Missourians who kept close tabs on one or several of the statewide races Tuesday night might have lost track of a statewide initiative to amend the State Constitution. Amendment 3, which would prohibit the diversion of gas tax revenues to projects other than roads, was overwhelmingly approved by voters. Close to 80-percent, in fact, voted in favor of the amendment. Dan Mehan, Treasurer of the Committee to Improve Roads and Bridges in Missouri, says this huge margin of support sends a clear message regarding Missourians’ desires. Mehan insists education and social programs will not lose any money because increased activity through road building will generate additional revenues.
McCaskill Believes Lack Of Votes In Southwest Missouri Cost Her The Election
November 3, 2004 By
Democrat Claire McCaskill says she fell short in her bid for Governor, because she fell short in rural Missouri. She breaks down her loss to Republican Matt Blunt simply: she failed to make a dent in the Republican stronghold on outstate Missouri, especially southwest Missouri. McCaskill carried Kansas City and St. Louis, but her outstate losses led to her defeat, picking up nearly 1.3-Million votes – or nearly 48-percent to Blunt’s near 51-percent total – almost 1.4-Million votes. McCaskill took the hard road to the Governor’s race, defeating incumbent Bob Holden in the Democratic Primary only to fall short of the prize in the General Election.
NCAA Gives MU Three Years Probation and One Year Ban On Off-Campus Recruiting
November 3, 2004 By
The day the Missouri basketball program has been waiting for came Wednesday. Mizzou was placed on probation for three years and banned from doing any off-campus recruiting for one year. Missouri was cleared of the most serious allegation, that former associate head coach Tony Harvey gave former player Ricky Clemons $250 in cash. MU will also lose one scholarship next season and two more the season after that. The number of times they can bring recruits to Columbia will be reduced from 12 to nine. The good news for the MU is that they were able to avoid a post-season and television ban. All charges of academic fraud or lack of institutional control were dropped. The investigation began in September of 2003 and concluded this spring when the NCAA announced its findings. The invetigation was sparked after Clemons and a former girlfriend, Jessica Bunge, made a number of allegations that included payments to players, free gifts and academic fraud. An appeal was heard in mid-August and since then the University has played the wating game. A formal close to the ordeal was expected in mid-October, but the NCAA’s busy schedule delayed the announcement until this afternoon.
Thomas Yeager, chair of the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions said Wednesday, “Although the case does not involve findings of sensational recruiting violations, it none the less, is a very serious recruiting case. The violations found by the committee were numerous, calculated to gain an unfair recruiting advantage and in many instances accomplished that mission since a number of highly-recruited prospects eventually enrolled and competed at Missouri.”
Names of those players were redacted in the findings. At the Reynold’s Alumni Center Wednesday, President Elson Floyd, Chancellor Brady Deaton, Athletic Director Mike Alden, head basketball coach Quin Snyder and Michael Devaney, who spear-headed the internal investigation, met with the media to discuss their response to the NCAA’s decision. While MU accepted the punishment and will not appeal, the opinion of intent is somewhat disputed. Snyder referred to the violations as “errors” and “administrative oversights.” Alden backed Snyder, calling him a coach of “unquestioned integrity.”
Chiefs To Stay In River Falls
November 3, 2004 By
The Kanas City Chiefs will return to western Wisconsin for training camp next year. The Chiefs announced that for at least 2005, they will continue to train on the Campus of The University of Wisconsin-River Falls. SMS, Northwest Missouri State and Pittsburgh State made bids to lure the Chiefs back to the area, but the cooler climates and improvements to the facilities at UW-River Falls made a return to Wisconsin to hard to pass up. The Wisconsin in legislature has appropriated $2.5 million, that will improve the locker rooms and training rooms..They’re also building new dormitories for the Chiefs. The Chiefs left for River Falls in 1991 after years of training at Willaim Jewell College in Liberty.
Blunt Wins Race For Governor
November 3, 2004 By
Missouri will have its first Republican Governor since John Ashcroft. Matt Blunt has won a close election victory over Democrat Claire McCaskill. Missouri’s Governor-elect is reitterating his election campaign vow to work to improve education throughout the state. Speaking to reporters following his victory speech, Blunt made it clear education will be a top priority … as will his intention to do something Governor Bob Holden refused to do – sign a litigation reform bill. As for his phone conversation with State Auditor Claire McCaskill, during which she conceded the victory, Blunt says she was gracious in defeat. Blunt, who will be sworn in in January, is 33 – the second youngest Governor in Missouri’s history, behind Christopher Bond. He will be only the fourth Secretary of State to serve as Governor.
