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By Amanda Lucier  ¦   Lt. Travis Gregory, left, looks on as probationary firefighter J.E. Hatfield discusses a recent call with fire engineer Dennis Long, not pictured. When a fire station is on call overnight or on weekends, the firefighters pass their time talking, watching TV and waiting for an emergency call.

By Amanda Lucier  ¦   Hatfield, right, and Lt. Travis Gregory, left, help stabilize a victim of an injury collision on Clark Lane on Friday.

By Amanda Lucier  ¦   Boots and suits stand at the ready next to the firetruck at Fire Station 5.

By KATHLEEN BUHRMANN/Missourian  ¦   Keith Porter stands beside Nikita Mars, daughter of Rev. Yolanda Ayuso, as she takes a photo of the recently ordained Rev. Russel Robinson, Rev. J.P. Patterson, Rev. Yolando Ayuso, Rev. Demetrice Bell and Rev. Manuel Guyton in front on the altar at All Peoples Missionary Baptist Church on Sunday, September 30th. Nikita Mars is the congregation's youngest youth minister and Keith Porter is the youngest deacon and drummer.

By KATHLEEN BUHRMANN/Missourian  ¦   The Rev. Yolanda Ayuso looks over a Bible verse during an appreciation service honoring Ayuso and four other recently ordained reverands at the All Peoples Missionary Baptist Church on Sunday, September 30th.

By TYSON ANDERSON  ¦   Participants of the 16-mile Big Muddy Wildlife Float pull their canoes and kayaks into the Missouri River at the start of the float Saturday.

By Courtesy  ¦   Kristi Ray, who started her career with the Columbia Chamber of Commerce in 1989, will fill the new position of executive vice president. She currently works for the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “Columbia has one of the best Chambers in the state,” Ray said. “When I had a chance to work there again, I was very excited to do that.”

By KYLE WAYNE STEWART  ¦   John Kaufman of Jefferson City recieves his first-place metal from Jan Stephens on Sunday during a Special Olympics bowling competition at the Bowling Center in Fulton.

By KYLE WAYNE STEWART  ¦   With help from Katie Pilgram, left, and Brianna Andrade, Ron Thoma of Jefferson City, bowls during the ramp-assisted bowling event in the Special Olympics bowling tournament Sunday at the Bowling Center in Fulton. Pilgram and Andrade are both seniors at Westminster College in Fulton and are first-time Special Olympics volunteers.

By KYLE WAYNE STEWART  ¦   Bowling balls sit ready to be used during a Special Olympics bowling competition Sunday at the Bowling Center, in Fulton. Bowling is one of the fastest growing Special Olympics sports. Competitors are divided according to ability level, age and gender.

By KYLE WAYNE STEWART/Missourian  ¦   8-year-old Fran Quinn was one of several young audience members who participated in the performance by the Joey Kelly Circus' Clown Alley on Sunday, September 30, 2007 at the Blue Note.

By KYLE WAYNE STEWART/Missourian  ¦   From left to right, family members Joey, Lindy, Nate and Bethany Kelly, of the Joey Kelly Circus' Clown Alley, take their bows after their performance at the Blue Note. The show preceded a showing of the film classic "The Greatest Show on Earth," featuring Joey Kelly's grandfather Emmitt Kelly. Clown Alley was held in conjunction with the One Read program sponsored by the Daniel Boone Regional Library. The One Read selection was "Water For Elephants," by Sara Gruen.

By Courtesy of Fox  ¦  

By ASHLEY CLARKE  ¦   Ian Coil, 9, builds an alien spaceship with an old compact disc, crayons and glue at the Arts Festival in downtown Columbia on Saturday as his brother and friend wait for him to finish. The festival features more than 40 live performances and 50 visual artist exhibitions through Sunday.

By ASHLEY CLARKE  ¦   A face painted Jeani Driscoll, 45, left, and Sandy Hodge, 57, take a break in the shade at the end of the Arts Festival in downtown Columbia Saturday. The festival continues today.

By J.J. Gilmore  ¦   Missouri’s 25th District Representative, Judy Baker, speaks to attendees of the Barack-A-Que, which was a barbecue sponsored by MU Students for Barack Obama in Flat Branch Park on Saturday. One highlight of Baker’s speech was a reminder of the Four Freedoms. The event also offered Barack Obama merchandise for sale.

By KATHLEEN BUHRMANN  ¦   KOMU weather forecaster Anthony Slaughter, 22, poses in front of a green screen at the KOMU studio where he works most weekends. He will become a certified meteorologist in May.

By RYAN GLADSTONE/Missourian  ¦   Hickman running back Anthony Sims runs past Francis Howell defenders in a Kewpies victory. Sims, who was not academically eligible for his freshman and sophomore seasons, made the All-District team as a junior and has become a defensive leader for the Kewpies.

By Missourian file photo  ¦   Vanessa A. Bennett