Columbia

An apartment redevelopment proposed for a strip mall on Columbia Pike is stalled for the foreseeable future after the anchor tenant — a grocery store — fell through.

But some of the existing tenants, including the restaurant Atilla’s, have already moved out. And now, the Fillmore Gardens shopping center on the 2600 block of the Pike, which includes a still-operating CVS, is attracting graffiti artists and other signs of blight, according to neighbors.

Penrose Civic Association President Alex Sakes says the development was “slated to become a new crown jewel” but is now “an unbelievable embarrassment.”

“The never ending graffiti and garbage is truly appalling and gets worse by the day,” he said. “My residents and I don’t just work here or drive past this site — we live here. We take great pride in our neighborhood and are happy to step up to help beautify this site once again. I’m not here to point fingers or place blame, but the condition of this site cannot and will not continue to perpetuate.”

The Arlington County Board approved the plans to build a a 247-unit apartment complex with a ground-floor grocery store, rumored to be an Amazon Fresh, in March of 2022. Some tenants have already moved out, anticipating the project starting in late 2022 or early 2023.

Progress halted in late December, however, when the grocery store tenant told the developer it would not be moving in. Without a major tenant guaranteed for the space, the developer — Insight Property Group — could not borrow the money it needed to proceed with the project, Insight’s Sarah Davidson told the Penrose Civic Association earlier this month.

She confirmed that an unnamed retailer pulled out of the space with ARLnow, adding that “economic conditions will determine a revised project timeline.”

The grocery tenant, Davidson said in the civic association meeting, told Insight “they were pulling out of a significant number of pipeline deals, of which this was one.”

That sounds quite similar to what is happening with Amazon Fresh: across the country, proposed locations of the tech company’s grocery store are falling through, with at least one ending in a lawsuit against Amazon.

For Sakes, watching the shopping center struggle is a “worst-case scenario” for “once a thriving hub for diverse, Black and Brown-owned small businesses, including Atilla’s, Salsa Room, Legend Kicks, and more.”

Graffiti keeps popping up. Some drawings found on Monday were apparently scrubbed off only for markings to return today (Tuesday). Davidson says they’re trying to stay on top of it.

“The property owners are committed to keeping the property in clean and presentable condition,” she said.

Insight is also trying to crowdsource ideas for how to fill the storefronts for the next few years, until redevelopment plans can be revived.

“We would love to offer pop-up space for some of the local artist communities, provide space for activities that might be supplementary to CPP’s initiatives, and business incubators as well as find ways to activate some of our parking areas,” Davidson said. “Currently, we feel fortunate to have CVS and Burrito Bros who remain as tenants of the Center.”

The company has talked with Arlington Economic Development, the Columbia Pike Partnership, various arts groups, Atilla’s and the County Board, Davidson told Penrose residents, listing other ideas like murals and food trucks. Meanwhile, an off-duty officer who lives nearby walks the site regularly, particularly in the evenings.

Others commented on the need for temporary tenants on social media, though there was skepticism about whether that would work out.

“It’s a shame, almost like we just had a [local] brewery desperately trying to find vacant space in the county,” said one Penrose resident on Twitter, referencing the unsuccessful attempt by New District Brewery to find a new home after it could not renew its lease in Green Valley.

Hearing from multiple folks that the Elliott project on Columbia Pike (https://t.co/pdK6LR4ZYl) is on hold. If true, the property owner should at least ensure that the vacant buildings are secured in the meantime and possibly consider short term rentals to local biz.

— Eric Berkey (@berkeyeric) May 23, 2023

the challenge will be in attracting retail tenants in the interim – who would want to build a temporary business that will be leveled once interest rates come back down in a few years? the land owners will have to offer cheap rent

— Tim Dellinger (@timdellinger) May 21, 2023

Sakes says this outcome “all to frequent” for proposed redevelopments along Columbia Pike. For instance, ARLnow reported in December that another approved residential development at the Rappahannock Coffee site on Columbia Pike was on hold.

“I would love to see the space cleaned up and open to small businesses, food trucks, local artists and non-profits who can utilize this space to give back to the community,” Sakes said. “Absolutely anything would be better than our current state of affairs.”

Originally Appeared Here

COLUMBIA — When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, the phones at restaurants like Richland Street’s Spotted Salamander Café and Catering and Cayce’s Duke’s Pad Thai started ringing with customers wanting to order take-out. 

“I would be like, ‘just take the phone off the hook,’” Spotted Salamander’s chef-owner Jessica Shillato said, of the overwhelming nature when the virus first began. “‘We’re not doing to-go orders right now.’”

