INSIDE TODAY:

MU WRESTLING
The Tigers used a good start
to score a big win over Iowa
columbia’s morning newspaper State on Sunday. Page 1B
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ESTABLISHED IN 1908 n www.ColumbiaMissourian.com
Monday, February 16, 2009

Hindman’s Nixon
bends to
letter just lawmaker
his view desires
The governor sought
Council members say the mayor’s to cut $14.6 million in
letter supporting a nuclear plant funds from UM.
By DAVID A. LIEB
in Callaway doesn’t speak for all. The Associated Press
By Patrick Sweet JEFFERSON CITY — Gov.
news@ColumbiaMissourian.com Jay Nixon has made his first
For the Columbia City Council, nuclear energy budgetary reversal following a
is a complex conversation with many details and backlash against his proposal
opinions to weigh. And most say they want to be to slice funding for the UM
consulted before the mayor or city staff take an Extension system.
official stance on a proposed nuclear plant in But Nixon’s
decision is
Callaway County.
Mayor Darwin Hindman was the first to ANALYSIS largely sym-
express his views bolic.
when he sent a letter Legislators weren’t going
Hindman’s to AmerenUE Presi-
Target Masters’ store clerk Bob Cron attributed an increase in gun sales to the Obama
MATTHEW CAVANAH/Missourian along with his recommended
dent and CEO Thomas cut anyway. And even if they
letter Voss expressing per- administration. He said the store was having trouble meeting the higher demand for guns. were, university curators could
sonal interest in the have funded the extension sys-

Loading T
Check out thewatchword. tem regardless.
proposed construc-
wordpress.com to read tion of the second Cal- The extension programs run
By Matthew Reinig
Hindman’s letter. laway nuclear plant. news@ColumbiaMissourian.com by UM and Lincoln University
The letter included he sounds of bullets echo across the provide an array of commu-
that Hindman’s sup- hills of Rocky Fork Lakes Conservation nity-based education services
with offices in every county

up
port also assumed that “power from the plant Area shooting range off U.S. 63, crack-
must be made available to Columbia.” ing through the air at nearly a thousand of the state. They conduct
Hindman views nuclear energy as a better feet per second before being swallowed by agricultural research, teach
alternative to Columbia’s municipal coal plant. nearby mounds of dirt and cardboard tar- the basics of small business
“I’m very concerned about climate change,” he gets. Inside the gully is the long column of development and offer courses
said. “It’s clean (nuclear energy), so I favor it.” gunmen, squeezing the triggers and sending on health and nutrition, among
He also expressed interest in alternative ener- fire screaming from the muzzles in rapid many other things.
gies such as solar and wind but believes those flickers of light. As was evidenced after
alternatives aren’t capable of taking a leading For Chris Everman, one of the shooters Nixon proposed to cut the
role in the city’s energy production. at the range on Tuesday afternoon, it’s just extension programs, they also
“I’m convinced that we will not be able to sup- stress relief. are popular among partici-
ply our base power that way,” Hindman said. “Blowing something up is always fun,” pants and legislators.
Hindman’s explicit opinion of nuclear energy More than a few eyebrows
With a fear of gun
Everman said. “Just holding that much
power is cool.” were raised Jan. 27 when Nix-
Please see NUCLEAR, page 3A on’s proposed budget included
Everman is one of many Missourians
a 50 percent cut in state fund-

Watkins to
who are currently in the firearms market,
rights laws taking which had an increase in demand shortly
after Barack Obama won the presidency in
November.
ing for university extension
programs during the 2010 fis-
cal year, which starts July 1.

a bullet, gun According to the FBI’s National Instant For UM, Nixon sought to

offer police
Criminal Background Check System, which cut $14.6 million of the $28.3
conducts background checks necessary to million in state funds that the

enthusiasts legally obtain a firearm on behalf of par-

ticipating states, there has been a nearly 42
extension system receives. The
state money comprises about
29 percent of the total $96.4

chief job
percent increase — or 449,712 more checks

rush to fill their — from November 2007 to November 2008. million university extension
Additionally, checks have increased near- and continuing education pro-
ly 24 percent in December 2008 and nearly gram.
Lincoln University’s exten-
holsters while the 29 percent in January from those months

this week
the previous year. sion program, which is con-
Everman, who has been going to the range siderably smaller, would have
received a $803,440 cut under

