Published in the Columbia Missourian
As travelers hit the highways, rails, and air routes nationwide, area authorities are holding their collective breath, worried for the public safety.
The Columbia Police Department and the Missouri State Highway Patrol want to help you and your loved ones stay safe this holiday season.
One problem travelers face is that road rage is on the rise, said Sgt. Chris Harris of the patrol.
"People are tense and trying to get where they're going," Harris said.
Watch for other unsafe drivers and stay calm.
In addition to avoiding theft and accidents while traveling, you should be aware of your home's safety.
Every year some people return home from the holidays to find their homes have been broken into. This can be prevented with simple precautions.
HOLIDAY SAFETY TIPS FOR TRAVELERS
Prepare your home for safety before you leave:
Stop mail and newspaper delivery.
Leave shades and blinds in normal position.
Put lights and/or radio on automatic timers.
Ask a neighbor to keep your residence maintained if need be (decorative lights, snow removal, etc.)
Leave a key with a trusted friend or neighbor in case of an emergency or to check on the residence.
Call the Columbia Police Department's non-emergency number, 442-6131, and ask for a patrol to drive by your home. They will ask you for the dates you will be gone and for the names of anyone who has a key to your home.
Double-check to make sure all windows and doors are locked.
Make a record of your passport, credit cards, and traveler's check numbers, as well as plane, train or bus ticket numbers. Give a copy of the list to a family member or friend for safekeeping. Keep a copy in a safe place among your traveling possessions in case the items are lost or stolen.
On the road:
Carry little cash. Use travelers' checks or credit cards whenever possible.
If you are driving, plan your route carefully. Travel on main roads and use maps. Have your car serviced before you leave.
If you are stopping overnight, remove luggage and other valuables from your car.
When stopping en route, conceal obvious valuables from sight, preferably in the trunk.
If your car breaks down, turn on the flashers and open the hood or tie a white cloth to the antenna. If anyone stops to offer help, ask them to call the police.
When traveling to visit friends or relatives, always phone before departure to give an approximate arrival time at your destination.
Phone numbers for road conditions in Missouri and neighboring states
Missouri: 1-800-222-6400
Illinois: 1-800-452-4368
Kentucky: 1-800-459-7623
Tennessee: 1-800-342-3258
Arkansas: 1-501-569-2374
Oklahoma: 1-405-425-2385
Kansas: Highways: 1-800-585-7623; Turnpike Authority 1-913-266-4135
Nebraska: 1-402-471-4533
Iowa: 1-800-288-1047
Sources: Columbia Police Department Crime Prevention Unit, Missouri State Highway Patrol and others
Monday, December 22, 1997
Wednesday, December 17, 1997
Kewpie performers on move: The choir is planning a trip abroad but is performing at home tonight
Published in the Columbia Missourian
Director Martin Hook gathers the Hickman High School choir on the stage, alive with music and musicians. Ready for rehearsal, clutching purple folders, the Kewpie choir arranges itself four lines deep.
The singing group is on the move again. About every five years the group travels abroad to sing and explore new places.
First, though, the members will raise their voices in concert with the Hickman orchestra and band for a free holiday performance at 8 p.m. tonight in the Hickman auditorium.
The 45 singers more than fill the space they have to stand in. Their voices more than fill the auditorium. The musicians practice the entire concert once, and then again. They are ready for the show.
They almost are ready for the trip.
The last two weeks of June 1998 will see the Hickman choir tour in Britain and Ireland. They will sing concerts about every other day, Hook said. The group will spend about three days in Ireland, before moving on to Wales, Scotland and then England.
But before it can go overseas, it needs to raise funds to pay for the trip. The total cost for 45 students and eight adults will be almost $100,000.
"The students and their families are paying half of the cost," Hook said. The rest is being funded by special events the choir will host throughout the school year.
In addition to singing in local churches on Sundays, the choir will hold a car wash and give away door prizes at concerts, said choir members Megan Bennett and Brandon Belvin.
Several businesses have donated the prizes. One of the choir members is the sister of MU quarterback Corby Jones. The entire football team has signed two footballs, which will also help the choir raise money for the trip.
Despite all the effort and planning, not all choir members will go.
"I don't have the time, I don't have the money," said 11th-grader Lonnie Nichols. He will, however, still sing this summer: A good friend is getting married and Lonnie has been asked to sing.
Right now, Hook said, the group has around $12,000 - about one-fourth what it needs.
"We have about enough to get to Pittsburgh," Hook said.
Hook is not yet sure where the choir will sing on its travels. He still is working on specifics but hopes it will sing at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, among other locations.
He is using local contacts, such as the choir director at the John Burroughs School in St. Louis, as well as a professional tour company, to locate and book venues for concerts.
