Features

*New Business Update*Belle, a women’s clothing store downtown, is one of many recent local business additions

*State of the City*Bill Watkins explains Columbia’s budget dilemma

*People You Should Know*Richard A. Blankenship was once invited to play baseball at MU

*EEW Runner Up Awards*Mark Dempsey and Mills Menser manage to launch new businesses in a deteriorating economy

*Health Care Setback*Sponsors of the health-care legislation see it as progress while other observers consider it a failure

*People You Should Know*Dave Mars, the city’s Energy Guy, makes solar devices for fun.

*Green Cleaner*Downtown Alterations moves to Peachtree Drive, adds dry cleaning service and changes name to French Laundry

*Sales Tax Hike?*Boone County Commission to consider sales tax for economic development needs.

*Tough Times*CBT Snapshots follow local businesses coping in a tight economy

*Local Law*Bankruptcies a growth industry, attorney says

*People You Should Know*State Administration Commissioner Kelvin Simmons’ favorites: Faurot Field and Shakespeare’s

*Market Analysis*Realtors, appraisers developers predict housing market rebound this year