higher demand
for nearly 10 years, said he has noticed an
increase of gunmen in recent months. Nixon’s budget proposal.
“If it’s a nice Saturday, it’s pretty packed,” But university extension
He first wants changes in Everman said. “Or about 5 o’clock in the eve- supporters said the cuts
retirement package.
By Alicia Swartz
shoots up prices. ning people like to rush out there and shoot
off a few rounds.”
Bob Cron, a clerk at Target Masters in
would have been devastating,
resulting in the loss of federal
research dollars, infringing on
news@ColumbiaMissourian.com Columbia, said the market demand for fire- the university’s mission and
If all goes according to plan, one of two final- arms is considerably higher than in the past, limiting educational opportuni-
ists — either Police Major of Kansas City Chris- and said he believes there is a causal con- ties for Missourians.
tine Laughlin or Police Chief of Haltom City, nection between the Obama administration Volunteer members of local
Texas, Kenneth Burton — will be offered the job and the gun hype. county extension councils
of Columbia Police Chief this week. One of the “The supply is way down,” Cron said. began contacting their legisla-
final issues of concern is the next chief’s com- “Before the election, we were selling prob- tors. At least one university
pensation package. ably one or two AR-15s (a semi-automatic instructor, using a personal
An executive summary on the City Council rifle) in a week. And a week after the elec- e-mail account, urged former
agenda for Monday’s meeting includes a request tion we probably sold, like, 20.” students to contact state offi-
from City Manager Bill Watkins that an alter- Cron said he believes the increased cials to discuss the positive
native retirement plan be created for the new demand of firearm supplies is driven by a aspects of the extension pro-
chief. fear of gun regulation by a Democratic-con- grams.
In the executive summary, Watkins suggested trolled Congress. Part of the sales pitch,
that the city take the same percentage of money “They’re hoarding,” Cron said. “I’m on a according to materials from
currently going into the police pension system the university: Every $1 mil-
Please see GUNS, page 3A lion spent on University of
for the chief and pay it into a different pension
Missouri Extension programs
plan such as a deferred compensation plan or
IRA. Please see budget, page 3A
Under the current police pension system, an

Black Culture Center revisits history through art

officer must serve 20 years before being eligible
for a full pension.
Laughlin has put in 25 years in Kansas City
and is eligible to retire within that system,
making her eligible for a full pension. The year
requirement is different in Texas, but Burton
has also retired within the Texas system, Wat-
kins said.
If the council does not approve of the alterna-
tive plan for a pension, Watkins said he will still
make the offer.
“If it were me (and the plan wasn’t approved) I
would still take the job, but the salary would be a
little higher,” he said.
According to the executive summary, the
salary requested by both finalists is between
$120,000 and $130,000.
Former Police Chief Randy Boehm, who retired
in July 2008, earned $100,000. Also included in
the requested compensation package is initial
leave availability, standard moving allowance
and a standard benefits package.
Both candidates previously expressed their
eagerness to work in Columbia.
By Laureen Kattan
news@ColumbiaMissourian.com
Nathan Stephens wanted to find a new
and innovative way to involve young peo-
ple in art, which he thought was disappear-
ing from schools’ curriculum.
Stephens, the director of the Gaines/
Oldham Black Culture Center, first got
the idea from West Boulevard Elemen-
tary School, where students often create
murals depicting important events in his-
tory. He said he wanted this project to
focus on the African diaspora, the move-
ment of Africans to places worldwide as
part of the slave trade.
“Most people are not aware of the dias-
pora,” Stephens said. “It’s important for
the kids to have a cultural identity.”
The culmination of Stephens’ idea, a
piece of art depicting the African dias-
pora created by artist Grant Blackwell and
fifth-grader Isaiah Berry, was unveiled
Sunday afternoon at the Black Culture
Center.
To fund this project, Stephens filed for a
grant with the Office of Cultural Affairs.
Marie Hunter, who works with the city’s
Office of Cultural Affairs, said the city
often grants funds for organizations to
host events, classes or workshops for chil-
dren.
But during the process, Stephens said he
was inspired by another idea. He wanted to
incorporate a local artist to work with the
students at West Boulevard.
“We wanted to continue the idea of
involving young people in art,” Stephens
said. KATHERINE ORIEZ/Missourian
That’s when the man known as Grant Isaiah Berry points out his signature to his sister Sanora
Please see ART, page 3A Berry, left, and Board of Education member Jan Mees.

Outside today Getting it right Index

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