McCarthy death should have received more coverage

His actions caused the resignation of a president of the United States and indirectly caused the assassination of a presidential candidate, but there was little more than passing mention today when former U. S. Senator Eugene McCarthy, D-Minnesota, died at age 89.
McCarthy had the misfortune of sharing the date of his death with comedian Richard Pryor, who undoubtedly has been a major influence on comedians for the past three decades, but whose place in history pales in comparison to McCarthy's.
The cable news networks covered both deaths, but in the time I was watching this afternoon, spent far more time covering Pryor's death, landing interviews with Pryor's widow and Joan Rivers (?) among others. Of course, far more footage exists of Pryor, who was a fixture on television and in movies in the '70s and '80s.
Perhaps it is the age of the people who are making decisions in newsrooms. Pryor, they remember. McCarthy is just a familiar name from the dim past. There are probably many who confuse him with Wisconsin Senator Joe McCarthy, who chased Communists in the 1950s.
Eugene McCarthy was an unlikely presidential candidate, and though he had considered making a run for national office at some point, and was almost always on candidates' vice presidential lists, his place in the 1968 presidential campaign came as a result of another candidate's reluctance to run.
Political activist Allard Lowenstein was looking for an anti-war candidate to oppose sitting president Lyndon B. Johnson, and the one he wanted was Senator Robert F. Kennedy, D-N.Y. Kennedy was reluctant to challenge an incumbent, even though it was an incumbent whose standing had been weakened by Vietnam. Kennedy's family did not want him to run, fearing he would meet the same fate as his older brother, John F. Kennedy, had met on Nov. 22, 1963.
McCarthy was not a typical political candidate. He was uncomfortable with the art of campaigning, the hand-shaking and baby-kissing activities, and he developed a superior and contrary attitude with his campaign managers. It was his candidacy, not McCarthy, who brought thousands of young people, united in their opposition to the war, into the campaign. No one gave McCarthy a chance, but the young people rang doorbells and knocked on doors all across New Hampshire and when the New Hampshire primary results were in, McCarthy had pulled off a stunning upset.
Many wrongly recall McCarthy winning the primary; he didn't; President Johnson garnered 49 percent to 41 percent for McCarthy, but it was that showing that convinced President Johnson that he was losing his support in his party and on March 31, 1968, in a nationally-televised address, Johnson announced he would not seek a second term.
By this time, seeing that the electorate was open to an alternative, Robert Kennedy did jump into the race, something that never would have happened had McCarthy not paved the way. On June 12, 1968, shortly after winning the California primary, Kennedy was assassinated by Sirhan Sirhan.
McCarthy continued his candidacy all the way to the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, but he never had a chance. In those days, it was the old-line political bosses who ran the show and Johnson's vice president Hubert Humphrey received the nomination. Some speculate that had Kennedy lived, he would have been the candidate and we might have been spared Richard Nixon and Watergate.
I have never seen it that way. I believe Humphrey would still have been the presidential candidate, would have been beaten by Nixon, but Kennedy would have been firmly in place as Nixon's opponent for 1972, and could have once again used the Vietnam War as a campaign issue, or he could have waited until 1976 and battled against a Republican party weakened by Watergate and Gerald Ford's pardon of Richard Nixon. Who knows? It's fascinating to look back at history and play the what if game.
What is sad is that the networks appear to be missing the opportunity to teach a valuable history lesson with McCarthy, one that they will never get a chance to repeat. The other key figures of that presidential race, Kennedy, Johnson, Humphrey, Nixon, Nelson Rockefeller, Ronald Reagan, and George Romney have long since died. The only remaining figure from that time is former South Dakota Senator George McGovern, who launched a short-lived candidacy as a stand-in for Kennedy after the assassination, which went nowhere, but did allow him to lay the groundwork that enabled him to grab the Democratic presidential nomination four years later.
Hopefully, someone will prove me wrong and there will be more coverage about McCarthy's death in the next couple of days. If not, Americans will know far more about Richard Pryor's place in history.

