Rolla Daily Digest Saturday, October 03, 2026
Ty's Take
Gary White's Hoover Medal is the kind of honor that doesn't make the national news, but it means something real in a place like this. The Missouri S&T alumnus spent his career solving water problems in some of the world's hardest places, the kind of engineering work that doesn't build skyscrapers or make headlines but keeps people alive. That's what the Hoover Medal recognizes, and it's worth noting that this school, sitting here on the northern edge of the Ozarks, keeps turning out people who think beyond themselves. Whether it's White working in Uganda and across Africa, or the kids from that same country coming through St. James this week to sing, there's a thread connecting this place to something larger. It's easy to get wrapped up in the local noise this time of year. But sometimes the real story is the quiet one, the person who left and came back (at least in spirit) with proof that what they learned here mattered somewhere that desperately needed it.
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Phelps County Focus
A Phelps County Focus faith columnist urges readers to cultivate gratitude this October, particularly by thanking their church pastors and preachers during Preacher and Pastor Appreciation Month. Beyond the fall festivals and craft shows that mark the season, the columnist suggests that genuine...
Local residents are encouraged to consider Republican voting records when casting ballots, with a letter to the editor arguing that votes for incumbent Republican representatives amount to endorsements of Trump administration policies on military intervention, benefit cuts, and tariffs. The writers...
Missouri S&T alumnus Gary White honored with 2025 Hoover Medal
Gary White, a Missouri S&T alumnus and co-founder of Water.org, has received the 2025 Hoover Medal in recognition of his work. The award was presented during the Stockholm International Water Institute's World Water Week Closing Ceremony in August.
Children’s choir from Uganda will sing at St. James church
The Watoto Children's Choir from Uganda will perform at St. James Christian Church on November 1 at 6:30 p.m., sharing songs from their new album and stories of transformation through faith. The free concert, with doors opening at 6 p.m., will benefit Watoto's work rescuing orphaned children and...
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