COMO Business Times | The Health & Wellness Issue | January 2026

A COMO COMPANIES PUBLICATION THE HEALTH & WELLNESS ISSUE JANUARY 2026

GET TO KNOW SHSMO'S NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR PG 14

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THE 411 ON 911 Spend a day in the life of Boone County's Joint Communications Director, Christie Davis. P G 2 8

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C BT | CONTRIBUTO R S

Contributors January 2026 PUBLISHING

Madeleine LeRoux I began contributing to COMO Magazine in January 2025, building on years of experience in local reporting and editing. Since moving to Columbia in 2022, I’ve come to appreciate its rare mix of big-city energy and smalltown connection. As a native Chicagoan, I love that it offers the creative spirit and conveniences of a larger city while still feeling like a place where everyone waves hello.

One of my favorite stories so far was a feature on the Community Foundation of Central Missouri. I went into it thinking endowments and planned giving were things reserved for the wealthy, but I left with a deeper understanding of how accessible philanthropy really is — and how ordinary generosity can shape a community’s future.

Mid-Mo’s Mahjong Moment PG 32

I began contributing to COMO Magazine in 2024. My career has included stints at the Columbia Daily Tribune and the Joplin Globe in Missouri and the Parsons Sun in Kansas. At the Tribune, I covered education.

I grew up in Chetopa, Kansas, and I’m a proud graduate of Pittsburg State University in my home state.

I am married, and I enjoy swimming at the ARC, walking, Transcendental Meditation, and volunteering with the Boone County Community Bail Fund.

PG 27 4

JANUARY 2026

Chris Harrison, Associate Publisher

chris@comocompanies.com EDITORIAL Jodie Jackson Jr, Editor

jodie@comocompanies.com Kelsey Winkeljohn, Associate Editor

kelsey@comocompanies.com Karen Pasley, Contributing Copyeditor DESIGN Jordan Watts, Senior Designer

jordan@comocompanies.com MARKETING Charles Bruce, Director of Client Relations

charles@comocompanies.com Kerrie Bloss, Account Executive

kerrie@comocompanies.com

Keith Borgmeyer, Jodie Jackson Jr CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

J. Scott Christianson, Christie Davis, Ashli Eaves, Jodie Jackson Jr, Joel Rhodes, Steve Spellman, Brian Toohey, Kelsey Winkeljohn

Roger McKinney

A Small Field for Large Animal Vets

david@comocompanies.com

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

IN THIS ISSUE OF COMO

IN THIS ISSUE OF COMO

David Nivens, Publisher

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C h atCBT: THERE’ S N O TI ME L I K E TH E PR ES EN T …

A RECENT SERIES OF HEALTH EVENTS basically shattered my decades-long sense of invincibility, bringing me face-to-face with mortality. The jarring impression came a few weeks before I learned that the Grim Reaper was not actually standing less than an arm’s length away, but the impression was made. One result of spending so much time in my own head contemplating the what-ifs is that I entered 2026 with a renewed sense of purpose, and a bit of a sense of urgency.

My new reality’s echoing message, sometimes gentle and calm, sometimes thunderous as crashing waves, continues to resound: “There’s no time like the present.”

Another recent experience gave additional energy to my new attitude-in-progress.

Associate Editor Kelsey Winkeljohn and I attended the annual Family & Friends Thanksgiving Dinner at Douglass High School, where we expected to grab a bite and then duck out to attend to other duties on our respective to-do lists. Among the first greeters was Douglass Principal Eryca Neville, adorned with an apron and her contagious, brimming-with-optimism smile.

She wasn’t working the crowd. She was feeding it. (Of course she was.)

Even before finding our seats, Kelsey pointed out where all-star freelance writer Sunitha Bosecker was sitting, and my eyes caught a host of other friends and acquaintances who inspire me professionally and personally. Some I’ve known for a while; others I met only recently. You know the kind of folks I’m talking about? You meet someone, and it’s as if instantly you’re sure that you’ve known them forever.

When I first met Heart of Missouri United Way Executive Director Talia Jackson back in late summer, I almost blurted out, “You are one of my all-time favorite people” just two minutes after talking with her. Knowing that her husband, Kerrick, is Mizzou’s head baseball coach — and that Talia was NOT a lifelong baseball fan when they met — the story is just too endearing.

And authentic.

CONNECT WITH US:

COMOBusinessTimes.com

C BT | E D I TOR’ S LE T T E R

Authentic. Back when I was wannabe full-time marketing and communications freelancer, I came up with my own C-H-A-R-M acronym: Consistent, Helpful, Authentic (real, raw, vulnerable), Remarkable, and Memorable. Of all those virtues, I most want to be authentic, and that’s where I envy Sunitha, Talia, and a couple of my other favorite peeps: CASA’s Casey Twidwell and The COMO 411’s Adonica Coleman. Gotta add Kelsey in there, too.

I was able to round us all up for a photo at the Thanksgiving feast (minus Principal Neville, who was filling to-go boxes).

You want CHARM? Not sure I belong in the photo, but the friends with me there have those qualities in abundance.

I’d love to take credit for that easier-saidthan-done acronym, but I discovered it via a few decades of living with someone who has mastered “No time like the present": my bride, Kelly, with whom I recently celebrated 49 years since we started “going together” in the eighth grade. We’ll mark 44 years of marriage in June.

Here’s where I commit to not just recognizing “There’s no time like the present,” but to being present during my time.

What about you? Do you find yourself disconnecting from conversations or giving any hint, even unintentionally, that you’re not hearing — or, worse, outright dismissing — the person and words hoping to have your ear?

My sense of urgency? For too many years I was on a side of life that not only engaged in, but also led the campaign of “othering” people and even dismissing the hearts and words of those closest to me. I can’t rewrite that story, but I can write a new chapter — and a new ending (with a wonderfully rich, long conclusion?). What about you?

There’s no time like the present.

Surrounded by energy and inspiration at the annual Family & Friends Thanksgiving Dinner at Douglass High School. Ye olde editor with Sunitha Bosecker, left, Kelsey Winkeljohn, Adonica Coleman, and Casey Twidwell.

My wish for 2026: Let f riends and family know how important they are.

ON THE COVER

JODIE JACKSON JR EDITOR jodie@comocompanies.com

/COMOBusinessTimes

Christie Davis, the director of Boone County's 911 center, describes herself as "steady under pressure." She provides insight on that job in "A Day in the Life."

Photo by Keith Borgmeyer

@COMOBusinessTimes

/como-business-times-magazine

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C BT | ADVISORY B OA R D

CBT’s Advisory Board CBT’s advisory board is made up of industry leaders

Suzanne Rothwell

and small business owners who help ensure CBT’s

Associate Vice President, Alumni Relations, Community Relations & Development

content is relevant to our local business community.

Columbia College

Shawn Barnes Director of Business Development and Recruiting Williams-Keepers LLC

Drew Holtwick

Jay Sparks

Co-Founder

Entrepreneur and Columbia 1 Million Cups emcee

Boulevard Realty

Brooke Berkey

Trish Koetting

SVP Relationship Manager

Entrepreneurship Program Supervisor

Central Bank of Boone County

Regional Economic Development Inc.

Nickie Davis

Andrew Lovewell

Rusty Strodtman

Executive Director

CEO

General Manager

The District, Downtown CID

Columbia Orthopaedic Group

Columbia Mall/ Brookf ield Properties

Mike Grellner

Quinten Messbarger

Brian Toohey

Vice President

Retired CEO

CEO

Plaza Commercial Realty

JANUARY 2026

Senior Investment Officer The Bank of Missouri

Columbia Board of REALTORS®

Jen Hedrick

Matt Moore

President

Retired CEO

SOA Architecture

Shelter Insurance

Have a story idea, feedback, or a general inquiry? Reach out to our Editor at jodie@comocompanies.com.

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JANUARY 2026

Merry, bright, & warm all night.

T H E B R O A D WAYCO L U M B I A .CO M | (5 7 3 ) 8 7 5 -7 0 0 0 | 1 1 1 1 E . B R O A D WAY, COLU MBI A

T HE H EALTH & WEL L NES S I S S UE

TA B L E O F CONT E NTS

January 2026 FEATURED

24 BUILT FOR HEROES Boone County Sheriff's campus additions answer the call.

IN THIS ISSUE

12 BRIEFLY IN THE NEWS

4 CONTRIBUTORS & MASTHEAD

5 EDITOR'S LETTER 6 ADVISORY BOARD

10 CLOSER LOOK 11 MONEY MATTERS

14 PYSK Joel Rhodes

28 A DAY IN THE LIFE Director of Joint Communications

32 STREET TALK Sponsored by

16 GUEST VOICES Brian Toohey

17 GUEST VOICES Steve Spellman

18 TECH & AI 101 WITH PROF. C

The Shifting Landscape

Beyond Chatbots:

of Pensions

The Shift to Agentic AI

The Bank of Missouri

33 NEW BUSINESS LICENSES

34 WHAT'S GOING UP 36 BY THE NUMBERS 37 EXTRA

C BT | CLOSER LOO K

Closer Look

COMO CRAFTCYCLE COLLECTIVE

OLLIE B’S ICE CREAM

Como Craftcycle Collective is a nonprofit organization that began in July 2024 and officially opened its boutique at Habitat ReStore in April 2025. Founded on the belief that creative expression and environmental stewardship should be accessible to everyone, the creative reuse boutique offers a variety of affordable secondhand supplies, including fabrics, yarn, art materials, and unique items with creative potential. It also serves as a place to learn new skills in a welcoming environment.

“Nationally, Americans discard more than 57 million tons of durable goods each year, including textiles and craft materials that could be reused,” say co-founders Lisa Groshong, Ashlee Christiansen, and Kasey Hammock. “In Missouri, textiles alone account for nearly 200,000 tons of landfill waste annually. This is both an environmental burden and a missed opportunity for creative engagement.”

