Missouri

I’m a Missouri grandma and a lifelong Republican. Here’s why I’m voting Kamala Harris | Opinion

Published

2 years ago

August 23, 2024

I’m a Missouri grandma and a lifelong Republican. Here’s why I’m voting Kamala Harris | Opinion

As a conservative woman born and raised in Missouri, I have always been proud to call myself a Republican. Our party has traditionally stood for values I hold dear: limited government, personal responsibility, strong national defense and respect for individual liberties. However, this election, I am making a choice that might surprise many of my fellow Republicans: I am voting for Kamala Harris.

Recently, a group called Republicans for Harris announced their support for the Harris’ presidential campaign, citing the urgent need to protect our democracy from the threat posed by Donald Trump. Their stance resonates deeply with me. As someone who loves Missouri and has cherished our state’s values of decency and integrity, I feel compelled to stand up for what is right, even if it means crossing party lines.

Initially, many of us believed Trump’s unconventional style would shake up the establishment in a beneficial way. But over the years, it has become clear that his disregard for democracy and decency is a threat to the very fabric of our country.

Trump’s behavior during his presidency, and particularly his actions surrounding the events of Jan. 6, have shown a blatant disregard for the rule of law and the peaceful transfer of power — principles that are the cornerstone of our republic. The violent insurrection at the Capitol was not just an attack on a building; it was an attack on our democratic institutions and processes. As a Republican who values our Constitution, I cannot support a leader who incites violence and undermines our electoral system.

Moreover, Trump’s divisive rhetoric has torn at the seams of our national unity. His frequent attacks on anyone who disagrees with him, including fellow Republicans, and his relentless spread of misinformation have sown discord and mistrust. Instead of bringing Americans together, he has driven us further apart. This is not the leadership our country needs.

Vice President Harris, in contrast, represents a commitment to democracy, decency and unity. Her career as a public servant demonstrates a dedication to justice and equality. While I may not agree with all her policies, I believe she respects our democratic institutions and would work to heal the divisions that have deepened under and after Trump’s presidency.

Harris has shown a capacity for bipartisanship and a willingness to listen to different perspectives — qualities essential for leading a diverse and divided nation. Her background as a prosecutor and U.S. senator reflects her commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring justice for all Americans.

As conservatives, we must ask ourselves what it truly means to uphold our values. Is it about unwavering loyalty to a single individual, or is it about protecting the principles that make our country strong? I believe it is the latter. Voting for Harris is not a betrayal of my conservative principles; it is an affirmation of my commitment to democracy, decency and the future of our nation.

This election is about more than party loyalty. It is about choosing a leader who would respect our democratic processes, seek common ground and work towards a better future for all Americans. Harris may not be a perfect candidate, but she is the leader our country needs right now to restore faith in our democracy and bring us back together.

I urge my fellow Republicans to look beyond party lines and consider what is at stake in this election. Our democracy and our national unity depend on it. Let us vote for a future where respect, decency and the rule of law prevail. For these reasons, I am casting my vote for Kamala Harris, and I encourage my fellow Missourians and Republicans to join me in supporting her candidacy.

Kelly Peters is a lifelong Republican, former Christian school teacher, mother of three children and grandmother of six grandchildren. She lives in Bourbon, Missouri.

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Missouri

Missouri ice cream shop named best in the state. Here’s why.

Published

3 hours ago

June 24, 2026

Press Room

Missouri ice cream shop named best in the state. Here’s why.

Think you know the best ice cream shop in Missouri? Ask ten people, and you’ll likely get ten different answers.

Cheapism, a website focused on budget living, is weighing in on the debate with its recently released list of the best ice cream shops in every state. Here’s what it selected as Missouri’s best ice cream spot:

What’s the best ice cream shop in Missouri, according to Cheapism?

The media outlet selected the winners by scouring through Reddit threads, Yelp reviews, Google ratings and local favorites to find the best ice cream shop in every state.

Factoring all of that in, the honor of Missouri’s best ice cream shop goes to Clementine’s Ice Cream in St. Louis.

Clementine’s is a locally owned artisanal ice cream shop founded in 2015, known for its “naughty” (alcohol-infused) and “nice” (nonalcoholic) offerings, as well as non-dairy options.

The company has expanded from its beginnings as a single shop to multiple locations, boasting 11 shops across the Midwest, with three more on the way.

What’s Clementine’s best ice cream flavor?

Clementine’s also landed on Food & Wine’s list of essential ice cream flavors for all 50 states with its gooey butter cake ice cream.

The magazine praised the “super creamy” texture of the cream cheese ice cream and appreciated the large chunks of Clementine’s homemade gooey butter cake mixed throughout.

What is gooey butter cake?

For those not in the know, gooey butter cake is one of the Show Me State’s best-kept secrets, with its origins tracing back to St. Louis in the 1930s.

The cake allegedly came about when a baker accidentally reversed the butter-to-flour ratio while making a batch of coffee cake, resulting in a gooey, custard-like filling. Given it was the Great Depression, the bakery decided to sell the resulting cake rather than waste it, making it a hit with locals in the process.

It became so popular, in fact, that other bakeries in the city soon began making their own versions, and an iconic Missouri treat was born.

How to find a Clementine’s near you

Clementine’s has more than a dozen locations, mostly centered around St. Louis. It also has locations in Kansas City and Bentonville, Arkansas.

A Clementine’s is scheduled to open in Columbia this summer.

Check out this map to find the nearest Clementine’s location near you:

You can also get Clementine’s shipped directly to your front door via Goldbelly.

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Missouri

Missouri lawmaker pushes for more transparency from data center developments

Published

13 hours ago

June 24, 2026

Press Room

Missouri lawmaker pushes for more transparency from data center developments

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KFVS) – As more data centers are announced across Missouri, one state lawmaker wants to get rid of non-disclosure agreements.

Republican State Rep. Tricia Byrnes from St. Charles County organized a public hearing for Sept. 16 at the Missouri Capitol for lawmakers to discuss data center regulations. Any legislation that comes out of the hearing will have to wait until January to be introduced in the General Assembly. Byrnes said she hopes local communities take action before January.

The effort comes after Amazon and Google announced multibillion-dollar data center projects in Montgomery County, which Byrnes represents.

Montgomery County farmer Harry Cope said residents have concerns about how the projects have been handled.

“The transparency that’s gone on with all of this stuff in our county has been about like looking through muddy water,” Cope said.

Byrnes said Missourians are looking for state leaders to respond.

“Missourians should never take a bad deal. And right now, folks are waiting for Jefferson City to stand up and pay attention,” Byrnes said.

Byrnes is not proposing a complete statewide stop to data center projects. She said she wants to get rid of nondisclosure agreements for data center projects and create specific noise standards and water permits. She said she wants the process to happen in public.

Gov. Mike Kehoe, a Republican, has said he supports more data centers in Missouri, saying they are better for the economy.

“It’s about opportunity, good-paying jobs, investment in our community, better efficiency. And it’s about making sure Missouri remains on the forefront of next-generation technology,” Kehoe said.

Byrnes did not directly comment on whether Kehoe will support her legislation. She addressed a comment the governor made last week, when he implied foreign adversaries such as China are spreading misinformation about data centers.

“We have extremely intelligent people all across Missouri, and what I’m hearing now is this spin that they’re hearing stuff from China. I can tell you, no one from China asked me to have you here today,” Byrnes said.

Missouri House Democratic Leader Ashley Aune said there is an opportunity for lawmakers to craft legislation based on what Missourians want.

“I don’t have a proposal top of mind about what regulation would, should, can look like across the state. But what I will say is that we have a real opportunity to work with our voters,” Aune said.

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