Columbia

The Vancouver City Council unanimously approved a set of code changes to large warehouses Monday, with the city’s yearlong warehouse moratorium expiring on Dec. 6.

The code changes apply to warehouses larger than 250,000 square feet — slightly larger than Esther Short Park.

Warehouses would only be allowed in heavy industrial zones, effectively limited to the Port of Vancouver and the Columbia Business Center south of Highway 14 and west of Marine Park. Both areas have larger lots in more isolated areas.

Large warehouses will no longer be allowed in light-industrial zones.

Large warehouses will be subject to climate action measures, such as having roofs that could support solar panels, electric vehicle chargers and a prohibition on truck idling.

Background

The Vancouver City Council implemented the moratorium in late 2022 after city staff saw an increase in proposed and under-construction warehouses, some as large as 600,000 square feet — about the size of four Costcos.

The moratorium allowed city staff to examine the potential impacts of warehouse developments and to create code recommendations.

City staff attribute the jump to a national increase in online retail shopping, which requires large tracts of limited industrial land but offers low employment-per-acre ratios and low-wage jobs. Additionally, city staff were concerned about the climate impacts, aesthetics of large warehouses and the increased traffic.

“Aside from a single UPS facility, there is currently no warehouse or distribution facility in Clark County that specifically stores or re-packages individual goods for direct delivery to residential or business customers,” Vancouver Community Development Director Chad Eiken. “The vans you see in your neighborhood have Oregon license plates.”

Concerns

Some councilors, such as Mayor Pro Tem Ty Stober, worried companies could dodge proposed changes, especially those related to the environment, by applying for a 249,999-square-foot warehouse permit.

The code changes were designed to target large warehouses, with the more detailed and broad green building code currently being developed filling in the gaps for smaller warehouses left by the code changes, Eiken said.

Councilor Kim Harless supports the changes, although Harless wanted clusters of smaller warehouses that exceed 250,000 square feet to be subject to the code changes.

The amendments do “further the public interest,” Harless said. “Does it go far enough? Maybe not, but it does further it.”

Public hearing

Sean Philbrook, vice president of programs for Identity Clark County, a business leaders group, supports the changes to the warehouse code. (Disclosure: The Columbian’s publisher is a member of Identity Clark County’s board of directors.)

“These facilities are necessary to support our steadily rising share of goods purchased through e-commerce and as our standard of delivery becomes ever shorter,” Philbrook said at the council meeting. “However, we concur that these facilities are best suited for properties zoned for frequent commerce and served by truck routes.”

Heidi Cody with the nonprofit Alliance for Community Engagement supported the climate provisions for large warehouses that were included in the code change but wishes it went further.

The alliance “believes city council has missed an opportunity to make a meaningful impact to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by improving the warehouse code changes,” Cody said.

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While the age of 35 may not seem magical for some, it is a magical number for Regional Economic Development Inc., said Stacey Button, REDI president Wednesday. The organization was marking its 35th year in operation.

Investors, REDI Hub clients, both current and former board members and local elected officials filled the community room at the Boone Electric Cooperative for the annual meeting and celebration.

It also marked a special anniversary for REDI’s Executive Vice President Bernie Andrews, who has worked for the organization for the past 27 years. When asked if he would make it to 30 years, he said he is taking things year by year.

Andrews’ bread and butter is business and community development through his work and degrees he received at the University of Missouri.

Before joining REDI he worked for the Missouri Department of Economic Development in a similar role to the one he has at REDI, which is business attraction and expansion. Two major successes in the last year was the opening of Principe Foods and announced expansion of EquipmentShare.

“We have some things in the pipeline that are exciting and could see continued success for Columbia. We have had some good years, some big projects. Hopefully we’ll see one or two more in the coming year or two,” Andrews said.

Principe Foods under the Swift Prepared Foods umbrella, a subsidiary of JBS USA, is an Italian meats factory on Paris Road/Route B.

It was able to open in Columbia, in part, from Chapter 100 bonds from Boone County, which provides a 75% abatement of property taxes over a 10-year period, provided certain thresholds are met by the company. EquipmentShare went through the same process for its expansion.

The connection Principe has with the community also led to a grant from the JBS Hometown Strong Initiative, supporting a new public park for the Whitegate neighborhood. The park has yet to break ground.

Other significant celebrations for REDI over the last year included the opening of Columbia Regional Airport’s new terminal.

The REDI board itself and partnerships with the Downtown Community Improvement District, Missouri Women’s Business Center and Central Missouri Community Action will bring The Shops at Sharp End, a minority retail business incubator, to the downtown area.

The Shops at Sharp End is supported by these organizations and an American Rescue Plan Act grant from Boone County of nearly $398,000.

A soft opening is planned next month with formal grand opening in the new year.

“We are currently finalizing exterior signage, interior graphics, assembling furniture, fixtures, and equipment,” Button said, adding clients are in the onboarding process. “We also just hired the retail manager who started a couple weeks ago.”

The meeting also meant a proverbial changing of the guard, as Ben Ross with Engineering Surveys and Service steps into his role as past chair of the REDI board. It welcomed Todd Hoien as the new chair. Previous past chair Susan Hart of Reinhardt Construction LLC is staying on as an ex-officio member as REDI works on its strategic plan.

Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on Twitter. Subscribe to support vital local journalism.

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When shopping as a college student, it’s easy to turn to fast fashion, which refers to the mass production of clothing at a low cost. While these options are usually convenient and cheap, they are not environmentally friendly because so much ends up in the landfill. It is possible to still find convenient and cheap options in stores around Columbia in a sustainable manner. Merriam-Webster defines “sustainable” as using a resource so that the resource is not depleted. 

Shopping sustainably is looking out for the needs of the future while also meeting the needs of today. Students can practice this by buying clothes that aren’t fast fashion, or better yet, are second hand, meaning the clothing was previously owned.

 It’s important to be environmentally conscious when shopping so that we can all do our part to help reduce clothing waste and overconsumption. For many college students, this means shopping at thrift stores and small, local businesses. We found the top places to do just this and broke it down according to our own criteria. 

