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Volume 104 • Number 75 • Friday, April 18, 2014 • PO Box 188 • 111 E. Jenkins • Maryville, MO
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Tax cut could hurt funding for education
STEVE HARTMAN/DAILY FORUM
Which came first?
Liam and Declan Darling, members of the crack Maryville Daily Forum Easter investigative staff, demonstrate the common belief that chickens, and not bunnies, have a relationship with eggs — a fact that some folks seem to have trouble keeping in mind during the Easter holiday.
Which one came first, Easter bunny or the egg? By STEVE HARTMAN Staff writer
What came first, the bunny or the egg? And whatever happened to the Easter chicken? These age-old questions emerge once a year during the Easter celebration when chickens seem to be pushed out of their normal relationship with eggs in favor of the soft, cuddly Easter bunny. A common season for festivals of all kinds since the earliest advent of civilization, Easter season in the Christian world most notably marks the Resurrection of Jesus Christ as described in the New Testament. The Rev. Scott Moon of the Maryville United Methodist Church explains it this way. “There are certain universal themes in life,” Moon said, “and one theme is life itself. Universally we celebrate
spring because it represents life, especially after a long winter such as the one we’ve just experienced.” Moon went on to explain how, in his opinion, the rabbit and not the chicken got connected to the egg as a symbol of Easter. “If you think of Easter as a celebration of spring and life, then people looked around for symbols to represent life,” Moon said. “In German culture, the rabbit emerged as a symbol of Easter, and that’s understandable. Rabbits are usually spotted hopping around in the spring once winter is over, so they have an association with spring. “In addition, rabbits breed profusely, so they became a natural symbol of spring, and therefore, renewed life.” The egg, like the rabbit, is another strong symbol of life, and so has become a well-known symbol of Easter and rebirth as well.
“The egg is a perfect symbol of life for Christianity,” Moon said. “It represents life within a tomb. God wants us to break out of our shell, so the egg is a perfect symbol. Plus, I believe God wants us to have fun, and nothing is more fun than watching a group of children on an Easter egg hunt.” Moon could only speculate on why the chicken failed to become an Easter symbol, despite its close “relationship” to the egg. “I can only speculate, but I’m guessing our ancestors just didn’t view the chicken as a sign of spring and renewed life,” Moon said. As you celebrate the Easter holiday in whatever fashion you do, enjoy the bunnies and the eggs and their oncea-year relationship, but don’t forget to think about the poor, forgotten chicken — perhaps fried, baked or barbecued for Easter dinner with a plate of deviled eggs.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Setting up a likely veto showdown, the Republican-led Missouri Legislature gave final approval Wednesday to an income tax cut for millions of individuals and thousands of business owners that Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon warned could imperil funding for public schools and services. The legislation would cut Missouri’s top individual income tax rate for the first time in nearly a cenMark Hargens tury and make Missouri Northwest Regent the third state — following Kansas and Ohio — to en- concerns about the proact a special tax break for posal. Hargens joined other people who report business income on their per- members of university governing boards in signsonal tax returns. Republican legislative ing a letter that stated in leaders have made an in- part: “…Over the past four come tax cut a priority for the 2014 election year af- years, in some tough budter failing to rally enough getary times, our universiGOP votes to override ties tightened our financial Nixon’s veto of a tax cut belts and held increases in tuition at the lowest rate last year. Nixon indicated he of all 50 states across the nation. This would likely tuition trend veto the tax cut is below the again, describConsumer ing it as part of Price Index an “all-out atand has been tack on public possible education” that because of would “drastiyour dedically slash the cation as a income of our member of state.” One impact –— Mike Thomson the General Assembly of the tax cut to provide for northwest Missouri could be reduced direct state support and revenues for higher edu- everyone’s efforts to concation. Earlier this week, trol and contain costs. You officials from Missouri’s have been able to support public universities, in- this priority because gencluding Mark Hargens, eral revenue was available president of the Northwest for your wise utilization. “… We are aware that Missouri State University Board or Regents, raised See CUT Page 3
‘Last year was too big of a bite with some of the bad things in it.’
Blackford cited for excellence in teaching MARYVILLE, Mo. – The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) has announced that Ben Blackford, assistant professor of management at Northwest Missouri State University, will receive the 2014 Teaching Excellence Award for the Midwestern Council for Business Schools and Programs in ACBSP’s Region 5. ACBSP recognizes individuals annually from each of its 10 regions who exemplify teaching excellence in the classroom. As a regional recipient, Blackford is now a candidate for the
2014 ACBSP International Teaching Excellence Award to be announced in June. Blackford will be honored, along with other regional recipients, at the 2014 ACBSP Annual Conference, June 27-30, in Chicago, where he will receive a medallion and a $100 check. “Ben continually incorporates experiential learning activities in the classroom and is engaged in significant research that informs his teaching,” said Steve Ludwig, chair and assistant professor of Northwest’s Department of Business. Ludwig noted that Black-
ford received the Dean’s Award for Teaching last fall from Northwest’s Melvin D. and Valorie G. Booth College of Business and Professional Studies. He also worked as the principal investigator on a USDA grant to study the possibility of connecting more consumers with local meat producers, and he coordinates the annual New Venture Pitch Competition at Northwest. The Associate Degree Commission of ACBSP established the International Teaching Excellence Award in 1995 to recognize outstanding classroom teachers. ACBSP is the only spe-
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660-562-2424
Ben Blackford cialized accrediting body for business schools that presents an award recognizing excellence in teaching. Blackford is the second Northwest business faculty
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member in three years to be recognized with the ACBSP Teaching Excellence Award. Allison Hoffmann, instructor of management, was honored with the award in 2012. “It is more important than ever for business programs to produce graduates who are ready to enter the global marketplace,” said Douglas Viehland, ACBSP executive director. “ACBSP has a mission to develop, promote and recognize best practices that contribute to continuous improvement of business education. Recognition of teaching excellence is one way we achieve this
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goal.” ACBSP is the only global accrediting body to accredit business, accounting, and business-related programs at all degree levels. Its mission is to promote continuous improvement and recognize excellence in the accreditation of business education programs around the world. Recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation as a specialized accreditation agency for business education, ACBSP has 11,000 individual members at 1,227 member campuses, 186 of which are located outside the U.S.
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