Mark Larson for Northside Commissioner

04/16/2026

I want to give an update on Tuesday night’s meeting regarding the homelessness issue.

First off, I was blown away by the turnout. A lot of people showed up, and a lot was shared. We had people in that room who have been dealing with different parts of this issue for a long time, often without much recognition. It was also clear there are a lot of people in this community who care deeply about Henry County and want to see things improve.

And it was not just agencies or organizations directly tied to homelessness, mental health, law enforcement, or addiction. We also had people there from other parts of the community, including business owners and others who see the effects of this issue from a different angle.

Just like I said before the meeting, this was a working meeting. It was not a decision-making meeting, and no final decisions were made Tuesday night. The whole point was to get people in one room, compare notes, talk plainly about what is happening here in Henry County, look at what resources already exist, where the gaps may be, and figure out what still needs to be better understood.

What came out of that meeting, at least to me, was that there is already a lot of work being done in a lot of different places, but there is still more work to do when it comes to communication, coordination, and getting a clearer picture of what resources exist, what barriers keep coming up, and where the gaps still are. I left encouraged by the fact that people were willing to come together, share what they know, and keep working on it.

We all left with homework to do, and there will be another meeting soon. There will also be a public meeting later on. I still think that is the right way to do this. The goal is to get to a public meeting where people are given real facts, real information, and honest answers to real questions about what is happening here in Henry County. From there, the public can respond, give input, and help decide what makes sense going forward.

I understand why people are frustrated. This issue affects a lot of people in a lot of different ways. But if anything is going to improve, it is going to take the whole community having a part in it — by what we do, and in some cases by what we stop doing. That is why the facts need to come first, and why the public deserves to have something solid in front of them before that bigger conversation happens.

Thank you again to everybody who took the time to come Tuesday night and to those who are already putting in the work on this issue every day, and to the citizens, business owners, and others in this community who are dealing with the effects of it in their everyday lives.

04/13/2026

𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐒𝐎𝐍 𝐈𝐍𝐕𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐆𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍 – 𝐉𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐂𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐎𝐊

The Henry County Sheriff’s Office continues assisting in the ongoing missing person investigation involving Janice Cook, as concern for her well-being continues to grow.

Those who know Janice have advised that her disappearance is completely out of character, and her family and friends remain deeply concerned for her safety. If you have seen Janice or have any information regarding where she may be, we ask that you please come forward. No piece of information is too small and may be critical in helping bring answers to those who care deeply for her.

The Henry County Sheriff’s Office remains actively involved and will continue working hand-in-hand with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office and Pettis County Sheriff’s Office as leads continue to develop across jurisdictional lines. All agencies involved are actively following up on investigative leads and will provide more substantial information if and when it becomes available.

Anyone with information related to this investigation is encouraged to contact the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office at 660-747-2265, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office at 660-885-5587 or Lt. Kubilus at 660-885-7328, or their nearest local law enforcement agency.

04/13/2026

04/12/2026

Thank you all!

04/12/2026

Congratulaions Pizza Glen!

04/10/2026

I want to address what is happening with the meeting being coordinated regarding the homelessness issue in Clinton and Henry County.

Yes, the county owns the building that Project Homeless has expressed interest in. But the county is not “holding” a secret meeting to make decisions behind closed doors, and no final decisions are being made at this stage.

What is happening is an effort to bring people together in one room to do the hard work first. That includes law enforcement, business representatives, Clinton Main Street, the Chamber of Commerce, healthcare and behavioral health providers, service organizations, elected officials, churches, and others with direct knowledge of what is happening in our community as it relates to the broader issue of homelessness.

This first meeting is a working meeting. Its purpose is to identify the real issues, gather facts, hear from the people closest to the problem, define what resources already exist, identify what gaps exist, and determine whether there are any realistic solutions worth discussing further.

Many of those involved in this have nothing to gain or lose personally. They are not pushing an agenda. They are responding to concerns that have been brought forward by citizens, business owners, and others who are already dealing with the effects of this issue every day. When residents are concerned, businesses are struggling, and people in difficult circumstances may not be getting where they need to be, the responsible thing to do is to at least try to understand the situation and see whether anything can be done to improve it.

Nobody is pretending this is a simple problem, and nobody believes it will ever be fully eradicated. This is something communities all across the country are dealing with. But if there is any way to make things better for local residents, for businesses, for public safety, and for the individuals who are struggling, then I believe it is worth the effort to try.

I also want to say that the response from those who deal with this issue day in and day out has been encouraging. Virtually every entity or person contacted has agreed to attend and bring their knowledge to the table in an effort to actually address this issue, not increase the problems.

I want it understood that this IS the community coming together to respond to the dissatisfaction and concern we are hearing from so many regarding the homeless situation. The goal is to do the homework and see whether there are workable solutions that might lessen the toll this issue is taking on everyone.

Then, once the facts are gathered, the issues are better defined, and any possible paths forward are identified, a public forum will be held before anything moves forward.At that point, the public will be in a much better position to respond, provide input, offer ideas that may not yet have been identified, and consider whether there are any paths forward that make sense for the community.

It is important to understand that there is probably one thing nearly everyone agrees on: no one wants more homelessness. That is the guiding principle. There are many different opinions on how to prevent that, and that is exactly why this effort is being made.

The bottom line is this: if the community is not willing to get behind a serious effort to deal with and work toward minimizing homelessness, then nothing any of us do will make much difference in the long run. But I am not willing to give up without at least trying to make things better for this community and my hope is that this how most people will approach this issue.

04/05/2026

He is not here: for He is risen, as He said. — Matthew 28:6

Today, on Resurrection Day, we rejoice in the glorious truth that Christ is risen!

Because He lives, we have hope. Because He conquered death, we have peace. And because of His great love, we have the promise of eternal life in Him.

He is risen indeed, and our hope is in Jesus alone.

Happy Resurrection Day.

04/03/2026

04/03/2026

I am very glad to see Lankford 109 open again. Local small businesses like this mean a lot to our community, and it is always worth showing support to people who work hard, serve great food, and treat folks well.

I had the chance to stop in after they reopened, and everything was great. The food was fantastic, the service was excellent, and you can really appreciate the effort the owners and staff put into making this such a welcoming place.

I am looking forward to going back for breakfast on Saturday, April 4, and showing a little appreciation for all they are trying to do. If you are making plans that morning, bring the kids too—there will be balloons from 8:00 to 10:30 a.m., which should make it even more fun for families.

Wishing them a strong turnout and continued success.

04/02/2026

Be careful