Billy Fisher’s modified, turquoise 1956 Ford F-150 pickup has been a winner at car shows all summer. Saturday, the classic was named Best of Show and won two other categories during the Mercer Homecoming car show.
parade grand marshal
RON KINZLER/Unionville Republican Princeton Post-Telegraph editor Preston Cole waived at people lined up along Main Street for Saturday afternoon’s Mercer Homecoming parade. Cole, who has been the newspaper’s editor for 30 years and who began covering Mercer school sports in October 1974, was honored by the Mercer Homecoming Committee to serve as grand marshal for this year’s parade. He was driven in a Mercer County Sheriff’s Office pickup driven by Deputy Sheriff Trever Ratliff.
Sales tax holiday is
Aug. 2-4
Local taxing entities can’t charge sales tax, either ANNE MARIE MOY
Special to the Post-Telegraph JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. Missouri’s annual Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday begins at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 2, and runs through midnight on Sunday, Aug. 4. During this time, certain back-to-school purchases such as school supplies, computers, clothing and other qualifying items as defined by statute are exempt from all state and local sales tax.
During the sales tax holiday, state and local sales tax will not be charged on the following items: See Tax holiday, Page ??
RON KINZLER/Unionville Republican Per longtime tradition, a color guard from Ragan-Hickman American Legion Post 477 of Mercer led the way for the 2024 Mercer Homecoming parade, held Saturday afternoon. From left: LeRoy Mayes, Denny Hagan, Greg Frost and Red Drabek.
The Mercer Homecoming Committee is the recipient of an $11,500 donation from Holganix, a company that sells products that improve soil health. Shown from left are Gary Porter (who with his wife Lori are generous sponsors of the Mercer Homecoming tractor pull and help prepare the track for the pull), Mercer Homecoming Committee member Jeff Girdner and Todd Boles from Holganix. Many farmers and pullers use Holganix products on their soil, including Gary Porter, and the company wants to “give back” to communities and farmers. Gary Porter farms a five-generation farm. COURTESY MERCER HOMECOMING COMMITTEE
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STORAGE UNITS
Storage Unit For RentLarge 1,500+ square foot storage unit in Modena. $100/month, 2 months free rent for getting it ready to rent. 702-984-8414. 8-1-2tp For Rent - Storage unit. Elm Street Storage, Princeton. 660-748-3619. 8-1-ufnb
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GUNS & AMMO
WOOD’S GUN SHOP
5 Miles South of Ravanna 660-748-5795
9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday 1-5-2023-ufn
Boyer Land Company LLC
Aaron Franklin, Sales Agent Princeton, MO 64673 660-748-6314
YOUR REAL ESTATE SPECIALIST! 1-5-2023ufn
NO HUNTING
NOTICE - Hunting and trespassing with dog and/or gun, trapping or fishing on land owned or leased by the undersigned is strictly forbidden. You are hereby warned to keep off these properties. Trespassers will be prosecuted.
No tresspassing for any reason on land that we own or lease. John & Linda Baughman. 9-28-23-52tp
No hunting, fishing or trespassing on property owned, leased or rented by Joe and Victoria Ryan. 4-27-23-52tp
Absolutely no hunting or trespassing on Highland Farms land owned and operated by Dixie Berger, Joe Berger & Steve Berger. 5-16-24-52tp
Absolutely NO TRESPASSING, including but not limited to hunting, fishing, hiking, mushroom hunting and drones on land owned and/ or rented by FRJ Family Farms, LLC. 3-23-23-52tp
Absolutely no hunting or trespassing on land owned by Barbara & LeRoy Hider 10-10-23-52tp
NO HUNTING OR TRESPASSING on any land owned by LAKE MARIE PROPERTY OWNERS ASSOCIATION. 7-28-23-52tp
No hunting or trespassing of any kind, including but not limited to use of dogs or drones, on land owned by Diane Houk and Jenny Bomgardner. 9-28-23-52tp
Absolutely NO TRESPASSING, including but not limited to hunting, fishing, hiking, mushroom and drones on land owned and/or rented by KRW5 Trust (Keith or RaeLynn Weaver) 10-5-23-52tb
No hunting or trespassing on any land owned by Bill and Peggy Heck. 5-30-52tb
No hunting, trespassing or fishing on property owned, leased or rented by Shirley or Joe Don Pollard. 4-19-24-52tp
Absolutely no hunting or trespassing on Choate property at any time. 3-28-24-52tp
Absolutely no hunting with guns or dogs, fishing, or trespassing on land owned by Berndt Farm and Berndt Twin Lake Inc 11-10-23-52tpP
No hunting or trespassing on Cox family property - Andy and Donna Cox, and Robert and Tina Cox. 12-3-22-104tpP
No trespassing on property owned by Shandra Morin 4-11-24-52tp
Oak Grove woman falls from ATV, is injured
She was rolling up vehicle’s window after it started raining Princeton Post-Telegraph MODENA, Mo. An Oak Grove woman was injured when she fell out of an ATV last Monday night (July 22).
Information in an online report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol indicated that Tammy Gant, 58, was the passenger in a 2019 Polaris Ranger being driven north on Mercer County Route A, three
miles north of Modena. She was in the process of rolling up the passenger side window when she fell out of the ATV, coming to rest in the northbound lane. The report said it was raining at the time of the incident, which was the reason for her falling out of the vehicle.
Gant, who was not wearing a safety device at the time of the incident, received what the Highway Patrol report said were serious in-
SS benefits are taken away. The earnings test no longer applies after you reach your FRA and, if you turned 64 this year, your FRA is 67. Self-employed individuals are also subject to an hourly limit of 15 to 45 working hours per month in their first year of early retirement.
This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC (Association of Mature American Citizens) Foundation’s staff, trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity. To submit a question, visit our website (amacfoundation. org/programs/social-security-advisory) or email us at ssadvisor@ amacfoundation.org.
Russell Gloor is the national Social Security advisor for the AMAC Foundation.
Olympians used garlic
From Page 12
Plant individual cloves 2-3 inches below the soil line with their pointed sides up. Spacing should be about 6 inches within rows. Purchase cloves from a reliable source rather than from a local supermarket.
As is the case with most vegetables, garlic benefits from adequate amounts of water. If natural rainfall is not sufficient, use supplemental irrigation.
Weed control also is important since garlic does not compete well with weeds.
In the Midwest, garlic usually is ready to harvest from between the second week of July through the first week of August the year following its planting. When harvesting, dig the bulb with its leaves attached. Let harvested plants air dry before brushing off excess soil and storing in a cool location.
For those who enjoy garlic in their cuisine but fear the offensive aftereffects, Trinklein recommends drinking lemon juice, which can help to alleviate garlic breath.
He now shares the title
Over the years, David Rush has earned 171 Guinness World Records by covering his head with shaving cream and then catching table tennis balls in the foam. Until now he had a partner. This time he bounced the table tennis balls off a wall himself. But, alas, he didn’t outscore the current title holder; he just matched him. And so he now shares the Guinness title with a co-holder.
S-s-snake
You can expect to run into a snake or two while wandering in a forest, a swamp or a desert. Perhaps the last place you might expect running into a serpent-on-the-loose is amid the hustle and bustle of the streets of New York where the city’s “finest” found themselves looking for a runaway boa constrictor on the loose recently. The NYPD round up the runaway snake in the upper West Side and turned it over to the Animal Care Centers of NYC.
