Volunteers put flags into the ground along the route between Highway 63 and the Wyatt family's home on Friday, July 13, 2012
Credit Ryan Famuliner / KBIA
Volunteers gathered at Shepard Boulevard Elementary before splitting into four teams to cover all the ground along the nearly 1-mile route on Friday July 13, 2012
Scores of people showed up to Shepard Boulevard Elementary in Columbia Friday afternoon to line the streets with American flags along the route to the home of the family of Sterling Wyatt, who was killed by an IED in Afghanistan Wednesday. Wyatt’s family is expected to return home Friday night after retrieving his body. Listen to the audio postcard above to hear from those at the event, including Wyatt's grandmother.
A Republican member of the Missouri House announced today that he is gay during a press conference on a bill that would limit public schools from discussing sexual orientation in the classroom. Zachary Wyatt of Kirksville told reporters he has deep regrets for not taking stands earlier against school bullying, and called for lawmakers to shelve the so-called “don’t say gay” bill.
With his disclosure today, Wyatt becomes the only current openly gay Republican state legislator in the nation.
St. Louis Public Radio’s Marshall Griffin talked with Wyatt about the bill and his decision to come out.
Updated at 11:59 a.m. with information that Wyatt is the only current openly gay Republican state legislator in the nation.
A Republican Missouri House member has announced publicly that he is gay and called upon GOP leaders to end legislation that would limit discussion of sexual orientation in public schools.