Como Craftcycle has engaged hundreds of community members through workshops, pop-up reuse booths, and public art events, including participation in Columbia’s Earth Day and Zipper Fest, and with community partners such as the Daniel Boone Regional Library, Columbia Art League, the Columbia Weavers and Spinners Guild, City of Refuge, and Access Arts.

“Our workshops teach participants how to repurpose materials that would otherwise wind up in landfills — turning waste into tools for learning, expression, and connection,” the group says. “Our classes have included two rug twining classes through City of Refuge and classes in mending, twining, and loom building at the Habitat ReStore.”

What started as Giofre Apiaries Honey Ice Cream, a small beekeeping hobby turned business, is now Ollie B’s Ice Cream under the new ownership of husband-and-wife team Kate and Conner Ashton. The duo, both business graduates from the University of Missouri, have a deep love for Columbia’s supportive environment for local businesses.

“We make delicious ice cream made with local mid-MO honey and Missouri-grown ingredients,” the Ashtons say.

“We wholesale our ice cream to grocery stores, restaurants, cafés, event spaces, etc. We don’t have a storefront, but we can supply ice cream to parties, get-togethers, company events, fairs, and more.”

With plans to retire, previous owners Nancy and Domenic Giofre passed the business to the Ashtons, who continue to operate out of Millersburg under the name “Ollie B’s” in honor of their son, Oliver.

“Even with a 4-month-old [at the time] at home, we figured our lives are only going to get more complicated, so there’s no better time than now,” they say.

Ironically, Conner is allergic to dairy, so the pair are currently experimenting with dairy-free recipes so he — and others with allergies or dietary restrictions — can enjoy their creations. They also note that their ice cream’s use of local honey offers a bonus for allergy sufferers.

You can find a variety of flavors — such as chocolate, salted caramel, and elderberry — at Hy-Vee, Moser’s, G&D Pizzaria, Jimmy’s Family Steak House, and more.

Address: 1305 Business Loop 70 E. Donation center: 106 N. Garth Website: comocraftcycle.org

Website: thehoneyicecreampeople.com Phone: (573) 501-2807 Facebook: Ollie B’s Honey Ice Cream CBT

Would you like us to take a Closer Look at your business? Reach out to our Editor at jodie@comocompanies.com.

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JANUARY 2026

CBT | MONEY MATTERS

The Shifting Landscape of Pensions

BY ASHLI EAVES, CHSNC, FINANCIAL ADVISOR AT ALIGNED WEALTH GROUP

ONCE UPON A TIME, you spent thirty years with the same employer, received a gold watch at retirement, and counted on a lifetime pension check to follow. For decades, the promise of a pension was a defining piece of the American dream.

Here in mid-Missouri, many professionals have long associated that promise with public institutions like the University of Missouri, where the pension system has been a cornerstone of employee benefits.

But the retirement landscape is evolving.

Many employers are shifting away from traditional pensions toward defined contribution models — the 401(k)-style plans most workers now know best.

For those working within the UM System, that evolution is no longer theoretical. The recent Defined Contribution (DC) Opt-In Program represents a real-world choice — and a reminder that understanding your retirement options is more critical than ever.

FROM PROMISE TO PORTABILITY

A pension, or defined benefit (DB) plan, provides a guaranteed income in retirement, typically based on years of service and salary history. The employer funds and manages the plan — and bears the investment risk.

Conversely, a defined contribution (DC) plan shifts ownership and responsibility to the employee. You choose how much to contribute and how to invest, and the account’s value rises or falls with the market.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, only about 15 percent of private-industry workers had access to a DB pension in 2023, down from 22 percent in 2008 and nearly 60 percent in the early 1980s. Meanwhile, access to DC plans rose to 67 percent, reflecting employers’ move toward portable, employee-managed options (Congressional Research Service, 2024).

Why the change? The reasons are practical. Maintaining a pension is expensive.

Employers must keep plans funded, man-

age volatile markets, and meet complex regulations. Too little funding creates liability; too much can trigger tax penalties. With longer life expectancies and rising costs, it’s easy to see why many organizations have transitioned to systems that place more control — and risk — with the employee.

WHAT’S HAPPENING CLOSER TO HOME

Public-sector employees remain the strongest holdouts for pensions. Nationally, 91 percent of full-time state and local government workers still have access to a defined benefit plan (NCPERS). In Missouri, systems like Missouri State Employees’ Retirement System (MOSERS) and the College and University Retirement Plan (CURP) offer a mix of defined benefit and defined contribution options.

At the UM System, many employees once participated in the university’s Defined Benefit (DB) Plan. Over time, the system has introduced hybrid and defined contribution options, depending on an individual’s hire date. The university’s DC Opt-In Program, approved in June 2025, allows eligible employees to convert their pension to a lump sum and move into the DC plan with an 8 percent university match, effective September 2026.

HOW TO APPROACH THE DECISION

If you’re among the University of Missouri employees facing this defined contribution opt-in option, you may have found yourself

staring at that information packet wondering, “Where do I even start?” These choices are layered: part financial, part emotional, and deeply personal.

Sometimes the best way to bring clarity is to simply write out the pros and cons. One column might look longer, but that doesn’t always mean it’s the right answer. Some factors carry more weight. Your timeline to retirement, comfort with market risk, spouse’s income, and need for certainty all matter. The data is important — but so is how each option feels for your life and goals.

If you haven’t yet requested your optin election packet, the deadline to do so is January 30. It doesn’t commit you, but it keeps your options open. Between now and April 10, use the time to ask questions and make sure your decision fits both your goals and your comfort level.

LOOKING AHEAD

A pension isn’t what guarantees a secure retirement — planning is. Understanding your benefits, your timeline, and how today’s choices shape tomorrow’s income gives you the clarity pensions once provided automatically. Whether you stay the course or opt for change, the goal is the same: an intentional plan that keeps you confidently on track. CBT Securities offered through Registered Representatives of Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a broker-dealer, member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services though Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc, a Registered Investment Adviser. Cambridge and Aligned Wealth Group are not affiliated.

COMOBUSINESSTIMES.COM

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CBT

Briefly in the News JANUARY 2026

A R T & C U LT U R E

Two MU Faculty Members Nominated for a 2026 Grammy Two University of Missouri School of Music faculty members are among the nominees for the 2026 Grammy Awards. Stefan Freund and Bill Kalinkos are founding members of Alarm Will Sound, whose album Land of Winter was nominated for Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance. The piece itself was also nominated for Best Contemporary Classical Composition. Freund is a professor of music composition, the artistic director of the Mizzou New Music Initiative, and director of the Mizzou New Music Ensemble.

Kalinkos teaches clarinet and co-directs the Mizzou Creative Improvisation Collective. Alarm Will Sound is an internationally acclaimed new music ensemble. It also serves as ensemble-in-residence for the annual Mizzou International Composers Festival. Its next concert at Mizzou is set for January 20, 2026. The Grammy Awards will be presented on February 1 at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles. For more information on the Mizzou New Music Initiative, visit newmusic.missouri.edu. To stay up to date with all Mizzou New Music Initiative announcements, follow them on Instagram and Facebook: @MizzouNewMusic1.

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JANUARY 2026

B R I E FLY I N T HE NEWS

DINING

Stephens College Purchases Nourish Café & Market

Stefan Freund

Stephens College has purchased Nourish Café & Market, with a grand opening planned in spring of 2026.

According to a social media post from the college, the café’s next chapter “blends Nourish’s mission with Stephens’ commitment to experiential learning and womenpowered leadership.” Nourish’s co-founder, Kalle LeMone, will serve in an advisory role during the transition, and current manager Josh Old and the rest of the team will stay on staff. The announcement noted that Nourish will become “a unique hands-on learning space for Stephens in addition to serving the organic, locally sourced and nutrient-rich food that has made it a beloved part of the downtown restaurant scene.”

NONPROFIT

Show-Me Central Habitat for Humanity Selects New Executive Director

Bill Kalinkos

Jennifer James, a longtime volunteer, board member, and board president for Show-Me Central Habitat for Humanity, is now the organization’s executive director. James was recently selected for that post by the nonprofit’s board of directors. She will lead the operations, fundraising, and strategic initiatives to advance Show-Me Central Habitat for Humanity’s mission of building affordable housing across Boone County and mid-Missouri. With more than 25 years of experience in leadership, risk management, and organizational transformation, James recently served as director of underwriting services at Missouri Employers Mutual, and she also spent more than a decade in managerial roles with State Farm Fire & Casualty.

As the nonprofit’s executive director, James will oversee daily operations, the ReStore retail program, and key fundraising efforts to expand the organization’s impact.

CITY SERVICES

Boone County Joint Communications Adds Citizen Feedback System Boone County Joint Communications has implemented a new text-based system that allows residents to provide feedback after contacting 911 or 311. The new system, PowerEngage, sends a short survey via text message a few hours to a day after someone calls 911 or 311. The survey gives residents an opportunity to rate their experience with the emergency telecommunicator who handled their request for service.

Residents may also share feedback in their own words or thank the call taker directly. Participation is optional. Residents who do not want to receive surveys can ignore the message, call 573-554-1000 to be removed from future surveys, or reply “STOP” to opt out of future texts from PowerEngage. In a related announcement, the Boone County Office of Emergency Management has been recognized with a 2025 County Achievement Award from the Missouri Association of Counties for the Girls in Emergency Management (GEM) Camp. The annual GEM Camp is a free five-day program for young women interested in careers in emergency management, public safety, or public service.

Participants engage in hands-on disaster simulations, connect with local first responders and emergency management professionals, and explore career pathways that strengthen community preparedness and resilience. Next year’s GEM Camp will take place at the Boone County Emergency Communications Center in June 2026. CBT COMOBUSINESSTIMES.COM

13

CBT

PYSK

Joel Rhodes Executive Director, State Historical Society of Missouri

Job description: Under the guidance of our board of trustees, I oversee The State Historical Society of Missouri’s operational, financial, programmatic, and development activities from our headquarters in the Center for Missouri Studies on the MU campus and across five research centers in St. Louis, Kansas City, Rolla, Springfield, and Cape Girardeau. The trustees chart the course, and I steer the ship. Fundraising and advocacy for our annual state appropriation rank high on my list of priorities.