“See how you like it”
Keep America Beautiful reports that 90% of Americans agree litter is a problem in their community. One town, Babylon, Long Island, N.Y., has launched an “Operation Clean” campaign, what you might call a “see how you like it” crusade. It got started with a TV ad featuring a garbage truck dumping its load on the lawn of an alleged particularly barefaced serial litterer.
A calcitrant cat
A cute kitten got itself stuck between the double-tires of a semi-truck on the Ohio Turnpike. It was discovered during a routine inspection. They tried to rescue he kitten but one of its claws was stuck in a tire, according to the Ohio State Patrol. But, as the saying goes,“All's Well That Ends Well.” One of the tires was removed, giving the rescuers easy access and they wasted no time turning over to the Portage Animal Protection League.
Princeton
juries. Mercer County EMS personnel took her to Harrison County Community Hospital for treatment.
The ATV was being driven by Gant’s husband, John Gant of Oak Grove. The Highway Patrol noted that he was wearing a safety device, but didn’t have insurance on the ATV.
The Mercer County Sheriff’s Office and the Mercer County Ambulance District assisted the Highway Patrol at the scene.
From Page 3
uments verifying their identity, lawful status, Social Security number, proof of residency, and official name change if needed. Anyone wishing to apply for a REAL ID-compliant driver license or ID card must notify the person assisting them at the start of their transaction. When will REAL ID requirements start being enforced?
In 2021, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security extended the REAL ID enforcement deadline to ease the burdens caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. REAL ID will now be enforced starting May 7, 2025. Where can I apply for a REAL ID?
Residents can apply for a REAL ID-compliant driver license or non-driver identification card at one of Missouri’s many contract license office locations. The transaction and processing fees for a REAL ID-compliant driver license or ID card, new or renewal, are the same as for a license or ID card that is noncompliant with REAL ID. Detailed fee information can be found at https://dor.mo.gov/driver-license/resources/license. html#fees.
Why are these changes being made?
The REAL ID Act was passed by the U.S. Congress in 2005 after the 9/11 Commission recommended the federal government set new standards for the issuance of identification in an effort to achieve enhanced security.
Missourians can learn more about REAL ID at https://dor.mo.gov/driver-license/issuance/real-id/. Information is also available on the TSA website at tsa. gov/real-id and on the DHS website at dhs.gov/real-id.
World’s biggest bike
Netherlander Ivan Schalk built a bicycle for more than just two. It’s 180 feet and 11 inches long - big enough to handle a bunch of bikers and to win a page in the Guinness Book of World Records. It actually started out as a bicycle built for two with one biker steering up front and another peddling back in the rear. However, in order to win the Guinness prize, they added more pedals and more team members.
It’s not a UFO
It’s rare but "hole punch clouds" are real. It happens when an aircraft passes through a cloud and “the air around its wings and body expands and cools,” according to The National Weather Service. The NWS calls it a “fallstreak hole” and noted that it apparently occurred recently over Vermont and New York's Champlain Valley. It’s a phenomenon that can leave behind it cloud formations that used to be blamed for UFO sightings.
‘Buzz’
Don’t dismiss it if your child is afraid of the “monster” in her bedroom; check it out. A North Carolina mom, Ashley Class, didn’t believe it when her three-year-old daughter told her that there was a “monster” hiding behind the wall in her bedroom. But when mom and dad heard odd, buzzing noises they called beekeeper Curtis Collins to check it out. Collins discovered the noises were coming from some 50,000 bees hiding inside the walls.
Now ‘hair’ this
Helen Williams was, apparently, not content with her Guinness Record for making the world’s longest wig that measures 1,152 feet and 5 inches in length. She said, "as a professional wigmaker, I look forward to breaking many more records in the wig category." It took her a month, but she now has a new Guinness award for producing a wig measuring 11 feet, 11 inches wide.
SS credits From Page 12
baseball
Why I’m against Amendments 1, 4
PAUL HAMBY
Special to the Post-Telegraph
MAYSVILLE, Mo. Two questions will be on all Missouri ballots on Aug. 6. Both questions propose changes to Missouri’s Constitution and were created by your Missouri state legislature. Both are bad when you look at them in the big picture.
Amendment 1 (SJR 26) is anti-free market and an example of the government picking winners and losers.
Amendment 1 would allow the General Assembly to exempt from property tax all real and personal property used primarily for the care of a child outside of his or her home. This is essentially a subsidy for families that elect to send mom into the workforce rather than stay home to raise her own children.
Families that elect to raise their own children will pay more taxes to make up for the break given to the childcare facilities, many of which are for-profit organizations.
A stay-at-home mom who is augmenting her household income by babysitting children in her own home, will not qualify for this tax break.
David Stokes of the ShowMe Institute explains why this is a bad idea: “The property tax base should be set as wide as possible so that the tax rates can be as low as possible for all taxpayers. Shrinking that tax
She’s old and sassy
LIBERTY THOUGTS
base does real harm, no matter how sympathetic the cause may be. Missouri voters should keep that in mind when they choose in August.”
Do we want more mothers at home with their children?
Or do we want more children being raised in corporate daycare?
Amendment 4 (SJR 38) goes against our traditions of local control.
“Government closest to the people serves the people best.”
- Thomas Jefferson
It is time to end this idea that legislators in Jefferson City know best for how the Kansas City Police Department is operated. It is time to end state control of the KC Police Department and this amendment does not do that.
I will vote “no” on both ballot questions, Amendments 1 and 4.
Missouri voters will get to decide these two ballot questions along with their parties’ candidates for governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, attorney general, treasurer, all 163 state reps, 17 of 34 state senators, and many local offices including sheriff on Aug. 6.
Paul Hamby is a free-thinking, conservative farmer and small business owner in northwest Missouri’s DeKalb County.
What are the odds that you’ll celebrate your 100th birthday?
The Census Bureau reports that about 101,000 Americans will celebrate their 100th birthdays in 202,4 and that the numbers of centenarians in the U.S. will grow steadily in the coming years. More importantly, the National Council on Aging reports that America’s seniors “are healthier overall and living independently for longer.” Take Helen Denmark in Birmingham, Alabama. She turned 108 years of age recently and says that she stays young by “drinking wine, eating dessert, and flirting with men with mustaches.”
MERCER COUNTY 4-DAY WEATHER
National Weather Service - Pleasant Hill/Kansas City, Mo.
Time of forecast: 6 a.m. Monday, July 29
Thursday, Aug. 1: Sunny, hot, 30% chance; 93/70
Friday, Aug. 2: Sunny, hot; 93/69
Saturday, Aug. 3: Sunny, hot; 92/69
Sunday, Aug. 4: Sunny, hot; 92 (average: 87)
Forecasts reflect daytime high and overnight low temperatures. Weather forecasts change often. Check local radio, weather radio, or the NWS website (www.weather.gov) for the most recent updates.
PRINCETON POST-TELEGRAPH MISSION
STATEMENT (What we try to do every week)
“Gentlemen, we are going to relentlessly chase perfection, knowing full well we will not catch it because nothing is perfect. But we are going to relentlessly chase it because in the process WE WILL CATCH EXCELLENCE.”
