REPUBLICAN-TIMES
Voting Tuesday August 6
The Missouri Primary Election is Tuesday, August 6 at 11- precinct locations in Grundy County and runs from 7 AM Tuesday until 7:00 PM Tuesday evening.
Absentee balloting is available through the County Clerk’s Office through 4:30 PM on Monday, August 5. The clerk’s office is open Saturday, August 4 from 8:00 AM to Noon.
Missouri Governers Race A Three Way Rock Fight
With seven days out from Missouri primary voting August 6, the Republican race for Governor is a three-way rock fight with none of the three—Mike Kehoe (24%) Bill Eigel (19%) or Jay Ashcroft (18%) closing the gap on Undecided, currently sitting at 38%.
A survey of polling around the country on statehouse races reveals that Missouri is perhaps the most undecided, ambivalent or whimsical state in the Union on pulling the trigger.
Kehoe, the current Lieutenant Governor, highest money-raiser in the state and Jefferson City car dealer, surged past Jay Ashcroft, the current Secretary of State and son of former
Governor, Senator and U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, whose early name recognition advantage disintegrated as Kehoe surged in the spring and early summer, and flounders in third.
Both Kehoe and Ashcroft have discussed ways to eliminate the personal income tax on Missouri voters, but Kehoe has suffered in recent days on Eigel and Ashcroft attacks for his support of a .23 cent gas tax hike in 2013, and support of the purchase of Smithfield Incorporated by Chinese interests in 2014, and 40,000 acres of Farm Land.
Nicknames of “Tax Hike Mike” and “Kung Pao Kehoe” have gained traction, with the recent rev-
elation that Kehoe’s campaign bus is being rented from a Smithfield lobbyist. One has to get their ride from somewhere, but voters aren’t impressed with that little chestnut of information.
Kehoe was further tagged with a revelation that Alex Soros protege Tory Gates, the son of Bill Gates, had made a $75,000 campaign contribution to Kehoe’s campaign.
To date, Senator Eigel seems to win the “Zingbot” award for the zingiest zingers, not surprising for the man considered to be the best orator in the Missouri State legislature.
In the current Republican “insurgent” climate, Kehoe’s endorsement by
A Conversation with City Councilman Glen Briggs
Talking with City Councilman Glen Briggs is always a fascinating conversation, because the fourth term councilman, also director of Grundy County Emergency Management Agency, and custodian at the Grundy County Courthouse is literate on all subjects pertaining to “good government”, and has some great insights as that person who takes “civic involvement” beyond just voting and speaking out, but wading into the fray and getting his hands dirty.
The Trenton City Council is an interesting mix of conservatives, progress/go get ‘em personalities and pragmatists.
Briggs places himself in
The Primary
the latter category.
“I consider myself a nononsense, pragmatic person.”Briggs says.”I don’t like going down rabbit holes and wasting time.”
‘Tim (Meinecke) and Marvin (Humphreys) are the guys focused on whether or not we can legally do something.”Briggs said.”They ask a lot of questions, do their research, and are the accountability guys.”
“Lou(Fisher) and Calvin(Brown) are all about accountability.”Briggs said.”They care about how dollars are spent and they really advocate for taxpayers and they keep their eye on that ball.”
“Duane (Urich) and
[See BRIGGS, Page 7]
Board of
The North Central Missouri College Board of Trustees met in regular session on July 23, 2024. During the meeting, Trustees heard communication reports and took action on Head Start items, bids/purchases, set the annual levy hearing, and declared surplus property and approved personnel items. In communication reports Trustees heard from new employees and new to their role employees. Tocarra Williams, TRIO Director, introduced her plans for her new position and provided an update on SSS and Upward Bound. Tara Hoffman, SAIL Program Director, introduced herself to the board and provided information on the SAIL program. Dr. Clarence Green, Dean/Director of the Savannah Campus, introduced himself to the board and provided an update on the campus. In other communication reports, Jenny Lewis, Head Start Director, provided information on recent Head Start health screenings, Early Head Start, homebased, and projected enrollment. Dr. Kristen Alley, Vice President of Student Affairs, provided information on attestation forms
and Title IX new regulations changes and compliance. Jennifer Triplett, Chief Information Officer, provided information on the OneCard system upgrade, a WAN circuit upgrade, a summer 2024 refresh advancement, and a PowerCampus feature enhancement. Dr. Lenny Klaver, President, praised new administrative hires and discussed a recent visit with Northwest Missouri State University President. He also discussed the upcoming convocation and in-service, a cabinet and deans retreat, workforce compendium, CTAC progress, the USDA building in Savannah, a recent MDHEWD commissioner’s advisory group, performance funding, enrollment, and Savannah Site visits. In business items, Trustees approved several Head Start items, including the training/technical plan, wage comparability study, and supplemental one-time funding application. Trustees approved the purchase of athletic insurance through Dissinger Reed and the replacement of the Hoffman Hall roof with Ward Roofing. Trustees set the annual levy hearing for
Voters go to the polls next Tuesday to sort out several contested Grundy County races, state offices contests for Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State, State Treasurer, and a contested national race for 6th District Congressional Representative. Copies of the ballot are available elsewhere within the Republican-Times.
For Governor and Lieutenant Governor, Attorney General:
1—The Candidates position on sales and property tax relief for citizens. When you check their positions, push a little harder on google searches to ask:
? — If property or income taxes are abolished, how will the revenues lost to city and county governments be replaced?
?---If candidates do not support abolishment, do they have recommendations for adjusting property and income tax policy to make it fairer to citizens.
2—The candidates’ position on “gender affirming care” and LGBTQ rights.
3—Candidates position
While the R-T won’t endorse individuals in any county or state race, we will give you some things to consider.
on trans men participating in women’s sports
4—Candidates position on sexually explicit books in school, children’s and public libraries.
5—Candidates position on foreign ownership of Missouri farm land — Position on forcing divestiture of property owned by foreign countries, especially China.
6—Candidates' position on abortion rights.
7—Candidates position on illegal immigration and steps to mitigate, or promulgate the process in Missouri.
For Secretary of State:
1—Positions on free and fair elections—Use of voting machines vs. hand ballots.
2—Candidates position
on sexually explicit books in school, children’s and public libraries.
For State Treasurer:
1—Candidates position on foreign ownership of Missouri farm land — Position on forcing divestiture of property owned by foreign countries, especially China.
For 6th District Congressional Race
1—Position on abortion rights
2—Position of support/withdrawal of support for funding to Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan
3—Are economic positions “America First”, “Traditional” or “Globalist”?
For Grundy County Commissioner
[See PRIMARY, Page 7]
The regular meeting of the Grundy R-V Board of Education meeting was held at 6:00 Wednesday evening at the High school.
In Old Business, the Board heard a report on maintenance and improvement projects for the elementary and high school buildings, a report on the District’s investment plan(without taking action) and the Board also approved participation in the Teacher Baseline Salary Grant program for the 2024-25 school year. The Board discussed providing a stipend for staff members whose base salaries are above the $40,000 level.
No action was taken.
Adults: $1.70
In New Business, the Board approved the district participation in the federal school lunch program for the 2024-25 school year. Prices were set for lunch and breakfasts.
2024-25 prices
High School Lunch:
$3.00
Elementary Lunch: $2.00
Adults: $3.00
Grundy County R-V School Board Preps for 24-25 School Year
The Board discussed the addition of a weight training program for students. The administration was directed to gather more information and report back at the next meeting.
The annual tax rate hearing for the district will be held at 6:00 pm on August 15, followed by the regular August meeting.
Reports were presented by the elementary principal, and approved minor changes to the high school [See NCMC , Page 6]
Check out the Farmer’s Market at Sesquicentennial Park Saturday morning from 8 - 12. [See RACE, Page 4]
High School Breakfast: $1.50 Elementary Breakfast: $1.40
Old Glory flying at Five Points
THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE As We Move On In History
Abraham Lincoln — A Time of Bad Days and Worse Days
By Mark McLaughlin StaffWriter@Republican-Times.com
(An ongoing series)
Abraham Lincoln had three kinds of days in his life. Bad days, worse days and devastating days..
