Articles

Missourians United to Protect Social Security unveiled a report on Tuesday saying the Bush administration’s plans to privatize Social Security and reduce benefits would jeopardize the financial future of 386,120 rural residents statewide who receive checks each month.

“I’m really troubled that this administration would want to replace a program that has relieved more people living their golden years in abject poverty than any other program,” state Rep. Wes Shoemyer, D-Clarence, said during a news conference detailing the findings of the report.

While in graduate school at Virginia Tech University, Bob DiStefano won a $50 prize for dressing up in a homemade crayfish costume fashioned out of red foam and cardboard. More than 20 years later, he’s still getting paid to dress like a crayfish.

Granted, that probably isn’t in his job description.

A dozen years ago, Marcia Flesner, a clinical instructor at the MU Sinclair School of Nursing and president of District 7 of the Missouri Nurses Association, started collecting nursing books published before the 1950s with her partner, Diane Spalding.

By then, Spalding, a nurse practitioner, had been collecting old nursing books for years, and Flesner was drawn into Spalding’s collector’s world.

Two more arrests have been made in connection with an armed assault on two people that occurred Monday in the area of Providence Road and Business Loop 70.

The male victim was shot in the shoulder and has been treated and released from a local hospital. The female victim was held at gunpoint and forced to drive east of Columbia until an assailant exited the car.

Seventy-two-year-old Earlene Bradshaw was sitting in her lawn chair, snapping beans for a dinner she was having with family and friends. Described as small but tough, Bradshaw was suddenly struck in the face with a board.

The blow, which was meant for her son, knocked Bradshaw backward in her chair, causing her to hit her head against the sidewalk. As of Tuesday evening, Bradshaw was in serious condition and on life-support. She was admitted to University Hospital on Monday night with internal injuries to her head, family members said.

It wasn’t supposed to be Max McLeary’s job to rub the baseballs before the Mavericks’ 16-2 loss to Kalamazoo Tuesday night.

That honor goes to the home plate umpire. McLeary was scheduled to work the bases.

NEW YORK — It sure was a g’day for Andrew Bogut. And not a bad night for the NCAA champions from North Carolina.

Bogut, a 7-foot center from Australia, was chosen No. 1 Tuesday night in the NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks, becoming the first player in five years with U.S. college experience to be drafted No. 1 overall.

A tug of war over cable fees among Columbia’s local broadcast stations dominated a city hearing Monday night. The Cable Task Force meeting was intended to allow the public to sound off on a new cable television contract to be written by the end of the year.

A 15-year franchise agreement between the city and cable providers Mediacom and Charter Communications ends Jan. 1, and the city wants to write a new contract by that time.

Born in the 14th century as a way for men to hold flint, money and a variety of objects, purses were once quite small. But the whims of society and the ever-brutal demands of fashion have come to force their growth and expansion. This year, women are catching the bug of big, and designers and retail stores are supplying larger handbags. Gone are the small shoulder clutches from last year.

“We’ve definitely gotten more big bags in,” said Jenna Hiller, employee of A Matter of Style at the Columbia Mall. Courtney Faron, manager of Britches, said that store also is stocking more large purses.

A new restaurant in Columbia is brewing up some old favorites with some new twists. Grindstone Brewery at 47 E. Broadway opened on May 27.

“We’re improving ourselves quietly, and then we can promote the business,” says co-proprietor Sam Chou. “We want to be in tip-top shape before we promote ourselves.”

ST. LOUIS — Mark Mulder ended a string of poor starts and Reggie Sanders backed him with a two-run home run, helping the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Cincinnati Reds 2-1 Tuesday night.

The Cardinals have won three of four, giving them an NL-best record of 48-28. They sent the Reds to their 15th loss in 17 road games.

Shortly after the Portland Trailblazers selected former MU forward Linas Kleiza with the 27th pick in the first round, they traded him to the Denver Nuggets. In return, the Jazz received the rights to Jarret Jack, pick No. 22, and Ricky Sanchez, pick No. 35.

Kleiza’s standing as a first-round pick is undoubtedly a surprise to many. Most mock drafts had him slated as a second-round selection. Kleiza’s size (6-8, 225) was an issue for some scouts. He was considered too big to excel at small forward in the NBA, yet too small to play power forward.