Opinions
Greetings Friends of the 155th District!
I am excited to share that our district is on the brink of positive developments. I have received encouraging news regarding a bill I have been collaborating on with Senator Hudson, which is moving closer to becoming law. I look forward to providing...
James David “JD” Duddridge was born August 27, 1952, in Willow Springs, Missouri, the son of Raymond and Maxine (Murray) Duddridge.
He attended Willow Springs Schools and graduated in the class of 1970. He was pastor of Forest Dell Community Church for over 20 years and retired in 2017...
Greetings friends of the 155th District!
This week, we had the privilege of welcoming students from Bakersfield School to the Capitol, offering them an invaluable opportunity to engage with the legislative process. It was a true pleasure to host these bright young minds here in our state's...
Those of you who recall the devastating “500-year flood” of 2017 undoubtedly found this weekend’s flooding to be eerily familiar. What some have already begun calling a “generational” flood brought intense rainfall and dangerous water levels to our area in a short amount of time.
Despite...
Birch Tree Elementary school has been left without a dedicated principal, a situation that many parents, taxpayers, and community members believe will have detrimental effects on the students. These community members are organized, holding meetings, and circulating a petition. Their concerns have...
Is public education still important in our community? I can’t speak for St. Louis, Kansas City, or even Springfield; but in rural Missouri, public education is one of our community’s greatest assets. Every child deserves an education. Missourian, George Washington Carver said, “Education is the...
Many of your readers, who trust in the miraculous virtue of the new "Reciprocal Tariffs," will likely get a rude awakening!
Those billions and trillions of dollars, promised to pour into our federal coffers, will not be paid by corporations. They will not be paid by governments. Instead,...
After 2 months of Trump's reign, we are in shock, feeling helpless, angry, and fearful. There is no complete cure, but doing something – no matter how insignificant – will give your morale a lift.
Here's what you can do. Become informed. Write letters to the editor. Talk to your family,...
House Speaker Jonathan Patterson has appointed State Representative Major Conference Chair Bennie Cook to serve on the Human Services & Public Safety Committee for the Council of State Governments–Southern Region (CSG South). His appointment will be for a two-year term, ending December 31,...
Seeking justice for the sexually abused
This week I had the chance to present two of my bills to the Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee, both of which deal with child sexual abuse.
SB 589 would eliminate the statute of limitations for civil cases related to child...