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Articles by Jessica Blake
Clarkson University responds to "Wall Street Journal" critique
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U of Houston to spend $38M on building safeguards following suicides
You have /5 articles left. Sign up for a free account or log in. The University of Houston announced it will spend $38 million on new safety measures at Agnes Arnold Hall, a campus building closed since March following two student deaths by suicide in a matter of six weeks. University president Renu Khator shared the plans for building renovations and student mental health services, recommended by two separate task forces, with faculty and staff via email Tuesday, Houston Public Media reported.
Columbia commemorates Earth Day, learning from and supporting locals
Although the day started with rain, the Columbia Area Earth Day Festival returned to Peace Park on Sunday, in full, after two modified years because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Last year's festival included more virtual options and events were spread over multiple days. The 2020 festival was postponed. Laura Wacker, the festival coordinator, said that although planning for this year began in the fall, people were more hesitant to volunteer because of COVID which made organizing more difficult.
Death notices for April 22, 2022
Jerry Gerard, 89, of Columbia died April 20, 2022. Arrangements are under the care of H.T. May & Sons Funeral Home. Joseph Neubauer, 72, of Columbia died April 19, 2022. Arrangements are under the care of H.T. May & Sons Funeral Home.
Daniel Boone Regional Library union election will take place May 18-21 Original
The Daniel Boone Regional Library union election will open Wednesday, May 18, and close Saturday, May 21. If the Daniel Boone Regional Library Workers United wins the election, it will become the first library staff to successfully unionize in Missouri. Workers announced they intend to unionize in February. They cited "unsafe" working conditions and asked for equitable pay, affordable health care and benefits.
Passover, Good Friday, Ramadan overlap for the first time in 30 years Original
For the first time since 1991, the observance of Ramadan, Good Friday and Passover aligned. For all three religions — Islam, Christianity and Judaism — the holidays represent a time of reflection. For Muslims, Friday fell within the month of Ramadan, a season of fasting and prayer to celebrate God's delivery of the holy word. For Christians, it was Good Friday, a day commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus.
Death notices for April 15, 2022
Randall Dean March, 88, of Columbia died April 12, 2022. A visitation will be held April 21, 2022, at Memorial Funeral Home from 1 to 2 p.m., immediately followed by the funeral service. Daniel Scott Hulen, 33, of Columbia, died April 13, 2022. Arrangements are under the care of Parker-Millard Funeral Service & Crematory. You must be logged in to participate in the Show Me the Errors contest. Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting.
The Missouri Symphony moves out of the Missouri Theater
The Missouri Symphony announced a change in office location in a news release Friday. After 34 years, the nonprofit arts organization moved one block north on Ninth Street from its prior location in the Missouri Theater. In honor of the move, the symphony will host an open house event on May 11 from 4 to 6 p.m. and invites community members to attend and see the new space.
The Missouri Symphony moves office out of the Missouri Theatre
The Missouri Symphony announced a change in office location in a news release Friday. After 34 years, the nonprofit arts organization moved one block north on Ninth Street from its prior location in the Missouri Theatre. In honor of the move, the symphony will host an open house event from 4 to 6 p.m. May 11 and invites community members to attend and see the new space.
Adrian Plank promises passion for his work if elected Original
Adrian Plank, a Democratic candidate running to represent the 47th district, began his conversation with the Muleskinners on Friday by referencing a TikTok, recently posted by MSNBC. The video shows Rep. Ian Mackey, D-St. Louis, fervently yelling at Rep. Chuck Basye, R-Rocheport, on the house floor during a debate over an anti-transgender amendment to House Bill 2140.
Local yoga studio embraces flexibility in relocation to First Baptist Church
First Baptist Church will become the new home of alleyCat Yoga — a space that owner Susan Mathis described as more sustainable after the financial challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mathis announced the move in a blog post Tuesday, explaining that although financial strains influenced the decision, some of it was "out of (her) control." The building's landlord plans to expand into the studio's space and is not renewing alleyCat's lease.
Dogs and owners alike talk, bark and play at annual easter egg hunt
Excited owners and even more excited dogs packed the sidewalk, parking lot and lawn outside of Lizzi & Rocco's Sunday afternoon for the company's Dog Easter Egg Hunt. Pets and owners alike got the chance to talk, bark and play as they waited to hear the words "go hunt!" and begin sniffing out the 3,000 Easter eggs, filled with treats and coupons, that lined the yard next to the pet shop's Green Meadows location on the south side of town.
Death notices for April 10, 2022
Mary Evelyn Minor, 90, of Columbia died April 8, 2022. Visitation will be held from 1 to 2 p.m. Monday at the Sturgeon Christian Church. A funeral service will be held immediately afterward.