More than three years later, the phone lines are still ringing at some Columbia restaurants, joining a national trend of restaurants leaning more on takeout ordering than ever before. Shillato now attributes more than half of sales at her cafes — a Richland Street location and a recently opened Main Street location — to takeout ordering. 

Shillato considers takeout to be such a “huge part” of the industry following the last three years. She’s not alone.

The restaurant industry nationally is getting a radical makeover as takeout is the new trend. Nearly one fifth of sales in American restaurants last year could be attributed to takeout ordering, according to the Wall Street Journal.

In some Columbia restaurants, this has meant changes to kitchens and business models to accommodate the new customer preference. For others, it meant a way to continue business throughout the pandemic.

Noi Souvanna, the owner of Duke’s Pad Thai and the upcoming Little Bee Bun Mee, said during the height of the pandemic, her restaurant didn’t lose money. Instead, she saw an influx of takeout orders.

“We’re always breaking records and takeout is always a very strong part of our business,” Souvanna told Free Times.

The restaurant updated aspects of the kitchen to accommodate for the number, Souvanna said. 

“As a company, we’re always changing ways to service the guests,” Souvanna said. “Get as many people in and out as fast as possible.”

However, Souvanna said she can’t compare the influx of takeout orders before the pandemic because of her restaurant’s growth over the last three years. Duke’s Pad Thai had many people online ordering and ordering takeout in the restaurant before the pandemic, but the volume of orders they get now cannot be compared, she said.

Spotted Salamander, whose owner Shillato was recently named a semifinalist in this year’s James Beard Foundation awards, has been noticeably busier than before, but Shillato said the restaurant hasn’t changed kitchen operations as a result. 

While the takeout boom has helped some Columbia restaurants, it also often means having to bring on additional employees, Shillato said. Her restaurant halted its curbside pickup option because “you have to employ a whole person to do that,” Shillato said. 

Leaning heavily on takeout, and less on dine-in service, could mean restaurants have to rely on less staff, restaurant owners like Souvanna said. She doesn’t plan on converting to takeout only, since she does have the staff to handle both.

While more casual, lunch places like Spotted Salamander and Duke’s have seen an influx of orders, other spots say they haven’t noticed much of an increase. 

Palmer Ray, former general manager of The War Mouth, said the restaurant offered takeout only during 2020. Ray remembers ordering better takeout boxes in larger quantities than before COVID-19 hit.

The laidback Southern-food Cottontown restaurant toyed with streamlined third party delivery outlets, like Grub Hub or Door Dash, but ultimately decided against it because management found the outlets unreliable.

Ray said the restaurant has about six to eight takeout orders a week.

“It’s not a huge change,” Ray said.

Keith Johnson, general manager of Jake’s Bar and Grill, said the Five Points bar popular with college students and dog-lovers alike, operates the same as it did before March 2020.

Jake’s closed for seven weeks when the pandemic began but reopened in May 2020. Since opening back up, take-out orders have been low on average.

“If you want something to go, we’ll make it for you, but we don’t do a lot of walk-in to-go orders very often,” Johnson said. 

Plus, Jake’s kitchen and operation isn’t set up for the takeout business, which affected the bar’s decision on whether to lean on it following the pandemic.

“During the COVID period, (takeout) was definitely discussed,” Johnson said. “But the kitchen is toward the back of (the building). If everything was closed, you’d have to have a cashier or someone out front.”

Get all the latest industry happenings from the Midlands, plus exclusive development news and more in your inbox each week.

Originally Appeared Here

Beginning this fall, undergraduates at all four University of Missouri System campuses will be charged based on their primary program of study, which will fall into predetermined tiers.

At MU, tier one programs are the least expensive and tier three programs are the most expensive.

The UM System Board of Curators unanimously approved differential tuition rates at a special meeting Thursday.

MU’s current model charges undergrads separately for tuition by the credit hour and also pay information technology fees and supplemental course fees. This made it hard for students to predict their total bill because courses had varying supplemental fees, according to board documents.

In the new model for undergrads, course fees are eliminated and tuition rates are based on the primary program of study.

There is also a plateau rate, which applies to full-time undergrads taking between 12 and 18 credit hours. MU and Missouri University of Science and Technology are applying plateau rates. The incentive behind this rate is to encourage students to take an average of 15 credit hours each semester, which helps them stay on track to graduate on time, according to board documents. 

