Ray Beck

Newcomers to Columbia may be unaware that Stadium Boulevard was once called Conley Road, a gravel country road managed by the Missouri Highway Department. Through the foresight and...

It was one of those landmark city decisions, barely noticed by some, but millions of future federal dollars were at stake. That decision was whether to form an...

A city’s wastewater system is one of its most significant infrastructure issues. While it plays an obvious role in public health and the environment, it also helps determine...

While the growth of Columbia long has been debated, the history of Columbia’s sewer system tends to remain an underground topic. The handling of wastewater collection and treatment...

The largest snowstorm since 1995 has made snow removal a hot topic in the past few weeks, so it makes sense to talk about the evolution of this...

Long before anybody ever thought of calling it “The District,” city plans called for keeping downtown Columbia strong. Planning documents going back to at least 1935 talk about...

Media reports might lead you to believe our civic organizations rarely get along, but nothing could be further from the truth. One of the best examples of cooperation...

Although most people know how important education has been to the growth of this city throughout its history, Columbia’s growth has also been closely tied to transportation, and...