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News ------- 2-6 Commission -- 4 Obituaries --- 2 Sports ----- 7-8 Division II --- 3 MERCER COUNTY 4-DAY WEATHER
National Weather Service - Pleasant Hill/Kansas City, Mo. Time of forecast: 7 a.m., Monday, Feb. 10 Thursday, Feb. 13: Mostly sunny, cold; 19/3 Friday, Jan. Feb. 14: Mostly cloudy, warmer; 31/26 Saturday, Feb. 15: 60% chance of snow; 32/7 Sunday, Feb. 16: Mostly, cold; 18 (average: 38)
Thursday, February 13, 2025 Volume 153, No. 7 - Princeton, MO 64673
Forecasts reflect daytime high and overnight low temperatures. Weather forecasts change often. Check local radio, weather radio, or the NWS website (www.weather.gov) for the most recent updates.
TIGER BOYS FINISH PERFECT GRC WEST RUN, GIRLS TO FINISH IN A TIE FOR TITLE - 8
FCCLA holding shoe drive fundraiser
Mercer, Cainsville announce Homecoming royalty
Princeton chapter has goal of 2,500 pounds of shoes; they’ll get 40 cents per pound Special to the Post-Telegraph
GREG FROST/Special to the Post-Telegraph
Linda Barton (left) was announced as Mercer High School’s 2025 Homecoming queen on Friday night, and Kaimon West was announced as Homecoming king.
HILARIE VAUGHN/Special to the Post-Telegraph
Sloane McLain (left) was announced as Cainsville High School’s 2025 Homecoming queen on Friday night, and Kyler Vail was announced as Homecoming king.
PRINCETON, Mo. The Princeton High School FCCLA (Family, Career and Community Leaders of America) chapter has begun a shoe drive fundraiser. It’s an opportunity to help people in need of decent footwear and benefit the FCCLA at no costs to the donors, as well as a chance to clean out closets, storage bins or garages. All donors have to do is take new or gently used shoes to Princeton High School, and FCCLA members will bag them up for you. The chapter will receive 40 cents per pound, with a goal of collecting 2,500 pounds of shoes. The shoe drive began Feb. 1 and runs through April 1. For more information, contact Princeton FCCLA advisor Dr. Tina Holt at tholt@tigertown.k12.mo.us.
Explaining differences between faith and religion PASTOR MIKE TIPTON Special to the Post-Telegraph
I was asked to write a letter sharing my insights into the difference between religion and faith a couple of years ago by a good friend, and local legend Preston Cole. Preston was honest in that he had asked Pastor Sean Hammond to write the same analysis some years ago. Like a good reporter, “PCole” made me feel humbled slightly to prevent me from becoming arrogant. For that fact and his true friendship, I agreed to entertain the idea, “when I had time.” Well, here we are two plus years later and I am finally putting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard as the modern case would be. Whenever I think about the difference
between religion and faith, I am first reminded that Jesus did not practice “religion.” Jesus became God incarnate (God in the flesh) so that He might share relationship with those who were sick, hurting, or cutoff from relationship with God. To bring an accepted definition of religion into the conversation, I looked at how Merriam-Webster defined religion. There are four definitions for religion given: 1. a personal set or institutionalized system of religious attitudes, beliefs, and practices; 2. the service and worship of God or the supernatural; 3. a cause, principle, or system of beliefs held to with ardor and faith;, and 4. scrupulous conformity. For our purposes we will use the con-
text of definition one by Merriam-Webster. In a 2018 Gallup Poll, 71% of Americans said that religion was an important part of their day. 63% of people identified with Christianity as their religious identity. While 71% of people said that religion is an important part of their day, only 20% of people attend church weekly and 41% attend monthly. In 2025 does church attendance matter to the religious or faith practices of Christians? This is where I would say that religion and faith are separate. You can be religious and have a personal set of beliefs and attitudes, but faith is where you put those beliefs, and attitudes into action. No Christian is perfect in their faith, and I fail often
GRC West All-Conference Band
to fully live my faith in Jesus out, but I seek to learn from those experiences when I fall short. There are many topics tied to faith that we could dig into, and who knows, if there is interest, maybe this could be a monthly article in our Princeton Post-Telegraph, but for simplicity purposes I would just stress that religion is made up of rules, rituals, and many practices that can become stifling or legalistic. Faith is a way of sharing what we believe from a religious perspective in a way that builds up others. Jesus was blunt with individuals who sought his healing and wisdom, but He always
Veterans Commission starts pre-burial plan AIMEE PACKARD Special to the Post-Telegraph
JESSIE O’DELL/Special to the Post-Telegraph
Kyle Wright (from left; freshman, percussion), Emzlie Bauer (freshman, euphonium) and Seth Weathington (senior, tuba) represented Princeton at the Grand River Conference West All-Conference Band on Saturday, Feb. 8. The event was hosted at Worth County High School, where band members from seven conference schools spent the day rehearsing, then performed an evening concert for the public.
See Differences, Page 6
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. The Missouri Veterans Commission (MVC) has announced the launch of the new electronic Pre-Certification Application for Burial. The new digital application allows Veterans and their eligible dependents to electronically pre-certify for burial benefits, submit documents, and receive real-time notifications on the status of their application. “The Electronic Pre-Certification Application for Burial is a way to leverage newer technology, provide efficient and accessible service, and reach a new segment of the Veteran population by offering a fully digital experience,” said MVC Executive Director (Ret.) Col. Paul Kirchhoff. “Applicants for
burial will now be able to see exactly where they are in the pre-certification process with just a click of a button.” Veterans and their eligible dependents interested in burial in one of the five state Veterans Cemeteries can access the Electronic Pre-Certification Application for Burial by visiting the Missouri Citizens portal. Users will need to create an account before completing the application. More information on burial eligibility can be found at mvc.dps.mo.gov/cemeteries/. Paper applications will still be accepted, and Veterans Service Officers will continue to assist Veterans in need. MVC worked in collaboration with the Missouri Office of Administration - InformaSee Electronic, Page 6
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