Joplin Police, Jasper County sheriff's department civil suit settled

The trial of a lawsuit filed by a man who claimed he was brutally beaten by Joplin police officers and Jasper County sheriff's deputies has been cancelled, after the two sides reached a settlement, according to documents filed Friday in U. S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri. The case had been scheduled to go to trial Monday. Details of the settlement were not given.
The settlement was reached with deputies Aaron Richardson, Mike Troyer, and John Luckey. A document was also filed Friday which dismissed the lawsuit with prejudice against Joplin police officer Ron Buchanan, whose name has been associated most recently with his role in the handcuffing and arrest of an 11-year-old boy at a Joplin elementary school.
According to the lawsuit, on Jan. 9, 2001, Wright was arrested, handcuffed, then "forcibly bent over the hood of the police vehicle smashing his head into the hood." After that, Wright apparently smashed his own head into the windshield, according to his version of events, then "defendants immediately assaulted (Wright) again, striking him with hands, fists, flashlights, nightsticks and other similar items until (he) was knocked unconscious."
After that, the petition says, Wright was taken directly to the Jasper County Jail with no detour for medical treatment "although it was obvious that (he) has been severely injured as a result of the force used against him by defendants."
It was five days before Wright was taken to a doctor, according to the lawsuit. The doctor told Wright and the deputies that Wright had blood in his urine and "were advised that if his condition worsened, that he should be taken to the hospital."
Wright says his condition deteriorated and he began vomiting, "his urine became bloody and his right leg became swollen, reddened, and hot to touch."
He was finally taken to McCune-Brooks Hospital in Carthage Jan. 30, 2001, three weeks after the arrest "where he was found to be suffering from rhabdomyolysis and was suffering from acute kidney failure," which Wright claims were directly caused by the beating.
In the lawsuit, Wright accused Joplin police officers Ron Buchanan, Virgil Henson, and Greg Batson, with being involved in the beating, as well as deputies Aaron Richardson, Mike Troyer, and John Luckey.

Mayo: Nodler education plan may involve school consolidation

Of course, you have to consider the source, but Diamond R-4 Superintendent Mark Mayo, in the latest edition of Cat News, the semi-regular column he writes for the school's website, says Sen. Gary Nodler, R-Joplin, may be preparing to suggest school consolidation as a cure for some of the state's educational finance woes. Mayo wrote:

"A couple of years ago, almost 300 of Missouri's 500+ school districts filed suit against the State of Missouri in protest of a funding system that was spending almost $14,000.00 per year per child to educate students in some Kansas City and St. Louis school districts, while spending about $5,400 per year per child to educate students in schools like Diamond, Neosho, Carthage, Sarcoxie, East Newton, Seneca, and Lamar.
"Some changes in school funding have been put in place but the new funding formula remains unfunded unless we pass a 68 cent levy on a local basis. Most of the school districts, because of this funding disparity, have remained in the lawsuit. The current rumor surrounding this issue is that Senator Nodler may be proposing legislation that would require these districts to consolidate with other districts if they continue to complain about inadequate and inequitable funding through this lawsuit. Up to this point we have taken the position that it was inherently unfair and inherently unequal for the State to put more money into the education of a child in St. Louis than the State put into the education of a child in Diamond. We appreciate the State working to change this unfair formula but our position under the new formula is that if the State legislature has established the adequacy target for educating a child at $6,117.00 per year, then it is up to the State to provide the funding rather than require local districts who are already meeting funding mandates locally to increase their taxes by 68 cents.
"In the Diamond R-IV School District the voters would have to approve an increase that would move the levy from $2.75 to $3.43 in order to meet the adequacy standard set by the legislature. We may be forced to go to our voters with a request for this tax increase, especially if the threat to consolidate is enacted, but for the present we intend to stay the course in our participation in the equity and adequacy lawsuit."

Webb City graduate's report on Iraq insurgents to air

Veteran NBC correspondent and Webb City High School graduate Lisa Myers' investigative report, "On the Trail of Terror: Jihad in Iraq," an hour-long documentary examining the insurgency in that country, will air 8 p.m. Sunday on MSNBC.

