Articles

Steve Kleekamp stood out like a sore thumb at the Demolition Derby last night.

After towing a dilapidated minivan into the Boone County Fairground’s Grandstand, Kleekamp was prepared to do battle on the watered-down dirt oval in front of a packed house.

Byron Scott, guest moderator: It’s midsummer in case you haven’t noticed. The corn is as high as the Rogers and Hammerstein elephant’s eye, and so is the price of gasoline.

Mid-Missouri catfishermen may be finding their sport in the midst of change — but not without their input first.

Brett Dufur helps the other two river guides, Paul Lowry and Sev Behrer, unload red and green canoes into Moniteau Creek, a small stream off the Missouri River, in Rocheport. A full-time book publisher and part-time river guide, Dufur is about to take 26 high school students from the St. Louis area on a canoe trip.

Beau Claridge competed in 13 Show-Me State Games track and field events Saturday and Sunday at Audrey J. Walton Stadium on the MU campus.

Brian Thompson, 23, of Trenton, won the 2005 national collegiate championship for MU. On Saturday, he hit enough clays to win gold in the Show-Me State Games’ trap and modern Skeet shoots.

The Milwaukee Brewers’ NL Central lead is nearly gone after another terrible week on the road.

As the search for a new University of Missouri president forges ahead, some high-ranking academic leaders aren’t waiting around to meet the new boss. Since mid-June, three top university officials have decided to take jobs elsewhere. The first to leave was economic development guru John Gardner.

The success of literacy coaches to support teachers in elementary schools led to the hiring of elementary math coaches for the coming year, said Linda Coutts, who coordinates kindergarten through fifth grade math for the Columbia Public School District.

An environmentalist group wants Missouri to stop funding certain water studies, saying the research fails to accurately determine which streams are used for swimming and would therefore qualify for greater environmental protection.

When Hy-Vee Inc. confirmed last week that the construction of the first of two new stores in Columbia will begin this fall, most city officials and residents saw the announcement as a reflection of economic growth. “I’m delighted to have the new stores. It’s a sign of the city’s progress,” said Mayor Darwin Hindman.

“Citizen review board” is a phrase Columbia’s residents have heard a lot lately. But there has been little discussion of what the phrase means. Residents will get a chance tonight to have their questions answered.

Members of the Egbe Omo Oduduwa of Mid-Missouri gathered at the American Legion Hall Saturday night to celebrate the Yoruba culture from Nigeria.

The open-breeding cattle and steer show at the Boone County Fair had a set of pink, manicured hands helping out in the ring Saturday.

Saturday was the first time Megan Nordhues competed in the Show-Me State Games. It was the first time she had competed in the same arena as the MU gymnastics team. It was also her first meet since a potentially career-ending injury.

To return to an old theme, the biggest engine driving Columbia’s economy is the university. When it suffers, we all suffer.

She cherished the Texas Hill Country, where every April ignites a bluebonnet extravaganza that’s become its own tourist attraction.

In less than six months, the top Democrats have squandered the outpouring of public support gained from last year’s congressional elections.

Nine-year-old Kaitlyn Evans of Sturgeon loves to play all kinds of sports. Her father says she’s a natural athlete. But at this year’s Show-Me State Games, she got to play her favorite sport, disc golf. She has her father to thank for that.

As a child, he was glued to the television screen, captivated by his martial arts idols — Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris and David Carradine. These stars inspired 39-year old James Goodwin of Mexico to start tae kwon do.