Located on the main street of Paris, Missouri, Jonesy’s Café has been drawing locals for its coffee, breakfast and old-fashioned soda fountain since the 1930s. Owners Steven and Connie Hancock say it’s a place where everyone feels at home. We arrived at the crack of dawn to find Connie firing up the grill, waiting for the usual mix of farmers, workers, retirees and opinions to find their way into the café as they do each morning. What’s on the table at Jonesy’s? Not surprisingly, a good deal of disillusionment with politicians and a political process. But also, a well-reasoned call for collaboration in politics and public life and a nostalgia for the good old days when, as Charles “Edwin” Bush says, he worked for a dollar a day, and that dollar went pretty far.
For our “Rural Diners” project this election year, KBIA visited some greasy spoons throughout our listening area looking for the answer to one, basic question: “What’s on the table?” We weren’t asking about candidates, campaigns or talking points; we wanted to know what issues people in these rural areas really cared about, and how politics directly affects their lives. Of course, we didn’t just ask one question. We ended up having in-depth and insightful conversations with people who thought they were just coming in for their morning’s cup of coffee. We want to share those conversations with you through this project.
The Rural Diner Project - what can a dollar get you now?
