SHORT TALK
As paint trickled down the wall of Strickland Hall’s north stairwell, the word “AGNO,” capitalized and underlined, looked like a scar. Cleaning crews rushed to remove the graffiti as Columbia faced a familiar foe — vandalism.
March 18, 2010
C-SPAN has put insomniacs to sleep for years, but imagine if it featured the Missouri state legislature. There might be nothing funnier than watching a passionate politician stump for something that sounds as crazy as these recently proposed Missouri bills.
As paint trickled down the wall of Strickland Hall’s north stairwell, the word “AGNO,” capitalized and underlined, looked like a scar. Cleaning crews rushed to remove the graffiti as Columbia faced a familiar foe — vandalism.
March 11, 2010
A brief history of Missouri marijuana laws
Missouri has some strict marijuana laws according to the nonprofit Marijuana Policy Project, which works to reform pot laws across the nation. But this doesn’t seem to deter many from enjoying a joint — in 2008 there were 35,990 drug abuse violations in Missouri alone. Maybe these offenders should change their bong water and study up on reefer law.
The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Imagine your high school classmates. There’s the classic Type A personality who has to iron his short-sleeved white oxford before bed at 8 p.m., and his arch nemesis — the shaggy-haired, tie-dye enthusiast who enjoys tucking a wet towel in between his floor and door before lighting up. Bob Stutman, former New York DEA agent, and Steve Hagar, editor of High Times, definitely would have been their respective heroes.
Sol House receives funds for updated facility
Andrea Rhoden sat, beaming at her own picture stationed halfway up the job ladder adorning the wall at Sol House. The ladder begins with practicing mock interviews and ends with full-time employment and permanent housing. Last week, she started a part-time job at the Candlelight Lodge, and she aims to begin classes at Columbia College later this year. Just six months ago, Rhoden was temporarily living in a cramped studio apartment with five other people.
March 04, 2010
Merging their backgrounds in business with their love for animals, Kyle and Jessica named the store after their Yorkshire terrier Lizzi and Cavilier King Charles spaniel mix Rocco. The small store on Nifong Boulevard is filled with natural food and unique toys for dogs and cats. Their personal lives revolve around animals, and they wanted to translate that into a career.
The loud echo of clear adhesive tape drowns out the laughter of two tiny girls playing with cans of tuna on the floor. The two giggle and show off their stacks of canned fish for the reporters and their cameras. Their uncontrollable laughter mixes with the constant tearing of tape. The girls are cute and all, but the real fun is happening behind them.
Boone County is home to 1,900 boys who donned the classic olive green uniform after becoming scouts at age 11, and this month the young lads celebrate the organization’s 100th anniversary. Despite growing old over the years, the organization has embraced new traditions. Today, scouts are learning to be just as crafty with computers and Global Positioning Systems as they are with axes and compasses.
March 03, 2010
March 01, 2010
The low down on connecting in Columbia
(Web Exclusive) Internet competition is fierce. You know the ads. You’ve probably heard a man talking on the radio countless times about his love of Socket. You might even have it memorized. But when it comes to picking which service provider is the best, you still feel in the dark. Don’t fear. Whether it be a hidden set-up fee, a lengthy contract term or a speed slower than your grandma’s dial-up, we can help you avoid any and all of these horrors when looking for the perfect Internet provider.
February 25, 2010
Christy Kremer is a big believer in using credit responsibly and reading her credit card statement thoroughly. “Credit cards have to be used carefully,” she says. She isn’t afraid to call the company if something doesn’t mesh, and she will take her business elsewhere if she feels she isn’t being treated right.
February 18, 2010
The scent of browning hamburger, chili pepper, onion, jalapeños and garlic is a delicious yet potent combination — especially at 9:15 a.m. But Saturday, Feb. 13 offered the perfect excuse to eat chili during any and all hours of the day: It was Columbia’s fifth annual Rootin’ Tootin’ Chili Cookoff.
Locally grown food for students
In the basement of Lee Elementary, Ann Mehr’s art room is all about threes. It’s been converted into three tiny kitchens, and three groups of third-graders crowd around three knee-high tables covered with cutting boards, locally grown ingredients and hot plates.
February 11, 2010
Hemingway’s restaurant manager Calvin Rolark keeps fresh pairs of socks in the back of his Jeep. “I’m big on water and socks,” he says, laughing. Rolark’s belief is that if one person can make an impact, imagine what an entire community can do. So Rolark put his theory into practice, and Hemingway’s held a silent auction for Haiti relief on Jan. 29. Columbia’s generosity to disaster-stricken Haiti is in the story behind the donations.
(Web Exclusive) When you think of black history in America, you probably think bus boycotts in Montgomery, Ala.; Black Panthers in Oakland, Calif.; or Dr. King in D.C. However, black men and women have been making history and fighting for the same causes in this town for just as long.