His life history is the stuff of legend, reading every book he could get his hands on as a child in front of a log cabin fire,making a career as an attorney and state legislator in his late twenties and thirties, running twice and losing twice for the U.S. Senate, and then finally, earning the Republican Party nomination for President and winning in 1860.
Lincoln’s election was the trigger event that pushed southern states to secede from the Union and form the Confederacy. They claimed that Lincoln would make moves to abolish slavery, though he had stated in 1856 that he could “accept slavery for 100 years as long as it seemed on a path to extinction”. While on the campaign trail, he stated no intent to abolish slavery.
But the ability for problem-solving, compromise and negotiation were long since past. The Southern States filed for divorce, citing irreconcilable differences.
The remarkable Presidency of Abraham Lincoln is important to our discussion of the American Experience, because, had the secession of the Confederate states succeeded, the American Experiment would have been seen to have failed.
No, man cannot rule himself. Game over.
Lincoln began his Presidency with an approval rating in the South of zero. While he considered himself the President of all Americans, half of them were at war with
him from the jump. Attempts on his life were planned, and as he rode through the Maryland countryside on his way to Washington to take office, he narrowly missed being killed. Were he to have been killed in these early stages of the Civil War the Constitution and Republic would have died.
Few Americans of the time had studied the Constitution or understood the things we have discussed and studied over nine previous installments of this series. Lincoln’s public pronouncement when the Southern states seceded was a constitutional argument.
Under Article IV Section 4 of the Constitution the Federal government was obligated to provide citizens of the several states with a “A Republican Form of Government”. The Constitution did not allow Lincoln to allow the southern states to leave.
His call to “Preserve the Union” was a call to preserve the Republic itself. He was obligated to raise an army, and march into the South and put down the rebellion.
Lincoln loved the American people, even those in rebellion. He was looked down upon by many of the “Team of Rivals” he brought into his inner circle. William Seward, his secretary of state, Salmon P. Chase, his secretary of Treasury, Edwin Stanton, his Secretary of War. They believed him to be a bumpkin. Lincoln believed them to be essential because they were the brightest minds of the day.
But Lincoln realized one thing. Both the Framers and the Founders had grappled with the issue of slavery, but set it aside in order to 1) achieve independence and 2) se-
cure a stronger government that could preserve the Nation.
Now he was left with the final responsibility to solve the issue once and for all.
The illusion of this grand “spectator sport” was shattered at Bull Run, and public sentiment was starting to turn against Lincoln. Rumblings of France and Britain throwing in on the side of the Confederacy convinced Lincoln that he needed a gamechanger. He needed to convince the people of the Union that he led a “just cause”, and that the issue of slavery needed to be addressed once and for all.
Lincoln announced the Emancipation Proclamation in January, 1863, declaring all slaves being held in the southern states to be free. He knew he had no such authority. He had no intentions of abolishing slavery in the border states (Missouri included), but he ignited support in the North, infused energy in the troops, infuriated those in the south who now feared slave uprisings and rebellions.
But it was like an adrenaline shot to the war effort. France and Britain stepped back.
General Grant moved with speed and with overwhelming force. Union victories at Gettysburg in the north and Vicksburg in the south literally on the same day gave the Union control of the Mississippi River, and ended any thoughts of the South ever taking the war to the North again.
It was the beginning of the end.
During this time, Lincoln agonized over reports of casualties on the front. He would go 48, 72, 96 hours without sleep, wandering to the East Room of the White House and sitting with the telegraph operators, generally Army privates, processing
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casualty reports in real time, feeling the weight, the crushing weight.
Bad days.
His son Willie died while in the White House of typhoid. His wife spiraled into madness. He himself had suffered a mental breakdown in 1836, and suffered from severe clinical depression.
But he soldiered on. Worse days, and devastating days.
Bad news came in choking, smoldering chunks. Good news came in bite-sized pellets, but finally, the war was won.
The last casualty of the war was Lincoln himself. Lincoln was a martyr for the Republic, believed in the Constitution, and gave his life in order that the nation “of the people, by the people and for the people, would not perish from the earth.”
Amendments 13, 14 and 15, as discussed last week, were the first step of restitution to African-American peoples to welcome them into the citizenry as full members. They added the principle of “equal justice under the law”, never envisioned by the Framers, and now, so much a bedrock principle of our freedoms.
Lincoln’s sacrifice gave his descendents the chance to keep working the problem. The nation was not done growing. If the Revolution was the nation’s infancy, the Civil War period was the nation’s adolescence.
The Constitution, the Republic, and the Union, had been preserved at an awful price.
Lincoln was the indispensable “grown up” in the room, a portal to a Republic’s coming of age and moving into an adulthood where it would become the “indispensable nation” in the world.
The Republican-Times welcomes letters from its readers. We require that all letters to the editor be signed by the writer, including a telephone number where the writer can be reached. The writer’s name will be published. Subject matter of the letters is limited to issues and matters of local interest to the general public. Letters of a personal or family nature (i.e. thank you cards, memorials, etc.) will not be accepted. We reserve the right to edit, shorten or correct grammatical or spelling errors. The publisher reserves the right to reject any letter submitted for publication.
LAREDO NEWS
Dan and Carol Wilford were involved in Vacation Bible School on July 14 -17, which was held at their church, First Baptist of Milan. On Saturday, July 20, Dan attended the Life Options banquet at the Ketchum Community Center. On Monday morning, July 22, Carol joined other Town and Country Garden Club members who went to the home of Connie Akers for a tour of her plants and flowers landscaping projects. On Saturday,
July 27, Dan enjoyed the musical play, “Squirm!” which was performed by children at the Performing Arts Center. On Wednesday, July 24, after doing a lot of yard work, Carol realized she had the beginning stages of poison ivy. As it spread to her neck and eye, she decided she needed to see a doctor. Due to a cancellation, she was able to get an appointment on Friday. By Sunday, she was able to attend church and also go to the Wilford
Reunion in Trenton without looking too red and puffy-eyed. The Laredo Christian Church and the Laredo Baptist Church combined to have a VBS on July 24-26. Both church buildings were used for the various activities. The offering taken each evening will be going to the Laredo School to help with school supplies this year. Duane Campbell is the Christian Church pastor; and Gary Dean is pastor of the Baptist Church.
In State vs. Troy Lee Dell, charged with Misdemeanor D Driving while revoked/suspended-1st offense, Defendant fails to appear. Court orders warrant be issued and sets bond at $245.00 cash only.
In State vs. Jeremy Donald Hamilton, charged with Misdemeanor A Driving while revoked/suspended2nd or 3rd offense, Defendant fails to appear. Court orders warrant be issued and sets bond at $3,700.00 cash only. On June 22, the defendant calls this date to request a continuance. Court does not grant a continuance but acknowledges that payment in full has been received. Court advises Defendant that there was a Probation Violation filed and that matter is set for 07-23-2024 at 9:00 a.m. and that his appearance is required. Clerk requests an updated mailing address as previous correspondence has been returned undeliverable by USPS. Defendant advises that he does not have a residence but that
Donald Dewayne Brittain COURT
correspondence can be mailed to his father's residence and that address is now updated in the Court file.
In State vs. Chas Allen Pittman, charged with Misdemeanor D owner operating motor vehicle without maintaining financial responsibility-1st offense, a guilty plea was entered. Defendant fails to appear. Court orders warrant be issued and sets bond at $183.00 cash only.
In State vs. Hailey Dawn Powell, charged with Infraction for driver/front seat passenger fail to wear properly adjusted/fastened safety belt, Continuance Reason - Deft Fail to Appear; Continuance Requestor - Prosecution; State appears by PA. State advises that there was an incorrect date written on Defendant?s citation and that their office mailed a letter advising of today?s Court date. Defendant fails to appear this date. State requests a courtesy continuance. Same is granted.
