftist Civil Rights Icon Cesar Chavez Accused of Years of Child Sexual Abuse
Democratic Convention in New York City, July 14, 1976. Cesar Chavez at podium, nominating Gov. Brown. A major investigation by The New York Times has raised child asexual abuse allegations against Cesar Chavez, the leftist labor activist long celebrated as a civil rights figure. The…
Obituaries
Frances Kay Toms
Frances Kay Toms, 86 of Higginsville, Missouri passed away on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at Ridge Crest Nursing Center in Warrensburg, Missouri.
Bryan Whipkins
Carrollton resident, 35-year-old Bryan Ray Whipkins died December 27th, 2025. Celebration of life will be Saturday, March 28th from noon to 4 pm at the Rupe Center in Carrollton.
Bill Ellis
William “Bill” George Ellis, 82, of Richmond, passed away Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at Shirkey Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Richmond.
Nancy Norris
Nancy Lee Norris, 86, of Richmond, passed away Tuesday, March 17, 2026, at North Kansas City Hospital.
Opinion
The Irony of Peace: Watching Iran Through a Lens of Prophecy and Uncertainty
As I sit here, half a world away, in Mendon, Missouri, scrolling through the latest headlines at 2:43 AM, the situation in Iran commands attention. Protests that erupted late last month over economic hardships have morphed into a nationwide cry against the regime, met with…
Yes, You Can Legislate Morality — And The Bible Commands It
For years, Christians in America have been met with a familiar phrase whenever moral issues enter the political sphere: “You can’t legislate morality.” The saying sounds wise, even tolerant. It gives politicians an escape hatch and allows society to avoid the uncomfortable task of drawing…
The Pro-Life Establishment Is Actively Thwarting Abolition—Why Christians Must Take a Stand
For decades, many Christians have assumed that supporting the pro-life movement meant standing for the protection of unborn children. We donated, we lobbied, we voted—but what if the very organizations we trusted were actively preventing abolition of abortion? Pastor Jeff Durban, founder of End Abortion…
The Global Morality Quotient: Assessing National Moral Health and the United States’ Position
The Morality Quotient (MQ) is a composite index that measures national moral health using seven verifiable behavioral indicators: violent crime rate, property crime rate, abortion rate, pornography production share, illicit drug use prevalence, gambling revenue per capita, and prostitution scale. Drawing on data from 2022–2025…
Devotionals
Jump!..
Revelation 3:8 “…See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.” Before we consider the verse before us, we must remember that in…
Rescue Me!..
Hebrews 4:15-16 “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find…
Change your World..
Acts 21:11-13 “…Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘So shall the Jews at Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’ Now when we heard these things, both we and those from that place pleaded with him…
Milestones and Memorials..
Joshua 4:7 “Then you shall answer them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. And these stones shall be for…