The Wardrobe

Price: 10/10 

Sustainability: 9/10

Convenience: 5/10

Quality: 6/10

OVERALL: 7.5/10

A 20-minute walk from campus, The Wardrobe is a great non-profit store for anyone shopping on a budget. With clothing racks stuffed full of all kinds of clothing, The Wardrobe has a large variety for students to pick from. 

As an added bonus, most of their clothing is priced as low as 50 cents or $1. While name brand clothing will be priced higher, it’s still much lower than what students would find at a department store or the mall. 

The store is only open to the public on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, but it’s well worth it to make the trip. 

All of the clothing sold at The Wardrobe is donated from the local community. The volunteers who work there sift through all donations to find the pieces that are sellable before putting them on the racks. A variety of clothing is donated to The Wardrobe, which ensures that shoppers will have much to choose from.

“It’s always an adventure when you open a [donated] bag,”Judi Pastorino, a volunteer at The Wardrobe, said.  “Sometimes we just can’t believe [that] things, new with tags, are donated.”

The Wardrobe is also sustainable because not only do they sell second-hand clothes, but almost none of the donations end up in the landfill. When the clothing is unable to be sold, they send it to a store in St. Louis that repurposes the material.. 

Shoppers at The Wardrobe will not only find amazingly low prices, they will also be assured that they are lessening the amount of clothing being sent to landfills. 

“Obviously there’s some benefit to the community,” Pastorino said. “It gives people an outlet to just not put all those black bags in their trash and have it go to landfill. They bring it here and it gets reused.”

In conclusion, The Wardrobe is sustainable and affordable for college students on a budget. 

City Boutique

Price: 9/10 

Sustainability: 10/10

Convenience: 3/10

Quality: 7/10

OVERALL: 7.25/10

City of Refuge is a local non-profit organization designed to assist refugees that have settled in Columbia. Their resale shop, City Boutique, is located on north Garth Avenue, making it a five-minute drive from campus, or about a 20-minute walk. While it may be farther from campus, this shop is still worth a visit.

From games to old china sets to a plethora of clothing items, something is sure to catch your eye in the eclectic shop. If the items themselves do not, perhaps the prices will. Each item is about $4, and they have additional sales every week.

All of the proceeds go right back into City of Refuge’s fund to help assist refugees with their needs, including education, medical issues, finding homes, jobs and more. Moreover, every item in the store is donated with a few exceptions: the loose-leaf tea and the artisan jewelry. 

City of Refuge’s staff makes the loose-leaf tea to represent the people of varying backgrounds that they assist, as tea is a beverage that spans across different cultures and countries. 

“We are trying to bridge the gap with the clients that we serve and the community that they’re living in, in a way that is easily understandable,” City Boutique’s manager Kellye Dubinski said. 

The jewelry is created by local artists who City of Refuge aids, and every cent made from these sales go directly to the artist. 

“Many of these artisans have never had the opportunity to have a job [and] make money,” Dubinski said. “So this is really their opportunity to help supplement income for their families.”

Leo’s Old Clothes

Price: 6/10

Sustainability: 9/10

Convenience: 7/10

Quality: 7/10

OVERALL: 7.25/10

Leo’s Old Clothes has been selling second-hand items in Columbia for almost 52 years. If you have the time to walk downtown and sort through all the items for sale, do not hesitate to go. It is an easy 12-minute walk from campus, located on Ninth St. just past Broadway Boulevard. 

The store is filled to the brim with clothing pieces dating as far back as 100 years. The clothing comes from locations spanning the globe, including countries in the Middle East, Europe and across the United States. 

Scott Palmero, the store’s current owner, loves that customers can find good quality vintage clothing at Leo’s Old Clothes.

“My favorite items are probably some of the vintage [items],” Palmero said. “We have some jackets in here that are probably from — I would say more or less things were from the British Empire.”

The store also takes pride in making new items from old material. According to Palmero, there are hats for sale that are made in the shop from old materials — talk about sustainability!

As for the price, the clothing was tagged fairly according to the quality and rarity of the item. Most items averaged around $4 to $10 while name brands were priced around $30 to $45. This could easily fit into a college budget if you are looking for unique vintage finds. 

Maude Vintage

Price: 4/10

Sustainability: 7 /10

Convenience: 7/10

Quality: 9/10

OVERALL: 6.75/10

With its pink walls and vintage window displays in downtown Columbia, Maude Vintage is hard to miss. Only a 15-minute walk from campus, this is the place to be for anyone looking for high-quality, vintage pieces to add to their closet. 

The store gives each decade their own section throughout their three stories, so shoppers can easily access vintage items from almost any time period in the last century. By simply walking through the store’s floor plan, shoppers are transported from the ‘80s to the ‘60s in just a few steps. 

The prices here are steeper than other thrift stores in Columbia, but the quality and guaranteed vintage authenticity of the pieces makes up for it. The store’s manager, Sabrina Garcia-Rubio, buys all of her clothes from either local sellers or from various estate sales across the country. 

Although the price of the clothing may be expensive, the store understands that students usually buy on a budget.

Fast fashion poses a threat to sustainability and local shopping, and Maude Vintage wants to remain a place where students and other shoppers are encouraged to buy locally instead of online. Almost all of their pieces are second-hand, so sustainability levels are also huge here.

“It is the most fair price you can get authentic vintage [clothing items], gearing more towards students,” Maude Vintage employee Dayton Gerren said. “We are also trying to create a shopping experience that is understandable. I feel like a lot of students shop mostly fast fashion. So I’m trying to help emulate moments of that in our store to get people to understand that, but I think we have a fair budget for what we have to offer.” 

Columbia Farmers’ Market

Price: 5/10

Sustainability: 10/10

Convenience: 2/10

Quality: 10/10 

OVERALL: 6.75/10

The Columbia Farmers Market has been providing residents with fresh fruits, vegetables, baked goods, jewelry and more since 1980. The market is open every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon, April through October and 9 a.m. to noon November through March. It is two miles off of campus, meaning it’s a ten-minute drive for students. This is, however, one of the only inconveniences for students. 

