News

Research into Clay County history reveals white people sold black people on the county courthouse steps in the 1800s, a common occurrence in Southern states. Vivid historical descriptions of slavery talk about requiring people to wear identification tags, about scars from chains and whips, rapes, murders and as many humiliations as soulless people could concoct. Such acts occurred in the city where I once lived – a place called Liberty, ironically.

LIBERTY – With a controversial $20 million annex replacement project in progress, and with two out of three commissioners out after the Nov. 3 elections, Presiding Commissioner Jerry Nolte wants to put the annex project on hold.

EXCELSIOR SPRINGS – The first day of the last year at Westview Elementary School found Hunter Happy, 9, walking with his mother, Kayla Happy, to the door. He wore a camouflage mask, and matching clothes.

LIBERTY – Voters will determine Clay County’s future at the polls Nov. 3.

GILBERT, Iowa – After the day’s meals are done, Deb Purcell, Gilbert Community Schools director of food service, shuffles through a stack of papers. Gilbert, a town north of Ames in central Iowa, serves about 1,400 to 1,600 meals a day.

WASHINGTON – Stimulus funds and the U.S. Postal Service affect millions of Americans – from Ray and Clay counties to all points across the nation – and Congress is divided along party lines about handling each issue.

WASHINGTON – If a low-income family’s child cannot go to school to learn, then denying that child access to the free or reduced-price school food programs is unacceptable, U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II said last week.

LIBERTY – Voters who decide Clay County’s future at the polls Nov. 3 may be influenced by the political campaigns conducted by opponents and supporters.

JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway answered campaign-related questions after a video press conference, just as her opponent, Gov. Mike Parson, has done with questions from this paper.

EXS – During the successful campaign to replace Westview Elementary School and make improvements at other schools, suggestions arose that the district would raise the tax rate. The school board proved those suggestions had no merit last week by setting the same tax rate as last year.