LAND TRANSFERS
July 23, 2024
Turner Cotton and wife to Jennifer A. Hill
Tim Bland to Ketrisha Tuitahi
ARREST RECORDS
Melissa Brill, 43, was arrested July 25 on a probation violation with a capias arrest warrant tied to a pair of 2019 Felony D charges for Possession of Controlled substance(marijuana). She is being held on a $15,000 Cash Only Bond with a set court date of August 15, 2024.
Jeffrey Chad Corbin, 26, of Trenton was arrested July 24 on a Felony D charge of possession of a controlled substance. The complaint alleges that the defendant possessed methamphetamine , knowing of its presence and nature. The defendant is ordered held on a $30,000 Cash Only bond, administered by North Missouri Court Serv-
Case continued to 08-132024 at 9:00 a.m.
In State vs. Justin Dee Stark, charged with infraction fail to display plates on motor vehicle/trailer, a guilty plea was entered. Fees and fines in the amount of $67.50 were paid in full to the court.
In State vs. Polis Gibo Koro Yege, charged with Felony B DWI-habitual and Felony E driving while revoked/suspended, Defendant appears in custody with Attorney Allan D. Seidel. Defendant enters Waiver of Preliminary Hearing. Court Orders case to be Bound Over to Division I for arraignment on 08-15-2024 at 9:00 a.m. Bond to remain set at $20,000.00 with special conditions of NMCS supervised probation and SCRAM monitoring.
In State vs. Mark A, Koenig vs. Whitney M. Morton, a paternity proceeding, a pre-trial conference was held. No other reporting was provided.
MARRIAGE LICENSES
Marshall Tittsworth and Esther Dean
DISSOLUTION FILED
Jada Hollinger vs. Dillon Hollinger
ices, and will be subject to drug testing. His court date is set for August 13, 2024.
Nau Iongi, 73, of Trenton was arrested July 23, 2024 on Felony E Passing a Bad Check. On or about April 5, 2024, the defendant passed a check in the amount of $1,400 with the purpose to defraud, knowing it would not be paid. The defendant was ordered held on a Cash only bond of $1,500 with standard conditions.
Kathy Campbell, 64, of Trenton was arrested on July 15, 2024, charged with violation of conditions of supervision on probation or parole. She is ordered held without bond until a court date of August 15, 2024.
Trenton Rotary News
The Grundy County Emergency Management team presented the program to members of the Trenton Rotary Club at their meeting on Thursday, July 25 at the BTC Bank community room.
Scott Sharp presided at the meeting, Dan Wilford gave the prayer and Steve Taylor was the sergeant at arms. Kassie Hodge was the program chairman. Glenn Briggs, Grundy County Emergency Management Director; Kelli Hillerman, with the Grundy County Health Department; and Mike Booth, Region H coordinator of the State Emergency Management Administration, gave an overview of their responsibilities with the group, which is coordinating a
countywide emergency management exercise on Saturday, Sept. 21. Briggs told members of the importance of being prepared for an emergency and reviewed what actions the team has taken to be ready should an incident occur in the county. Mrs. Hillerman, who coordinates local healthcare efforts, told about the responsibilities of her group to make sure the health care organizations are not only prepared for a disaster, but are also able to continue with their day to day operations while the disaster is being addressed. Booth gave a brief review of how the state emergency group works with local emergency teams in making sure they are prepared
Donald Dewayne Brittain, a longtime resident of Trenton, Missouri, died of natural causes at his home on Saturday July 27, 2024. He passed away one day before his 70th birthday.
Donald, known as Don by his family and friends, was born in Jackson County, MO. on July 28,1954 to his loving parents Beulah Doris Wendt and Don Larry Brittain who preceded him in death.
Don grew up with his siblings in rural communities throughout Missouri. He grew up riding bikes and playing in the country and teasing or being teased by his siblings all while making childhood memories with them. Don is survived by his brother Larry Brittain & wife Lori of Trenton, MO., Dennis Brittain & wife Sheryl of Medford, OK., Brad Johnson & wife Rebecca of Trenton, MO., and Tommy Brittain of Trenton, MO. He is also survived by his sister Donna Souders & husband Gerald of Jamesport, MO. Don attended his educational years in Trenton, MO. and high school at Grundy R-V in Galt, MO. where he met the love of his life Vicki Vandel. They were united in marriage in 1972 and to this union 3 daughters were born. He is survived by daughters Amy Trauernicht & husband Randy of
Kirksville, MO., Sherry Brittain-Majewski of San Tan Valley, AZ., and Carla Howard of Kirksville, MO. Don is also survived by his only son Michael Brittain & wife Ashley of Williams, AZ, thirteen grandchildren, twelve great grandchildren and one step- daughter Susie White of Hiawatha KS. from his second marriage to Cathy. Don is preceded in death by an infant grandson as well as being survived by numerous Aunts, Uncles, Cousins, Nieces, and Nephews.
Early in his life after high school Don was saved and baptized in the Baptist Church of Galt, MO. Don joined the United States Navy and after an honorable discharge from the navy he made a career of working on the oil wells throughout Oklahoma and Texas. Don also spent a period of his life farming and he worked for the railroad. He loved to fish and be out on the boat and always had a passion for racing stock cars and go karts. He just liked cars no matter if it was a hot wheels car or a model car and his pride and joy was always his 55 Chevy that he has had for over half of his life.
Family visitation will be held Friday, August 2, 2024 from 6:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M. at Slater-Neal Funeral Home, Trenton, Missouri. Military rites will be at 6:00 P.M.
Briggs said volunteers are needed to assist with the September emergency exercise and asked that individuals contact him or any member of the emergency management team if they would like to participate.
During the business meeting, it was announced the club has submitted an application for a District Rotary Grant to help with costs associated in getting the new Bright Futures Trenton facility up and running.
The program for the Aug. 1 meeting of the Trenton Rotary Club will be presented NCMC ag instructors Rustin Jumps and Jack Green. Kristi Harris and Cathy McKay are the August program chairmen.
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Chalk Talk
by Mark McLaughlin R-T Staff Writer
OPINION
There may be a lot more important things to talk about in the world this week but there’s nothing more important to talk about in my house this week.
We ended a 26-year consecutive string of having a Golden Retriever in our home Saturday when our 10year old Golden Chance was put to sleep after being unable to fight off a bad intestinal infection, despite $1,300 in veterinary bills trying to save him over the last ten days.
There’s nothing we wouldn’t have done to try to bring him back, no money hurdle we wouldn’t have eaten.
He meant that much to us.
So you say, “but he’s just a dog.”
I love God. I love my wife. I love my boys. I love my country. And I love my dogs. And anyone that doesn’t understand that has either never had a dog or just treated them like livestock.
There is no such thing as “just a dog”.
Having had dogs almost all of my adult life, I can’t imagine life without them. Regardless of breed, size, age, all of them peed the carpet, all of them destroyed things from shoes to sofas, all of them required an end loader to clean up the yard after them.
Sometimes they fought. Sometimes we tripped over them and fell. Sometimes they broke things. Sometimes they bolted out the door on more than one occasion dodging death on busy highways.
There is No Such Thing as Just a Dog
All of them have gotten sick. All of them have at one time or another limped. Almost all of them were in pain and suffered at the end. All of them died.
And I and my wife were the last thing that all of them saw, our hands on them, our tears falling on their faces, all of them, trying to the end to put a paw on our hands to say,”it’s okay, I’m ready, I love you.”
Dogs are pack animals so they do better when they’re with other dogs and with their owners. Our house has always been a pack environment with as many as four dogs huddled together near our feet, in our laps, in our beds, or, in Chance’s case, guarding the hallway to our bedroom.
