Sedalia Got Sort Of Roasted On A New App Online

You know where this starts, I was on the internet, trying to think of something to write about.So after a quick "Sedalia" search, I found a website called Lifey. Apparently it's also an app? They describe themselves as a mix between Snapchat and Wikipedia, but I'd never heard of it. It's kind of like an advice site/app? They seem to cover all kinds of topics, and since Sedalia was on it, I decided to have a read.

The topics they asked people about were: Favorites, Least Favorites, Things To Do, Reputation, Crime, Advice, Stories, The Future, and Other Facts. What did we say on Lifey? Quite a few things.

Favorites?

Being close to family; or all of the different stores. (Jessica, Technically only 8 months, but I lived in a small town close by; so I was in Sedalia a lot.)
Quiet. (Yuliya, 6 years)
Resources. (Kelsey, 8 years)
I like that it’s a fair size town with a small town feel. Many options for shopping and eating, but not the hassle of a big city. (Shelbie, 10 years)

That's fair. It can be a little quiet for some people, although the kids in my neighborhood are anything but quiet. If they're not running around playing ball they're screaming at each other at every opportunity. Kids are kids though, I got used to it.

Least Favorites?

People who don’t bother working for a living and steal your stuff. (P, 12 years)
Nothing for teens to do…little to do besides bars. (Sue, 14 years)
Roads. (Jimmi, 17 years)
Drugs. (Sharon, 17 years)
The abandon houses. (Dean, 44 years)
Extremely conservative and somewhat backward people. (Beth, 50 years)

Okay, we do need more stuff for kids to do, admittedly. And sure, there are a few roads that could use some work, yeah. I'm looking at you, 20th and Prospect.

Things to do?

Walk around Walmart.
None. (Yuliya, 6 years)
Fair. (Jimmi, 17 years)
Movies, restaurants. (Lynn, 24 years)
Pools, parks and fair. (Joni, 30 years)
Play golf. (Brenda, 40 years)

Walk around Walmart?! Really? I've heard jokes about that but I didn't think people really DID it. I don't really go out there much (I live on the other side of town) but... is it really a recreation?

Reputation?

Drugs :(. (Kelsey, 8 years)
State fair. (Shelbie, 10 years)
State fair. (P, 12 years)
Scott Joplin …state fair. (Sue, 14 years)
History and the fair. (Jimmi, 17 years)
Scott Joplin. (Sharon, 17 years)
The State Fair, Scott Joplin/Ragtime, Katy Trail. (Allison, 20 years)
Ozark Music Festival, Scott Joplin Festival, The Missouri State Fair. (Lynn, 24 years)
State fair. (Joni, 30 years)
Mo. STATE Fair, Scott Joplin. (Brenda, 40 years)
It used to be The Gubber Burger . Now I would say the Missouri State Fair and Ragtime. (Dean, 44 years)
MO State Fair, International Scott Joplin Festival, end of the Sedalia Trail (cattle drive trail), railroad town where the railroad construction stalled during the Civil War, right on the Katy Trail which brings cyclists here from around the world. (Beth, 50 years)

I don't think the first thing I would think about Sedalia is drugs, but then.... I don't know people who use drugs openly. If they take drugs, they sure as heck hide it from me, and I don't use drugs. Well, not recreationally.

Crime?

It’s horrible and it’s everywhere. I feel people in Sedalia aren’t charged appropriately for vandalism, harassment, stealing. (Kelsey, 8 years)
Depends a lot on the area of Sedalia. Downtown area and north of 16th street are seen as higher crime areas. Lots of theft and drugs around, but per capita, very comparable to most every town. (Shelbie, 10 years)
Parks are bad for crime, they just don’t get them selling drugs. Crime is about at a 70 per. (Jimmi, 17 years)
Stay away from the north and east sides of town. (Lynn, 24 years)
Meth heads everywhere. (Joni, 30 years)
Average…North side. (Brenda, 40 years)
We have an outstanding Police Department so I think crime is maybe 5%. (Dean, 44 years)
Not bad. Typical for a small rural town with typical drug problems. (Beth, 50 years)

There's definitely some conflicting opinions there. Some people seem to think crime is everywhere, others don't. I'm not sure what to think about that. I know quite a few nice people who live on the North side, though. I guess I'm technically west side? I don't know. I get directions wrong all the time, though.

