Bolivar: more

I have never liked parades - there I said it. I know they are a staple of small town, Midwest America and it is one of the aspects that make me a bit of an outsider around here; this town loves a good parade. I admit, I have avoided them, forgotten about them, gone out of town when they occurred, locked myself in my house, and done just about anything to stay away from the crowded streets filled with gaudy decorated vehicles and people walking by waving at strangers. I guess it is one of the Grinch-like, bah-humbug aspects of my personality, all the cheer and inconvenience of blocked roads just were not my thing! In all fairness, I blame my equally bah-humbug mother. She thought parades were boring so I never went to them and in turn inherited her disdain for watching people walk in straight lines in front of me. So naturally, I decided to participate in one. more

The Polk County University of Missouri Extension will be sponsoring a Beginning Beekeeping Workshop at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 11. It will be held at the Polk County Fairgrounds Activities building, 4560 S. 100th Road, Bolivar. There is no charge for the workshop. more

Monday, Dec. 11 — Celebration day, beef vegetable soup, side salad, hoagie roll, ice cream. more

Dear Editor— more

Bolivar: more

Monday, Dec. 4 — Goulash, green beans, wheat roll, cherry Jell-O with whipped cream. more

The term “Black Friday” has a sordid past with a bit of a dark connotation. Though many believe it is the day for stores to turn their red ledgers to black, the first use of the term was in 1869 to describe the gold market crash of September. Jump ahead about 90 years and Black Friday was a term dubbed by the Philidelphia police to describe the absolute chaos in the streets on the day after Thanksgiving. As many people went to the annual Navy-Army football game, others made it their day for shopping excursions to kick off the holiday season. It was not a term to describe fun, savings, or festivities. It was a term to describe misery and frustration. As a child of the 80s and 90s, when Black Friday shopping was at its peak, the moniker may have still held its original meaning. more

The Story of a Girl from WWII Germany more

**All branches closed on Thanksgiving** more

As I was driving toward Springfield last night, I realized I did not have my phone. That left me with quite a dilemma. It was alright to be shut off from the world for a while; no alerts for emails, no text message buzzes, and no phone calls interrupting my drive, were just fine with me. What I lamented was the lack of my beloved playlist blaring through my car stereo. There was no podcast or music designed just for my listening enjoyment. I had a choice to make: sit in silence (Heaven forbid) or go through the radio searching for a station that was actually playing music. I chose the latter and began my quest, hitting the ‘next’ button repeatedly. After hearing DJs waxing on for multiple stations, I finally stumbled upon some music. more

Having opportunities to work, earn and live comfortably in a community you love – it’s more