I’ve had very slobbery, animated “lovers” and have had those who were a little more reserved. Chance was of the latter variety. He leaned into my legs while I was standing, offered “the paw”, really despised kisses and hugs as much as I liked to give them to him, but he always tolerated it.
He followed me everywhere. He liked being brushed almost more than anything, and preened when that was done. He liked looking good.
He had quite a collection of Kong toys that he hides under the various dog beds we have laying around the house. We’ll be finding them for the next six weeks.
There was never a more loyal dog. Never a truer friend. Never a creature in all of creation that I was ab-
solutely sure was an angel in training, an angel without wings.
Dogs are just one more reason that I believe God exists. Cowboys have similar relationships with their horses, so I get that. Some people love cats.
In all cases, the animal has not been domesticated, I don’t care what biologists say. The animal has been “dedicated” and “purposed” to the premise that there is the perfect match of human and animal that creates unbreakable bonds.
That’s why I cry and become angry at the idea of abandoning a dog when he is old or sick, or dropping him off at the shelter because you don’t want him anymore. I see pictures of dogs who sit transfixed waiting for their humans to come back, or bury themselves in the corner of a run with their head down because they have given up that their owner, or anyone else, will ever want them again.
I’d take them all if I could. If I win the lottery, I’m going all Lee Asher and building a 35,000 square foot animal sanctuary. Until then, I’ve got one left and have room for two more, if she decides to warm up to them.
There will be people who don’t get it, who demonstrate their character by the way they treat women, children, and defenseless little animals. None of them could ever stand next to one of my dogs and be judged by me as their equal.
If a ship is sinking and I
can save “one of those” people or save my dog, I’m saving my dog.
I need another Golden Retriever. I’d take a black lab, a blue or grey pit bull or a german shepherd. I love all those breeds. If anyone can help with this and not break the bank, I’ll be in your debt, figuratively and literally. I figure that dogs will extend my life.
Maybe Chance needs to be the last Golden in our house. They were five great dogs over the last twenty five years of our lives, giving all they had, happy to see us on great days, and ready to comfort us on bad ones, and love us unconditionally.
People,in my experience , are never that dependable or that dedicated to you. Dogs don’t plot, or scheme, or undermine, or calculate…They love.
I have good human friends. I have a soulmate in a wife that I love. I love my boys and adore our grandkids.
But Chance was my best friend. My buddy. My wingman. He was at the same time my wife’s baby, devoted to her like no other. If he had to choose between us, I have no doubt that he would choose her.
Good boy.
So if you tuned in this week expecting something on Kamala, or whatever… sorry, I felt like this was more important for me to write about this week.
There is no such thing as “just a dog”.
There you have it, proof that Tony Stark had a heart.
ACROSS 1. Spiritual leaders 7. A solution 3. Fortified wine 4. Edible mollusk 6. Blood group 17. A way to compare 19. Gov’t lawyer
20. Actor Ciaran
22.Calendar month
23. Very willing 25. __ ex Machina 26. Satisfies
28. Type of berry
29.Distinctive practice
30. Popular pickup truck model 31. Dekagram
33.Naturally occurring solid material
34.Company officer 36. Villains 38. Cricket frogs
40.German founder of psychology
41. Endured 43.A female domestic
44. A situation you can be in 45. Cigarette (slang)
47. Fiber optic network (abbr.)
48. Belgian composer Walter 51. Employee stock ownership plan
53. Belonging to the bottom layer
55. Musical or vocal sound 56. Yankees’ great Judge 58. Dickens character 59. Beloved late sportscaster Craig
60. South Dakota 61. Exposing
human vice or folly to ridicule 64. Atomic #79 65. Former Braves pitcher Julio 67. Humor 69. Shawl 70. Hospital unit
E. Mathews
DOWN 1. Animal disease 2. Commercial 3. Arts and crafts supplies 4. Containers 5. Investment vehicle 6. A way to greet in a friendly way 7. Bulged downward 8. “A Day Without” singer 9. Lay about 10. Intestinal 11. Negative
12. Caused to be loved 13. Prominent in Islamic eschatology 15. Sincere 18. Not in 21. Number above the line in a fraction
24. Bill Murray chased one 26. Pouch
27. Swedish krona
30. Start over 32. Wild white or yellow flower
35. Fourteen 37. Visual way of interacting with a computer (abbr.)
38. Up-to-date
39. Campaigns
42. Touch lightly 43. “Boardwalk Empire” actress Gretchen
46. Violent seizure of property
47. One who supports the Pope
49. Malaise
50. Body fluid
52. Inauthentic person
54. Title of respect
55. Chilean city
57.Central Japanese city
59. Garment
62. Draw from 63. Automobile
66. The man 68.Top government lawyer
Garfield® by Jim Davis
Alley Oop® by Joey Alison Sayers and Jonathan Lemon
For Better or For Worse® by Lynn Johnson
Frank & Ernest® by Bob Thaves
The Born Loser® by Art and Chip Sansom
Shoe® by Jeff MacNelly
establishment Republican governor Mike Parson has led to wailing and gnashing of teeth by Freedom Caucus “true believers”, who seem to have become the organic base of the party.
Freedom Caucus leader and flame thrower Bill Eigel of Weldon Springs, the favorite of many in the “Truly Grassroots for Trump” movement that swamped Missouri GOP politics in May, started with a 6% nibble of the early preference, but has made strides on his pledges to end property tax on movable property, and to “clean up the swamp” in Jefferson City. His pledges to rid the state of illegal immigrants and to reverse the tide of foreign investment, China particularly, of Missouri farmland has touched a nerve.
Eigel was far behind on money, and “kept his powder dry” until the last two weeks, when he began releasing advertising dollars into broadcast media, relying on grassroots supporters to get the word out door to door.
So what does the voter make of this?
The Missouri GOP voter has changed in the last dozen years, and the pain felt with the results of runaway inflation, unchecked immigration, and a growing “anti-tax” climate have taken hold.
From a political science perspective, the large undecided number of voters reporting whimsy at the choice means one of three things down the stretch.
Voters are doing their research on the three candidates, and admittedly, finding the differences between
candidates require more time than the barrage of thirty second ad spots on local TV provide them with.
As the candidates throw their negative haymakers at each other, how hard the “stick” is of the criticism, how the candidates respond to it, and the degree to which people believe the criticisms will create some daylight.
There will be a percentage of voters who go “eeny-miney-moe” on August 6.
In any case, this will most likely turn out to be a surprise on August 6 because of how fuzzy the indicators are one week out. It will not be surprising if tallies are so close that a few hundred votes separate the three candidates.
Donald Trump’s eagerly awaited endorsement came over the weekend, with Trump endorsing all three Governor candidates, reminiscent of the “Vote for Eric” endorsement of 2022 when both Eric Greitens and Eric Schmitt received Trump’s blessing.
The triple endorsement was quickly pounced on by Eigel, who went to social media to trumpet the announcement, but fell short of revealing to his supporters that Trump was okay with any of the three, in other words, whatever, thus making the three-way rock fight even more confusing than before.
Whoever wins will face either Democrat Lisa Quade or Springfield Wendy’s franchisee Mike Hamra in the November election.
Their relatively mainstream campaign has put
forward two young, but accomplished young politicians who will have a story to tell in the home stretch.
The division between Republican candidates plays out in small positive margins against Quade and Hamra when stacked up candidate to candidate.
While Missouri Democrats will quickly coalesce behind their nominee, that ingathering of Republicans behind the GOP nominee will be a little trickier, but if numbers mean anything, suggest Republicans hold the governor’s mansion for another four years.
It’s been eight years since Governor Jay Nixon, stinging from criticism over the Ferguson riots, left office.
Quade or Hamra will each provide at least an interesting contrast to the Republican nominee, and fair-minded Missourians, though bright red for two election cycles, will not be opposed to a competitive general election.
The Democrats will get a hearing, and the idea of “favorable-unfavorable” impression of the candidates of both parties will have an effect on the outcome.
