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By Emily Bontrager Several delegates with ties to northeast Missouri earned scholarships and awards during the 2026 Miss Missouri and Miss Missouri’s Teen competitions held June 10 through 13 at the Missouri Military Academy in Mexico. Representing the Lewis & Clark and Clark County organizations, local delegates brought home scholarship awards for their accomplishments throughout the week. Miss Lewis & Clark, Ananya Senthil, received a $500 Non- Finalist Scholarship in the Miss Missouri competition. Miss Lewis & Clark’s Teen, Celia Medeiros, earned $1,000 as the 1st Runner-Up in the Miss Missouri’s Teen competition. Miss Clark County’s Teen, Darby Rollins, was…
KAHOKA — Fifty years ago, Kahoka did more than celebrate America’s 200th birthday. It rang bells. It raised the flag. It fired up the barbecue pits. It filled the square with antique cars, beards, bonnets, bluegrass music, speeches, games, fireworks and a hometown pride that still feels familiar today. Now, as the nation prepares to mark its 250th anniversary in 2026, Kahoka can look back to July 4, 1976, as a reminder of how deeply patriotism has always run through Clark County. The 1976 Bicentennial celebration began with a schedule packed from early afternoon until after dark. Bells rang from…
By Travis L. Mathes, Lewis County REC On June 13, 2026, Lewis County REC will mark the retirement of a man whose name has become synonymous with dedication, service, and commitment to rural electrification. After 38 years of faithfully serving the membership of Lewis County REC, David Cox will officially conclude a remarkable career that began on June 13, 1988. David’s story is one deeply rooted in the history and tradition of the rural electric cooperative movement. The Cox family’s connection to rural electrification dates back nearly a century. In 1939, David’s grandfather, Charlie Cox, set the first pole for…
KAHOKA — Patriotism filled Kahoka City Park on Friday morning as the community gathered for the annual Flag Day parade and ceremony, where several veterans were honored with Quilts of Valor. The presentation was made June 12 by the Sewcial Quilters of Clark County, who presented handmade quilts to veterans in recognition of their service, sacrifice and commitment to the nation. The ceremony served as a meaningful reminder of the freedoms represented by the American flag and the men and women who have defended them. Those honored included veterans of the Vietnam War, the Korean defense era, Operation Iraqi Freedom,…
Joyce Elaine Meinhardt, 92, of Kahoka, Missouri, died on Sunday, June 14, 2026, at the Clark County Nursing Home in Kahoka, Missouri. The daughter of Winfield Wayne Hanan and Lois Irene Latimer Hanan, Joyce was born on June 22, 1933, in Waukegan, Illinois. She lived with her parents in Villa Park, Illinois, until she was in high school, when they moved to Ashton, Missouri. She often told stories about moving from the suburbs of Chicago to the rural area of Clark County, Missouri. She rode her horse to Ashton from the family farm, and kerosene lamps provided the only light…
Michael Louis Aldridge, 65, of Florissant, Missouri, formally of Williamstown, Missouri, passed away at 8:20 pm on Friday, May 29, 2026, at Blessing Hospital in Quincy, Illinois. Michael was born on May 13, 1961, in Scott Air Force Base, Illinois to Walter Louis and Dorcas J. (Clines) Aldridge. In 1979 he graduated from Hazelwood Central High School. From high school he served in the United States Army. He was united in marriage to Kathleen (Hessley) Aldridge at the Florissant Presbyterian Church on May 5, 1991, and she survives. Michael was a truck driver for General Pet Supply and retired in…
Seasonal retailers may legally sell fireworks in Missouri from June 20 to July 10 JEFFERSON CITY – As Missourians prepare for a summer filled with even more festivities and celebrations than usual – including the “America 250” commemoration and FIFA World Cup events in the Kansas City area – the Division of Fire Safety is urging residents to keep safety at the forefront of their planning. “Because July 4th – the largest fireworks event each year – is also the 250th anniversary of American independence this year, we expect to see more gatherings and an uptick in the use of…
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