Once students arrive at the farmers market, they will be able to shop at vendors who are from the state of Missouri — the farthest coming from 50 miles away. At the market, vendors harvest their produce at most two days before they sell it. 

The price for most items fluctuates because each vendor determines the cost of their own items. The prices usually end up being almost identical or slightly higher than those that students would find in a grocery store. 

The atmosphere of the farmers market is also a huge draw for students. Students can go on a Saturday morning with friends and family and try new foods and produce, often with live music in the background. 

“The number one thing [students will] discover is how fun it is,” Jon Weekly, the farmers market’s assistant manager, said. “This has become the go-to spot every Saturday.”

Supporting local vendors is extremely important to help reduce pollution when it comes to transporting food. By shopping at the Columbia Farmers Market, students can help local vendors stay in business and incorporate fresh foods into their diet.

“People don’t realize most of the food in the grocery store comes on average [from] over 1500 miles — it’s transported and uses gas to stay fresh,” Weekly said. “ And there’s just a lot of unhealthy practices that go on.” 

Bailey & Blush Boutique

Price: 3/10 

Sustainability: 4/10

Convenience: 8/10

Quality: 8/10

OVERALL: 5.75/10

Bailey & Blush Boutique  — located on Broadway Boulevard between Ninth and 10th St. — is a darling women’s clothing shop that is less than a 15-minute walk from campus. Stocked with tons of cute sweaters and pants, the clothing style of the boutique is “chic.” With this style of clothing, however, comes a hefty price tag. 

Many clothing items were priced around $50 to $60. While the clothing is notably high quality, the prices of the clothing may be unreasonable for a typical college budget. According to Lauren Bailey, the owner of Bailey & Blush Boutique, these prices are set for a reason.

“[Students] obviously want a fun, nice downtown experience, and you have to feed [small] businesses if you want them to stay here,” Bailey said, referring to the support required from patrons. 

Local shops such as this one are important to maintaining the personalized feeling that  downtown Columbia evokes, so perhaps this is a good store to keep in mind the next time you want to treat yourself. 

In terms of sustainability, Bailey & Blush Boutique sells wholesale clothing, meaning the clothing is sold in bulk to retailers at a cost that is lower than the retail price. Because of this, it is not the most sustainable option, as the items are not reused or recycled. 

Edited by Annie Goldman | agoldman@themaneater.com

Copy Edited by Briana Iordan

Originally Appeared Here

Two hundred years ago, on Nov. 22, 1823, 11 people gathered at the home of Charles and Hannah (Jewell) Hardin Sr. to organize the city’s first church.

At the time, it was known as the Columbia Church. As the years progressed, it would become known as First Baptist Church. The church will celebrate its 200th year with a special service at 11:15 a.m. Nov. 12. A luncheon follows at the Kimball Ballroom on the Stephens College campus. RSVPs were needed.

Nov. 22 is the day before Thanksgiving this year.

While there were other Baptist churches formed in Boone County — Bethel Church in 1817, Little Bonne Femme Baptist Church in 1819 — before Missouri’s formation as a state in 1821 and the founding of Columbia that same year, First Baptist was the first in the city.

The person compiling the church history is Ken Hammann, who throughout the year has published articles on the church’s history in the church newsletter, The Spire. He took on this role from Joanie and Richard Sorrels, who were the first people who had an interest in preserving and archiving the church’s history, Hammann said.

“Doing the history is in respect of Joanie and thanking the church for welcoming my family without question 37 years ago. That was one of the things that greatly impressed me. All you need to do is come, and if you want to get involved we’ll happily involve you,” he said.

Along with special services all throughout the last year and other special projects and events, Hammann is compiling and editing a 700-page book on the church’s history, which is available for order, with an expected delivery date in mid-January.

“Our history is a lot, and it was spread out in ring binders, file folders, file cabinets. It is a compilation of our history. We have two formal written histories. That’s 400-plus pages. The rest is chronologies and acknowledgements largely outlined in (what I have written),” Hammann said.

Christmas ornaments commemorating the anniversary are to be available in November. The church also will create a time capsule which will have a special sealing service in January or February.

Progressive ideals

When an outsider hears the word Baptist, it is easy to assume the church is part of the Southern Baptist Convention, and therefore more conservative in its traditions and practices.

First Baptist, however, is dually aligned with the Cooperative Baptist and American Baptist denomination, and thus is a progressive congregation.

The church, in fact, seven years ago went through a process to be a welcoming and affirming church for the LGBTQ community.

While the church lauds its progressiveness, including welcoming senior pastor Carol McEntyre in 2012, which meant the church would be asked to leave the Mid-Missouri Baptist Association over her hiring, it also is taking time to recognize its connections to enslavement of the county’s Black population 200 years ago.

“We have been on this journey of becoming more aware and we just knew as we started planning the anniversary, we couldn’t only look at the beautiful parts of our history, but we had to look at, I would say, the sinful parts of our history,” McEntyre said.

Connections to slavery and putting a focus on racial justice

Six of the 11 people who met at Hardin’s home were enslavers. Throughout Hammann’s history articles provided to the Tribune, it notes the church’s founding was based on a “distorted view of the gospel of Jesus Christ and (the church is) working to acknowledge, confess and become actively anti-racist in our faith.”

Among those enslaver founders was William C. Jewell, namesake of William Jewell College in Liberty. He emancipated a portion of those he enslaved prior to his death. Following his death in 1852, during the construction of his namesake college, only one of the two remaining people he had enslaved were freed.

The church held a special truth telling, lament and commitment service Oct. 22 to read the 53 names of those enslaved by church members. These names were found both in church records — including in the journal that records the founding of the church — and slave census records from the time.

The church recognizes that this only is a small portion of those enslaved by its members. Records from church minutes date from 1823 to 1844, Hammann said. Church-specific records are unavailable for 1845-1865. In the 1860 census, nearly 45% of all Columbia residents were enslaved.

