Joyce Smith wholeheartedly believes that a single act of kindness can change a life. “You never know what people are going through,” Smith says. “When I moved to Columbia in 2013, I wanted to make a difference artistically. Through Children’s Grove’s projects and working with unbelievably kind people, I hope that I have.” Children’s Grove, […]
There are so many things that make Columbia a wonderful place to live and work — certainly more than 10, but if we listed out all the things you should do in Columbia, well, we would fill decades worth of magazines (see what we did there?).
Feel free to disagree with our list, but if you haven’t done one of the below things, just trust us and try it out. There is just something special about the energy at a University of Missouri football game and something awe-inspiring about the Big Tree. Better yet, when you do head to these local favorites, snap a pic and tag us. We can’t wait to see your experiences!
One of the biggest impacts that COVID-19 had on the professional athlete world was the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Photos by Notley Hawkins Post-pandemic, many of us are finally enjoying reunions and homecomings. That’s certainly true for the Boone County Fair, which returns to Columbia July 20 to 24 for the first time in 5 years. Its return in Columbia’s Bicentennial year is just the icing on the anniversary cake. For Jeff Cook, owner […]
What started as a tomato rescue project — yes, you read that right — in 2015 is now an heirloom seed and plant business providing Missourians..
Wayland and Renee Taylor have been working tirelessly to feed hungry communities in Columbia and Boone County, especially those who have been hit hardest by the pandemic. One major way they have contributed is by
This summer, when parents were forced to realize that the coronavirus pandemic would derail Columbia Public Schools’ status quo well into the fall semester — if not well into 2021 — they were faced with a practically impossible task: Get their children educated without the everyday infrastructure and built-in resources of a classroom. Any parent […]
It was a friend who first planted the seed for the idea. After hearing how much fun Jacob Leffert had growing pumpkins, RJ Bechtold decided to plant a patch himself, and got permission from his Dad to use a one-acre plot behind his family’s business, the Midway Truck Stop.
If you’ve ever wondered how a guitar-playing deer made it onto a traffic box in downtown Columbia, you’ve come to the right spot. Every year, the City of Columbia hires local artists to decorate downtown’s traffic boxes not only to deter graffiti, but also to bring some local art into everyday life. It’s a great […]
As Columbians battled their way through the stay-at-home order, personal quarantines, working from home with their spouses and schooling their kids over the past several months, one thing stood out. Well, several people and businesses stood out. While everyone did their part staying home to prevent the spread of COVID-19, some members of our community […]
Michele Spry takes giving back to heart. The business she and her husband Brandon run, Midway Electric, Inc., is a Partner in Education with Midway Heights Elementary School and she’s also involved with Central Missouri Honor Flight and Honor Everywhere. In addition, three years ago, she donated her wedding dress to Real Imprints through the […]
When not working her day job at Flat Branch Home Loans, Jessica Robertson-Capell volunteers as president of the nonprofit Armani’s Angels. She manages the organization with a board of eight other women, all of them volunteering countless hours in the name of its mission: fundraising and providing support to people with pets in need of […]
Columbia is a pet-friendly city with amenities that include three fenced dog parks and two leash-free nature areas. There are local shops dedicated to pet needs, social events that revolve around our non-human friends and even several restaurants that allow animals on their patios. Whether they’re four-legged, furry, feathered or scaled, pets are a meaningful […]
“In closing, this is an incredible place at an incredible time …” For one pregnant pause, Eliah Drinkwitz gathered himself at the podium. This wasn’t unfamiliar territory; after all, he’d given a speech a lot like this just 359 days earlier, to a room filled with dignitaries and pundits and dreamers like these. Perhaps the […]
People J’den Cox Hometown hero J’den Cox easily captured Columbia’s heart with his winning moves on the wrestling mat, first for Hickman High School and then at the University of Missouri, where he was a three-time NCAA Division I national champion and four-time All-American. But he would go on to capture much more: a bronze […]
Although Columbia may be considered a small town by many, it has no shortage of people bettering the community. There are far more than 10 people making a difference in Columbia, but we chose to include the following ones because they are what one might call unsung heroes. They make a huge difference in people’s […]
A tiger cannot change its stripes — and that’s certainly true for Kelly Bryant, a former Clemson Tiger and now MU football’s senior quarterback. Bryant committed to University of Missouri on Dec. 5 and this fall will be his first season playing for the Tigers — the Missouri Tigers that is. Bryant is credited with […]
There is something magical about the combination of crisp December air and twinkling lights that makes the holiday season special for many Columbians. That magic is felt when darkness falls over the Village of Cherry Hill shopping center. Thousands of tiny colored lights, wrapped around every branch of a tree, illuminate the grassy block in […]
Stephen Johnson has been playing Santa Claus during the holiday season for 25 years, but the 65-year-old says he has looked the part since he was 40. The only difference between then and now is the amount of theatrical dye necessary for him to get into character. “The last time I was clean-shaven was Oct. […]
When doctors released Joshua Williams Sr. from the hospital in December 2017 — after an almost fatal gunshot wound — he immediately started cooking. Despite orders to rest, the 30-year-old chef-owner of Papadoo’s Soul Food & BBQ says feeding people was the best way he could show gratitude to those who supported him as he […]