Coach Vince Lombardi
THE FIRST AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment for religion, or prohibiting the free exercise there of; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the right of the people to peacefully assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
What is familiar, and what is different
The green version of socialism
Editor’s note: This article first appeared at The American Spectator
DR. MARK W. HENDRICKSON
GROVE CITY, Pa. In my previous column, I described the socialistic character of the greens’ masterplan for American society in the name of “climate change.” In one important way, the current green iteration of socialism is like prior versions: It clearly demonstrates the incompetence of top-down economic central planning. In another way, though, it is strikingly different: There is virtually no rhetoric about uplifting the poor.
Let’s examine the incompetence issue first.
Consider:
• The poster child for green socialism’s absurdity undoubtedly is the embarrassing report that $7.5 billion of government investment has so far only produced “7 or 8” EV charging stations.
• The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that power production from wind is declining even as subsidies to wind energy continue to rise.
Late last summer, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) assessed the five greatest risks to the reliability of the USA’s electric power grid. The top-ranked risk was government energy policy, as the green fanatics insist on replacing time-tested energy sources (primarily fossil fuels) with less reliable and less affordable alternatives (i.e., solar and wind).
Socialistic incompetence is obvious when some of the
FAITH & FREEDOM
planners are pushing electric vehicles (EVs) that increase demand for electricity at the same time other planners are imposing green mandates that hamper the production of electricity. Even when the ill-considered detour into EVs eventually becomes a passé fad and a spent force, today’s anti-reliable, supply-crimping electricity policies should be seen as working against a prosperous future. Artificial intelligence, cloud computing, cryptocurrencies, virtual reality, and who knows what other innovations will require massive increases in production of reliable electricity, but the greens are oblivious to this undeniable reality. Did they not learn that the unprecedented economic progress of the past century-plus was a result of harnessing electricity?
• And let us not overlook the horrific environmental costs of green socialism. Besides being an economic boondoggle, wind energy in particular is causing an environmental catastrophe. Besides killing right whales, wind turbines kill millions of bats, birds (some endangered species) and insects every year. Yet, environmentalists, who once cheered when Uncle Sam would impose a huge fine on an oil company if a couple of dozen birds perished on their property, now call for the number of wind turbines to be massively increased. Greens, who squeal with indignation if a natural gas company lays a 36-inch pipeline anywhere, now call for 100-mile-wide swaths of natu-
ral habitat to be cleared to make room for ever-more turbines and the mind-boggling quantity of transmission lines needed to convey electricity from remote countryside to crowded cities. Plus, wind turbines collectively shed tons of microplastics annually with as-yet unknown consequences to human health through the air we breathe and the water we drink.
Now let’s look at how green socialism is impacting the poor. Other than some pro forma clichés from a few “climate justice” groupies about how the poor should be spared the costs of addressing climate change, we hear virtually nothing about how Team Biden’s green agenda will actually help the poor. Instead, what we have had is a barrage of green policies that mercilessly and relentlessly hammer the poor.
The poor have been smacked with the inflation unleashed by the Biden spending binge to wage his war against fossil fuels. In the first three years of the Biden presidency, the price of heating oil has risen over 60 percent, gasoline 37 percent, and electricity 27 percent. Not surprisingly, since energy costs are embedded in virtually every other consumer price, prices in general have risen substantially, too. These have been tough times for the poor.
And there’s more economic pain for the poor: The Biden Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been issuing regulation after regulation mandating increased energy efficiency for stoves, refrigerSee Green socialism, Page 14
OBITUARIES
Idell Thompson Newtown, Mo.
Idell Lee Thompson of rural Newtown, Mo., died on Monday, July 15, 2024, at Meyer Care Center of Higgingsville, Mo.
Idell was born March 4, 1930, to John David & Hazel Izora (Smith) Sandford in the northwest corner bedroom of the Newtown Hotel. A sister, Mary Sue, was born three years later. Idell attended Fillmore School north of Newtown for grades 1-8 and then Newtown High School until she graduated in 1947. She worked on the family farm for one year and then attended Northeast Missouri State Teacher’s College for two years from 1948-1950, until she had earned sixty-plus hours which enabled her to apply for a teaching job.
In the fall of 1950 Idell took a job at Fairview School, northeast of Lucerne, Mo., for one year and then transferred to the school at Harris, Mo., where she taught for three years. Later serving as a substitute teacher for the school in Newtown.
The love of her life, Earl June Thompson, entered her life in the fall of 1949 when he arrived at the Sandford home and asked for a date. Idell turned him down as she already had a date for the weekend! Eventually she did agree and their first date was around New Year’s Eve 1949, where they went to a movie and then dancing at the roadhouse in Trenton, Mo. Idell took a job at Hallmark in Kansas City during the
summer of 1951 and June would ride the train to his Aunt Louisa’s home in KC so he could spend time with Idell.
June proposed in the spring of 1951, and they were married on August 18, 1951, in Kansas City with her sister, Mary Sue, and June’s brother, Gerald, as the only family attending. The couple planned to honeymoon in Nashville, Tennessee, but traveled as far as Mountain Grove, Mo., when Idell realized they did not have a place to live when they returned to Newtown.
Idell & June rented three rooms in a house west of the Baptist Church at Newtown until the spring of 1952, when they moved to a farm west of town. The couple bought the “Brud” Holt farm west of Newtown in 1958.
Idell returned to teaching in the fall of 1964 and took evening classes at Northeast Missouri State Teacher’s College in Kirksville until she obtained her degree in elementary education. She taught a 4th/5th/6th grade classroom at Ravanna, Mo., from 1964-1967 and then took a fourth grade teaching position at Princeton, Mo., from 1967-1969. In the fall of 1969 Idell began her 23 years of teaching at the Newtown-Harris School where she taught fifth and sixth grades, then kindergarten, and later became the school’s librarian. Idell retired from fulltime teaching in 1991 but did continue to substitute for several years.
Following her retirement the couple wintered in Florida at various locations for several years
and finally purchased a home in The Villages in Lady Lake, Fla. They always planned to return to Missouri in time for spring turkey season.
Idell was well known for her tatting and crochet abilities as well as her “crafting.” Following her retirement from teaching she shared her talents by traveling to numerous craft shows throughout the state and setting up her booth of Thompson’s Funky Junque! She was also an avid reader, sometimes having three or more books in progress at the same time.
In 2015 Idell moved to Higginsville, Mo., and later moved into Meyer Care Center of John Knox Village of Higginsville.
Idell supported her girls in many endeavors as 4-H leader, Advisor for The Order of Rainbow for Girls, Sunday school teacher, Vacation Bible School director, baker of thousands of doughnuts for bake sales, and volunteer for many other activities. She attended hundreds of her grandchildren’s basketball, football, softball, and volleyball games, and one wrestling meet.
She was a charter member of Lucerne American Legion Auxiliary Post 249, serving as president and then as 2nd District president for two years. She was a Past Matron of
Medicine Chapter #140 Order of the Eastern Star and a member of Lucerne Methodist Church. Idell was a past member of the Missouri State Teachers Association and a current member of the Missouri Retired Teachers Association.
