Local News Stories
Missouri elects ‘high octane’ leader
By TERRY GANEY of the Tribune’s staff
ST. LOUIS - Jay Nixon, a Democrat who rode a tidal wave of votes into the Missouri governor’s office yesterday, will be an aggressive chief executive who will waste little time attempting to implement his ideas.

Hulshof advises to look beyond divisions
By JANESE HEAVIN of the Tribune’s staff
A somber Ninth District Congressman Kenny Hulshof urged fellow Republicans last night to look past political divisions and instead unite under a new Democrat-led state government.

Luetkemeyer reaches Congress
By JASON ROSENBAUM of the Tribune’s staff
Republican Blaine Luetkemeyer completed an odyssey out of the political wilderness to win a high-profile and expensive contest for the Ninth Congressional District seat, a move that keeps the 25-county seat in the GOP corner.

Kelly returns to legislature in tight finish
By JASON ROSENBAUM of the Tribune’s staff
Chris Kelly devoted nearly a year of his life campaigning door to door in his quest to return to the Missouri House. The effort paid off yesterday.

Schaefer upsets Graham for Senate
By JASON ROSENBAUM of the Tribune’s staff
In one of the bigger upsets in recent local political history, Kurt Schaefer ousted state Sen. Chuck Graham by 2 percentage points - making the Columbia attorney the first Republican in decades to represent Boone County in the Missouri Senate.

Still’s victory caps her years in political circles
By JANESE HEAVIN of the Tribune’s staff
With hefty campaign coffers and an absentee opponent, Mary Still seemed the likeliest candidate to replace fellow Democrat Judy Baker in Missouri’s 25th House District.

Hobbs looks to fiscal role as legislator
By T.J. GREANEY of the Tribune’s staff
Steve Hobbs of Mexico, Mo., held onto his seat and will serve a fourth and final term in the 21st House District, fending off a spirited challenge from Kelly Schultz of Shaw.

Richards easily claims administrator position
By JODIE JACKSON JR. of the Tribune’s staff
Democrat Cathy Richards says she’s ready to hit the ground running as Boone County’s new public administrator.

Water bond issue passes in city with wide margin
By SARA SEMELKA of the Tribune’s staff
Columbia voters yesterday agreed to upgrade the municipal water distribution system, giving a 77 percent margin of the 50,294 ballots to authorize $38.9 million in revenue bonds.

Scenes from Election Central
By JODIE JACKSON JR. of the Tribune’s staff
Even as the clock ticked off the final minutes of voting last night in the Boone County clerk’s office, workers operated a bank of phones and laptop computers, still assisting voters at various precincts. Here’s a slice of the closing moments that polls were open:

Local blacks rejoice in win
By T.J. GREANEY of the Tribune’s staff
As the polls closed on the West Coast and the television news networks began projecting that Barack Obama would win the presidency, many at a small gathering at Second Missionary Baptist Church on Broadway were overcome with emotion.

Sentiment mixed in town
By JODIE JACKSON JR. of the Tribune’s staff
Sitting in a booth this morning at Broadway Diner in downtown Columbia, Sheila Burkholder smiled even as she talked about voting for John McCain in yesterday’s presidential election.

Gunman sought in homicide
By JOE MEYER of the Tribune’s staff
A Columbia man was shot to death yesterday afternoon in Douglass Park, three days after the victim and alleged gunman were in a fight at a local nightclub.

Rape case puts man in prison
By JOE MEYER of the Tribune’s staff
A Columbia man was sentenced to 17 years in prison Monday after pleading guilty to raping the 13-year-old daughter of a friend while spending the night at the friend’s house in April.