New alternative newspaper hits campus
Jerry Manter

Managing Editor

Sophomore Jeff Youngblood enjoys expressing his personal views and opinions.

So, he decided to create his own newspaper.

Youngblood, an art major and former staff cartoonist for The Chart, is the publisher of his own publication, The Kart. After disagreements with former Chart staff members last year, Youngblood quit the staff.

After reading the Oct. 11 editorial by Josh Ray, Diversions editor, Youngblood said he wanted to let people know his opinion.

 I decided to do something about it,  Youngblood said.  I wanted my own paper. 

Hoping to publish the paper twice a month, The Kart is funded completely by students on the staff. While only 200 issues were distributed for its inaugural issue, Youngblood said he hopes circulation will grow.

A majority of it depends on his personal funds.

Admitting his paper s name is a spin-off of The Chart, Youngblood said the paper s main focus will have to be intelligent, well-thought out stories that are well written. Six students have already contacted Youngblood about their interest in writing for his paper.

 I have a lot of people that want to write for me,  Youngblood said.  I also have one advertiser as well. 

Youngblood spent time researching the costs and legal issues about publishing the paper. After getting the OK from student services, he and volunteers hand distributed the first issue.

 One of our restrictions is that we can t place the paper on cars in the parking lot,  he said.

In the first issue of The Kart, Youngblood wrote a story contradicting Ray s editorial.

 It may have been harsh, but I think it made some good points,  he said.

In the future, Youngblood hopes to write stories on local bands in the area as well as in-depth, investigative stories about Missouri Southern policies and general funding issues. He hopes his audience grows, but understands not everyone will like what he and other writers plan to publish.

 I m not trying to appeal to everyone,  he said.  It s more of a specific group that s less mainstream. 

Doug Carnahan, dean of students, said there aren t many restrictions Southern can issue with student-run publications.

 If they want to hand them out, they can t bother people to and from classes,  Carnahan said.

Carnahan said as long as students follow procedure and policy from the student handbook, there really won t be any repercussions.

David  Sparky  Mink, junior English major, joined The Kart staff after disagreeing with an editorial in The Chart.

Like Youngblood, he wanted to express his opinion.

 I m an English hound,  Mink said.  I love to write. 

Mink helped Youngblood design the first issue in Spiva Library. An unorganized look was what they had in mind.

 We like that messed up, shotty kind of look,  Mink said.

The duo plans to find an alternative spot to design future issues.

Youngblood said he understands not everyone will agree with his publication.

 Good or bad, I want to hear from people,  he said.  I will take any criticism.