Absentee voting is currently underway through County Clerk’s offices in Missouri, and will conclude on Monday, August 5. As time is short to request ballots by mail, a visit to your county clerk or calling and requesting a “voting team” be dispatched to collect absentee ballots can be scheduled.
The Grundy County Clerk’s office phone is 660359-4040.
August 27 at 5:25 p.m. in the Frey Administrative Center. The board approved the list of surplus property presented by IT services. Trustees tabled an Open Records policy revision until August to allow for the first reading and approved the Title IX sexual harassment policy revisions as presented.
In personnel matters, the Trustees approved the resignation of Amanda Sampsel, Enrollment Marketing Specialist, and the hire of Marissa Buckallew as Assistant
Softball Coach/Residence Life Coordinator. They also approved the hire of Leticia Gerling and Tess Bravo as adjunct instructors and Jaryn Black, Korbin Knoch, and Lexie Gutshall as clinical instructors beginning in the fall 2024 semester.
The next regular meeting of the NCMC Board of Trustees will be on August 27 at 5:30 p.m. in the Frey Administrative Center. The public levy hearing will be held immediately prior at 5:25 p.m.
Republican Meet the Candidates Night a Rollicking Good Time
Grundy County Republicans took four hours on Thursday night to collectively catch their breath over a dizzying and exhausting political news cycle to host their Meet the Candidate night at the corner of 9th and Rural Street in Trenton.
More than 300-plus Republicans of all ages, and all walks, had a rollicking good time, entertained by “Centerline”, a Princetonarea rock band, eating amazing food prepared by supporters, headlined by Commissioner Brad Chumbley on the barbecue smoker, and Commissioner candidate Brian Johnson working the fish fryer.
Eating a fairly large amount of both, plus all of the accompanying delicious sides, the Iron Chef contest between Chumbley and Johnson was happily rated a draw. The Forum was equal parts block party, church social, community picnic, with retail politics thrown in on the side.
Following supper, and to the accompaniment of the band, the gathering moved into addresses by state and local office-seekers, whose statements to the ground were quickly abbreviated by an oncoming severe
thunderstorm that featured 60 mph. Winds, quarter sized hail and dropped 1.34 inches of rain less than five miles from the Forum.
Speakers for governor candidates Mike Kehoe and Bill Eigel (Trenton resident Ben Thomas led off the forum, followed by governor candidate Chris Wright of Joplin, Commissioner candidates Don Sager, Brad Chumbley, Kevin Ireland and Brian Johnson all received their turn at the mike, with Circuit Court Candidates Steve Hudson and Matt Krohn bringing the evening to a conclusion.
Not in attendance were Sheriff Rodney Herring, and County Assessor Nathan Curtis.
2nd District Missouri State Representative Mazzie Christensen, one of the rising stars of state GOP politics and chairwoman of the Missouri delegation to the Republican National Convention, spoke on behalf of Secretary of State candidate Denny Hoskins.
Everyone in attendance not only got to express their support and hear from candidates seeking their votes, but had an incredibly good time, fun for everyone involved.
Interestingly, to coincide with the Candidates event, governor candidates Bill Eigel and Jay Ashcroft squared off in a debate hosted by St. Louis NBC affiliate “5 on your side”, Kansas City NBC affiliate KHAB News 41 and Missouri Public Broadcasting TV.
Frontrunner Mike Kehoe skipped the event due to what he called a “scheduling conflict”, with Eigel and Ashcroft piling on Kehoe for his absence.
On Saturday afternoon, Donald Trump endorsed all three governor candidates, saying that voters “could not go wrong by picking any of the three.
The August Primary will be held Tuesday, August 6 at 11-precinct voting places in Grundy County. Absentee balloting ends Monday, August 5.
“I was thrilled with the turnout and with the conversations candidates got to have with voters.”Becky McDonald, County GOP Co-Chair said.”The food was wonderful, the fellowship people had, and just the energy of the event was awesome.”
John (Dolan) are the gogetters, who want to do a lot of things and move us forward.”Briggs said.”David(Mlika) is very even-keeled, very fairminded, and wise.”
There is a synergy on the Council that Briggs appreciates, noting that the Council doesn’t waste a lot of time, but gets the job done, and he points to Mayor Jackie Soptic as doing “a great job” as mayor and helping the council stay very focused.
He noted that Soptic played a very important role in the Wage Scale/Years of Service process in identifying concerns of city workers, listening, and resolving concerns that came from miscommunications.
“Jackie is very willing to listen, and will work to try to solve problems and bring opposing groups together.”Briggs said.”She recognized that we didn’t have anything in place, and that we needed some consistency.”
Briggs' concern with the Scale was the call during discussions of the process for evaluations of worker performance, noting that that works better in private workplaces than public ones, and points to the need for fairness.
“We need to use facts, and then proceed on an ‘if this, then that' model.”Briggs said.”Advancement rewards years of service, and moving up steps.”
Briggs is highly complimentary of the total city employee workforce, saying that they “are hard working, skilled people that do a great job in the roles that they play.”
“Dealing with personnel issues and pay is always the
BRIGGS
most difficult thing the Council addresses.”Briggs said.”We want to give our employees reassurance and respect that we have their back, and we believe they’ll walk through fire for the City.”
Briggs points to an aspect of the City Work force noted in an earlier article and discussion with Ron Urton, the total sense of collaboration between city departments, and the cooperation back and forth.
“There is no “that’s not my job” attitude here.”Briggs said.”City street will go and help out the water department, TMU will help out the wastewater guys when needed, it’s just that we join hands to get the job done.”
Briggs has the benefit of many years of observation of City government and TMU, and how for a long time, there was a real “disconnect” between the entities.
“When the last TMU administrator left and the job was consolidated into the parallel job of City Administrator, the connections improved, but brought into sharp focus that City Government and TMU are completely, walled off, separate entities.
“It’s one of the things that most citizens don’t understand.”Briggs said.”that they see necessary raises in utility rates and think that excess money goes to new city vehicles or services… it doesn’t work that way.”
He notes also that money doesn’t move back and forth between TMU, the water plant or sewer departments, that these accounts are “siloed” with access limited within the entity to the needs of the entity.
“TMU is funded by util-
ity rates and community grants, while the City is funded by sales taxes, property taxes and fees that are paid.”Briggs said.
Looking forward to city business, Briggs points to the ongoing need to focus on infrastructure, specifically streets, storm sewers and city buildings.
“We have good infrastructure, but always have things that we need to do.”Briggs said, noting a tendency of past councils and mayors to “kick the can down the road”, and multiply needs that have been addressed by Urton, the Mayor and the Council over the years.
“Ron’s plan for how this process is addressed is spot-on.”Briggs said.”He has a great long-term plan and keeps departments in an outgoing fix it before it breaks…If 500-feet of line need to be repaired due to a break, do the full 1,000 foot of line before it breaks.”
Briggs points to the never-ending cycle of new Environmental Protection Agency standards and regulations that are dropped on the city, without any recourse.
“We never know when EPA or someone else is going to come in and say, 'you have to fix this or do that’, and it comes with a $2.4 million price tag.”Briggs said.”You have to be prepared and brace yourself for the time that comes.”
Turning to Emergency Management Agency duties, Briggs said his focus is training for disaster protocols, with readiness for hazardous materials spills, and repairs required due to flooding, or natural disasters.
“It’s about planning, training and
response.”Briggs said.”I like mitigation, so I like having things in place.”
Discussion turned to the delays on the implementation of the ambulance “9-11” system, and Briggs offered a defense of the County Commissioners most haven’t considered.
“In 2021-2022, our primary focus was the repair and reconstruction of roads and bridges that had been damaged or destroyed because of the flooding we suffered.”Briggs said.”That was an all-consuming task for the County, and the Commissioners rightly prioritized that portion of the infrastructure at the time.”