Previous Hickman choir trips have been to Austria in 1987 and to Spain in 1992.
This week's concert will be at 8 p.m. today in the Hickman auditorium. Admission is free, and the public is welcome.
Director Martin Hook gathers the Hickman High School choir on the stage, alive with music and musicians. Ready for rehearsal, clutching purple folders, the Kewpie choir arranges itself four lines deep.
The singing group is on the move again. About every five years the group travels abroad to sing and explore new places.
First, though, the members will raise their voices in concert with the Hickman orchestra and band for a free holiday performance at 8 p.m. tonight in the Hickman auditorium.
The 45 singers more than fill the space they have to stand in. Their voices more than fill the auditorium. The musicians practice the entire concert once, and then again. They are ready for the show.
They almost are ready for the trip.
The last two weeks of June 1998 will see the Hickman choir tour in Britain and Ireland. They will sing concerts about every other day, Hook said. The group will spend about three days in Ireland, before moving on to Wales, Scotland and then England.
But before it can go overseas, it needs to raise funds to pay for the trip. The total cost for 45 students and eight adults will be almost $100,000.
"The students and their families are paying half of the cost," Hook said. The rest is being funded by special events the choir will host throughout the school year.
In addition to singing in local churches on Sundays, the choir will hold a car wash and give away door prizes at concerts, said choir members Megan Bennett and Brandon Belvin.
Several businesses have donated the prizes. One of the choir members is the sister of MU quarterback Corby Jones. The entire football team has signed two footballs, which will also help the choir raise money for the trip.
Despite all the effort and planning, not all choir members will go.
"I don't have the time, I don't have the money," said 11th-grader Lonnie Nichols. He will, however, still sing this summer: A good friend is getting married and Lonnie has been asked to sing.
Right now, Hook said, the group has around $12,000 - about one-fourth what it needs.
"We have about enough to get to Pittsburgh," Hook said.
Hook is not yet sure where the choir will sing on its travels. He still is working on specifics but hopes it will sing at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, among other locations.
He is using local contacts, such as the choir director at the John Burroughs School in St. Louis, as well as a professional tour company, to locate and book venues for concerts.
Previous Hickman choir trips have been to Austria in 1987 and to Spain in 1992.
This week's concert will be at 8 p.m. today in the Hickman auditorium. Admission is free, and the public is welcome.
Wednesday, December 3, 1997
School district seeks public opinions: Two public meetings will be held to discuss elementary school enrollment
Published in the Columbia Missourian
The Columbia School District is still talking about redistricting, and you're invited. The redistricting commission wants community perspectives on its proposals for reorganizing elementary school enrollments.
The district's Enrollment Planning Commission will hold two public meetings this week on plans to reconfigure elementary school enrollments in the northern section of town.
"We don't have a corner on all the good ideas," said Donald Ludwig, chair of the commission.
The current proposed plan would move 57 students from Derby Ridge to Blue Ridge; 20 students from Blue Ridge to Two Mile Prairie; 66 students from Benton to Shepard Boulevard; and 26 students from Shepard Boulevard to Cedar Ridge.
Students from these elementary schools all feed into Lange Middle School, the commission's first target for redistricting. In the spring, the commission will look at the schools serving Smithton and Gentry middle schools.
Although commission members have a general idea of how they hope redistricting will flow, they stress that no plans are finalized and their minds remain open. They want to hear opinions.
"None of us have made a decision on anything yet," Ludwig said.
The principals of the schools hosting this week's meetings are not concerned about redistricting's impact on their facilities.
"We're willing and pleased to work with anybody who walks in our doors," said Teresa VanDover, principal at Shepard Boulevard.
Both David Brunda, Blue Ridge's principal, and VanDover are waiting to see what concerns surface at the meetings.
Tonight, Ludwig expects to hear from parents of children possibly slated to move from Derby Ridge to Blue Ridge or from Blue Ridge to Two Mile Prairie. Thursday, he expects to hear from parents of Shepard Boulevard and Benton schools.
"We'll allow any family who wants to speak, and we'll take notes and listen," Ludwig said.
Next week, the commission will meet to decide what it will recommend to the school board in January. The date for next week's meeting has not yet been set. The school board will meet at 7 p.m. Jan. 12 at the District Administration Building, 1818 W. Worley.
The Columbia School District is still talking about redistricting, and you're invited. The redistricting commission wants community perspectives on its proposals for reorganizing elementary school enrollments.
The district's Enrollment Planning Commission will hold two public meetings this week on plans to reconfigure elementary school enrollments in the northern section of town.
"We don't have a corner on all the good ideas," said Donald Ludwig, chair of the commission.
