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Weekly Trivia Question
Which Missouri town hosts the annual Pershing Days festival in honor of General John J. Pershing?
(Hint: He was a famous World War I general.)
Last Week’s Answer:
Last week’s answer, “Which Missouri town is home to the famous giant fork sculpture?” is Springfield, where the 35-foot fork stands outside an office building.
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 Buzz with Achievements, Competitions, and Upcoming Events
Chariton County’s small school districts are wrapping up a strong quarter filled with academic honors, athletic successes, student leadership, and community engagement. Thunder Baseball Co-op Heating Up The Thunder baseball co-op, which includes students from Brunswick R-II, Keytesville R-III, and Northwestern R-I, has kicked off…
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…
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
Egyptian World Cup Officials Clash with Dallas Police Officer in Physical Confrontation at Team Hotel – Coach Claims Incident “Resolved” After Apology
Shocking footage circulating online shows Egyptian national team coach Hossam Hassan and team director Ibrahim Hassan arguing with a Dallas police officer, with the exchange quickly escalating into a brief physical confrontation just hours before Egypt’s World Cup Round of 32 match against Australia. The…
Top Democrats Announce They Will Stack SCOTUS and Nuke the Filibuster If They Take Power – Trump Responds
Majority Leader John Thune refuses to pass voter ID legislation despite 80% approval by the American people. Who does John Thune report to? – truth social image The Chairs from the far left Black, Hispanic, and Progressive caususes announced this week, on the 250th Anniversary…
Pegasus XL Rocket Shot into Space to Save Swift Observatory From Falling Back to Earth
Swift Observatory – Illustration from NASA/Wiki Commons Boosting Swift. Yesterday, after a couple of delays, a Northrop Grumman Pegasus XL rocket sent a private spacecraft to rescue an iconic NASA space telescope that is falling back to Earth. Congratulations, Katalyst Space and Northrop Grumman, on…
Pennsylvania State Trooper Killed by Haitian Illegal Truck Driver Who Entered the Country Under Joe Biden
Pennsylvania State trooper Michael E. Pahira, Jr., 44, was killed by an illegal truck driver./Image via Pennsylvania State Police. Another illegal driver has claimed a victim in a crash. Pennsylvania State trooper Michael E. Pahira, Jr., 44, was killed when a semitruck, allegedly driven by…
Obituaries
Robert “Bob” “Butch” Richard Long
Robert “Bob” “Butch” Richard Long, 74, passed away peacefully on July 1, 2026, surrounded by his family.
Patricia Ann Downs
Patricia Ann Downs, 71, of Sedalia, formerly of Richmond, passed away Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at the Four Seasons Living Center in Sedalia.
Pauline Marie (Kruse) Plackemeier
Pauline Marie (Kruse) Plackemeier, age 99, was called to her eternal rest on July 1 2026, at her home in Carrollton, MO.
Opinion
Reclaiming True Conservatism: Principles That Built America
At its core, conservatism is about preserving the proven traditions, values, and institutions that have sustained human flourishing across generations. As Edmund Burke, the father of modern conservatism, observed, society is a partnership: “not only between those who are living, but between those who are…
Partiality is Detestable
Partiality is the act of giving preference to one over another. In Leviticus, the Lord is commanding that those who rule should not show favor to the poor in order to show favor to the great. The term poor is one that can be interchangeable…
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…
Devotionals
Don’t Stop Now!..
Philippians 3:13-14 “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God…
The Only Thing That Counts..
1 Corinthians 2:4 “And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power.” The apostle Paul was a speaker par excellence, schooled by the finest scholars the world could offer. He could…
He Knows..
Job 23:10 “But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.” Scripture needn’t be lengthy to be powerful, and here, in Job’s threefold declaration, is inspired proof. He knows. What does God know? As the…
Through God’s Lens..
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” As Christ-followers, our goal is to daily follow the will of God. Yet sometimes our perspective makes discipleship harder than it…