Editor, Webster County Citizen:

This week, the House of Representatives rang in for our Constitutional duty of Veto Session, as well as answering the Governor’s call for a Special Session. The Governor has called for this Special Session to look at proposed language for agriculture tax credits and state tax reform, includi…

Editor, Webster County Citizen:

If case you didn’t get the news last week, an initiative-petition drive to legalize recreational marijuana in Missouri was successful in its statewide efforts to get the issue on the upcoming Nov. 8 ballot for the general election.

Last Wednesday, Aug. 10, we were among those watching as White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced to a cadre of Washington, D.C., journalists that “our economy had zero-percent inflation in July.”

Oh, yes, I’ve been reading about this proposed Amendment 3 on the Nov. 8 ballot, which will make recreational marijuana legal if it passes.

Last week while interviewing Seymour R-II School District Superintendent Steve Richards at his office, I noticed a shipment had arrived.

Why am I at the Seymour Nazarene Church on this hot day?

What brings me to the Webster County Courthouse in Marshfield, you ask?

Congressionally, Webster County has had about has much influence in Washington, D.C., as Barney Fife would have at a national police convention since the county was removed from the 7th Congressional District in 1992, which occurred after former U.S. Rep. Gene Taylor had a close call with De…

The next time you’re tempted to gripe about the Webster County Commission and you live in the Seymour area, I urge you to pause.

The House of Representatives adjourned and concluded the 2022 Legislative Session last Friday, May 13, 2022. Before adjourning, the House and Senate successfully passed the bill to redraw Missouri’s congressional districts, as required per the state and federal constitutions.

It’s official.

The House was in Session until Friday afternoon last week, because the House and Senate needed to pass several bills for the state operating budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Now that the budget bills have been sent to the Governor for his review, the House will continue working on a cong…

A courtroom is not a place where you expect to find scenes of celebration and tears of joy.

It’s a busy time in Seymour.

This sure is one of those “only in Seymour” scenes from Saturday.

No matter where I go these days, I seem to get the same question, “What’s happening to our country?”

I was one of the hundreds who grabbed dinner and caught the auction Saturday afternoon and evening at Seymour’s Victory Academy, the Christian school located in the old Seymour Nazarene Church building on North Main Street.

Detective PhoToad on the scene here early Monday morning at Renne’s Place on the east side of the Seymour square.

The Capitol was bustling this week with many events involving family and friends from the district. The House and Senate have now started passing more bills in both Chambers and sending them to the Governor’s desk for his review. Additionally, the Senate passed their versions of the budget b…

With only three weeks remaining for this Session, the House passed a few additional priorities this week hoping that the Senate will move these bills in enough time to send them to the Governor’s desk. One of the bills passed by the House this week is the Parents’ Bill of Rights. I know seve…

House Gives First Round of Approval to Protect Life

I’m a HUGE fan of State Sen. Eric Burlison!

Twenty years ago, we attended many meetings about the future of sales taxes in Webster County and the county’s communities.

Inside this week’s newspaper, an interesting advertisement appears, (Page 5) courtesy of former State Sen. Mike Cunningham, perhaps the most-trusted politician in the history of Webster County.

This week, State Representatives returned from Spring Break to continue working on the state budget and legislation that must be sent to the Governor by the end of Session. Next week, the House Budget Committee plans to review the Governor’s proposed state budget for the upcoming fiscal year…

What’s up with my swimwear, long hair and the lipstick, you ask?

Every 10 years, following the U.S. Census, legislative district maps are redrawn to reflect shifting populations. A lot of attention has been paid to new boundaries for Missouri’s eight congressional districts, but there’s been less discussion about state legislative districts.

Editor, Webster County Citizen:

Perhaps there’s no better time than the present for members of the Missouri Senate to take a brief history lesson and memorize the party’s 11th Commandment, attributed in 1966 to Ronald Reagan.

Last Saturday evening was the 12th annual “Strong Y” dinner and show, presented by the Seymour YMCA inside its gymnasium on East Center Avenue.

This week, the House of Representatives wrapped up the first half of the 2022 legislative session by passing key reforms that address the issues the people of Missouri care about.

This week, the House of Representatives focused on initiatives relating to our fundamental rights, values, and freedoms. We deliberated on legislation to protect our First and Second Amendment rights. We also passed legislation to prevent defunding of law enforcement in Kansas City. The Hous…

Remember when we reported that Webster County would be part of the 7th Congressional District for representation in the U.S. House of Representatives?

Editor, Webster County Citizen:

Darn you, Steve Richards! I’m not a happy toad!

Early last week, we received a postcard from Dala Whittaker, publisher of the Cabool Enterprise, the newspaper that’s served the Texas County city located 30 minutes east of Seymour since 1884.

This week, Session was a day shorter than usual, because of more winter weather coming to Missouri. However, that did not keep the House from moving forward with our priorities. We worked on legislation to fight back against COVID-19 mandates, such as vaccine mandates and local restrictions …

When we hired Dan Wehmer as the Citizen’s associate editor in August 1996, he was just a kid of 24, although he already had experience running his hometown Willow Springs News. By early 1999, when Helen and I sold the Citizen, Dan, then 26, was fully in charge.

Who the heck is Brandon?

Last month, we learned it’s a virtual lock that the entirety of Webster County now is part of the 7th Congressional District for representation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Scott Ireland was my friend.

House Committees are continuing to meet and hold public hearings for bills that were filed this Session. This week, the House Committee on Government Oversight held a public hearing for my HB 2012. This bill would create criminal offenses for donating and hoarding fetal tissue or organs that…

The House of Representatives is trying to moving quickly on several priorities, including initiative petition reform, parental rights’ in schools, and fighting back against vaccine mandates. Next week, the House will hear the 2022 State of the State Address from Governor Parson and continue …

Business was brought back into full swing this week in Jefferson City! On Thursday morning, I had the honor of attending and reading Scripture at the Governor’s Prayer Breakfast. The Scripture was Mark 4:39-40:

Editor, Webster County Citizen:

Let me tell you, I’m not real happy right now with Seymour R-II School District Superintendent Steve Richards or his athletic director at Seymour High School, Robbie Jenkins, after my experience Saturday, Dec. 4, with the Tiger sports program’s Seymour Christmas Parade float.

In a recent meeting of the Seymour Board of Aldermen, I learned about recent correspondence between the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Dhaliwal LLC, which is the operator of Seymour’s Food Mart, known to many as the “Hot Spot,” the name that is attached to the store’s out…