Describe your professional journey and some highlights: By inclination

and trade, I’m a social and cultural American historian, with an emphasis on the Cold War era and Missouri. My Ph.D. and M.A. are from the University of Missouri–Kansas City. I am also professor emeritus at Southeast Missouri State University, where I taught history and public history for twenty-four years and served as associate dean. I’ve written seven books, including A Missouri Railroad Pioneer: The Life of Louis Houck and 14

JANUARY 2026

Growing Up in a Land Called Honalee: The Sixties in the Lives of American Children, both of which were published by the University of Missouri Press.

Missourians to their “aha” moment in one day than I ever could in a year as a professor in the classroom.

Hometown: I grew up in the state

history of something that has already

immediately west of here in the town of Pittsburg, just across the line from Joplin. And I am the product of an idyllic Gen X childhood. We’re those kids born between 1965 and 1980, who were raised on limited parental supervision and Saturday morning cartoon television. We roamed the undeveloped vacant lots, ponds, and woods just beyond suburbia’s edge (while drinking straight from the garden hose), returning home every night when the streetlights came on.

happened. It was in the past. But

Years lived in Columbia: Almost eight

months.

Favorite quote or motto: My dad, Jim Rhodes, taught a simple lesson that characterized his approach to life, “Do good, have fun,” which is the mantra for the whole Rhodes family.

Favorite volunteer/community activity: We haven’t had the opportunity to volunteer quite yet but never miss the Columbia Farmers Market. (Does Friday after work at Logboat count as a community activity?)

It seems that many of us think of

aren’t we seeing more and more examples of how history is what is happening now? Can you elaborate on that? There’s a crucial difference

between the past and history. The past is objective. For instance, between 1955 and 1975, a protracted war took place in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos involving North Vietnam with its Communist allies, an adjacent indigenous rebellion, and a South Vietnamese government backed by the United States. As many as 3 million Vietnamese died and over 58,000 Americans. History, though, is by nature subjective, making meaning of the past by addressing the “So what?” questions. Why did we fight? How did we lose? What did we learn?

The past lends itself well to commemoration, observing anniversaries and handing down cherished folklore about the “good old days.” History requires interpretation, which takes us longer to put things into perspective, look for causality, or identify downstream consequences.

What areas of history — especially Missouri history — are most

Your predecessor, Gary Kremer,

intriguing to you? My research and

obviously made a mark on the State

writing interests are primarily in the Vietnam era. We tend to think of “the Sixties” as only happening in San Francisco, New York, and Washington, D.C., with maybe Chicago, Ann Arbor, or Kent, Ohio, somewhere in between. But Missouri, once again, is an important crossroads for the nation. We experienced all the political radicalism and social experimentation: urban rioting in Kansas City in 1968, countercultural communes across the Ozarks, Sedalia’s massive 1974 outdoor rock and roll festival, Missouri Coalition for the Environment, student power free-speech rallies at the University of Missouri, growing conservatism, etc. Somebody really should write a comprehensive book about this!

Historical Society of Missouri, as well as Missouri history. In what ways might you look to emulate Dr. Kremer, and what are some of the unique skills you bring to SHSMO? Dr. Kremer was the unofficial “state historian,” and I aspire to his encyclopedic knowledge of our state’s history. I’m a storyteller, and my life’s work has really been about helping people understand where the distinctive threads of their individual lives are woven into the textured and rich tapestry of our shared heritage.

Along these seams, there’s an “aha” moment of curiosity and wonder where history truly comes alive. At The State Historical Society, I can guide more

PERSON YOU SHOULD KNOW

Photos by L.G. Patterson

A Columbia businessperson or leader you admire and why: I’m still

in my Columbia honeymoon period, so I haven’t met everyone yet, but I’m impressed by MU System President Mun Choi’s vision and decisiveness.

What attracted you to leading the State Historical Society of Missouri?

The real key to being an historian is to know enough to speak intelligently about virtually any subject, but far more importantly, to know where to look up the details. That’s us; we’re the flagship for studying Missouri history, the place where all historians — academics, genealogists, preservationists, public historians, teachers, students — look up the details. That makes this the best job in the state for an old historian and storyteller like me.

If you weren’t doing this for a living, you would be … Historian and

storyteller are central to who I am, and for as long as I can remember, those roles have animated virtually everything about me. It’s existential if you will.

Over the course of my career, I’ve been fortunate enough to make these passions pay the bills. Yet, truth be told, and as countless colleagues, students, friends, and casual acquaintances can

attest, I would be telling history for free to anyone within earshot.

It seems that we all have competing priorities these days. How do you prioritize your priorities? It all goes back to what my dad taught me: “Do good, have fun.”

What are some of the biggest challenges facing institutions like SHSMO today? Being mindful of the

“perspectivistic” nature of history — how historical forces are experienced differently by us all based on age, gender, race, region, etc. — so that all Missourians see themselves here.

And also remaining faithful to the pursuit of telling the authentic — often contentious, complicated, and uncomfortable — story of us.

Biggest lesson learned in your working life: Never tackle a big project

in its entirety; otherwise, you risk becoming overwhelmed and paralyzed.

Strategically prioritize tasks and consistently “move the needle” a little every day.

Greatest strength: I’m Scots-Irish, so I’ll say a dogged capacity for hard work.

When I put my hand to the plow, I finish the row.

Greatest challenge: I have a

pronounced hearing impairment (which I blame on loud Aerosmith music in my headphones as a kid in the 1970s) and have worn hearing aids most of my life.

What you do for fun: My wife Jeanie

and I call ourselves “adventure buddies” because of our shared passion for travel and hiking adventures in the Canadian Rockies, New Mexico, Galapagos Islands, or down the Pacific Coast Highway. We’ve absolutely fallen in love with the Katy Trail since moving to Columbia and spend most of our free time biking!

Who makes up your family: Jeanie and

I are “empty nesters” now. Our son, Alex, the oldest, is a journeyman electrician in St. Louis (and also an Eagle Scout).

Olivia is an attorney in Kansas City (the third Rhodes generation to earn a graduate degree from UMKC). And Ella just graduated from Southeast Missouri State and is taking up the family business as a public historian and preservationist.

Most people don’t know that you:

were a starting linebacker on the 1983 undefeated state champion Pittsburg Purple Dragons football team. CBT COMOBUSINESSTIMES.COM

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C BT | GUEST VOICES

Why Preapproval Should Come Before House Hunting

BY BRIAN TOOHEY

BUYING A HOME is one of the most significant financial decisions most people will ever make, and proper preparation can make all the difference. In today’s competitive real estate market — especially in growing areas like Columbia and Boone County — buyers who begin their search without a financing preapproval or proof of funds often find themselves at a disadvantage. As a recent buyer told me, “You really have to have your ducks in a row, so you can move fast.” Preapproval is more than a formality; it provides clarity, confidence, and credibility throughout the buying process.

First, a preapproval letter gives buyers a realistic understanding of what they can afford. A mortgage lender reviews your income, debts, assets, and credit to determine how much you can borrow and what your monthly payments will look like. This information helps focus your home search within your actual budget, saving you from disappointment or wasted time. It also positions you to move quickly when the right property comes along — something that’s critical in fast-moving local markets.

Second, preapproval strengthens your offer when it’s time to negotiate. Sellers and listing agents take offers from preapproved buyers far more seriously than those without verified financing. Sellers want assurance that a buyer will close and do so on time. In multiple-offer situations, a preapproval letter often determines which offer the seller accepts. It signals that a lender has already reviewed your finances and that you’re ready to close with confidence. Without it, your offer may not even be considered, regardless of the offer price.

Third, preapproval or proof-of-funds letters protect both your time and your agent’s time. Realtors should not schedule showings until a buyer has secured proof of financial readiness, as it ensures that everyone involved is focused on realistic options. It also helps uncover any potential credit or documentation issues before you fall in love with a home. Addressing those issues early can prevent delays or deal failures later in the process, making for a smoother and less stressful transaction.

Some sellers, especially of high-end homes, will require a preapproval letter or proof-of-funds letter from a potential buyer as a prerequisite to viewing their property.

Finally, getting preapproved is a straightforward process. Buyers can apply through a bank, credit union, or local

mortgage lender by providing documentation such as pay stubs, W-2 forms, bank statements, and permission to check credit. Within a day or two, most lenders can issue a preapproval letter that’s valid for 60 to 90 days. For cash buyers, a recent bank or investment statement verifying available funds serves the same purpose, showing sellers that you can complete the purchase without financing.

Preapproval is the foundation of a successful home search. It clarifies your budget, strengthens your offer, builds credibility with sellers, and protects you from unexpected setbacks.

Whether you’re a first-time buyer or an experienced homeowner, securing your financing before touring homes is one of the smartest steps you can take.

In today’s market, preparation isn’t just helpful — it’s essential. CBT

Brian Toohey is the chief executive off icer for the Columbia Board of REALTORS®.

16

JANUARY 2026

C BT | GU EST VOIC E S

Another Year of Orange Cones Without Real Relief

BY ST EVE SPELLMAN

THE MISSOURI DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION announced in November that the first completed new section of Interstate 70 is now open — over near Kingdom City.

That’s right; a part of rural Callaway County now has a nicer stretch of superhighway than the ones that run through higher-trafficked Columbia proper. It’s also better than the horrible pinch point in Wentzville, where I-64 merges onto I-70 West, producing stop-and-go, bigcity traffic jams on any given weekday mid-afternoon.

Of course it’s human nature to bellyache about road conditions, and bellyaching in general is the stock in trade of any worthwhile opinion columnist. But is this a business-like strategy for vital infrastructure improvements?

What if the front lobby at your place of business needed to be widened because of increased foot traffic? Let’s say, while you’re at it, the lesser-used back door was worn out and needed replacing, too.