One suffered life-threatening injuries in shooting Saturday afternoon
One individual suffered life-threatening injuries in a shooting late Saturday afternoon. When Columbia police officers arrived at the 4600 block of Orchard Lane around 4 p.m., the victim had already been transported to a local hospital via a personal vehicle. Currently, the victim's condition is uncertain and there is no suspect information available. The investigation is ongoing. More information may become available from the Columbia police at a later time.
Honor Flight for veterans returns after two years Original
Veterans from Central Missouri will finally be able to resume visits to Washington, D.C., during the 2022 Honor Flight season. This spring's flights, starting May 9, will be the first since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic two years ago, according to a news release from Central Missouri Honor Flight. The trip is provided at no cost to the veterans and includes a one-day tour of veteran dedicated memorials, including the World War II Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Vietnam Memorial and more.
Boone County Sheriff's Office warns of scam callers
Scam calls are not uncommon, but when the scammer says the person on the other end of line is in trouble with the law, it can be more believable. The Boone County Sheriff's Office warned the public of a recent wave of fraudulent calls like this in a Facebook post Wednesday afternoon. In the calls, the scammer claims to be "Deputy Kenneth Boyce," and asks people why they failed to show up to court. This catches many recipients off guard because they have no reason to be in court at all.
Death notices for March 20, 2022
Eska Emarie Vaughan, 89, of Columbia died March 18, 2022. A graveside funeral service is scheduled for 1 p.m. March 24, 2022 at Mount Nebo Cemetery. Stephanie Marie Botts, 35, of Columbia died March 18, 2022. Arrangements are under the direction of H.T. May and Sons Funeral Home.
John Cleek Sr. was 'an icon in Columbia'
John “Tiger” Cleek Sr. was a family man with deep involvement in his community. He served as president of Cleek’s Home Furnishings, Rentals & Sales — a long-standing Columbia family business — until his last day. Since childhood, Cleek Sr. had always been an MU football fan. His father, Clifton Elmo Cleek, known as “Missouri Mo,” started a tradition in 1962 predicting the score of every game.
John Cleek Sr. was 'an icon in Columbia'
John “Tiger” Cleek Sr. was a family man with deep involvement in his community. He served as president of Cleek’s Home Furnishings, Rentals & Sales — a long-standing Columbia family business — until his last day. Since childhood, Cleek Sr. had always been a Missouri football fan. His father, Clifton Elmo Cleek, known as “Missouri Mo,” started a tradition in 1962 predicting the score of every game.
MU Health Care extends relaxation of visitor policy starting Monday
As COVID-19 cases continue to decline, MU Heath Care extends the relaxation of its visitor policy to pediatric patients and adult COVID patients at University Hospital, Missouri Orthopaedic Institute, Missouri Psychiatric Center and Women’s and Children's Hospital. Starting Monday, March 21, inpatient children will be allowed two visitors at a time. Those two people can change throughout the day.
Skyrocketing gas prices slam businesses that rely on fuel
It cost Missouri Farm Bureau president Garrett Hawkins $240 to fill up his tractor's 50-gallon tank Friday. At this time last year, Hawkins said he would have paid nearly $100 less. The recent nationwide surge in gas prices has stunned many mid-Missourians, especially those whose livelihoods depend on motor vehicles. In addition to farmers, the record prices at the pump are seriously hitting taxis, buses, towing businesses and truck delivery, as well as local motorists.
TikTok says bomb-threat trend is rumor-only, but mid-Missouri schools show caution
Mid-Missouri school districts were on high alert Friday after a disruptive TikTok trend emerged. It showed people warning of rumors about anonymous bomb threats that target schools across the country. TikTok said Friday it has not found content directly promoting bomb threats in schools but has found content discussing rumors of them. Columbia Public Schools had not received any direct threats as of late morning Friday.
With end to masks in sight, CPS says details on quarantine, contact tracing are coming
Ending the mask mandate in Columbia Public Schools came down to increased vaccine availability, according to a district letter sent to families Tuesday afternoon. The district’s goal is to have a more detailed plan in place regarding contact tracing and changes to quarantine protocols before students return to school after winter break, spokesperson Michelle Baumstark said Tuesday. On Monday evening, the Columbia School Board voted 4-3 to no longer require masks in school buildings starting Jan.
CPS drops mask mandate inside district buildings effective Jan. 4
Dwight Edwards speaks about mask mandates during the School Board meeting on Monday at the Aslin Administration Building in Columbia. Edwards spoke during public comment and was against extending the mask mandate in Columbia Public Schools. Sara Williams/Missourian Columbia Public Schools’ indoor mask mandate will end when students return from winter break Jan. 4. This will apply to all students in prekindergarten through twelfth grade.
