Columnists

As we approach the halfway mark of the legislative session, it’s important to take stock of the progress made thus far and assess what still needs to be accomplished. The past few weeks have seen an increased volume of activity in the Missouri Senate, including in the Appropriations Committee, as well as on the Senate…

Car buyers would pay their sales tax at the dealership rather than a Department of Revenue (DOR) fee office under a piece of legislation given initial approval this week by the Missouri House of Representatives. With a first-round voice vote, lawmakers approved the bill that would streamline the process for consumers and help eliminate approximately…

Does anyone else ever forecast chase the way I do? In my neck of the woods, we check Empire Prairie Weather (empw.net) to get our forecasts, and the predictions take you more than a week past the current date. Technology and improvements in meteorology have increased the accuracy of the forecasts over the years, so…

So there we were, after spending a wonderful week with our son in Utah, Dave and I hadn’t even made it an hour into Wyoming and the interstate was shut down due to bad roads. After spending the night in Evanston we woke up early, eager to get home. The night before someone had told…

President (Joe) Biden, with the support of many environmental groups, has set a goal of reducing greenhouse gases. Starting with 2005 levels, his goal is a 50 percent reduction by 2030. That’s just for starters. By 2035 the goal is for 100 percent carbon-free electricity and by 2050 he hopes to achieve net-zero carbon emissions…

Missouri’s Gov. Mike Parson has engaged in escalating restrictions against journalists covering Missouri’s Capitol. His hindrances on statehouse reporters is unprecedented in the five decades I’ve covered Missouri state government. From Warren Hearnes until now, governors of both parties I’ve covered went out of their way to facilitate the efforts of journalists covering state government.…

Founded in 1928, the National FFA Organization has striven to make a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth, and career success through agricultural education—and they’ve done just that. There are nearly 9,000 FFA chapters in every corner of this country and more than 850,000 young…

As the eighth week of the legislative session comes to an end, the Missouri Senate is adjourned until Monday, Feb. 27. Looking back, the Senate was able to send 14 bills to the Missouri House of Representatives for consideration, and House Bill 14, the state’s supplemental budget, was truly agreed to and finally passed. Included…

Warning: The following contains the thoughts of a grumpy old man. I only literally mean about half (possibly three-fifths) of what I say. We teach kids the wrong lessons all the time, or we pass our best opportunities to teach them correctly, and then we blame society for ruining them. This past Monday, we tried…

Financial education helps people learn about savings, credit, and loans. It also helps prepare people for life changes and weather the unexpected. Financial knowledge is essential when planning for retirement. So, how prepared are adults in the United States for their retirement? The National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) conducts polls on key issues, like…