Would you increase capacity equally at both entryways, even though the front entrance was obviously used much more?

Of course not, but often that’s how it works with public highways.

ALL A R OUND TOWN

Interstate 70 road construction purgatory is underway in COMO, and it will only get worse once it’s dug up all the way to Stadium Blvd. Though the Highway 63 interchange won’t be the full cloverleaf it deserves to be, it will be a welcome upgrade from the current congestion cluster it’s been for many years.

Meanwhile, we are getting another welcome upgrade just down the way,

to alleviate the chronic backup of Grindstone Parkway traffic wanting to turn on to northbound Highway 63.

Hopefully, that long line in the left lane will shift toward a freer-flowing right lane, on to a new quarter-cloverleaf on-ramp.

A municipal project to widen Forum Blvd. between Chapel Hill and Country Club of Missouri starts this year, which will directly affect the Spellman household on a daily basis. Ditto on the welcome roundabout to come at Chapel Hill and Fairview roads.

ST I L L U NR E S O LVE D

Despite these planned improvements, we still have numerous pinch points with no stated solution. Expanding West Broadway from just past the library to West Blvd. has been talked about since before I was born — so don’t hold your breath.

Meanwhile, REDI commissioned a Route B traffic study to see about improving the five-lane section near Waco Road with a traffic light or something — anything! That sounds good, but I recall thenState Rep. Cheri Toalson Reisch’s comment on a previous study regarding Paris Road: that safety improvements can only

do so much when people continue to drive like idiots.

What desperately needs attention in this town is the rush-hour traffic on and around Stadium Blvd., about a mile in either direction of the University Hospital — our closest thing to big-city congestion. It’s a bad situation for employees and patients, and heaven help an ambulance trying to get in or out of there. That roadway section needs upgraded capacity à la Stadium up by the mall, which proved particularly handy for coping with the madness that ensued around the recent grand opening of the longawaited Trader Joe’s.

Clearing up congestion around town is about more than driver convenience — there are clear economic benefits to keeping up efficient travel ways. If it’s hard to get to and from home, work, school, etc., it costs all of us time and money. We suffer more wear and tear on our vehicles, increase our risk of fender benders, experience undue stress, or sometimes feel like not going out at all.

Remember that bigger picture as you grin and bear the big wave of road construction now upon us. CBT

Steve Spellman is a lifelong Columbia-area resident and political observer.

COMOBUSINESSTIMES.COM

17

C BT | TECH & AI 101 WI TH PR O F. C

Beyond Chatbots: The Shift to Agentic AI

BY J. SCOT T C HRISTI A N S O N

not tied to any one company and usable across a wide range of hardware.

The work AI agents can handle is expanding fast as new ways to connect systems emerge. Model Context Protocol (MCP) is one way that interoperability with GenAI has been made dramatically easier. I also like that agents let organizations put guardrails on GenAI use.

Generic tools like ChatGPT are notorious for leading users down rabbit holes and producing sloppy work.

T H E PR O M IS E , A N D PERIL , O F AG E N T IC A I

YOU MAY HAVE HEARD SOME TALK LATELY about AI agents or agentic AI. Don’t worry. No robot Maxwell Smart is joining the Boone County Sheriff ’s Department. AI agents are systems that autonomously take on and complete tasks using automation and generative AI (GenAI). They’re usually built for a specific workflow and hide most of the complexity from the user.

For example, you could email an AI agent the contact information for a new lead. The agent would add the lead to your CRM, research the lead, then reply with a concise summary and a draft email for you to review and send.

Want to try it yourself ? For instructions and a link to an AI agent that does exactly this, visit cbt.profc.io. By the way, I built this demonstration of AI agents with Zapier, the eponymous platform of a billion-dollar company founded right here in mid-Missouri and one of the leaders in the field of agentic AI. MAKI NG AI E ASY — AN D CO NSI STE NT

AI agents can be simple or complex, and most include easy ways for humans to

double-check the agent’s work before it reaches a customer. What I like best, though, is how they make AI easy for end users — and deliver consistent results across an organization.

Since GenAI has entered our work and personal lives, getting good results has meant learning ever more techniques for prompt engineering. Is it realistic to expect every employee to keep up with the latest prompting tricks, choose the right platform and model, and evaluate the output’s quality? I don’t think so. But they do know how to use email.

AI agents can be created via a collaboration between subject-matter experts and IT — people who understand both the work and how to automate systems with AI. Once an agent is built and tested, it can be rolled out organization-wide by giving everyone an email address to which they can forward tasks to complete. If the underlying model or platform changes, IT updates the agent, and users don’t even notice.

It may sound odd to call email the interface of the future, but there’s a reason it endures. It’s platform-agnostic and simple to use — an open standard

Most businesses already have the ingredients to use AI agents — it’s just a matter of identifying and prioritizing workflows to offload. Platforms like Zapier and the open-source n8n offer templates to get you started, plus AI features that help you build the agent.

The real payoff is freeing people from routine digital drudgery so they can focus on things AI can’t do: creativity, service, and strategy. The best agents will act like reliable digital colleagues, handling entry-level tasks independently.

However, agentic AI has clear implications for entry-level hiring, the job market, and the broader economy. The concern is particularly acute for recent college graduates. Roles they often filled are uniquely vulnerable because they’re focused on straightforward tasks like summarizing documents and collating data that AI can now handle in seconds.

More troubling, these entry-level positions have historically functioned as the bottom rung of the career ladder, the place where workers gained experience and the industry knowledge needed to advance. As those rungs disappear, traditional career paths may be permanently altered. CBT

For related links and more information, visit cbt.profc.io.

J. Scott Christianson — aka “Prof C” — is the former director of Mizzou’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

18

JANUARY 2026

WHAT THE

BUSINESS

PROS KNOW

COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION

Vaughn Prost

MARKETING

Charles Bruce III COMO Marketing

Prost Builders

IT

BANKING

Bruce Gibbs

Brad Roling

GFI Digital

Mid America Bank

SPONSORED CONTENT

COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION

WHAT THE

THE SCIENCE BEHIND BUILDINGS THAT STAND THE TEST OF TIME

VAUGHN PROST

BUSINESS

Owner & President

By Vaughn Prost info@prostbuilders.com

PROS KNOW

Vaughn Prost is the owner and president of Prost Builders lnc., a design/build and construction services firm located in Columbia.

Vaughn has over forty years of domestic and international design and construction experience as a cost and scheduling engineer, structural engineer, owner’s construction representative, and general contractor.

C

ommercial Construction is never boring when you’re building a structure that benefits a community or business-because sometimes a building can create a unique situation where it can melt metal! So, here are some fascinating facts about construction: The most used product in construction is concrete-which is resistant to fire, capable of lasting over 100 years with minimal maintenance, strong enough to handle extreme weather and heavy loads, and is even energy efficient by reflecting heatwhich then lowers air conditioning use.

Concrete in walls, ceilings, and flooring helps reduce noise pollution, is cheaper to produce and install, and is sustainable due to it being made by local sources. Concrete is even recycled!

A commercial building is complicated because they require structural engineers to calculate the facility’s load-bearing

(573) 635-0211 | prostbuilders.com 3305 Crawford Street Columbia, MO 65203

capabilities. A geotechnical soil test (or soil analysis), is crucial for data on the soil’s ability to support the structure’s weight, predict settlement and changes that affect it over time, reveal any soil contaminants, ensure environmental suitability, and help engineers design effective drainage systems. Just look at the Leaning Tower of Pisa for an example of what happens when no geotechnical investigation is carried out. Part of the foundation was on soft soil, and the other half was on rock-which caused differential settlement that we see today in the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Prost Builders has ensured that Jefferson City’s new Air Traffic Control Tower would not have problems in the flood plain by taking necessary action for the base of the tower, which required us to spend months on soil preparation to ensure the tower would not be compromised. The concrete foundation was then placed on top of compactable or ‘lean’ soil that was trucked in from another location and compressed into layers to protect the tower from extreme rain and flood conditions.

All commercial buildings must be carefully designed because they can impact their surroundings in good or bad ways. This

cannot be truer than the case of London’s Walkie Talkie building, now dubbed the ‘Fryscraper’ or ‘Walkie Scorcher’ because the unique walkie talkie handset shaped structure acted as a concave mirror. That created a reflective, focused light on the street with temperature readings from 196 to 243 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer! The metal on cars in the direct line of the sun’s reflection actually melted! A permanent awning had to be installed on the higher floors of the building to mitigate the effect.

The same architect also designed the Vdara Hotel in Las Vegas, which had a similar sunlight reflection that some employees called the ‘Vdara Death Ray’. The building was eventually covered with a non-reflective film as a solution for that issue.

Commercial construction is a deliberative process that requires a team of design consultants in all areas of the project, thoughtful design to its impact on the environment and people, a very knowledgeable general contractor, and skilled craftsmen to produce the highest quality projects. This is why Prost Builders prides itself on having completely satisfied clients for 76+ years, because the clients trusted us to help them grow their business and to do it right the first time.

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MARKETING

WHAT THE

WHAT LOCAL BUSINESSES NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE RISE OF AI IN CONTENT MARKETING

CHARLES BRUCE III Director of Client Relations

By Charles Bruce III charles@comocompanies.com

I

n recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has shifted from a buzzword to a real asset in the world of marketing. For local businesses trying to stay competitive and relevant, especially in smaller markets or tight-knit communities, the rise of AI in content marketing is both an opportunity and a challenge.

Whether you’re running a family-owned bakery, a law firm, or a neighborhood fitness studio, it’s time to pay attention to how AI can transform the way you reach and engage with your audience.

What Is AI Content Marketing?

AI content marketing uses intelligent tools to plan, create, schedule, and analyze content more efficiently. These platforms can help with everything from writing blog posts to optimizing keywords to understanding customer behavior. By taking on tasks that once required hours of human time, AI frees up small business owners to focus more on customer relationships and daily operations.

Why It Matters for Local Businesses You might assume AI is only for big corporations — but that’s no longer true.