The current proposed plan would move 57 students from Derby Ridge to Blue Ridge; 20 students from Blue Ridge to Two Mile Prairie; 66 students from Benton to Shepard Boulevard; and 26 students from Shepard Boulevard to Cedar Ridge.
Students from these elementary schools all feed into Lange Middle School, the commission's first target for redistricting. In the spring, the commission will look at the schools serving Smithton and Gentry middle schools.
Although commission members have a general idea of how they hope redistricting will flow, they stress that no plans are finalized and their minds remain open. They want to hear opinions.
"None of us have made a decision on anything yet," Ludwig said.
The principals of the schools hosting this week's meetings are not concerned about redistricting's impact on their facilities.
"We're willing and pleased to work with anybody who walks in our doors," said Teresa VanDover, principal at Shepard Boulevard.
Both David Brunda, Blue Ridge's principal, and VanDover are waiting to see what concerns surface at the meetings.
Tonight, Ludwig expects to hear from parents of children possibly slated to move from Derby Ridge to Blue Ridge or from Blue Ridge to Two Mile Prairie. Thursday, he expects to hear from parents of Shepard Boulevard and Benton schools.
"We'll allow any family who wants to speak, and we'll take notes and listen," Ludwig said.
Next week, the commission will meet to decide what it will recommend to the school board in January. The date for next week's meeting has not yet been set. The school board will meet at 7 p.m. Jan. 12 at the District Administration Building, 1818 W. Worley.
Friday, November 21, 1997
School board looks at long-range planning
Published in the Columbia Missourian
The Columbia Board of Education's work session Thursday morning moved the district forward in a number of important tasks: facilities planning, a technology initiative; and an audit committee.
The board will hold a public forum in January on the long-range facilities plan. The date for the meeting will be set at the board's December meeting.
Currently, the long-range plan eliminates the junior high school level in Columbia. Eighth-graders will be moved to middle schools and ninth-graders will be moved to high schools.
Kim Harding, Gentry Middle School principal, said a committee of middle school principals will convene next week with parents and district administration officials to examine the plan further. Because the committee has not met yet, the direction the discussion will take is unclear. However, the district concern about classroom space is almost sure to surface.
Under the plan, Smithton Middle School, which has about 940 students, would add an eighth-grade population of nearly 400.
Smithton Principal Wanda Brown-Cox is concerned about the number of trailers at her school and others in the district. She wants the students to have enough space, no matter what school they attend.
"I think it's a district concern more than a Smithton concern," she said.
The board continues to seek input from the public on the plan.
"We hope to encourage attendance from both students and other members of the community," said Harris Cooper, board president. "We want to make sure all the folks who will be affected by the plan have the opportunity to speak with us about it."
In other business:
The district administration got the go-ahead to apply for a five-year, $7.5 million competitive technology grant.
Board member Elton Fay asked board members to consider information that discussed the creation of audit committees.
The Columbia Board of Education's work session Thursday morning moved the district forward in a number of important tasks: facilities planning, a technology initiative; and an audit committee.
The board will hold a public forum in January on the long-range facilities plan. The date for the meeting will be set at the board's December meeting.
Currently, the long-range plan eliminates the junior high school level in Columbia. Eighth-graders will be moved to middle schools and ninth-graders will be moved to high schools.
Kim Harding, Gentry Middle School principal, said a committee of middle school principals will convene next week with parents and district administration officials to examine the plan further. Because the committee has not met yet, the direction the discussion will take is unclear. However, the district concern about classroom space is almost sure to surface.
Under the plan, Smithton Middle School, which has about 940 students, would add an eighth-grade population of nearly 400.
Smithton Principal Wanda Brown-Cox is concerned about the number of trailers at her school and others in the district. She wants the students to have enough space, no matter what school they attend.
"I think it's a district concern more than a Smithton concern," she said.
The board continues to seek input from the public on the plan.
"We hope to encourage attendance from both students and other members of the community," said Harris Cooper, board president. "We want to make sure all the folks who will be affected by the plan have the opportunity to speak with us about it."
In other business:
The district administration got the go-ahead to apply for a five-year, $7.5 million competitive technology grant.
Board member Elton Fay asked board members to consider information that discussed the creation of audit committees.
Tuesday, November 18, 1997
Old theater experiences occupy special place in memory
Published in the Columbia Missourian
Old theaters just won't die. Memories of one-screen movie houses stay around forever, it seems, in our minds and hearts.
Smiley Herrin was a ticket taker in the 1930s at the Hall Theater at 100 S. Ninth St. That job and playing with the university band paid his way through college.
Going to the movies now different, he said.
Sometimes he doesn't even see a ticket taker in the theater. "A lot of them aren't around anymore," he said.