Briggs says that “preplanning” has been a strength of the Commissioners, upgrading monitors in the LEC, prepping for the move to digital communications and providing public safety and ambulance service with the tools they need to do a good job serving the community.
Looking back over his ten year career in City Government and public service, Briggs knows that he could have just watched things go on and complain about them, or step forward and do something.
“I figured that I could sit around and complain, or I could go get something done,”Briggs said.
The community is better for it that Briggs got involved. He is an expert on city and county government, has probably the clearest understanding of the City and how it works of anyone alive, and always is looking ahead.
That skillset and outstanding intellectual capacity for the job is informative of how it needs to be done.
PRIMARY
• FROM FRONT PAGE •
Sager(incumbent) vs. Ireland(challenger) Chumbley(incumbent) vs. Johnson(challenger)
1—Have commissioners been responsive, at the township level, to identified needs on roads and bridges and other infrastructure? Has the process been quick and efficient?
2—Have commissioners done an effective job of maintaining accountability of county workers, keeping track of schedules, work done, etc.?
3—Have commissioners adequately funded and sourced LEC and Rural ambulance and Fire service?
4—Have commissioners adequately been open, transparent, and sought feedback from the community/county on issues of importance to them?
5—Will new commissioner candidates seeking to win office, from what you have learned about them, have the tools and the ability to get the job done?
For 3rd Circuit Judge
1—Are the candidates equally capable from their work done at Circuit Court (Hudson) and Associate Court (Krohn)?
2—Do both candidates have a reputation for “protecting the victim” and “punishing the perpetrator” and a record to go with it?
There are outstanding incumbents at both the county and state level, and compelling challengers. Your most important job is to vote.
R-V • FROM FRONT PAGE •
handbook.
Back to school night is scheduled for Wednesday, August 14 from 5:30 to 7:00 pm.
The Board adjourned into closed session, then returned. No action was reported.
The next regularly scheduled board meeting will be held on Thursday, August 15 at 6:15 PM in the high school business room.
Grand River Garden Club
Members of the Grand River Garden Club were informed about planting, growing and caring for sunflowers by President Dorothy Taul Monday, July 15 at their meeting at the Washington Street restaurant.
Sunflowers are one of Ms. Taul's favorite flowers and she told members they are heat-tolerant, resistant to pests and attractive to pollinators. They come in many colors, including red, orange, maroon, brown and the most readily identifiable color, yellow.
Sunflowers are heliotropic, meaning they turn their flowers to follow the movement of the sun across the sky from east to west and then return at night to face the east.
The largest sunflower varieties grow to over 16 feet tall and the flower heads can reach 12 inches in diameter. Flower heads can contain up to 2,000 seeds. Smaller varieties have been developed for small spaces that rarely
grow larger than a foot tall.
Sunflowers are used in vegetable oil, birdseed and confectionary and food use. They also help pollinators, beneficial insects, song birds, and other wildlife.
Ms. Taul also gave a recipe for roasting sunflower seeds.
In addition to the sunflower report, Ms Taul gace a shortened report for Cinda Stiffel on her personal greenhouse. Mrs. Sriffel explained through Ms. Taul, the two most important things to remember for your own greenhouse is ventilation and placement of the greenhouse. She encouraged people to watch for at least 24 hours to check how much sun and shade the site would receive. She starts plants 6-8 weeks before the last frost.
In other business, Laura Ewing gave the treasurer's report.
Marilyn Booth, Linda Lamp and Linda Carman reported on attending the Anderson garden tour north
of Chillicothe in June, commenting on what a beautiful setting was displayed.
It was mentioned that the Civil War Statue at the Grundy County courthouse was in need of mulching and weeding.
Ms. Taul challenged members to bring at least three items to the North Central Missouri Fair flower show August 1-3. Entries may be made from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. Thursday, August 1. No entry may be removed before noon Saturday, August 3.
In lieu of the monthly August meeting, members will assist with and participate in the fair's flower show.
The next meeting will be at noon September 16 at Washington Street restaurant.
Those attending were: Marilyn Bain, Mrs. Lamp, Karalyn Thompson, Ginny Johns, Ms. Carman, Ms. Taul, Mrs. Ewing, Mrs. Booth and Bonnie Dittberner.
107th ANNUAL Northwest Missouri State
RACES
TICKET
CAMPING INFORMATION: $150 Flat Fee for Camping Camping Superintendent: Andrew Hulet (660) 853-9642
R-T Photo/Mark McLaughlin
Second District Commissioner Brad Chunbley provided the barbecue at the Grundy County Republican Candidates forum July 25 in Trenton. More than 300 people ate, and were merry as candidates for county and state government offices spoke to a raucous crowd.
R-T Photo/Mark McLaughlin
3rd Circuit Court Presiding Judge candidate Matt Krohn and Family sample the fare at the Republican Candidates forum last Thursday. More than 300 from across the state attended.
R-T Photo/Mark McLaughlin
Associate Commissioner candidates Brian Johnson and Kevin Ireland were joined by supporters at the "fish station" in cooking fried catfish for attendees at the Republican Candidates forum Thursday. Night.
LOCAL
VOTE TO ELECT MATT KROHN
3rd Circuit Judge
Vote for who will serve you and the 3rd Circuit best:
The Circuit Judge is the lead judge who oversees the courts in the counties of Grundy, Harrison, Mercer & Putnam.
My experience as judge, which includes numerous criminal and civil jury trials over the past 27 years, including 17 years as a trial lawyer and municipal prosecutor with the Andereck, Evans, Milne & Peace Law Firm in Trenton, prepared me with a solid, diversified legal background to serve as your Circuit Judge.
Over the years, I have earned a professional reputation for having a strong work ethic, being on time, and being well prepared
be
to put my knowledge and experience to work for you for the next 6 years as your Circuit
R-T Photo/Mark McLaughlin
Kris and J.AS Kuehn and Republican Central Committee Co-Chair Becky McDonald prepared serving tables for the feast to come at the Meet the Candidates night last Thursday in Trenton.
R-T Photo/Mark McLaughlin
More than 300 people attended The Republican Meet the Candidates night in Trenton July 25. Great food, a performance by Centerline and candidate speeches generated energy for the upcoming primary election August 6.
R-T Photo/Mark McLaughlin Campaign signs pointed the way to the Republican Candidates forum held at the cor-
of 9th and Rural last Thursday night. More than 300-people attended the event.
CLASSIFIEDS/ LEGALS
In Re: Tanner Moore, A Single Person TRUSTEE’S SALE
Under the terms of the Deed of Trust executed by Tanner Moore, A Single Person dated 03/03/2022, and recorded on 03/04/2022 Book 686 Page 819
Document 22LR0352 in the office of the Recorder of Deeds for Grundy County, MISSOURI, the undersigned Successor Trustee, will on 08/21/2024 at 2:00 PM at the West Front Door of the Grundy County Courthouse 700 Main St. Trenton, MO 64683, sell at public venue to the highest bidder for cash subject to the terms announced at the sale, the realty described in said deed of trust, to wit: ALL OF LOT TWELVE (12), IN BLOCK TWO (2), IN COUNTRY CLUB ADDITION TO THE CITY OF TRENTON, GRUNDY COUNTY, MISSOURI.. Eastplains Corporation
SUCCESSOR TRUSTEE
(7/25, 8/1, 8/8, 8/15/24)
Spickard Fire will have a Tax Rate hearing on August 13, 2024 at 8 p.m. at the Spickard Fire Station.
(8/1/24)
Madison Township will hold a public hearing on the proposed tax rate on Thursday, August 15, 2024 at 6 p.m. at the Madison Township Barn at Edinburg.
(8/1/24)
PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE
A hearing will be held at the Grundy County Jewett-Norris Library Tuesday, August 6, 2024 at 10:00 a.m. At this time citizens may be heard regarding the property tax-rates proposed to be set by the library board. The tax rates shall be set to produce the revenues required by the 2025 budget, Each rate is determined by computation on forms supplied by the State Auditor's Office.
