This blog features news and commentary from Randy Turner, a former teacher, newspaper reporter and editor. Send news items or comments to rturner229@hotmail.com
When I wrote that a newspaper can succeed in Carthage, some Turner Report readers thought that sentiment was hilarious, that newspapers are dying and GateHouse Media had done Carthage a favor by putting the Press out of its misery.
Less than two weeks after I wrote that post, one newspaper, the Carthage Chronicle, published by Paul Donley, who owns the Jasper County Citizen in Carl Junction, the Sarcoxie Record and the Pierce City Leader-Journal, has already been launched.
Another newspaper that will feature former Press editor John Hacker and financed by Rush/Hoover media group, which includes Carthage native and former Press employee David Hoover appears to be ready to publish by sometime next month.
Judging from what I am hearing, the Rush/Hoover group will stress that the newspaper will be run by Carthage people for Carthage people. Donley, however, was there first and will likely have at least two more issues published to get Carthage residents used to his brand of newspaper before the second newspaper hits the streets.
KODE's Gretchen Bolander broke the news about the Rush/Hoover project this evening..
A survey was commissioned to find out what Carthage readers want from a newspaper. The survey can be found at this link.
Notice is hereby given that the City Council of the City of Joplin, Missouri, will hold a work
session beginning at 5:45 p.m. on Wednesday, September 12, 2018 at Joplin City Hall, in the
5
th Floor Council Chambers, 602 S. Main to discuss the following topic below.
(Author Cynthia Davis, R-O'Fallon, is a former state representative)
It's hard to believe these are grown adults when you watch people getting arrested at a public hearing for something that's supposed to be dignified. Many of the Democrat protesters are treating this hearing as if we were holding an election on whether abortion should be legal in our Country.
The party of the KKK, in favor of killing millions of unborn, Jim Crow Laws, Robert Byrd, sexual perversion, slavery and opposition to the Civil Rights Act now says one moderate Republican judge is an existential threat to our Democracy.
When Barack Obama was in the White house, we knew he would select Supreme Court Justices who believe that babies don't deserve a Constitutional right to life. Historically senators confirmed most nominees if the candidates appeared to fill the qualifications for the office. Now that the roles are reversed, we are seeing obstructionism taken to a new level. Although this was for a different hearing, one of the Congressmen from Missouri handled a protester in another hearing by using his talents as an auctioneer to drown out a disorderly spectator.
My friend, Bev Ehlen, posted that Concerned Women for America was allowed two tickets to attend the hearing. We presume these gallery tickets go to mature, responsible and respectful people to observe the proceedings. We should wonder how these highly limited and valuable seats could have been given to people who would yell out, shout over the Chairman and some appeared to be violent, mentally unstable or good actresses.
At first I thought the Chairman did a horrible job of maintaining control of the hearing. Some insiders say it was all scripted. The Republicans were offering a televised view of the shenanigans of the Left in an effort to let people see their tantrums. I'm not sure that's a good tactic.
While it's true that a lot of people have lost respect for the Democratic Party over this, it's also true that as a taxpayer, I'm not looking for Academy Award level of entertainment. Governmental proceedings should not be for the purpose of manipulating the voters.
By Marine Corps Sgt. David Staten DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, Sept. 11, 2018 — The governors of North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Maryland declared a state of emergency yesterday as Hurricane Florence approaches the East Coast. The storm is forecast to make landfall along the Atlantic coast Sept. 13 as a major hurricane.
(NASA photo taken from International Space Station)
North Carolina
North Carolina will place 320 National Guardsmen on state active duty to integrate into NC Emergency Management’s disaster response plan, National Guard Bureau officials said. There are 7,000 additional North Carolina guardsmen ready to mobilize when called to state active duty by the governor. The North Carolina National Guard’s first priority is safeguarding the lives and property of its state’s citizens, officials said.
National Guard capabilities to support North Carolina in the aftermath of a hurricane include stranded motorist and flood victim rescue using high-water clearance vehicles, warehouse and supply transport, shelter support, food and water distribution, communications support, road closure support and helicopter aquatic rescue teams, officials said.
South Carolina
As of this morning there were about 2,000 South Carolina Army National Guardsmen on state active duty, as well as about 50 airmen, and they will remain on duty as long as needed, according to Army Lt. Col. Cindi King, the director of public affairs for the South Carolina National Guard.