Government defends McBride confession

In documents filed Wednesday in U. S. District Court for the Western District of Missouri, government investigators defended the confession they received from Webb City businessman Keith Erwin McBride, who is being held on an arson charge after allegedly burning his business, Coin-Op.
McBride's lawyer, Shane Cantin of Springfield, said in documents filed earlier in U. S. District Court that his client's rights were violated when he was interviewed April 19, while McBride was in the middle of a four-day hold for psychiatric and medical treatment.
McBride, 51, was arrested April 15 after allegedly burning his business Coin-Op in Webb City to the ground, as well as his home in Duquesne. He was arrested following an hours-long standoff, in which he "barricaded himself into one of his business properties threatening suicide," according to the court filing.
"Armed with a handgun, Mr. McBride attempted to shoot himself in the head, but the firearm failed to function. After teargas was introduced into the warehouse, Mr. McBride was eventually taken into custody, and without further incident."
He was placed on a 96-hour hold at the Hawthorn Center in Joplin. During that time, according to the court document, "Mr. McBride was diagnosed with 'major depressive disorder-single episode, severe" and 'severe psychological stressors.' Hospital records indicate that Mr. McBride was exhausted, despondent, quiet, and detached from those around him. He suffered from insomnia, and refused to participate in group counseling sessions. Mr. McBride had to be coaxed out of his room to walk around. (He) was given sedatives to assist in his sleeping, and was medicated throughout his stay at the Hawthorn Center."
When officers arrived at the center to question him, they were able to convince him to sign a waiver of his Miranda rights "although Mr. McBride had been sleeping and was otherwise medicated with sedative type drugs," the court document said.
McBride made incriminating statements during that interview, according to the document.
Cantin says his client could not have been able to give thoroughly informed consent due to his condition. "Mr. McBride was suffering from at least three days without any, or very little, sleep, prior to his arrest of April 15, 2005, and continued to suffer from insomnia, depression, and anxiety since arriving at the Hawthorn Center. His symptoms were treated throughout this time with medications which caused him to have unclear through processes, difficulty comprehending and remembering, and which otherwise impaired his ability to understand the complete nature of the rights he was being asked to give up, and the consequences of the decision to abandon them."
The government investigators disputed that version of events, noting that McBride initially admitted to the crime during his standoff with the police at the warehouse. "In an attempt to coax defendant from the warehouse, Corporal James Altic talked with him and asked if he would come out. (McBride) replied that he would not, and would kill himself. When asked why he wanted to kill himself, defendant told Corporal Altic, among other things, that he had nothing left to live for, and said he 'blew up' his business and house. When queried whether he had used explosives in the fire, defendant replied that he had not, but that he had been 'very inventive.' During a phone conversation with another police officer, Darren Gallup, defendant advised that he was afraid of going to jail because he had blown up his business and house."
The police investigation determined McBride had made numerous phone calls to friends and talked "openly and extensively about his conduct."
During the interview at the Hawthorn Center, "he appeared to investigators to be coherent and lucid. He appeared to understand his constitutional rights as read to him and as appeared on the standard printed form." He signed the waiver, then wondered whether he needed a lawyer, according to the document filed Wednesday, then decided he did not

'Small Town News' featured in MPA magazine

I was surprised to see a mention of my novel, "Small Town News<" in the Missouri Press Association magazine. It is always nice to receive a little free, and unexpected publicity.
The brief article mentioned that I was the former managing editor of The Carthage Press, it summarized the novel's plot and said it could be ordered through the author's website or through Amazon.com
It failed to mention that "Small Town News" makes a great Christmas gift, so I'll remedy that oversight.
Thanks to the staff at MPA for the mention. It is much appreciated.

Scientific explanation given for today's weather

That darned global warming.

Graham Packaging to increase prices

In a news release issued Tuesday, Graham Packaging, which bought the former Tetra Pak plant in Joplin, announced it would increase its prices by three percent. Increases in the costs of resins, energy, and transportation were cited.
This could result in price increases for some foods and beverages.

