As it did with me, I am sure the headline on Page 1 of the Monday, July 7, 2008, edition of the Rolla Daily News did more than catch your attention.
I am talking about the one that read “S&T team shares Nobel Peace Prize.”
Quite frankly, the headline floored me. I am thinking “that sounds like a big deal to me.” Why such an understated story and why so far removed from the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize announcement.
After asking Editor Alan  Gerstenecker about it on Monday, I learned that Alan had unsuccessfully sought more information about the role played by Missouri S&T personnel in earning the award that basically went to former Vice President Al Gore.  Alan also asked for photographs of the Missouri S&T people involved, but everything we could obtain was published Monday.
Not really much there, I thought, for such a heady subject.
At any rate, we can at least offer our congratulations to the team of Missouri S&T researchers which worked with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The 2007 Nobel Peace Prize was shared by Gore and the IPCC.
The IPCC was recognized for its research connecting human activities and global warming. The Missouri S&T researchers contributed their work with studies and analysis related to aircraft emissions in the atmosphere.
The Missouri S&T team is led by Dr. Donald Hagen, professor of physics, and Dr. Phil Whitefield, professor and chair of chemistry.
Hagen and Whitefield have been a part of the IPCC since the mid-1990s. Their conclusions from more than ten years of research (on soot, yes soot) has been become widely accepted around the world in recent years. Hagen and Whitefield credit their support staff at Missouri S&T for much of their recognition. “We drew on phenomenal support from our colleagues,” Hagen said.

MORE KUDOS: I was also impressed by Margaret Hooper’s story Monday on Dr. Randall Huss and the St. John’s Clinic We Care Clinic, a free clinic for uninsured residents of Rolla. The subject matter was extremely important and the story itself was well done.
For those of us not impacted by the We Care Clinic, this story may not have made a big impression but Dr. Huss and other volunteers and St. John’s are providing a service that helps make Rolla an incredible place to live.
CAMP

ROLLA GIRL CROWNED: Theadoshea Camp, of Rolla, has been crowned Miss Mid Missouri Outdoors.

FIREWORKS AT DARK: Get in on an additional fireworks show this coming Saturday night at Shady Dell Park in Richland.
The fun begins with a barbecue at 5 p.m. A silent auction and music will follow.
A fireworks show, “one of the largest in the area,” will start at dark.
For more information, call 573 765-4421.

“SWEETEST HEART AWARD:” Faith Chastain, a student at Stephanie’s School of Dance in Rolla, received the Sweetest Heart Award at the close of a Starpower Power Pak dance workshop held last week in Orlando, FL.
The award was presented at the Power Pak Awards Gala.
Faith qualified to attend the workshop in January and received a $500 scholarship towards her workshop tuition.
Power Pak is a traveling dance-intensive camp bringing dancers and choreographers together from across the country.
Faith’s class included 28 students from ages 13-18. There was instruction in jazz, contemporary, ballet, tap and modern.
The highlight of the dance workshop was learning a routine in two-plus days then performing on July 1 at Disney World and as the opening act for Battle of the Stars Competition on July 2. The Battle of the Stars Competition was Webcast and seen throughout the world.
Faith is the daughter of Carol and Dan Birdsong, of Rolla.
Next week she will perform two solos and a duo with Nicki Larson at a national competition in Branson.