Idell is survived by daughters, Shani Kinney of Trenton, Mo.; Sharon Thompson of Alma, Mo.; and Shelly Fauss and her husband, Ron of Corder, Mo.; five grandchildren: Katie Kinney of Trenton, Kenton (Alicia) Kinney of Kearney, Mo., Kade Kinney of Kirksville, Mo., Samuel (Britney) Fauss of Odessa, Mo., and Alexandria Fauss of Orlando, Fla.; one great-granddaughter: Kaisley June Kinney of Kearney; one brother-inlaw: Finis Brundage of Princeton; and numerous nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, and great-great nieces and nephews.
Idell was preceded in death by her husband, Earl June; an infant son, Robert David; son-inlaw, Frank Kinney; sister, Mary Sue Brundage; and her parents.
Graveside services were held on Saturday, July 27 at Newtown Cemetery.
Memorials may be made to the Lafayette County Cancer Coalition or the Mercer County
Library in care of Slater
Neal Funeral Home of Trenton.
LAND TRANSFERS
Friday, July 19
• Timothy Hutchins to Anthony Poch.
Monday, July 22
• Ethel J. Smith to Steven Frantz.
Tuesday, July 23
• Jay Hobbs to K & J Transmission LLC.
• Joseph V. Bellow to John Weir.
• Kevin L. Matson to Brandon K. Matson.
Wednesday, July 24
• Leslie K. Monson, trustee, to Paul Curtis Ellington et al.
Thursday, July 25
• Max A. Edwards to Fred Kolb.
MERCER CO. HEALTH DEPT.
305 West Main, Princeton 660-748-3630
Blood pressure clinics
Friday, Aug. 2, 11 a.m., Mercer County Senior Center, Princeton;
Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2 p.m., Oakwood Terrace, Princeton.
WIC services
Thursday, Aug. 8 and 22, at office, by appointment.
After hours immunization clinic
Wednesday, Aug. 14, 4-5 p.m.
Open lab Friday, Aug. 16, 8-10 a.m., by appointment.
• August is National Breastfeeding Month. To celebrate, the department is holding a meal for all pregnant and breastfeeding mothers in Mercer County on Wednesday, Aug. 7 at 6:30 p.m. at the Senior Center.
• August is also National Immunization Awareness Month. This is a great reminder to get back-to-school shots for students going into kindergarten, sixth grade and 12th grade. Call for an appointment.
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Leadership NWMO celebrates 2024 graduates
Special to the Post-Telegraph JAMESPORT, Mo. Leadership Northwest Missouri (LNWMO) recently held its 2024 graduation celebration at Spillman Event Center.
The evening began with a welcome by emcee Jennifer Jarvis, LNWMO Board president and 2021 LNWMO alum. Deb Powers, Class of 2001, blessed the group with an invocation prior to dinner.
Ethan Piveral, member of the Class of 2024, reflected on the class year sharing memorable moments, followed by a class video presentation. Dr. Tim Crowley shared uplifting leadership thoughts to all in attendance.
Jennifer Jarvis, thanked all program sponsors:
• Affiliate: Community Foundation of Northwest Missouri.
• Platinum: BTC Bank.
• Gold: US Bank.
• Silver: Carroll County Memorial Hospital, Farmers State Bank, Hedrick Medical Center/ Wright Memorial Hospital, Mosaic Health System, North Central Missouri College and Northwest Missouri State University.
• Bronze: Carroll County Chamber of Commerce, Nodaway Valley Bank, Northwest Health Services, St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce, and Trenton Abstract and Title.
Kendra Pickering, executive director and 2022 LNWMO alum, recognized retiring board members: Dr. Kristen Alley, Galt; Marcus Casady, Maryville; Jennifer Jarvis, Savannah; and Heather Nicholas, Burlington Junction.
LNWMO is honored to welcome new board members Sarah Battreall, St. Joseph; Brittany Higgins, Carrollton; Machelle Skinner, Savannah; and Carolynn Sollars, St. Joseph.
Jenna Stevens, Music Jam co-chair and 2021
LNWMO alum, presented the Leadership Northwest Missouri Citizenship Award for 2024 to Shane Lynch, practice manager, Wright Memorial Physicians’ Group and Saint Lukes’s Mercer County Clinic. Lynch, with the help of the LNWMO Class of 2021, created Music Jam which is now gearing up for the fourth year. The event is LNWMO’s top fundraiser and has raised over $30,000 accumulatively and boosts the local economy. This year the event established two scholarships for local
high school seniors with a portion of the proceeds. In Lynch’s professional role, he demonstrates exceptional leadership and volunteerism. He has a strong commitment to the community and collaborates with North Central Missouri College’s athletics department to organize a toy drive to benefit local children.
Jennifer Jarvis presented each of the 24 graduating class members a certificate for completing the program. Graduates from the 2024 class, “Pickering’s Pioneers,” represented the following 12 counties: Jeff Agnew, Ethan Piveral, Atchison County; Sarah Battreall, Isaura Garcia, Victoria Masucci, Carolynn Sollars, Amanda Zessi, Buchanan County; Jordan Wright, Carroll County;
Cydney Andrews, David Woody, Clinton County; Nicole Lynch, Daviess County; Chris Martin, DeKalb; Valarie Shisler, Gentry County; Olivia Burchett, Lauren Dannar, Nevada Fields, Tocarra Williams, Grundy County; Rebecca TenHulzen, Harrison County; Richard Switzer, Linn County; Wes Rockwood, Vanessa Slemp, Ashley Turner, Shelby Wood, Nodaway County; and Rachel Brown, Worth County.
A special thank you to the graduation planning committee from the Class of 2023: Chad Howerton, Jenna Keyes, RaCail King, John Nab, Kerry Savage, and Carrie Watkins.
Leadership Northwest Missouri is a leadership development program designed to bring to-
gether participants from throughout a 19-county region to build, strengthen and inspire leaders through training and networking experiences. This class began in January and continued through July with monthly sessions in various northwest Missouri communities. Classes during the 2024 class year were held in Conception, Chillicothe, Savannah, Carrollton, Maryville, Tarkio and Cameron. Each session contained instruction on various leadership skills, examination of various issues facing the region and hands-on exercises. In addition to education, other regional issues that were addressed included agriculture, entrepreneurship, healthcare, mental health, and economic and workforce development.
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SUBMITTED PHOTO
Shane Lynch (left) received the 2024 Leadership Northwest Missouri Citizenship Award from Jenna Stevens, LNWMO Music Jam chair. Lynch led LNWMO when it created the event in 2021.
Tax holiday
From Page 1
• Clothing that does not have a taxable value of more than $100. Eligible clothing items include any article of apparel intended to be worn on or about the body, including footwear and disposable diapers for infants or adults. Cloth and other material used to make school uniforms or other school clothing are also included. Not included are watches, watchbands, jewelry, handbags, handkerchiefs, umbrellas, scarves, ties, headbands, or belt buckles;
• School supplies, not exceeding $50 per purchase, that are used in a standard classroom for educational purposes. School supplies include, but are not limited to, textbooks, notebooks, paper, writing instruments, crayons, art supplies, rulers, book bags, backpacks, chalk, maps, globes, handheld calculators, graphing calculators that do not have a taxable value of more than $150, and computer software that does not have a taxable value of more than $350. Not included are watches, radios, CD players, headphones, sporting equipment, portable or desktop telephones, copiers or other office equipment, furniture, or fixtures; and
• Personal computers that do not cost more than $1,500 and computer peripheral devices that do not cost more than $1,500. A personal computer can be a laptop, desktop, or tower computer system which consists of a central processing unit, random access memory, a storage drive,
a display monitor, and a keyboard. Peripheral devices include items such as a disk drive, memory module, compact disk drive, daughterboard, digitizer, microphone, modem, motherboard, mouse, multimedia speaker, printer, scanner, single-user hardware, single-user operating system, soundcard, or video card.
