August Birthdays:
1 -- Jacob Finch, Julie Cassavaugh, Neil Johnson, Spencer Hawk; 2 -- Wilma Moutray; 3 -- Ramonia Parman, Tanya Troutwine; 4 -- Jim Bullock, Karen Fugate; 5 -- Jerry Fugate; 6 -- J.C. Stephenson, Patricia Ray, Aaron Johnson; 7 -- Vicki Wake, Dylan Heideman, Steve Smyser; 8 -- Kim Welch, Ryan Smyser, Kristen Andrews; 9 -- Richard Caldwell, Barb Rowe, Rikky Hunt, Stephanie Rush; 11 -- Valerie Rauch, Julie Ragan; 12 -- Jay Sanders, Larry Johnson; 13 -- Joan Osmon, P.J. Hoff; 14 -- Faye Adams, Mike Thomas; 16 -- Debbie Thummel, Renea Smyser, Brian Finch; 17 -- Janell Dignan, Jordan Bottiger, Jason Rush, Montana Rush, Ed Morrow; 18 -- Jack Hawk, Tama Auten; 19 -- Steve Johnson; 20 -- Kayla Rowe; 21 -- Johnathon Mitchell, Heather Smyser, MiTasha Heideman Loseke, Mindy Carlson; 22 -- Jenny Finch; 23 -- Amy Burkett; 24 -- Ella May Cossins, Melissa Parman, Bill Staton, Kyle Dignan; 25 -- Richard Swaney, 26 -- Wesley Parman, Chris Hopkins; 27 -- Jimmy Miller, Vivian Coleman; 28 -- Jessica Brand; 31 -- Abby Hawk, Johnnie Bainum, Jennifer Finch.
August Anniversaries:
4 -- Allen & Robin Andrews; 5 -- Dan & Shelly Barnett; 8 -- Jason & Joni Hawk, Robert & Mary Morrow; 11 -- Cole & Brenda Fisher; 12 -- Bart & Karla Hawk; 14 -- Brandon & Amber Hawk; 22 -- Shane & Tiffany Morrow; 23 -- Jack & Dorilla Hawk; 24 -- Jeff & Kathy Fletchall; 30 -- Duane & Donita Auten.
Monday, July 21, 2014
Worth County Sheriff's Report
7-14 -- Person in office with papers to serve.
7-14 -- Public defenders office calls about a female prisoner.
7-14 -- Person calls about car out of gas; car was towed because partly on the highway.
7-14 -- Officer en route to Ringgold County Jail to transport prisoner to court.
7-14 -- Three people transported to Ringgold County Jail by Worth County officers.
7-15 -- Person in for CCW permit correction.
7-15 -- St. Joseph Police Department calls about stolen truck that may be in our area.
7-15 -- Papers served in Sheridan.
7-16 -- Missouri State Highway Patrol calls about hogs out on Route B; owner notified.
7-16 -- Officers investigate an infant death in Grant City.
7-17 -- Person calls about getting driving record; referred to Highway Patrol.
7-18 -- Highway Patrol and Worth County arrests Worth County resident on Probation & Parole warrant; transported to Nodaway County Jail.
7-18 -- Ringgold County calls regarding prisoner having medical problems.
7-18 -- Officers investigate pickup with stolen plates.
7-18 -- Officer investigates report of child abuse; referred to Children's Division.
7-18 -- Report of cattle out on Route M; owner notified.
7-20 -- Officer investigates possible disturbance in Grant City.
7-14 -- Public defenders office calls about a female prisoner.
7-14 -- Person calls about car out of gas; car was towed because partly on the highway.
7-14 -- Officer en route to Ringgold County Jail to transport prisoner to court.
7-14 -- Three people transported to Ringgold County Jail by Worth County officers.
7-15 -- Person in for CCW permit correction.
7-15 -- St. Joseph Police Department calls about stolen truck that may be in our area.
7-15 -- Papers served in Sheridan.
7-16 -- Missouri State Highway Patrol calls about hogs out on Route B; owner notified.
7-16 -- Officers investigate an infant death in Grant City.
7-17 -- Person calls about getting driving record; referred to Highway Patrol.
7-18 -- Highway Patrol and Worth County arrests Worth County resident on Probation & Parole warrant; transported to Nodaway County Jail.
7-18 -- Ringgold County calls regarding prisoner having medical problems.
7-18 -- Officers investigate pickup with stolen plates.
7-18 -- Officer investigates report of child abuse; referred to Children's Division.
7-18 -- Report of cattle out on Route M; owner notified.
7-20 -- Officer investigates possible disturbance in Grant City.
Sunday, July 20, 2014
Worth County Candidates Forum Features Lively, Civil Discussion
The Worth County Candidates Forum that was held at the Worth County Senior Center last Thursday featured a lively discussion that was also very civil. It was a marked contrast to the polarized atmosphere in Jefferson City and Washington, DC, where there is frequently gridlock on the issues of the day. Candidates of different parties and persuasions frequently found common ground even though they started from totally different standpoints. The forum was sponsored by the Times-Tribune.
Since there was a conflicting forum in Nodaway County, all four Republican candidates for District One State Representative along with Democrat Robert Ritterbusch went first so that they could make it to both. Ritterbusch kicked off his campaign by noting that he was born and raised on a family owned farm in Oxford. He recalled the Grant City Centennial in 1961, where they had skits representing each decade of Grant City's existence. "Having listened to all four Republican candidates, I bring a different perspective to the race," he said. "My parents weathered the Great Depression and World War II, and they taught me the meaning of shared sacrifice." He attacked what he called the notion that we shouldn't have to make similar sacrifices and said that while government did not have all the answers, it could be a force for good. He said that his campaign would be driven by "facts, logic, and evidence." He said that while the other party was trying to "shove ideas down the throat of people," that he would work for compromise, bipartisanship, and seeing the other person's point of view. "We are the most fortunate people in history because of the sacrifices of generations before me, and I feel an obligation to pass on that legacy to the next generation," said Ritterbusch. He said that his family went through many generations of family farms dating back to before 1776 in New Jersey.
Republican candidate Stan Sportsman said that the government did not have the best answers and that frequently, the people knew a lot better than the government. "As a state, we are 47th in economic growth," he said, taking aim at what he said were increasing taxes. "We can't tax our way out of that." Sportsman said that the way to create more prosperity for the state involved getting people off welfare and into work along with broadening the tax base by bringing in more businesses to the state. "The Free Market system is the only system that has ever worked in history," he said. "When Ronald Reagan got his tax cuts passed, the federal government got record revenues." Sportsman said that he wanted to protect coal-fired power plants. He said that he supported a bill by State Senator Brad Lager to use the 1990 Clean Air Standards as a basis for regulating them. "I was born and raised in Nodaway County and I understand farming interests," said Sportsman. "I met a lot of good folks on the campaign; it's time to move government out of the way."
Roger Parshall said that he got his values from doing chores and milking a cow on a farm growing up. He said that he had succeeded in everything that he set out to do, from doubling his family's hog operation, going from 300 acres to 3,000 on the row crop operation, and building a concrete business from scratch. "We need to expand and create more growth," he said. "We need more jobs in the area." As the vice-president of the Tarkio School Board, he said that he would support public schools and teachers if elected. "I'm the proven job creator in this race," said Parshall. "I will stand up for our farmers against the EPA and I will work to get more jobs in the area."
Kathy DeVault pledged to support the interests of farmers and help other people understand their interests. "I have a real place in my heart for farmers," she said. As a licensed administrator and registered nurse, she pledged to support health care providers; as a member of the Missouri State Teacher's Association, she pledged to help education needs. "I visited all 14 superintendents in the district, and almost everyone told me that funding was a big problem," she said. The exception, she noted, was Craig, which hosts the Golden Triangle plant. In addition, she has been to 16 town and city council meetings; she said that government regulation was a common concern among most of them. DeVault pledged to fight against excessive government regulation, excessive litigation, and high taxes. She encouraged voters to look at the backgrounds of candidates. "I've been to Jefferson City more times than any other candidate and learned what being a legislator is all about; I am the best prepared candidate for the job," she said.
Worth County native Allen Andrews talked about faith and family as a centerpiece of his campaign. He was a Worth County grad and graduated from Northwest Missouri State after studying marketing and business management. He returned to the area to raise a family and take over the Wool Shop north of Grant City. He said that he would like to see a citizen-led legislature. "As soon as I am done, I will return back to the district," he said. He pledged to follow the vision of the Founding Fathers, Constitutional freedoms, and free market principles. Andrews was endorsed by the Missouri State Teachers Association and pledged to stand behind education. He noted that the 14 schools in the district support 5,200 kids. He said that he would stand strong on business as well. "Me and Jeff got our first jobs painting curbs for the Worth County Fair," he said. "Business has always been part of my life and 97% of the businesses in Missouri are small businesses." He said that he would support more deregulation. Andrews said that he would stand strong for agriculture. "We need to empower our farmers and ranches and get rid of all the red tape and let them grow crops and livestock," he said. "I don't have all the answers, but we together can work on legislation and make this state more business and ag friendly. I will represent this district with integrity, honesty, and trust."
Discussing the Missouri Lottery and education funding, Andrews said that the $50 million shortfall in lottery funding needed to be addressed. Sportsman said that he wanted to look at reducing administrative and advertising expenses, which he said were too high.
On Amendment One, the Right to Farm Amendment, all the candidates but Ritterbusch said that they supported it. Sportsman said that it would make it tougher for government to regulate farmers. Roger Parshall said that it was not going to solve everything, but that it would protect against things such as federal EPA regulations. Kathy DeVault said that it woiuld protect against out of state animal rights interests, which she said were trying to destroy farming and spending tons of dollars. "It will support everyone, not just Monsanto," she said. She said that the amendment would not change any existing laws such as the law prohibiting too much foreign ownership of farmland. But Robert Ritterbusch said that such laws should be passed through the legislative process, noting that it is much tougher to amend the Missouri Constitution than it is to amend a law passed by the legislature and signed by the governor.
Candidates running for incumbent Sam Graves' 6th District Seat that were present included Republican Kyle Reid, Democrat Bill Hedge, and Libertarian Russ Lee Monchil. Asked about independence, Reid said that he would be independent in every area if asked to make a choice between his district and his party. He said that when he voted, he was representing 710,000 different people and that his job was to defer to the people and do their bidding. "Very few of us can hire a lobbyist," he said. "As a legislator, I have to respect the wishes of the 6th District if we are to keep a Republic. There is no issue I am so adamant on that I would ignore the wishes of the people." Hedge said that his campaign was based on compromise and common sense. "We can't keep putting labels on things," he said. "The main question is, what is the best for the 6th District?" He pledged to treat all constituents fairly if elected, whether it is someone from Worth County or someone from 59th & Troost in Kansas City. "We have to do consensus building instead of voting based on who writes us the biggest check." Monchil said that two areas where he differed with the Libertarian Party were his support for raising the Minimum Wage and looking at cradle to grave healthcare. Reid said that as a Constitutional Conservative, he wanted to see more done at the state level and less at the federal level.
On corporate personhood, Monchil said that our system was the best system money could buy. Reid said that there was no Constitutional basis for federal involvement in corporations. "I don't answer to them," he said. Hedge said that as a former administrator in the St. Joseph Public Schools, "You have to be true to yourself every day. I have to look in the mirror and say that I did the best job possible." Monchil said that "when someone gives $1 million to your campaign, they are not doing it out of the goodness of their heart; they want something from you." Hedge said, "I have been to all 36 counties in the 6th District. I want 1 million friends, not $1 million dollars." The problem that Reid saw was "crony capitalism," where the government taxes everyone and then the people with the biggest pockets get the biggest breaks. He said that there was a big difference between capitalism and "crony capitalism," where the government picks winners and losers.
Discussing the Grain Belt Express, a massive 750 power line project that supporters say will bring clean energy to communities, Hedge said that he had reservations. "1% of this energy stays in Missouri," he said. He said that instead of exercising eminent domain, the lines should run down I-70 or Route 36, where the government already owns the land. Reid said that it would not generate enough to justify the expense and that green energy was not sustainable at this point. He said rather than the current plan of subsidizing such projects that a much better way to generate clean energy would be a plan similar to Denmark, where they mandate a certain percentage of clean energy and then leave it up to the producer to figure out how to do it. "Their solar power and wind power is much cheaper, because the markets are controlling expenses," said Reid.
State Senator-elect Dan Hegeman introduced himself to the audience. He served as a state representative, county clerk, and runs a family farm. He has also worked for Congressman Sam Graves' office and KCP&L. He and his wife have four children. Currently, he is employed at KCP&L, where his duties include working with governments, directing the company's charitable giving, and working with small businesses. He said that he considered himself to be a public servant and pledged to represent rural values in the legislature. He is a pro-life and 2nd Amendment supporter. He said that he would focus on reducing taxes and regulations so that small businesses and farms would thrive in the district. He said that he would also work for small schools and broad-based tax relief. He said that he was neutral on the Highway Sales Tax that will be voted on in August. "The DOT did a good job of coming up with the projects that would be funded if this passes," he said. He noted that in the past, there had always been user fees and that the sales tax initiative would be a change. He noted that the only revenue source that polled well was a sales tax.
Incumbent Presiding Commissioner Ted Findley said that the biggest accomplishment of the county since he was appointed by Governor Jay Nixon was the roads, which he said were the best of any county. He said that the county was able to distribute the roads evenly, in contrast to the township system, which he said leads to too much unequal distribution of resources.
Richard Oswald, a two-time candidate for State Representative and Langdon (MO) farmer, came and spoke out against Amendment One. He said that it was too vague and noted that Class One counties could exempt themselves if they so desired. He said that as such, it was an "empty shell" and that it would encourage litigation, since it would be up to the courts to give it meaning. "It's just a blank contract," he said. Oswald predicted that it would lead to large corporations coming in, declaring their operations to be ag-related, and exempting themselves from regulations. "We already have the right to farm in Missouri," he said.
