The convention is shaping up to be one of the top Republican gatherings of the year and will feature speakers, political and policy workshops, educational seminars, and networking opportunities and events.
Everything you need to make your plans to attend is available on this web site, so check back often and register now!
As we take time to reflect on the 10th Anniversary of a day none of us will ever forget, let us come together to grieve, to remember, to express our gratitude to those who demonstrated what it is to be a hero, and pledge ourselves to live in honor of their bravery. Post courtesy of Schreiman Orchards of Waverly, Missouri, in eastern Lafayette County. |
The Missouri State Fair Is Here
It is August, meaning one of the biggest events of the year is here. The annual Missouri State Fair is back in Sedalia.
Aug. 11-21 marks the culmination of an active summer for hundreds of folks from rural Missouri. Most of their summer is spent in varying competitions at county fairs, in an effort to make it all the way to the State Fair. Agriculture is at the heart of this annual event.
Missouri has had a state fair since 1901. Regardless of any changes in the past 110 years, one thing has stayed the same at the fair: agriculture. In fact, it was a group of livestock breeders who got the ball rolling to start a fair in the late 1800s. This led to legislation in the Missouri General Assembly in 1899. After that, the State Board of Agriculture toured the six locations that were finalists for the permanent location of the Missouri State Fair: Centralia, Chillicothe, Marshall, Mexico, Moberly and Sedalia. The site was chosen based on proximity to the Missouri River and railroads. Plus, land was donated to the state specifically for this purpose.
Among the highlights this year will be the Rural Lifestyles Showcase. This is an opportunity for folks to learn about rural Missouri and to incorporate rural living into their everyday lives. This will include demonstrations by 4-H and FFA, “Celebrate Missouri Gardens,” Family Living and the farm toy show.
There are other events at the fair, including days set aside for different groups: “Military Appreciation Day,” set for Aug. 14; “Farm Family Day” on the 15th; and “Missouri Farmers Care Food Drive Tuesday,” which will be Aug. 16. Plus, there will be numerous shows on the grandstand.
I am looking forward to the fair, and the weather looks to be cooler than what we have seen not only in past years, but just the past month here in Missouri. I look forward to seeing you and your family in Sedalia Aug. 11-21 for the Missouri State Fair. If you would like more information about the fair, long on to www.mostatefair.com or call 800-422-FAIR (3247).
As I write, the floods affecting so much of our area is heavy on my mind. Unlike in 1993, we are not piling sandbags in the rain. Today’s floods are the direct side effect of government gone wild.
Today, boils and seep water have already ruined thousands of acres of crops. And tired levees, not built to withstand weeks of the Big Muddy’s current volume, are at a daily risk of giving way.
Unlike most “natural disasters,” this one could have been avoided. That reality makes this a tougher pill to swallow on neighbors who have homes and livelihoods threatened by the water. Soon, local residents may boat their way alongside the tops of electric poles to find their century farm, while bureaucrats continue to put fish and birds over the needs of everyday Missourians.
The 2011 flood started in late May, when the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced they would begin dumping thousands of gallons of water every day at Gavins Point Dam, along the Nebraska-South Dakota border.
On June 1, the Corps was releasing 80,000 cubic feet of water per second. By June 15, the amount nearly doubled to approximately 150,000 cubic feet per second. In addition, the 150,000 cubic feet per second release will continue through August.
There are 7.48 gallons in every cubic foot of water. For a visual, consider the water towers in the local communities of Atlanta, Slater, Waverly, Norborne and Lawson. All that water storage is near the amount the Corps will purposefully release into the river EACH second. Hopefully, by then, the threat will have passed, but the damage will already be done.
Corps officials blamed this year’s flood on the excessive rainfall between May and June, farther upstream. Why the water was not released earlier from these dams is beyond me. And, if cold weather and ice are to blame, appropriate measures should be taken now to invest in proper plans and technology to avoid this from ever happening again.
While many Missourians have been leery about reviewing the way the river is managed, it does not seem it could get much worse. The current management plan that the Corps has in place is also a culprit. Every year, we talk about the spring rise and every year, and there is a clash of ideas between the Corps and just about everybody else.
It is important to note, the federal government is spending $73 million on wildlife restoration, but only $6 million on operations and maintenance of the Missouri River. I do not mind taking care of God’s creation, but putting humans last is no way to operate.
This year’s flooding puts the spotlight on the Corps once again, and a lot more folks are listening than ever before. I am sure a solution will be reached, but it is sad that it will take another prolonged, man-made flood to get something done.
