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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
ANOTHER STRIKE AGAINST PLATNER: Called Law Enforcement Officers ‘Opportunistic Cowards’ in Newly Resurfaced Comments
Screencap of Twitter/X video. About a month ago, lots of people were saying that more dirt was coming on Graham Platner, the Democratic Socialist (communist) running for a U.S. Senate seat in Maine. Since then, it’s like the dirt has never stopped flowing. Every single…
The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is Creating Their Own ‘Red Guard’ – A Militia Network Called the ‘Red Rabbits’
Screencap of YouTube video. The Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) is creating an armed paramilitary group called the ‘Red Rabbits’ which sounds almost exactly like Mao Zedong’s infamous ‘Red Guards’ in communist China. The training tactics being described for the ‘Red Rabbits’ mirrors the tactics…
DEVELOPING: White House Postpones VP Vance’s Trip to Switzerland to Continue Talks With Iran
Screencap of Twitter/X video. Vice President JD Vance has postponed his scheduled trip to Switzerland for talks with Iran, which was originally scheduled for Friday. Originally, an official signing ceremony for the memorandum of understanding between the US and Iran was scheduled for Friday in…
Huge Win for President Trump as Appeals Court Smacks Down Rogue Judge’s Order Blocking the Replacement of Exhibits at the President’s House National Park Site in Philadelphia
Although the house was demolished in 1832, the foundations still remain visible in this unique exhibit. (NPS photo.) In a massive victory for common sense, American history, and executive authority, a federal appeals court has completely demolished a rogue activist judge’s attempt to micromanage the…
Obituaries
LeeRoy Martens Jr.
The family of LeeRoy Martens Jr., formerly of Richmond, announces his peaceful passing on June 17, 2026, at Parkway Assisted Living in Blue Springs, Missouri.
Shirley Anita Judd
Shirley Anita Judd, 89, of Richmond, passed away Saturday, June 13, 2026, at North Care Hospice House in North Kansas City.
Mary Ann Bartel
Mary Ann Bartel, 87, of Concordia, MO, died Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at the Good Shepherd Care Community in Concordia.
Wayne Englebert Scheible
Wayne Englebert Scheible, 85, of Richmond, passed away Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at Shirkey Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Richmond.
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
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…
Be Free!..
John 13:34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” When you woke up this morning, you faced an old enemy. That enemy was not an invading army or a…
The American Spirit..
Matthew 5:16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Much has been written about the extraordinary virtues and values of the American spirit. How is it that our nation came to express…