“We are trying to honor them and lament our involvement in this evil practice and commit that we are going to continue the work of racial justice moving forward. It’s a lifelong commitment,” McEntyre said about the special service. ” … (Lament is) a spiritual practice of moving toward pain instead of away from it and expressing your depth of sorrow before God about it.”

McEntyre was the main impetus behind the church putting a major focus on racial justice and recognizing the church’s overall — not just at First Baptist — legacy in perpetuating white supremacy.

She delivered a sermon Aug. 13, 2017, which was the day after the Unite the Right white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia.

“I just got up and said, ‘You know, there were white supremacists in the street. We have to be engaged in racial justice work in the world and try and bring about equality for all people,'” she said.

So, that started a process in the church of book studies, pilgrimages to civil rights sites, diversifying the music library with composers of color and ensuring black-owned businesses are utilized.

Having a racial justice team at the church did not turn people off and has brought more people to the church because of the work it has done and speakers it has featured, McEntyre said.

‘No stained-glass ceiling’

While the church laments it connections to slavery, it still has other aspects from its history that are worthy of celebration, such as always having women in some form of leadership position since the church’s founding.

“Our inclusion of women is phenomenal. We were kind of ahead of our time in the inclusion of women,” McEntyre said. “… We ordained the first woman to the gospel ministry. We had a woman who chaired the capital campaign for when we built the sanctuary in the 1950s. We like to say there is no stained-glass ceiling here.”

Three of church’s founders were women: the already mentioned Hannah Hardin, Harriett Goodloe and Mary Jewell. In the first 100-plus years women were in more traditional roles, but even in that early history their leadership progressively increased and moved to the forefront, Hammann wrote in one of his history articles.

The women of the church in 1876 recognized a call to action when nearly all the male church leadership resigned, including the pastor. While all of these later were rescinded, the role of women in church decision-making and fundraising would expand.

There is both inclusion and support of women in the church’s history.

Church member James L. Stephens and a contribution of $20,000 in 1870 (nearly $500,000 in today’s dollars) to a then-struggling Baptist women’s college would lead to its transformation. That higher education facility still is known as Stephens College. His son, E.W. Stephens, another significant Columbia figure, would go on to be dubbed the “best-known Baptist layman.” Six of the church’s pastors also were Stephens College presidents.

Even though it took 152 years, the board of deacons first welcomed women to its ranks in 1975. The church, in the last 46 years, has ordained three women into the ministry: Moray Loring Kiehl in 1977, Ashley Peake in 1989 and Brittany McDonald Null in 2020, who also now is an associate pastor at the church.

Other notable church connections to Missouri history

• William Jewell was part of the committee that bid for the University of Missouri’s construction in Boone County, putting up $1,800 of his own money, roughly $60,200 in today’s dollars, according to inflation calculator Official Data.
• William Jewell founds African colonization society in 1843. It failed after two years. It sought to repatriate formerly enslaved people to Africa, even if they were born and raised in the United States.
• Charles Hardin Jr., son of one of the First Baptist founders, was Missouri governor from January 1875 to February 1877.

Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on Twitter. Subscribe to support vital local journalism.

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Staff Reports

Truman State Theatre Department to Perform ‘The Lightning Thief’

Truman’s Theatre Department will perform “The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical” at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 9-11 and Nov. 15-16 and 2 p.m. Nov. 12 in the James G. Severns Theatre. This dynamic musical adaptation of Rick Riordan’s bestselling book opened on Broadway in 2019. When teenager Percy Jackson discovers he’s a demigod, he and his friends embark on an epic journey to find Zeus’ missing lightning bolt and prevent a war among the gods. This production features the work of student director Jack Danter. The three leading actors are Lydia Lamb as Percy, Margan Youngstrom as Annabeth, and Parker Shin as Grover. This fast-paced musical features fight choreography by Gael Jenks and dance choreography by Danter. The show will last approximately two hours with one intermission. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at boxoffice.truman.edu. For more information, contact the Truman Theatre Box Office at 660-785-4515 between 11:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Kirksville High School Music and Theatre Department to perform ‘Legally Blonde: The Musical”

Tickets are now on sale for the Kirksville High School Music and Theatre Department production of “Legally Blonde: The Musical,” Nov. 16 – 19. Elle Woods appears to have it all, but her perfect life is turned upside down when her boyfriend Warner dumps her so he can attend Harvard Law. Determined to get him back, Elle ingeniously charms her way into the prestigious law school. While there, she struggles with peers, professors and her ex. With the support of some new friends, though, Elle quickly realizes her potential and sets out to prove herself to the world. Over 50 local teens will be involved in the production, either onstage or behind the scenes. Performances will take place at the William Matthew Middle School auditorium on Thursday, Nov. 16 – Saturday, Nov. 18 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 19 at 2 p.m. The box office will open one hour before show time and the doors will open 30 minutes before show time. All tickets are for an assigned, reserved seat so plan ahead with your family and friends to get seats together. Tickets for the show are $12 for general admission and $7 for students. Tickets can be purchased online at showtix4u.com/events/khstheatre, at the high school office, or at the door. The show is rated PG 13 for some language and adult humor references to alcohol and innuendo.

Food Bank Adopt a Buddy Pack program

The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri invites you to Adopt a Buddy Pack. 1,928 children in Adair County qualify for free or reduced-price meals at school. Many of these children do not have access to nutritious meals during the weekend. The Food Bank’s Buddy Pack program aims to fill that gap by providing Buddy Packs full of nutritious food for children to take over the weekend. You can help fed a child with Buddy Packs. A gift of $270 allows them to provide a Buddy Pack to a child in Adair County for an entire school year. Donate at sharefoodbringhope.org/give-help or in-person at Alliant Bank, 201 S. Baltimore Street in Kirksville. Check by Mail: Make payable to “The Food Bank” with “Adair County Buddy Pack” in the memo to: The Food Bank, 2101 Vandiver Drive, Columbia, Mo. 65202. All funds stay in the county. Participating schools include Kirksville Primary, Ray Miller, Brashear and Novinger. Sponsored by Alliant Bank and Kirksville Daily Express.

