Benton County Enterprise Staff
Dear Editor,
On behalf of Warsaw’s chapter of Future Business Leaders of America, we would like to thank the community and all who helped make our Trivia Night, which was held on October 22, a huge success. A total of five teams competed against one another answering questions of various categories. Throughout the evening, assorted door prizes were given thanks to our supportive local businesses. Each FBLA member had a great time meeting members of the community and enjoying the evening together. All proceeds will be used to travel to Denver for the FBLA National Fall Leadership Conference. Thank you once again to the members who participated and our supporting businesses. Hope to see you all again next year!
Gracie Comer
FBLA Reporter
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Dear Editor,
My family moved from Colorado to Benton County in 2020.
We left Colorado for many reasons, one of them was legalized recreational marijuana. While some will try to convince people that legalized marijuana is no big deal, it is a big deal. Colorado has gone from a beautiful state to a landscape of never-ending homeless tent camps made up of people who want to get high while contributing nothing to society. They develop mountains of trash and take no responsibility for the areas they occupy and destroy. We encountered pan-handlers on every corner, every day asking for free money to buy more marijuana. Fatal auto accidents increased by 140% after recreational marijuana was legalized. Doctors are seeing more marijuana related psychosis. The tax revenue from marijuana sales never seems to materialize while the expense to local communities to deal with the dark realities of legalized marijuana will increase. And it stinks. For the sake of this lovely area, I plead with local governing bodies to reject the lie of recreational marijuana supporters and deny this industry entry into Warsaw and Benton County.
Victoria McColm
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Dear Editor,
Between January 1 and August 31, 2022, the American Library Association (ALA) documented 681 attempts to ban or restrict library resources, and 1,651 unique titles were targeted. Additionally, more than 70 percent of the 681 attempts to restrict library resources targeted multiple titles. In the past, the vast majority of challenges to library resources only sought to remove or restrict a single book. This represents the highest number of attempted book bans since ALA began compiling documentation more than 20 years ago.
And now, Sec. of State Jay Ashcroft (R) has proposed a new censorship rule (15 CSR 30-200.015). If passed, he can take away funding from the Warsaw Library as well as all Missouri public libraries, if they don’t follow the very strict book ban regulations. This proposal will also allow ANYONE to challenge access to books and what can be read.
Folks…library professionals trust parents to make decisions about what their children can read, and they develop collections and resources that make knowledge and ideas widely available. Ashcroft’s efforts to censor entire categories of books reflecting certain voices and views, on the pain of stripping their funding, shows that this supposed moral panic isn’t about kids: it’s about politics. He and other organizations with a political agenda are spreading lists of books they don’t like. It goes without saying that our rural community will be disproportionately affected by the loss of state funds.
Support your library. Use your voice and stand with us in the fight against censorship. Let Sec. of State Ashcroft know, in no uncertain terms, that book banning or censorship from our public library will not be tolerated. You can email: comments@sos.mo.gov, with the subject line “15 CSR 30-200.015”. Or send a letter by traditional mail to: Office of the Missouri Secretary of State, P.O. Box 1767, Jefferson City, MO 65102. The deadline for public comment is Nov. 30.
Jacqueline Farr
Chair
Benton County
Democratic Party
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Dear Editor,
A big "thank you" to all who came to my aid on Cold Springs Road recently. Our town is so fortunate to have such kind, competent, caring people. We take for granted when we need them, they will be there and they are. I want you all to know how much I appreciate you. You truly saved my life
Toni Walters