Affordable AI tools have leveled the playing field, allowing small businesses to create polished content, track performance, and make data-driven decisions just like national brands.

AI can assist with quick drafts for blogs or newsletters, support social media planning, and even run chatbots that help customers during off-hours. It’s not about replacing people — it’s about giving small teams more time and smarter tools.

BUSINESS

PROS KNOW

Charles Bruce is the Director of Client Relations for COMO Companies, which owns COMO Marketing, COMO Magazine, and COMO Business Times. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and his MBA from the University of Dubuque. When Charles isn’t being the life of the party, he can be found climbing a large mountain.

In December 2023 he climbed the Imja Tse mountain in Nepal.

573-577-1965 | comomarketing.co

How AI Can Strengthen Your Marketing • Content Creation: AI can help generate ideas, titles, outlines, and first drafts, dramatically cutting down content development time.

• Personalization: AI can analyze patterns and deliver messages tailored to specific customers or groups.

• SEO Optimization: Intelligent tools can suggest keywords, refine meta descriptions, and highlight what content performs best in your area.

• Social Scheduling: AI-powered planners identify optimal posting times and recommend hashtags to boost engagement.

• Performance Analysis: Small businesses can now access real-time performance insights without needing a dedicated analyst.

Using AI the Right Way AI is powerful, but it works best when paired with human judgment. To use it effectively: • Stay authentic: Let AI assist your voice, not replace it. Local audiences value personal connection.

• Edit everything: AI can draft quickly, but always review for tone, accuracy, and clarity.

• Keep learning: Tools evolve fast — explore new platforms and stay curious.

• Use data responsibly: Choose tools that respect customer privacy and comply with regulations.

The Bottom Line AI isn’t just the future — it’s already transforming content marketing today. For local businesses, adopting AI tools can mean better efficiency, improved accuracy, and stronger connections with your audience.

The goal is to let automation support your strategy while keeping the human touch that sets small businesses apart.

Want deeper examples, tool recommendations, and a step-by-step guide for getting started with AI? Scan the QR code to read the full version of this article on our website.

SPONSORED CONTENT

IT

WHAT THE

GFI DIGITAL RANKED AMONG THE NATION’S TOP COPIER AND PRINTER DEALERS

BRUCE GIBBS

Founder & President

BUSINESS

PROS KNOW

Bruce Gibbs, a Jefferson City, Missouri native, launched his career at Modern Business Systems, a family business where his father and mentor, Hallie Gibbs, introduced him to the copier industry. He quickly rose through the ranks as a top sales performer and manager, developing a deep understanding of customer needs and operational excellence. In 1999, Bruce founded GFI Digital in St. Louis with a mission to deliver cutting-edge office technology backed by exceptional service. Through his vision and leadership, GFI Digital has grown into an industry-leading technology provider, serving thousands of clients across the Midwest.

By Bruce Gibbs croofe@gfidigital.com (media contact) marketing@gfidigital.com (general) (877) 434-0012

W

e’re excited to share that GFI Digital has earned two major national distinctions: • #1 Ricoh Production Growth Dealer in the Nation • Top 5 Sharp Dealer in the Nation

These rankings reflect our ongoing commitment to performance, expertise, and exceptional customer service.

What These Rankings Mean #1 Ricoh Production Growth Dealer This achievement highlights our ability to help businesses increase efficiency and productivity through advanced Ricoh production technology. It demonstrates consistent growth, strong customer partnerships, and proven results year after year.

Top 5 Sharp Dealer in the Nation This recognition showcases our dedication to delivering industry-leading Sharp products along with expert guidance, reliable support, and responsive service.

How GFI Digital Delivers Our success comes from a service model built on quality and accountability: • Factory-trained technicians backed by certified IT professionals • Fastest emergency response times in the industry

• Focus on first-call effectiveness and continuous service performance audits

#1 Servicing Dealer in the nation by

• A modern distribution warehouse, strong inventory, and fully equipped service teams

commitment to excellence.

What It Means for Your Business These national achievements translate directly into better performance, higher uptime, and a more dependable technology experience for our customers.

Our longstanding recognition as the

Pros Elite 100 further reinforces our

Experience the Difference Partner with a dealer consistently ranked among the best in the country. Contact GFI Digital today to experience award-winning service you can trust.

SPONSORED CONTENT

BANKING

WHAT THE

FINANCIAL NEW YEAR, REALISTIC NEW GOALS A 12-Month Cash Flow Plan for Real-World Small Businesses

By Brad Roling broling@midambk.com

Hit Reset on Your Money Plan New year, new cash flow. It may not sound as fun as a new logo or a fresh coat of paint on your storefront, but getting your money plan in order is one of the best things you can do for your business. Think of January as your “reset button” for how cash will move in and out of your business over the next 12 months.

Turn Big Goals Into Quarterly Targets First, look at what you want to bring in. Instead of saying, “We will grow 20 percent this year,” break it into quarters. Q1 can be your planning and modest growth time. Q2 and Q3 are often the busy seasons. Q4 is the year end push and tax time. Pull up last year’s numbers and look at them by month. What actually came in, when were you slammed, and when did things slow down. From there, set simple goals for each quarter. You are not trying to predict the future perfectly. You are just giving yourself clear targets so you can tell if you are on track or drifting.

Understand What Is Going Out Next, look at what goes out the door.

Some things, like rent, salaries, and insurance, stay pretty steady. Others, like inventory, shipping, marketing, and travel, bounce around. Use last year as a rough guide and build a basic spending plan for each quarter.

Then think about timing. Many owners feel stressed not because the business is failing, but because

BRAD ROLING

Market President – Columbia

BUSINESS

PROS KNOW

Brad Roling is the Columbia Market President for Mid America Bank. Brad has more than 10 years of banking experience that he uses to help businesses in and around Columbia thrive. When he is not helping your business with its financial needs, Brad is serving the community in a variety of capacities.

He is proud to serve on the Ronald McDonald House Mid-Missouri Board of Directors as Treasurer, the Columbia Chamber Foundation Board as Treasurer, Heart of Missouri United Way Board of Directors, Executive Board for Scouting America, Great Rivers Council, and Beta Theta Pi Advisory Board. Brad is a proud Mizzou grad and loves cheering on the Tigers!

573-998-8900 | midambk.com 4601 Stellar Drive, Columbia MO

the money comes in after the bills are due.

That is the classic “profitable on paper, broke in real life” problem. Anything that helps you collect money faster and pay on time without guessing, like online bill pay, automatic payments, and tools that show you your real-time balances, makes cash flow feel a lot less scary.

Build Yourself Some Breathing Room Now give yourself some breathing room.

Every quarter, pick a savings number, even if it is small. Maybe you start with just a few hundred dollars. Over time, you want a cushion that could cover a month or more of expenses, help you handle taxes, repairs, or equipment, and give you a little “yes fund” when a good opportunity pops up. Keeping this money in a separate business savings or money market account and setting up automatic transfers is a simple way to make saving happen without thinking about it every week. At the same time, talk to your banker about a small business line of credit.

Treat it like a fire extinguisher. You hope you never need it, but you are glad it is there when something flares up. Use it to bridge short term gaps and then pay it down as cash comes in.

Check In With Yourself Four Times a Year Finally, put four quick check ins on your calendar. One at the end of March, June,

September, and December. Look at what you planned, look at what actually happened, and make small adjustments. A cash flow plan is not a school test you pass or fail. It is a simple way to stay in the driver’s seat instead of feeling like the year is happening to you.

You Do Not Have to Do This Alone You also do not have to figure this out alone.

Mid America Bank offers business checking and savings, business online banking, and treasury management services that are built to help local owners manage cash coming in and going out, protect against fraud, and see their full financial picture in one place. Sitting down with a banker who understands small businesses and your local market can turn this from a confusing spreadsheet into a clear, workable plan for the year ahead.

BUILT for HEROES Boone County Sheriff's campus additions answer the call.

BY JENN JOHNSO N A N D JO DI E JACKS O N JR

EVEN AS THE BOONE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE opens its new Regional Training Center and prepares to add a first-ofits-kind Public Safety Childcare Center to the sheriff ’s campus later this summer, there are strong hints that additional construction — possibly a new and much larger jail — may follow a few or several years down the road.

The $16 million training center and firing range officially opened with its first Law Enforcement Training Institute academy class on Monday, January 5, followed by a public open house and tour of the new facility on January 10. The $5 million childcare facility, which is expected to be operational this summer, will be available initially to staff from Joint Communications (911), the Sheriff ’s Office, and the Boone County Jail. The childcare center could eventually serve first responder personnel from throughout the county, providing care for up to ninety children.

While the training and childcare centers will be celebrated as crowning achievements for Sheriff Dwayne Carey’s longplanned public safety campus, the economic realities of what it is costing the county to house its prisoners in other counties will likely push officials to seek the solution of a new jail. That concept has not moved beyond “very preliminary” discussions, said Presiding Commissioner Kip Kendrick.

Sheriff ’s Office Capt. Brian Leer said a new jail detention center would likely cost in the range of $200 million to $300 million.

Leer emphasized that a new jail or addition to the existing jail is only in “the vision stage,” with no formal discussions.

The current jail is over capacity to the point of Boone County shelling out nearly $2 million in 2025 to house detainees in other counties. In mid-December, the county had 403 people in custody, but only 177 were in the county jail. The cost to house prisoners out of the county is around $60 to $65 per day, Leer said.

“It adds up drastically,” Lee added, explaining that the county jail must always have ten to fifteen beds available at all times for new detainees.

24

JANUARY 2026

C H IL D CA R E C E N T E R CO N STR U CTIO N

Meanwhile, the new training center is going into service as construction ramps up on the childcare center.

“We intend to start small to ensure we get off on the right foot,” said Ami Hayse, director of the childcare center. “We want to work through early hiccups and grow the center over time.” Hayse, who was hired in June 2025, served as the preschool director at College Park Christian Preschool in Columbia for the previous ten years.

