News Update

NWMSU regents officially vote to make campus smoke free

     After procedural delays and confusion, Northwest Missouri State University will officially be smoke-free Sunday.
      Vice President of Student Affairs Jackie Elliot said the success of the campus smoking ban is attributable to the students who collected research and created surveys to determine the effect this initiative would have. Elliot said state and nation-wide research shows that a campus smoking ban has no negative affect on a student’s decision to attend a university.
      The University Board of Regents voted yesterday to unanimously adopt the smoke-free campus initiative as was planned and is currently being implemented.

Nodaway Co. polling locations found online

     This year’s preliminary election is just days away in Missouri and if you are wondering where you will go to vote in Nodaway County you can find that information easily online.
      Tuesday’s election will determine party representatives for this November’s general election. There are 17 locations voters will go to the polls in Nodaway County Tuesday and you can find those locations by clicking here.
      There are several contested races in Nodaway County. On the Democratic ticket Presiding Commissioner incumbent Joe Baumli will go up against Robert Schieber, incumbent Clerk of the Circuit Court Kim Carmichael will face Carolyn Protzman and incumbent Prosecuting Attorney David Baird will go up against Tina Meyer Deiter.
      On the Republican ballot Melanie fisher and Jessie Jones-Smith will meet in the Polk Township Council race, James Rasmussen and Dennis Gray for Nodaway township committeeman and Jane Black and Mary Beth Gray for Nodaway Township Committeewoman.

Low income Missourians getting registered to vote

     JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Nearly 250,000 low-income residents have applied for voter registration through Missouri's social services offices over the past two years.
      That's according to Project Vote, which was involved in a legal challenge against the Missouri Department of Social Services.
      A federal judge ruled two years ago the agency was not adequately complying with a federal law requiring it to give people the chance to register to vote while enrolling in programs such as Medicaid or food stamps.
      Since then, Project Vote says there has been a surge in voter applications.

Missouri committee starts work on economic development plan

     COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - A new committee created by Gov. Jay Nixon has started work plotting an economic growth plan for Missouri.
      Nixon spoke at the group's first meeting Wednesday, urging members to develop a plan that will allow Missouri to compete for future jobs.
      The governor wants the 40-member committee to develop six to 10 broad objectives that focus on industries important to Missouri's economy, with specific steps to foster their growth. Nixon also wants to develop a tactical plan for meeting those goals.
      The planning committee was meeting at the University of Missouri-Columbia. Its members include the state economic development director and business leaders from throughout Missouri.