Stories by Joe Gamm

McDonald’s to recognize work of area nurses Community members may nominate nurses for McDonald's Nurse Excellence Awards now through June 15. McDonald's restaurants are again celebrating nurses with the awards, which honor nurses who exhibit de... June 9, 2023

Cap Region to integrate into MU Health Care Full integration of Capital Region Medical Center into the MU Health Care system was long overdue, CRMC President Gaspare Calvaruso said Thursday.Calvaruso spoke during a media event as MU Health Care... June 8, 2023

Kidsfest provides fun in the sun There were no family-filled canoes in the pool Saturday at Ellis-Porter Riverside Park this year during Kidsfest.But there were plenty of kayaks.Boys and girls of all ages paddled them around the pool... June 4, 2023

Capital West hosts inaugural Foster Family Fun Night Capital West Christian Church was home to the Foster Family Fun Night on Saturday night.The free event gave foster families a chance to gather, have a good meal and enjoy time playing games and partic... June 4, 2023

Westphalia teenager seriously injured in crash Paramedics flew a Westphalia teenager to University Hospital in Columbia after a single-vehicle crash late Friday night.According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, about 11:40 p.m., 19-... June 4, 2023

Veterans emphasize true meaning of Memorial Day Veterans -- particularly those who have served during wartime -- have spent the past week preparing for Memorial Day.Their preparations include solemnity they find in the holiday.Many spent hours duri... May 28, 2023

Calvary Lutheran graduates ready to face the ‘wilderness’ The 26 young adults who graduated Saturday morning from Calvary Lutheran High School share a love, Natalie Sommerer told them.Sommerer, one of the class' co-valedictorians, said during the graduat... May 28, 2023

For the People Pow Wow serves as ‘family reunion’ To dance is to pray.Linda Coulter, the head lady dancer during Saturday's 13th annual For the People Pow Wow, said all parts of native dance have meaning."You dance to the drums," Coulte... May 28, 2023

Cole County crash injures Russellville woman A single-vehicle Cole County traffic crash left a woman with minor injuries Friday afternoon.According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, Debra S. Bates, 61, of Russellville, at about 3:... May 28, 2023

Local groups taking ‘wait, see’ approach to possible federal default As officials on Capitol Hill debate the possibility of a historic governmental default, uncertainty is growing surrounding how it could affect people in Central Missouri. President Joe Biden and U.S. ... May 27, 2023

Local groups taking ‘wait, see’ approach on debt limit talks As officials on Capitol Hill debate the possibility of a historic governmental default, uncertainty is growing surrounding how it could affect people in Central Missouri.President Joe Biden and U.S. H... May 26, 2023

Seniors find information on aging at annual fair Area seniors on Wednesday used space at Capital Mall for more than shopping or walking.They took advantage of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services' annual Senior Resource Fair.Wen... May 25, 2023

United Way to announce recipients of $350,000 in grants The United Way of Central Missouri's board on Tuesday approved about $350,000 in community support grants.The grants will go to 27 agencies supporting transportation, health education and several ... May 25, 2023

Desire to serve people drives foundation leader Even when she was very young, Peyton Orban knew she wanted to be connected with the nonprofit world -- serving people.That desire, she said, came from her parents. Her father was a firefighter for 26 ... May 22, 2023

Community turns out for inaugural gun show About 500 people browsed among the vendors of the inaugural Cole County Gun Show on Friday night.Even more attended the event held at the Jefferson City Jaycees Cole County Fairgrounds for day two on ... May 21, 2023

Visitors take a walk through military history Countless people walked among displays Saturday at the Museum of Missouri Military History.And hundreds more are expected to visit today, the final day of the museum's eighth annual open house.The... May 21, 2023

Girl Scouts earn badges for robotics A group of Central Missouri Girl Scouts built autonomous robots and earned badges for the efforts Saturday morning at LabSpace Robotics.LabSpace is a maker space for children and their families in Cap... May 21, 2023

