From the Columbia Daily Tribune:
A portion of the funding allocated to Missouri projects as part of the $1.1 trillion spending bill will land in Columbia.
Sen. Kit Bond announced that among $118 million in federal funds for Missouri projects, $1.5 million would be allocated to the city of Columbia and $750,000 to the University of Missouri’s Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopmental Disorders.
The legislation that includes the funding is awaiting President Barack Obama’s signature.
The city’s PedNet Coalition will receive $500,000 for a project to “empower children in poverty” by helping them develop healthy habits early, according to information from Bond’s office. Because of increases in the rates of childhood obesity, heart disease, diabetes and other health conditions, the project aims to “achieve measurable changes in children’s physical activity and nutrition habits, which will improve health care, quality of life and reduce health care costs.” PedNet officials were not available to provide more details this morning.