COMO | The Big Issue 2023

The

BIG ISSUE

Cinema presents the Anniversary 35 th of Miyazaki's animated treasure OUTDOORS at Stephens Lake Park.

My Neighbor

T o T oro

MAY 6, 8:30PM

Dir. Hayao Miyazaki

Two sisters move to the countryside with their father. There they make a friend in the form of a big bear-like spirit. Silly, sweet, and quietly profound, My Neighbor Totoro parses through the beauty of childhood simplicity alongside Miyazaki's trademark themes of spirituality and environmentalism. 1988. 86 min.

Ragtag

Columbia Walk to End Alzheimer’s

We’re back at Faurot Field!

Saturday, September 30th

SUPPORT THE FIGHT TO END ALZHEIMER’S

TO REGISTER, VOLUNTEER, OR DONATE, SCAN THE QR CODE OR CONTACT CHRIS COTTLE AT CCOTTLE@ALZ.ORG

What’s your CoMo?

No matter who you are, how long you have lived here, or what you do for fun, everyone has their own CoMo. This year, we’re featuring local residents and asking them what makes their CoMo. From favorite places to grab dinner to our best-kept secrets for visitors to explore, they will be sharing what makes our city extraordinary to them. Because, in the end, it’s those memorable places and experiences that make it your CoMo.

MUN CHOI

What is your go to place to take a visitor in Columbia?

There are so many! Here are a few of my favorite places: Francis Quadrangle, Providence Point, Faurot Field, Mizzou Arena and Katy Trail.

What’s your fave pastime in Columbia?

Attending the Homecoming Parade, Watching movies and performances at the Ragtag and the Missouri Theater, enjoying the fantastic restaurants, riding my electric bike around the campus, and meeting with Students, Faculty & Staff.

What do you think is Columbia’s best kept secret?

Mun Choi currently serves as Chancellor of the University of Missouri and President of the University of Missouri System.

Great art, music and cultural offerings.

How would you describe Columbia in one word?

Welcoming!

There are over

Every child should know they are not alone, they are worthy, they are loved, they are valued, and they are cared for. Do your part to help these children by partnering with CMFCAA.

Cooper’s Ridge 24991 MO-98

Boonville, MO 65233

Lombardo Homes is now building in Columbia!

Lombardo Homes, known for their quality, luxury, and customization in homebuilding, is now building in Columbia, Missouri! Lombardo’s spacious home plans are designed for maximum livability with storage, entertaining, and day-today functionality a priority.

Lombardo Homes is offering homesites in desirable communities in Columbia and Ashland, plus build-on-your-lot opportunities throughout the greater Columbia area. Contact our team to learn more!

Lombardo Homes

573-542-0605 | lhcolumbia@lombardohomes.com | lombardohomes.com

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Ladies, put on your favorite “Little Black Dress” and join us as we support survivors of domestic and sexual violence in our community.

MAY 5TH, 2023

DOORS OPEN AT 6 PM • PROGRAM BEGINS AT 7 PM SOUTHWELL COMPLEX AT COLUMBIA COLLEGE

APPETIZERS • WINE • RAFFLES • MUSIC • DANCING & MORE!

LITTLE BLACK DRESS GALA SPONSORS

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL OR VISIT: (573) 875-0503 • TRUENORTHOFCOLUMBIA.ORG

Lee & David Russell

IT’S NOT ABOUT LOSING WEIGHT, IT’S ABOUT GAINING

Road trips, hiking state parks, training to be a dance fitness instructor — This is what life looks like for Sheryl two years after bariatric surgery. With multiple weight loss options, our team works with you to find the long-term solution that best meets your goals and offers support before, during and long after your care.

Request an appointment today at muhealth.org/gaininglife

– Sheryl, two years post-surgery

“JAM-PACKED” CELEBRATION CONTINUES THROUGH APRIL... HIGHLIGHTS

INCLUDE:

MONDAY, APRIL 10, 5:30 P.M.-7:30 P.M. • TOP TEN WINES

“Take A 10% Sip For Jazz Education Happy Hour” With Joel Anderson Trio Top Ten Wines will be donating 10% of the proceeds to Jazz Series Education/Outreach Programs!

