FLIP PAGES FOR WEBSITE.qxp_Trenton Republican-Times 2/7/22 2:18 PM Page 1
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2022
R-T
TRENTON
75¢
REPUBLICAN-TIMES ©Honeycutt Media, LLC
12 PAGES + 1 INSERT
Established Sept. 4, 1864 - 158th Year - No. 45
republican-times.com
BRIEFS Special Gallatin Board Meeting
The Gallatin R-5 Board of Education will hold a special closed meeting at 5 p.m. tonight (Tuesday, Feb. 8) in the high school library. The meeting will be held to discuss personnel as the board is currently in the middle of a superintendent search to replace Dr. Bryan Copple, who is leaving for a position in the Richmond School District.
Lincoln’s Day Closing
Several offices and businesses have announced their plans to close on Friday in observance of the Lincoln’s Birthday holiday. Closed on Friday will be the Trenton Area Chamber of Commerce/License Bureau, the Grundy County Courthouse, the Grundy County Prosecuting Attorney’s office and the North Central Missouri Children’s Advocacy Center. The Republican-Times will be open for regular Friday hours, 8 a.m. to noon, and a newspaper will be delivered as usual. The Trenton Post Office will also be opened regular business hours and there will be mail delivery. Photo courtesy of Grundy R-5
ALLNUTT, AXTELL CROWNED Grundy R-5 High School held its Homecoming activities last week, with royalty crowned during the basketball game with Winston on Thursday. Corbin Axtell and Daya Allnutt were crowned the king and queen during the festivities. Pictured at Friday night’s dance are the Homecoming court, which included, from left, Kaylee Fischer, Adysan Rains, Mason Rayl, Corbin Axtell, Daya Allnutt, Cole Peterson, Skylar Bonnett and Kammi Phillips.
Filing To Begin Feb. 22 For Primary Candidates Must Meet Requirements And Bring Paperwork
Upcoming Election Dates
With the cold weather in north Missouri, the August Primary Election may seem years, not months, away. In reality, the filing period for the primary begins in 14 days and those who hope to see their names on the ballot need to do a little bit of planning before they file. The filing dates for the Aug. 2 Primary are 8 a.m., Tuesday, Feb. 22 through 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 29. There are several county and statewide offices that will be on the ballot. Those offices for which the terms are up in Grundy County and the current officeholder include presiding commissioner (Phillip Ray), county clerk (Betty Spickard), circuit clerk and ex-officio recorder (Becky Stanturf), associate circuit judge (Steve Hudson), prosecuting attorney (Kelly Puckett) and public administrator (Adria Moore). All of those filing for the positions are required to:
The Rissler Elementary School Physical Education Department is participating in the annual “Kids Heart Challenge” to raise money for the American Heart Association. The AHA funds lifesaving heart and stroke research and community and educational programs for youth. Rissler students will begin asking for donations this week and checks should be made to the American Heart Association. Donations will be accepted until Friday, Feb. 18. David Sager is coordinating the program at Rissler and can be reached at 660-359-2228 or by email at dsager@trentonr9.k12.mo.us.
County Commission At Meetings
Feb. 22 - Absentee balloting begins for the April 5 Municipal and School Election AND the first day for candidates to file for office in the Aug. 2 Primary Election. March 9 - Last day to register to vote in the April 5 Municipal and School Election. March 29 - Last day to file for office in the Aug. 2 Primary Election. April 5 - Municipal and School Election Day, Polls open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
• be a citizen of the United States and a resident of Missouri for one year preceding the election. • be a registered voter. • not be delinquent in the payment of any state income taxes, personal property taxes, municipal taxes, real property taxes on the place of residence as stated in the declaration of candidacy. • not be a past or present corporate officer of any fee office that owes any taxes to the state. • not have been found guilty of or pled guilty to a federal felony or misdemeanor or a felony under the laws of Missouri or an offense committed in another state that would be considered a felony in Missouri.
Rissler ‘Kids Heart Challenge’
Those filing for any of the positions listed above need to do so in the County Clerk’s office, located on the second floor of the courthouse. They will need to bring identification such as a driver’s license and a copy of the paid receipt of the $100 to their political party. In addition, candidates must provide a notarized copy of Form 5120 indicating taxes have been paid and bonding requirements have been met. Form 5120 must have already been filed with the state prior to filing for election. A few of the offices have special requirements, including: Public Administrator - must be at least 21 years of age and have been [See ELECTION, Page 6]
The Grundy County Commission plans to attend the annual Missouri Association of County Commissioners meeting later this week and will host the annual township meeting on Friday. The MACC meeting will be held Wednesday, Thursday and Friday in Columbia. The commissioners will return to Trenton on Friday and host the annual meeting with township representatives to discuss CART rock allocations and other business. That meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Community Action Partnership of North Central Missouri.