Standardized test results show decline across subjects for CPS students
The percentage of Columbia Public Schools students in grades three through eight reaching proficient or advanced levels in statewide math tests dropped 12% from 2019 to 2021, following a statewide trend. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released district-level data late Wednesday afternoon from the Missouri Assessment Program tests students took last spring. The results were the first since 2019; tests were canceled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Columbia School Board faces split crowd on mask mandate
Tension over Columbia Public Schools' mask policy remained high throughout the evening Monday. When the board unanimously voted to extend the district’s COVID-19 plan for another month, insults and curse words as well as words of support were shouted at the board, prompting a brief recess. Superintendent Brian Yearwood said lifting the mask mandate may be a future possibility as vaccines are made available to students ages 5 to 11. “Good news is coming,” Yearwood said.
Here's what to know about getting the vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds in Boone County
Mid-Missouri parents can now begin to schedule vaccines for their 5-to 11-year-olds at federal pharmacies across Boone County with appointments as soon as Saturday.
Ready or not, Columbia parents prepare for child vaccinations
MacKenzie Everett-Kennedy plans to vaccinate her daughter Stella as soon as COVID-19 shots become available for kids in Columbia. "I am eagerly waiting with anticipation because, not only do I have a young child, but I have a child who is immunocompromised," she said. Columbia children are a step closer to being able to receive a COVID-19 vaccine, after the Food and Drug Administration approved the Pfizer shot for 5- to 11-year-olds Friday.
What Boone County parents can expect with pending approval of COVID vaccine for kids
Boone County parents can anticipate COVID-19 vaccines for their 5- to- 11-year-olds by early November, but there are several steps in the national and state approval process that must occur before needles enter the arms of Columbia elementary schoolers. After a unanimous yes from the Food and Drug Administration’s advisory committee Tuesday, a final ruling could come from the FDA in a matter of days.
Pediatric COVID-19 cases decline unexpectedly
On the eve of a Food and Drug Administration advisory committee meeting regarding approval of the Pfizer vaccine for 5- to 11-year-olds, COVID-19 cases in Boone County for children and teens are down from September cases by more than half. As of Friday, 187 cases within residents 19 and younger had been recorded for October so far, according to the Columbia/Boone County Health and Human Services Department. That is compared to 442 cases in September and a peak of 465 in August.
Finding lost social cues: CPS program aims to help young learners
Blue Ridge Elementary School students Nelson Nduwayo, left, and Alexis Gutierrez work on a worksheet during a social-emotional learning lesson Friday. Educators across the country agree that social-emotional learning has taken a hit because of remote learning during the pandemic. Owen Ziliak/Missourian A single-file line of second graders broke into an all-out stampede on the Blue Ridge Elementary School blacktop as recess got underway. A couple of students ran straight to the standing spinner.
NAACP chapter stands with superintendent after Rep. Basye calls resignation Original
About 80 community members filed in and the murmur of conversation grew at Second Missionary Baptist Church on Wednesday. The Columbia chapter of the NAACP gathered for an emergency meeting to stand in support of Columbia Public Schools Superintendent Brian Yearwood after State Rep. Chuck Basye called for his immediate resignation in a news release Monday.
COVID-19 hospitalizations up for children at MU Women's and Children's Original
The number of COVID-19 cases and associated hospitalizations increased dramatically over the summer for mid-Missouri children and teens. In Boone County, more than 450 COVID-19 cases were recorded for residents 19 and younger in August, compared to 36 cases for the same age group in May, according to the Columbia/Boone County Health and Human Services Department.
Oakland welcomes sixth graders as part of district's Jumpstart
Empty tables and chairs were soon filled after the lunch bell rang Monday at Oakland Middle School. Student chatter spread, and sneakers squeaked on the cafeteria's freshly cleaned floors. Wearing backpacks and masks, the new sixth grade class shuffled in for an Italian Village pizza lunch, one of the last activities of Jumpstart — a half-day orientation offered to sixth and ninth graders across Columbia Public Schools.
Oregon's Malheur Enterprise wins fight for public records
In response to an administrative appeal filed by a Reporters Committee attorney, a district attorney in Oregon has ordered a county economic development department to disclose public records requested by the Malheur Enterprise, an important victory for the newspaper that could help shed light on a multi-million dollar infrastructure project.
Near misses at UNC’s high-security lab illustrate risk of accidents with coronaviruses
This story was originally published by ProPublica, a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox. The mouse infected with a lab-created type of SARS coronavirus was squirming upside down, dangling by its tail as a scientist carried it to a weighing container one day in February 2016.
Here are 6 accidents UNC researchers had with lab-created coronaviruses
Pennsylvania Commonwealth microbiologist Kerry Pollard performs a manual extraction of the coronavirus inside the extraction lab at the Pennsylvania Department of Health Bureau of Laboratories on Friday, March 6, 2020. by Alison Young August 18, 2020 Written by Alison Young, Jessica Blake August 18, 2020 ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox. From Jan.
