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A question from a reader … Is a garfish good to eat? Some say they are. Answer … There are four species of gar in the Midwest but only one is the scourge of Ozark streams. That is the long-nose gar, which wasn’t seen in the clear clean Ozark rivers a hundred years ago. Now…

June is Pride Month. It’s a time to acknowledge the LGBTQI+ community and also celebrate diversity, love, and respect. On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, holding that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry in all states. We recognize same-sex marriages in all states, as…

People should spend more time with people. But time is short, right? It’s tough to make plans and find a time that works for everyone to get together. Although, at some point our families will schedule each of our funerals, and people will spend an hour or two at the time and place the ceremony…

This week’s Garnering Insights is brought to you by Labatt’s, Molson, Moosehead or any other Canadian beer company who wants to advertise. Well not really, but I am in the Great White North this week working in Toronto, Canada, while at the annual International Society of Weekly Newspaper Editors conference. Thus far I’ve learned from…

There has been speculation from the bleachers that Joe Biden might be replaced on the Democratic ticket for the 2024 election. The Dems’ problem is a dearth of desirable candidates who can challenge both the incumbent and Donald Trump at this juncture. Vice President Harris is wildly unpopular and California Governor Gavin Newsom has dug…

The pool hall was empty except for me and Preacher Lampkin. He had been trying his best to answer my religious-oriented questions. I ’spect he was in his 60s and I had turned 14 that very week. He wasn’t as good at answering ’em as I thought he orta be, but then he hadn’t been…

The heat of the summer isn’t quite here yet—at least not the worst of it—so I haven’t yet seen a single lightning bug (or firefly, depending on your upbringing). But by the Fourth of July, they’ll be everywhere. I remember catching them when I was a kid. I’d finally trap one, and a time or…

One of the things that I — I don’t want to say enjoy, let’s see how to put this … avail myself of — is reading the obituaries listed in each week’s paper. It may seem a little strange on the face of the statement itself, but I think we as people owe it to…

Do you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI)? If so, you need to tell us about any financial accounts you own, alone or with someone else. That’s because SSI is a needs-based program, and eligibility is determined by your resources as well as your income. Examples of financial accounts include: Checking, savings, and credit union accounts.…

While we know that Maryville voters play an enormous role in the outcome of all Nodaway County elections simply due to its population, voters in the smaller towns within the outlying county make a difference too, and I was just so pleased to see that one local town took matters into their own hands. With…