FRIDAY, APRIL 14, 6 P.M.-8 P.M. • SAGUA LA GRANDE CUBAN CAFÉ

Jazz Series JAM Night With Five Pastelitos

Trombones: Joanna & Sam Gri th • Bassist Isaac Foley, Drummer/Percussionists Troy & Huckleberry Hall + Special Guest Flutist Tony Lotven

TUESDAY, APRIL 18, 7 P.M. • JOEL ROSS QT. IN CONCERT, WHITMORE RECITAL HALL, MU

Jazz Series Presents “Jazz In The District” With Joel Ross Quartet [$$$ Admission]

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 19, 6 P.M.-8 P.M. • IN CONCERT, ROCK BRIDGE HIGH SCHOOL

Columbia Public School District Annual “Jazz Night,” With Joel Ross, Artist In Residence

Joel Ross with Battle/Hickman/Rock Bridge HS Jazz Bands

SUNDAY, APRIL 23, 3:30 P.M. & 7 P.M. • TIA FULLER QT. IN CONCERT, MURRY’S Jazz Series Presents “Sundays @ Murry’s With Tia Fuller Quartet,” [$$$ Admission]

MONDAY, APRIL 24, 6 P.M.-10 P.M. • BROADWAY BREWERY 10% “Sip & Dine For Jazz Education Night” 18-Pc. Columbia Jazz Orchestra. Opening: MU Jazz Combo. Jazz Series receives 10% of food & drink proceeds!

TUESDAY, APRIL 25, 7 P.M. • REYNOLDS JOURNALISM INST., MU

“‘Black Music and Art in the Jazz Age’ - The Harlem Renaissance”

Presenters: Dr. Maya Gibson, MU Honors College & Dr. Kristin Schwain, MU School of Visual Arts

SUNDAY, APRIL 30, 2 P.M.-5 P.M., COOPER’S LANDING

An International Jazz Day Celebration With Bags Fly Free [Weather Permitting]

ANNUAL “JAM” RAFFLE!

NET PROCEEDS SUPPORT OUR JAZZ EDUCATION PROGRAMS!

FIVE PRIZE WINNERS! • $2,000 IN PRIZES!

GRAND PRIZE: Pair of Tickets to 2023/2024 Season! [$1,000 Value]

RAFFLE TICKETS: 1/$10 • 3/$25 • 7/$50

Available At: All Jazz Series JAM Events, and Jazz Series O ces Online: WeAlwaysSwing.org/store

[Drawing: May 32, 2023. Do not have to be present to win. Tickets are not tax-deductible. Must be 18 to enter.]

JAZZ SERIES BOX OFFICE Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-5:30 p.m. 573/449-3009 • info@wealwaysswing.org

Jazz Appreciation Month

NANCY & JOHN DAVID

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School of Music

MAKING A PURCHASE AT HITT RECORDS DURING “JAM”? MENTION “JAM” & OUR FRIENDS AT HITT WILL CONTRIBUTE 10% OF YOUR PURCHASE TO THE JAZZ SERIES!

FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF “JAM” EVENTS VISIT WEALWAYSSWING.ORG/JAM

THERE’S STILL TIME TO GET IN ON THE PARTY!

CONTACT US TODAY FOR MORE INFO ON SPONSORSHIP AVAILABILITIES.

Kelly Hoover Lash Serum

Starting off this year, I knew that 2023 was going to be full of exciting projects and client events. I’ve had the idea of partnering with some of my favorite vendor friends and giving away a wedding to a deserving couple for years and knew that this was the year we were going to put the thoughts down on paper and make it happen.

When I mentioned it to my good friends at Cooper’s Ridge Event Venue and they were immediately on board, I knew I needed to hustle to get more vendors on board and choose a date before the busy fall season took over!

So, I did what any professional would do and I filmed a four minute long video of me over-excitedly explaining this rough idea and inviting them to be a part of it with us and then sent it to them via text. Thankfully, my vendor friends are just as excited as I am and so many of them agreed to be a part of this event!