Here Are Six Accidents UNC Researchers Had With Lab-Created Coronaviruses
From Jan. 1, 2015, through June 1, 2020, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill reported 28 lab incidents involving genetically engineered organisms to safety officials at the National Institutes of Health, according to documents UNC released to ProPublica under a public records request. The NIH oversees research involving genetically modified organisms. Six of the incidents involved various types of lab-created coronaviruses. Many were engineered to allow the study of the virus in mice.
Near Misses at UNC Chapel Hill’s High-Security Lab Illustrate Risk of Accidents With Coronaviruses
ProPublica is a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up to receive our biggest stories as soon as they’re published. The mouse infected with a lab-created type of SARS coronavirus was squirming upside down, dangling by its tail as a scientist carried it to a weighing container one day in February 2016.
Columbia School Board Ends Contract With SESI
The Columbia School Board voted unanimously Thursday to not renew its contract with Special Education Services Inc. This means the district will be responsible for providing educational programming for the about 30 students currently receiving services through SESI in its FOCUS program. These are students with intense special needs.
Columbia School Board ends contract with SESI
View Story Comments COLUMBIA (Missourian) - The Columbia School Board voted unanimously Thursday to not renew its contract with Special Education Services... More >> 1 hour ago Thursday, May 21 2020 May 21, 2020 Thursday, May 21, 2020 7:35:03 PM CDT May 21, 2020 in News
Columbia School Board ends contract with SESI
The Columbia School Board voted unanimously Thursday to not renew its contract with Special Education Services Inc. This means the district will be responsible for providing educational programming for the about 30 students currently receiving services through SESI in its FOCUS program. These are students with intense special needs.
'It's weird, but it's my experience': High schoolers face changes in testing
May is a season of testing for high schoolers. But now through May 22, as schools across the country operate remotely, students are taking their first online Advanced Placement exams. After surveying more than 18,000 students, College Board —the organization that runs AP exams — decided to move its tests online, saying 91% of students still wanted the opportunity to take the exams. "I mean, I definitely did want a chance to take the test," Hickman High School junior Frederick Boland said.
MU Hosts Virtual Forums In Search For Vice Chancellor Of Diversity
By Jessica Blake & Columbia Missourian • 27 minutes ago Starting Tuesday, finalists to be MU’s next vice chancellor for inclusion, diversity and equity will appear in virtual candidate presentations and open forums. The first is Maurice Gipson, vice chancellor for diversity and community engagement at Arkansas State University. His forum will be from 9 to 10 a.m. Tuesday. Gipson’s CV and cover letter can be viewed on the search webpage.
Furloughs Required for 579 MU Staff Members in Budget Crisis
By Jessica Blake & Columbia Missourian • 23 minutes ago Almost 580 MU staff members have taken furloughs or are scheduled to take them before July 31, according to a new campus website showing budgetary actions. The number jumped from zero last week because it is first week in which an overall accounting of layoffs and furloughs is being posted on the website. Updates will be posted each Friday and reflect information through the end of the previous Wednesday. No layoffs were reported this week.
MU hosts virtual forums in search for vice chancellor of diversity
Starting Tuesday, finalists to be MU’s next vice chancellor for inclusion, diversity and equity will appear in virtual candidate presentations and open forums. The first is Maurice Gipson, vice chancellor for diversity and community engagement at Arkansas State University. His forum will be from 9 to 10 a.m. Tuesday. Gipson’s CV and cover letter can be viewed on the search webpage.
Furloughs required for 579 MU staff members in budget crisis
The number jumped from zero last week because it is first week in which an overall accounting of layoffs and furloughs is being posted on the website. Updates will be posted each Friday and reflect information through the end of the previous Wednesday. No layoffs were reported this week. However, last week 32 people in MU Health Care were laid off, bringing the number of MU employees out of jobs so far to 49, according to MU.
Missouri flyovers scheduled to honor first responders
The Missouri Air National Guard's 131st Bomb Wing will conduct flyovers of Camdenton, Cape Girardeau, St. Louis, Columbia, Jefferson City and Springfield on Friday evening, according to a news release from the Missouri National Guard. The flyovers are part of a national Air Force effort to honor medical and health care professionals, first responders, essential employees and volunteers as they work amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the release.
MU will launch more than 25 new online programs in the fall
MU plans to launch more than 25 new online programs this fall, bringing the number of online degrees and certificates to more than 150, according to an MU news release Monday.
Tiered Plan Launched For Employees' Return To Columbia Schools
By Jessica Blake & Columbia Missourian • 4 minutes ago Columbia Public School District employees will return to their school buildings through “tiered stages” beginning Monday, according to an email sent to district staff Wednesday. The tiered plan will be similar to one for the state announced Monday. “Just as the health department will be phasing people back in from the community, we will be phasing our employees back in,” district spokesperson Michelle Baumstark said.
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