Opinion

As I near the end of my second term as Chief Justice, I would like to share the incredible journey I’ve had visiting all 46 judicial circuits in Missouri over the past two years.

It’s funny how connection works. You can go looking for it in all the obvious places – shared interests, family ties, long-held friendships – and come up empty. Then, out of nowhere, it can surprise you.

I used to think the definition of a small town was simple: it was all about population. Growing up in Excelsior Springs, it felt obvious.

Most of us will never know what someone else is carrying. We walk past each other in the store or cross paths at work.

We say it all the time – be kind. We write it on bumper stickers, hang it on classroom walls and post it on social media with pastel backgrounds and pretty fonts.

The house has been too quiet this week. No heavy paws shuffling down the hallway.

Dear Editor, I am writing to urge you and the public to condemn President Trump’s cuts to important programs like Head Start. The main problem I have with such cuts is that they offer no alternative to what would otherwise be a perfectly acceptable policy or program.

My mom has always been the toughest person I know. She embodies resilience in a way that goes beyond the typical no-nonsense strength of mothers; there’s a fierce determination in her spirit that’s truly inspiring.

Dear Editor, On May 1, a small group of 10 to 15 Cameron Road Neighborhood Association members attended a town board meeting in Mosby at their town hall.

I recently fell down a Tik-Tok rabbit hole – which is how all great legal discoveries begin, right? – and came across a video listing strange Missouri laws. Most of them were things you’d expect from a state that once tried to regulate where you can bathe your mule ... don’t ask.