President-elect Barack Obama’s July visit to Rolla and those whirlwind days of activity that preceded it has been selected as the top news story of 2008, according to RDN staffers.
Obama’s July 30 visit to Rolla sent the town and much of Missouri into a frenzy, as he also visited Springfield and other towns en route to St. Louis.
Obama told a group of nearly 1,300 in a sweltering-hot Student Recreation Center on the campus of Missouri S&T on that Wednesday, his policies were the best choice for an “America at the crossroads.”
When the former Illinois senator arrived at 3:12 p.m., Obama was accompanied on the stage by Democratic Missouri Gov.-Elect Jay Nixon and was introduced by U.S. Sen. Claire McCaskill.
The visit also reintroduced area Rolla native Peachy Myers, the field director for the Obama Missouri Campaign.  Myers took the stage and introduced another Rolla native, Secretary of State Robin Carnahan, and her mother and former U.S. Sen. Jean Carnahan.
The Obama visit capped a three-day frenzy of activity in which area residents encircled the block of Democratic Headquarters on Pine Street. An estimated 2,200 people sought to gain entry to hear the then Illinois senator speak.
It was Obama’s visit, the enthusiasm of the people to see him and ultimately his successful presidential campaign that led to his selection as the Top Story of 2008.


Tour of Missouri
We learned of Rolla’s selection to host a finish in the Tour of Missouri bicycling race in January, and for the next eight months, the Tour of Missouri became a part of nearly every Rolla citizen’s life, from joining the Organizing Committee, to sprucing up their properties, to student lessons on cycling, tourism and geography in Rolla school classrooms.
When the day finally arrived, the race that had shown sprints to the finish up to that point, Stage Four was almost anti-climatic as Canadian Michael Barry pulled away from the pack and crossed the finish line alone.
Eventual overall winner American Christian Vande Velde finished fourth in the Rolla stage to hold onto his overall lead, but it was Barry who wowed the crowd at the finish line in Rolla.
In the end, most of the riders finished well off Barry’s pace, 18-1/2 minutes in his wake, as Barry clocked an amazing average speed of 29.095 mph.
The victory for Barry was particularly sweet, because in May, 2007, he contracted pneumonia.
Phelps County finished off the one-two punch as St. James hosted the start of Stage Five the next day.
It is because of the impact to Rolla and St. James residents, both economically and in civic pride, that the Tour of Missouri has been selected as the No. 2 story of 2008.

Rains and flooding
The onslaught of rains that began March 17 and continued throughout much of the spring and even into summer dictated how many of us spent our spring, summer and fall — adversely affecting many of our homes and travel plans.
By the first day of spring on March 20, three days of deluge already had area rivers and tributaries overflowing their banks.
Rains had Interstate 44 in both directions near the Little Piney at mile marker 173.4 near Jerome closed to all passenger-vehicle traffic. Only tractor-trailer traffic was permitted to proceed as floodwaters breached the interstate. Essentially, a 10-mile stretch of the interstate was affected by floodwaters.
And the rains really didn’t stop in March or April.
Rains continued for much of the summer and even fall, falling just short of an annual record for rainfall.
Sandbagging efforts all along the waterways that feed the Missouri and Mississippi rivers were constants, reliving the drama and heartache of 15 years earlier in 1993.
Residents all over Phelps County refamiliarized themselves with such agencies as the American Red Cross, FEMA, SEMA and other emergency groups.
The flooding of waterways that saw repeated high-water crests contribute to make flooding the No. 3 story of 2008.

