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COLUMBIA’S MORNING NEWSPAPER off in conference play. Page 1B
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ESTABLISHED IN 1908 ■ www.ColumbiaMissourian.com
Wednesday, March 5, 2008

SMARTDECISION08

McCain has
“I got into it because I loved the language.” — NANCY OSTER, sign language interpreter

A language
in motion
By JENN HERSEIM
news@ColumbiaMissourian.com
Nancy Oster’s entire body is at work.
Her hands flutter up to her face and
back down again. They form O’s and
sweep across her torso, moving pur-
posefully to the next word and return-
ing to her sides when the speaker is
done.
“It’s such a beautiful language to
watch,” Oster said of American Sign
Language.
Beautiful, indeed, even when the
words she’s interpreting are com-
ing from the mouths of officials at a
Columbia City Council meeting. At an
assignment like this, it’s Oster’s job to
find the signs to make sense of lingo
such as “acquisition of easements” or
“infrastructure” or “conveyance.”
But the challenge doesn’t end there
for the sign language experts at Colum-
bia Interpreting Services, which has
been based in Columbia for 10 years.
Tonight it’s a City Council meeting.
Tomorrow the chance to sign a speech
by a current or former president, the
birth of a new baby or a show with live
crocodiles could be in the palms of
their hands. It’s a rare career that few
people consider, but the people who do
it can make good money and say it’s an
adventurous job.
Kathleen Alexander has interpreted
for two presidents and a pope. She trav-
eled to Australia, all expenses paid, to
interpret for a Columbia student who
went Down Under for two weeks. And
she’s stood in front of a packed MU
auditorium to sign a performance by
poet and writer Maya Angelou.
Alexander, who owns Columbia Inter-
preting Services, said she loves her job
because “it’s different every day.”
At council meetings, which are infa-
mous for lasting hours into the night,
cold meeting rooms create an interest-
ing challenge to interpreters who need
to keep blood circulating through their
hands. They bring extra jackets from
their cars to keep warm in the council
chambers. But Alexander joked that
because interpreters never have time
to eat or go to the bathroom, what they
could really use are IVs and bedpans.
“I was really tired once, and they
were talking about Douglass Pool, and
when it was my turn I started signing
pool, like a pool of people,” Oster said.
The signs for a swimming pool and a
pool of people are different. Although
in English they have identical pronun-
ciations, a small mistake by a signer
Nancy Oster, a certified sign language interpreter, signs at the City Council meeting on
Monday. Missouri law requires an interpreter to be at all public meetings.
could change the entire meaning of
a sentence. And a simple word like
“run,” which is pronounced only one
way in English, can have at least six
different signs in American Sign Lan-
guage, Alexander said.
People don’t realize that interpret-
ers sometimes are on stage in front
of thousands of people at concerts or
are being broadcast to thousands on
television. And although performers
can rehearse their lines, unless there’s
a script, interpreters get no time to
prepare.
“I don’t get stage fright,” Alexander
said. “Sometimes it can get a little
nerve-racking. I’ve interpreted for Bill
Clinton and George W. Bush. I’ve also
done concerts, and there are a lot of
people there.”
The demand for sign language inter-
preters has risen dramatically in recent
years, especially since Missouri passed
a law requiring interpreters to be pro-
vided at civic proceedings, including
public meetings and in courtrooms
nomination;
Democrats
still divided
By DAVID ESPO
The Associated Press Tuesday’s results
WASHINGTON — Hillary
Clinton won the Rhode Island
primary Tuesday night and
Republicans
raced to a big lead in Ohio but
struggled to make a major dent
John McCain clinched
in Barack Obama’s delegate the party’s nomination;
lead in a riveting Democratic
Mike Huckabee dropped
presidential race. Arizona Sen.
John McCain, an unflinching out.
supporter of the war in Iraq,
clinched the Republican nomi- Democrats
nation.
Clinton claimed victory in Hillary Clinton won
Ohio and told cheering sup-
Rhode Island; Barack
porters, “We’re going on, we’re
going strong and we’re going all Obama took Vermont.
the way.’’ Clinton was leading in
Obama won the Vermont pri-
mary for his 12th straight vic- Ohio, and Texas was
tory in one month’s time, and too close to call at
the two rivals were locked in a
tight race in the Texas primary.
press time.
No matter how it turned out, he
said, “We have nearly the same Next up...
delegate lead as we did this Wyoming’s Democratic cau-
Photos by REBECCA H. ROMANO/Missourian
morning and we are on our way
cus is Saturday and Missis-
to winning this nomination.’’ sippi’s primaries are Tuesday.
Both Democrats called
McCain to congratulate him on
the snows of New Hampshire
when deaf people are involved. But his triumph in the Republican
eight weeks ago. President Bush
there are still few interpreters. When race.
invited him to lunch — and an
she entered the business, Alexander, a The 71-year-old Arizona sena-
endorsement — at the White
former firefighter, noticed a shortage tor surpassed the 1,191 delegates
House on Wednesday.
of signers who could help deaf people needed to win his party’s nomi-
“We are in Iraq, and our most
in hospitals or in emergencies. nation, completing a remark-
vital security interests are
“I got into it because I loved the lan- able comeback that began in
guage,” Alexander said. “Then once I
Please see ELECTION, page 3A
got into it, I really noticed that there
was a deficit of services provided for
deaf people in emergency situations.”
One reason there are few interpret-
ers is that high school students usually
don’t consider the career when making
choices about their futures, Alexander
said.
“It is a viable career for them,” she
said. “It’s something they don’t know
you can make money in. You get to
meet people and learn a lot. It’s a fabu-
lous job, and you’re not behind a desk.
I don’t have to ‘go to work.’”
According to Alexander, interpret-
ers can earn from $13,000 to $60,000,
depending on whether they work
Please see LANGUAGE, page 3A