If you look through the participating vendors, we have the best of the best in Mid-Missouri who have agreed to be a part of this and give of their time, talents, and resources to give the gift of a completely free wedding to a deserving couple. I am still in awe of the benevolence of these professionals and cannot wait to throw one heck of a party with them!

You can follow our social media to keep up to date with everything happening with the Wedding Giveaway that will be on August 18, 2023 and if you are interested in sponsoring this amazing event, please contact us for more information!

Farm-to-table made simple.

Happy Hollow Farm welcomes all who are interested in supporting local sustainable agriculture to become a CSA member. Community Supported Agriculture means buying food from local producers, and committing to supporting your farm all season long. Getting a CSA with Happy Hollow Farm means you, as a member, get USDA Certified Organic top-tier, nutrient-dense food every week. This food is grown right in your area and harvested by hands you know.

We have share options for every lifestyle & budget!

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Farmers

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Small businesses fuel our local economy, create jobs, and keep Columbia the vibrant place we all love. discoverthedistrict.com

Hello COMO!

is is one of my most favorite times of the year: 20 Under 40!

is is also the rst year that we have moved this event from January to April. We have been burned too many times by the weather, and we are excited to make this permanent change and all the possibilities it brings.

is is an extra exciting issue for us because we have brought back the very beloved CBT, now known as COMO Business Times. You will notice that a few of the COMO stories in this issue include 20 Under 40 alumni. Look for the 20/40 badge. You will nd the 20 Under 40 Class of 2023 in CBT on page 36.

I wanted to use this space to explain the process of 20 Under 40 since that is one of my most frequently asked questions.

For starters, a nomination form must be completed by someone who is NOT the nominee. Each year we receive well over 100 nominations. Once nominations are closed, we send all the nominations to our sta , our advisory boards, and all our 20 Under 40 alums. Each person is asked to send me back their top 40.

Once we have received their feedback, our sta sits around a table and narrows down our top 40. From there the top 40 are noti ed that they have been nominated and selected as top 40. Each nominee is asked to complete a very thorough questionnaire and send us their resume, and two letters of reference. Once we have all of that information from each person, we send that back out to our selection crew who are then asked to send us back their top 20. Trust me, this is A LOT of reading!

Once we have received everyone’s suggestions for the next 20 Under 40 class, our sta comes back together around

our large conference room table, and we battle it out on who should be a part of next year’s class. is may very well be my favorite two hours of the year.

From there, I have the very exciting fortune of notifying that year’s 20 Under 40 class that they have made it! BUT they are forced into secrecy until we make our announcements on our social media platforms.

It is such a joy to see these 20 people come together and form friendships, business partnerships, and bounce ideas o each other, along with all the excitement on the day they are each announced — this list could go on and on. I don’t have the word count to get started on the event itself! is is an annual black-tie gala recognizing and celebrating these 20 incredible individuals.

What no one will ever see or truly understand is behind the scenes of it all. is takes pretty much year-round planning to pull this o every year. Sometimes I feel like I get to know these individuals better than I know some of my own family.

From the bottom of my heart, I want to give HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to each person who was selected to represent the 20 Under 40 Class of 2023! You really are the best of the best and should be very proud of this recognition.

Stay tuned for the Class of 2024. Nominations open in November... we can’t wait to see new faces!

Not to mention the days of photographing these amazing humans. Shout out to Anthony Jinson and his assitant Gabriel Vinson. Anthony culled the 3800 photos taken over the course of two shoots to a more manageable 50 or so per honoree that we then select from.

