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Weekly Trivia Question
Which Missouri town is known as the birthplace of ragtime composer Scott Joplin?
(Hint: He wrote many of his compositions here.)
Last Week’s Answer:
Last week’s answer, “Which Missouri city is home to the historic Union Station?” is Kansas City, where the station has been revitalized into a major attraction.
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
HJR 173/174: Promised Income-Tax Relief or a Sales-Tax Trap for Rural Missouri?
A custom combine crew rolls through a 200-acre soybean field outside Keytesville, wrapping up harvest for a local farmer. The bill comes to around $7,000 for the job. Right now, that labor charge is not subject to Missouri sales tax. But if voters approve House…
Senator’s Wife Serves as Executive Director of Nonprofit Receiving Steady $350,000+ in Government Grants
CHILLICOTHE — Public records show that Karie Black, wife of Missouri State Senator Rusty Black (R-District 12), serves as executive director of a Chillicothe nonprofit that receives hundreds of thousands of dollars annually in government grants administered by the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary…
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…
US & World News
Kermit Gosnell, Abortionist Convicted of Murdering Babies Who Survived Procedure, Dies in Prison at 85
Screencap of YouTube video. Kermit Gosnell was an abortion doctor in Philadelphia who performed late-term abortions. In 2011, he was convicted of murder when it was revealed that he murdered babies who had survived the procedure. It’s like a story straight out of a horror…
Maxine Waters Demands to Retake House Leadership Position if Democrats Win Midterms – Despite Being 87 Years Old
Rep. Maxine Waters – Screencap of Twitter/X video. If the Democrats retake the House of Representatives in the 2026 midterms, Maxine Waters is demanding that she resume her position as chair of the Financial Services Committee. Considering the fact that she is 87 years old,…
REPORT: Democrats Running for President in 2028 Are Emphasizing Their ‘Childhood Traumas’
Screencap of Twitter/X video. This is just pathetic. Some of the Democrats who are planning to run for president in 2028 are apparently hyping up their childhood traumas. It’s a mad dash for who can be the biggest victim. This is part of a larger…
I Traveled Through TSA Democrat Shutdown Chaos So You Don’t Have To
Thousands of travelers packed into JFK Airport in New York City on Sunday as TSA security lines ground to a standstill. John F. Kennedy International Airport on Sunday reflected a level of dysfunction that is difficult to overstate. The experience was not defined by inconvenience…
Obituaries
Parilee Turley Jackson
Parilee Turley Jackson, 81, of Marshall, MO, died Monday, March 23, 2026, at her home.
Floyd Benjamin “Ben” Davis
Early in the morning of March 20, 2026 Heaven gained another angel, Floyd Benjamin “Ben” Davis.
Bruce Bradley Bagnell
Bruce Bradley Bagnell, 65, of rural Blackburn, MO, died Tuesday, February 17, 2026, at his home.
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
Arise O Sleeper..
Jonah 1:6 “What do you mean, sleeper?” Some see Jonah as a story fit for Sunday School, but I think adults would be surprised at how much they can relate to him. Jonah faced a dilemma: obey God or follow his own reasoning. Jonah chose…
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…