Columbia Daily Tribune

Changes Demand Look at Finances

DALLAS - There are very few life occurrences that don't have some sort of connection to money. Almost every event in your personal life will require you to reassess your financial situation. "Financial planning is essentially an exercise in planning your future, so when something changes with your current situation that will lead to a change in your future, it's time to review your financial plan," said Lance Alston, certified financial planner and president at JWA Financial Group Inc. in Dal...

Debt Adviser ; Pre-Wedding Talk On Money Is a Must

Dear Debt Adviser, My boyfriend - a potential fiance - and I have very different financial situations. I am worried these differences might interfere with our relationship.

Coming Up

Tuesday The Columbia Kiwanis Club will meet at noon at Jack's Gourmet Restaurant. Casey Goodman, project director of RSVP, will speak.

The Tribune's View ; Regulating Tobacco

In 2000 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the Food and Drug Administration did not have the authority to regulate tobacco products, and the agency disbanded the effort. In July the House easily passed a bill establishing such authority, and most senators support it, but President George W. Bush has threatened a veto. I realize fervor is high to keep leaning on the tobacco industry, but if the FDA is put in the business of regulating tobacco products, it will open a can of worms and be anti-American.

Debate Shows Palin Not Plausible President

WASHINGTON - Early in the vice presidential debate Thursday, Sarah Palin said she might not answer the questions as moderator Gwen Ifill posed them. This was the Alaska governor's way of saying she was going to stick to the talking points she had stuffed into her head, no matter what the subject. When Palin described John McCain's health-care plan, she talked about his offer of a $5,000 tax credit so families could buy insurance. She failed to mention that McCain would pay for the credit by t...

Mccain an Impulsive Queen of Hearts

"The queen had only one way of settling all difficulties, great or small. `Off with his head!' she said without even looking around." - "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland"

Open Column ; Parenthood Should Be a Life-Long Responsibility

Editor, the Tribune: Has no one cared for the men, boys and girls who are out robbing, killing and hurting other people here in Columbia? All of these people were babies, toddlers and school-age children at one time. Wasn't anyone taking an interest in and encouraging these people? These young people should be walking across campus as students, not as robbers. Where is the mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, aunt, uncle or another person who saw this person grow? Every child has a mothe...

Open Column ; Let the Greedy Companies Fail; Wake Up, Americans

Editor, the Tribune: Have we reached the limits of our economic ability to proceed with the war on terror while we bail out gluttonous companies, even as our school systems are struggling to get by and our bridges and infrastructure collapse around us? When can America start spending this money at home, where it is so desperately needed? Corporate greed and politicians have broken the spirit of Americans. People are starting to realize that they live to pay taxes, pay bills and hope to have e...

Open Column ; Bail Out Taxpayers Before Wall Street

Editor, the Tribune: I read the great story about the Van Dykes' financial struggles in your paper. When viewed against your coverage of the Wall Street crises, we see how dysfunctional our economic system has become. The "spend down" requirements the Van Dykes face to be able to afford health care occur in homes across the state and nation. We should applaud their tenacity and the generosity of their church family. Yet, we have not seen any comparable requirement of financial responsibility ...

Tribune Column ; Ruth Harmon a Great Part of Boone County's History

Ruth Harmon celebrated her 98th birthday on Oct. 1 by having her daughter, Barbara Morefield, call Ol' Clark to tell him that she knew where her old friend, Harold Wilson, got his nickname of "Smackout." Ruth Harmon - she was Ruth Edwards in those days - grew up on a farm not far from the farm of Boone County Sheriff Roger Wilson and his family. She remembers well the shock of the sheriff's death and being part of the huge crowd that attended his funeral. She remembers how difficult it was fo...

Notes From Boomerang Creek ; Grape Harvest a Celebration of Autumn in the Heartland

Walking between the house and studio at Boomerang Creek, I took a detour off the mulch pathway to collect persimmons that have begun to fall from one of the native trees in our mixed woods. Under a black walnut tree, multitudes of husky green, ankle-twisting outer- shell globes made walking a challenge. Shagbark hickory shells lay in split-open quarters, exposing a smooth brown nut to be harvested by our busy squirrel population. Brushing nuts and leaves aside, I found my own treasures, filli...

The Third Age ; Communal Living Is the Answer for Some Seniors

As folks move along in life and don't have anyone living with them, they have several options for a satisfactory lifestyle because institutional care is not the only option. The truth is that 85 percent of elders 65 and older prefer to stay in their homes. "Making a choice between toughing it out in their own homes or shuffling down a drab hallway to face fruit cups and mystery meat is an easy one," author Althan Bezaitis said. The fact these seniors must face, along with their worried adult ...

Granny's Notes ; Regulating Supply Tough for Small Dairy

It was difficult for dairy farmers to regulate the supply and demand for milk. In a town like Columbia, the autumn influx of students, teachers and workmen at two women's colleges and the university created a skyrocketing demand for dairy products. Long Christmas breaks and customers' whims added to the problem. In the 1940s, the customers wanted creamy milk that was 3.5 to 4 percent fat. Dairymen competed for "a good cream line." Milk was sold in glass bottles, and the yellowish cream rose t...

Arrests and Summonses

Authorities made the following arrests and issued summonses from 7 a.m. Oct. 3 to 7 a.m. Oct. 4. COLUMBIA POLICE

Second Thoughts

Suspect in Murder Is in Custody ; Officers Catch Up with Clyde Hyler.

A Columbia man known by police to be armed and dangerous is off the streets today. Clyde Hyler III, 22, one of CrimeStoppers' most wanted suspects, is being held on suspicion of second-degree murder in the August killing of Antonio Flores-Ramirez. His bond is set at $1 million.

High School Boundaries Up in the Air ; District Must Decide Where Kids Will Go.

It's too early to say whether Columbia's proposed new high school will have a traditional, block or modified class schedule, whether students will have unassigned time during the school day or whether they will be allowed to leave campus during lunch. Those decisions likely will be made once Columbia Public Schools knows exactly who will work at and attend the new school, Assistant Superintendent Wanda Brown said.

Student Radio Volunteers Worried About Station's Future

University of Missouri student DJs have launched a "Save KCOU" campaign to secure funding for a new radio transmitter and to ensure the station doesn't go off the air. KCOU/88.1 FM, a student-run radio station since its creation in 1963, will require a new transmitter and radio tower in January when Hudson residence hall, the building upon which the current transmitter sits, is shut down for scheduled construction. According to the Web site savekcou.org, a new transmitter and tower costs abou...

Independent School Narrows Leader Field ; Cis Down to Three Names for Head Job.

Columbia Independent School could name a new head of school as early as next month. Three finalists are expected to visit the K-12 college preparatory school this month for a series of intensive interviews with the school's board of trustees, employees and families, said Tim Holekamp, chairman of the search committee.

Festival a Hit with Crowds ; Organizers Hopeful Event Made Money.

The crowds were big but benign last weekend at the Roots 'N Blues 'N BBQ Festival. Columbia police estimate 120,000 to 130,000 people attended events during the two days and reported few problems. Police and organizers said they have no way of knowing how many individuals attended the festival; they began examining aerial photos this morning to get a better idea.