Join the Kirksville Young Professionals Committee

The Kirksville Area Chamber of Commerce encourages businesses and their employees (ages 21-40) to become involved in the Kirksville Young Professionals Committee, which focuses on retaining and engaging young professionals in the area through lunch & learn opportunities, professional development, and other various events. KVYP is here to help them connect with the community. They meet on the second Tuesday of the month at 9 a.m., in the Hampton Inn Truman Room or via zoom. Feel free to reach out to KirksvilleYP@gmail.com for more information about KVYP or to get the Zoom Link for meetings. You are also more than welcome to join them at future events.

Indoor walking activity for seniors at the Crossing Church

The RSVP (Retired Senior Volunteer Persons) office sponsors a walking activity five days a week during winter months for seniors to walk inside the Crossing Church location on Shepard Street from 9:30 a.m. until noon, Monday through Friday. This is only for senior citizens — 55 or older. They have volunteers “manning” the location and seniors are welcome any time during that time period. They ask that you sign in. There is no charge and you may come any or all days. If the schools are closed, they are not open because of weather. As of April 1, the Crossing will only be open on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday each week. It will be rain free, wind free, and cool on

Missouri Livestock Symposium accepting applications for the Missouri Livestock Achievement Award

The Missouri Livestock Symposium is currently accepting applications for the Missouri Livestock Achievement Award. This award recognizes an individual or organization demonstrating outstanding achievements and distinguished contributions to the livestock industry. Eligible applicants can be producers of livestock, agribusiness personnel, agency personnel, or agriculture educators in the state of Missouri. Other parties who have been long-time supporters of the Missouri livestock industry will also be considered. The award recognizes livestock industry leaders from across the state. The selected applicant will become a member of the Missouri Livestock Symposium Hall of Fame and will be inducted during the Friday evening program of the Missouri Livestock Symposium on Dec. 1. The award nomination form can be received by emailing missourilivestock@gmail.com and requesting the form, or by contacting the Adair County Extension office at 660-665-9866. The Missouri Livestock Symposium is Dec. 1-2, at William Mathew Middle School. Go to missourilivestock.com or our Facebook page @MissouriLivestock for more details.

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The city of Columbia is an ice skating desert. 

With only 4.7 inches of snow from December 2022 to February 2023 and the nearest ice rink 30 minutes away, there aren’t many places to lace up the ice skates.

However, there are a few dedicated athletes who make the journey to Washington Park Ice Arena every Sunday and Tuesday night from September through February. These 14 individuals are the members of the Mizzou Synchronized Skating team. 

Synchronized skating is similar to dance as a highly technical blend of performance and sport — involving high speed, intense accuracy and the formation of exacting displays.

However, the sport has the added difficulty of taking place on ice, needing an extra level of balance and trust which the performers have to obtain.

The majority of the team has been skating since they were extremely young. That applies to the current president and senior Emma Marsh. Growing up in Kansas City, Marsh first hit the ice at the age of four, as both her dad and brother played hockey. 

“Just from the beginning, I’ve always done synchronized skating,” Marsh said.

The decision to come to Missouri and compete on the team was an easy one for Marsh.

“A lot of these girls I skated with in high school, and we all went to Mizzou, so we get to skate together here,” Marsh said. “You create life-lasting friendships.”

One of those close friends is Korby Pyles, the current head coach of the team. Pyles first got into skating after watching the Olympics. After skating individually, she joined a synchro team by the time she was 11. 

“We used to skate together when we were little babies,” Pyles said. She has been skating alongside Marsh for nearly two decades.

Pyles, Marsh and the rest of the leadership board work together to perfect the team’s routine while also balancing the different backgrounds and experiences of the members. 

“Some of them have never even skated on a team with synchro before,” Pyles said. “Getting them in there and having the team to support them is the biggest thing.”

Thankfully, it’s easy to get new members involved, as the competitions and routines are less stressful than the majority of the high school programs. One member who benefits from this more relaxed style is freshman Lily Delk.

Delk grew up skating her entire life skating at the Washington Park Ice Arena, as it was close to her home in Jefferson City. She followed in the footsteps of her older sister, Laurel, as they skated together from a young age. 

“I felt like I could be strong and graceful at the same time,” Delk said. “I love to skate fast and just feel like a strong, pretty girl.”

Delk began skating synchro at 7 years old before eventually quitting during her senior year of high school.

“I had some issues with some people at the rink here,” Delk said. “I wanted to get out of that toxic environment.”

To Delk, the Mizzou Synchronized Skating team has a much more relaxed feel, focusing more on creating a strong team culture.

“We’re not a very competitive team,” Marsh said. “People find a lot of fun in it, and it gets their mind off school.”

While unity is the focus, competition never takes a backseat.The team performs and competes consistently throughout the year. Their first performance is coming up this Saturday, Nov. 4 during the intermission of the Missouri Club Hockey game at Washington Park Ice Arena in Jefferson City. 

“People love it,” Marsh said. “It’s obviously very different.”

Missouri Synchronized Skating will also compete in official competitions throughout the year, usually taking place in Michigan. As the club president, Marsh is in charge of planning those events and making sure the trip runs smoothly for the entire team. 

“I’ve never been in a leadership role like this before,” Marsh said. “It’s definitely a lot, but it’s all worth it.”

Since the team is a club sport, they receive no funding from the school. As a result, all of their funding comes from their own members along with any outside donations. 

Despite the costs, the excitement around the team is high, as they continue to improve with each passing day to become a better all-around team.

“We have started out the strongest that we ever had in a season so far,” Pyles said. “I’m so proud of them and I know they’re just gonna knock everybody’s shoes off when we show up at competitions.”

Copy edited by Natalie Kientzy and Grace Knight | gknight@themaneater.com

Originally Appeared Here

COLUMBIA − The city of Columbia is looking for a new lessee or owner of the  former IBM/Kyndryl property on LeMone Industrial Boulevard. 

The 93,145-square-foot facility, which is owned by the city, sits on 9.5 acres in an Industrial General Zone, according to a press release. The building is also a Leadership Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) silver-certified facility. 