Immediate missions will include aerial and ground support for the South Carolina Highway Patrol if lane reversals are issued and security and assistance for law enforcement officials.
Virginia
The Virginia National Guard is planning to initially bring up to 1,500 soldiers, airmen and members of the Virginia Defense Force on state active duty for possible assistance with the state’s response operations for Hurricane Florence, according to National Guard Bureau officials. Gov. Ralph Northam has authorized up to 6,000 personnel for response operations and those individuals are alerted and on standby.
Potential missions for the Virginia National Guard include high-water transportation, debris reduction, commodity distribution, shelter management assistance and rotary-wing aviation search and rescue, the officials said.
The Virginia National Guard plans to stage personnel at readiness centers in key locations throughout the commonwealth in order to be ready to rapidly respond if needed, National Guard Bureau officials said. Additional soldiers, airmen and Virginia Defense Force members will be on duty in Richmond and at Fort Pickett to provide mission command, logistics, administrative and public information support. Maryland
The Maryland National Guard is ready to support the governor, the Maryland Emergency Management Agency and other partner agencies as they prepare for, respond to and recover from the effects of Hurricane Florence, National Guard Bureau officials said. The Joint Operations Center is manned around the clock, and they are in constant contact with MEMA, ready to respond as needed.
"Military organization and training enables unsurpassed capabilities at home in times of large-scale emergency or disaster response,” said Air Force Brig. Gen. Jeffrey W. Burkett, vice director of domestic operations and force development for the National Guard Bureau. “In other words, the experience and education acquired by National Guard personnel significantly benefits the sense of urgency for us to provide our unique capabilities in times of disaster.”
Isaiah Andres, the 16-year-old son of former KOAM reporter Craig Andres died from injuries sustained during a fall that occurred over the weekend in Kansas City.
Andres, who worked in the Joplin area from 1990 to 1993, is a reporter at KSN in Wichita, Kansas.
"Isaiah was a 16-year-old who always gave me a hug every time he saw me," Craig Andres told KSN. "He always told me, 'Dad, I love you.' "
Isaiah Andres was a junior at Peabody-Burns High School, played football and loved to post photos of sunsets on social media.
Grief counselors were available to Peabody-Burns students Monday and Tuesday.
Anyone wishing to send condolences to the Andres family can mail them to KSN at 823 N. Main, Wichita, Kansas 67203.
(The following address was delivered by Attorney General Jeff Sessions today in Washington in observance of the 17th anniversary of 9-11.)
Thank you Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein and Acting Associate Attorney General Panuccio.
Thank you to Rhea Walker for once again lending your beautiful voice to this ceremony.
And thank you all for being here.
At this very hour 17 years ago, our country was changed forever.
We had been struck with the deadliest attack on American soil since Pearl Harbor.
Nearly 3,000 people lost their lives. More than 1,300 children became orphans and more than a dozen unborn children lost fathers they would never meet.
The magnitude of this evil was overwhelming. And it is still overwhelming to think about.
But in response to this great evil, the American people responded as they always do—with greater goodness, with heroism, and with determination.
Nineteen terrorists infiltrated our borders and targeted innocent people for death. But hundreds of Americans worked together to save lives.
First responders performed one of the most heroic rescue missions in our history.
Hundreds of them gave their lives, saving others, including 72 law enforcement officers from 10 different agencies.
The brave men and women on Flight 93 prevented another target from being hit that day and saved lives.
I was across the street at the Supreme Court that morning, attending the annual judicial conference as I will again this Thursday morning. Those Flight 93 heroes may well have saved our lives.
Over the following months, people gave billions of dollars, thousands joined the armed forces and went off to war. Thousands of them gave their lives. We must remember them today, too.
We should also remember that the Department of Justice was at the center of much of the country’s response. The country faced unpresented security and legal challenges.
At the time, we had no National Security Division. Much of the work was done by the Criminal Division. Some of you here this morning were here on 9/11, too. You participated firsthand. We are grateful for the work that you did in the difficult days that followed.
Today we are better equipped, better prepared and better organized. We have better laws. But there is more to be done as our adversaries have not abandoned their goals.
The terrorist threat did not begin on 9/11. Neither did it end on September 12th. Over the last 17 years, terrorists have been able to inflict other, smaller attacks upon us and our allies, from San Bernardino to Orlando to Brussels.
But, I am exceedingly proud of the relentless and effective work of our National Security Division and the entire Department of Justice. Since 9/11, this Department has secured the convictions of over 580 defendants for terrorism or terrorism-related charges.