Addressing arguments made by supporters, Oswald said, "We're being told that it won't affect existing laws, but we won't know what will be grandfathered until the courts establish the true meaning." He said that as a family farmer, he was concerned about Chinese and Brazilian interests locating in Missouri. "The 14th Amendment has already been interpreted to establish corporate personhood," he noted. "Farmers and ranchers are people, but so are corporations." He said that there was a movement to change the way that it works so that it could not be construed to apply to corporate personhood.
Since Amendment One is a Constitutional Amendment, Oswald reasoned, Amendment One would not only trump such protections as the laws against foreign ownership and the Family Farm Law, which prohibits corporate CAFO's, it would trump local ordinances such as the Worth County Health Ordinance, which heavily regulates prospective CAFO operations.
Asked about concerns that the EPA would come in and regulate streams and waterways, he said that was blown out of proportion although he said that the Missouri Farmers Union, of which he is president, is seeking clarification on what they are seeking to do. "But a lot of things that people propose or say will happen never happen," he said. And even if the worst-case scenario unfolds, a state Constitutional amendment would not do against federal laws or regulations.
Barb Foland said that as candidate for Recorder, she had enjoyed her job immensely and talked about the remodeling of the vault in her office.
Incumbent Democratic Circuit Clerk Jana Findley talked about her duties, which she has performed since 1999. She noted that she had a 24-hour job and that she could be called on to do warrants, court orders, and other paperwork at any time. Her duties include overseeing jury trials, courtroom security, and contacting prospective jurors. She is the only passport representative in Worth County and undergoes 35 hours of training annually. She talked about the transition to the electronic court system, which is mandated by the state and which the county succeeded in doing with no taxpayer funds.
Republican challenger Lori Wimer said that she and husband Kevin chose to make Worth County home 16 years ago. She has a degree in business management and has 15 years in office experience for the closed Energizer plant. She has been a volunteer in the community for 4-H, PTO, and 'Lil Tigers. Findley and Wimer will face off in the November General Election.
Since there was a conflicting forum in Nodaway County, all four Republican candidates for District One State Representative along with Democrat Robert Ritterbusch went first so that they could make it to both. Ritterbusch kicked off his campaign by noting that he was born and raised on a family owned farm in Oxford. He recalled the Grant City Centennial in 1961, where they had skits representing each decade of Grant City's existence. "Having listened to all four Republican candidates, I bring a different perspective to the race," he said. "My parents weathered the Great Depression and World War II, and they taught me the meaning of shared sacrifice." He attacked what he called the notion that we shouldn't have to make similar sacrifices and said that while government did not have all the answers, it could be a force for good. He said that his campaign would be driven by "facts, logic, and evidence." He said that while the other party was trying to "shove ideas down the throat of people," that he would work for compromise, bipartisanship, and seeing the other person's point of view. "We are the most fortunate people in history because of the sacrifices of generations before me, and I feel an obligation to pass on that legacy to the next generation," said Ritterbusch. He said that his family went through many generations of family farms dating back to before 1776 in New Jersey.
Republican candidate Stan Sportsman said that the government did not have the best answers and that frequently, the people knew a lot better than the government. "As a state, we are 47th in economic growth," he said, taking aim at what he said were increasing taxes. "We can't tax our way out of that." Sportsman said that the way to create more prosperity for the state involved getting people off welfare and into work along with broadening the tax base by bringing in more businesses to the state. "The Free Market system is the only system that has ever worked in history," he said. "When Ronald Reagan got his tax cuts passed, the federal government got record revenues." Sportsman said that he wanted to protect coal-fired power plants. He said that he supported a bill by State Senator Brad Lager to use the 1990 Clean Air Standards as a basis for regulating them. "I was born and raised in Nodaway County and I understand farming interests," said Sportsman. "I met a lot of good folks on the campaign; it's time to move government out of the way."
Roger Parshall said that he got his values from doing chores and milking a cow on a farm growing up. He said that he had succeeded in everything that he set out to do, from doubling his family's hog operation, going from 300 acres to 3,000 on the row crop operation, and building a concrete business from scratch. "We need to expand and create more growth," he said. "We need more jobs in the area." As the vice-president of the Tarkio School Board, he said that he would support public schools and teachers if elected. "I'm the proven job creator in this race," said Parshall. "I will stand up for our farmers against the EPA and I will work to get more jobs in the area."
Kathy DeVault pledged to support the interests of farmers and help other people understand their interests. "I have a real place in my heart for farmers," she said. As a licensed administrator and registered nurse, she pledged to support health care providers; as a member of the Missouri State Teacher's Association, she pledged to help education needs. "I visited all 14 superintendents in the district, and almost everyone told me that funding was a big problem," she said. The exception, she noted, was Craig, which hosts the Golden Triangle plant. In addition, she has been to 16 town and city council meetings; she said that government regulation was a common concern among most of them. DeVault pledged to fight against excessive government regulation, excessive litigation, and high taxes. She encouraged voters to look at the backgrounds of candidates. "I've been to Jefferson City more times than any other candidate and learned what being a legislator is all about; I am the best prepared candidate for the job," she said.
Worth County native Allen Andrews talked about faith and family as a centerpiece of his campaign. He was a Worth County grad and graduated from Northwest Missouri State after studying marketing and business management. He returned to the area to raise a family and take over the Wool Shop north of Grant City. He said that he would like to see a citizen-led legislature. "As soon as I am done, I will return back to the district," he said. He pledged to follow the vision of the Founding Fathers, Constitutional freedoms, and free market principles. Andrews was endorsed by the Missouri State Teachers Association and pledged to stand behind education. He noted that the 14 schools in the district support 5,200 kids. He said that he would stand strong on business as well. "Me and Jeff got our first jobs painting curbs for the Worth County Fair," he said. "Business has always been part of my life and 97% of the businesses in Missouri are small businesses." He said that he would support more deregulation. Andrews said that he would stand strong for agriculture. "We need to empower our farmers and ranches and get rid of all the red tape and let them grow crops and livestock," he said. "I don't have all the answers, but we together can work on legislation and make this state more business and ag friendly. I will represent this district with integrity, honesty, and trust."
Discussing the Missouri Lottery and education funding, Andrews said that the $50 million shortfall in lottery funding needed to be addressed. Sportsman said that he wanted to look at reducing administrative and advertising expenses, which he said were too high.
On Amendment One, the Right to Farm Amendment, all the candidates but Ritterbusch said that they supported it. Sportsman said that it would make it tougher for government to regulate farmers. Roger Parshall said that it was not going to solve everything, but that it would protect against things such as federal EPA regulations. Kathy DeVault said that it woiuld protect against out of state animal rights interests, which she said were trying to destroy farming and spending tons of dollars. "It will support everyone, not just Monsanto," she said. She said that the amendment would not change any existing laws such as the law prohibiting too much foreign ownership of farmland. But Robert Ritterbusch said that such laws should be passed through the legislative process, noting that it is much tougher to amend the Missouri Constitution than it is to amend a law passed by the legislature and signed by the governor.
