CON V ERGING CA MPUS & COMMUNIT Y
NORTHWEST MISSOURIAN THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 2024
MARYVILLE, MISSOURI
NWMISSOURINEWS.COM
VOL. 112, NO. 16
@THEMISSOURIAN
NW nursing program to use grant for enrollment improvement
South Main Street gets funding for pedestrian upgrades
DAKOTA OSWALT Asst. News Editor | @doswalt_NWMSRN
HANNAH CLAYWELL News Editor | @Hannah_9504
Missouri Governor Mike Parson announced Dec. 18 the approval of a $5 million grant for 20 Missouri colleges and universities to enhance nursing education programs. Northwest received $147,500 from the grant. The initiative for the funding, known as the Nurse Education Incentive Program Grant, began in 2011, according to the Missouri State Board of Nursing Executive Director Lori Scheidt. She said the board is an agency that operates off the fees it collects as opposed to tax revenue. “When it started in 2011, it was really looking at our budget and see what we could afford,” Scheidt said. “However, this round of funding was $5 million that did get appropriated through tax dollars. I think that that’s a good sign that the legislators and the Governor realizes we need to address the shortage by putting some more money behind the solutions.” She said nursing programs across Missouri are unable to enroll to their full potential due to inadequate numbers of instructors and clinical slots. Scheidt said the implementation of the grant allows each college and university to provide its
As the new year begins, progress on the South Main Corridor Improvement Project, Phase II is in motion. Maryville City Council discussed new grants and upcoming bids at the Jan. 11 meeting. City Manager Greg McDanel started the discussion with an ordinance to execute an agreement with the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission for a Transportation Enhancements Funds Program.
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I think that that’s a good sign that the legislators and the governor realizes we need to address the shortage by putting some more money behind the solutions.”
LORI SCHEIDT EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
own input on how much funding its programs receive, as long as they offer a reasonable ask with a solid proposal. “It’s not state government coming to us telling you ‘This is how you need to fix it,’” Scheidt said. “We don’t know the nursing programs. What they need to increase their capacity – they need to tell us. It’s not that there’s a one-size-fits-all approach to solving the shortage. It’s different in different areas of the state on what they need to fix.” Since the initiative began, the Missouri State Board of Nursing has awarded grants to decrease the number of people who were turned away from nursing programs. Scheidt said what started off in 2011 as 3,933 people getting turned away from nursing programs, dropped to 1,221 people last year, a 69% improvement. Scheidt said the long-term goal of the initiative is to maintain full enrollment of nursing programs across the state. She said the purpose of the grant process is to bridge that initial gap.
SEE NURSING | A4
AN INDEPENDENT STUDENT NEWSPAPER SINCE 1914.
Maryville animal shelter works to reopen building
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HANNAH CLAYWELL News Editor | @Hannah_9504
n electrical fire caused the New Nodaway Humane Society to shut down temporarily since Dec. 19. Shelter Manager Wendy Combs said there is still not an exact opening date, but she’s hoping the shelter will be up and running soon. The electrical fire started in the attic above the dog storage area, but there is not an exact cause that was found. “I was petrified and scared to death ‘cause I knew I needed to get the animals to safety, as I had no idea how bad the fire was,” Combs said in an email to The Missourian. Combs said the process of getting all of the animals out to safety was an all-hands-on-deck experience. Police, fire responders and staff were all trying to move dogs to the outside pens and get the cats out of the building. No one knew if the fire was spreading and how bad it was going to be. She said everything happened in less than 15 minutes. After getting the animals out of the shelter, the staff had to work on rehoming them while the building was closed and unsuitable for them to live in. Many community members and businesses, like Fantastic Fidos, Ol’ Wash Tub and Nodaway Veterinary showed up to board animals. The Friends of the Animal Shelter in Saint Joseph also took four dogs. Although the community members provided temporary placements, many animals found permanent homes through adoption within those placements. Two of the dogs that were in the Saint Joseph animal shelter were adopted as well. “(It) was a blessing in disguise,” Combs said. “Several fosters have ended up adopting.” The Humane Society has received a lot of support from the community as well. Combs said she does not know the exact monetary amount of donations that have been made, but the shelter’s website has been open for donations. Combs said the shelter had many packages come in from the Amazon wish list set up for the shelter. “We were so lucky, people were very generous and helped out a lot,” Combs said. Efforts to restore the building are well underway. ServoPro has been cleaning the main dog area and Smith Contracting has been working on the repairs. The Maryville Fire Department also kept the community updated on its Facebook page. “City of Maryville, Missouri Code Enforcement Officers worked with the humane society and contractors to make the space safe for temporary occupancy so animals and staff could continue essential operations while more permanent repairs are completed,” Maryville Fire Department said in the post.
SEE FIRE | A4
ALEXIS STARKS PHOTO EDITOR
Jelly, a domestic shorthair mix kitten, is at the North Nodaway Humane Society Jan. 16. She is available for adoption for $60.
$500K in the T.A.P. Program (Transportation Alternative Program) for pedestrian features After receiving a bid on the project that exceeded the estimated construction cost, McDanel said there was work to secure additional funding for the project. “Part of that funding was submitting an application to the Transportation Alternative Program,” McDanel said. “Fortunately, we were awarded $500,000 in the T.A.P. Program for pedestrian features associated with Phase II.” The $500,000 will be used for improvements in sidewalks, trails and lighting. McDanel said this money will help offset some expenses within Phase II of the project. Mayor Tye Parsons said this grant was a great opportunity for the city to receive funds. “It’s a little outside the box using different grant sources altogether to make the project work, so I just think it’s a great thing,” Parsons said. Council approved the agreement and moved on to the next ordinance for the project, a contract with SK Design Group, Inc. for engineering design services. The SK Design Group, Inc. also did this for Phase I of the project. The contract would provide separate plans for construction bidding and help with minor changes that are now needed to meet requirements for the additional TAP funding. SK Design Group, Inc. recommended getting Construction Management Resources, LLC to do an updated cost estimate to ensure all details are correct. “They did separate those Phase II plans for specifications and estimated for bid documents,” McDanel said. “C.M.R. (Construction Management Resources, LLC) is a nationally well-known firm that really goes into detail on construction estimates, so they will actually call suppliers or call local contractors, do averages on material prices and come up with a cost estimate.”
SEE COUNCIL | A4
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