The Missourian will introduce you to a member of the MU football team in each paper this season.
MEET
THE
TIGERS
Friday & Saturday, Oct. 2-3, 2009 n serving the community since 1908 n Join the conversation at ColumbiaMissourian.com n 50 cents
Putting the ‘recreation’ in ‘area’
In time, quiet property to become regional park
By Catherine Martin
I
news@ColumbiaMissourian.com
t’s near sunset at
the city-owned
Gans Creek
Recreation Area, and
the sky is showering
shades of orange and
pink over the former
cattle farm of about
320 acres on the
southeastern edge of
the city.
Destined to become
part of a new regional
park, the property
for now remains
free from the sights
and sounds of urban
development. There
are no cars driving
by, no glow of city
lights. There’s only
the static sound of
singing crickets, the
occasional hoot of
a barred owl or the
rustle of deer in the
forest.
It won’t be this way
for long.
Please see CREEk, page 8a
MU students take deeper look at health care
Students look for
answers about the
national debate.
By Alanna Nunez
news@ColumbiaMissourian.com
As many young people face
an uncertain health care indus-
try, some MU student groups
want their peers to know how
reform will affect them.
At least a hundred students
turned out Thursday night for
a health care discussion spon-
sored by the Associated Stu-
dents of the University of Mis-
souri. The discussion, which
was co-sponsored by the Col-
lege Democrats and College
Republicans, consisted of a
cross-campus panel of experts
from several fields and gave
students a chance to voice their
opinions about the current state
of health care.
“This all started back in
August, when Congress was on
its summer recess and there
Reality
check
George Kennedy disagrees
with many statements in Rep.
Blaine Luetkemeyer’s recent
letter to constituents on
health care reform. Page 4A
Kicker
No. 95 GRANT
RESSEL
Formerly known as the Crane property, the Gans Creek Recreation Area was purchased
by the City of Columbia for future development as a regional park. Here, Gans Creek runs
through a wooded section of the property. The area was recently opened to the public.
was a lull in the health care
reform,” ASUM Campus Direc-
tor Woody Smelser said. “We
wanted to host an event that
would engage students on an
interesting political topic and
one that’s very relevant to them
as well.”
Many students went to the
discussion to ask questions,
saying they wanted to become
more informed.
“I’d like to have a deeper
knowledge of the health care
debate,” senior Elizabeth Peters
said. “I think college kids,
because we tend to be on our
parents insurance, don’t think
that this pertains to us.”
Some students who went to
the discussion want to go into
the health care industry and
came to see what their col-
leagues in the medical fields
had to say.
“I’m always interested to
see what kind of information Lee Modesitt, 20, asks a question regarding health care reform as Courtney
other people have versus what I
Poskin, 22, left, and Andrea Johnson, 20, listen. Student questions covered a
Please see HEALTH, page 3a variety of topics, including the impact of reform on undocumented immigrants.
HIGH sCHOOL
FOOTBALL
n On the field, 263-pound Hickman
defensive lineman Josh German can
be intimidating. But his coach calls
him “unassuming about it, really
humble and very noble.”
n Rock Bridge is finding success
with its new option-based running
game.  Page 1B
6’ 2” | 190 lbs. | Sophomore
Grant Ressel has earned the field-goal and extra-point kicking duties for the Missouri
football team. Ressel was born in Columbia and grew up going to Missouri sporting
events. His family later moved to Jackson, but Ressel returned to his hometown to play
for the Tigers.
JOHN SCHREIBER/Missourian
CHARLES LUDEKE/Missourian
only online
The largest supplier of flu vaccines in the U.S.
announced a delay in the shipping of vaccines
for some customers. Classified 5B
Go to ColumbiaMissourian.com
Advance warning
Columbia Schools Superintendent Chris Belcher
proposes giving a monetary reward for teachers
who notify their school in advance of plans to
retire or resign. Page 6A.
Police work
to learn more
about death
Columbia police are interviewing
Johnny Wright, a man charged
with the death of Rebecca Doisy,
who died 33 years ago.
By Andrew Denney
news@ColumbiaMissourian.com
A renewed investigation is underway into the
disappearance of Columbia resident Rebecca
Doisy 33 years ago, and detectives from the
Columbia Police Department should return this
week from an interview with a man charged with
her death.
Detectives traveled to Lawrenceville, Ga., to
interview Johnny Wright, 65, who resurfaced
Sept. 23 after eluding investigators for 24 years.
Wright was arrested after attempting to apply
for a job in an Atlanta suburb that required a
routine background check.
Although Wright’s whereabouts have been
uncovered, prosecutors will face similar chal-
lenges to the ones experienced decades ago. For
one, there is still no physical evidence that Doisy
is dead because her body has never been found.
Boone County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney
Richard Hicks said he has never prosecuted a
murder case without the existence of a victim’s
body and said he knows few prosecutors in the
state that have.
“If you don’t have a body, then you don’t have a
certain cause of death,” Hicks said.
Since Doisy has not been heard from or seen
for 33 years, he said the “logical conclusion” is
that she is dead.
Doisy was last seen Aug. 5, 1976, and was
reported missing two days later when she did not
show up for her job as a waitress at Ernie’s Cafe
Please see death, page 3a
ESPN plans to
feature more
than MU game
The Missouri School of
Journalism and the Children’s
Hospital will be highlighted during
the MU-Nebraska broadcast.
By Michelle Hagopian
news@ColumbiaMissourian.com
The Missouri-Nebraska football game will be
the only televised college game on Thursday
evening, and that means the spotlight will extend
well beyond Memorial Stadium.
ESPN has announced it will feature two other
facets of MU — the Missouri School of Journal-
ism and the Children’s Hospital — during the
broadcast. The hospital will get a 30-second
commercial slot, said Whit Babcock, MU senior
associate athletics director.
ESPN will produce the Journalism School spot.
Babcock said several MU journalism graduates
work for ESPN, which added to the appeal of
featuring the school.
“The Journalism School was a no-brainer, but
the athletics department’s partnership with the
Children’s Hospital was a draw for them, too,” he
said. “There are so many areas of this university
that could’ve been featured — we are grateful
for ESPN’s coverage of these two great aspects
of MU.”
The featured slots are in addition to the typi-
cal university spots that accompany a nationally
televised college game, Babcock said.
“It’s added exposure because we’re still getting
general Mizzou commercials during the game,”
he said. “It’s great visibility for the university on
all levels.”
Babcock said the athletics department has
worked hard to educate fans and the community
on the logistics of the first midweek game for
Missouri in 17 years.
“We know it’s going to be a bit of a hassle with
a weekday kickoff as opposed to a Saturday kick-
off,” he said. “We have had a 20-person campus
Please see ESPN, page 3a
Index Today’s
Abby 7A weather
Calendar 2A
Today: Mostly cloudy.
Temp: 60°
Comics 7A Our 102nd year/#14
Tonight: Mostly cloudy. 2 sections
Life Stories
Lottery
6A
2A
Temp: 45°
Page 2A
16 pages
Nation 3A
Opinion 4A
Sports 1B
Sudoku 6B 6 54051 90850 3