For example, undergraduates majoring in a tier one program such as history and taking between 12 and 18 credit hours will pay $6,500 a semester in tuition. Undergraduates majoring in a tier three program such as engineering and taking between 12 and 18 hours will be pay $8,300 a semester in tuition.

Mandatory fees are on top of tuition and remain consistent across majors. At MU, they go toward student health, MizzouRec and student activities.

The University of Missouri-Kansas City and the University of Missouri-St. Louis will not have the plateau rate largely because part-time students make up 45% and 66% of their populations, respectively. Students will instead be charged per credit hour, with charges still depending on their program of study.

Graduate students on all four campuses will pay under the per credit hour tiered system. 

Chief Financial Officer Ryan Rapp told curators the goal of the changes has been threefold: to simplify the pricing structure to provide predictable pricing to students; to continue to improve student outcomes; and to establish prices that are reflective of the market for the degree and also the cost to deliver the specific degree.

Undergraduate students received their now-approved fall rates in the most recent round of financial aid package emails. Students can visit the Cashiers Office website to see which tier their program falls into and get their proposed total for the semester.

New curators welcomed

The curators welcomed new members Robert Blitz, Robert Fry and Jeanne Sinquefield to their first meeting after the trio received Missouri Senate approval in April. 

“It is a pleasure and an honor to be working with you,” board chair Michael Williams said, “and we look forward to many many years of fun.”

During the meeting, Blitz and Sinquefield were appointed to the Academic, Student Affairs, Research and Economic Development Committee. Sinquefield was also named to the Audit, Compliance and Ethics Committee and Blitz to the Governance, Compensation and Human Resources Committee. Fry was appointed to the Finance and Health Affairs committees.

Originally Appeared Here

As MOA prepares to open on Main Street, here’s what you can expect

When MOA Korean BBQ, a second iteration of the popular Charlotte spot, opens on Columbia’s Main Street, it’ll bring something unique — a new, upscale Korean option for the downtown and impressive partnerships from the city’s food and dining scene. 

Sean Kim, who owns the Vista’s 929 Kitchen and Bar and Charlotte’s MOA, and Matt Shannon, bar manager at 929, have worked together for five years. In the hospitality business, working together for that long is almost unheard of, Kim said.

Kim and Shannon want to bring an authentic Korean restaurant to the Columbia area with a professional, upscale vibe to 1333 Main St. which they plan to open in August of this year. 

“I’m excited to have a brand new concept in Columbia that has never been done before,” Shannon said.

Kim said the restaurant’s menu will be very similar to its sister restaurant in the Queen City. However, MOA Korean BBQ Columbia will feature something different — a bakery.

When Kim first met Shannon, Shannon wanted to get into the restaurant industry. Shannon and his girlfriend, Deanne Manuela, tried to open a bakery in Columbia’s Five Points several years back, but ultimately failed. Kim offered the couple to test their business concept in MOA before opening their own brick-and-mortar location.

“We’ll have a bakery and a coffee window that opens to Main Street,” Kim said.

And while construction, which has taken longer than originally anticipated, still booms, Kim’s vision is clear. The restaurant will be designed by Dana Jeong, a Korean American, and boasts a traditional Korean culture mixed with an American finish.

Kim said Korean ceramic pots, or ongii, will line the ceiling over 30 tables and a separate private area. The ongii was traditionally used for storage and to promote the fermentation of dishes, according to Kim.

Kim shipped in plates, utensils and 10 outdoor tables and chairs from South Korea, a hefty order that will arrive in three months.

Shannon and Hunter Cone, who will also help manage the bar at the upcoming restaurant after working as the general manager of Black Rooster previously, have an array of cocktails ready for patrons. Cone said he’s working on a few cocktails that change in flavor profile and color as the drinks are consumed.

“I expect a bigger, fuller bar than 929,” Shannon said.

Cone said most of the drinks will have “intricate garnishes” like gummies, mignardises and fruit leather. Cone works under the mentorship of people who have worked with intricate cocktails before.

“I don’t think this (cocktail concept) has necessarily been done before in Columbia on that style of level,” Cone said. “But I think as the food and beverage as a whole grows with Columbia, this is kind of the next step that people will be interested in trying.”

The entire project, including construction, cost $3.5 million. Kim said rent for the space was half the price in Columbia than in Charlotte and said the location is “perfect.” The restaurant is nestled next to Jeffcoat Firm and Cantina 76 Main.

“There are two or three restaurants coming to Main,” Kim told Free Times in a previous interview. “I mean, I think Main Street will eventually change to like Charlotte uptown or Greenville downtown.”