Eugene driver hydroplanes, crashes Weather may have played a role in a Cole County injury crash Friday afternoon.Georgia S. Kincaid, 37, of Eugene, suffered minor injuries in a single-vehicle crash that happened about 4:22 p.m. on U.S.... May 21, 2023

Helias student organizes Habitat for Humanity fundraiser It seems to be the rare sibling that wants to follow in a predecessor's footsteps. Especially when it comes to high school activities. But in a way, Lauren Mathews is celebrating following her brother... May 20, 2023

LUCENPalooza 2023 coming in June Lincoln University Cooperative Extension Human Nutrition and Health (LUCEN) program and Building Community Bridges are collaborating to offer LUCEN Palooza 2023. The event is set for 4-5:30 p.m. June ... May 20, 2023

Get your peanuts? The cost of a snack may be small. It could be peanuts.But the rewards from that bag of peanuts could be large.A host of Jefferson City Host Lions Club members fanned out across the city early Friday m... May 19, 2023

United Way names new president The United Way of Central Missouri announced its new president Thursday afternoon.Lee Knernschield will step in to take the reins of the nonprofit, following in the footsteps of Ann Bax.“It is a... May 18, 2023

Boys & Girls Club recognizes Junior Youth of the Year Malani Morris can inspire future students at the Boys & Girls Club of Jefferson City.The 13-year-old is also likely to inspire current students there.The club, according to CEO Wade Middaugh, inte... May 17, 2023

Lighthouse Prep seniors graduate Lighthouse Preparatory Academy graduated 14 seniors Sunday during a ceremony in the Missouri State Capitol Rotunda.See Lighthouse Preparatory Academy celebrates its graduates for graduation coverage. May 15, 2023

Lighthouse Preparatory Academy celebrates its graduates Lighthouse Preparatory Academy hosted its annual graduation celebration Saturday afternoon.The graduation ceremony for its 14 seniors is 2 p.m. today in the Missouri State Capitol rotunda.The celebrat... May 14, 2023

Turnout swells for inaugural half marathon About 350 people ran and walked in memory of Jared Palmer early Saturday morning in Jefferson City.The inaugural Capital City Race Half Marathon 10K 5K -- or Jared Palmer Memorial Half Marathon -- rai... May 14, 2023

Archery hitting its mark at Runge Oliver Clark drew back his bow, carefully aimed, then released the arrow Saturday morning.It hit a target with a satisfying thud.The 7-year-old whipped his head around to grin at his dad, Rusty Clark.... May 14, 2023

Jefferson City man injured in motorcycle crash A Jefferson City man suffered serious injuries when a motorcycle he was on crashed Friday afternoon in Howard County.According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, 40-year-old Carl A. Bake... May 14, 2023

Annual letter carriers food drive is Saturday The letter carriers' annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive takes place Saturday. Area residents may have received in their mailboxes this week blue plastic bags in which they can place donated food produ... May 12, 2023

Little Olympics means summer is around the corner Children running, jumping and throwing in Jefferson City is a sure sign summer is right around the corner.Organizers held the YMCA's annual Little Olympics on Saturday, estimating that more than 5... May 7, 2023

Families, colleagues shed tears for fallen officers The line-of-duty death of a law enforcement officer can be particularly painful for the officer's family and friends, Jay Schroeder told more than 700 people gathered Saturday morning for the annu... May 7, 2023

Tractor-trailer crash injures man in Osage County A 36-year-old Licking man suffered serious injuries in a single-vehicle crash in Osage County Friday afternoon.According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, John J. Godi was southbound on... May 7, 2023

State registrar has found his ‘sweet spot’ There can be a local, personal vibe to working in state government, according to Dylan Bryant.Bryant, state registrar and chief of Missouri's Bureau of Vital Records, said his job allows him to develo... May 7, 2023