(8/1/2024)
CLASSIFIEDS/ LEGALS
IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF GRUNDY COUNTY, MISSOURI PROBATE DIVISION
In the Estate of ALAN P. THRASHER, Deceased
NOTICE
OF
TESTAMENTARY GRANTED
TO ALL PERSONS INTERESTED IN THE ESTATE OF ALAN P. THRASHER, deceased:
Estate No. 24AG-PRO0031
On the 25 day of June, 2024, Patty S. Thrasher was appointed personal Representative by the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Grundy County, Missouri. The business address of the Personal Representative is: Patty S. Thrasher, 311 Atkinson, Galt, Missouri 64641 and her attorney is Tara L. Walker whose business address is 605 E. 9th Street, P.O. Box 457, Trenton, Missouri 64683 and whose telephone number is 660-339-5050.
All creditors of said decedent are notified to file claims in the probate division of this court within 6 months from the first date of the first publication of this notice or if a copy of this notice was mailed to, or served upon, such creditor by the personal representative, then within two months from the date it was mailed or served, whichever is later, or be forever barred to the fullest extent permissible by law. Such six-month period and such two-month period do not extend the l imitation period that would bar claims one year after the decedent's death, as provided in Section 473.033 RSMo, or any other applicable limitation periods. Nothing in section 473.0336 RSMo shall be construed to bar any action against a decedent's liability insurance carrier through a defendant ad litem pursuant to section 537.021, RSMo.
Receipt of this notice by mail should not be construed by the recipient to indicate that he or she necessarily has a beneficial interest in the estate. The nature and extent of any person's interest, if any, can be determined from the files and records of this estate in the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Grundy County, Missouri.
Date of decedent's death was October 29, 2023.
Date of first publication of this notice is August 1, 2024
/S/ Michelle Smith
Clerk of the Probate Division of the Circuit Court of Grundy County, Missuori
PUBLIC RELEASE
(8/1, 8/8, 8/15, 8/22/24)
Trenton R-IX, Grundy R-V, Laredo R-VII, Pleasant View R-VI, and Spickard R-II announced its revised free and reduced price policy for school children unable to pay the full price of meals served in schools under the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program. Local education officials have adopted the following family-size income criteria for determining eligibility:
Children from families whose current income is at or below those shown are eligible for free or reduced price meals. Applications are available at the school office. To apply, fill out a Free and Reduced Price School Meals Family Application and return it to the school. The information provided on the application is confidential and will be used only for the purpose of determining eligibility. Applications may be submitted any time during the school year. A complete application is required as a condition of eligibility. A complete application includes: (1) household income from all sources or Food Stamp/TANF case number, (2) names of all household members, and (3) the signature and last four digits of social security number or indication of no social security number of adult household member signing the application. School officials may verify current income or other information provided on the application at any time during the school year. Foster children may be eligible regardless of the income of the household with whom they reside. Households with children who are eligible under the foster, Head Start, homeless, migrant, or runaway programs should contact the school for assistance in receiving meal benefits. Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) participants may be eligible for free or reduced price meals. Children who are members of households currently certified as receiving Food Stamps, TANF or FDPIR are eligible for free meals. To complete an application, the household must provide the names of the children, a statement that the household receives the qualifying benefits, the Food Stamps/TANF/FDPIR case number, and the signature of the adult household member making application. When known by the school that members of a household are receiving assistance from Food Stamps, TANF or FDPIR, households will be notified of their children’s eligibility for free school meals. If any children in the household were not listed on the eligibility notice or not listed on the application, the household should contact the school to have benefits extended to all children in the household. If a family member becomes unemployed or if family size changes, the family should contact the school to file a new application. Such changes may make the children of the family eligible for these benefits. Under the provisions of the policy, the verifying official will review the applications and determine eligibility. If a parent is dissatisfied with the ruling of the determining official, they may wish to discuss the decision with the hearing official on an informal basis or he/she may make a request either orally or in writing to the Superintendent. Hearing procedures are outlined in the policy. A complete copy of the policy is on file in each school and in the central office where any interested party may review it. USDA Non-discrimination Statement: In accordance with federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity. Program information may be made available in languages other than English. Persons with disabilities who require alternative me ans of communication to obtain program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language), should contact the responsible state or local agency that administers the program or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800)-8778339. To file a program discrimination complaint, a Complainant should complete a Form AD-3027, USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form which can be obtained online at: https://www.usda.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ad-3027.pdf, from any USDA office, by calling (866) 632-9992, or by writing a letter addressed to USDA. The letter must contain the complainant’s name, address, telephone number, and a written description of the alleged discriminatory action in sufficient detail to inform the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights (ASCR) about the nature and date of an alleged civil rights violation. The completed AD-3027 form or letter must be submitted to USDA by:
1. mail:
U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights 1400 Independence Avenue, SW Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; or 2. fax: (833) 256-1665 or (202) 690-7442; or 3. email: Program.Intake@usda.gov
This institution is an equal opportunity provider.
CLASSIFIEDS/ LEGALS
Franklin Township Board will have a tax rate hearing on August 15, 2024 at 7 P.M. at Margaret Chapman’s home. Located at 140 NW 125th Street Spickard, MO. 64679 (8/1/24)
TO: BRYAN MACGUIRE, THE FATHER OF A CHILD BORN ON THE 15 TH DAY OF OCTOBER, 2014.
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that there is now on file in the Office of the Clerk of Court for Polk County, Iowa, a Petition in Case Number JGJV253869 which prays for the appointment of a guardian for a minor child born on the 15 th day of October, 2014.
The Petitioner’s attorney is Kevin Cunningham whose address is Cunningham & Kelso, P.L.L.C., 2830 100 th Street, Suite 106, Urbandale, IA 50322, telephone (515) 278-4200.
YOU ARE FURTHER NOTIFIED that there will be a final hearing in this matter to appoint a guardian before the Iowa District Court for Polk County, at Room 220 of the Polk County Justice Center in Des Moines, Iowa, at 2:00 p.m. on the 3 rd day of October, 2024.
For further details, contact the Clerk’s office.
This case has been filed in a county that utilizes electronic filing. General rules and information on electronic filing are contained in Iowa Court Rules Chapter 16. I nformation regarding the protection of personal information in court filings is contained in Iowa Court Rules Chapter 16, Division VI.
If you need assistance to participate in Court due to a disability, call the disability coordinator at 515-561-5818. Persons who are hearing or speech impaired may call Relay Iowa TTY at 1-800- 735-2942. Disability coordinators cannot provide legal advice.
CLERK OF DISTRICT COURT
Polk County, Iowa
GIS COORDINATOR FIELD DATA SUPERVISOR
The Grundy County Assessor's Office is seeking candidates for the entry-level position of GIS Coordinator/Field Data Supervisor. Hired candidates will receive on the job training in collecting data from real property for the purposes of tax assessment. Responsibilities include performing field inspections of structures; collecting and maintaining property data; providing in-person and telephone customer service regarding information maintained by the Assessor's Office; and other duties as may be assigned. Candidates should be familiar with standard office equipment and with Microsoft Office programs including Word, Excel, and Outlook. Candidates should be capable of working independently, are required to possess and maintain a valid Missouri Driver's License. This position will require frequent walking and bending, and may include exposure to extreme temperatures, Interested candidates should send a resume and cover letter to:
Grundy County Assessor 700 Main St Trenton, Mo. 64683
OFFICE COORDINATOR
The Grundy County Assessor's Office is seeking candidates for the entry-level position of Office Coordinator. Hired candidates will receive on the job training in collecting and verifying data from personal property for the purposes of tax assessment. Responsibilities include providing in-person and telephone help to property owners regarding assessment and other information maintained by the Assessor's Office; establishing and maintaining office files; and other duties may as may be assigned. Candidates should possess a high school diploma or equivalent as well as familiarity with standard office equipment and with Microsoft Office programs, including Word, Excel, and Outlook. Candidates should be capable of working independently, making accurate mathematical calculations, and maintaining professionalism with the public. Interested candidates should send a resume and cover letter to:
Grundy County Assessor 700 Main St. Trenton, Mo. 64683
(8/1, 8/8, 8/15/24)
PUBLISHERS NOTICE
NOTICE: THE REPUBLICAN TIMES AND HONEYCUTT MEDIA, LLC ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY OMISSIONS, MISPRINTS, MISALIGNED OR OTHERWISE MISSING OR ERRANT INFORMATION FOR ANY ELECTION BALLOTS. BALLOTS ARE PUBLISHED AS PROVIDED AND APPROVED BY COUNTY CLERKS.
