April: Briefly in the News
The latest news featuring The Blue Note, the Missouri Symphony, MU Health Care, the City of Columbia, PedNet Coalition, Monarch Title Company, Columbia Independent School, and Stephens College.
Music
The Blue Note Opens Doors for First Live Show Since November
The Blue Note is back in business. The popular music venue welcomed a small crowd into its venue to hear MK Ultra in February. The Blue Note, which has events scheduled for the rest of the year, is taking precautions amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of the new rules include following six-feet social distancing guidelines, asking customers who buy their tickets with cash for their name for contact tracing purposes, and encouraging people to wear their masks while moving about the venue.
Music
Missouri Symphony Music Director Steps Down
Kirk Trevor, the Missouri Symphony’s music director, is stepping down from the organization after 21 years. Trevor, who is from England and came to the United States in 1975, became the music director in 2000. During his time at the Columbia-based MOSY, Trevor founded the Missouri Symphony Conservatory. The program trains, educates, and inspires young musicians. Trevor will step down from the organization on July 31, 2021.
Medical
MU Health Care Chief Nursing Officer to Be Inducted into American Organization for Nursing Leadership
MU Health Care Chief Nursing Officer Mary Beck will be inducted into the 2021 American Organization for Nursing Leadership’s fellow designation program. The fellow designation recognizes sustained contributions to nursing, leadership, commitment to service, and influence in shaping health care. AONL will honor Beck and the other nine inductees at its annual conference in July.
“Dr. Beck is the embodiment of how nurses play a leadership role in our health care culture. She is committed to ensuring that our nurses are placed in positions of responsibility from the patient care unit to the executive suite.” —Richard Barohn, MU Executive Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs
Technology
City of Columbia Introduces New App for Residents
The City of Columbia announced a new app called MyCOMO that will connect residents to a wide array of city information. Residents can receive notifications of specific events, chat with a service representative during business hours, and report issues. MyCOMO will provide users with information on city government, utility services, outage maps and directories, and more.
Giving Back
PedNet Coalition Receives Two-Year Grant for Policy Campaign
PedNet Coalition has received a two-year policy campaign grant through the Missouri Foundation for Health to build transportation equity. The grant will allow the nonprofit to lead a two-year advocacy campaign to develop and promote a new gold standard “Complete Streets” policy in Columbia. PedNet led Columbia to be one of the first cities in the U.S. to adopt a Complete Streets policy, in which street development must be accessible for people regardless of age, ability, or mode of transportation, in 2004. However, the policy has not been revised since and now lacks modern street design best practices that create safe and convenient streets. The grant will support the nonprofit in ensuring roads are safe and convenient for everyone, including those walking, biking, and riding public transit.
Giving Back
Monarch Title Company partners with GP M.A.D.E. in 2021
While winter weather might have cast a cold spell over the Mid-Missouri region, it didn’t stop Monarch Title Company Inc. from joining the GP M.A.D.E. Foundation to help change lives. Monarch Title Company pledged $5 to the GP M.A.D.E. Foundation for each loan closing and presented a check for more than $2,500 to foundation leaders Gary and Missy Pinkel. The partnership between Monarch Title Company and GP M.A.D.E. will continue throughout 2021.
Education
CIS Acquires Land Adjacent to Campus
Columbia Independent School is expanding their campus. The CIS Board of Trustees closed on nearly 2.5 acres of land adjacent to the school. The expansion is part of the board’s commitment to growing the school without compromising education quality. The acquisition was made possible by a donation from Sara Potterfield, the president of Midway Farms. CIS enrollment currently stands at 380 students in junior kindergarten through 12th grade.
Community
Stephens College to Host 77th Annual The Collections Presentation via Film
With the constraints of the ongoing pandemic, Stephens College’s fashion department will host a fashion exhibition and create short films in place of a runway show for the 77th annual presentation of The Collections, the school’s student designer fashion showcase. The exhibition will take place in the costume gallery located on the mezzanine level of Lela Raney Wood Hall. It will be available for public viewing from April 24 through May 8. The department’s fashion show production class will also create short films available for viewing on The Collections website.