Editorials

    It’s December, well almost, and that means there are lots of Christmas activities being planned throughout the area. Make sure you take part in some of your local events that are being planned over the next few weeks.

    When you get done feasting on Thursday and making your plan of attack for “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday,” be sure to keep in mind a couple of other special days coming up that can make a big impact on our local community. Make sure you participate in “Small Business Saturday” and “Giving Tuesday.”

By Phill Brooks
    Missouri voters delivered an unusual collection of eclectic, but also selective election results this November. By a significant majority, Missouri voters elected a conservative Republican, Josh Hawley, to the U.S. Senate. Yet, by an even greater margin, Missourians approved legalizing medical marijuana.

    During a gathering of industrial leaders at Cuba City Hall for Manufacturing Day, a topic was brought up during the roundtable about a need for transportation for rural residents that might otherwise not have a good way of getting to work in our area towns. The need is especially serious, given that our area unemployment rate continues to drop, while industries are looking to expand.

By Dean Stansel, Ph.D., Southern Methodist University
    Missouri’s economy has lagged behind the rest of the nation for many years. My recent article in the “Missouri Policy Journal” examined how Missouri’s economy, and its restrictions on labor markets, compare to other states. It’s not a pretty picture, and the voters’ recent approval of a minimum wage increase will only make matters worse.

By Phill Brooks
    I was inspired to write this column by a Missouri newspaper publisher who asked me to dedicate a column to one of the most dominating factors in Missouri's statehouse—voter-approved term limits.