Board cuts $5.2 million from budget (CDT): “Page by page, the Columbia Board of Education trimmed $5.2 million from the school district’s 2010-11 budget last night.”
Columbia Police report 25 weather-related accidents overnight (CM): “The Columbia Police Department reported 19 accidents that occurred from 5 p.m. to midnight Monday and six more accidents Tuesday morning from midnight to 9 a.m., spokeswoman Jessie Haden said.”
Boone County Treasurer to retire(CDT): “Boone County Treasurer Kay Murray said Monday morning that she will retire Feb. 28, three years before her term expires for the office she has held for 33 years.”
COLUMN: Professors getting high on their own supply(CM): “This semester, 24 or more MU professors required students to spend what I estimate to be about $158,557.44 on textbooks which those professors themselves had written. This is one conflict of interest about which I couldn’t be less concerned.”
This semester, 24 or more MU professors required students to spend what I estimate to be about $158,557.44
on textbooks which those professors themselves had written. This is one conflict of interest about which I couldn’t be less concerned.
ColumbiaMissourian.com is experiencing large amounts of traffic. This story is available here in full temporarily while the site is being fixed.
By CHRIS HAMBY
COLUMBIA — More than four years ago, Chuck Erickson delivered the testimony that helped send his former high school classmate Ryan Ferguson to prison with a sentence of 40 years for murder.
Erickson confessed to beating Columbia Daily Tribune sports editor Kent Heitholt with a tire tool, and he testified that Ferguson then strangled Heitholt to death. When Heitholt was dead, Erickson testified, they stole his car keys and the belt they’d used to strangle him.
Now, Erickson says that was all a lie, according to a sworn statement he gave to Ferguson’s new lawyer.
The truth, Erickson said in a deposition videotaped Nov. 22 at Potosi Correctional Center, is that he alone beat and strangled Heitholt.
“I did not tell Ryan what I was going to do,” Erickson said, reading from a prepared statement. “He had no idea that I would act in such an aggressive manner. … He could not stop me, though he tried at the end.”
The eventual extension of Stadium Boulevard likely will bring large-scale growth east of Columbia. City planning officials are working on a large-scale plan to match.
Officials will present preliminary findings related to potential development and environmental impact in the study area. They’ll also report their interpretations of goals and objectives based on feedback obtained at the first public meeting held back in November. Read more »
Chicken wings’ popularity peaks Super Bowl Sunday (CM): “If you’re going for a Super Bowl party on the cheap, chicken wings may not be on the menu. Over the last decade, the popularity of the chicken wing has steadily increased and has reached a point where the small, bite-size morsels are commanding a price tag even more than chicken breasts.”
Don’t be too surprised if city of Columbia staff members are a little difficult to contact during the next week.
City departments such as public works, protective inspection, planning and the City Managers office began their move today from the old Daniel Boone Building to the new City Hall edition today.
The city sent out a news release today that asks folks to call ahead if they need to conduct business with a specific office.
“Telephones will either be answered directly or monitored for voice mail messages,” Asst. City Manager Tony St. Romaine said in the release, “but we will do everything possible to remain accessible and responsive. Keep in mind that we will be moving people, furniture, telephones and computers.”
Each department is scheduled to move as follows: Read more »
Numerous accidents reported during snowy Friday morning(CM): “The snowfall that began early Friday in the Columbia area coincided with the morning commute, and at least 12 accidents were reported to the 911 Joint Communications Center by 8:55 a.m.”
State reaches agreement to save Katy Bridge (CM): “Gov. Jay Nixon said Thursday at a riverside news conference that Union Pacific has agreed in principle to transfer ownership of the Katy Bridge to Boonville. Union Pacific had planned to scrap the 78-year-old span and recycle its steel for a new bridge crossing the Osage River near Jefferson City.”
Local political campaigns using social networking (CBT) “Candidates are using social-networking services for many purposes: making announcements, organizing volunteers, explaining positions on issues and raising money.”
MU evening courses face adjustment (CDT) “The University of Missouri Faculty Council voted yesterday to recommend that administrators eliminate the MU in the Evening program.”
Some city staff started their move into the new government building today, a city press release stated. They’ll be moving through next week and it may be difficult to get reach of some departments during the move.
If you want to see the new city government building there is a path on Broadway; it is marked with orange mesh fencing. If you don’t plan on stopping in next week, head to city council on Feb. 15 for the first meeting in the new council chambers (where there will be free wireless internet).