Candidates running for incumbent Sam Graves' 6th District Seat that were present included Republican Kyle Reid, Democrat Bill Hedge, and Libertarian Russ Lee Monchil. Asked about independence, Reid said that he would be independent in every area if asked to make a choice between his district and his party. He said that when he voted, he was representing 710,000 different people and that his job was to defer to the people and do their bidding. "Very few of us can hire a lobbyist," he said. "As a legislator, I have to respect the wishes of the 6th District if we are to keep a Republic. There is no issue I am so adamant on that I would ignore the wishes of the people." Hedge said that his campaign was based on compromise and common sense. "We can't keep putting labels on things," he said. "The main question is, what is the best for the 6th District?" He pledged to treat all constituents fairly if elected, whether it is someone from Worth County or someone from 59th & Troost in Kansas City. "We have to do consensus building instead of voting based on who writes us the biggest check." Monchil said that two areas where he differed with the Libertarian Party were his support for raising the Minimum Wage and looking at cradle to grave healthcare. Reid said that as a Constitutional Conservative, he wanted to see more done at the state level and less at the federal level.
On corporate personhood, Monchil said that our system was the best system money could buy. Reid said that there was no Constitutional basis for federal involvement in corporations. "I don't answer to them," he said. Hedge said that as a former administrator in the St. Joseph Public Schools, "You have to be true to yourself every day. I have to look in the mirror and say that I did the best job possible." Monchil said that "when someone gives $1 million to your campaign, they are not doing it out of the goodness of their heart; they want something from you." Hedge said, "I have been to all 36 counties in the 6th District. I want 1 million friends, not $1 million dollars." The problem that Reid saw was "crony capitalism," where the government taxes everyone and then the people with the biggest pockets get the biggest breaks. He said that there was a big difference between capitalism and "crony capitalism," where the government picks winners and losers.
Discussing the Grain Belt Express, a massive 750 power line project that supporters say will bring clean energy to communities, Hedge said that he had reservations. "1% of this energy stays in Missouri," he said. He said that instead of exercising eminent domain, the lines should run down I-70 or Route 36, where the government already owns the land. Reid said that it would not generate enough to justify the expense and that green energy was not sustainable at this point. He said rather than the current plan of subsidizing such projects that a much better way to generate clean energy would be a plan similar to Denmark, where they mandate a certain percentage of clean energy and then leave it up to the producer to figure out how to do it. "Their solar power and wind power is much cheaper, because the markets are controlling expenses," said Reid.
State Senator-elect Dan Hegeman introduced himself to the audience. He served as a state representative, county clerk, and runs a family farm. He has also worked for Congressman Sam Graves' office and KCP&L. He and his wife have four children. Currently, he is employed at KCP&L, where his duties include working with governments, directing the company's charitable giving, and working with small businesses. He said that he considered himself to be a public servant and pledged to represent rural values in the legislature. He is a pro-life and 2nd Amendment supporter. He said that he would focus on reducing taxes and regulations so that small businesses and farms would thrive in the district. He said that he would also work for small schools and broad-based tax relief. He said that he was neutral on the Highway Sales Tax that will be voted on in August. "The DOT did a good job of coming up with the projects that would be funded if this passes," he said. He noted that in the past, there had always been user fees and that the sales tax initiative would be a change. He noted that the only revenue source that polled well was a sales tax.
Incumbent Presiding Commissioner Ted Findley said that the biggest accomplishment of the county since he was appointed by Governor Jay Nixon was the roads, which he said were the best of any county. He said that the county was able to distribute the roads evenly, in contrast to the township system, which he said leads to too much unequal distribution of resources.
Richard Oswald, a two-time candidate for State Representative and Langdon (MO) farmer, came and spoke out against Amendment One. He said that it was too vague and noted that Class One counties could exempt themselves if they so desired. He said that as such, it was an "empty shell" and that it would encourage litigation, since it would be up to the courts to give it meaning. "It's just a blank contract," he said. Oswald predicted that it would lead to large corporations coming in, declaring their operations to be ag-related, and exempting themselves from regulations. "We already have the right to farm in Missouri," he said.
Addressing arguments made by supporters, Oswald said, "We're being told that it won't affect existing laws, but we won't know what will be grandfathered until the courts establish the true meaning." He said that as a family farmer, he was concerned about Chinese and Brazilian interests locating in Missouri. "The 14th Amendment has already been interpreted to establish corporate personhood," he noted. "Farmers and ranchers are people, but so are corporations." He said that there was a movement to change the way that it works so that it could not be construed to apply to corporate personhood.
Since Amendment One is a Constitutional Amendment, Oswald reasoned, Amendment One would not only trump such protections as the laws against foreign ownership and the Family Farm Law, which prohibits corporate CAFO's, it would trump local ordinances such as the Worth County Health Ordinance, which heavily regulates prospective CAFO operations.
Asked about concerns that the EPA would come in and regulate streams and waterways, he said that was blown out of proportion although he said that the Missouri Farmers Union, of which he is president, is seeking clarification on what they are seeking to do. "But a lot of things that people propose or say will happen never happen," he said. And even if the worst-case scenario unfolds, a state Constitutional amendment would not do against federal laws or regulations.
Barb Foland said that as candidate for Recorder, she had enjoyed her job immensely and talked about the remodeling of the vault in her office.
Incumbent Democratic Circuit Clerk Jana Findley talked about her duties, which she has performed since 1999. She noted that she had a 24-hour job and that she could be called on to do warrants, court orders, and other paperwork at any time. Her duties include overseeing jury trials, courtroom security, and contacting prospective jurors. She is the only passport representative in Worth County and undergoes 35 hours of training annually. She talked about the transition to the electronic court system, which is mandated by the state and which the county succeeded in doing with no taxpayer funds.
Republican challenger Lori Wimer said that she and husband Kevin chose to make Worth County home 16 years ago. She has a degree in business management and has 15 years in office experience for the closed Energizer plant. She has been a volunteer in the community for 4-H, PTO, and 'Lil Tigers. Findley and Wimer will face off in the November General Election.
Doin' God's Work -- Heart of Worship
We've been doing a series exploring "The Heart of Worship." This week, it was "Worshipping Together." Next Sunday, "Evangelism: The Result of God-Centered Worship." Faithfully, we congregate to worship because we are faithful to God. When we are in groups, He builds our faith and binds our relationship with God closer.
Wednesday at 3:30, we meet to strengthen and lift each other up. God is faithful to fill OUR spirits up so we can continue to do God's work. We may not be strong in number, but faithful to the One who makes us strong in our weakness. We pray for large numbers to enter the Kingdom.
We gather as children of God for many reasons. But our main focus is on the Lord, to please him. I think of the times a few of us have met to do a project to bring God glory. Always amazed how much easier and joyful it is when we work together. Many have been doing the same with VBS. Hopkins will hold it at HFC Church July 27th to 31st in the evenings.