Anyone who makes a qualified purchase may participate in the holiday. You do not have to be a Missouri resident or student to participate and save.
Effective 2023, in addition to the state sales tax, local sales tax will also be waived in all cities, counties and special tax districts.
Therefore, businesses with qualifying retail sales for the Back to School Sales Tax Holiday may use the normal filing method for their August 2024 return. Enter total gross receipts for all sales made, indicating holiday sales as a negative adjustment on the return. You will no longer need to file these sales using a separate item code. For more information visit dor. mo.gov/taxation/business/tax-types/sales-use/ holidays/back-to-school/.
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COMMISSION
MERCER COUNTY COMMISSION
Report taken from minutes of meetings of the Mercer County Commission.
All votes are unanimous unless otherwise noted.
Monday, July 22
• Commissioner candidates Gary Porter and Jerod VanGenderen were in attendance.
• Minutes of the July 15 meeting were approved.
• Minutes of the July 15 Board of Equalization meeting were approved.
• Bills were approved and paid.
• Commissioners reviewed engineer consultant packets from Howe Company LLC, Great River Engineering and Hutchison Engineering Inc. Consultant selection rating sheets were completed for Route Bison Place over Muddy Creek, Bridge No. 0790022 BRO-R065 (001); and Route Ebony Street over Brush Creek, Bridge No. 1870002 BRO-R065 (002). Commissioners approved Howe Company LLC for the final phase of construction engineerig on both projects. The consultant selection rating sheets were submitted to Adam Wood at MoDOT.
• The county received the Missouri Department of Revenue report of motor fuel taxes, motor vehicle sales tax and motor vehicle fee increases on July 19 of $55,372.15.
• Sheriff Jeff Spencer spoke to commissioners about jail supplies need-
ing to be disposed of before expiration.
• Commissioners and County Clerk Judy Hamilton signed a certified copy of order authorizing Collector/Treasurer Susan Moore to pay the following as requested by the Recreation Board:
* $7,309.11 to the Stacy Center for operating expenses;
* $6,732 to the Princeton Chamber of Commerce for a Calamity Jane Days event, and $1,316 to the chamber for the Miss Calamity Jane Pageant; and
* $25,300 to the Mercer Homecoming Committee for a carnivval and bands for Homecoming.
The total of $40,657.11 is the total of grant funds available without affecting reserves.
• Commissioners and Hamilton signed a certified copy of order authorizing Moore to pay Cardmember Services $11.89 for a meal. Money was taken from Local Election Authority Fund #41.
• The Putnam County 911 Services Board met with commissioners to discuss dispatch services. Also present were Spencer, Mercer Fire Protection District Chief Billy Fisher and clerk Fran Fisher, and Mercer County Ambulance District Director Doug Priest. They discussed system requirements and availability.
See Commission, Page 7
CAINSVILLE
MELANIE CHANEY
Stoner-Doyle Christmas
The Stoner-Doyle Christmas in July was hosted by Brenda Hines and Ginger Humphrey at the cottage on Washington Street on Saturday, July 20. This year they were joined by sister Mary Moody of Cullman, Ala., and brother Bill Toombs of St. Joseph. Along with their mother, Isabelle Doyle Graves of Cainsville, others attending wer; Rodger Hines, St. Joseph; Elizabeth Hines, Desha, Ark.; Andi and Brandon Self, Alli Self, and Braylon Self of Buckner, Mo.; James Meade, Kyle and Colbie Hines, Kyson Hines, Kendal Stark, Alesha and Brian King, Lexi King, Asher King, Chanse Barnes, Amber Rodriguez, Chloe Myers, Jaysen Williams, Cree Williams, Gracie Everhart, Prestan Payne, all from St. Joseph; Nathan and Jen Guzmann, Pasadena, Calif.; Danny and Bethany Day, Gabby Day, Monica Day, Hailey Peters, Gracelynn Peters, Isaiah Peters, and Kymbree Cannon, all of St. Joseph; Jessi Toombs and Frankie Joy Toombs of Bucklin, Mo.; and Fallon Self of Independence, Mo. Those attending enjoyed good food (chicken from Toot-Toot’s) along with fun activities and prizes. Each family received a personalized Christmas ornament, the family newsletter and a
copy of the newly printed Cainsville News prepared by the Betterment Committee. Isabelle turned 90 on May 28 and was pleased to have her four living children gather in Cainsville for the event, but the star of the gathering was Cree Williams, son of Chloe Myers and Jaysen Williams, born July 9. With the arrival of her great-great-grandson Cree, Isabelle is enjoying her five generations.
This Week’s News
The McLain family Christmas in July was held July 28 at the Cainsville Community Building. Several people attended and had a great time.
Herman and Melanie Chaney attended the Mercer Homecoming car show July 27. That night Brenda Vaughn and Austin Vaughn went with them to the car cruise in Trenton.
Lilah and Lakelynn Chaney spent the night with their grandparents, Herman and Melanie Chaney, on July 28.
Herman and Melanie Chaney went to the ballpark to watch Damien and Levi Chaney run their remote control AC cars on Saturday, July 27. Those things are fast!
The Cain reunion will be held at the ballpark Sunday, Aug. 4 at noon. School starts in approximately three weeks. Open house will be August 20 from 6 to 7 p.m. This is a good time to come in and meet the teachers, bring
your children’s supplies to their rooms and see the new gym floor!
Enjoy your week! Please send me some news for next week.
SENIOR MENUS
All menus subject to change. MERCER COUNTY SENIOR CENTER
Serving from 11 a.m.12:30 p.m. Meals can be picked up at the west door (facing Broadway Street) from 11:30-12:15. Meals served with 2% milk, coffee or tea. All bread, rolls, buns and crackers are whole grain; at least half grains are whole grains. For meal deliveries, call 660-748-3636 by 10 a.m.
Everyone is welcome to eat at the Senior Center. Meals for anyone age 60 and older are a suggested contribution of $5. Meals for anyone under age 60 cost $7.
Monday, Aug. 5: tuna noodle casserole, mixed vegetables, broccoli with cheese, peaches.
refried beans, corn fiesta, tortilla, pears, peanut butter cereal bar.
Thursday, Aug. 8: hot ham and cheese sandwich, carrots, onion petals, croissant, mixed fruit salad.
Friday, Aug. 9: chicken fried chicken, mashed potatoes with gravy, spinach, assorted fruit, bread, banana pudding with vanilla wafer.
Commission
From Page 6
• Gary Eastin spoke to commissioners about an abandoned road in Lindley Township.
• Gary McFee with Howe Company LLC presented certification of plans, specifications and estimate for Mercer County Bridge 252007 BRO-R065 (40).
Krohn, Meinecke earn Academic A-A honors
Special to the Post-Telegraph
TRENTON, Mo. North Central Missouri College athletics has announced that the department had 36 student-athletes receive National Junior College Athletics Association Academic Student Athlete Awards for the 2023-24 school year. Baseball led all teams with twelve individual honorees. Softball had ten players earn the distinction; women's basketball had eight while men's basketball totaled four. Women’s golf rounded out the teams with honorees with two. Thirteen student athletes earned first team status by carrying a 4.0 grade point average (GPA) for the entire school year.