S&T name change
It became official on Jan. 1, 2008, but for many long-term residents in the community, the change from “UMR” to “Missouri S&T” has been a challenging transition.
Chancellor Dr. John F. Carney, III proposed the name change during his State of the University Address on Oct. 9, 2006.
Carney said he believed the new name would set the university apart from the other campuses in the UM system and more clearly reflect the “mission and focus” of the university. One of the goals of the university is to make it one of the top five technological research universities in the nation.
Also, Carney said, he believed the name “Missouri University of Science and Technology reflected the university’s true nature as a technological research university, which left no doubt as to the nature and focus of the institution.
According to Andrew Careaga, the director of Communications at Missouri S&T,  the total cost of the name change was estimated to be $400,000. All of the major name change items were paid by private funds.
So, for the residents who still catch themselves referring to the university as “UMR,” take heart — the transition is ongoing, according to proponents of making this the No. 4 story of 2008.

Triple fatality
A tractor-trailer truck driver on March 20 from Moorhead, Miss., collided with a car stopped at a highway construction zone near Edgar Springs killing three sisters.
Killed in the accident were 12-year old Christel E. Miess, infant Gaberielle J. Miess, and  5-year-old Gracey J. Miess, all of Licking.
For months, the Missouri State Highway Patrol team compiled an extensive report of the accident that occurred on U.S. Route 63 three miles south of Edgar Springs.
All three died at the scene after the car they were riding in was rear-ended by an over-the-road truck.
The girls were with their mother Christina E. Miess and Mark T. Barton. Barton had stopped for construction in the northbound lane. His vehicle, a 1989 Ford Tempo, was struck from behind by the 2003 Freightliner.
The Freightliner was operated by Alvin Lewis, 38, of Moorhead, Miss.
Sgt. Dan Crain of the Missouri State Highway Patrol said no charges have been filed against Lewis, but that could change.
Christina Miess, the children’s mother, had moderate injuries and was taken to Phelps County Regional Medical Center. Barton had serious injuries and was flown to St. John’s Hospital in Springfield.
All three girls were wearing safety devices.
The severity and tragic nature of this seemingly preventable accident made it the No. 5 story of 2008.

St. Pats centennial
The weather was cold, 45 degrees with gusty winds, but that didn’t stop several thousand people from turning out for the 100th Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade on March 15,.
The parade featured something for everyone: Floats, vintage cars, Shriners, marching bands and lots of candy, beads — mostly green — and other promotional giveaways.
All four branches of the military were represented, and it was this group that got the most overwhelming cheers.
Missouri S&T Chancellor Dr. John F. Carney, III, and Rolla Mayor William S. Jenks, III, walked the St. Patrick’s Day Parade route and tossed green beads along the way.
A highlight of the parade was the popular Anheuser Busch Clydesdales, an eight-horse hitch.
Later in the year, the St. Pat’s classes of 2008 and 2009 presented a $60,000 check to Missouri S&T Provost Warren K. Wray and Vice Chancellor Debra Robinson to pay for the bronzing of a statue of St. Patrick.
According to St. Pat’s advisor Dr. Lance Haynes, professor of speech and media studies at Missouri S&T, this was the largest single gift ever from a student organization to campus.
The gift was made possible through proceeds from the sale of St. Pat’s sweatshirts and other items during the centennial celebration.
“Everyone who bought St. Pat’s Green last year really had a part in this gift,” said the group’s student president Todd Miller.
“The St. Pat’s Committee carries on campus traditions that are now over a hundred years old,” said Robinson.
A combination of community and university spirit, together with a cenntenial anniversary helped to make this the No. 6 story of 2008.

