Opinions
It’s been another busy week at the Capitol. I’ve got a lot to talk about, so I’ll try to keep my summaries short, and hopefully, interesting.
First, this past week, Current Electric, Inc. of West Plains was officially awarded a 9.4 million dollar grant to help build high speed broadband...
I’m writing this letter in response to your article titled “WS ALDERMAN DICUSS RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA”. I was going to let the sleeping dog lie but I felt there are things that are needed to be pointed out. My first concern is that the council is about to let their personal feelings guide them...
It’s been a fun and hectic time at the Capitol. We’ve continued to host several school groups, and last week in the House, we finalized most of our state’s balanced budget for fiscal year 2024 which starts July 1, 2023.
Before we dive into the budget, let’s talk about something maybe just a...
John 1:1-2 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.
For many years, I have struggled with the Greek word "homoousios" that the Church Fathers debated at the first ecumenical council in Nicaea, 325 A.D., when they were...
Greetings from the capitol. The weather is finally warming up here and the House is getting a lot of good things done for the people of Missouri. This week we passed the biggest tax cut in the history of Missouri. We were one of the few states that taxed Social Security Benefits but we have given...
The majority party in the Missouri Senate began the 2023 legislative session determined to tackle tough issues. Few topics have received more attention this year than the contentious issues involving transgender youth. This week, the Senate advanced two bills addressing these concerns. One bill...
1 Chronicles 29:28 - And he died in a good old age, full of days, in wealth, and glory: and Solomon his son reigned in his stead. (Brenton's 1851 Greek Septuagint)
This week's text tells us that when King David died, he was very old, blessed abundantly with wealth and glory, besides having a...
The Missouri House of Representatives gave initial approval to historic tax relief legislation that includes a tax cut plan sponsored by state Rep. Travis Smith. Smith’s HB 660 was combined with HB 816 to provide $1 billion in tax relief for Missouri families, retirees, and businesses. The...
The Ozarks may seem far removed from most topics covered by national news, until something like a bank failure becomes the headline. As a community bank president, I am aware there are conversations around dinner tables and in coffee shops about what this means for families, the economy, and the...
Nehemiah 8:10 - Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.
One of my favorite Bible stories occurs in 2 Chronicles 20 where a vast army from Ammon, Moab, and...