Local Columnists

The Missourian will take part in celebrating Missouri's open record law as part of Sunshine Week.

The Missouri legislature's support of lessening the tax burden on wealthy Missourians is a travesty that affects the rest of the population and cuts services such as education funding. 

Adventures in editing, translating the work of a fellow author and sending columns through the copy desk at the Missourian provide lessons that help to improve writing.

Contacting your elected representative or senator about your concerns is more effective than complaining and waiting for someone else to take action.

What's in a name? MU professor David Webber explores the possibilities for naming a course about the state of America, and how different names can change the meaning of the course and the questions it raises.

Being in love with a library is easy. They’re loyal. They never let you down. There’s always another book to read. Always.

Republicans' refusal to cooperate with proposed bills is creating a standstill in Jefferson City.

We are being buried by repetitive philippic rhetoric as different political parties argue over the upcoming budget cuts and sequestration.

The sequester was, and remains, a bad idea, conceived in haste and doomed to failure from day one,as neither side would budge one iota.

Even when we pass a federal law, such as the Affordable Care Act, people are struggling with some states' innumerable attempts to annul them.

Although we watch for specific factors in the economy or society, how do we know if America is in decline?

Copy editors can draw on techniques used by Sherlock Holmes and Perry Mason to solve editing mysteries in their daily profession.

The winter storm resulted in major contributions from Missourian staff and the Columbia community.

The report from the budget people at MU isn't pretty: a forecast $16.3 million shortfall and fewer high school graduates to recruit. Help from the General Assembly? Surely you jest.

Most governments rarely plan further than "tomorrow" for projects, and City Council is forgetting the K.I.S.S. rule – keep it short and simple – with the Providence and other road projects.

Hagel's misstatements and unpreparedness should raise more concerns than senators have voiced.

Economist Tyler Cowen argues in his book that more scientific breakthroughs are needed to spur America's economy, but the real solutions to economic stagnation lie in governing and administrative know-how.

As people grow older, parts of black history falls away, unable to reach future generations.

Last year, the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri gave away 27,401,323 pounds of food. That’s the equivalent of a little more than 21 million meals.

The Missourian sports department was recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors for 11 awards, its most since 2001. The formula: the story less traveled.