Region/digest 12/11/04

Two drivers injured in Larch Lane collision

A head-on crash at 8:51 a.m. Friday two miles west of Fruitland resulted in moderate injuries for two motorists from Cape Girardeau County. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the accident occurred when Blake Hendricks, 18, of Jackson, driving a 1991 Chevrolet, crossed the center line of Larch Lane and hit head-on a 1991 Jeep driven by Bradley Graham, 54, of Cape Girardeau.

Salvation Army focus of radio show on Sunday

Maj. Michael Thomas of the Salvation Army will be interviewed Sunday on KRCU's "Going Public" radio show. The show, which will focus on the aid the Salvation Army provides to the Cape Girardeau area, will be broadcast at 3 p.m. on 90.9 FM.

Lacking support, schools drop plans to merge

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A proposed merger of Northwest Missouri State University into the University of Missouri system is off because of scant legislative support, officials said Friday. Northwest Missouri State president Dean Hubbard said he and University of Missouri president Elson Floyd spoke Thursday in Kansas City and decided against pursuing the idea when the legislature convenes next month. A spokesman for the four-campus University of Missouri system said Floyd decided the university needed to focus its efforts on funding and the budget.

Outgoing UMKC official to get $125,000 bonus

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Martha Gilliland, who will resign as chancellor of the University of Missouri-Kansas City on Jan. 1, will receive $125,000 in deferred compensation this spring even though she failed to stay at the school long enough to qualify for the bonus. The contract Gilliland signed when she took the job required that she hold the post for at least five years to qualify for the deferred pay, equal to 12 percent of her annual salary for each year. The university system's board of curators agreed to pay the bonus under as part a severance agreement.

-- From staff, wire reports