Over the last five years, we have charged more than 160 foreign fighters, homegrown violent extremists, and ISIS supporters in more than 45 districts. This past Christmas, the FBI arrested a man who wanted to conduct a terrorist attack in San Francisco.
And we are not letting up: the FBI currently has ongoing investigations in all 50 states.
I am amazed at how effective our team has been in preventing attacks and prosecuting terrorists before they can carry out their murderous aims. Seventeen years ago, few would have predicted that we would go so long without another attack on the scale of what happened on 9/11.
I meet with the FBI Director, his Counterterrorism team, and our National Security Division three mornings a week to discuss the terrorist threat and how it has changed. Today it is often online. A terrorist in Alexandria, Egypt can contact a sympathizer in Alexandria, Virginia in a matter of seconds.
They can plot attacks that can be carried out in a matter of hours.
And so—now more than ever—we have to stay one step ahead of the terrorists at all times.
After all, they only have to succeed once. We have to succeed every time.
It is not enough to prosecute terrorism or punish terrorist acts after the fact. The national, post-9/11 goal is to prevent terrorism.
We must be vigilant. The terrorists are still targeting us. Some seek to infiltrate this country. Others plot from afar. They all want to intimidate us and control us. They reject our culture—our free speech, our freedom of religion, and our democratic republic.
They seek acquiescence and inaction. But we will meet them with resolve.
They seek to impose on us their speech codes, their religion, and their ideology. But they will fail.
We will not yield. We will never yield our freedom, our individual moral autonomy, or our country. We will steadfastly defend our institutions and our way of life.
And so, as we return to our work at the Department today, this anniversary should remind us how important our work is. There is no higher secular calling than to protect the safety, lives and the rights of its citizens. All rights depend upon that.
As we continue our efforts, let us also remember the example of service and dedication that so many law officers and first responders set 17 years ago—as they lay down their lives for their neighbors.
And it is appropriate on this day of remembrance to pause to consider the role and importance of this historic and great Department of Justice in the life of the nation we serve. And we serve more than a nation—we have a duty to millions of Americans.
We have been given a legacy, a trust, from the American people. Those here and serving 17 years ago understood and rose to the occasion.
With dedication and long hours, facing great uncertainty, with judgment and courage, they met the challenge of their time. They held our banner high. Let us do likewise today and every day that we are honored to serve this great nation. Thank you.
Nearly half a million dollars was spent in the 32nd District State Senate Republican primary battle between Rep. Bill White, R-Joplin, and former Joplin Area Chamber of Commerce President Rob O'Brian.
Thirty-days-after-the-election reports filed by the candidates show White spent $353.416.73 during the campaign period, while O'Brian spent $141.305.55.
The White campaign was $295,000 in debt at the end of the primary, according to the report, with nearly all of the debt coming from White loaning money to his campaign. O'Brian's campaign reported $56.999 in debt, with the candidate also loaning his money most of that amount. White received $11.841.05 in the first few days of August, with that amount including a maximum $2,600 contribution from Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, Santa Cruz, California.
White reported spending $24,202.36 in the week before the election, while O'Brian made a last minute advertising blitz, spending $66.110.44.
The late advertising did not help the O'Brian campaign as final election results show White defeated O'Brian in every single Jasper County precinct, with the former Chamber leader, who was endorsed by the man he hoped to replace, term-limited Sen. Ron Richard, R-Joplin, losing by far greater margins in Joplin precincts than he did elsewhere in the county.
The final vote total was 9,988 for White and 5,467 for O'Brian.
A candlelight vigil for Sarah Burton, 28, Joplin, who has been missing since July 16, was held Monday night at Mercy Park.
The Joplin Police Department has posted Burton's photo and information multiple times since the disappearance was first reported and posted the following message Monday.
We have spoken to many people and followed many leads, but we still need that one piece of missing information or that one person to come forward. Her family deserves answers. This case isn’t going away as we continue to investigate it. 417-623-3131
KSN quotes Burton's father, Ronald Burton, as saying, "My hope is that God is watching over my daughter, and time will bring her home."
Yesterday marked Governor Mike Parson’s 100th day as the Governor of Missouri after being sworn in June 1, 2018. During the first 100 days in office, Governor Parson signed a balanced state budget, appointed Mike Kehoe as the new Lieutenant Governor, signed the state’s largest single-year income tax cut, led Missouri’s drought relief efforts, and made 62 appointments.