Let’s Talk! focuses on city’s crime

GERALD HERBERT/The Associated Press
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and his wife, Cindy, wave to the
crowd at his watch party in Dallas on Tuesday night.

The action committee

also addressed the
growing population.
By JULIE HEIDBREDER
news@ColumbiaMissourian.com
“Who wants Columbia to be
one of the top 100 places for
young people to live?”
That was the question orga-
nizers of Let’s Talk, Columbia!
posed to the nearly 70 commu-
nity members who attended the
Community Action Meeting at
the Days Inn Hotel on Tuesday
night.
The response from the audi-
ence was a round of applause.
After a spike in crime last
fall, organizers of the annual
Let’s Talk, Columbia! decided
to focus this year’s forum on
the issue of crime and youth in
Columbia. On Feb. 22 and 23,
the forum got its start with the
Let’s Talk, Columbia! Summit,
where community members
came together to share ideas of
how to address the problem.
Tuesday night’s meeting was
focused on putting the ideas
discussed at the summit to
action.
Attendees were given hand-
outs listing the action ideas gen-
erated at the summit, which
included the suggestion to cre-
ate a city teen council, form
more effective after-school
programs and encourage more
adults to volunteer with youth.
Organizers said they think
that if some of these sugges-
tions are implemented, Colum-
bia will be made into a safer
place for young people to live.
“People are genuinely inter-
ested and involved in this pro-
cess,” event organizer Nannette
Ward said after the meeting.
“There was an energy that will
keep this moving forward.”
Attendees were also given a
list of The Five Promises for
America found on the Ameri-
ca’s Promise Alliance Web site.
The five promises are: caring
adults, safe places, a healthy
start, effective education and
opportunities to help others.
After receiving a brief expla-
nation of each, attendees were
asked to gather into groups
based on which promise their
action idea best corresponded
with. Groups were asked to
share names and contact infor-
mation in order to later work
together to see their ideas come
to action.
Jon Boldt, who volunteered
as a facilitator for Let’s Talk,
Columbia!, said that one of the
best things he got from the
event were the five promises.
“What it comes down to is
people taking personal initiative
and becoming more involved
with youth and in the commu-
nity,” Boldt said.
Fifth Ward Councilwoman
Laura Nauser was also in atten-
dance Tuesday. She said she is
working to put together a list of
potential programs for young
people, which she hopes to show
to the City Council this spring.
Nauser said she has looked at
youth councils in other cities
and is also looking into pro-
viding more pre-school early
childhood education to the
public. She said she feels that
this is particularly important
since children who are unable
to attend preschool start out
two or three years behind their
peers.
Most people in attendance
mentioned that they were glad
they were given the opportu-
nity to talk about the problem of
crime and young people.
“We need more circles,” Julio
Lorio said. “More listening than
talking, and more youth.”
Some, though, said they think
there needs to be less dia-
logue on the problem and more
action.
“We came together four years
ago and talked. Those young
people need more,” said Loren-
zo Lawson, executive director of
the Youth Empowerment Zone.
“Now let’s do something.”
After spring tease,
snowstorm hits state
By JIM SALTER
The Associated Press
ST. LOUIS — Two days after
Missourians played outdoors in
shorts and flip-flops, much of
the state on Tuesday was dig-
ging out after yet another win-
ter storm brought up to a foot
of snow.
The latest batch of frigid, slip-
pery weather hit first in south-
west Missouri and made its way
northeast through the St. Louis
area. By late afternoon, Lam-
bert Airport had 9 inches of
snow. Parts of Crawford County
in eastern Missouri received 12
inches of snow. But just a few
counties north of St. Louis, in
places like Bowling Green and
Hannibal, little or no snow was
expected.
Hard to believe that Sun-
day’s high in St. Louis was 77
degrees.
The latest weather follows
two severe storms in February
and lesser storms in December
and January. The constant need
to keep roads and highways
cleared is taking a toll. Mis-
souri Department of Transpor-
tation spokesman Jeff Briggs
said countless tons of salt have
been spread — enough, he said,
to fill Mizzou Arena — and
the supplies are starting to get
thin.
“It has been our busiest win-
ter in many years,” Briggs said.
“We’ve used up tons of salt.
We’re not in danger of running
out, but if we get a couple more
Please see WEATHER, page 3A