Shannon and Kim said their main demographic is young professionals and older. But Kim wants to host “college night” on Mondays and Tuesdays, featuring lower prices with their student ID.

“It will be pricey,” Kim said. “Halls and Smoked will be our main competition. But we will do good for the Columbia community.”

Other Food News you Might’ve Missed

Burgers on the go: If you prefer eating your burgers from the comfort of your home, Blythewood’s Chubby’s Burgers & Brewhouse has good news for you. Starting May 19, the locally-owned smashburger joint will be available to order on DoorDash, according to the restaurant’s Facebook page. 

Seeing red: If you’re a lover of red wine, you’ll want to check out Hampton Street Vineyard’s May 20 wine tasting. The Saturday afternoon wine pouring takes place at 3 p.m. and centers around Pinot Noir, according to the restaurant’s Instagram. 

Growing pizza empire: It’s official — Village Idiot Pizza, a longtime and beloved pizza spot in Five Points that has multiple locations around Columbia, will begin franchising, owners announced May 9. Restaurants in town like Groucho’s and Lizard’s Thicket have expanded across the state. Will we finally see a Village Idiot in Charleston or Greenville? 

New (and revamped) in West Cola: The Chick-fil-A on August Highway in West Columbia has reopened after undergoing renovations, according to reporting from Post and Courier Columbia Business Reporter Mike Fitts. Just next door, a new Dunkin location opened at the beginning of May. 

Originally Appeared Here

Every Thursday evening from May through September since 2015, the Columbia Falls Community Market has brought slews of Flathead Valley residents and tourists to the market’s venue at the Coop on First Avenue West during the busy summer. The live music, local produce and food trucks that drew in crowds to the festival-like atmosphere helped generate nearly $2 million last year.

In the 20 days that the market ran in 2022, approximately 44,970 people attended the festivities, 117 vendors were hosted, and local small business owners brought in $1.7 million to the small town of 5,500 people that serves as Glacier National Park’s gateway, according to Executive Director Melissa Ellis.

“It’s pretty incredible,” Ellis said. “The market is a huge staple and we have positively impacted small businesses as well as the people that live here.”

The market has received widespread support from the community, with large companies like Nomad GCS, BNSF and Weyerhaeuser that have joined as partners for the event. Additionally, Columbia Falls high school students created the artwork for the market posters and helped launch a recycling program this year while small businesses are featured every week to promote the event.

“We don’t feature anybody that isn’t local,” Ellis said.

The Columbia Falls Community Market. Beacon File Photo

As the Columbia Falls market boosts the local economy every Thursday throughout the summer with 70 local businesses in attendance every week, it follows statewide trends with economists reporting that local farmers markets contribute millions of dollars to Montana.

The University of Montana’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER) found that farmers markets across Montana contributed $27.7 million to the state’s economy while providing work for 4,900 people during the state’s record-breaking tourism season in 2021.

According to the study, farmers markets in 2021 typically generated $244,000 in revenue over the course of the market season and needed 69 people to run the market.

As one of the largest markets in the state, the Gallatin Valley Farmers Market in Bozeman brings in between 110 and 130 vendors and nearly 3,000 attendees every Saturday, according to BBER data.

Now in its ninth year, the Columbia Falls market has grown with the valley and a board of directors was established in 2020 and Ellis took over that same year as the executive director where she’s worked to maintain a local feel.

The Coop will continue hosting live music performances every week at the market, featuring 20 local bands including John Dunnigan, Badger Hound, 20 Grand and more. The building’s owner recently remodeled the venue, installing tall fences separating the venue from the parking lot, but Ellis said they will be removed during the market.

“(The Coop) got a facelift but it’s the exact same bones,” Ellis said. “The Columbia Falls Community Market will have a band performance every Thursday.”

A new education program will launch this year to bring awareness to the community with topics ranging from bear safety to suicide prevention.

The market will host Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) on May 25, June 15, Aug. 31 and Sept. 14, where they will set up a stand to promote topics like bear awareness and demonstrate how to use bear spray and display bear-proof garbage cans.

The Nate Chute Foundation will have a booth at the first market on May 18 to educate the public about mental health awareness and suicide prevention; the Bob Marshall Wilderness Foundation will be at the market on July 13 to provide invasive species education; and Flathead Electric Coop will inform marketgoers about topics like the company’s electric car program and solar panels on Aug. 24.

A recycling program has also been adopted this year with the help of the Columbia Falls High School Conservation Crew. Funded by Weyerhaeuser and an environmental stewardship grant, #2 plastic bottles and aluminum cans will be recycled.

