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Debate cliffhanger Citing the U.S. financial crisis, presidential hopeful Sen. John McCain called yesterday for a delay in a debate with rival Sen. Barack Obama scheduled for Friday. Obama rejected that idea, saying a leader needs to “deal with more than one thing at once.”  Read the Article

Local News Stories
Schools turn to traditional mathematics
By JANESE HEAVIN of the Tribune’s staff
Amy Surdin uses math every day in her accounting job to balance payroll and help restaurants do sales tax returns.

Suspect sought in domestic assault
By JOE MEYER of the Tribune’s staff
The Boone County Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s help in finding a man accused of sneaking into an ex-girlfriend’s apartment and assaulting her this week.

MU boosts effort to air hot topics
By JENNA YOUNGS of the Tribune’s staff
A program at the University of Missouri that encourages constructive discussion about controversial topics such as race, religion and politics will expand to other universities thanks to a grant from the Ford Foundation.

Crash victim suffers cardiac arrest
By JOE MEYER of the Tribune’s staff
A 69-year-old Columbia man died yesterday after the vehicle he was driving ran off Vandiver Drive and became stuck in a ditch full of water.

Candidates get an earful at forum on mental health
By JASON ROSENBAUM of the Tribune’s staff
Citing a shortage of space and experts to treat people with mental illness, speakers at a candidate forum urged state legislative candidates last night to keep the issue at the forefront when the General Assembly reconvenes in January.

Grant to IRE to aid minority coverage
The Investigative Reporters and Editors organization, housed at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, has received a $100,000 grant from the Chicago-based McCormick Foundation to fund training workshops for media outlets across the nation, IRE Executive Director Mark Horvit said.