The main level will include four classrooms, a large kitchen, and two separate outdoor playgrounds. The lower level will offer four additional classrooms to accommodate future growth, a large indoor play area, and a walkout basement leading to another outdoor play space.

The center will offer care for children ages 6 weeks through 5 years, with the potential to expand services in the future to include children up to 12 years old when school is not in session.

The new childcare center has a ringing endorsement from Christie Davis, director of the Joint Communications (911) center.

“I’ve been in this industry for twenty years,” Davis said. “From a Joint Communications perspective, it’s always been a struggle” to find not only affordable but available childcare options.

The challenge is even greater when it comes to recruiting, training, and retaining new employees who will need childcare during hours that other providers are not open. The concept of on-site or nearby childcare for 911 telecommunicators and first responders has been a topic of discussion throughout the industry.

The Boone County Commission and Sheriff 's Office hail the childcare center’s ground-up construction, rather than retrofitting an existing building, as the first public safety childcare facility in the country.

“This is something that has been talked about at every [911 communications] center,” Davis said. “To know we are the first in the country is amazing, and I’m excited to be part of it.”

The $5 million, 10,000-square-foot childcare center had buy-in from the state legislature, which kicked in half of the cost with a grant. The state also provided about a third of the funding for the $16 million Regional Training Center, thanks mostly to persistent lobbying from Carey and Kendrick, whose election to the County Commission in 2022 followed six years as a member of the Missouri House of Representatives and two years as a chief of staff in the Missouri Senate.

“This is something that has been talked about at every [911 communications] center.

To know we are the is amazing, and I’m excited to be part of it.”

the country

first in

— CHRISTIE DAVIS COMOBUSINESSTIMES.COM

25

For ongoing operating costs, Hayse explained that the center will rely on a blend of internal funds — including the 911 and law enforcement sales taxes — and tuition paid by participating families.

She emphasized that the center will keep tuition below the market average, a move designed to ease the financial burden on public safety families.

The idea for the center emerged during internal conversations about recruiting and retaining qualified staff in public safety positions. One consistent obstacle kept coming up: childcare. Families of first responders often face nontraditional schedules, including early mornings, late nights, and weekends — hours when most childcare providers are closed.

By building a dedicated facility to meet those needs, Boone County aims to eliminate a major stressor for its emergency personnel. The center will operate seven days a week with extended hours, though exact scheduling is still in development.

Initially, the Public Safety Childcare Center will serve employees from departments located on the Boone County Public Safety Campus.

Hayse is playing key roles in establishing the childcare center’s operations, developing policies, hiring and building a team, developing an early childhood education curriculum and nutritional program, and collaborating on future expansion. She said she is recruiting experienced childcare professionals, including teachers (both full-time and part-time), kitchen staff, and administrative personnel.

“We’ll need a team to prepare all the yummy foods, support classroom learning, and handle daily operations,” she said, adding, “We’re building this not just as a childcare center, but as a way to support the people who keep our communities safe — on every shift, every day.”

REGI O NAL TR AI N I N G CE N T E R

The Regional Training Center is a nearly 25,000-square-foot building next to an indoor firearms range.

“It’s an amazing training center,” Leer said. “We really tried to be frugal, and I think everybody’s going to be really impressed that we got the best bang for the buck. It could easily have been twice as much. I think we got our bases covered.”

Within days of the facility’s groundbreaking in April 2024, officials with the University of Missouri’s Law Enforcement Training Institute contacted Carey to ask about the sheriff ’s interest in his office taking over the LETI program. The offer was originally turned down, Leer said, but subsequent conversations with Carey, LETI and MU officials, and Kendrick turned the tide on that decision.

26

JANUARY 2026

LETI has now graduated five classes of law enforcement recruits since Carey’s office created a new training department and took over the program. LETI will now relocate from MU to the training center. Leer said the academy is licensed through the state, and MU will maintain the license, with the Sheriff 's Office assuming administrative and financial control.

The initial purpose for building the training center was to be a regional hub that other law enforcement agencies could use or benefit from. Dozens of agencies have committed to using the center.

“We’re very excited about it,” Leer said, “because it’s bringing a lot of agencies together.”

He said that all Missouri law enforcement officers must complete twenty-four hours of continuing education each year, and that can now be accomplished regionwide at the new center.

Leer said the center expects to provide that service to more than 600 officers annually.

The new facility will provide an all-in-one training center.

The facility design includes a 160-seat training room; a defense tactics room; an indoor tactical gun range; and a large indoor

“warehouse” area for traffic stop training, scenario-based training, building search training, school resource officer training, crisis intervention training, domestic violence response training, and others.

One of the center’s new high-tech features is a virtual reality simulation room for “situational training,” for incidents such as active shooter response. For instance, the team can take video of the hallways at Hickman High School and then “actually put officers in Hickman High School” for training via virtual reality technology, he said. That training can cover myriad situations and buildings, including schools, government buildings, apartment complexes, and others.

The new center will also house the Sheriff 's Office K9 training program. Leer said that program recently trained K9 teams from Alaska and Montana.

REAC HI NG THE JAI L’ S L I MI TS

The need for a larger or new jail is also exacerbated by the nature of detainee crimes, Leer said. Not long ago, the largest percentage of detainees were in jail on misdemeanor charges.

Now, the majority of detainees are held on felony charges and convictions, “and a lot of those are violent felonies,” he added.

A statewide backlog on mental health evaluations for individuals held in county jails has also played into Boone County’s over-capacity status.

“Somebody may be in here for six months, and they're deemed incompetent by the court,” yet there are no spots for them in a state facility, Leer said. A new or larger jail would need a dedicated mental health wing or floor, in addition to more space and resources for other health and medical needs.

The current jail was built in 1990 and has capacity for around 245 inmates. Leer said a new jail would likely need to have between 1,000 to 1,200 beds — roughly four times the current capacity.

“As we’re looking at this, we pride ourselves on not making rash decisions — and the funding is not there anyway,” he explained. “We’ll want to build for the future to avoid having the same conversation a few years down the road. And it’s probably going to need to be a new facility instead of adding on.” CBT COMOBUSINESSTIMES.COM

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A DAY I N T H E L I F E O F T H E . . .

Director of Joint Communications

Christie Davis is the Director of Joint Communications (911) for Boone County Joint Communications.

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DAY IN T HE LIF E

You’ve been on the job since June 2024. What is your job description?

And what are some things you do that the public might not be as aware of?

The official job description is long, but I oversee our 911 and 311 operations, the county radio system, and the BCJC budget. I set the standards for how we answer calls, guide training and policy updates, and support the managers and supervisors. I lead major projects like the 800 MHz radio system and the move to the new ESInet, plan future technology, work with vendors/contractors, and manage long-term budgets and capital projects. Behind the scenes, I review data, track trends, evaluate new tools, complete after-action reviews, and make decisions that keep our center current and stable.

I also spend significant time developing employees and understanding their needs. Above all, my emergency telecommunicators are the heart of the center, and my job is to make sure they have what they need to help the community.

Tell us about yourself. How would other people describe your personality and your skills? People describe me as

methodical, thoughtful, and steady under pressure. I think through problems from every angle, play devil’s advocate when needed, and explain things in ways people understand. I’m fair, I challenge people to grow, and I care about my employees even if they don’t see it right away. I listen, coach, and empower others, and I never ask someone to do something I wouldn’t do myself. I have a dry sense of humor.

I’m an introvert by nature, but once I trust someone, I open up. Above all, I put my employees first because they have the most difficult and demanding job in our center, and I find ways to make it fun and enjoyable.

We know there’s no such thing as a “typical day.” But what comes closest to that for you? What are the necessary, top-priority items on your daily to-do list? There is never

a “typical day.” Some days are full of meetings, others are spent on employee conversations, project work, or statistical analysis, and some are interrupted by

issues that need to be addressed quickly.

I anchor my day by checking emails, reviewing performance data, and meeting with key staff on projects, staffing, training, radio issues, budget items, hiring, and records needs.

Throughout the day, I address whatever comes in, whether it’s an operational concern, an employee issue, a technology problem, or a question from a partner agency or citizen, while also working on long-term tasks like policy updates, vendor coordination, and capital and technology projects. My priorities stay the same: support employees and maintain stable operations. I end the day by reviewing unresolved issues, preparing for upcoming meetings, checking project progress, and following up on emails so I can stay ahead of the next day.

How has your career path led to Boone County? And when you were younger, what did you want to be when you grew up? I started my career over 20

years ago as a police dispatcher, which showed me this was the field I wanted to stay in. I earned my undergraduate degree and MBA so I could grow and take on more responsibility. I moved into a shift supervisor role at a 911 center, then became the director of quality assurance and training, where I supported new employees and daily operations.

I later served as deputy director at a fully consolidated center and eventually stepped in as interim director before being promoted to director.

Those roles gave me experience managing full operations, working with partner agencies, and communicating with elected officials. I’ve advanced by continuing to learn, leading fairly, empowering employees, and balancing standards with grace.

You’ve already identified some of your daily priorities. How do you handle distractions or emergencies that compete with those priorities? In this

job, interruptions happen all day, so when something urgent comes in, I first assess the impact and decide whether it can wait or needs attention right away. I compare it to my other priorities and loop in whoever is needed, whether that’s our radio team,

IT, a vendor, or a partner agency.

When multiple issues happen at once, public, first responder, and employee safety comes first, followed by operational impact, system stability, and then any deadlines. After the immediate issue is handled, I reset to where I was, decide if I should continue that task or shift to another, and organize my next steps so I can stay focused even when the day is moving in several directions.

What time does your day start? What’s your morning, prework routine? My day

usually starts at 4:30 a.m. I get up, shower, get dressed, and start preparing for work.

Some mornings I eat breakfast, and some mornings I skip it, depending on the day.

I normally have my morning caffeine kick of Coca-Cola. However, that has currently been replaced with hot chocolate for the morning commute. I like to get an early start, so I’m usually at the center by 6 a.m., 7 at the latest.