Ravenwood will host Breakfast and Lunch during the Ravenwood Fall Festival August 1st to 2nd. August 24th, they will host All Parish Fellowship with music and dessert 5:30 pm. Morning worship will be in home churches.
Local schools will begin August 15th. The church is accepting donations, monetary, or school supplies for the Back to School Fair until July 28th. The children need all the assistance they can get to start off with good esteem. August 8th is when Community Services plans the Back to School Fair.
July 30th at 6:30, Grant City UMC Ministries/Board meeting. Picking Bible Camp planning at the Thompsons 7 pm August 5th.
There are a lot of ways to get involved serving God. May the Lord bless upon us a double portion of His spirit within us as we grow in numbers for the Kingdom. Let's work together!
See you in church!
Wednesday at 3:30, we meet to strengthen and lift each other up. God is faithful to fill OUR spirits up so we can continue to do God's work. We may not be strong in number, but faithful to the One who makes us strong in our weakness. We pray for large numbers to enter the Kingdom.
We gather as children of God for many reasons. But our main focus is on the Lord, to please him. I think of the times a few of us have met to do a project to bring God glory. Always amazed how much easier and joyful it is when we work together. Many have been doing the same with VBS. Hopkins will hold it at HFC Church July 27th to 31st in the evenings.
Ravenwood will host Breakfast and Lunch during the Ravenwood Fall Festival August 1st to 2nd. August 24th, they will host All Parish Fellowship with music and dessert 5:30 pm. Morning worship will be in home churches.
Local schools will begin August 15th. The church is accepting donations, monetary, or school supplies for the Back to School Fair until July 28th. The children need all the assistance they can get to start off with good esteem. August 8th is when Community Services plans the Back to School Fair.
July 30th at 6:30, Grant City UMC Ministries/Board meeting. Picking Bible Camp planning at the Thompsons 7 pm August 5th.
There are a lot of ways to get involved serving God. May the Lord bless upon us a double portion of His spirit within us as we grow in numbers for the Kingdom. Let's work together!
See you in church!
Four People Nominated to Kiss the Pig at Worth County Smokeoff
Four prominent people have been nominated for the Kiss the Pig Contest for the Worth County Smokeoff. Contestants are County Clerk Roberta Owens, Fireman and Hy-Vee Meat Manager Ryan Owens, Assistant Principal and Hall of Fame Football Coach Chuck Borey, and Amanda Hughes of the Oldtowne Cafe. People can donate money at the “kiss the pig” cans at Great Western Bank and Putter’s in Grant City and OldTowne Cafe in Allendale.
The Worth County Smokeoff will be held August 8th and 9th this year. The event will kick off on August 8th at 6 pm with the Fire Auxiliary BBQ Meal. It will consist of hickory smoked pork sandwiches, cole slaw, chips, and a drink for a cost of $5. The Baby Show and Little Mr. & Miss Smokeoff will follow at 6:30, followed by an auction at 7. From 8 to Midnight, the DJ Club Dub will put on entertainment.
In the morning of August 9th, the Worth County Fire Auxiliary Breakfast will be held from 7 am to 10 am. Biscuits, gravy, sausage and eggs will be offered for a free will donation. At 10:30 am, the waterfights will be held. All fire departments can enter; contact Ben Fletcher at grantcityfire@gmail.com. At 11 will be the Kids Zone. There will be a tug of war, frog jump, inflatables, duck toss, and more. This will be sponsored by Great Western Bank.
Afternoon activities will kick off with a car show starting at noon. Registration will start at 11. The BBQ meat turn-in will be at 1:30. The Peoples’ Choice and BBQ Meal will be at 4 pm. Admission will be $10 for adults and $5 for kids 10 and under. This will be sponsored by Bunker Farms. The awards ceremony and closing will be held at 5.
Friday, July 18, 2014
Graves Challenger Kyle Reid Calls for Return to Constitution
Kyle Reid, Republican candidate for the 6th District Congressional Race, said in an interview with the Sheridan Express Friday that he wanted the country to return to the Constitution. “The main issue is the separation of powers,” he said. “There is too much overlap in our government and too much regulating that should be the proper role of Congress,” he said. He cited Obamacare and the EPA as examples. “There are too many people in Washington who are making rules who don’t have the authority to do so,” he said. Reid said that the only appropriate regulations granted to Congress to make involve piracy and counterfeiting. “The rest is left to the states,” he said. Reid said that today, people in both parties took an overly broad view of the Constitution in what he sees as an attempt to usurp authority. “And they are proud of it,” he said.
Reid is one of three Republicans seeking to unseat 14-year incumbent Sam Graves of Tarkio. He said that if elected, he would seek to make two changes to the Constitution – repeal the 17th Amendment, which allows for direct popular vote for Senators like they do for the House. “The original intent was that the Senators represent the states,” he explained. The other was the passage of an amendment banning abortion in all but the most extreme circumstances. “Or at least keep the courts out of abortion issues,” he said. Reid said that in Roe, as in many other instances, the courts did too much legislating from the bench instead of sticking to their proper role in interpreting the Constitution. He said that he was also against eugenics, which he said was “racist,” “reprehensible,” and “abhorrent to everyone I have talked to in this district.”
As a representative, Reid said that the ends do not justify the means and that he would serve in strict accordance with the Constitution. As a candidate, he said that he had gotten dozens of surveys from different interest groups, which he said would be better served by polling the people that they claim to represent. As a representative, he said that his role was to be a servant of the people and to follow their wishes. “My job is to represent my constituents, not myself,” he said. Instead, he said that Washington was stuck in a situation where too many people were voting the way they wanted to and not representing the people who elected them. And he said that he sees his duty as representing the entire district. “I will oppose any ideas that play off people against each other,” he said. A prime example given by Reid was the TARP bank bailout, which he said was opposed 9-1 by the people, but passed by Congress. “You have to ask who our legislators work for,” he said. “That’s why it’s important for people to let Congress know where they stand.” Reid said that as a servant of the people, he would keep people informed of what was going on before it was voted on and not after the fact. “I want to give the people a chance to weigh in and make them aware of what’s coming,” he said. “A lot of politicians say they are for the little guy, but the small guys don’t hire lobbyists to represent them. I don’t have all the answers, that is why I would rely on my constituents.”
Reid lives in Louisiana, Missouri, which is right on the Mississippi River near Hannibal. He said that they have the same worries as people in Northwest Missouri do about the EPA coming in and taking over water regulation. He feared that the EPA would seek to force farmers to get permits from the EPA for practices that farmers have always done. He said that incumbent Sam Graves’ “Stop the EPA” bill did not go far enough and that it should be abolished entirely, calling it “federal overreach.” There is a widespread concern in this area about the EPA taking over the regulation of city wastewater at massive expense to local cities and water customers.
