Guest Commentaries

Ron Murray lost his kids for four months and spent 36 days in jail for complying with a judicial custody order. The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals has no problem with that.

Toys and games may be on the Christmas list, but a MOST 529 college savings plan helps parents save for their children's college education

Raising the minimum wage would increase purchasing power for the poorest Americans.

The American people have made it plain that they don't want draconian sacrifice; they don't want any sacrifice at all. They want all the benefits due them (plus 10 percent) and they want someone else to pay for it.

The shift in Congress following the midterm elections can significantly impact regulations in the 2008 farm bill and any repercussions on the meatpacking market.

In Missouri, the cost of an average Thanksgiving meal for 10 is actually down five cents from 2009.

It is time to ask Missouri citizens who smoke to do their parts in helping us cover their expenses.

After being escorted from the lobby of a hotel while she was waiting for a paying guest to meet her, a diversity pro describes being "blindsided" by the event and offers solutions for future difficult conversations.

Cutting the program would waste money and could force 30,000 manufacturing workers out of their jobs. Refurbishing older aircraft would not help military or budgetary needs.

Nov. 11 is Veterans Day in the United States. The diverse population of veterans is something that one American Legion commander is proud of and happy to celebrate.

Proposition A has unearthed discussion across the state about whether voting on the issue of earnings taxes should be contained to local voters or extended to voters across the state.

This administration and Congress finally were able to pass legislation ending discrimination against women, who will now be able to look forward to higher pay and move closer to equal pay for equal work. Thanks also are due for work on clean energy.

Proposition B is mainly known through Columbia as the “Puppy Mill Cruelty Prevention Act.” So why would a longtime trainer, exhibitor, local and national club member and instructor of dogs be against Proposition B?

A change in state law is the only way to make sure a local earnings tax doesn’t gain traction in your community.

Recent high-profile suicides of young gay and questioning men highlight the need to end bullying and harassment.

If elk are released in Missouri, expect injuries and vehicle damage on Missouri's highways.

The Missouri Conservation Commission advocates the reintroduction of elk to the state. The proposed plan includes 150 of the animals being placed in a southeast Missouri "restoration zone."

Going the wrong way — whether on the football field or in the Atlantic Ocean — sometimes works out for the best.

A recent meeting about reintroducing wild elk into parts of Missouri showed that landowners have unanswered questions and remain skeptical about whether they would benefit from the plan.

 Proposition B, which will be presented to voters on the November ballot, would put regulations into place that would encourage more humane treatment of dogs in large- scale breeding operations.