Some people are better at planning and strategizing. Some are better at executing the plans. Where do you fall on that scale? I fall strongly

on the planning and strategizing side.

My strengths show that I naturally look ahead, analyze patterns, think through every angle, and map out the best path forward. I enjoy solving problems, organizing people and resources, and making decisions based on logic and long-term impact. I execute plans well and quickly, but my biggest value is developing them.

What attracted you to your position as joint communications director for Boone County? I was attracted to this

position because Boone County is a larger center that matches the scale of agencies and atmosphere I’ve worked in. The county’s plan for a public safety child care center stood out immediately because it addresses a major issue that impacts our industry. The support from partner agencies and elected officials made it clear this was a community that values its 911 center. Professionally, it offered personal growth, a new challenge, and an opportunity to make a broader impact on emergency communications.

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First responder and emergency management services generate a lot of compelling stories, which several television series try to emulate. What do those TV dramas get right? What do they get wrong? Television dramas get a few things right. They show the importance of fast decision-making and the emotional weight that comes with this work. But they get more wrong.

The timelines are unrealistic, the chaos is exaggerated, and shows often skip or invent protocols that would never happen in a real center. They oversimplify traumatic calls and ignore the fact that emergency telecommunicators rarely get closure. These portrayals also create unrealistic expectations for the public, especially the belief that 911 always knows exactly where a caller is. Not all centers have the same technology, location information is not always accurate, and non-emergency, or 311, calls do not provide that information at all.

In reality, not all calls have positive outcomes. Emergency telecommunicators are the first people “on the scene,” even if it’s through a phone line, and they often hear the most difficult moments of an emergency and visualize the worst.

Not all callers are kind or cooperative, and it’s common for staff to take harsh interactions personally. If I could change anything about how 911 is portrayed, I’d want people to see the extensive training required, the amount of information telecommunicators monitor at once, the extended hours and days worked, the long-term emotional impact, and the strong teamwork that keeps a communication center running.

So what time is lunch? What are you having? I don’t have a set lunchtime. It depends on the day, the meetings, and whatever issues come up. Some days I’m able to eat around 11. Some days it’s closer to 1. And there are some days when lunch doesn’t happen at all. When I do get a chance to eat, it’s usually quick, like leftovers, a frozen meal, or an occasional Chipotle order from DoorDash.

What do your friends not understand about what you do? Most of my friends

work in this industry, so they understand

the basics of what I do. What they don’t always see is the weight of the decisions, the constant pull in different directions, and the responsibility that comes with leading an entire center. They know the job, but they don’t always see the full scope, the long-term planning, or the pressure of making choices that affect employees, partner agencies, and the community at the same time.

Boone County Joint Communications is accredited. What can you say to help the public understand why that’s important? Boone County Joint Communications is ACE (Accredited Center of Excellence) accredited through the International Academies of Emergency Dispatch, which means our call processing meets strict national standards and is reviewed by an outside organization. We are also in the self-assessment phase for CALEA (Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies) communications accreditation, which is one of the highest benchmarks for public safety agencies.

For the public, this means our policies, training, and daily operations follow proven best practices, not internal preferences. It shows we hold ourselves accountable, focus on continuous

improvement, and make sure the people answering your call for help are working at a center that meets the highest level of professionalism and quality.

What time is your workday finished?

My workday doesn’t end at a set time.

Most days I leave between 4 and 5, but that depends on meetings, projects, and anything happening in the center. Some days run longer, and even after I leave, I stay available for questions, issues, or major incidents.

What’s for dinner? Who will you share that meal with? Dinner changes depending on the day, but it’s usually something quick and easy after a long shift, like chicken, pasta, or takeout. I usually eat at home and enjoy the quiet time to unwind after the day.

What do you do to unwind in the evening, and what time does your head hit the pillow? In the evening, I like to slow everything down and enjoy the quiet after a busy day. I unwind by watching a show, reading, playing a game, or catching up with family or friends. On most nights, my goal is to be in bed by 9, but depending on the day, it can be as early as 8 or closer to 10. CBT COMOBUSINESSTIMES.COM

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C BT | STREET TAL K

Page sponsored by The Bank of Missouri.

will continue to be run by the same mother-daughter duo that has been with you from the start, but we’re more than doubling the number of ways you can play in our facility and have the chance to carefully curate the new brand based on the feedback you’ve given us over the years.”

New locations, new businesses

Street Talk Root Cellar gets a reprieve, Sky Zone takes a leap.

BY JODIE JAC KSON JR

ROOT CELLAR SHOULD REOPEN IN EARLY MARCH, with new owners and expanded features and services. Root Cellar owners Chelsea and Jake Davis announced in early November that the business would close due to federal funding cuts to a food purchase assistance program. However, the Davises now say the business will remain open.

Local entrepreneurs James and Paul Roark-Gruender purchased the market, promising to honor its communityfocused legacy while adding new offerings and improvements.

The store at 1203 Rogers St. closed on December 13 for renovations. The new owners said one of the main changes will be a focus on Alpha-gal-safe foods for individuals with tick-borne mammal-based allergies.

Jumping to independent operation

A social media post announced that the local owners of Sky Zone have “made the difficult decision to jump out of the corporate world and into a new era of independence.” The business at 1201 American Parkway opened in 2018 to provide “an indoor solution for active, healthy fun for families.” The indoor trampoline and activity facility closed in mid-December to make way for a facelift and to breathe new life into the brand.

The Facebook post continued, “When you see us next, we will officially be 100 percent family-owned and operated! Our facility

The Columbia Missourian reported that Slyman Bros Appliances, a family-owned, Missouri-based appliance retailer, opened the doors to its Columbia branch at 1801 Westfall Drive on November 24.

The new branch is its first brick-and-mortar location outside of the St. Louis area. Chris Slyman, company president, is a University of Missouri alumnus. The Columbia location is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The location is closed on Sundays.

Hedda, a local woman-owned lifestyle and fashion business has moved locations from 1024 Artist Alley to 1019 E. Walnut St. Its new store is just around the corner from its previous location, near Fretboard Coffee and Stellar Made & Found. The shop offers secondhand clothing and environmentally conscious new items.

Highball Kitchen & Cocktails is coming to Columbia, according to the company’s website. Set to open in early 2026, per its Instagram account, the business will offer modern pub fare, cocktails, and brunch, as well as serving as a hub for sports entertainment and celebrations.

The new business is currently hiring servers, bartenders, part- and full-time line cooks, and barbacks to prepare for opening day. As for Highball Kitchen & Cocktails’ menu, it promises “chef-driven, scratch-made classics with a twist,” cocktails on tap, and build-your-own cocktails. The bar and grill will be located on 132 S. Ninth St., which was previously Cantina Margarita. The eatery will feature “a modern take on the classic American Bar & Grill.”

DW’s Kitchen and Catering was previously a tenant of the CoMo Cooks Shared Kitchen but has now settled into its own location at 12A Business Loop 70 E, which was previously Carlito’s Cabo. DW’s Kitchen and Catering specializes in making a variety of bowls, from Philly cheesesteak to gyros to fajita nachos. The business also offers a build-your-ownbowl option. CBT Street Talk is a monthly overview of “word on the street” business and community news. Street Talk is sponsored by The Bank of Missouri.

Send your questions and/or a Letter to the Editor to jodie@comocompanies.com with “Letter to the Editor” in the subject line.

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C BT | N EW BUS I NE S S L I C E NS E S

New Business Licenses Issued November 2025

Cantini LLC

Mid-Mo Liquidations LLC

Retail trade Joseph Davis and Ty Garretson 106 W. 14th St., Kansas City

Prime Bargains 1304 Parkade Blvd., Columbia Open Fire Chestnuts LLC

Powermax Electric

14 Business Loop 70 E, Columbia

1451 N. Farmer Branch Rd., Ozark Pronailspa2LLC Home Exterior Services LLC

NJ’s Lawn Care Wayland McKenzie 1333 Grace Lane, Boonville

Mill & Co. Development LLC

4401 Faurot Dr., Columbia Management LLC

Loop 70 Firearms LLC

Brandon Painter 3610 Buttonwood Dr., Columbia

1209 Business Loop 70 E, Columbia The Bravely Co. Bakery

Ahmad Ali 14 Business Loop 70 E, Columbia

2026 Market Report Coming Soon!

Thanh Tran 21 Conley Rd., Columbia

BP Online Consulting and

Babylon Taste LLC

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Alisha Culver 211 Wild Ginger Court, Columbia Chariton Valley Infinitech

Dave’s Lock and Key

Consulting LLC

David Mruzik 801 S. Olivet Rd., Columbia

2401 Bernadette Dr., Columbia

Call Plaza Commercial Realty for our updated market report!

Reign Hospitality LLC Reign Bar T-Mobile

33 N. Ninth St., Columbia

1301 Grindstone Parkway, Columbia H&H Roofing and Hollis Enterprises

Restoration LLC

Construction Calvis Hollis 1617 Skylane Dr., Columbia

Josh Heller 120 W. Myrtle St., Independence, KS

573-445-1020

CMCP Cleaning LLC Nina Duong LLC

Jimmy Nails 1305 Grindstone Parkway, Columbia

Jacob Clinkingbeard 104 Ripley St., Columbia Aholt Property Services LLC

Skinner Creative Ventures LLC

Skinner Tech Consultancy 2015 Katy Lane, Columbia

Aaron Aholt 21151 Ponderosa Rd., Columbia DW’s Kitchen & Catering, LLC

Team Construction LLC

6920 W. 82nd St., Overland Park, KS

12A Business Loop 70 E, Columbia CBT

Taste Bud’s Snacks Inc.

Issued by the city of Columbia’s

2609 E. Broadway, Columbia

Finance Department.

39 Paul Land - Mike Grellner - Lauren Crosby

www.PlazaCommercialRealty.com 2501 Bernadette Drive Columbia, MO 65203 573-445-1020

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What’s Going Up? Ozark Mountain Biscuit chef takes flight on new deli plans; City, county building permit activity was down in November ’25.

STO RY AND PHOTO S BY JO DI E JACKS O N JR

PADDY JERNIGAN IS TAKING A “one foot in front of other” approach to launching Birdie’s Deli in the building at the corner of Broadway and Hitt, a spot previously occupied by Seoul Taco. Paddy, the former Ozark Mountain Biscuit & Bar general manager and chef, and his wife and business partner, Chelsea, promise a unique deli experience for the Columbia dining scene. He expects the restaurant will be open in February.

The new deli was one highlight of the city of Columbia’s November 2025 building permit report, which listed 84 permits with an aggregate valuation of $13.4 million. Boone County’s building permit report showed 74 permits with a total valuation of $10.3 million. Together, the city and county reports totaled a combined 158 permits with a valuation of $23.7 million.

The building permit for BIRDIE’S DELI at 1020 E. Broadway described the project as minor nonstructural alterations to an existing 2,428-squarefoot tenant space to accommodate a new restaurant. The permit listed the project valuation at $50,000. Dirt Construction LLC is the contractor.

The permit also noted that the scope of the project does not change the use of the space, as the previous tenant was also a restaurant.

Seoul Taco closed in May 2025. The Korean-Mexican fusion restaurant had been part of the Columbia food scene for nearly ten years. The site’s newest iteration is named after the Jernigans’ daughter, Birdie.

“It’s been a goal of mine for several years now to open my own restaurant,” Paddy said. He had been a chef with Ozark Mountain Biscuit for a little more than ten years.

“That experience, coupled with the rest of my career, gave me the confidence to go out on my own and do my own thing,” he said. After mulling over several ideas and options, he decided that a deli was the route to go.

“It’s a void in the culinary scene here in Columbia. We’re shooting to fill that gap,” he said. “We’re a

If you see a building popping up and wonder, “What’s going up?”, email jodie@comocompanies.com and let us know!

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WHAT ’ S G OING UP?

neighborhood deli.” The deli’s creation and menu draw inspiration from the Jernigans'w favorite delis in St. Louis and elsewhere in the Midwest. The shop's bread and Italian cured meats will be sourced from businesses like Fazio's Bakery on The Hill in St. Louis, where Chelsea is from.

The breakdown of November’s city building permit report includes: • Single-family detached: 36 permits, $6.9 million • Re-roof: 36 permits, $789,903 • Duplex: 2 permits, $467,297 • Deck only: 8 permits, $134,697 • Commercial new: 2 permits, $985,339 • Commercial infill: 1 permit, $98,239 • Residential alteration: 10 permits, $251,153 • Commercial alteration: 7 permits, $3.5 million • Residential addition: 2 permits, $76,714 • Commercial addition: 1 permit, $300,000 Additional highlights of the report include: GRANNY’S HOUSE at 110 E. Worley

St. will be getting a 1,677-square-foot addition. The project lists a valuation of $300,000. The project owner is Dr. Ellis Ingram. Anderson Homes is the general contractor, and the architect is Peckham Stockton.

Kitchen alterations are happening at the PANCHEROS MEXICAN GRILL RESTAURANT at 1101 Grindstone Parkway, Suite 101. The 2,322-squarefoot project has a valuation of $100,000.

The general contractor is Copeland Construction Services LLC. The historic Federal Hall (old post office) building at 608 Cherry St. will get a $1 million renovation for COLUMBIA COLLEGE’S NURSING PROGRAM . The 7,990-squarefoot project consists of renovating portions of the lower and main floors, converting former office space for use as nursing instructional space and an associated office. The permit noted that the building was constructed in 1935 and was last renovated in 2011.

Reinhardt Construction LLC is the general contractor.

A vacant suite at 1400 Forum Blvd., which previously housed Tuesday Morning, is getting a $1.9 million makeover to house a new medical imaging center for PROFESSIONAL IMAGING . Suite 1E at that site consists of 8,000 square feet of space. Musick Construction Company is the general contractor. Subcontractors include Meyer Electric Inc. and QuesTec Mechanical Inc. Property owner Jay Lindner said this will be the third location of Professional Imaging, which is based in St. Louis and also has a Kansas City location.

COMO GOLF CLUB received a permit

to install an indoor golf simulator at 801 N. College Ave., Unit A. River’s Edge Design & Construction is the contractor for the 3,590-square-foot, $200,000 project.

A build-out of vacant tenant shell space will result in a new spa and beauty shop at 725 Scott Blvd., Suite 102. NOVA C&R LLC is developing RETUVA MEDICAL SPA , entailing 2,347 square feet, with a project valuation of $117,350.

After demolishing the former convenience store at 1300 Fellows Place, property owner Mike Patel is redeveloping the site to accommodate a NEW CONVENIENCE STORE AND THREE APARTMENTS on the second floor. All Squared Up is the general contractor for the 7,057-square-foot, $975,000 project.

GQT FORUM 8 at 1209 Forum Katy

Parkway is getting a new roof. The project has a valuation of $202,032. All Seasons Roofing LLC is the contractor.

Single-family homes on the building permit report ranged in value from $197,207 (Anderson Homes) to $1.45 MILLION (Girard Homes).

The Boone County building permit breakdown for November included: • Single-family residential: 12 permits, $6.04 million • Modular/double wide: 1 permit, $150,000 • Other nonresidential: 3 permits, $120,000 • Other structures: 2 permits, $50,942 • Residential additions/alterations: 14 permits, $1.58 million • Nonresidential additions/ alterations:10 permits, $1.12 million • Residential garages: 11 permits, $1.19 million • Miscellaneous: 21 permits, $41,053 New single-family homes ranged in price from $150,000 in Centralia (Miller’s Custom Homes LLC) to $950,000 on Brook Valley Drive in Columbia (TBK Real Estate LLC). CBT

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C BT | BY THE NUM BER S

We dug into the 2025 County Health Rankings f rom the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin to check Boone County’s vitals. Here are some f indings:

845:1

Population-to-Primary Care Physician (PCP) ratio.

Boone County is the third-best in the state for primary care physician– to-resident ratio. Adair County at 572:1 is No. 1.

232:1

Population to mental health provider ratio.

Boone County ranks the third-best in the state, behind only St. Louis and Greene counties.

9 births

per 1,000 female population ages 15-19.

Boone County holds the second-lowest teen birth rate in Missouri. Only St. Charles County is lower at 7. Pemiscot County tops the list at 51.

78.7 years Average life expectancy.

Fifth-best in Missouri. Worth and Nodaway counties come in at just over 80. Lowest? Pemiscot County: 67.4.

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11%

Percentage of residents who are uninsured.

Boone County is outranked only

by St. Charles, Platte, and Clay counties for lowest percentage of uninsured residents.

13%

Percentage of children living in poverty.

No. 1 (lowest) is St. Charles County at 6 percent.

#1

Least Obese County Even with one-third of Boone County’s adult population considered obese, it’s the lowest figure in the state, shared by Osage County. The most obese counties: McDonald, Lewis, and Dunklin, all at 45 percent.

#7 in STDs.

With a chlamydia rate of 661.9 cases per 100,000 population, Boone County improved from third-highest statewide rate for several years running to No. 7.

CBT | EXT RA

A Big Contract Stays Local Columbia f irm ESS wins Rocheportto-Columbia I-70 project.

T

he Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission (MHTC) selected Emery Sapp & Sons (ESS) as the contractor for the next phase of the Improve I-70 Program between Rocheport and Columbia. The team consists of ESS and designer Parsons.

The Rocheport-to-Columbia section is a $441 million project that will add a third lane in each direction and make other improvements to I-70. It is the fourth in a series of projects that will widen and improve the I-70 corridor.

ESS Executive Vice President Josh Doerhoff applauded the Missouri Department of Transportation (MODOT) for “an inspiring vision” to transform I-70, an undertaking that will also transform Columbia’s transportation network.

“We are excited to carry that vision forward with this milestone project at the heart of the community we call home,” Doerhoff said in a news release about the bid award.

Missouri’s fiscal year 2024 budget enacted by the General Assembly and signed into law by the governor provides $2.8 billion in general revenue for the costs to build a third lane of I-70 across the state.

The program will plan, design, construct, reconstruct, rehabilitate, and add a third lane in each direction on nearly 200 miles of I-70, from Blue Springs to Wentzville.

“This program continues to work at lightning-fast speed to deliver major projects that will serve these growing communities for many years to come,” said MHTC chairman Warren Erdman.

The selected team was one of three shortlisted design-build teams. The winning proposal includes:

• A third lane in each direction on I-70 between the Missouri River

Bridge at Rocheport and approximately Route 63 in Columbia, with all-new, eleven-inch, full-depth concrete pavement.

• Improvements to the

I-70 interchanges/ intersections at Route J/O, Midway (Route 40), Stadium Boulevard, Business Loop 70, Providence Road, Rangeline Street, and Route 63.

• Fourteen new bridge structures.

• New north and south

outer road connections across Perche Creek.

• A commitment to keeping two lanes of travel open in each direction during peak travel times.

Finalized renderings and detailed roll plots of the entire project will be available at the upcoming public information meetings in early 2026. Construction is scheduled to begin in spring/summer 2026, with an anticipated completion in late 2029. For more information on the Improve I-70 Program, visit www.modot. org/improvei70.

Design-build is a project delivery method that combines both the design and construction phases into one contract.

The selected contract team completes the design and construction in parallel instead of in succession, which saves time and resources. The goals for the Rocheport-to-Columbia project include:

• Deliver the project by December 31, 2029, within the program budget.

• Provide a third lane of travel for

eastbound and westbound I-70 from Rocheport to Columbia.

• Modernize I-70 while improving

pavement, bridges, and interchanges to provide better traffic flow and movement of freight.

• Minimize construction impacts

with a focus on work zone safety, communication, and construction staging while maintaining mobility.

• Provide expanded employment

opportunities while developing and using a diverse workforce. CBT COMOBUSINESSTIMES.COM

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