Last issue of the semester! Check out our seniors’ farewell columns on page 11
Truman State University tmn.truman.edu THURSDAY, APRIL 15, 2021
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Newly elected candidates reflect on election KENNEDY COOPER Staff Writter
Signs indicate where Adair County residents can vote. An election was held on April 6. Photo from TMN Archives
The April 6 elections had good rates of voter turnout, especially for a local election, Sandy Collop, Adair County Clerk said. “I was hoping for 15% [voter turnout], and when I found out that we had 20%, I thought we did really good,” Collop said. For the Kirksville City Council, there were four candidates for a single open position, which will last for a three-year term. The candidates were Kevin Alm, Kabir Bansal, John Gardner and Dana (Danny) McDowell. There were 1,748 votes cast and Gardner won with 982 votes. “I’m extremely pleased with the results,” Gardner said. “I was able to make a strong connection with many voters and
that shows in the election outcome. I’m excited to go to work serving the Kirksville community as we focus on unlocking Kirksville’s potential and making Kirksville a place where all belong.” For the Kirksville R-III school board, there were five candidates running for two positions. Each position lasts for a two-year term. These candidates were Nick Billington, Pamela Barnett, Michael Bishop, Angela Caraway and Jaimee Miller. There were six candidates listed on the ballot, but one candidate, Bret Davidson, dropped out of the race. Voters could vote for two candidates, with a total of 4,451 votes cast. Angela Caraway won a seat, with 1,181 votes cast in her favor. Caraway has 27 years of experience in mental healthcare and has three children who graduated from Kirksville Highschool. See ELECTION page 3
TRUMAN HOLDS VACCINE DRIVE
COVID: A year in review GABE SMITH Staff Writer
With vaccinations becoming widely available and COVID-19 numbers beginning to diminish, a return to normalcy seems to be on the horizon. For many Truman State University students, especially freshmen and seniors, returning to normalcy more closely resembles an entrance to the unknown. Freshman Maylon Rodriguez said that he doesn’t think he has fully experienced what it’s like to be a college student. “I definitely feel like I’ve missed out on a lot of things,” Rodriguez said. “I always hear about the cool things that happen on campus during regular years, but that’s just not the case now.” Though Rodriguez doesn’t prefer online learning, he said that professors have done well to adapt and improve their classes throughout the semester.
A student receives the COVID-19 vaccine at Truman’s vaccination clinic. The event was held April 7 and was open to Truman faculty, staff and students. Photo by Tim Barcus
University holds first on-campus COVID clinic RACHEL BECKER Editor-in-Chief
A COVID-19 vaccination clinic was held on campus for the Truman State University community April 7. 360 doses were administered at the event. In a survey conducted by Nancy Daley-Moore and Scott Alberts, 644
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students said they have already been vaccinated, and with the addition of the on-campus vaccination clinic, about one-fifth of Truman’s student population has been vaccinated. Hy-Vee Pharmacy administered the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on campus with the help of nursing students and public health students. Brenda Higgins,
associate vice president for student health and wellness, said the nursing students helped to draw up vaccines and to monitor patients for side effects. Public health students helped register students and helped with escorting them from station to station. See VACCINES page 5
A Truman student studies in Pickler Memorial Library. Truman has had COVID-19 policies in place for a year. Photo by Bidan Yang See COVID page 3