Bigfork Monday Market

When: Mondays, 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Memorial Day through Labor Day

Where: 191 Mill Street, Bigfork

More information: https://www.bigforkmarket.org/

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Bigfork Farmers Market Cooperative

When: Wednesdays, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Where: 22 Swan Way, Bigfork

More information: bigforkfarmersmarket.com

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Columbia Falls Community Market

When: Thursdays, 5 p.m. to twilight, May 18 through Sept. 28

Where: 830 First Avenue W., Columbia Falls

More information: cfcommunitymarket.com

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Columbia Falls Sunday Market

When: Sundays from 9 a.m. to noon, through Sept. 11.

Where: Sixth Street West in front of the library in Columbia Falls

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Kalispell Farmers Market

When: Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Spring season May 7 through July 23, Fall season July 30 through Oct. 15

Where: Flathead Valley Community College, 777 Grandview Dr., Kalispell

More information: https://kalispellfarmersmarket.org/

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Whitefish Downtown Farmers Market

When: Tuesdays, 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. May 30 through Sept. 26

Where: Central Avenue Depot at Depot Park, 510 Railway St., Whitefish

More information: https://whitefishfarmersmarket.org/

Originally Appeared Here

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri has been ranked among the worst states for businesses by a federal agency. 

According to data from the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, Missouri has the second-highest rate of business failures. Washington D.C. sees the highest rate of business failures with 28% in the nation’s capital failing within the first year. Missouri is a close second with a 27.2% first-year failure rate. 

Missouri’s five-year failure rate is even higher at 60.5% which is the highest in the country. The state’s 68.7% 10-year failure rate places it at seventh in the country. California has the lowest business failure rate within the first year, despite having a much higher average cost of living than Missouri.

Columbia Ward 5 City Councilman Donald Waterman says the state can’t do anything to improve those numbers until they get a better understanding of how the data was gathered.

“Without knowing what the causes were, you’re guessing, I would want to know how they formulated it, how they came up with their data to achieve the ranking that we did.”

LendingTree’s chief credit analyst an small business expert Matt Schulz says it’s difficult to pinpoint why Missouri was so high on the list.

“It’s really hard to know what would make a state a tougher place to have small businesses survive,” Schulz said. “With Missouri it’s a relatively low income state so that could create some challenges both on the consumer demand side, but also on the side of the entrepreneur, who may not just have as much income to be able to hold onto that small business and maintain it over long period of time.

“There are any number of reasons that Missouri could be at the top but unfortunately they are at the top.”

The United States Small Business Administration estimates that there are over 500,000 active small businesses in Missouri. Between 2016 and 2019 the number of small businesses increased each year. In 2020 that number dipped for the first time in five years, due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

But the numbers for Missouri aren’t all bad.

The state reported that 79.8% of all Missouri businesses employ fewer than 10 people. In August 2022, Midwest Startups ranked Columbia as the 22nd best Midwestern city for startups. Columbia moved up five spots from its 2021 ranking.

“Columbia is not only a good place to start a business it’s one of the best places to start a business in the country,” Ward 1 City Councilman Nick Knoth said. “We have had incredible growth in the startup Industry especially in female owned startups.”

Knoth says part of Columbia’s success is because having the University of Missouri in town helps foster economic growth by bringing talented young minds into the city. He also says Columbia does a great job supporting entrepreneurs start their business.

“We focus heavily on supporting entrepreneurs and starting it. It could be things as simple as ‘how do you do a business license? How to find office space, what is a business plan?’ Things like that. We help them from the very beginning.”

Originally Appeared Here

Recognition of mental health needs and services continues to grow in Columbia. That was represented Wednesday with recognition and work to raise awareness of children’s mental health.

So, Columbia and Boone County organizations where some aspect of their operation focuses on mental and behavioral health came together Wednesday at the Shelter Insurance fountain, which was among event sponsors, to help proclaim May 7-13 as Children’s Mental Health Week.

Representative groups included Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services, Bright Beginnings, Children’s Grove, National Alliance on Mental Illness of Columbia, ParentLink, Burrell Behavioral Health, University of Missouri Extension, Compass Health Network, Missouri Child Psychiatry Access Project, Columbia Public Schools and the Family Access Center of Excellence.

Each group spoke on their services, with many sharing stories of how they helped individual children or even entire families facing mental health issues.

