Phelps County Focus

For Missouri families, rising healthcare costs are more than a policy debate. They mean higher insurance premiums, mounting medical bills and difficult choices about whether they can afford needed care. A recent YouGov survey conducted on behalf of Patients Come First underscores these concerns. Among 417 registered Missouri voters surveyed in August, 87 percent said candidates’ healthcare positions are important to their vote. With November elections approaching, lawmakers should pay attention.

On Tuesday, October 13th Old St. James Road (between Industrial Park Drive and 2363 Old St. James Rd.) will be reduced to one lane of traffic starting at 9:00 a.m. until the work is complete, to perform street repairs. Road work signs will be in place, and flaggers will be on site. Motorists are advised to plan ahead and use an alternative route. As always, we ask that you obey the signs and watch for the workmen. We do appreciate your patience and cooperation.

On October 7, 2026, at approximately 5:35 p.m., the City of Rolla Fire & Rescue responded to a report of a commercial structure fire located at 307 North Elm Street. On arrival, fire crews reported heavy smoke and fire showing from the roof eaves. An “all call” protocol was enacted to request all available off duty Rolla City Firefighters to respond to the fire call. A mutual aid request was made to Rolla Rural Fire Protection District to assist with on scene operations.

What word do I like? It’s a word we hear quite often this time of year. It’s the word “homecoming.” High schools and colleges have homecoming football games, parades and dances. These events are meant to welcome back alumni to their former academic stomping grounds. The place in which they discovered a good deal about who they are, who and what they wanted to become, and the place where friends, memories, mistakes, and achievements were made.

Arielle Sutton and Makenzie McCarter were honored this summer by the Phelps County Retired Teachers and Public School Personnel Association as the awardees of the PCRT-PSPA scholarships. Those $500 scholarships are annual awards given to full time teachers or support staff members who have been working in Phelps County for at least two years but not more than 10. Sutton has worked the past three years as a high school English teacher in the St. James school district.

October has arrived. From everything I’ve read and heard, however, we’re going to be missing something we all look forward to this time of year – the beautiful colors of fall foliage. But, thankfully, we will still get to enjoy pumpkins, scarecrows, gourds, mums and all the other things we enjoy around here this time of year. October is also what we have come to consider the kickoff to the holiday season.

Trump on the ballot Donald Trump has requested that voters imagine that he is on the ballot this November. We do not have to imagine this. The Republican representatives that we have in our legislature vote 100 percent for Donald Trump’s policies. A vote for any one of these Republicans is a vote to continue Trump’s policies. They have consistently voted to continue giving him a free pass to wage wars of choice without requiring him to get the approval of Congress.

Gary White, co-founder and CEO of Water.org, has earned the 2025 Hoover Medal. The award was presented during the Stockholm International Water Institute’s World Water Week Closing Ceremony in August. The Hoover Medal is awarded annually to an engineer whose work has improved humanity through technical achievement and service.

All the way from Uganda, East Africa, the Watoto Children’s Choir will perform a live concert in St. James, featuring songs from their brand new album, “Love Never Fails.” The concert will be hosted by St. James Christian Church at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 1, Admission to the concert is free. Door will open at 6 p.m.. The concert will begin at 6:30 p.m. “The Watoto Children’s Choir is a beautiful, joyful celebration of faith and hope, as well as a truly unique cross cultural experience.

Editor, Phelps County Focus: I’m happy for the artist to sign their name to their work. They deserve their credit. But, there’s something real whacko wrong when the artist’s signature obscures their entire work from one corner of the frame to the other. What’s this got to do with anything you might give a hoot about? Well, the other day I’m sitting in the VA clinic waiting for my appointment.