Up until the election, we were barraged with polls – numbers showing some candidates had big leads, only to be contradicted the next day by the opposite information. When all the dust settled and the last votes were actually counted early Wednesday morning, some of the predictions were just flat out wrong. University of Missouri political expert Bill Benoit says polls are really just educated guesses. Benoit says you have to look at the margin of error to get an accurate view of how far off the prediction would be. A four point margin of error could end up translating into an eight-percentage-point swing in the results, a wide gap in a close election.
Gibbons Tapped To Become State Senate Leader
November 4, 2004 By
The majority Reublicans of the State Senate expect the new Senate Leader will be Michael Gibbons of Kirkwood. Gibbons will start his second term when the Legislature convenes January 5th. It’s expected he’ll become the President Pro-Tem of the senate that day. Gibbons expects some changes in the way the Senate works. Gibbons says reforms in civil lawsuit standards, education funding, and taxatiion are among the big items to be dealt with early.
Former PSC Chairman To Head Up Blunt Transition Team
November 4, 2004 By
Governor-elect Matt Blunt has announced Ken McClure of Springfield will head up the transition team leading to the change of power in the Governor’s office in January. McClure – a former Chairman of the Public Service Commission – has worked for City Utilities of Springfield since he left the PSC in 1997. Previously, he worked for the State Senate Appropriations Committee and served as Deputy Director of Administration in the Department of Economic Development.
Voter Turnout In Missouri Hits Record
November 4, 2004 By
The percentage is below the record but the raw numbers set a new one. Voter turnout Tueday was a record 2.7-Million-plus – breaking a record set in 1992 by about 300,000. But, Missouri has about one-million more voters than it had 12 years ago, so the 65 percent turnout is less than the 78 percent of 1992.
NCAA Hits MU Basketball With Penalties For Violations
November 4, 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.”