Organizations and locations around Columbia also lit up green to raise mental health awareness. This includes a light at PHHS, the keyhole at Columbia City Hall, University of Missouri Hospital, Missouri Employers Mutual, Columbia Gateway Plaza downtown and the Shelter Insurance fountain. Individuals could likewise help raise awareness, said Heather Harlan, PHHS health educator, by having a green lamp in a window. Guests at Wednesday’s event also wore green to recognize the awareness event.

The event also welcomed Columbia Fourth Ward Council Member Nick Foster, who read a proclamation from Mayor Barbara Buffaloe, along with his own remarks on the importance of youth mental health services.

“I am speaking to you today as the father of a 10-year-old child. So, the issue of mental health is very important and existential to me,” Foster said, reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic and its mentions of the apocalypse. Another word for apocalypse is revelation, such as the final book of the Bible, he said.

“My minister friends were saying what is happening is a revealing of what is going on in our culture that are true but are not always noticed.”

This included people who were struggling with mental health before and definitely throughout the pandemic, Foster said.

“For children in particular, we were noticing, we saw and were deeply concerned about their mental health as they had to stay home from school with their parents or other caregivers all the time,” he said.

This revelation also meant the community had an opportunity to address it and better understand it, Foster added. It still will take time, he said.

“Let us commit to being present and available to children and to watch out always for the best for them in day-to-day life in our community and beyond,” Foster said.

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.

Originally Appeared Here

JEFFERSON CITY — When Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court in June 2022, trigger laws went into effect to ban or restrict abortion in many states, including Missouri.

The legislature this session has seen attempts both to expand access to abortion in the state as well as further restrict and criminalize it. Legislation has also been proposed to attempt to ease the burdens of pregnancy on Missourians.

Groups opposed to abortion have said that they want to help protect women and children. But with the exception of a bill extending postpartum Medicaid benefits, little legislation has seen progress this session to act on these assertions.

In an exchange on the House floor last week about extending postpartum Medicaid benefits, Rep. Melanie Stinnett, R-Springfield, and Rep. Hannah Kelly, R-Mountain Grove, pointed to their pro-life beliefs as reason for supporting the bill.

“I believe this is the best investment we can be discussing here today,” said Kelly.

“We know when moms are healthy and children are healthy, families thrive,” Stinnett said.

Postpartum healthcareGov. Mike Parson has been sent legislation extending the Medicaid postpartum benefits after compromise legislation was approved by both the Senate and House.

Legislation to extend postpartum healthcare for mothers on Medicaid from 60 days to one year has been proposed session after session. The effort gained renewed attention this year with abortion access in Missouri so limited as a means of helping low-income women who are met with unexpected pregnancies.

Sen. Elaine Gannon, R-De Soto, proposed her legislation, SB 45, this session. When the Senate debated the bill, an amendment was added with language that would prevent women who have received abortions from qualifying for the coverage. While the amendment caused debate in the Senate, it was removed by a House committee after discussion of the amendment’s potential consequences.

Opponents of the amendment argued that it would prevent women who have received abortions from qualifying for postpartum care on Medicaid as it prohibited anyone who “knowingly receives services that are in violation of state law” from accessing these benefits. Opponents also argued that the language was too broad and could apply to any violation of state law, including things like speeding tickets or jaywalking.

During debate on the House floor, over a dozen amendments were added to the bill which transformed it into a more general healthcare bill.

After the Senate declined to accept the House amendments, the bill went to a conference committee, which produced the final version sent to Parson.

Tax exemptionsBills, such as one proposed by Sen. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove, would allow parents to claim a fetus as a dependent eligible for a tax exemption.

Moon’s bill, SB 133, was heard by a Senate committee on Feb. 6. The bill would have allowed for a $1,200 exemption per fetus but has been modified to remove language regarding the “unborn.” It now allows a child to be claimed twice in the year of their birth for a “double exemption” of $2,400.

The bill is now part of a larger bill regarding taxation, with this specific tax exemption titled the “Unborn Child Deduction” in the bill summary. The bill has passed through the Senate and was altered by the House. It is currently awaiting final approval from the House before being sent back to the Senate.

“I like the change and it’ll do all that I wanted it to do. We’re taxed enough already,” said Moon. “Anything that will relieve parents expecting a child and give them a little more money to spend in whatever way they see fit. Hopefully that’ll take a little bit of the burden off financially.”

Bills such as these seem to be the beginning of a new wave of bills to “protect the unborn.” In Georgia, the state’s trigger law included a $3,000 tax deduction for fetuses that went into effect beginning with the 2022 tax year.

Abortion rights groups have voiced concerns over this type of bill regarding fetuses this session. Part of the unease is that this legislation could allow for greater control over pregnant people. To claim a fetus on tax forms could mean submitting medical records along with tax forms which raises concerns over privacy and the potential of the government tracking pregnancies.

These bills would give a fetus the full rights and protections in the Missouri constitution that all Missouri residents have access to. The likelihood of these bills being passed this session is very low as none of these bills have been heard by a committee this session.

Another concern is that with this push to codify the “personhood” of a fetus comes broader repercussions in criminal, family and civil law. If a fetus were established as a person, would pregnant people be able to have their diets, travel or exercise restricted by a partner?

Tax cuts and creditsSen. Doug Beck, D-Affton, also proposed a bill with a variety of tax cuts, including a grocery store and food pantry tax credit as well as a sales tax exemption for diapers and feminine hygiene products. Sen. Lauren Arthur, D-Kansas City, helped to add in some of these tax credits that could help pregnant Missourians.

The bill passed through the Senate and a House committee and will next move to the House floor for debate. After the House made alterations in committee, the bill will have to pass through the Senate again before heading to the governor’s desk to be signed — an unlikely scenario given the session ends Friday evening.

Arthur also sponsors a bill that would give taxpayers a credit for 75% of childcare provider’s costs. The bill is waiting for debate on the Senate floor after passing out of committee in March.

The Senate has been reluctant to pass further tax cuts and credits this session as the budget has not yet felt the effects of the most recent income tax cut.

Child supportBeck, D-Affton, has proposed a bill that would require the biological father of a fetus to pay child support and 50% of pregnancy-related costs also raises issues. Enforcement of these payments – as well as the tax exemptions – could be burdensome and difficult to enforce. The bill passed out of a Senate committee and still awaits floor debate.

“If women are forced to come to term with a baby, why should the biological father be off the hook,” said Beck.

According to Beck, the bill has been laid over and has a low chance of continuing to move forward.

Constitutional amendmentsSenate Republicans like Moon and Sen. Bill Eigel, R-Weldon Spring, have proposed amendments that would alter the state constitution to further limit access to abortions.

Eigel’s SJR 8 would prohibit funds from being appropriated to any clinic, office or association that provides abortions as well as any group that has affiliates that provide abortions. Under this legislation, Missouri’s Planned Parenthood locations would receive no funding because it has affiliates in other states that provide abortions even though the Missouri locations no longer do.

Moon’s bill, SJR 19, would prohibit any language in the Missouri Constitution “shall be construed to secure or protect a right to abortion.”

Neither of these bills have moved past committee hearings and have a low likelihood of seeing any further action this session.

Originally Appeared Here

Columbia Board of Education member Katherine Sasser announced her resignation at Monday’s board meeting, citing legislation aimed at LGBTQ+ families and students.

Her resignation is effective Tuesday, she said.

She has a transgender daughter.

“As I have shared in previous meetings, my family is directly impacted by the legislation being considered in our state that takes aim at LGBTQ+ families and students,” Sasser said, sometimes crying. “We have made the difficult but necessary decision that Missouri is no longer a safe place for our family. We will relocate out of state by the next school year and I will be stepping down from the CPS Board of Education effective tomorrow when I officially submit my letter of resignation.”

Her announcement received a standing ovation in the board room.

Her children have thrived under the support and nurturing of teachers at Russell Boulevard Elementary School, she said.

“While this transition pains me, I am further saddened by the possibility, I am further saddened by the possibility of a future Missouri where a generation of young people are not given the opportunity to get to know and love their diverse neighbors,” Sasser said. “I’m afraid of classrooms whose bookshelves only represent one point of view, students who aren’t free to show up as their full selves and educators not being trusted to make the decisions they need in order to serve each and every student under their care.”

Columbia is a special place, she said.

“We make room for difference here; we are willing to learn from each other, challenge each other and invest in each other,” she said. “We have the resources, support and staff that can ensure that all students are seen, resourced and offered every opportunity they need to take the right next step in their education journey.”

She thanked Superintendent Brian Yearwood, his cabinet, Columbia Public Schools staff, fellow board members, educators, friends, family and the community.

Sasser was elected in April 2021 and is in her first term. She previously excused herself at the start of a meeting, saying actions in the Legislature against LGBTQ+ students didn’t allow her to adequately prepare for a meeting..

The school board will open an application process, interview interested applicants and select a replacement, CPS spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark wrote in a text message. That person would serve the remainder of Sasser’s term.

“This is a public process,” Baumstark wrote.