IBM is an international information technology corporation that uses tech to solve their business clients’ problems, according to the corporation’s website.

Kyndryl, an information technology service company, didn’t renew its lease, which expired on Oct. 31, city spokesperson Sydney Olsen said.

“They let us know a couple months ago, so we had some time to prepare,” Olsen said. “We knew this was coming.”

The company said it wasn’t using the office space due to its staff working remotely, Olsen said. Kyndryl, which did not respond to multiple requests for comment, didn’t say if any employees were laid off, according to Olsen.

On Friday, a notice of closure sign was posted outside of the building that said, “This site has been shut down. Decommission in process.”

Kyndryl employees do not have badge swipe access for any reason as of Sept. 29, the sign said.

In 2020, IBM said it was closing its Dubuque, Iowa, service center and moving operations to Columbia, the Columbia Missourian reported. There were 344 employees working at the Dubuque center, according to the Missourian.

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The company promised in 2010, when it initially announced it was opening shop in Columbia, that at least 800 jobs would be added in Columbia by the move. Employees earned a minimum average annual wage of $43,750.

In August 2023, the Missouri Department of Social Services (DSS) confirmed to KOMU 8 News it was a target in a third-party data breach that happened with IBM and Progress Software’s MOVEit Transfer software. The department said the attack may have allowed an unauthorized party to access Medicaid participants’ health information.

IBM was a vendor that provided services to DSS, according to a news release from the department. Olsen said she does not believe there is a correlation between the data breach and Kyndryl leaving the office space.

The city is accepting proposals to lease or purchase the property from interested parties. Applications should include a five-page letter of interest with the following information:

• Name of company and its officers/owners
• Company address and/or location(s)
• Appropriate company point of contact information
• Brief history of the company
• Proposed lease or purchase terms; and, estimated price to purchase or lease the building/property
• Brief narrative about the intended use of the property, including but not limited to: proposed capital investment, job impacts, expansion/relocation, timeline to occupy, and any additional key terms or conditions for consideration

“[The building] has a lot of work space, it’s got a lot of meeting room,” Olsen said. “It could be potentially really beneficial for an employer that we may already have here in town or if someone expresses interested in coming [to] town, that’s a facility that could hold a lot of people.”

Applicants have until Nov. 27 to submit requests to lease or purchase the property, the release said. The city will notify finalists with qualified submissions by email or phone in December based on the following information:

• Highest and best use of the building/property
• Qualifications and experience of the company
• Financial ability to acquire or lease the building/property
• Timeline to occupy building/property
• Economic impact(s) to the community

“We want to continue to work on our economic development and building those relationships, bringing new jobs to Columbia or securing the jobs we already have,” Olsen said.

Originally Appeared Here

Flavortown isn’t so much a place as a state of mind.

Guy Fieri, the self-appointed and forever mayor of Flavortown, knows it when he sees it. During his 16-year — and counting — run as the host of Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” the righteous restaurateur has found Flavortown all across the United States. Especially in the Show-Me State.

To date, more than 25 Missouri joints have made Fieri take notice and offer his “dynamite” seal of approval. His list is heavy on Kansas City and St. Louis hotspots — before we get to those, we have a few suggestions for bomb-dot-com tasty restaurants that would welcome Fieri to shut the front door in Columbia and Springfield.

Three Columbia restaurants worth Guy Fieri’s attention

Diner: Imagining Guy Fieri visiting Columbia’s Broadway Diner (22 S. Fourth St.), it all makes perfect sense. A local institution with more than 50 years of history; a good-natured, generous main character in proprietor Dave Johnson; and many, many ways to eat chili. Who wouldn’t want to watch Fieri stick a fork into The Stretch or learn firsthand about a Matt’s Dilemma? https://www.broadwaydinercomo.com/.

Drive-In: Columbia’s most iconic drive-in is Mugs Up (603 Orange St.). A zip burger — with cheese, of course — and a root beer would offer Fieri a chance to hold court on classic Midwest comfort food.

Dive: It feels diminishing to call Cafe Berlin (220 N. Tenth St.) a dive, but the funkalicious vibe of Columbia’s beloved brunch spot would no doubt appeal to Fieri. It’s easy to imagine him raving over the flavor combination in an order of apples and sausage, or giving some love to Sam Johnson and the crew about the way they conceive vegetarian options like the tempeh Reuben. https://www.cafeberlincomo.com/.

Three Springfield restaurants that would be at home on an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

Diner: What could appeal more to Guy Fieri than a Double Whammy from Casper’s Diner? The longstanding establishment recently moved to a new location (937 S. Glenstone Ave.) but the interior retains much of the ’70s charm present at its former Walnut Street spot. Casper’s has been known for its chili and hamburgers since 1909. https://www.caspersdiner.com.

Drive-In Local specialty: Aside from Sonic, Springfield has a woeful lack of drive-ins for a city on Route 66. Instead, we think Fieri should stop at the birthplace of the town’s beloved cashew chicken: Leong’s Asian Diner (1540 W. Republic Road). Winner winner, cashew chicken dinner. http://www.leongsasiandiner.com.

Dive: Wood-paneled walls, dim lights and live music paired with dishes like lobster grilled cheese and soft-shell crab eggs Benedict are part of the charm at Lindberg’s Tavern (318 W. Commercial St.). Fieri could find plenty to rave about at the historic spot. https://www.lindbergsbar.com/

As for the spots Fieri’s spotlighted in the past, most don’t require much of a detour off Interstate 70.

Anthonino’s Taverna (St. Louis)

Address: 2225 Macklind Ave.

Cuisine: Greek and Italian comfort food

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 15, Episode 10

Website: https://anthoninos.com/

Banksia Bakehouse (Kansas City)

Address: 109 W. Ninth St.; 4800 Main St.

Cuisine: Australian bakery

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 30, Episode 10

Website:https://banksiabakehouse.com/

BB’s Lawnside BBQ (Kansas City)

Address: 1205 E. 85th St.

