Last month, the University of Missouri Board of Curators named Timothy Wolfe as the 23rd president of the University of Missouri system. To the credit of the curators, they made an intelligent move in once again selecting a candidate with a strong background in business, technology and innovation. With more than 30 years of experienceRead the Rest…

Columbia Mayor Bob McDavid has had his fair share of challenges during his first 20 months in office. High on the list might have been the search for a new city manager, turnover in the leadership of five city departments, an unprecedented shrinking tax base, low job growth and the fallout from construction of anRead the Rest…

Over the course of five days recently, I received three parking tickets while visiting businesses in downtown Columbia. I’m not sharing this bit of information with you to gain your sympathy. I simply want to express my frustration with a situation in the core of our community that likely will haunt downtown merchants and eateriesRead the Rest…

This month, the University of Missouri celebrates the 100th anniversary of its Homecoming celebration. For Mizzou alumni reading this magazine, whether at a local hotel or in the comfort of their own living room, this is a chance for nostalgic reflection on their college days in Columbia. For many alums, their college years in ourRead the Rest…

September is a busy month for the staff of Inside Columbia magazine. On top of all the traditional hullabaloo associated with back-to-school activities, we’ve added a few extra items to our To-Do List this month that will keep our entire staff hopping. On Thursday, Sept. 8, Inside Columbia will host the Chamber of Commerce’s QuarterlyRead the Rest…

Last month, Forbes magazine placed Columbia on its list of “The Best Small Places,” citing a long list of attributes that many of us have come to take for granted. When a friend discovered this most recent listing in his copy of the magazine, he was dismayed that local media outlets did not make aRead the Rest…

As you are reading this column, my wife, Melody, and my 14-year old son, Max, along with 14 other Columbians, are deep within the continent of Africa on a mission trip that will likely changes their lives forever. The purpose of their trip is to renovate a school and build a library that will serveRead the Rest…

Many years ago, one of the numerous rating services that ranks cities on quality-of-life issues ranked Columbia as the city with the second-highest number of hospital beds per capita in the United States. At the top of the list was Rochester, Minn., home of the Mayo Clinic and a handful of other smaller hospitals. WhileRead the Rest…

Last month, an article in the Columbia Daily Tribune on paying stipends to Columbia City Council members was accompanied by an informational graphic that compared Columbia’s city budget to 10 other communities around the state. From that chart, I learned that Columbia’s annual budget was nearly $140 million larger than that of Independence and moreRead the Rest…

On Tuesday, April 5, Columbia voters will have the opportunity to elect new City Council members in the First and Fifth Wards. The outcome of these elections will have much to do with how Columbia digs itself from the deep recession that has affected our city in so many ways. Beyond the importance of ward-specificRead the Rest…