One of the few areas in which Reid sees a role for government is in immigration. “We spent taxpayer dollars on a wall that was never built,” he said. He said that he was “100% against” amnesty, saying that it was simply “rewarding bad behavior.” Before NAFTA, Reid noted that a huge portion of Mexico’s economy was dependent on cash from people sending money back home. He said that in Guatemala and Honduras, 10% of their GDP was from money that immigrants to the US send home. Reid said that it was the duty of the states to call out the National Guard to secure the borders. “That was what happened in the beginning,” he said. “There were lots of open borders and hostile people” when the country was first founded, according to Reid. Instead, Reid said that the current policy was the government fighting terrorists abroad when “our southern border is wide open.” Reid said that the real threat to national security was from people who could just walk into our borders. He noted that in Afghanistan, two thirds of the people fighting there were not even native Afghanis; they are from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, whom we send billions of dollars of military aid to.
Reid opposes the recently-passed Federal Farm Bill, which he called a “monstrosity.” He said that it was “crony capitalism” and “corporate welfare,” where the government and not the free markets pick the winners and losers. “They rolled conservation and food stamps into this bill in order to get Democratic votes,” when Reid said, “they otherwise never would have voted for this.” Reid said that farm policy was best left to states and the markets. He said that the present situation was one where the government was imposing huge tax burdens on small businesses and that the only winners were the ones with enough money to hire a lobbyist to represent them in Washington.
On education, Reid said that he opposes high-stakes standardized testing and that he would like to see the Education Department abolished. Ronald Reagan, he noted, had campaigned to abolish the US Department of Education back in 1980 after President Jimmy Carter had made it a cabinet position. However, he said that was a broken promise as Reagan did not have enough votes and the focus shifted from abolishing it to trying to make it better, which Reid said has failed. “And we have the same thing with the GOP and Obamacare,” he said. Reid said that No Child Left Behind was a “disaster” for school policy and that the government under Obama had offered waivers, only to back it up with the threat of revoking waivers if states and local schools did not comply with new standards. “If we’re going to fund education, it should come with no strings attached,” he said. “We all want our kids to be well-educated, but throwing money at the problem is not the answer.” Instead, Reid said that the solution was to returning schools to local control and that he did not buy the notion that our children are lagging behind other countries in certain subject matters, as has been frequently reported in the news over the last 20 years.
Reid said that as a hunter and target shooter, he was against “any scheme to regulate any owning of firearms by our citizens.” He said that the intent of the 2nd Amendment was to keep the people on an equal footing with the government and that he didn’t buy arguments that the Founding Fathers did not envision the kind of firearms available today. “They would have wanted these firearms in the hands of the people to fight the British,” he said.
He said that there were several causes of the present sustained decline of rural populations. “I travel through towns in the 6th district, and it is quite upsetting for me to see small businesses that are all boarded up,” said Reid. He said that one thing holding back smaller communities was economic policy and tax structure. He called for the “fair tax” and to gut the IRS. He said that the key to reviving small towns was to make it easy to start one’s own business. Instead, he said that we have four-year colleges, which he said prepare students to work at large corporations in the big cities instead of coming back home and taking over the family farm or family business. “And then you have corporate takeover of niche markets and centralization,” he said.
“I’m a country boy at heart,” said Reid. He said that small towns were havens of self-sufficiency and personal responsibility and places where everybody knows everybody. “Instead, you go to the big cities and most people can’t name three or four of their neighbors,” he said. He said that the population has shifted from rural to urban since the country was founded, and the way to reverse the trend was to support policies which encourage young people to stay at home.
Reid is married to Tiffany; they have three sons and one daughter. He is an electrician, farmer, mechanic, and a welder. They live on a farm near Louisiana, MO, where they raise cattle, pigs, chickens, goats, and horses. “We try to feed ourselves and have some left over for our neighbors and the local farmer’s market,” he said. In the background, a rooster was crowing regularly as Reid shared his views. “I take no corporate, business, or PAC money,” he said. “I am just a concerned citizen who is throwing his hat in the ring.”
Reid is one of three Republicans seeking to unseat 14-year incumbent Sam Graves of Tarkio. He said that if elected, he would seek to make two changes to the Constitution – repeal the 17th Amendment, which allows for direct popular vote for Senators like they do for the House. “The original intent was that the Senators represent the states,” he explained. The other was the passage of an amendment banning abortion in all but the most extreme circumstances. “Or at least keep the courts out of abortion issues,” he said. Reid said that in Roe, as in many other instances, the courts did too much legislating from the bench instead of sticking to their proper role in interpreting the Constitution. He said that he was also against eugenics, which he said was “racist,” “reprehensible,” and “abhorrent to everyone I have talked to in this district.”
As a representative, Reid said that the ends do not justify the means and that he would serve in strict accordance with the Constitution. As a candidate, he said that he had gotten dozens of surveys from different interest groups, which he said would be better served by polling the people that they claim to represent. As a representative, he said that his role was to be a servant of the people and to follow their wishes. “My job is to represent my constituents, not myself,” he said. Instead, he said that Washington was stuck in a situation where too many people were voting the way they wanted to and not representing the people who elected them. And he said that he sees his duty as representing the entire district. “I will oppose any ideas that play off people against each other,” he said. A prime example given by Reid was the TARP bank bailout, which he said was opposed 9-1 by the people, but passed by Congress. “You have to ask who our legislators work for,” he said. “That’s why it’s important for people to let Congress know where they stand.” Reid said that as a servant of the people, he would keep people informed of what was going on before it was voted on and not after the fact. “I want to give the people a chance to weigh in and make them aware of what’s coming,” he said. “A lot of politicians say they are for the little guy, but the small guys don’t hire lobbyists to represent them. I don’t have all the answers, that is why I would rely on my constituents.”
Reid lives in Louisiana, Missouri, which is right on the Mississippi River near Hannibal. He said that they have the same worries as people in Northwest Missouri do about the EPA coming in and taking over water regulation. He feared that the EPA would seek to force farmers to get permits from the EPA for practices that farmers have always done. He said that incumbent Sam Graves’ “Stop the EPA” bill did not go far enough and that it should be abolished entirely, calling it “federal overreach.” There is a widespread concern in this area about the EPA taking over the regulation of city wastewater at massive expense to local cities and water customers.
One of the few areas in which Reid sees a role for government is in immigration. “We spent taxpayer dollars on a wall that was never built,” he said. He said that he was “100% against” amnesty, saying that it was simply “rewarding bad behavior.” Before NAFTA, Reid noted that a huge portion of Mexico’s economy was dependent on cash from people sending money back home. He said that in Guatemala and Honduras, 10% of their GDP was from money that immigrants to the US send home. Reid said that it was the duty of the states to call out the National Guard to secure the borders. “That was what happened in the beginning,” he said. “There were lots of open borders and hostile people” when the country was first founded, according to Reid. Instead, Reid said that the current policy was the government fighting terrorists abroad when “our southern border is wide open.” Reid said that the real threat to national security was from people who could just walk into our borders. He noted that in Afghanistan, two thirds of the people fighting there were not even native Afghanis; they are from Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, whom we send billions of dollars of military aid to.
