January 13, 2017 Funny that yesterday’s blog ended with KOPN radio. Today I’m more grateful than ever for local media. Partly, I guess, because the media had been hyping a sleet storm that was supposed to begin at midnight last night and it was nice to know ahead of time. I spent time yesterday hauling hay to the sheep, making sure they had a snug place to weather the storm. And even though the storm hasn’t come, I was glad to have it all taken care of. But today I have become doubly grateful as I’ve been trying to place articles about Missourians for Local Control in the media of people who were there. Columbia and Fulton were no problem because we still have functioning newspapers. But many of the participants are farmers from small towns. Some of those towns (and their counties) have no newspaper or radio! So of course you have to wonder how folks can get informed about things going on close to them. I assume they get some kind of TV news. Or are they getting all their news from Facebook? That would mean paying for a computer—and internet hookup. Another expense for folks that might not have much money. It’s interesting to think about whether they know what’s going on in Washington. Do they know that Congress is working to cancel the Affordable Care Act? Do they know who the candidates are for Trump’s cabinet? Well, we’re lucky here in Callaway County to have a local daily paper! A daily! And even though we don’t always agree with them, they DO follow the local stories. Here’s the story on the CAFO hearing at the Clean Water Commission last Wednesday: http://www.fultonsun.com/news/local/story/2017/jan/12/clean-water-commission-still-tied-callaway-farrowing-operation/656920/