For my first assignment at the Missourian, I covered a Columbia city council meeting agenda item on a rezoning 43-acre plot of land to be built into apartment complexes and single-family homes.

To the current residents next to the parcel, which is named “Kelly Farms,” this proposal will take from Columbia’s natural forestry and add traffic to the quiet neighborhood.

The neighborhood association wanted more time to discuss their position, and the city council agreed and tabled the item.

The last time I covered a municipal meeting was for my summer internship at Voice of OC, a non-profit politics and government newsroom in Orange County, Calif.

While still new to the issue and the politics of Columbia, I look forward to broadening my reporting, being able to go deeper into such discussions and understand people’s motivations and positions.

Here’s a link to my story: