Mid-Missouri

If your musical tastes were created — or cemented — in the 1990s and early aughts, this summer is yours. An early string of concert announcements promise the arrival of ’90s and ’00s rock delight to mid-Missouri in the forms of smash hit-makers, lovable weirdos and faithful tributes.

June 29: Family Values Royale at The Blue Note

As part of its very popular Royale series, The Blue Note will revisit the Family Royale era with local bands paying homage to influential hard rock and nu-metal acts — while still remaining true to themselves. Scheduled this time out: Deftones, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, System of a Down and Korn sets from area rockers Last American Cowboy, Bilmore Boys, In Search of a Legend, Hang Your Hate and Mani Pedi, respectively.

Tickets are $8-$15. Learn more at https://thebluenote.com/.

Aug. 8: Blues Traveler, Big Head Todd and the Monsters at MU Health Care Capital Region Amphitheater in Jefferson City

Blues Traveler might pop first in this announcement — the hook, of course, brings you back (as does John Popper’s virtuosic harmonica playing). But give full due to Colorado-formed Big Head Todd and the Monsters, who have cultivated serious road-warrior bonafides since their debut nearly 40 years ago. And their 1990 power ballad “Bittersweet” remains one of the more unsung, compelling cuts of its moment.

Tickets are $40-$99. Visit https://www.crmuamphitheater.com/ for more information.

Aug. 9: Wheatus at Rose Music Hall

This one goes out to all the teenage dirtbags, past and present.

The Long Island-area band wrote one of the unsung-hero anthems of a then-brand new decade with their defining 2000 anthem. Wheatus has intermittently sprinkled records through the last three decades — their last “proper” record came in 2013, but the band offered up a holiday EP last year (complete with Christmas-themed “Teenage Dirtbag”), and frontman Brendan B. Brown continues to embrace the spirit of what Wheatus meant to early adopters.

Gabrielle Sterbenz shares the bill. Tickets are $20. Visit https://rosemusichall.com/ for details.

Aug. 10: Goo Goo Dolls and The Fray at the Missouri State Fair

Give credit where it’s due: After critiquing concerts brought to Sedalia the past few years, I want to praise the fair’s instincts here, programming a bill that both scratches a nostalgic itch and boasts a wealth of great songs.

Yes, the Goo Goo Dolls ruled the ’90s (and beyond) with hits such as “Name,” “Iris,” “Slide” and “Black Balloon.” But Johnny Rzeznik and Robby Takac soldier on in a perpetual spirit of resilience, harnessing the toughness of their Buffalo, New York punk background while showing how tenderness keeps blooming over the long haul.

Openers The Fray (of “How to Save a Life” and “You Found Me” fame) didn’t break through till 2005, but always seemed like a natural extension of the pop-rock bands like the Goos established in the ’90s.

Tickets are $60-$70. Visit https://www.mostatefair.com/locations/state-fair-grandstand/ to learn more.

If and when more acts who hit big in the ’90s and early 2000s announce local summer dates, we’ll update the online version of this story.

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/X @aarikdanielsen.

Originally Appeared Here

More than 40 boxes full of letters, unfinished manuscripts and dust jackets were packed tightly in the back of Thomas Peters’ van last week as he drove back to Springfield from Warrensburg. The collection of materials belonged to Springfield native and Missouri Poet Laurate David Harrison and will soon be accessible at Missouri State University’s Meyer Duane G. Library.

Peters, dean of Missouri State’s Library Services, made the two-hour drive to Warrensburg last week because up until that point, Harrison’s collection has been stored within the University of Central Missouri’s James C. Kirkpatrick Library. Recently, Harrison decided it was time to bring the collection home.

For 35 years, Harrison participated in Central Missouri University’s Children’s Literature Festival, a multi-day event that recognizes authors and illustrators from across the country. This year, the festival celebrates its 55th anniversary. As one of the festival’s most frequent attendees, Harrison was asked if he would be interested in donating his works — both finished and incomplete — to the James C. Kirkpatrick Library.

For years, Harrison collected letters, draft scribbles and other pieces of written work, piling the paperwork under his desk at home, then transferring the pile — once it got tall enough — to a box in his basement. Once a few boxes were full, he’d send them on their way to Warrensburg.

But more recently, Harrison has been donating his written materials to Meyer Library. The author no longer attends the Children’s Literature Festival and doesn’t have strong connections at Central Missouri University like he used to. A request from Peters, who expressed interested in Harrison’s collection, proved to be the final push he needed to make the move.

To have all of his work in Springfield, his hometown, is “delightful,” Harrison said. He is hopeful that students and members of the community will find use in the collection, whether it be for academic research or learning more about the behind-the-scenes of writing and publishing books.

More:Poetry from Daily Life: A billboard — and a missed, best breakfast — birth a poem

Peters, who expressed that the library is “really excited” to have Harrison’s collection, said the materials will survive much longer at the library than they would if they were kept in a “dusty attic.” Moreover, he’s glad to know that the materials will not make their way into landfills, as historical artifacts often do.

When and where will Harrison’s collection be accessible?

Peters told the News-Leader that he transferred about 42 boxes from Warrensburg to Springfield, full of Harrison’s collection. This amount of material will take a while to process. Specifically, library staff will need to establish a finding aid, which will help folks search through the collection, and transfer the materials to acid-neutral containers. Some parts of the collection, like photographs, will be digitized.

The collection, which does not have an official title yet, will be housed within Meyer Library’s Special Collections and Archives, located on the third floor of the library. Peters said he imagines the collection will become accessible in 2025.

Greta Cross is the trending topics reporter for the Springfield News-Leader. Follow her on X and Instagram @gretacrossphoto. Story idea? Email her atgcross@gannett.com.

Originally Appeared Here

Bill Moyes has lived in Boone County for 57 years. Before he retired, he worked as a schoolteacher. 

At a public hearing Thursday, he and several other senior citizens spoke with the Boone County commissioners about Proposition 1, a property tax freeze for seniors.

Voters overwhelmingly approved the proposition, which exempts senior citizens from certain increases in the property tax liability due on such senior citizens’ primary residences, according to the April 2 election ballot question.

But Moyes said it’s unclear who is eligible for the program.

“Interesting enough in the statute, it never defines senior citizens,” Moyes said.

The proposition was fueled by Senate Bill 190, which Gov. Mike Parson signed into law last summer. Those who qualify for the tax freeze are defined as “Missouri resident[s]” who are “eligible for Social Security retirement benefits,” according to the bill.

Moyes said the law is nonspecific, and he believes a lot needs to be cleaned up in the language.

“Being an eligible taxpayer (to qualify for the program) includes that you have to be eligible for Social Security,” Moyes said. “That doesn’t apply to everybody. Teachers for one. I’m a retired teacher, so that makes a difference to me.”

Boone County Presiding Commissioner Kip Kendrick said the commissioners are currently drafting a policy to clear up the confusion, but they still need final clarification of their own from lawmakers at the state Capitol.

“We’re certainly monitoring several pieces of legislation, been monitoring that every day to see what happens,” Kendrick said.

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.

Error! There was an error processing your request.

One of those bills Kendrick referenced was Senate Bill 756, sponsored by Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer, which would modify the definition of “eligible taxpayer” in the original bill by providing that a taxpayer should be 62 years of age or older, rather than eligible for Social Security retirement benefits.

Kendrick said he’s confident SB 756 will be the legislation that the commissioners will draft their policy around. The Senate passed the bill March 7, and it made it through two House committees. It is waiting a vote from the full House. 

Moyes also pointed out that the SB 190’s statute doesn’t specify which of the county’s tax authorities in which the statute applies.

“Is it just the county portion of the tax? Is it the school district? The fire district? Ambulance district? The water district? The library district and so on?” Moyes said.

The commission previously told KOMU 8 News among key elements of the program was a means test, which would evaluate an appraised value of an individual’s property to determine if they are eligible for the program. This stipulation, which the commission previously told KOMU was in the policy draft, would make the tax freeze program would only be eligible to properties with an appraised value of $300,000 or less, as determined by the county assessment file. However, Kendrick said that option is not on the table anymore. 

“We don’t believe that we’re going to have the statutory authority to do (a means test). It’s not in the current draft (of the policy),” Kendrick said.

The people who asked for clarity at Thursday’s hearing on who is eligible for the program didn’t get a clear answer.

Kendrick said the commissioners will try to have a drafted policy out after the legislative session concludes in May. He said he wants to clear up the confusion, but the commission doesn’t want to release a draft of the county’s policy in case the legislation changes.

There will be three other public hearings regarding the senior citizen tax relief program, according to a news release from the commission:

• Hallsville City Hall at 1:30 p.m. April 25
• Centralia City Hall at 1:30 p.m. May 2
• Ashland City Hall at 1:30 p.m. May 9

Originally Appeared Here

The Columbia School Board (CPS) decided on Phase 1 Attendance Area Changes Wednesday night, voting to implement option 1 in the 2025-2026 school year, in an attempt to address recent growth in Columbia schools. 

At the special session, CPS considered three options for Phase 1 of the plan, which only impacts elementary school students and seeks to bring more students to Russell Boulevard Elementary School (RBES). The move comes after after a new wing was added to RBES. 

According to CPS, option 1 outlines adding 59 students to RBES, which will all be moved from Fairview Elementary School. In a 5-1 decision (with one member also choosing to abstain), the board voted to approve option 1, but choose to implement the plan in the 2025-2026 school year. Originally, Phase 1 was scheduled to begin in the fall of 2024. 

However, at Wednesday’s meeting several board members expressed concerns with this initial timeline, fearing it would not give students, families and teachers enough time to adjust and plan for the upcoming school year. 

Option 2 proposed pulling students from both West Boulevard Elementary School and Grant Elementary School, adding a total of 44 students to RBES. Lastly, option 3 combined options 1 and 2, moving a total of 72 students to RBES from Fairview Elementary School and West Boulevard Elementary School. 

Prior to the meeting, community members had the chance to complete a survey outlining which option they would most prefer. According to results, residents overwhelmingly preferred option 1, with about 67 percent of respondents indicating they are either supportive or very supportive of the plan. 

On the other hand, 68 percent of respondents were either unsupportive or very unsupportive of option 2, while another 41 percent were either unsupportive or very unsupportive of option 3. 

CPS board member Blake Willoughby said the board took these results into account prior to making tonight’s decision.

“It is never an easy thing, it is always difficult, we don’t take it lightly,” Willoughby said. “The responses to the surveys, all that feedback–we use that. The board sees it. Our consultant gives us the summarization of those themes, but the also we look at the full results of the survey.”

According to Willoughby, the primary reason for these attendance area changes is to address recent growth in the Columbia Public School system. According to data from the district, 18,213 students were enrolled in Columbia public schools in 2020. As of 2022, this number jumped to 18,800 students. 

Although growth has trended upward as of late, Willoughby said predictions show this could plateau in the coming years. As such, he said this makes the decisions the district makes regarding re-zoning now all the more important. 

“That in some ways, makes this even more of a difficult decision, because these could become attendance areas for some time,” Willoughby said. 

Willoughby said these attendance changes are necessary in order to ensure students have the best learning environment possible. 

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.

Error! There was an error processing your request.

“We know that we have some overcrowding and some over utilization happening in certain buildings, and so we’re really trying to alleviate that,” Willoughby said. 

The approval of Phase 1 comes as several school expansion plans are taking place in Columbia. Beginning Friday, crews will break ground on the new Southwest Elementary School, which is predicted to be completed by July 2026.  Additions will also be made to Battle Elementary School, allowing the school to accommodate roughly 650 students.

Plans to outline the project will be completed by August of 2025. The Columbia Area Career Center is also undergoing an expansion, adding nearly 20,000 square feet by December 2024.  

The impact of this growth goes beyond Columbia elementary schools, which is reflected in Phases 2 and 3 of the attendance area changes. According to CPS, Phase 2 focuses on filling the new Battle Elementary School and is set to be implemented in the 2025-2026 school year. 

Finally, phase 3 addresses filling the new Southwest Elementary School and will be implemented in the 2026-2027 school year. Both phases 2 and 3 will impact middle and high school enrollments. 

However, some parents are concerned with what these changes will mean for students, including Lee Keith, a mom of a student at RBES. Although Kieth’s child won’t be moved, she fears relocation could be difficult for students that are.

“It just seems disruptive to me to be moving these students, who already have established relationships with their schools and their routines to be pulled and moved around,” Keith said.

Keith added while it is always a positive to have a more diverse group of students, she likes that it is a community-oriented school. 

“We go to school with our neighbors and the people across the street from us, and when you’re kind of on the other side [of town], you don’t get those same day-to-day tie ins,” Kieth said. “You know, you see each other at school, but maybe not outside of school.”

Willoughby said the board recognizes how difficult this may be for students, however these changes are needed. 

“The reason why we’re doing this isn’t because we want to be changing attendance areas and going through this difficult process,” Willoughby said. “But it’s because we’ve been doing these, over the last decade, building of new additions to elementary schools or building new buildings and really trying to address the growth that we’ve been seeing in our community.”

The board said a survey regarding Phases 2 and 3 will be sent out on April 29. 

Originally Appeared Here

The Unbound Book Festival is set to return to Columbia for its ninth year Thursday.

The festival’s schedule consists of author conversations, panels, readings, workshops and other special events including film screenings at various venues in downtown Columbia. With the festival bringing in about 50 authors from around the country, Alex George, executive director of the festival, considers Unbound to be “a great big four-day celebration of books and reading and writing.”

The festival will begin at 8 p.m. Thursday with the Lit Crawl, an event for ages 21 and over, where local authors will read their works. The crawl will start at Orr Street and move to five other downtown venues throughout the night. The Lit Crawl had formerly taken place Saturday, however, seeing that many attendees were exhausted after the day’s events, the festival opted for a “new and improved” approach, George said.

The Poetry Abound! event will kick off Friday’s events from 4-6 p.m. at Fretboard Coffee, followed by the festival’s keynote conversation with Emily St. John Mandel from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at the Missouri Theatre. Novelist Sequoia Nagamatsu will join St. John Mandel, bestselling author of “Station Eleven,” “The Glass Hotel” and “Sea of Tranquility.”

The keynote conversation is the festival’s only event that requires registration ahead of time. If attendees are unable to acquire free tickets, George recommends people still show up to the Missouri Theater for an opportunity to claim any spare seats.

Saturday will include the main festival programming from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Some of the programming will include a panel of veterans, a romance genre panel as well as discussions over cookbooks and food as a love language, George said.

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.

Error! There was an error processing your request.

“Because there are so many things going on at once on Saturday, it’s a really good idea to plan ahead of time to work out what it is you want to see,” George said.

The Write On! Workshop, which will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Stephens College’s Windsor Auditorium. The workshop is a series of activities for aspiring and experienced writers to improve their skills and receive feedback from industry professionals. Although much of the festival is free to attend, tickets for the Write On! Workshop cost $50 per person.

A screening of “Once Upon a River” followed by a Q&A with author Bonnie Jo Campbell from 7-9 p.m. Sunday at Ragtag Cinema will wrap up the final day of the festival. Tickets for the screening can be purchased on Ragtag’s website, with child and senior tickets priced at $9 and adult tickets priced at $11.

Parking garages at Eighth Street and Walnut Street, Eighth Street and Cherry Street, and 10th Street and Cherry Street are featured on the event’s map and are free throughout the weekend. Festival-goers can also pay for metered parking on the street between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Evenings and Sundays are free.

More information can be found ot the Unbound Book Festival’s website.

Originally Appeared Here

The University of Missouri launched a new center to explore the use of emerging technology in agriculture.

In February, the university announced the Digital Agriculture Research and Extension Center — a partnership between MU Extension, MU’s College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Research Service.

The center’s goal is to help farmers become more efficient and sustainable by harnessing technology like artificial intelligence.

AI can help farmers make better decisions about how to spend their time and resources, according to Kent Shannon, co-director of the center. The center is exploring ways to train AI for agricultural use, like identifying weeds, diseases or nutrient deficiencies in a crop.

“You give (AI) a question, and then it gives you an answer,” Shannon said. “We want the same thing from an agricultural standpoint.” 

Shannon said AI is being trained to provide real-time information about crop conditions. This drives down costs through more efficient use of materials like fertilizer.

Decisions about how to use resources are becoming more important for farmers, Shannon said. It’s also important for Missouri. Nearly one-third of the state’s economy is tied to agriculture.

A new MU report projects Missouri net farm income will decline by 18% in 2024, down from record highs in 2022. That’s lower than the 25.5% expected drop in U.S. net farm income. Missouri is expected to fare better because drought reduced the state’s cattle heard, driving up prices. 

In addition to improving the bottom line, AI can also help farmers become more sustainable, Shannon said. Farmers can use AI to apply pesticide in targeted areas as opposed to their entire field, reducing the amount of chemicals used. 

The MU Digital Farm is also part of the center. Located at MU’s South Farm, its purpose is to demonstrate new technology while also serving as a research center.

Drones in the Field

Technology is nothing new to agriculture. Drones have been used in agriculture since 2010, according to Taylor Moreland, CEO of Agri Spray Drones. Located in Boonville, Agri Spray is the largest distributor of agricultural spray drones in the U.S., Moreland said. The company distributes Chinese-made DJI drones to a network of about 80 dealers. The company also sells drones directly to farmers in mid-Missouri.

Agriculture drones are in the early adopter phase, Moreland said. He said drones are on the cusp of becoming more widespread in farming. Agri Spray sold around 100 drones in 2021, Moreland said. That number jumped up to around 700 drones in 2023. Agri Spray hopes to more than double its 2024 sales.

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.

Error! There was an error processing your request.

Farm drones are big machines. DJI’s Agras T40 is the most popular spray drone in the country, according to Moreland. It weighs around 200 pounds fully loaded and can carry about 10 gallons. The drones are mostly used for fungicide, Moreland said, which is a chemical that kills or controls  fungi. 

“Fungus application on corn is growing in demand. There’s more and more farmers that want to do it,” Moreland said. “Problem is, whenever it’s July, how tall is the corn? It’s about 10, 12 feet. How do you drive a tractor through there (to spray)? Well, you can’t.”

Drones are an alternative to helicopter and plane services that spray pesticides. At first, Moreland said he thought farmers would be the primary users of drones. Most customers are people who start their own spray business, Moreland said. 

The Agras T40 costs around $30,000, Moreland said, but there are other costs to consider. It costs between $50,000 and $60,000 to start a spray business, Moreland said. 

There are other barriers to agricultural drone use. A Federal Aviation Administration license is required to fly drones commercially. Agri Spray offers licensing support, training and a repair service, Moreland said.  

Challenges to New Technology

Chris Chinn, director of Missouri’s Department of Agriculture, said she’s excited by the potential for technology to reduce costs and increase efficiency. However, Chinn said not every family farm may rush to adopt new techniques. 

“Some farms are early adopters of the technology, and with us being from the Show Me State, some of our farm families are like, ‘Show me the data,'” Chinn said. “I want to see that data to make sure that it does work before I make that high-dollar investment.”

Some families may rely on the younger generation to explore new technology before using it. Another important factor is internet access, Chinn said. Farmers need internet access in their fields in order to use drones and AI. Some farmers still have trouble using GPS on equipment because of poor internet connection.

The Missouri Department of Economic Development has an Office of Broadband Development which is trying to expand internet access in the state. The office has more than $1 billion in funding dedicated toward broadband expansion, according to previous KOMU 8 reporting. Missouri currently ranks 42nd in the country for broadband access, according to the Missouri Farm Bureau. 

Shannon noted that  the research center is still in its infancy. He hopes its research can be used not just in Missouri, but the entire country. 

“Technology is not gonna solve every problem we have, but if it can help us be more efficient at what we do,” he said. “I think that’s sort of the ultimate thing.”

Originally Appeared Here

Boone Health and Audrain County officials signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) Friday, intending to co-develop a master health plan, which includes a new hospital, for the county.

The NDA will allow a complete review of the county’s health care needs.

“The signing of the NDA allows us to fully share information and do strategic planning together to come up with a community health needs assessment and looking at what we need from a facility need standpoint,” Boone Health CEO Brady DuBois said. 

DuBois told KOMU 8 that Boone Health has been in talks with Audrain County officials for several weeks and that they are focused on providing health care to the county’s citizens. 

Now that conversations can be more thorough, Dubois said Boone Health can identify past trends to determine how to build a facility that meets the needs of the community. 

“What do we need from a colonoscopy standpoint, mammogram standpoint, from a routine health screening standpoint? What will those numbers look like to design a facility that meets today’s needs and future needs of the county?” DuBois said. 

As part of long-term plans, a critical access hospital will likely be established. 

“As a known regional health care system with a proven track record for quality outcomes, Boone Health is more than qualified to explore the establishment of a critical access hospital in Mexico,” Audrain County Health Department Administrator/CEO Craig Brace said.

Audrain County has been without a hospital since Noble Health shut down its community hospitals in Audrain and Callaway counties in March 2022. 

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.

Error! There was an error processing your request.

Ziva Medical currently owns the hospitals, and one of its owners said earlier this year it plans to reopen the facilities.

DuBois said the there are no intentions to work out of Ziva’s hospital. He sad Boone Health is focused on designing its own critical access hospital, which will take a while to establish. 

“From getting design done to funding source to certificate of need and construction, the process will take three years,” DuBois said. “Construction alone will take at least 18 to 20 months at a minimum, so we’re trying to develop things in the near-term future to work toward a definitive solution.” 

This also means that emergency care will have to wait.

“In the state of Missouri, you’re not allowed to have a free standing emergency room, you have to have a hospital, so once the hospital opens, we’ll have 24/7 care available,” DuBois said.

Dr. Charles Tillman, a cardiologist for Missouri Heart and a resident of Mexico, Missouri, said the community has been very eager for additional health care in the county.

“Years ago, when we did have a hospital, we provided care for upwards of 40,000 people, and now we don’t have a hospital at this point, things are very difficult at best,” Tillman said. “Everyday at the office, people are asking me what we are going to do for a hospital.” 

DuBois said the expansion into Audrain County would add more than 150 jobs. He said Boone Health is ready to take on this project financially and that the health care company had a great first quarter of 2024. 

Boone Health currently operates two primary care centers in Mexico and provides health care in 26 mid-Missouri counties. 

Originally Appeared Here

Since 1978, the UCM Alumni Foundation has presented the Distinguished Alumni Awards annually to recognize outstanding University of Central Missouri graduates who are esteemed by their peers as “the brightest and most distinguished” in their field. This award has been bestowed to just 138 distinguished alumni from over 100,000 currently living alumni. With the motto “Education for Service,” the University of Central Missouri embraces opportunities for the UCM community to develop and exhibit characteristics of responsibility and civic engagement.

“Bill Keen is an exceptional person who has utilized his education and success to make a difference for a tremendous number of individuals and his community at large,” said University of Central Missouri President Roger Best, Ph.D. “At the University of Central Missouri, we could not be more proud of him and his accomplishments.  He reflects our institutional values in his life and work, and we are pleased to recognize him as a Distinguished Alumnus.”

The award is a testament to Bill Keen’s commitment to community service and his dedication to influencing others’ commitment to helping those in need. This impact can be seen within his own company, Keen Wealth Advisors, as its team members have values similar to his own. Their commitment to providing their own time, expertise, financial contributions, and resources is a testament to this value. In 2023 alone, the Keen Wealth team committed over 1000 hours of service, a number that continues to increase in 2024 and beyond.

Keen is an avid aviator and proud board member for Angel Flight Central, a volunteer non-profit organization that provides charitable flights for healthcare and other humanitarian purposes. The Bill and Carissa Keen Charitable Foundation and Keen Wealth Advisors also support The Veterans Community Project, The Kansas City Girls’ Preparatory Academy, Harvesters, Happy Bottoms, children’s cancer efforts, and many others.

When asked about receiving the award, Keen said, ” I am honored to receive this award alongside all of the prior Distinguished Alumni. I’d also like to honor and acknowledge the staff, faculty and leadership of UCM that keep our great University strong to this day after being in existence for over 153 years. UCM provided me with an affordable education that gave me the credibility, capability, and confidence to excel in my career field.”

Through his visionary leadership and genuine desire to positively impact the lives of those he serves, Keen has cultivated a reputation as a trusted advocate for his clients and team and a mentor in the financial services industry.

About Bill Keen:

Bill Keen has a passion for helping others achieve their retirement dreams and founded Keen Wealth Advisors with this goal in mind. Bill’s vision is to build one of the country’s most trusted retirement advisory firms, acting at all times in the best interests of clients. 

With over three decades of experience advising clients, Bill’s interest in finance was sparked by the financial hardship he experienced in his childhood. By age 10, Bill knew he would need to learn about saving and investing in order to eventually help his family. He opened his first investment account in high school. Today, he treats all clients like his own family members, as he understands first-hand the importance of planning for one’s financial future.

Bill shares his wisdom and experience in his bestselling book, Keen on Retirement – Engineering the Second Half of Your Life, which is available on Amazon.com. For important disclosures regarding this book, please click here.

He also co-hosts a long-running podcast series, Keen on Retirement, in which he shares his insight on current issues related to retirement planning and investing. He has been featured on national media outlets such as U.S. News and World Report, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal’s Market Watch, Forbes, and Yahoo! Finance. To learn more, please visit Keen Wealth Advisors.

Bill Keen received this Distinguished Alumni Award for his post-graduate actions from the University of Central Missouri in 2023 and it should not be interpreted as a rating or endorsement of Keen Wealth Advisors as a whole. Keen Wealth Advisors is not affiliated with the University of Central Missouri nor its president, Roger Best, Ph.D. No compensation was provided or received for this award.

SOURCE Keen Wealth Advisors

Originally Appeared Here

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Parents of Columbia Public Schools students might have received messages throughout the year, asking for their help in reaching an attendance goal.

CPS parents have received multiple messages from the district saying “HELP! Late check ins/absences have us below state requirement of 80%. Please be sure your student is at school so they can learn.”

The pandemic significantly affected attendance rates across the state, with CPS dropping from 84.7% in 2019 to 73.6% in 2023 according to data from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

That same data showed the state of Missouri as a whole saw 76.7% attendance in 2023, down from 87.3% in 2019.

CPS Spokesperson Michelle Baumstark said Wednesday that CPS’ current attendance rate is right at 80%.

She said the district is battling an increase in overall absenteeism since the pandemic, with more students missing more often.

This is different than chronic absenteeism, when a student misses 10% or more school days a year.

From 2019 to 2023, the number of students experiencing chronic absenteeism in Missouri increased by 10%, according to a report from the Prime Center at St. Louis University.

Proportional attendance rates are the percentage of students in school 90% of the time. Columbia Public Schools and Jefferson City Schools both experienced a drop in students proportional attendance rates over that five-year span.

Mid-Missouri school districts are not alone in experiencing this trend, they’re actually in the majority. Only 6% of local education agencies had their proportional attendance rate remain steady from 2019 to 2023, according to the Prime Center report.

Todd Fuller with the Missouri State Teachers Association said reasons attendance has been lower since the pandemic include an increased awareness for sickness and mental health, an increase in online learning opportunities and an overall change in mindset.

“A lot of parents, I think, believe that, ‘Well, teachers are posting assignments online, so we’ll just catch them there and we’ll make sure that our students are staying up to date if they decide to take a week off with us,'” Fuller said. “But, in-person learning is still vital and it’s still important.”

Baumstark said every day a student misses results in three days of lost instruction.

“For each day missed, it actually equates to three days of lost instruction–the day you missed, the day to make up the work and the lesson after the day you missed that isn’t effective because you missed the necessary content the day before,” Baumstark said.

She said CPS has tried to reemphasize the importance of prioritizing attendance by issuing phone calls and letters home and working with families who might be struggling.

Fuller noted there are some students who face socioeconomic issues which affect their ability to get to schools. However, at the end of the day, he said it’s the parents’ responsibility to send their children to school.

“The districts can send letters out, they can try to call, they can use robo-calls to try to remind parents that, ‘Hey, your student has missed this many days.’ But what it comes down to is parents need to get their kids back in the classroom,” Fuller said.

He said attendance can impact a district’s funding, since funding from the state is per-pupil.

Attendance is also a factor in a district’s Annual Performance Report score, which determines accreditation. In 2023, CPS received just over 70% of points and earned zero points for attendance. Districts that fall between 50%-70% overall are considered provisionally accredited.

Jefferson City had a 76.7% APR score in 2023, also earning zero points in attendance. DESE shows the district had a 73.8% attendance rate in 2023.

A Jefferson City School District spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment Wednesday.

Missouri law states that parents are responsible for making sure their children attend school between the ages of 7 and 17. Students may lose credit for a school year if they are chronically absent, forcing them to repeat the year. Last summer, the Missouri Supreme Court handed down a decision that parents can be jailed if their student misses too many days of school.

Originally Appeared Here

Some mid-Missouri businesses and venues have plans to capitalize on Monday’s solar eclipse, the last major eclipse that will cross the U.S. coast-to-coast until 2045.

In Columbia, the eclipse will begin at 12:40 p.m. and end at 3:14 p.m. At its peak for viewers here, the moon’s shadow will cover more than 94% of the sun.

Here are a few food and drink items locals can enjoy, along with places to celebrate the big event in Boone County.

Food and drink

Moon Speck IPA by Logboat Brewing Company

Brewed originally to celebrate the 2017 solar eclipse, when Columbia was in the path of totality (100% coverage of the sun) Logboat Brewing Company’s Moon Speck IPA made its return in March. Customers can purchase the beer through eclipse day in a six-pack or on draft.

Black & Bleu Burger, by Flat Branch Pub & Brewing

Flat Branch is recommending its blackened pub burger as eclipse-appropriate.

Eclipse Waffle, by Cafe Berlin

This special, offered only on Monday, plays with themes of light and shadow: A chocolate waffle is topped with a lemon mousse and a fresh blackberry compote.

Moon Pies, by Beet Box

Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup.

Error! There was an error processing your request.

Logboat Brewing is partnering with another favorite local food establishment to offer these well-known (and appropriately named) desserts Monday in the brewery’s park along with safety glasses for eclipse viewing. Festivities start at noon.

Viewings and events

Eclipse viewing on Lowry Mall, hosted by Law’s Observatory

Guided by astronomy enthusiasts and expert guides from the University of Missouri’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, students and community members can bear witness to and learn about the phenomenon on the mall just next to Ellis Library. Safety glasses and telescopes will be provided from 12-4 p.m.

Eclipse viewing and fundraiser at Pinnacles Youth Park

When gates open at 11 a.m. at the park on East Pinnacles Road just north of Columbia off U.S. 63, eclipse-themed music will serenade community members into the viewing experience. A $15 entrance fee, which will help raise money for a new roof on the park shelter, will get attendees a T-shirt and safety glasses. Additional tees and a hot dog lunch will be available for purchase.

Viewing party at Jefferson Farm and Garden

Hosted by the MU Department of Physics and Astronomy and MU Extension, the part will allow students and community members to work with astronomy enthusiasts, expert guides and MU faculty members to gain a multidimensional understanding of the eclipse. The event takes place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the park, located on East New Haven Road south of Columbia off U.S. 63.

Par then Bar Scramble

The Columbia Country Club has partnered with Logboat Brewing Company to host an already sold-out golf tournament and afterparty featuring the eclipse viewing. Registration cost $400 per group of four and included lunch, a beverage and eclipse-themed can koozie for each participant.

More eclipse coverage from KOMU 8

Originally Appeared Here