On August 27, 2018, Governor Parson made his first Cabinet appointment. Sandra Karsten, who had previously served as Colonel for the Missouri State Highway Patrol, was named Director of Public Safety.
During his first 100 days in office, Governor Parson has traveled to all 34 state senate districts across the state, focusing on two key priorities: Workforce development and Infrastructure. “In order to move Missouri forward, we must get these two issues right,” said Governor Parson. “Business, community, and local leaders across Missouri all agree that we need to rethink how we train our workforce and address our infrastructure needs. Our next generation is counting on us to ensure they have better opportunities to succeed.”
Part of Governor Parson’s focus on workforce development is ensuring that Missouri students and workers are given the skills and tools to be successful. “The jobs of tomorrow are high tech and high skill. Our schools play an important role in preparing our students to enter the workforce. In order to compete on a national level, we must push ourselves to do better,” Governor Parson said.
In addition, Governor Parson’s vision of making Missouri the “Best in the Midwest” is addressing the state’s infrastructure needs. Missouri has the seventh largest highway system in the nation, and ranks 46th in revenue per mile. “Our roads, bridges, airports, railways, and river ports are our outlets to expand Missouri business, generate future growth, and expand to new emerging markets across the globe,” Governor Parson said. “Addressing Missouri’s infrastructure needs is long overdue, and now is the time to take action.”
Governor Parson is also committed to bridging the urban and rural divide, bringing state, local, and business leaders together to tackle Missouri’s shared challenges. The Governor has spent the first 100 days meeting with leaders across the aisle, both rural and urban leaders, to better understand the issues facing our communities. “Cooperation and collaboration are the keys to bridging this gap,” Governor Parson said. “For all of Missouri to succeed, we need to be united.”
A special legislative session to be held starting September 10, 2018, which will run concurrently with the annual constitutionally mandated veto session will focus on legislation involving increased access to STEM education in Missouri high schools and the expansion of the state’s drug treatment courts. This session is expected to end on Friday, September 14, 2018.
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.” Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)
Moving from my old home to a new one created a lot more problems than I had anticipated. Trying to downsize was a huge issue since I was moving from a 5 bedroom to a 3 bedroom home. And of course, all the paperwork created a near migraine by the time it was finished.
One dilemma that was totally unexpected was changing my address. I thought I was ahead of the game when I bought four packages of “I’ve Moved!” cards to send to friends until I realized that the cards got packed in the move and were not found until a year later.
Fortunately the post office forwarded my mail from my other home for a few months which helped as I notified insurance agents, medical facilities and credit card companies of the address change.
But for six months after the move, I kept receiving mail at my new home that belonged to the previous home owners. I would write “doesn’t live here anymore” and put it back in the mailbox but I continued to receive letters from the same companies over and over. It was almost as though the senders didn’t believe my message written on each envelope.
It occurred to me that sometimes as Christians we are viewed in that same way. When we give our lives to the Lord, we are told to “forget the former things” as the Scripture from Isaiah says. But, as sad as it is, too often there are Christian brothers and sisters who do not.
They may not speak openly about what you did or didn’t do before you gave your heart to the Lord but their actions and glances are every bit as loud as a spoken word. And while God Himself assures us that He forgives and forgets, some do not.
My friends, if that is where you find yourself today, please remember what your new “home” is filled with: room after room of forgiveness and grace and mercy. Pray for those who feel the need to judge you by your past; pray that they will truly experience becoming a new creation, as you are in your new “home.”
Maybe my old “home” was larger with more storage…but it does not compare to my new “home” in Christ. Just as the message I wrote on those envelopes, you too can live with confidence in knowing that God does not judge us by how we lived in the past. Nancy doesn’t live there anymore.
Father, I praise you today for your forgiveness and mercy and for creating a new me when I turn my life over to you. Show me the new life that you have for me. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
R.A.P. it up . . .
Reflect
Have you ever had someone make a comment or look at you in a way that let you know they remembered your past before you came to the Lord?
What was your first reaction when that happened? Application
Make note cards with today’s Power Verses on them.
Place them around your home, in your Bible, in your car and in a cabinet to remind you about your address change when you turned your life and “home” over to the Lord.
Power Verses
Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV) “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”
Isaiah 43:16 (NIV) “…For the past troubles will be forgotten and hidden from my eyes.”
II Corinthians 5:17 (NIV) “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”