Among the student-athletes being recognized are Mercer County graduates Lauren Krohn and Tori Meinecke.
To receive the recognition a student athlete must earn at minimum a 3.60 cumulative GPA. “I am very proud of our student athlete's that were able to earn this recognition,” said NCMC Athletics Director Nate Gamet. “Being a student athlete is difficult, but these individuals showed what hard work could do. Here at NCMC, we emphasize the importance of academics and our coaches and North Central Missouri College employees play an important role in the success of our student athletes, both on and off the field.”.
Additionally, four of the athletic department’s six varsity teams reached a team GPA over 3.0 to be honored collectively. Those teams were softball (3.55), women’s basketball (3.31), women’s golf (3.19) and baseball (3.13).
Here is a full list of individual honorees.
First team (4.0 GPA): Chloe Bell (softball), Briley Bouma (softball), Rawlins Brant (baseball), Alex Darling (women’s basketball), Kennedy Dickerson (women’s golf), Bailey Fleming (women’s basketball), Julio Guerrero (baseball), Hope Helton (softball), Lauren Krohn (softball), Jacie Morris (women’s basketball),
See All-Americans, Page 10
More scenes from the Mercer Homecoming parade
LEFT - A float representing Wright Memorial Hospital was a top entry.
RIGHT - A snowball fight in July? No, just a young girl throwing white water ballons.
RON KINZLER Unionville Republican
Lynch named to area Head Start leadership position
TRENTON, Mo. Jenny Lewis, a Trenton native, has been named the new Head Start Director of Centers and Administration. She graduated from North Central Missouri College (NCMC) with anassociate of arts degree and with honors from Missouri Western State University with a bachelor’s degree in government and public affairs.
Lewis’ professional career began in 2005 as a case manager for the Third Circuit Treatment Court and then continued to NCMC, where she worked in the Alexander Student Center. She worked in the human resources field for nine years with Saint Luke’s Health System and CFM Insurance. She started with Green Hills Head Start in June 2019 as the enrollment specialist.
Lewis’ professional accomplishments include being a 2009 Leadership Tren-
ton graduate, Employee of the Quarter in 2016 at Wright Memorial Hospital, TEAM certified through NAMIC in 2018, and trained in coaching and facilitating TraumaSmartBadge Copyright outline for Green Hills Head Start employees.
“Jenny has experience and knowledge that will help her lead the Green Hills Head Start program and continue the history of success at the centers,” said NCMC President Dr. Lenny Klaver.
Lewis began her role as the new Head Start Director of Centers and Administration on July 1, succeeding the retirement of the long-time director, Janet Gott. Dr. Klaver expressed his gratitude, saying, “I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Janet Gott for her unwavering commitment to Head Start. In her 32 years of service, Janet has been a driving
force in shaping and growing Head Start in a positive direction. We are deeply appreciative of her leadership, her service, and her generous time to NCMC.”
“I am thankful to continue to work with the amazing team at Green Hills Head Start,” Lewis said. “Head Start is a vital program to our area, as well as nationwide. I look forward to continuing to help families in our region succeed at giving their children the right start to their education, and helping the entire family be successful.”
In partnership with the Head Start Director of Home Based and Early Childhood, Sue Ewigman, Lewis will be the Director of Centers and Administration for the Green Hills Head Start program. Green Hills Head Start is designed to help break the cycle of poverty by providing preschool children of low-income families with a comprehensive program to meet their emotional, social, health, nutritional, and psychological needs. To learn more about Green Hills Head Start, visit https://www.greenhillsheadstart.org/ or contact Head Start at 660359-2214.
Hamilton Airing of the Quilts to feature over 800 quilts Aug.
HAMILTON, Mo. The annual Hamilton Airing of the Quilts will be held Friday and Saturday, Aug. 16 and 17.
Billed as the largest airing of the quilts display in the Midwest, over 800 quilts will be displayed throughout the downtown area, at Hamilton homes and businesses, and at various venues around Hamilton, including the Missouri Quilt Museum. Maps are available at most downtown businesses.
The Airing of the Quilt is a tradition that dates back to colonial times. After a long cold winter, the women would pick a day in the spring to air out and freshen the family’s quilts over a fence, a clothes line, or across the porch. In some communities the quilts were taken out of summer storage and aired in the autumn, just before the cold weather set in. Over time, the local residents would stroll
All-Americans From Page 7
Shodai Nishihara (baseball), Roman Phillips (men’s basketball), and Jordi Ventura (baseball).
Krohn is a 2022 Princeton High School graduate.
Second team (3.80-3.99 GPA): Rafael Calcano (baseball), Joe Clark (men’s basketball), Justin Dameron (baseball), Kiara Franklin (women’s basketball), Micah Johnson (men’s basketball).
Third team (3.60-3.79 GPA): Truman Bodenhausen (baseball), Rylie Boyer (softball), Mary Copeland (women’s basketball), Laydon Fields (baseball), Cesar Grau (baseball), Chloe Helmer (softball), Addison Huber (softball), Aiden van Kimmenaede (baseball), Giovanni Mack (men’s basketball), Tori Meinecke (women’s basketball), Rylee Murray (softball), Mollee Olszowka (women’s golf), Amelia Pingleton (softball), Jessica Reeter (women’s basketball), Cassi Rodgers (softball), Jaxon Tanner (baseball), Oliviya Tinoco (women’s basketball), and Eric Torrero (baseball). Meinecke is a 2022 Mercer High School graduate.
around the town and view all of the many different colorful quilts that were airing out, which brought the townspeople together in a social atmosphere. Often times, a community meal, concert or street dance was added to the festivities. The airing was repeated in late summer or fall in preparation for winter.
Quilts were necessities for warmth, but were also
created and given for babies, for children, and for wedding gifts. Small lap quilts were given to elderly persons at home or in nursing facilities and quilts of valor presented to people in the military. These are timeless traditions that have lasted. There is no charge for the downtown or outdoor exhibits. Wrist bands are required for the indoor venues and the Missouri
16-17
Quilt Museum. There is a $15 charge for the wrist bands. Bands are available at the Museum and all indoor venues.
Hours for the Airing of the Quilts are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.
The Missouri Quilt Mu-
seum is located at 300 East Bird Street in Hamilton, The 2024 Airing of the Quilts is sponsored by the Missouri State Quilt Guild, Ameren, People Service Inc., and All State Engineers.
Pinkeye outbreeak caused by abundance of flies on faces of cattle
University of MO Extension
WEST PLAINS, Mo. An abundance of flies in cow herds is being reported to University of Missouri Extension specialists this summer, increasing the likelihood of cattle health issues, including pinkeye.
MU Extension livestock field specialist Elizabeth Picking estimates face flies are the biggest contributor this year to the spread of pinkeye in cattle.
“I’ve noticed that many producers don’t treat pinkeye until there is a big spot on the eye, rather than catching it early when their eyes are watering and they are blinking or squinting a lot,” Picking said.
Face flies are larger flies that feed on the secretions from eyes, nose and mouth. They’re very good at spreading pinkeye from animal to animal. The economic injury threshold is 10-15 flies per face, the lowest population density of a pest that will cause economic damage.