Most recently, this process was used in 2012 when Darin Preis was selected to fill a vacancy created when Paul Cushing resigned to accept a job out of state, Baumstark wrote.

Board President Suzette Waters, in tears, thanked Sasser for her remarks and her service.

“It has been a real joy to get to know you,” Waters said.

During public comment, resident Shannon Wilson referred to Sasser’s remarks, calling Columbia a bubble.

“Columbia is a special place,” Wilson said. “We listen to each other. We care about each other.”

After the meeting, Sasser said she didn’t know yet where she would move, just out of Missouri.

Roger McKinney is the Tribune’s Education Reporter. You can reach him at rmckinney@columbiatribune.com or 573-815-1719. He’s on Twitter at @rmckinney9.

Originally Appeared Here

Getting their hair braided, relaxed or styled is an experience many Black women have in their lifetimes. It is a way to connect with their culture and community.

Veronica Holton, owner of Braids By Ve on West Old Plank road in Columbia, specializes in braiding, wig installations, twists and locing hair methods. 

“I used to braid for my friend,” Holton said. “She showed me one braid, and I did her whole head. [After that], I was booked [up].”

Holton services many mid-Missouri cities surrounding Columbia. Her clients travel to her because the salons in their cities do not provide the services for curly to coily hair that they want.

“When I started braiding, everybody came so fast,” Holton said. “Because they were looking for somebody who was reliable, consistent and that they could count on.”

Mid-Missouri is considered a “Black hair desert.” These are rural areas with few to no salons specializing in texturized hair. Salons in these areas typically work with straight and wavy hair types and blowouts. Black hair deserts have always existed, but they were not defined until 2018. 

The lack of salons that cater to curly and coily hair in rural areas stems from cosmetology boards not requiring natural hairstyling in their curriculums. 

If a stylist wants to learn more about texturized hair, additional training and courses are usually the only way they can. Companies like Aveda Institutes have implemented these courses in recent years.

Holton said her inspiration for starting her business stemmed from her own experiences when she was younger. 

“I’ve had a lot of different experiences growing up,” she said. “Different environments, feeling uncomfortable or past braiders made me feel like they were mad or angry. I [have taken] those bad [experiences] and given my clients a say because it’s their experience.”

One of Holton’s clients, Lianna Johnson, says she struggled to find braiders when she moved to Columbia.

“When I was looking for braiders, I probably found three of them,” Johnson said. “[Holton] was the only braider who had a good number of clients and a lot of posts. I wanted to go to someone with experience.”

Johnson says that she struggled with finding the right stylist while growing up in St. Louis, too.

“I [had] braiders, but [they were] inconsistent,” Johnson said. “I had a couple of them throughout different parts of my life, so it made it hard to rely on [one] braider.”

Johnson wanted a stylist who could work with her hair because she did not know how to style it herself. 

“I would [ask my friends], ‘Hey, who’s doing your hair?’ ‘What styles do you do?’,” Johnson said. “And all their answers were ‘I do them myself.’ And I was like, ‘No!’ ‘Cause I can’t do my own hair like that.”

Johnson said that with past stylists in Columbia, she felt like an afterthought because they were not able to do her hair. 

“It’s important for Black women specifically to have the option to get their hair done at places like [Holton’s],” she said. “We aren’t necessarily thought of first when it comes to hair braiding businesses [or stylists] who come to Columbia.”

While Holton said she is usually fully booked, she knows her services are essential to the community.

“People are already beautiful how they come,” she said. “I’ve had people who have never had braids before, so I have the opportunity to be the first one to make them feel that way.”

Clients like Johnson said they are grateful for Holton and the comfort, versatility and confidence she provides through her services. 

“Having [Holton] do my hair has made me more comfortable with my hair,” she said. “She never complains about if it’s too thick or not detangled. A lot of braiders made me feel like my hair was too much for them, [but Holton] never makes me feel that way.”

Holton hopes that by providing her services, she can empower Black women to try new things with their hair.

“I’m in a position where I can give braiding a different meaning,” she said. “Most people come from different areas or had bad experiences. They didn’t have the resources at home to find braiders. I feel like I’m giving them the opportunity to know that braiding is safe and can be healthy for your hair.” 

Black hairstyles have always been a source of pride and inspiration, and the more curly hair salons there are, the more basic needs of Black women can be met. 

Edited by Alex Goldstein and Savvy Sleevar | ssleevar@themaneater.com 

Copy edited by Brooklyn Cross and Mary Philip

Originally Appeared Here