Cuisine: Barbecue

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 18, Episode 8

Website:https://bbslawnsidebbq.com/

Blue Koi (Kansas City)

Address: 1803 W. 39th St.

Cuisine: Chinese

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 18, Episode 12

Website:https://bluekoi.net/

Cupini’s (Kansas City)

Address: 1809 Westport Road

Cuisine: Italian

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 18, Episode 9

Website: https://www.cupinis.com/

Danny Edward’s BBQ (Kansas City)

Address: 2900 SW Boulevard

Cuisine: Barbecue

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 18, Episode 7

Website:https://www.dannyedwardsblvdbbq.com/

Dressel’s Public House (St. Louis)

Address: 419 Euclid Ave.

Cuisine: American farm-to-table

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 15, Episode 12

Website: https://www.dresselspublichouse.com/

Espino’s Mexican Bar and Grill (Chesterfield)

Address: 17409 Chesterfield Airport Road

Cuisine: Mexican

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 0, Episode 61; Season 15, Episode 13

Website: https://espinosmexicanbargrill.com/

Extra Virgin (Kansas City)

Address: 1900 Main St.

Cuisine: Tapas

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 30, Episode 12

Website:https://www.extravirginkc.com/

Grinders Pizza (Kansas City)

Address: 417 E. 18th St.

Cuisine: Pizza

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 0, Episode 45; Season 1, Episode 3; Season 2, Episode 11; Season 32, Episode 2

Website: https://grinderspizza.com/

Guerilla Street Food (St. Louis)

Address: Roaming food truck

Cuisine: Filipino

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 15, Episode 8

Website: Closed in April 2022, as per Riverfront Times

Happy Gillis Cafe & Hangout (Kansas City)

Address: 549 Gillis St.

Cuisine: American, “a soup ‘n sandwich joint” with a twist on old favorites, according to the episode synopsis

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 10, Episode 1

Website: https://happygillis.com/

Iron Barley (High Ridge)

Address: 3367 High Ridge Boulevard

Cuisine: Varied, with unexpected takes on the tavern dining experience

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 3, Episode 4

Status: Closed in 2022, per its Facebook page

Kansas City Taco Company (Kansas City)

Address: 520 Walnut St.

Cuisine: The restaurant bills itself as a “non-traditional urban taqueria”

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 30, Episode 9

Website:https://kctacocompany.com/

Klubb Krokstrom (Kansas City)

Address: 3601 Broadway Boulevard

Cuisine: Scandinavian comfort food

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 30, Episode 13

Status: Klubb Krokstrom closed in 2019

Mama’s 39th Street Diner (Kansas City)

Address: 3906 Waddell Ave.

Cuisine: Mexican and American

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 3, Episode 1

Website: Closed

Pigwich (Kansas City)

Address: 20 E. Fifth St.

Cuisine: All things meat-related: Burgers, barbecue, fried chicken, sandwiches and more

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 31, Episode 1

Website: https://pigwich.com/

PotPie (Kansas City)

Address: 904 Westport Road

Cuisine: Classed-up comfort food with, of course, pot pies

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 18, Episode 13

Website:https://kcpotpie.com/

Smokin’ Guns BBQ (North Kansas City)

Address: 1218 Swift Ave.

Cuisine: Barbecue

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearances: Season 1, Episode 2 and Season 9, Episode 10

Website:https://smokingunsbbq.com/

Succotash (Kansas City)

Address: 2601 Holmes St.

Cuisine: Breakfast and lunch specialties

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 18, Episode 9

Website:http://www.succotashkcmo.com/

Swagger Fine Spirits & Food (Kansas City)

Address: 8431 Wornall Road

Cuisine: Gastropub

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 9, Episode 11

Website: Closed in 2014, per the Swagger Fine Spirits & Food’s Facebook page.

Sweetie Pie’s (St. Louis)

Address: 4270 Manchester Ave.

Cuisine: Soul food

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 3, Episode 2

Status: Closed by 2022, Sweetie Pie’s may be coming back this year, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The Brick (Kansas City)

Address: 1727 McGee St.

Cuisine: Pub food

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 0, Episode 67; Season 10, Episode 5

Website: https://www.thebrickkc.com/

The Highway 61 Roadhouse and Kitchen (Webster Groves)

Address: 34 S. Old Orchard Ave.

Cuisine: Cajun and Creole with barbecue

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 0, Episode 67; Season 16, Episode 1

Website: https://www.hwy61roadhouse.com/

The Shaved Duck Smokehouse (St. Louis)

Address: 2900 Virginia Ave.

Cuisine: Barbecue

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 15, Episode 11

Website: A pipe bursting in December 2022 closed the restaurant indefinitely, according to St. Louis news station KSDK

YJ’s Snack Bar (Kansas City)

Address: 128 W. 18th St.

Cuisine: Owner David Ford brought back and made recipes from his trips around the world.

Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives appearance: Season 3, Episode 5

Website: YJ’s closed in 2019

Aarik Danielsen is the features and culture editor for the Tribune. Contact him at adanielsen@columbiatribune.com or by calling 573-815-1731. He’s on Twitter @aarikdanielsen.

Susan Szuch is the health and public policy reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @szuchsm. Story idea? Email her at sszuch@gannett.com.

Originally Appeared Here

A little bit of Aiken is ready for battle.

Rolls-Royce has delivered the first of its mtu 8V 199 PowerPacks to General Dynamics for the U.S. Army’s M10 Booker armored fighting vehicle program. Rolls-Royce’s Power Systems business will deliver up to 96 PowerPacks as part of the low-rate initial production phase, with additional PowerPacks expected as the program moves into serial production, according to a news release from Rolls-Royce Power Systems.

“The delivery of these first PowerPacks marks an important milestone for us, as it represents the first mtu serial production engine to power a U.S. Army land defense program. This is also the Army’s first new design tracked vehicle fielded in over four decades,” Scott Hanson said in the news release. Hanson is director defense for Rolls-Royce Solutions America, a subsidiary of Rolls-Royce Power Systems, which is headquartered in Friedrichshafen, Germany.

In March, Rolls-Royce announced that the Aiken plant would product generators for U.S. Navy ships. See related story.