Clinically known as infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK), pinkeye is a highly contagious bacterial infection in cattle. Pinkeye can cause weight loss, reduce milk production and decrease grazing efficiency. When both eyes are affected, cattle may die from starvation, thirst and accidents. Cattle with lightly pigmented skin around the eyes appear to be more susceptible. Consult your veterinarian about diagnosis, treatment and prevention of pinkeye, said MU Extension specialist in animal health and veterinary toxicology Tim Evans. Prevention is key
• Mitigate factors contributing to ocular irri-
tation, such as dust; mechanical trauma involving plant awns, tree limbs, facilities in disrepair, barbed wire and rough handling; and excessive sunlight, especially after the animal has developed pinkeye.
• Avoid very dusty bedding. Animals should be able find safe shelter from excessive sunlight and extreme weather.
• Clip pastures to remove seed awns and remove low-hanging branches looking for eyes to poke.
• Careful handling of livestock can minimize the risk of eye trauma and stress. Take special care to provide adequate restraint when working around an animal’s head.
• Avoid overcrowding.
• Good nutrition with adequate copper, selenium and vitamin A can also be helpful.
• Ideally, clean chutes with a disinfectant and remove manure.
Fly control strategies
Fly larvae mature in moist places like manure piles and winter-feeding areas. Dragging pastures and feeding areas to break up manure piles and wet feed or hay will dry out those fly larvae habitats. This practice can be used in conjunction with many different types of insecticide control such as:
• Fly tags. Fly tags can be effective on cows and weaned calves. If using fly tags, buy high-quality tags, put them in when fly numbers are relatively high, and remove them in the fall to reduce potential horn and face fly resistance. Using fly tags later in the season with dust baths or sprays earlier in the season can be very effective.
• Dust bags, oilers, back rubbers. Dust bags, oil-
They’re on the loose Lemurs are cute wet-nosed exotic animals found mainly in Madagascar. But a pair of pet Lemurs, belonging to an unidentified resident of Aransas Pass, Texas got away recently and caused quite a stir. They are apparently still on the loose notwithstanding the fact that there have been numerous sightings. One local resident, Spencer Bell said he spotted one of the lemurs on his docked boat. The sighting took place on April 1 and, he said, “everybody thought it was an April Fools' joke.”
ers and back rubbers are most effective when cattle are forced to use them to get to mineral feeders or water sources. Free choice use of dust bags reduces the efficacy by 25%-50% compared to forced use. When using oil, don’t use motor oil, which can cause skin irritation. Quality mineral oil works better.
• Pour-ons and sprays. Pour-ons can provide a few weeks of protection from flies. If using sprays, complete coverage of the animal provides more control. Both pour-ons and sprays need to be reapplied frequently throughout the fly season.
• Feed-through products. Feed-through fly control products like oral larvicides and insect growth regulators prevent fly larvae from maturing in manure piles. Feedthrough products need to be fed continuously, beginning before flies become a problem. Waiting until flies are heavy to begin a feed-through product is not ideal because the active ingredients take time to end up in the cow’s manure. It is suggested to start using a fly control mineral 30 days before the last frost in spring and ending after the first frost in the fall. The downside to using a fly control mineral is that fly populations may migrate from neighboring farms.
• Fly predators. Fly predators are small, non-stinging wasps that lay their eggs in the fly pupa (cocoon) and feed on fly larvae. These wasps do not bother livestock or people. To see a long-term reduction in
flies, new predators need to be added to manure piles every month from April through September. As with the feed-through products, neighboring flies can migrate to your farm, so fly predators are most effective in conjunction with another control method.
Regardless of what application of fly control is used, alternating classes of insecticides from year to year will reduce insecticide resistance in flies for better control, said Picking.
“Using more than one fly control method with differing active ingredients can increase the control of fly numbers,” she said. “Remember to follow label directions for
safe application and follow any withdrawal times listed.”
Vaccination
While there are vaccines to protect against pinkeye, the success rate varies.
There is a way to pinpoint vaccines to a particular herd, Picking added. “Several veterinarians in my area have started swabbing local herds to create their own autogenous vaccine for the area. I know quite a few producers that have gone to using the autogenous vaccines as well.”
The ideal time to vaccinate is before the detection of any clinical signs of pinkeye, according to Evans.
“Although most vac-
cines currently available ‘require’ a single injection, a report from Dr. John Angelos with the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California-Davis suggests that a booster three to four weeks after the first injection might help decrease the number of animals affected and, especially, would help lessen the severity of the clinical signs observed,” he said.
Treatment with patches on affected eyes can decrease healing times. Antibiotics can also be helpful in some circumstances; they should only be used after consulting with your veterinarian, said Evans.
Self-employed need more credits
RUSSELL GLOOR
Special to the Post-Telegraph
WASHINGTON Dear Rusty: For a 30-year period, I was making a living as an independent contractor and freelancer. I was working on behalf of myself. Thus, I was only paying state and federal taxes when applied. Due to changes in the employment landscape, I wish to apply for benefits at age 64, as receiving said SS benefits would serve as supplemental income to what I would be receiving from outside sources.
I recently discovered through the SSA that I do not have enough “points” to apply for Social Security benefits. What would be the method to obtain those required points in order to receive benefits?
Signed: Needing Points
Dear Needing: Social Security is an earned benefit, and eligibility is attained by contributing to SS through FICA payroll taxes, or Self-Employment (SECA) tax on your net earnings from self-employment, over your lifetime. You must have at least 40 “quarters of credit” to be eligible for Social Security benefits - essentially you must work one quarter of each year earning at least a specified amount during that quarter to earn one
SENIOR ISSUES
credit, and you can earn a maximum of four credits for each year you work. The amount of earnings per credit varies each year, but for 2024, work earnings of $1,730 give you one credit (annual work earnings of $6,920 earn four credits). Usually, you must contribute to Social Security for about 10 years to be eligible for benefits. You must have earned at least 40 quarter credits to collect Social Security retirement benefits/ If you have less than 40 you are not eligible for SS retirement benefits.
For self-employed individuals, SECA SS tax is paid when you file your federal income tax return - you pay into Social Security when filing your annual Self-Employment income tax return (the self-employed must pay both the employee and the employer portion of Social Security tax). If you did not file an income tax return for each year over your lifetime you were self-employed, you didn’t earn any SS credits for that year. You pay SECA tax on your NET earnings from self-employment (after all business expenses are deducted).
If you are just a few credits short of the 40
necessary to be eligible for benefits, you can still earn those extra credits needed by working and paying SS FICA or SECA taxes on your work earnings. For each $1,730 earned this year, you will earn one SS credit, up to a maximum of 4 per year. But you must contribute to Social Security from those earnings - if you work as a company employee you will have FICA taxes withheld from your earnings, and if you are still self-employed you would need to pay SECA taxes on net earnings over $6,920 when you file your self-employment income tax return. You would need to do that for as long as it takes for you to attain the minimum 40 quarter credits needed to be eligible for Social Security retirement benefits. (FYI: you cannot “buy” the extra points needed; you need to earn them by working and contributing to Social Security from your earnings).