Sedalia Advice?

Don’t do drugs. (Jessica, 8 months)
Don’t, there is already enough people. (Yuliya, 6 years)
Buy plenty of locks. (Kelsey, 8 years)
If you have kids, make sure you choose area/elementary district wisely. Great teachers at all, but peer exposure is something to be concerned with. Get involved with something. Church, charity, non-profit organization. This way you will meet the “right” connections and yield long-term friends. (Shelbie, 10 years)
Think twice. (P, 12 years)
Don’t live by a park at all. (Jimmi, 17 years)
Rent so you don’t feel obligated to stay. (Allison, 20 years)
Get involved in community activities asap. (Lynn, 24 years)
It’s not that bad. (Joni, 30 years)
West side. (Brenda, 40 years)
Read books about Sedalia and learn the history and you will be a proud Sedalian. (Dean, 44 years)
Be prepared for everyone knowing everything about you. (Beth, 50 years)

DANG. "Think twice." Burn. "Rent so you don't feel obligated to stay"... that's pretty harsh too. Does everyone know everything about me? Maybe. That's something that's strange about me, though - if people know me or whatever, I never know it. I always think nobody knows who I am.

Stories:

I would have to say, I miss when Sedalia put on a free park and families came and played games and had free food. The cops was even there and spent time with everyone. I miss the good old days. (Jimmi, 17 years)
Working the fair every year, met the love of my life here. (Allison, 20 years)
Cruising the strip in high school. (Lynn, 24 years)
When we moved here in 1974 the Rock Festival was going on and that was an eye opener for sure. (Dean, 44 years)

I don't think I was around when whatever that was happening at the park. I did work at the Fair for a few years, though. I only cruised once, and that was a dude just showing me what it was. I was not a "go out all the time" kid. I guess I'm still not.

Sedalia's Future:

If the drugs and theft rate keeps going up no one will left but them and the people like me who can’t afford to leave. (P, 12 years)
I pray it comes more together for the people. I look at it being bigger than it is now . (Jimmi, 17 years)
I think the crime might be worse. (Sharon, 17 years)
I think it will grow in size, more big businesses will come, the fair may be just as terrible. (Allison, 20 years)
Hopefully get rid of meth. (Joni, 30 years)
The east side of town will change drastically over the next ten years. (Dean, 44 years)
Growth will continue to the west of town. Some better paying jobs for blue collar workers due to new businesses opening. (Beth, 50 years)

Well, I don't think we'll be reduced to a population of criminals, but that's just my opinion. But I do agree that there will be more development to the west. Heck, it may get to the point in the future where we've got full stuff all the way to the traffic light before you get to the highway proper.

Sedalia Facts:

Friendly place to live, with horrible drivers. (Shelbie, 10 years)
There are a lot of good family people in this town, but it’s hard to weed through the users to find the real people. (P, 12 years)
Nope. (Sharon, 17 years)
There are many funny stories about Sedalians in Becky Immhauser’s books. (Allison, 20 years)
The Katy Trail. (Lynn, 24 years)
There are still good people here. (Joni, 30 years)
It was known back in the Thirties as the biggest Red light District in the United States. (Dean, 44 years)

"Nope"? Does that mean you don't have any, or we don't have any? I don't even know. I gotta say, I agree we're friendly.... but I also agree that we have some bad drivers. I don't get how the Katy Trail is a fact, though. It's... a trail? Sorry, I'm kind of, you know, slow sometimes.

Anyway, what do you think of all the opinions? Do you agree with what these Sedalians said on Lifey? You can check out everything (I edited out some answers that were repeats, stuff like that) on Lifey.

Lifingly yours,

Behka