Reid opposes the recently-passed Federal Farm Bill, which he called a “monstrosity.” He said that it was “crony capitalism” and “corporate welfare,” where the government and not the free markets pick the winners and losers. “They rolled conservation and food stamps into this bill in order to get Democratic votes,” when Reid said, “they otherwise never would have voted for this.” Reid said that farm policy was best left to states and the markets. He said that the present situation was one where the government was imposing huge tax burdens on small businesses and that the only winners were the ones with enough money to hire a lobbyist to represent them in Washington.
On education, Reid said that he opposes high-stakes standardized testing and that he would like to see the Education Department abolished. Ronald Reagan, he noted, had campaigned to abolish the US Department of Education back in 1980 after President Jimmy Carter had made it a cabinet position. However, he said that was a broken promise as Reagan did not have enough votes and the focus shifted from abolishing it to trying to make it better, which Reid said has failed. “And we have the same thing with the GOP and Obamacare,” he said. Reid said that No Child Left Behind was a “disaster” for school policy and that the government under Obama had offered waivers, only to back it up with the threat of revoking waivers if states and local schools did not comply with new standards. “If we’re going to fund education, it should come with no strings attached,” he said. “We all want our kids to be well-educated, but throwing money at the problem is not the answer.” Instead, Reid said that the solution was to returning schools to local control and that he did not buy the notion that our children are lagging behind other countries in certain subject matters, as has been frequently reported in the news over the last 20 years.
Reid said that as a hunter and target shooter, he was against “any scheme to regulate any owning of firearms by our citizens.” He said that the intent of the 2nd Amendment was to keep the people on an equal footing with the government and that he didn’t buy arguments that the Founding Fathers did not envision the kind of firearms available today. “They would have wanted these firearms in the hands of the people to fight the British,” he said.
He said that there were several causes of the present sustained decline of rural populations. “I travel through towns in the 6th district, and it is quite upsetting for me to see small businesses that are all boarded up,” said Reid. He said that one thing holding back smaller communities was economic policy and tax structure. He called for the “fair tax” and to gut the IRS. He said that the key to reviving small towns was to make it easy to start one’s own business. Instead, he said that we have four-year colleges, which he said prepare students to work at large corporations in the big cities instead of coming back home and taking over the family farm or family business. “And then you have corporate takeover of niche markets and centralization,” he said.
“I’m a country boy at heart,” said Reid. He said that small towns were havens of self-sufficiency and personal responsibility and places where everybody knows everybody. “Instead, you go to the big cities and most people can’t name three or four of their neighbors,” he said. He said that the population has shifted from rural to urban since the country was founded, and the way to reverse the trend was to support policies which encourage young people to stay at home.
Reid is married to Tiffany; they have three sons and one daughter. He is an electrician, farmer, mechanic, and a welder. They live on a farm near Louisiana, MO, where they raise cattle, pigs, chickens, goats, and horses. “We try to feed ourselves and have some left over for our neighbors and the local farmer’s market,” he said. In the background, a rooster was crowing regularly as Reid shared his views. “I take no corporate, business, or PAC money,” he said. “I am just a concerned citizen who is throwing his hat in the ring.”
Brian Tharp Follows Calling to Run for 6th District Congressional Race
6th District Republican Congressional candidate Brian Tharp said in an interview with the Sheridan Express Saturday that he felt a calling to challenge incumbent Republican Sam Graves in the August 5th Primary election. Tharp said that his faith was central to his campaign; he walked in the Duck Days Parade and played Christian music. He said that in order to reverse what he said was the overly corporatized Congress, people had to do something no matter how big the odds. “Faith means a lot to me,” said Tharp. “It’s a big part of our company as well.” One of his favorite songs is the song by Matthew West entitled, “Do something!” He plays it at parades that he goes to. He said he welcomed the other two candidates and said that he felt his job as a candidate was to work with different people, educate people, and get them to vote.
“I’ve knocked on thousands of doors this campaign all over the district, and people want some kind of hope that someone will represent them in Washington,” said Tharp. He is one of three Republicans challenging Graves. “About 99% of the people I’ve talked to have wished me well and hope that will happen.” He said that Graves was too out of touch with the district. “When the Energizer plant in Maryville closed, that cost us hundreds of jobs,” said Tharp. He said that he would have actively sought to work with Energizer to try and keep the plant open. “And then people move away,” he said.
Tharp said that he was a champion of the small business over the big corporations. “93% of the jobs in Rural America are created by small businesses,” he said. “But if our representative is controlled by the big corporations, it’s not going to happen.” Tharp has owned a trailer manufacturing business for the last 10 years that he started from scratch. “But I have never been able to access our representative,” he said. “I’m concerned that things will not get better until we have someone who is more accessible to the people. We lose families every time these places close shop.”
As a specific example, Tharp said that Graves supported a research bill to give tax breaks to large corporations to do research over the next 10 years. “Most would have done the research anyway,” he said. “That is simply putting profits above children. We’ve bailed out Wall Street, banks, and GM in the name of ‘creating jobs,’ but that hasn’t happened.”
The end result, said Tharp, is a massive national debt that he says is spinning out of control. “People need to feel that their interests are being represented in Congress over corporate and special interests,” said Tharp. “People don’t feel like they are being represented anymore.”
Tharp said that he was against any kind of amnesty for illegal immigrants. “It’s like a sign that I saw during a trip to Yellowstone – Don’t feed the bears.” He said that as long as the Obama administration was sending the message that it was OK to come to the US in that manner, it would simply draw more and more people into this country. “Our country can’t support them,” said Tharp.
Brian's parents own a multigenerational farm in Hunnewell, Mo, where his mother and stepfather live; that town is located in Shelby County. Brian and his wife, Shannon, also own a farm in Atchison County, where they live. Brian said that he wanted small family farms to get more support in any farm bill. He said that the passage of the 2014 Farm Bill was "long overdue' and that he hoped that it would support all farmers equally, not just crop farmers or livestock farmers.
On education policy, Tharp said that he was against Common Core and that he wanted to return schools to local control. “We have to do everything we can to support our schools,” he said. “A lot of states depend on federal funding, but the federal government should not be telling states how to handle education.”
Tharp said that he was pro-life with the exception of emergencies or situations when the woman’s life needed to be saved. He said that the way to reduce the number of abortions was to educate young people about God, Christian values, abstinence, and using protection. “I see a lot of room for improvement in those areas,” he said. On the 2nd Amendment, he said that as a concealed carry permit holder, he strongly supported the right to bear arms and opposed any kind of gun control.
Tharp lives near Rock Port and Fairfax. He is married to Shannon; they have been married for 16 years. They have two children; Gretchen (13) and Fischer (12). His wife is an occupational therapist and he owns a trailer business. He spent two years at Missouri Western, graduated from Central Missouri State University, and got his Master’s at Washington University in St. Louis. He completed doctoral studies in Public Policy at Jackson State University.