XO, The

ON THE COVER

Tony, Accelerant Detection K-9, Columbia Fire Department

Photo By Chris Padgett

President

Erica Pefferman | Erica@comomag.com

EDITORIAL

Publisher | Erica Pefferman Erica@comomag.com

Editor-in-Chief | Kim Ambra Kim@comomag.com

Digital Editor | Jodie Jackson Jr Jodie@comomag.com

DESIGN

Creative Director | Kate Morrow Kate@comomag.com

Senior Designer | Jordan Watts Jordan@comomag.com

MARKETING

Director of Account Services

Amanda Melton Amanda@comomag.com

Marketing Representative

Sarah Hempelmann Sarah@comomag.com

Marketing Representative

Becky Roberts Becky@comomag.com

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Charles Bruce III, Lana Eklund, Madi Green, Chris Padgett

MARKETING

Director of Sales | Charles Bruce Charles@comomag.com

Director of Events | Scott Callahan Scott@comomag.com

OUR MISSION

To inspire, educate, and entertain the citizens of Columbia with quality, relevant content that reflects Columbia’s business environment, lifestyle, and community spirit.

CONTACT

The COMO Companies 404 Portland, Columbia, MO 65201 (573) 499-1830 | comomag.com @wearecomomag

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Magazines are $5.95 an issue. Subscription rate is $39 for 12 issues for one year or $69 for 24 issues for two years. Subscribe at comomag.com or by phone.

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Taylor Ambra, Kathryn Dotson, Lauren Sable Freiman, Jodie Jackson, Amanda Long, Michelle Terhune, Jennifer Truesdale

Representing Voices from All Different Walks of Life.

We take pride in representing our community well and we couldn’t do what we do without our COMO Magazine advisory board. Thank You!

Beth Bramstedt

Associate Pastor Christian Fellowship Church

Amanda Jacobs

Owner

Jacobs Property Management

Heather Brown Strategic Partnership Officer Harry S Truman VA Hospital

Darren Morton

Program Director

Turning Point

Chris Cottle Walk Manager

Alzheimer’s Association Greater Missouri Chapter

Alex George Owner

Skylark Bookshop Executive Director Unbound Book Festival Author

Chris Horn

Reinsurance Manager Shelter Insurance

Barbra Horrell Consultant

Horrell Associates

Jeremiah Hunter

Assistant Police Chief Commander Investigations Bureau Columbia Police Department

Kris Husted

Senior Content Editor NPR Midwest Newsroom

David Nivens

Chief Executive Officer

Midwest Computech

Suzanne Rothwell

Vice President

Advancement Division Columbia College

Megan Steen

Vice President

Burrell Behavioral Health

La Toya Stevens

Director of Communications for the Division of Inclusion, Diversity and Equity University of Missouri-Columbia

Nathan Todd

Business Services Specialist

First State Community Bank

Wende Wagner

Director of Philanthropy

The Missouri Symphony

56

NOT YOUR GRANDPA'S GENERAL STORE

Ensconced by Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, Pierpont General Store serves the residents of Pierpont and Columbians looking for food, fun, and live music.

The Big Issue

17 EDITOR’S LETTER

19 MEET OUR ADVISORY BOARD

23 ART & CULTURE Turning Passion into Paintings

25 PET FRIENDLY Firefighting Fido

32 HOMES A Restored Retreat

40 GOURMET Cookin' With Hoss

46 IN THE SPOTLIGHT ALL RISE

Former inmates are helping steer at-risk Columbia youths away from criminal and gang involvement.

52 FAVE FINDS

These Are A Few of Our (Alums') Favorite Things

66 THE LAST WORD

62 FROM ICONIC TO WHIMSICAL

The OtoCast app makes it easy to explore Columbia's public art scene, with audio recordings from artists providing a deeper understanding of each piece.

FORT LEONARD WOOD, MO

CLEAR YOUR SCHEDULE. GET TO PULASKI COUNTY,

e stories and legends of Fort Leonard Wood are the same that shaped Pulaski County, MO. Explore the rich history of three distinct Army branches at the John B. Mahaffey Museum Complex, detailing the many contributions of military police, Army engineers, and chemical warfare units. Pay homage to servicemen and women — both active and veterans — at our many military tributes and memorials. Marvel in the quiet majesty of the great outdoors from the rolling Ozark hills to the pristine Big Piney and Gasconade rivers. With so many sites to explore, you’ll want to turn this quick trip into an overnight excursion.

Plan

Turning Passion into Paintings

Esteemed Columbia watercolor artist Paul Jackson harnesses life's inspirations.