R-T
left THS quarterback Mason Rongey slings a pass to the flat during football camp Tuesday, July 30. Football begins in earnest August 12.
football camp Monday, July 29.
MISSOURI
Missouri Attourney General’s Primary, A Curious Contrast
The Missouri Attorney General’s office may do more to launch national campaign runs than any state office in Missouri, with the ascension of Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt, both past Missouri A.G’s used their prosecutorial power to advocate for Missouri on the National stage with great effectiveness over the past eight years.
While Missouri’s current governor, Mike Parson, has been risk averse to join Texas’ Greg Abbot, Florida’s Ron DeSantis or Arkansas’s Sarah Huckabee Sanders in antagonizing the Federal Government, the Missouri Attorney General’s office has shown no such hesitation.
Missouri A.G. Andrew Bailey recently filed the federal case of State of Missouri vs. State of New York, relating to the Manhattan District Attorney, Alvin Bragg and New York A.G. Letitia James prosecutions of Donald Trump in New York.
Bailey argues that New York’s criminal prosecution of the President is not aimed at the protection of the law, but rather at entangling Republican nominee Trump in expensive and time-consuming litigation, in effect, denying him the right to get out and campaign, and limiting the access of Missouri voters to their nominee.
It’s not the first such state to state litigation from the Missouri Attorney General’s Office, but on “big” public issues, Missouri, Texas, Louisiana, Iowa and other states tend to be at the logistical forefront of these challenges to federal government overreach, or in the case of “Missouri vs. New York”, a poorly veiled case of election interference.
In another case of local interest, Bailey has taken on Washington University Hospital in St. Louis over their promotion of “gender affirming care”(translation: sex change surgery and puberty blocker drugs) for minors in Missouri.
Bailey is endorsed, like Mike Kehoe, by establishment Republicans of the Old Guard in Missouri. Challenger Will Scharff, a former member of Donald Trump’s legal team in cases over the last two years, is trying to tap the MAGA voter in Missouri to give him a look.
Scharff was most notably involved in arguing for Presidential immunity before the United States Supreme Court in June, a case which went Trump’s way 6-3, ruling that the official acts of the President while in offense have immunity, while private acts do not.
The vote for attorney general requires some research for Republicans to make their choice, but Bailey is criticized greatly within state and local pre-
cincts for a lack of “accessibility” to local and county concerns. Scharff is criticized for early Democratic ties in his formative years, and is relatively new to the Missouri scene. Where Bailey was close to Parson and Senator Josh Hawley, Scharff was a senior advisor to ex-Missouri governor Eric Greitens.
"I think this is going to be a lot of those factors here as far as a microcosm on establishment versus outsider, Trump versus traditional Republican," said one unaffiliated Missouri GOP strategist. "This is definitely going to be a race that's going to show how poignant one side or the other is and if anyone is able to fend off a funded Trump candidate without a lot of baggage at this point, in Scharf's case."--(source quote, ABC NEWS)
"I don't think you're gonna see a lot of policy differences between the two," added the operative, who spoke anonymously to discuss the race. "I think it's just, is being affiliated with Trump more important, ultimately, than anything Bailey could have even done as AG?"(source quote, ABC NEWS)
Bailey was pivotal in the application of pressure to former St. Louis Prosecuting Attorney Kim Gardner, a George Sorosbacked local prosecutor, the prosecutor most responsible for the resignation of former governor Eric Greitens just 18months into his term. Bailey went after Gardner from the jump, ultimately forcing her from office and then fleeing from Missouri to South Carolina to avoid answering to the Missouri State Auditor’s Office for mismanagement of prosecuting attorney office funds.
Scharff, as “Trump’s lawyer” resonates with the Missouri voter who believes that “lawfare”, or weaponized prosecution against Trump(and conservatives) from local, state and federal governments were unfair, and built support for Trump.
Trump has thus far stayed above the fray in putting a thumb on the scale for either candidate. While selection of one candidate or the other is going to come down to “distinctions without differences”, The winner will face Democrat Elad Gross in November. Absentee voting is currently underway through County Clerk’s offices in Missouri, and will conclude on Monday, August 5. As time is short to request ballots by mail, a visit to your county clerk or calling and requesting a “voting team” be dispatched to collect absentee ballots can be scheduled. The Grundy County Clerk’s office phone is 660-359-4040.
Photo/Mark McLaughlin Pictured
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Photo/Mark McLaughlin Pictured right
The THS Bulldogs do “dry run” plays as part of Football Camp July 29-August 2. Camp will be the last off-season set of workouts for the players as they move into the second “dead week” next week before football begins in earnest August 12
R-T Photo/Mark McLaughlin Pictured left Bulldog football camp underway—With summer winding down, the countdown is on for Football Friday nights. Coach Kevin Hixson’s Bulldogs started
Trojanette 14U Team
Front Row: Audrey Runde (Worth), Paizlee Milne (Oregon), Stevie Gaines (Rock Port), Zoey Redmond (Fillmore), Tagen Eversold (Gallatin). Middle Row: Annilea Livengood (Tarkio), Blair Nelson (Ravenwood), Chloe Colescott (St. Joseph), Alayna Shepherd (Clarinda), Jacklyn Kirkland (Kearney), Avah Eckley (Maryville). Back Row: Coaches David Carroll, Adam Kirkland, Joe Shepherd, Jim Defreece. Season Record: 39-11, 1st Place USA Tournament, 1st Place Falls City Tournament, 1st Place OGSA Tournament & 2nd Place Rawlings Mantra Tournament
Photo by David Carroll
Trojanette 8U Team. Summer Tourney Record: 17-6 Top 3 Finishes: All 2nd Place: VIP Series Beach Blast, VIP Series Hoppin Hitfest, VIP Series KC Metro "C" Championship. Front Row: Kendall George - Savannah, Ash Klein - St. Joseph, Amelia Yocum - Mound City, Rebel Becker - Savannah, Laikyn Koehler - St. Joseph, Gia Tucker - St. Joseph, Ian White - Mound City. Middle Row: Izzy Carpenter - Rockport, Teagan White - Mound City, Haylen Williams - Eagleville, AJ Aguilar - Rosendale, Atley Durbin - Avenue City, Vivien Jeffers - St. Joseph. Back Row: Chelsea Becker - Savannah, Kaleb Jeffers - Savannah, Bryce George - Savannah, Kelby Koehler - St. Joseph
Photo by David Carroll
Trojanette 16U Team. Front Row: Lilly Nelson (Plattsburg), Hadley Defreece (Ravenwood), Kaylor Hodge (Trenton), Karydon Jones (Gallatin), Sophia Smith (Mid Buch). Back Row: Sophia Redman (Maysville), Dru Pearson (Mid Buch), Macee Blythe (Savannah), Avery Clark (Trenton), Brynn Bird (Gallatin), Siarrah George (Savannah). Coaches: Bryce George, Josh Redman, Robby Blythe, Andy Pearson and Brandon Jones. Accomplishments include; Season Record: 30-13-2, Finishes: USSSA State Championship- 1st (6-0), Ringneck International Tournament- 2nd (6-1), May Madness- 2nd (4-1) & Six in the Spring- 3rd (5-2-1).
Photo by David Carroll