March: Briefly in the News

WWU relocates in Columbia

William Woods University’s Columbia campus has relocated to Parkade Center, on Business Loop 70 W. WWU had been located off Hwy. 63 on Falling Leaf Court for 14 years. The new space contains classrooms, conference areas and offices. Moberly Area Community College is already located in the Parkade. WWU Vice President Kathy Groves says the move is to enhance the student experience with study spaces and a common area as well as to increase overall visibility and accessibility.

CPS Pilots Lunch Program

In January, Columbia Public Schools Nutrition Services began a pilot program through the National School Lunch program. The Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) enrolls students in selected schools to eat free breakfast and lunch daily, regardless of free and reduced price status. Alpha Hart Lewis, Benton STEM, Blue Ridge, Derby Ridge, West Boulevard, the Center of Responsive Education and Douglass are participating in the program. Funds are provided through the National School Lunch program. The district will receive maximum reimbursement for 91.1 percent of participating students and partial reimbursement for 8.9 percent of participating students.

Cosmo Club Donates

The Cosmopolitan Club has pledged to provide $125,000 to city funding of a project called “Cosmo Corner” in Nifong Park. This money will fund the first phase of the project and 50 percent of the needed money. The project is scheduled for completion in 2016. The city will construct a picnic shelter for large family and corporate events, a playground and a 72-space parking lot with a lighted walkway.

CIG Joins Council

Columbia Insurance Group is the newest company partner of the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America’s Agents Council for Technology. “ACT welcomes Columbia Insurance Group to the table and applauds the company’s commitment to advancing technology for independent insurance agents and brokers to better serve their customers,” says Ron Berg, ACT executive director. ACT was established in 1999 to provide a forum to address technology issues facing the independent insurance agency.

Bur Oak Brewing Expands

Columbia-based Bur Oak Brewing Company has introduced three beers in Chicago. “Chicago represents a giant step forward for our brand,” says Craig Stichter, president of Bur Oak. “It is a great opportunity to expand our footprint into one of the largest and most active craft beer markets in the country.” The brewery produces about 1,200 barrels of beer each year. Three Bur Oak products, Boone County Brown, Lily and Big Tree IPA, are now available at Binny’s Beverage Depot, which has 31 locations in Chicago.

CPD Receives Trauma Kits

The Boone County Office of Emergency Management donated 56 emergency trauma kits to the Columbia Police Department. The kits cost approximately $245 each and include items that can assist officers in caring for victims during an active shooter situation. The kits will be placed in CPD patrol vehicles for officer use.

VU Great Place to Work

Veterans United Home Loans was named one of the 50 Best Workplaces for Camaraderie by the Great Place to Work Institute and Fortune. VU was the fourth-highest ranked company on the list. The results were based on employees’ own assessments of the sense of team, fun and collegiality in the workplace. More than 255,000 randomly selected employees from more than 600 companies participated in evaluations.

MU Professor: India’s Person of the Year

Kattesh Katti, Ph.D., Curators’ Professor of Radiology and Physics at the MU School of Medicine, was named the 2016 Person of the Year in Science by Vijayavani, a daily newspaper in the Indian state of Karnataka. Katti received this recognition for his breakthrough research in nanomedicine and green nanotechnology.

Phoenix opens women’s facility

Phoenix Health Programs, a residential treatment center, has opened a women’s treatment facility. The facility will provide residential substance treatment and social setting detoxification, which provides women a safe place to detox. The facility opened on Feb. 2. “We are excited to offer this new service that will allow Phoenix to provide a full continuum of care for both men and women in our community,” says Executive Director Michael Trapp. “It is a big accomplishment that we are looking forward to extending into the future of promoting long-term recovery.” Last year, Phoenix served more than 2,000 people.