1. Our 107th year/#42
2 sections
16 pages
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PLASTIC BAGS
Citing waste and environmental
pollution, the Osage Group of the Sier-
ra Club is proposing an ordinance that
would limit the use of plastic bags in
stores that sell perishable food.
Page 3A
VAC SPONSORS
For 30 years, the Voluntary Action
Center has matched families in need
with sponsors for its annual holiday
program. In 2013, more than 1,100
families were sponsored. However, 50
families went without sponsors last
year. Page 3A
CORRECTION
A cutline for a photograph on page 1A
on Sunday misidentified the Rev. Dr.
Clanton C.W. Dawson Jr., who
participated at a vigil for Michael
Brown on Saturday at Second Mission-
ary Baptist Church.
TODAY’S
WEATHER
Today: Chance of rain, windy.
Temp: 38°
Tonight: Mostly
clear.
Temp: 22°
Page 3A
INDEX
Abby 7A
Calendar 2A
Classifieds 5B
Comics 7A
Lottery 2A
Opinion 5A
Sports 1B
Tuesday, November 11, 2014 n SERVING THE COMMUNITY SINCE 1908 n Join the conversation at ColumbiaMissourian.com n 50 cents
KENDRA JOHNSON/Missourian
George Whertvine of the VFW Post 280 watches the closing ceremony of the Veterans Day Parade on Sunday. Members performed a three-volley salute during the closing ceremony at the Boone
County Courthouse.
A salute to veteransIraq War veteran J.R. Martinez spoke
about overcoming adversity and emerging
stronger as part of Mizzou Veterans Week
By TAYLOR WANBAUGH
news@ColumbiaMissourian.com
J
.R. Martinez was always known as the handsome kid.
Family, friends and even strangers would compli-
ment his suave looks, telling a young Martinez how he
had such a stunning face.
So in 2003, after a roadside bomb in Iraq burnt one-third of
his body, the 19-year-old soldier could only glance in the mir-
ror before despair overwhelmed him.
“I thought ‘I’ll be alive, but I’ll never live,’” Martinez said.
Eleven years later, Martinez has acted on the soap opera
“All My Children,” won the 13th season of “Dancing with the
Stars,” and plays Alfonso Rivera on the show “SAF3.” He also
tours the country as a motivational speaker, and Monday night
he spoke to about 200 people at the Missouri Theatre about
overcoming adversity and emerging stronger. The speech was
part of Mizzou Veterans Week.
Even before the burns, Martinez was no stranger to hard-
ship. His dad left the family when he was 9 months old. His
mother raised him on her own, and she couldn’t afford to send
him to college. He had hoped football would be his ticket to
university — and university would be his ticket to the NFL —
but he didn’t have the grades. So he enlisted in the Army.
It wasn’t the trajectory he had planned, but he immersed
himself in the military — the culture, the camaraderie, the
sense of purpose. “You can’t control what happens, but you
can control your attitude about it,” Martinez said.
That outlook was tested after the blast. He was unable to
Groups marched along Eighth
Street in a parade on Sunday
afternoon to celebrate veterans
Page 4A
More inside and online
Page 4A
n Veterans Treatment Court helps
alcoholic get back on track
n CATV to air veterans’ issues panel
Online at ColumbiaMissourian.com
n Streets to be named after
veterans
n VA chief vows renewed focus on
customer service
KENTON SCHOEN/Missourian
J.R. Martinez speaks Monday at the Missouri Theatre.
Martinez is an Iraq War veteran and season 13 winner of
ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.” Please see MARTINEZ, page 6A
Stokes says provost experience
makes her a good fit for MU
Garnett Stokes addressed her
successes as Florida State’s
provost at fourth campus forum
By CAITLIN HOLLAND
news@ColumbiaMissourian.com
In the fourth campus forum for MU’s open
provost position, candidate Garnett Stokes
explained on Monday how she thinks her expe-
riences would contribute to success as provost
at MU.
Stokes is the provost and executive vice presi-
dent for academic affairs at Florida State Uni-
versity. She was interim president of the univer-
sity until midnight Monday. Florida Sen. John
Thrasher was confirmed as
Florida State’s next president
on Nov. 6.
In her forum, Stokes
addressed her experiences
as provost at Florida State,
dean of the Franklin College
of Arts and Sciences at the
University of Georgia and
head of the Department of
Psychology at Georgia.
She said her goals as pro-
vost at Florida State were to improve faculty
morale, raise the university’s research profile,
Please see PROVOST, page 6A
School Board approves new
bus transportation serviceStudent Transportation of
America won the bid after a
unanimous vote on Monday
By BAYLI MARTIN, MCKENZIE PENDERGRASS
and MEGAN BEDFORD
news@ColumbiaMissourian.com
Student Transportation of America won
the bid to become the transportation pro-
vider for Columbia Public Schools after
the Columbia School Board unanimously
approved the switch at the Monday night
meeting.
School Board members voted for Student
Transportation of America to take over for
the 2015 to 2020 school years, replacing First
Student Inc., which has been the district’s
vendor for the past six years.
The approval is contingent on future con-
tract discussions with Student Transporta-
tion of America, School Board President
Christine King said. The contract will be
brought back to the board in December.
Please see BOARD, page 6A
More inside
Groundbreaking ceremony held at future site of
southwest elementary school. Page 3A
GARNETT STOKES
VETERANS DAY