Herrin remembers two specific differences between the Hall and cinemas today: segregation and a lack of air conditioning.
Thirty seats up next to the projection booth were the only place black moviegoers were allowed to sit, Herrin said.
The air-conditioning system was hand-built to add comfort to the theater, which was constructed without one. Homer Woods, the theater's manager, set up the system. Large fans blew air over ice and out into the theater through vents beside the orchestra pit.
"It was a home-made outfit but it worked pretty good," Herrin said.
The theater had three shows a day, Herrin said. There was a matinee and two showings at night. Eventually the theater added a show at midnight on Saturdays.
Herrin's favorite film from those days was a Nelson Eddy and Jeannette McDonald film in the mid-1920s.
Highlights from Columbia's theater history:
1915: Construction on the Hall Theater began. It opened at 100 S. Ninth St. the following year.
From 1971 to 1978, it was used by the University Singers. In 1993, developer Max Gillard moved his Bermuda Gold jewelry store to the site. The following year, the Saint Louis Bread Co. opened in the same location.
1921: The future Uptown Theater - then called The Cozy - opened at 1010 E. Broadway. It was closed in 1986 to make room for office space.
1926: The Varsity Theater opened at 17 N. Ninth St. After closing in 1978, in 1988 it was open for five and a half months as the Comic Book Club. In 1990, the Blue Note moved to the site from its original location on Business Loop 70 East.
1928: The Missouri Theatre opened with the future Bob Hope on stage beside the future Radio City Rockettes. In 1978, the theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 1988, it opened as the home of the Missouri Symphony Society.
1966: The Cinema Theater opened as the most modern theater in Columbia.
1967: The Forum Theater opened as a single-screen theater. In 1992, it was expanded to include eight screens.
1972: The Campus Twin opened at 1102 E. Broadway. In 1994, the theater began showing specialty and art films. A permit was granted for the construction of the Jerry Lewis Theater. The following year, Lewis withdrew his association with the theater. It was renamed the Biscayne III. Under new management in 1976, the theater focused on family movies. In 1992 the emphasis changed again, as it opened as a cut-rate theater.
1985: Construction began on the Mall 4 Theatres, which opened late in the year.
Old theaters just won't die. Memories of one-screen movie houses stay around forever, it seems, in our minds and hearts.
Smiley Herrin was a ticket taker in the 1930s at the Hall Theater at 100 S. Ninth St. That job and playing with the university band paid his way through college.
Going to the movies now different, he said.
Sometimes he doesn't even see a ticket taker in the theater. "A lot of them aren't around anymore," he said.
Herrin remembers two specific differences between the Hall and cinemas today: segregation and a lack of air conditioning.
Thirty seats up next to the projection booth were the only place black moviegoers were allowed to sit, Herrin said.
The air-conditioning system was hand-built to add comfort to the theater, which was constructed without one. Homer Woods, the theater's manager, set up the system. Large fans blew air over ice and out into the theater through vents beside the orchestra pit.
"It was a home-made outfit but it worked pretty good," Herrin said.
The theater had three shows a day, Herrin said. There was a matinee and two showings at night. Eventually the theater added a show at midnight on Saturdays.
Herrin's favorite film from those days was a Nelson Eddy and Jeannette McDonald film in the mid-1920s.
Highlights from Columbia's theater history:
1915: Construction on the Hall Theater began. It opened at 100 S. Ninth St. the following year.
From 1971 to 1978, it was used by the University Singers. In 1993, developer Max Gillard moved his Bermuda Gold jewelry store to the site. The following year, the Saint Louis Bread Co. opened in the same location.
1921: The future Uptown Theater - then called The Cozy - opened at 1010 E. Broadway. It was closed in 1986 to make room for office space.
1926: The Varsity Theater opened at 17 N. Ninth St. After closing in 1978, in 1988 it was open for five and a half months as the Comic Book Club. In 1990, the Blue Note moved to the site from its original location on Business Loop 70 East.
1928: The Missouri Theatre opened with the future Bob Hope on stage beside the future Radio City Rockettes. In 1978, the theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 1988, it opened as the home of the Missouri Symphony Society.
1966: The Cinema Theater opened as the most modern theater in Columbia.
1967: The Forum Theater opened as a single-screen theater. In 1992, it was expanded to include eight screens.
1972: The Campus Twin opened at 1102 E. Broadway. In 1994, the theater began showing specialty and art films. A permit was granted for the construction of the Jerry Lewis Theater. The following year, Lewis withdrew his association with the theater. It was renamed the Biscayne III. Under new management in 1976, the theater focused on family movies. In 1992 the emphasis changed again, as it opened as a cut-rate theater.
1985: Construction began on the Mall 4 Theatres, which opened late in the year.
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