By Ella Aguilar Artificial intelligence might sound like something built for Silicon Valley tech giants. Still, at this month’s Chamber of Commerce meeting, made one thing clear: AI is already here, and small businesses cannot afford to ignore it. To put the speed of change into perspective, Bareis opened with a comparison. It took the radio 38 years to reach 100 million users. Television reached that milestone in about 13 years. The internet did it in roughly 4 years. Smartphones? Around 2 years. AI tools like ChatGPT reached 100 million users in just a matter of months.  The pace isn’t…

The Green City Gophers received first place in the Milan Tourney. They are, front row, left to right: Gabe Curl, Beau Snyder, Bentley Henness, Ryder Jacobs and Gage McReynolds; and back row, left to right: Coach Matt Ayers, Jake Crist, Clancy  Ballinger, Connor Pinkerton, Ivan Littrell, Orion Navis, Zane Patterson, Cooper Taylor. Assistant Coaches, Donovan Edwards and Nickolas Edwards. Photo submitted

The Milan Ladycats placed second in the Milan Tournament. Pictured front row, left to right: Jazelle Bahena, Taleena Weaver, America Ayala, Jazmin Cisneros, Kendalyn Hayes and Izzy Miller; second row, left to right: Coach Andrea Dabney, Vanessa Mulaba, Tori Taylor, Marian Dabney, Cristal Barriga, Nayeli Pierto, and Assistant Coach Ali McCully. Photo submitted

North Central Electric Cooperative has appointed Mike Scheib as its new chief executive officer. Scheib began his role Jan. 15, 2026, succeeding longtime CEO Loren Haines. Scheib most recently served as CEO of Tri- County Electric Cooperative in Lancaster, Missouri, where he held the position since 2020. He brings more than 25 years of experience in the electric utility industry, beginning his career in 1999 as an apprentice lineman with Trenton Municipal Utilities. After joining Tri-County Electric in 2009, Scheib advanced through leadership roles including line superintendent and manager of operations before being named CEO. During his tenure, he emphasized…

Barbara Jane Oxendale, 84, of Milan, Missouri, passed away Thursday, January 22, 2026 at Milan Health Care Center. Barbara was born April 5, 1941 at her maternal grandparent’s farm near Odebolt, Iowa to Roland and Dorothy (Godbersen) Anderson. On July 25, 1959 she married Douglas Oxendale at the Little Brown Church where her parents were married in Nashua, Iowa. Doug preceded her in death in 1998. She was also preceded by: her three children Debbie Hoerrmann, Mark Oxendale, and Kurt Oxendale; a brother, Dennis Anderson; sister-in-laws, Kay Anderson and Sherry Anderson; brother-in-law, Bob Gore and a good friend, Coy Jackson.…

Linda Lea (Hooker) Grime, 84 of Blue Springs, Missouri passed away Monday, January 19, 2026, at home in Blue Springs, Missouri. Linda was born June 13, 1941 in San Diego, California to Rex Enoch and Helen Elizabeth (Hamilton) Hooker. She is survived by her brother Mike Hooker wife Brenda of Trenton; daughter Kristen Brumley and Benjamin Sampson Blue Springs; grandson Riley Hulse wife Haley, granddaughter Bailey Brumley all from Blue Springs; Linda also has two nieces and one nephew. She was preceded in death by her parents Rex and Helen, sister Robin, son Jon Michael, grandson Jon Michael Hulse and…

The buck suddenly appeared on the path that ran below me along a dry creek bed. Sometimes that’s what deer do — one minute there’s nothing to see, and the next there’s a deer standing there. If the buck continued on the way he was walking, he would come to within more than 50 yards of me. If I had been using a different gun, I would have already taken the shot. However, I wasn’t using just any rifle. Lying across my lap was my Thompson/ Center Hawken black‑powder rifle, loaded with 60 grains of fffg powder topped by a…