Trenton’s Got Talent
Trenton’s Got Talent, the audition-only talent show, will return to Trenton on Friday, Feb. 11. The event will be held at 6 p.m. in the Trenton Performing Arts Center. Auditions were held recently and those selected to compete include Ava Burchett, Shelby Williams, Kinsley Otto, Colton Hammond, Mattea Havens, Betsy Price, Makayla Hamilton, Sheyenne Downing, Brooklyn Farris, Amanda Parrack, Maurissa Bonta and Claire and Layla Woodard. The cost is $5 at the door, with children age preschool and under admitted free. Pizza will be for sale in the THS commons. Proceeds from the event will be used to help defray costs of the Trenton High School “Gold Rush” trip to Nashville in March.
Governor’s ‘Christian Values’ Statement Questioned Comments Made By Parson Occured In 2017 By The Associated Press Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has no “litmus test for appointments,” his spokeswoman said Friday, despite a statement earlier in the week indicating he would only nominate a state health director who shared his “Christian values.” The Republican governor, a Baptist, was angered after the Missouri Senate effectively ousted Donald Kauerauf as director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Though Kauerauf opposes government mask and vaccine mandates and opposes abortion, hardline conservatives in the legislature questioned if he was conservative enough. In announcing Kauerauf's resignation on Tuesday, Parson
wrote in a statement: “Don is a public health expert that is on record opposing masking requirements and COVID-19 vaccine mandates. He is outspokenly prolife and morally opposed to abortion. Missourians know that I share these beliefs and would not have nominated someone who does not share the same Christian values.” The statement prompted some to wonder if only Christians need apply for top-level jobs in the Parson administration. “I’m curious Governor, is this a standard you traditionally use?” Republican state Rep. Adam Schwadron of St. Charles wrote on Twitter. “Article VI of the US Constitution strictly prohibits a religious test as a qualification to any office or public trust. Considering that, I then must ask the question. Would someone who is Jewish, such as myself, be considered for nomination?” But Kelli Jones, spokeswoman for Parson, said in an email that
the governor's statement “was intended to point out that Don Kauerauf shared values that aligned with the Governor’s and was not intended to imply that he imposes a requirement that job applicants adhere to any particular religion.” Parson, Jones said, “has never required a religious litmus test for appointments as evidenced by the broad spectrum of religious backgrounds of his appointees. Just because an appointee happens to possess values that align with the Governor’s Christian faith doesn’t mean that he requires them to adhere to his religion.” Jones cited as an example Parson's appointment of former state Sen. Jamilah Nasheed of St. Louis to the state Board of Probation and Parole. Nasheed is a Democrat and a Muslim. Still, Parson's statement drew plenty of criticism. “The governor's remarks are offensive and undermine our nation's promise of religious freedom, which is the fundamental
right to believe or not, as we choose, and to know that our government will treat us equally,” said Rachel Laser, CEO of Americans for Separation of Church and State. The Interfaith Partnership of Greater St. Louis, whose mission statement says it's goal is to deepen “understanding, respect and appreciation among all persons across lines of religious difference,” expressed concern in an open letter to Parson. “People of all faiths and no faith, in a variety of occupations and vocations, make significant contributions to our state and community every day,” the letter stated. In a 2017 interview with the Jefferson City-based Christian publication Word&Way, then Lt. Gov. Parson discussed the importance of faith in his role as a government leader. “First of all, I can’t even begin to imagine to do these jobs if you don’t have faith,” Parson said. “I
mean, if you’re not a believer, there’s no way, I believe, you can be a truly effective leader because when you are in this arena you are a leader. And to make decisions without faith, to me, would be impossible. I don’t know how you make the decision and how you’re going to affect the future if you don’t have belief and faith.”
WEATHER ALMANAC Day: High/Low Rain Snow Thursday 21/5 — Friday 31/2 — Saturday 41/10 — Sunday 50/25 — Barton Campus Sunday 49/24 —