Opinion

Dakoda Pettigrew: American Insights: Rescuing the Experiment
As the snow fell at Mount Vernon in March 1785, George Washington was deeply concerned. Two years after the Treaty of Paris ended the War of Independence, America faced imminent ruin.

Donnie Spears: Make a stand for God
First, Live in The Fear of the Lord; Proverbs 14:26,27 ”In the fear of the Lord there is strong confidence, And His children will have a place of refuge. The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, To turn one away from the snares of death.“ What is it to walk in the “Fear of the Lord”. It is obedience, it is trust, it is complete confidence, it is comfort and a place of safety .

Drake Thomas: Weathering the storm — The unpredictability of child behavior
It seems that spring has sprung here in the Ozarks! Daffodils and dogwoods are in full bloom, the grass and trees have returned to their lively green selves, and a buzz down any road out of city limits will likely show you new spring calves and lambs at their mothers’ sides. As warm and enjoyable as the weather has been, as a born and bred Missourian, I know that the sweet spring weather can quickly turn sour.

Kyle Troutman: Never question the fun
There are a lot of questions asked at the annual Cassville Education Fund Trivia Night, 60 to be precise, but one aspect of the evening is never questioned — you will have a blast. I have covered Trivia Night almost every year in the past decade, and it seems to get better and better every year.

Jon Horner: Happy World Creativity and Innovation Day
What a great time to celebrate creativity and innovation! Sunday was World Creativity and Innovation Day, and this month we got to witness the Great American Eclipse, which definitely didn’t disappoint after the massive publicity build up ahead of the event. The eclipse and the excitement building up to it was very similar to the excitement in our nation during the NASA Moon program in the late 60s.

Kyle Troutman: Productive race ahead (we hope)
After 20 years of the same person holding the position of sheriff, Barry County in August will have its third contested election for the post, to be settled in the Aug. 6 Republican Primary Election.
Debbie Kober: Plant selection for spring garden projects
Longer days and warmer temps stir excitement in all gardeners. We start scouring seed catalogs for new releases, take trips to the local garden center, and revel in that unspoken competition to be the first gardener to start tomatoes (and the disappointment when you’re not).

Janet Mills: Earth Day 2024 — Planet vs. plastic challenge
As we observe Earth Day 2024 on Monday with a focus on “Planet vs. Plastics,” it’s crucial to think about one of our biggest environmental challenges: the widespread use of single-use plastic bags.

Bill Hodgson: Let the children come to me
Jesus said, “Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matthew 19:14) What is the age of conversion? Sometimes we refer to an “age of reason,” the point in development where a child shows a sense of conscience.

Kyle Troutman: A case of some Mondays
The last two Mondays have been unique ones for the Troutman family, marked by worries about weather one week and enjoyment of a celestial event the next. On April 1, we were set to return home from a weekend in Florida visiting my eldest sister, who just had her first baby, miss Scarlett Ever Parker.