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Heather J. Carlson

Heather J. Carlson is a graduate student at the University of Missouri -- Columbia earning a master's degree in public policy reporting. She is currently an assistant editor for The Columbia Missourian and Missouri Digital News. As part of her job, she works with both print and broadcast students covering state politics.

Last semester, she covered education at the state Capitol for Missouri Digital News and The Columbia Missourian. This summer she also freelanced for The Columbia Daily Tribune. Heather expects to graduate from Mizzou in December 2004.

Prior to enrolling in graduate school, Heather worked as a reporter for The Sun-Current, a weekly suburban newspaper based in Minneapolis. She has a bachelor's degree in English from the College of St. Catherine and a minor in journalism from the University of St. Thomas. She also studied abroad for four months at Lancaster University in Lancaster, England.

Heather originally hails from Seattle and moved to the Midwest for college. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking, camping and traveling.

Stories by Heather J. Carlson include:

• 5/16/2003: Newspaper Story - This legislative session featured squabbling, wrangling and name calling -- and that's just among Senate Democrats. Tension between liberal and moderate Democrats erupted this session with party members arguing on the Senate floor over guns and abortion. The infighting culminated Friday with veteran lawmaker Sen. Harold Caskey, D-Butler, publicly quitting his chairmanship of the Democratic caucus.
• 5/12/2003: Newspaper Story - Missouri lawmakers Monday squashed legislation that would have empowered the University of Missouri to move forward with its plans to build a new performing arts center.
• 5/ 5/2003: Newspaper Story - The Missouri Legislature has sent the governor a second bill he has vowed to veto -- packed pistols. The House granted final approval Monday to legislation that would allow Missourians to carry concealed weapons.
• 5/ 1/2003: Newspaper Story - Missouri's colleges and universities need to do a better job cutting costs to help curb double-digit tuition increases, according to an audit released Thursday by State Auditor Claire McCaskill. That criticism comes as higher education braces for the possibility of multi-million dollar budget cuts.
• 4/24/2003: Newspaper Story - University of Missouri officials say they will wait until next year before seeking legislative approval for a merger with Northwest Missouri State University. With only three weeks left in the legislative session, UM Spokesman Joe Moore said it became obvious that lawmakers would be consumed with solving the budget shortfall.
• 4/21/2003: Newspaper Story - Under the cloud of a budget-veto threat not heard in Missouri's capitol in decades, the Senate is scheduled to begin debate today on the state's operating budget.
• 4/17/2003: Newspaper Story - Education takes the brunt of budget cuts as passed Thursday by the Senate Appropriations Committee. The committee recommended slicing a combined $361 million from education to help solve the state's 2004 budget woes.
• 4/14/2003: Newspaper Story - Solutions weren't part of the equation Monday at the first meeting of the governor's Commission on the Future of Higher Education. Instead, commissioners spent the day getting a handle on the current state of Missouri's higher education system.
• 4/10/2003: Newspaper Story - A state senator has shelved a bill opposed by the University of Missouri that would have put the university's health care plan under a new state agency. Bill sponsor Sen. Jim Mathewson, D-Sedalia, a longtime supporter of the university, admitted defeat Thursday.
• 4/ 7/2003: Newspaper Story - Lawmakers from both parties offered tentative support Monday for incorporating Northwest Missouri State University (NMSU) into the University of Missouri system.
• 4/ 3/2003: Newspaper Story - Funerals and retirement parties are just a few of the places state officials have flown on the taxpayers' dime, according to State Auditor Clare McCaskill. In a report released Thursday, McCaskill details her department's year-long audit of state passenger plane use from 1999-2001.
• 3/20/2003: Newspaper Story - At a deployment ceremony Thursday at the state's National Guard headquarters in Jefferson City, members of the 1221st Transportation Division said their goodbyes to family, friends and sweethearts. From there, no one knows where they are going or how long they will be gone.
• 3/20/2003: Newspaper Story - Some Missouri lawmakers are calling for a massive overhaul of the state's funding system for K-12 education. A handful of Republican and Democratic legislators have said they want to scrap the current Foundation Formula -- the complex mathematical equation used by the state to disperse state funding to public school districts -- in favor of a new approach.
• 3/13/2003: Newspaper Story - In a straight party line vote, the House Budget Committee Thursday approved a Republican-backed budget plan that would mean $382 million in new cuts for education in 2004. Democrats, including Gov. Bob Holden, denounced the plan, accusing Republicans of not doing their job.
• 3/10/2003: Newspaper Story - Missouri school districts faced with having to make up dozens of snow days would get some relief under plans being pushed by several lawmakers. Legislation has been introduced in both the House and Senate that would exempt districts with excessive weather-related and flu cancellations from having to make up those days.
• 3/10/2003: Newspaper Story - Lawmakers accused the University of Missouri Monday of hiring a lobbyist specifically to kill a bill aimed at lowering the state's health care costs. MU spokesman Joe Moore said the university recently did hire a new lobbyist to advocate for the university on numerous issues -- not just the health care bill.
• 3/ 3/2003: Newspaper Story - Gov. Bob Holden Wednesday sidestepped Republican leaders' call for a directive authorizing state employees to speak openly with lawmakers about budget cut ideas.
• 3/ 3/2003: Newspaper Story - Lawmakers are considering cutting the double funding for summer school -- worth an estimated $91 million -- to help plug the state's projected $1 billion budget gap for 2004.
• 2/27/2003: Newspaper Story - After publicly threatening education budget cuts if he did not get his way from the legislature, Gov. Bob Holden chose to make his final budget withholdings in private, at the end of the day, as state offices were being closed.
• 2/11/2003: Newspaper Story - Disabled adults who receive state dollars to pay for personal care attendants are concerned that lawmakers will cut funding for the program.
• 2/ 6/2003: Newspaper Story - Two seats on the University of Missouri Board of Curators will be vacant due to Senate Republicans' refusal to approve Gov. Bob Holden's nominees. The Senate did not act on the January nominations of Democrat Don Walsworth and Republican Cheryl Walker, which had an approval deadline of Feb. 8.
• 2/ 3/2003: Newspaper Story - Funding for higher education and K-12 may be cut to solve the state's estimated $1 billion budget deficit, House and Senate education committee chairs say.
• 1/30/2003: Newspaper Story - House education committee approved controversial gambling funds for schools, which should add to Foundation Formula funding.