Outside today Corrections Index Our 100th year/#173

2 sections
Today: Partly sunny with a 6 to 9 The number of Missouri high school graduates is Ethan Ahern is commander of the Mid-Missouri Abby 7A Opinion 5A 16 pages
mph wind. Temp: 46° expected to drop in the next few years. MU is trying Unified Strike Team and Narcotics Group. An article Calendar 2A Second Front 4A
This evening: Mostly cloudy with to mitigate the impact of that drop and anticipates a on page 1A on Feb. 26 incorrectly identified his Classified 5B Sports 1B
a chance of flurries. Wind gusts steady state enrollment pattern during this time. An occupation. Comics 7A Sudoku 7A
as high as 26 mph. Temp: 20° article on page 1A Thursday incorrectly stated the Lottery 2A World 8A
Page 2A effect of the drop. 6 54051 90850 3
COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN WEDNESDAY, March 5, 2008 — Page 3A

Pathologist discusses Election: Obama

job as ‘CSI’ consultant stresses delegates
Gary Telgenhoff uses suicide and a decaying body in
a trash can.
real cases to teach “If gross, gory things bother
others about his job. you, leave now,” Telgenhoff
said.
By ERIN VANSICKLE Some of the cases presented
news@ColumbiaMissourian.com
by Telgenhoff sound similar to
FULTON — “A hanging?” cases explored on the television
“With a knife?” show “CSI,” as well they should.
Those guesses rang out in Telgenhoff has served as a
Cutlip Auditorium at William forensic consultant to the cre-
Woods University on Tuesday ator of “CSI,” Anthony Zuiker,
night. But all of them were the
since the show’s beginning.
“There’s been a book written
about it, and I’ve got a chapter
in it,” Telgenhoff said.
Still, even though his case
inspired that particular episode
of “CSI,” the jobs of the people
portrayed are very different.
Telgenhoff pointed out during
his lecture that what is shown
on crime dramas and what
people actually do in real life
doesn’t match up at all.
For starters, he said, it’s not
CONTINUED from page 1A
involved there,’’ said McCain at
a victory celebration nearly a
decade in the making.
Obama had 1,397 delegates in
the Democratic race, according
to The Associated Press count,
to 1,281 for Clinton, with most
of the night’s 370 delegates still
to be allocated.
With their remarks, first
Clinton, then Obama, sought to
frame the race in the best pos-
sible terms for their own cam-
paigns.
“They call Ohio a bellwether
state, the battleground state.
It’s a state that knows how to
pick a president and no candi-
date in recent history, Demo-
crat or Republican, has won the
White House without winning
the Ohio primary,’’ the former
first lady said in Columbus.
Moments later, Obama
stepped to the microphone
in San Antonio. He said the
outcome of the Texas prima-
ry might not be known until
Wednesday, and he all but con-
ceded defeat in Ohio. Either
way, he added, it was the del-
egates that mattered.

Language: Interpreters
wrong answers to the question “He came over to the area easy to become a crime scene
asked by the lecturer. where I was working on the investigator.
“It was actually a tiger,” said bodies, and he was insatiable,” “You have to learn every dis-
forensic pathologist Gary Tel- Telgenhoff said of Zuiker, who ease known to man,” Telgen-
genhoff, returning to the slide visited him at the morgue to do hoff said. “It’s a lot of stuff to