Designed by General Dynamics Land Systems, the direct-fire combat vehicle melds recently developed and battle-tested designs to dominate ground threats on the multi-domain battlefield, the release stated. The M10 Booker vehicle employs a four-person crew and features an enhanced thermal viewer, a large-caliber cannon, a lightweight hull and turret, and is powered by the mtu 8V 199 PowerPack delivering 600 kilowatts, or 800 horsepower. It has been designed from the start for capability upgrades, based on future operational needs.

The mtu Series 199 is the best-selling armored fighting vehicle engine in its power class, according to Rolls-Royce. The six- and eight-cylinder engines are characterized by particularly high power combined with especially low weight and volume. The integrated PowerPack consists of engine, transmission, cooling system, air filtration, energy system, preheating equipment, power management, and vehicle integrated features. Compact, integrated, and flexible, the drive solution can be tailored to the respective vehicle and mission profile.

“We’re excited to assemble and test these Series 199 Powerpacks at our mtu manufacturing facility in Aiken, S.C.,” Hanson said in the release. “We’re proud of the role we play in equipping the U.S. Army with a best-in-class power solution and thrilled to continue our strong partnership with General Dynamics.” Low-rate initial production for the M10 Booker is expected to go through 2025 with serial production planned for 2026 pending the results of evaluations of the initial phase.

Rolls-Royce’s mtu Series 199 engines and PowerPacks power more than 2,500 light armored vehicles with several armed forces, the release said. Versions of this powerplant are in use various armored vehicles, among them the Spanish Pizarro, Austrian ULA+N, German Boxer and Polish OPAL vehicles. They are also set to power additional vehicles of NATO nations, such as the British Army’s Ajax and Boxer. In addition to Aiken, Rolls-Royce also produces mtu Series 199 engines at its Friedrichshafen and East Grinstead, United Kingdom, manufacturing facilities.

Reach Ross Norton at rnorton@scbiznews.com or 864-642-5229.

Originally Appeared Here

Story Links

Columbia, Mo. – The Missouri men’s and women’s basketball teams tipped off the season with the second-annual Mizzou Madness in front of the historic Columns.

With approximately 4,000 Tiger fans packed on the Francis Quadrangle in front of the Columns and Jesse Hall, members of both teams participated in interactive games with the audience.

To open the night, graduate guard Sean East II successfully defended his crown as Mizzou Madness’ 3-point Shootout Champion, beating out graduate forward Hayley Frank 13-12 to go back-to-back in the competition.

Following the 3-point shootout, several young Tiger fans competed in a dunk contest in front of judges – Mizzou alum and SportsCenter host John Anderson, Heisman-winner and current ESPN analyst Robert Griffin III, former Missouri basketball players Lindsey Cunningham, Tre Gomillion and Ben Sternberg, as well as current members of the men’s and women’s squads, sophomore forward Aidan Shaw and senior guard Mama Dembele.

Closing the night, members of the audience joined players from each team as they went head-to-head in a skills challenge in addition to a live performance of Mr. Brightside and a laser show on the Columns.

Quotes

Whitten Family Head Men’s Basketball Coach Dennis Gates

On Mizzou Madness…
“I definitely appreciate our fans coming out and showing what they can do and supporting our programs, men’s and women’s. It’s what makes our institution and our programs special. It really is a competitive advantage.”

On Packing Mizzou arena…
“Their consistency is what allowed us to build momentum at the very beginning of the season when we didn’t know each other, and it got us through some moments. This upcoming season, our schedule is probably more difficult than it was last year. We’re going to need every ounce of our talents. We’re going to need every ounce of our home court advantage to be able to send fans home with a W.”

Graduate forward Noah Carter
On Ben Sternberg and Tre Gomillion being present…
“Yeah, those are my brothers. They’re gonna be my brothers for life. The bonds and the connections that we made last year are gonna last forever. I’m happy they got up here and I’m happy I was able to see them”

On stepping into a leadership role this year…
“Yeah I’ve actually really been enjoying just being a leader and being there for the younger guys. I want to be like that big brother that if they have any questions, just come ask me. I’m here to help you. And you know, I’ve really been enjoying being able to get on them as well because I know what they’re capable of now. It was really nice this summer being able to go to Jamaica and really learn a lot about each other. So it’s being able to have time to think and really understand what gets them going or what they need. So yeah, I’ve really enjoyed my role and I’m really looking forward to having that role throughout the year.

Women’s Basketball Head Coach Robin Pingeton

On how the atmosphere of the event excites the team for the coming season
“I think they’re looking forward to it. This team has done more outside of what’s required than any team I think I’ve ever coached. And so like I said, they understand the work ethic that has to go into this, but at the same time, it’s fun to know that the season is right around the corner. And so I think they’re getting pretty excited about finally being close to tip off.”

On the veteran presence on the team…
“They’ve done a tremendous job. We’ve got six returning players that I think had a great foundation and they are hungry. I think they really set the tone in the offseason in June and July. But honestly, these connections have been really organic and I think that’s the coolest thing as a coach. You certainly got to create that space and carve out that those opportunities to build those relationships and connectivity. But this has happened really organically, and pretty quickly for so many new players. Our returners have done a tremendous job of just kind of wrapping their arms around the new players and showing the way. But they are probably the most mature team I’ve ever coached. We’ve got some veterans, but we’ve also got three grad transfers, and so there’s definitely a maturity there. I think our incoming freshman class is mature beyond their years, and they’re bringing a  businesslike approach. They come in, they get after it, and they compete, but they really support each other at the same time.”

On Ashton Judd and Averi Kroenke’s sophomore season…
“That experience is so hard to replace, and I think there’s a lot of growth that happens in that freshman year. You get the lay of the land, you get comfortable with college life, the academic schedules, and the longer season. I think they are both very mature for their age. Ashton and Averi both had a tremendous offseason. The amount of work that they put in outside of what was required is pretty darn special, and I know that they’re excited about the season. I’m really looking forward to the opportunities that are in the process.”

Originally Appeared Here