One final point: whenever SS benefits are claimed before one’s full retirement age (FRA) Social Security’s “earnings test” applies. The earnings test limits how much you can earn from working before some of your
See SS credits, Page 2
Garlic a secret weapon for Olympians
LINDA GEIST
University of MO Extension COLUMBIA, Mo. As the world enjoys the 2024 Olympic Games this summer, the use of performance-enhancing substances will be under close scrutiny. University of Missouri Extension horticulture specialist David Trinklein notes that garlic was given to the original Olympic athletes in ancient Greece to increase strength and stamina. Thus, this culinary staple was perhaps one of the earliest performance-enhancing agents in sports.
Historic documents suggest that for millennia garlic was a popular herbal remedy for a wide array of ailments, Trinklein said. Its nutritional value along with its medicinal
benefits made garlic a highly valued plants in ancient times.
The common name garlic was derived from the Old English word “garleac,” which means “spear leek,” a reference to the lanceolate shape of the plant’s cloves.
Today, we recognize two main types of garlic: hardneck and softneck. Hardneck varieties are considered to be more flavorful and easier to peel than softneck, making them the choice of most chefs. However, hardneck garlic does not store as well as softneck types.
Trinklein suggests that fall is the ideal time in the Midwest to plant garlic. Fall planting allows roots to develop, but not shoots. Shoots that develop will die during the
winter, and the energy used by the plant to produce them will have been wasted.
Like most members of the onion family, garlic prefers cool conditions. It grows best in a sunny location in well-drained yet moisture-retentive soil that is relatively high in organic matter. Well-rotted manure or compost is an ideal amendment to improve organic matter content in garden soils. Before planting garlic, amend soil according to soil test results. In the absence of soil testing, a general recommendation is 3 pounds of a balanced fertilizer, such as 10-1010, per 100 square feet of garden area.
See Olympians used garlic, Page 2
Missouri making it easier for residents to obtain a REAL ID by 2025
ANNE MARIE MOY
Special to the Post-Telegraph
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. The federal REAL ID enforcement deadline of May 7, 2025 is less than a year away and the Missouri Department of Revenue (DOR) is making it even easier for Missourians to apply for their REAL ID-compliant driver license or nondriver ID card. After that deadline, every air traveler 18 years of age and older will need a REAL ID, or another form of identification deemed acceptable by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to fly within the U.S.
A Missouri-issued REAL ID-compliant driver license or ID card will have a star in the upper right-hand corner. A license or ID card that is noncompliant with REAL ID will have “NOT FOR REAL ID PURPOSES” in the upper right-hand corner.
Since the Missouri Department of
Revenue began offering REAL ID-compliant driver licenses and ID cards on March 20, 2019, more than 2.9 million REAL IDs have been issued. Throughout this time, citizens have consistently reported that one of the top challenges they face in applying for a REAL ID-compliant card is obtaining two residency documents verifying a Missouri address. To ease this burden, while still meeting the provisions set forth by the REAL ID Act of 2005, the Department expanded the list of acceptable residency documents. In addition, the Department may also accept electronic copies transmitted from a mobile device for eligible requestors.
“Under my leadership, we have made it our mission to provide every customer the best experience every time. It is with this goal in mind that we have taken steps to make applying for a REAL ID easier for our customers,” said Missouri
Department of Revenue Director Wayne Wallingford. “To date, 38% of Missouri documents have been issued as REAL ID-compliant.”
Additionally, at the time of application for a REAL ID non-commercial renewal or duplicate replacement, persons who self-certify that their REAL ID-verified address has not changed may be waived from having to present proof of address documentation.
None of the recent changes alter basic REAL ID Act of 2005 requirements for initial REAL ID applicants who are required to submit verification of identity, lawful status, name change and address. Rather, these improvements provide additional options to meet the mandated residency requirements; and benefit those who have previously obtained a REAL ID-compliant card.
Who will need a REAL ID?
Under Missouri law, applying for a
REAL ID is your choice, and is not mandatory. However, all U.S. residents will soon be required to present a REAL ID in order to enter nuclear power plants, access federal facilities, and board federally regulated domestic flights. If you plan on flying in the future but do not want to apply for a REAL ID, you can present another acceptable form of ID such as your U.S. passport.
A noncompliant license or ID card is, and will continue to be, acceptable for verification of driving privileges, verification of age, voting and registering to vote, state purposes and other purposes not limited by the REAL ID Act. What documents do I need to obtain a REAL ID?
To apply for a REAL ID-compliant driver license or ID card, Missourians will need to submit valid, original doc-
See Missouri REAL ID, Page 2
ators, hot water heaters, freezers, dishwashers, air conditioning units, heat pumps, light bulbs, etc. Maybe the good folks at the EPA view such items as luxuries, but to the average American today, they are necessities. The EPA’s regulations will jack up the prices of these modern amenities, in some cases by hundreds or thousands of dollars –far more than any savings from (hopefully) cheaper electricity. That can’t help but hurt the poor the most.
The greens warn us about the alleged danger of increased heat deaths due to global warming. Then by what logic do they pursue policies that dramatically raise the prices of electricity and of air conditioning units, which are human beings’ primary line of defense against heat? Don’t be surprised if you start to encounter occasional heart-tugging reports about poor Americans having to choose between keeping the A/C on and eating three meals per day.
Not only is green socialism aggressively and shamelessly making the poor poorer, the green central plan adds insult to injury by doling out subsidies to upper-income Americans. EVs are unaffordable to poor Americans, but Uncle Sam gives thousands in tax breaks so that richer Americans will buy them. Similarly, government subsidies incentivize well-to-do Americans to install solar panels on houses. A wealthy friend of mine in Florida received a generous tax break to put solar panels on his roof. Those tax-subsidized panels add to the value of his house. Plus, he receives a monthly payment from the electric utility company because the panels enable him to sell more electricity to the utility than the utility sells to him. Think about it: Poorer Americans are struggling to pay today’s higher electric bills, while richer Americans enjoy an additional income stream from their local power company thanks to taxpayer-funded subsidies.
Biden’s green version of socialism is typical in its display of arrogant self-righteousness matched by their colossal economic ignorance of the planners. Meanwhile, the green agenda is rushing our society toward a totally unnecessary economic crisis that will be even more tragic because of an oh-so-avoidable humanitarian crisis caused by green policies unfairly crushing the poor.
Mercer High Class of 1964 celebrates 60-year reunion
The Mercer High School Class of 1964 got together for a reunion during Mercer Homecoming weekend, including riding in Saturday afternoon’s parade.
‘Panda-monium’
Who would opt for a holiday visit to China? It’s not exactly among the world’s more glamorous holiday destinations. But if you love pandas it’s where you’ll find them- usually. But beware: at least one zoo in China has run out of pandas and has been replacing them with Chow Chow dogs whose fur has been trimmed and dyed black-and-white to resemble the iconic Chinese bears.
This UFO got a pass
Oklahoma Highway Patrol trooper Ryan Vanvleck had no choice recently but to pull over a UFO on the highway because it had an “obstructed tag.” The vehicle’s two occupants got a pass when they told Trooper Vanvleck that they were on their way to the annual UFO Festival in Roswell, N.M. The Sherriff’s Office explained that the driver was warned “about our strict enforcement of warp speed on the interstate and to keep his phasers on stun-only while traveling.”
Out for a Saturday drive
A young girl took
a ride during the Mercer Homecoming parade Saturday afternoon.
