Opinion

Merlyn Johnson: What to know on education amendments
On the General Election ballot on Nov. 5, two amendments proposing to allocate funds to public education — Amendment 2 and Amendment 5 — will be presented to voters.
LETTER: Cheers and jeers
As many of you know, I lived in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex for a little over 30 years, and I did take the daily newspaper, Fort Worth Star Telegram. Once a week, they had a section in the paper for their letter writers called “Cheers and Jeers.
LETTER: A thank you to all
Thank you to everyone who attended the inaugural Heritage Festival at the Depot and park in Wheaton on Oct. 12.

Jeff Fugitt: The spectrum of seasons
We read in Ecclesiastes 3:1, “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens.” I love spring with all the excitement of new things. As temperatures rise, flowers bloom.

Kyle Troutman: Joy and despair
You can’t win ‘em all. That’s about all I could think to say on Tuesday morning after a wild weekend in Wildcat athletics.

Jeremiah Buntin: Halloween in the Ozarks
Just like most regions in the country, many folks in the Ozarks historically enjoyed celebrating Halloween. Celebrations were typically expressed in the form of either pranks or parties.

TroutMom Says: ‘I don’t know what choice I would have made – when I had a choice’
One of the major platforms in this 2024 election is a long-time sensitive and hot-button issue with extremely emotional arguments on both sides of the fence — reproductive rights. Since the overturning of Roe v.

Kyle Troutman: Who needs sleep?
As I was posting my football live updates article on Friday from the sidelines of the field at Wildcat Stadium, a Cassville sports mom posed a question to me — do you ever sleep? This week — really this month — sleep is or the weak. I am frequently asked how I can seemingly be everywhere, and frankly, it’s just the job.
Is two cups of coffee worth it?
Dear Editor: Do the math — will the price of two cups of Starbucks coffee make our kids better educated? Amendment No. 2 would allow the Missouri Gaming Commission to regulate licensed sports wagering including online sports betting, gambling boats, professional sports betting districts and mobile licenses to sports betting operators State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick’s office estimated unknown tax revenue ranging from $0 to $28.9 million annually.

Kyle Troutman: Pink inspiration
It’s no secret, October is for pink. For nearly 40 years, October has been dubbed Breast Cancer Awareness Month, with the iconic pink ribbon symbolizing one of the most successful awareness campaigns since 1991.