face diverse situations

of the animal on his power point research for the show. know, but if I can do it, anybody
presentation. Just 30 seconds Six months later, Zuiker had can do it.”
before, the picture projected on sold the first 13 episodes of Besides the nine years of
the screen had been of a hole “CSI” to a TV network for $1 schooling required to become
in the wind pipe of a man. The million, and Telgenhoff became a forensic pathologist (four in
hole, Telgenhoff revealed, was CONTINUED from page 1A Withrow said her job some- She’s had to act as interpreter
a consultant to the new drama. college, four in medical school
the result of a tiger bite. When he got the position, and an extra year of training), weekends and evenings. Oster times puts her in uncomfortable when an employee was getting
This wasn’t the most shocking though, he said he was left with there are other job expectations said that on Monday, when she situations. One assignment at a fired, and she’s had to do sign
photograph shown at the pre- one question. as well, ones that cannot be signed a City Council meeting, local fair for a live crocodile language at funerals.
sentation. Telgenhoff showed “Who would wanna watch a taught in books. Telgenhoff said she worked from 8 a.m. until wrestling show put her a few Some of the most personal
the audience other gruesome show about my job?” Telgen- his job involves having a stom- 12:30 Tuesday morning. feet away from the snapping moments, however, are also
cases he’s worked on during his hoff said, chuckling. ach of steel and a resistance to Interpreter Peggy Withrow, reptiles. the most rewarding. Alexan-
career as a forensic pathologist Telgenhoff said he enjoys his political pressure. “They put me right there on der really enjoys being in the
a colleague of Alexander’s and
and consultant for the TV show second job as consultant, which “It’s something I have to fight the stage with two humongous
Oster’s, became interested in delivery room signing for the
“CSI: Crime Scene Investiga- requires him to work closely every day,” he said. crocodiles,” Withrow said. “It
sign language when she was family when a baby is born. For
tion.” with his counterpart on the Despite the requirements, was really scary. It was hard to
young because her friend’s interpret when I was planning her, interpreting through sign
Making off-handed jokes show, actor Robert David Hall. Telgenhoff said he enjoys his language is more than just a
father was deaf. After taking a an escape route.”
and sarcastic comments as he Every now and then, Telgen- job. Still, he warned the audi- community class in Columbia, Withrow said interpreting also paycheck.
flipped through the slides, he hoff said he gets remarkable ence against aspiring to a life in
showed the audience exam- she earned a degree at MU can be scary when she doesn’t “You get to meet people,” she
cases such as the “body in a criminal forensics. said. “You get to be in places
ples of an Ecstasy overdose, a and did her training at William know the people she’s dealing
trash can case” featured in one “I like what I do,” he said.
bloody murder scene, a hanging Woods. An interpreter must be with or how they will react. And where you wouldn’t be able to
episode of “CSI.” “(But) people like me are rare.”
trained, certified and licensed interpreters are called upon in do that unless you knew sign

Weather: Snow forced school

to work in Missouri. a variety of difficult situations. language.”

closures and flight cancellations

CONTINUED from page 1A beginning to break up, Miller That doesn’t mean the worst
surprise storms here in March said, likely leaving other areas of it is over. After an unusually
we could be hurting.” with no more than a couple of harsh winter, Miller isn’t con-
The snow snarled morning inches of snow. ceding anything.
commutes in Springfield and Highs in much of the state “The last three to four weeks,
St. Louis and closed schools in were expected to be in the 30s the long-range weather pattern
much of southern, central and for much of the week. Miller has kept us in an active storm
eastern Missouri. Lambert said the average high for early condition,” Miller said. “It is
Airport in St. Louis reported March is 50 degrees — a tem- March but I wouldn’t say the
nearly 80 flight cancellations. perature that should finally be long-range pattern is broken
Missouri State University in reached by this weekend. down completely.”
Springfield canceled classes
for the day.
Boeing suspended its second
and third shifts at facilities
in suburban St. Louis and St.
Charles.
The Missouri State Highway
Patrol urged motorists to stay
off the roads, saying stuck
vehicles were keeping snow
plows from doing their job.
In Springfield, the snow was
coming down at a rate of 2
“Secure and affordable storage rentals”
inches an hour overnight, frus-
trating efforts to plow. Spring- Phone: (573)808-0564
field police closed a stretch of
one major road, West Kearney 800 Hillsdale Road Columbia, MO 65201
Street, after a string of cars got
stuck.
“The closer you get to Spring-
field, the worse it is,” said Bob
Edwards with the Transporta-
tion Department’s Springfield
office. “They have a real snow-
pack.”
The storm appeared to be
traveling a path almost directly
along Interstate 44, where snow
was packed on the road in some
locations. Several accidents
were blamed on the snow, but
no fatalities were immediately
reported.
Ben Miller of the National
Weather Service office in sub-
urban St. Louis said snowfall
amounts — originally forecast
for 6 to 10 inches in the region
— would be less than predicted.
Though some parts of eastern
Missouri were expected to get
4 to 8 inches, the system was

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