Pickup hits tractor leaving man injured A Fulton man who crashed his pickup into a tractor on Route JJ Thursday morning suffered minor injuries.According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, the John Deere tractor, driven by Jos... May 6, 2023

Master gardeners kick off annual plant sale People in Central Missouri have a secret for growing tomatoes, peppers and flowers during the summer that make their neighbors jealous. It may have something to do with soil, nutrients and proper sun.... May 6, 2023

Ever-growing Shelbyfest hits Jefferson City Hundreds of people joined an annual Ford-themed party Friday night in downtown Jefferson City.The Shelbyfest Friday Night Cruise-In Concert drew in participants from all across America, according to e... May 6, 2023

Vespers marks first service in remodeled Catholic Cathedral More than 700 people joined local Christian leaders as St. Joseph Cathedral was the home for vespers Thursday night for the first time since its remodel began more than a year ago. W. Shawn McKnight, ... May 5, 2023

Mid-Missouri community acknowledges early childhood workforce It takes special people to enter early childhood professions, John Schaefferkoetter told about 130 child care providers Tuesday night.It takes extra special people to commit to that work for a lifetim... May 3, 2023

Samaritan Center volunteers have dished legal advice for 20 years The Samaritan Center is celebrating 20 years of providing legal support for low-income community members.During those first 20 years, the center's Legal Care program has helped to meet the needs o... May 3, 2023

Boy Scouts encourage shoppers to donate for a charity Boy Scouts at grocery stores across Jefferson City on Saturday politely asked shoppers to buy food to benefit clients of the Samaritan Center. The boys handed lists of preferred items to shoppers as t... April 30, 2023

Whether running or walking, Cinco de Mayo 5K competitors help CDFY Whether their preference was to run or walk, scores of participants completed the annual Cinco de Mayo 5K to benefit the Council for Drug Free Youth early Saturday morning.The Jefferson City Area Boar... April 30, 2023

Jefferson City author receives award for history writing Missouri Preservation has recognized Michelle Brooks with its Osmund Overby Award for 2023. Brooks is recognized for her 2022 publication "Lost Jefferson City," which highlights the history of archite... April 30, 2023

We B Smokin’ fails fifth straight alcohol check Three Jefferson City businesses face penalties after they failed alcohol compliance checks early Friday night.We B Smokin', 2215 Missouri Blvd.; Macadoodles, 1806 Missouri Blvd.; and Natural Groce... April 30, 2023

Traffic stop in Jefferson City leads to five arrests Police detained five people, including three juveniles, after a car chase that resulted in officers retrieving multiple firearms.Jefferson City police officers attempted to make a traffic stop on a Ch... April 30, 2023

Woman drives into lake and dies Authorities have found the body of an 80-year-old Gravois Mills woman who died after she drove her car into the Lake of the Ozarks.According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, Floy M. Be... April 30, 2023

Jefferson City man injured in motorcycle crash A Jefferson City man suffered minor injuries when he fell off his motorcycle and another motorcycle ran over him Saturday afternoon in Osage Beach.According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash re... April 30, 2023

Outpouring of support, love help show go on People can be sweet -- even sweeter than Willy Wonka candies.Trinity Lutheran School drama students performed Roald Dahl's "Willy Wonka Jr." on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, less than a... April 30, 2023

Students score scholarships for being drug-free Four Cole County seniors received scholarships during the Council for Drug Free Youth's annual banquet Thursday night. Carly Carron of Capital City High School, Georgia Ehrhardt of Russellville High S... April 28, 2023

Law enforcement turns out for crime victims rights rally The most important partners law enforcement agencies work with are victims, Missouri Department of Public Safety Director Sandy Karsten told listeners Thursday afternoon inside the Capitol Rotunda. "W... April 28, 2023

12 retirees graduate from inaugural volunteer program Twelve area seniors and retirees on Wednesday committed to using some of their free time to benefit nonprofits.The inaugural graduates in the Central Missouri Give 5 Civic Matchmaking Program announce... April 27, 2023