Columnists

“Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends …,” the iconic opening line to the song “Karn Evil 9” by the 1970s rock group Emerson Lake & Palmer could easily become the theme song of the 2024 Missouri Senate session of the 102nd General Assembly. I witnessed the “show” firsthand last week while…

On the first day of Jan. I went looking for ducks on some of the many ponds and ranch lakes in my region of the Ozarks. As one old-timer in the pool hall once said about honest politicians on the ballot … “They wa’nt none!” I have never seen a time in 32 years of…

The biggest question I have posed over the past few years on the subject of technology is this: Will the pendulum swing? By that, I mean, will technology go so far—too far, perhaps—and the human response will be to push back against it? If so, we might be arriving at a breaking point with artificial…

“Stupid is as stupid does.” You may recall that memorable line from Forrest Gump, one of the best films about America ever. It is on the nose with its pithiness and truth, but it is also blunt. Sometimes blunt is what we need. The remark reminds us what we do is who we are. Once…

If you need a new or replacement Social Security card, we’ve got great news! You may be able to complete, or at least start, your application on our website – and, if necessary, use our online scheduling tool to book an appointment at a local office. Start your application Do you need to apply for…

The Alternative Method of Instruction – AMI – program allows schools essentially to instruct students while keeping students home. Those of you with kids in school, or those who follow your local school district’s social media or text alerts, have undoubtedly heard about it. It’s a means to salvage a school day, even when the…

As Missouri legislators begin their 2024 session, they might want to consider a recent Missouri Supreme Court decision striking down a significant bill lawmakers passed in 2022. The decision, issued just days before the 2024 legislative session, invalidated the 2022 law because state lawmakers and the governor violated a pretty simple restriction in the state’s…

Scams to steal your personal information are at an all-time high. That’s why it remains critical to safeguard important personal documents like your Social Security card. A Social Security card is not an identification document. In many situations, you only need to know your Social Security number (SSN). Your physical card is not necessary for…

Doc Dykes was a frequent visitor to the pool hall in 1963. He was quiet and good humored, plagued with petit-mal seizures on occasion. Doc Dykes was a chiropractor, and likely as educated a man as our pool hall ever seen. Well dressed, he always wore a long grey overcoat, and usually a dress shirt…

“When an old man dies, a library burns to the ground.” I wish I had said something that profound, but I got it from Craig Johnson, author of the Longmire series of novels, who got it from someone else. It resonates no matter the origin and has some bearing on this column. Joe Biden, 81,…