Public art and the people who fund it. Columbia is home to many pieces of public art. We see that art on buildings, in parks, and throughout the city. But behind many of those pieces is someone willing to believe in an idea — and willing to help make it happen. Paul Land and […]
TRYPS is building confidence and talent in mid-Missouri’s kids through the magic of live theater. The lights dim, and the pit orchestra begins to play. Nerves, excitement, and adrenaline run high as a young actor takes a deep breath before stepping into the spotlight. There’s nothing quite like it. The audience is settling in,
Hiking in the winter in Columbia is the best, and anyone can do it — even if, like me, you don’t see yourself as a “real hiker.” I’m more the kind of person who says, “Oh, that looks like an interesting walk; let’s give it a try.” I don’t have any fancy gear, no big
As fall season turns into winter, families and friends gather around tables, light candles, prepare family recipes, and return to traditions that remind them who they are and where they come from. Celebrating is just another form of love, right? We come together to honor the people who matter to us,
A child rides one of Local Motion’s blender bikes at the Farmers Market during Bike, Walk & Wheel Week, May 2025. The blender bikes are stationary bikes equipped with a blender attachment that spins when riders pedal. For Local Motion, Columbia’s transportation future starts with a simple idea: Build for the people who need it
Partnership is one of those words we use so often that it can start to lose its meaning. In local government, almost everything worth accomplishing requires partnership. Cities cannot solve housing challenges alone. We cannot build a strong economy without businesses, educators, and entrepreneurs. Public safety depends on relationships among law enforcement, neighborhoods, schools, service
The Essence of Partnerships and Working Together Read More »
A Chariot Festival Introduces WISE to Columbia. On a blistering September Saturday at Stephens Lake Park, more than 100 people grabbed two long ropes and pulled a 25-foot wooden chariot through the park’s upper lot. Drums and hand cymbals kept time. Voices rose in a chant. From the chariot, priests tossed fruit and nuts
WE ASKED OUR FACEBOOK FOLLOWERS…. What’s something new you’ve learned or tried this year? My best friend and I are learning to spin yarn at Access Arts! – Laura Hedrick-Hansen I learned a whole new career! Midlife crisis or girl-power level-up? Who can tell the difference? But what a fun ride it has been!
A short time from now, the reality will hit us: Another Christmas will have already come and gone. Yes, I refer to Christmas rather than use the sterile phrase “holiday season.” Not that I’m insensitive to other religions, beliefs, or traditions. It’s just that for me, it’s always been Christmas. And let’s face it, that’s
Cookin’ With Hoss: Grandma Dwyer’s Ginger Cookies Read More »
A few years back, a Columbia woman named Cheryl Overstreet had a stroke in her brainstem. She woke up in University Hospital, and the whole left side of her body just would not listen to her anymore. Eight days in the hospital, 17 more at Rusk, and then home in a wheelchair, with no real