“I’ve knocked on thousands of doors this campaign all over the district, and people want some kind of hope that someone will represent them in Washington,” said Tharp. He is one of three Republicans challenging Graves. “About 99% of the people I’ve talked to have wished me well and hope that will happen.” He said that Graves was too out of touch with the district. “When the Energizer plant in Maryville closed, that cost us hundreds of jobs,” said Tharp. He said that he would have actively sought to work with Energizer to try and keep the plant open. “And then people move away,” he said.
Tharp said that he was a champion of the small business over the big corporations. “93% of the jobs in Rural America are created by small businesses,” he said. “But if our representative is controlled by the big corporations, it’s not going to happen.” Tharp has owned a trailer manufacturing business for the last 10 years that he started from scratch. “But I have never been able to access our representative,” he said. “I’m concerned that things will not get better until we have someone who is more accessible to the people. We lose families every time these places close shop.”
As a specific example, Tharp said that Graves supported a research bill to give tax breaks to large corporations to do research over the next 10 years. “Most would have done the research anyway,” he said. “That is simply putting profits above children. We’ve bailed out Wall Street, banks, and GM in the name of ‘creating jobs,’ but that hasn’t happened.”
The end result, said Tharp, is a massive national debt that he says is spinning out of control. “People need to feel that their interests are being represented in Congress over corporate and special interests,” said Tharp. “People don’t feel like they are being represented anymore.”
Tharp said that he was against any kind of amnesty for illegal immigrants. “It’s like a sign that I saw during a trip to Yellowstone – Don’t feed the bears.” He said that as long as the Obama administration was sending the message that it was OK to come to the US in that manner, it would simply draw more and more people into this country. “Our country can’t support them,” said Tharp.
Brian's parents own a multigenerational farm in Hunnewell, Mo, where his mother and stepfather live; that town is located in Shelby County. Brian and his wife, Shannon, also own a farm in Atchison County, where they live. Brian said that he wanted small family farms to get more support in any farm bill. He said that the passage of the 2014 Farm Bill was "long overdue' and that he hoped that it would support all farmers equally, not just crop farmers or livestock farmers.
On education policy, Tharp said that he was against Common Core and that he wanted to return schools to local control. “We have to do everything we can to support our schools,” he said. “A lot of states depend on federal funding, but the federal government should not be telling states how to handle education.”
Tharp said that he was pro-life with the exception of emergencies or situations when the woman’s life needed to be saved. He said that the way to reduce the number of abortions was to educate young people about God, Christian values, abstinence, and using protection. “I see a lot of room for improvement in those areas,” he said. On the 2nd Amendment, he said that as a concealed carry permit holder, he strongly supported the right to bear arms and opposed any kind of gun control.
Tharp lives near Rock Port and Fairfax. He is married to Shannon; they have been married for 16 years. They have two children; Gretchen (13) and Fischer (12). His wife is an occupational therapist and he owns a trailer business. He spent two years at Missouri Western, graduated from Central Missouri State University, and got his Master’s at Washington University in St. Louis. He completed doctoral studies in Public Policy at Jackson State University.
Monday, July 7, 2014
Worth County Teen Seriously Injured in Wreck
A Worth County teen was seriously injured in a car wreck Saturday, July 5th at around 4 am. The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports that a 1998 Chevy driven by Shadow Briner, 17, of Grant City was southbound on South Briggs Street when he attempted to make a right turn into a private drive and struck an embankment, causing the Chevy to roll over. Briner was trapped inside the vehicle. He was seriously injured in the wreck and was taken by Worth County Ambulance to Albany Regional Hospital. He was later transported to Cameron and then airlifted to a Kansas City Hospital.
Three Northeast Nodaway Baseball Teams Go Undefeated
The success of the Northeast Nodaway high school baseball team last spring, when they won a conference title and got the first winning season in school history, is sparking a run of success at the younger levels. The Junior/Senior baseball team was undefeated this year. The Little League A team won the league tournament this year. The B team was undefeated and won their tournament as well. The third team to go undefeated was the Machine Pitch team, which won their tournament as well. The high school team has a good chance to build on their success from 2014, as all but three of their players return for next year.
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Worth County to hold Fall Festival
Worth County will be holding a Fall Festival this year, Economic Developer Elizabeth Martz told the Grant City Lions Club Tuesday night. She said that the dates had not been determined yet, as they were working to line up entertainment. The Fall Festival was a regular part of Worth County back in the 1930's and was revived again last decade. Other possible activities include fundraising meals by local organizations.
Denver Tornado Destroys Home
As the Sheridan Express was about to go to press last Monday evening, several tornadoes hit the area. Three funnel clouds were spotted south of Sheridan and one west of Parnell near the junction of E and NN. That prompted sirens to go off in Grant City and Allendale. Residents of the WCCC were moved into the hallways in accordance with emergency plans; Administrator Bev Miller said that they were very cooperative and took it better than the staff did.
The sirens were barely audible from the Public Library; patrons were evacuated to the locker room at around 5:00 for 15 minutes. Dave Gilland, who lives one mile west of Grant City, said that he did not hear the sirens. The sirens were not sounded in Sheridan. Grant City was spared a hit from the storm; there were torrential rains and high winds during the time the tornado warning was in effect.
A funnel cloud touched down east of Denver one mile south of the Rock Creek Baptist Church building that was recently restored. It blew out all the windows and moved an entire house off its foundation; it also blew down a shed and knocked down a bunch of trees in a timber half a mile north of the house. The historic church building as well as the Denver Schoolhouse were spared. Later that evening, tornado warnings were issued for Harrison and Mercer Counties and the storm wreaked havoc in Mercer County as well.
The storm was also associated with heavy lightning, with the KAAN announcer reporting that there were all sorts of marks on the lightning tracker. Lightning started a fire and damaged a house belonging to Terry Oglesby of Maryville; the Ravenwood Fire Department responded to that call.
Following Monday's storm, the weather turned unseasonably chilly by Wednesday; highs were only in the 60's with light rain that day. Temperatures were expected to warm up again after July 4th.
The sirens were barely audible from the Public Library; patrons were evacuated to the locker room at around 5:00 for 15 minutes. Dave Gilland, who lives one mile west of Grant City, said that he did not hear the sirens. The sirens were not sounded in Sheridan. Grant City was spared a hit from the storm; there were torrential rains and high winds during the time the tornado warning was in effect.
A funnel cloud touched down east of Denver one mile south of the Rock Creek Baptist Church building that was recently restored. It blew out all the windows and moved an entire house off its foundation; it also blew down a shed and knocked down a bunch of trees in a timber half a mile north of the house. The historic church building as well as the Denver Schoolhouse were spared. Later that evening, tornado warnings were issued for Harrison and Mercer Counties and the storm wreaked havoc in Mercer County as well.
The storm was also associated with heavy lightning, with the KAAN announcer reporting that there were all sorts of marks on the lightning tracker. Lightning started a fire and damaged a house belonging to Terry Oglesby of Maryville; the Ravenwood Fire Department responded to that call.
Following Monday's storm, the weather turned unseasonably chilly by Wednesday; highs were only in the 60's with light rain that day. Temperatures were expected to warm up again after July 4th.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)