Pearl Harbor anniversary observed

I always think of my old friend Dick Ferguson of Carthage whenever Dec. 7 rolls around.
I am sure the local media have been in touch with Dick again this year, especially since the number of those who survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor continues to dwindle with the passing of each year.
It was in 1999, during my first year of teaching at Diamond Middle School, that Dick was kind enough to talk to a couple of my creative language arts classes. His stories about the attack and his time at Pearl Harbor had the kids listening raptly.
During the question-and-answer session following his presentation, one eighth grade girl in the back row raised her hand and said, "Mister Ferguson, who won this war?"
I cringed, and did so once more when another girl piped in before Dick could answer, "Yeah, I want to know that, too."
Dick patiently answered the question.
I was embarrassed for the girls and talked to Dick about it later after the students left the trailer in which I was teaching. "Don't worry about it," he said. "I run into that every time I talk to students."
That is why it is so important that we continue to take every opportunity we can to tell the students about this and other historical dates in U. S. history.
***
On the same general subject, my next-door neighbor on the second floor at South Middle School, history teacher Rocky Biggers, will hold the premiere of a video he compiled on Pearl Harbor this morning in the South auditorium. He is using many of the skills he picked up during the Joplin R-8 School District's Technology Leadership Academy, an ongoing effort made by the school district to take a couple of dozen teachers each summer, have them undergo intensive training in technology, learning about everything from making videos to websites to using powerpoint in the classroom. Those teachers then give presentations to other teachers and are available to help the faculty with technology projects. I attended the summer sessions two years ago, and they have made a difference, helping to modernize instruction in the R-8 School District.

Third edition of Joplin Herald hits the stands

It is becoming obvious that Joplin is becoming a media mecca. This town of 40,000 and his immediate surroundings are served by six television stations, KODE, KSNF, KOAM, KFJX, KOZJ and Jet 14, and within a few weeks, four newspapers, the venerable Globe, its bland and antiseptic stepchild, the Herald, the upcoming publication of Liberty Group Publishing and the Joplin Business Journal. Toss in The Turner Report, and let's face it, there are a number of avenues readers and viewers can take to get information.
The Globe's decision to take the initiative and launch a preemptive strike by starting the free weekly, the Joplin Herald, three weeks ago, seems particularly fascinating since it comes at a time when the newspaper has been losing one talented reporter after another.
John Hacker, who left to become editor of Liberty's new publication, is just the latest in a long line of reporters who have left the Globe. That is going to happen with young reporters, but in most places you have a few who develop a loyalty to the newspaper and want to stay, even for less money because this is a nice area in which to live.
That has not been happening to the Globe. Its ranks are filled with once prominent reporters, many of them burned out by misuse and by misguided news story quotas set up by editors who haven't been out to get stories since Ronald Reagan was president.
By all counts, the Globe is about six reporters short of a full staff, and since it is now owned by Community Newspaper Holdings, Inc., a company that is owned by the Alabama Teachers Retirement Fund, you can expect to see an effort by Globe management to meet its competitors with smoke, mirrors, and perhaps a catchy slogan or two.
Consider the reporters who have made their mark and then left shortly after they were hired:
Dena Sloan, Mandi Steele, RC Balaban, Jeremiah Tucker, Jeff Wells, Melissa DeLoach, Michelle Burhenn, and Ron Knox. Add to that, a veteran like Hacker, who has been the most solid, if not the only, spot news reporter the Globe had, and how can they even think about starting a weekly publication (which by the way, appears to be taking Debby Woodin and Dustin Shipman off the Globe's pages.
It appears the Globe is not only willing to cannibalize the mother paper to block off Liberty and the Business Journal, but it is also willing to shortchange that mother paper.
And even with all that, the Herald continues to be less than an artistic success. Though the school features were improved in the third edition, and there was a hard news story by Ms. Woodin, it otherwise had little to distinguish it from the two previous editions.
Even worse, the paper contained a reprint sports column from the Globe and a one-page Associated Press story. The AP does not belong in a local weekly.
Hopefully, when the two publications hit the streets, they will provide some stiff competition from the Globe and force the editors to make their daily product better.
If that happens, the winners in this upcoming newspaper war will be the readers.