Editorials

Last week, emergency personnel from multiple agencies kept a dangerous situation from turning into a disaster. An anhydrous ammonia tank rollover crash probably isn’t the most-called square on the bingo card. But the first responders on the scene weren’t fazed, as if they had done all of this a million times before. They acted with…

Ready or not, Thanksgiving is over and that means it’s Christmas now, right? So buckle up your sleigh bells! And as usual, the countless helpers across our community give Santa’s crew a run for their money in turning our home into “Merryville” all holiday season long. Our local Christmas season truly kicks off with the…

The internet was supposed to be a global information superhighway that brought us all closer together, removed barriers to communication and fostered understanding among us all. While it has certainly done all those things to some degree, we have not found a way to control the firehose, and so many of us across the world…

W e got some feedback on social media recently about our Letter to the Editor policy, specifically about the requirement to always include the name of the author, so we thought we’d take some time to address it here. As journalists, attaching our name to every word we say is a daily occurrence, so we…

On Nov. 1, the Missouri State Highway Patrol announced that it will no longer include the names of people involved in traffic crashes and boating incidents in its online reports. It is yet another bedrock removed as part of an accelerating erosion of the public’s access to public information in Missouri. When it comes right…

As we leave Election Day behind us, it’s important that we look forward as a nation together. And there is no better portent for our future together than our shared past — and the men and women who, regardless of party and political beliefs, have united in shared service and sacrifice under one flag to…

As we approach Election Day, we implore each and every one of us to find something or someone worth voting for this Tuesday — to exercise your right as an American to make your voice heard, even in a time when it may feel like everyone is shouting. Being an American requires active participation to…

We’ve appreciated the lively letters to the editor over the past few weeks. We believe an opinion section of a hometown newspaper should be a vibrant local forum of viewpoints and debate. As part of our ever-evolving mission to serve that purpose for our community, we’re introducing this week a new feature of the opinion…

Northwest Missouri State University Homecoming marks yet another destination weekend in Maryville. With the Haunted Campground at Mozingo last weekend and the Northwest Missouri Moon Festival the weekend before that, when isn’t it a destination weekend in Maryville? The Downtown Fall into Fun, Rock the Ville this summer, the upcoming Downtown Trick-or-Treat and countless other…

Gradually, as we’ve become more connected through telephones, television, smartphones and now social media, learning about what’s happening with the people around you has become easier and easier. In fact, we probably all know people who we wish would share a little less! Nowadays, you’re less likely to see in your local newspaper a list…