Tornadoes twice
Unseasonably warm January temperatures fueled a weather system in Phelps County that wrought havoc early in the new year — on Jan. 7 —  as tornados were reported in several areas of the state.
In Phelps County, severe weather cut a swath of destruction from Jerome in a northeasterly direction, touching off reports of damage to areas west and north of Rolla.
High winds and destruction were reported on a cattle ranch in Jerome where cattle were strewn about “like billiard balls,” then again north of Doolittle on Highway C where a homeowner saw his garage roof ripped away.
North of Rolla on Highway A, cedar trees lining the highway were tossed like matchsticks, and, lastly, at Rolla National Airport where relic DC-3s were moved “anywhere from 150 to 200 feet.”
According to the National Weather Service in Springfield, numerous supercell thunderstorms spawned several tornadoes that “resulted in significant damage to homes, trees and powerlines.”
While there were no local reports of fatalities, two people were killed in Missouri and another was killed in Arkansas when a man and woman were tossed about in their mobile home as it was shorn from its anchors and sent tumbling 50 yards. The husband was killed; his wife survived.
January, however, was not the only bout with tornadoes as storms in June again ripped up areas in Rolla.
On Friday, June 6, severe weather slashed through the area, as tornadic-winds mostly skirted Rolla to the north and south, brushing the nearby communities of Northwye and Newburg before moving toward St. James.
The National Weather Service in Springfield at 12:15 p.m. issued an online and weather scanner Tornado Watch for 53 Missouri counties, including Dent, Franklin, Gasconade, Maries, Osage, Phelps and Texas counties.
These storms — in January and June — contributed to make tornadic weather the No. 7 story of 2008.

Hardy murder trial
As the end of August signaled the beginning of the end of summer, it also wrapped up the five-day trial of a former Rolla business owner, who was convicted in the 2005 murder of a St. James man.
Benjamin C. Hardy, 41, incarcerated in the Phelps County Jail for almost three years, pleaded innocent to murdering James E. Cornwell III, who was shot in the face with a 12-gauge shotgun.
An eyewitness to the crime, Hardy’s ex-girlfriend, Christine Watkins, testified she saw Hardy kill Cornwell.
Hardy did not testify at his trial, and it took the jury seven hours to render a guilty verdict.
The court sentenced Hardy to life in prison without parole for first-degree murder and life in prison for armed criminal action.
A daughter of the victim, Vanessa Matzenbacher, expressed relief shortly after the verdict was announced.
“We finally have justice,” Matzenbacher said.
With fall just around the bend, and the long-awaited trial of Hardy finally resolved, many people took a deep breath and waited for the healing to begin. The redemptive power of “justice served” made this a powerful No. 8 story.

New Kia dealership
Only six new Kia dealerships were opened in the U.S. in 2008, and Rolla got one of them in July.
The Kingdom Kia dealership, located at 2600 N. Bishop Ave., moved into the old NorthGate Church site and was opened by owners Laury and Cindy West with 27 employees.
Laury West, 58, owns Chrysler and Ford dealerships in Sullivan and is the brother to Lyle and Lon West of Al West Nissan and Chrysler dealerships in Rolla. Cindy West handles marketing and advertising for the Kia dealership.
West said interest in Kias has been increasing since Kia Motors, a subsidiary of Hyundai Kia Automotive Group of South Korea, built a $1 billion plant in West Point, Ga.
Since 2005, Kia has started to focus on the European market and is currently the United Kingdom’s fastest growing car company and had various other successes in the European market.
“They’re great, fuel efficient cars,” West said. “Really, they don’t make any SUVs, but they are a popular car company.”
The Kia dealership is a welcome addition to the community, and the impact of its presence for Rolla residents and consumers make it a worthwhile No. 9 story.

School bomb threats
February was a cold month. Just ask the high school students and faculty who had to wait outside while a minimum of 25 law enforcement officers from the Rolla Police Department, the Phelps County Sheriff’s Department, the FBI and other agencies swept Rolla schools for  bombs.
Two threats at the Rolla High School in two weeks was no laughing matter, but then things got serious. A cumulative total of five threats in eight days pushed everyone to the limit.
The first threat on Jan. 30 involved  a note in a boys’ restroom that warned of a threat to other students. It mentioned that a gun would be brought to school.
The second threat involved a message in a girls’ restroom at Rolla Middle School, and it mentioned a bomb.
Then, a Rolla High School student was arrested on Feb. 9, just two days after the last threat.
Once the seriousness of the consequences for bomb threats became known, the threats ceased.
The high school student was not prosecuted.
Because of the ongoing disruptions to classes and the cost to the city, county and state agencies, this ranks as the No. 10 story for the Rolla Daily News.