BY TAYLOR AMBRA

What started as a college elective has led to a renowned career for local and internationally praised watercolor artist Paul Jackson.

Paul was 16 when he graduated high school to pursue a degree in genetic engineering, but quickly discovered his passion for art. He came to Columbia in 1992 for a Master of Fine Arts degree and has since produced stunning watercolor paintings that have taken anywhere from three to nine months to complete.

Paul says that many of his painting skills are self-taught and notes, “I went all the way through grad school in art and never really learned to paint, so I taught myself.”

INSPIRATION

Paul quotes a variety of sources as inspiration and says, “Life itself is a grand journey with a feast of ideas waiting to be harnessed.” He admires artwork from colleagues such as Walter Anderson, Norman Rockwell, Joseph Ra ael, and many others. Paul credits his wife, Marla, as his “muse,” and the two of them travel the globe in search of his next creative endeavor.

ACHIEVEMENTS

Paul’s artwork has won several honors and recognition from all over the world. By the age of 30, he became a signature member of the American Watercolor Society. He is also an honor member of the Missouri Watercolor Society. Most notably, he recently received the Dolphin Fellowship, which is the highest honor a watercolor artist can achieve.

Paul’s painting Lost in the Moment, inspired by the pandemic, was awarded the Samuel Leitman Memorial Award earning him the Dolphin Fellowship. roughout all

his success, he still notes that one of his favorite creations was a tile mosaic on the University of Missouri’s campus in 2001. More than a thousand community members came together to help complete that project.

Although it is no longer there, Paul says the experience of creating the MU campus piece is what he is most proud of.

In 2018, he completed a similar community project in Poplar Blu , creating a large mural on the ne arts center with the help of hundreds of volunteers.

“Art is a solitary profession so when I can do a group project and organize people who are passionate about art, there is a special bonus for me. I get community and camaraderie,” he says.

Paul’s artwork can be found scattered throughout mid-Missouri in private collections, in the Missouri State Capitol, and the Governor’s Mansion, as well as other public buildings around the world.

CURRENT AND FUTURE

Paul still enjoys traveling and putting creativity into his art. During the pandemic, he spent time creating his “artist's dream house” by renovating his art studio by hand. e studio is tucked away in Columbia which he still calls home for creating many of his paintings. He continues to occasionally conduct workshops and showings to share his work. In May 2024, Paul will be headlining the International Watercolour Masters Exhibition in the United Kingdom alongside other notable artists.

Lost in the Moment

Perfect Timing

American Dreamer

Firefighting Fido

BY KATHRYN DOTSON | PHOTOS BY CHRIS PADGETT

Thanks to his exceptional olfactory capabilities, a very good boy is getting a second chance at public service. Tony, a four-and-a-half-year-old black Lab deemed to be too "high energy" to be a guide dog, has settled in as the Columbia Fire Department's K-9. His job: sniing out accelerants.

Jim Pasley, battalion chief training ocer, and K-9 handler for the CFD brought the K-9 accelerant detection program to the state and he's been the local re de-

partment's K-9 handler for six years. Tony has been active with the CFD since September 2022.

When Jim applied to get Tony through the State Farm Arson Dog Program, Missouri did not have an accelerant detection canine team in the state.

“State Farm bases their approvals o a need and area, so I saw the need in our state, applied and was approved," he says. Currently, Jim and Tony are the only active accelerant detection K-9 team in the state.

OLD DOGS, NEW TRICKS

Tony was training as a guide dog prior to becoming an accelerant detection canine through the State Farm Arson Dog Program. e program sources its canines from animal shelters, rescue organizations, or certi ed companion programs that raised the dogs to o er disability assistance but didn’t complete training due to high energy levels. e State Farm website boasts that the program o ers dogs a second chance to serve by becoming accelerant detection canines.

Established in 1993 under the guidelines of the Maine Criminal Justice Academy, State Farm, along with Maine State Police, started the program with the intentions to “match and train handlers with accelerant detection canines to counter arson fraud, raise awareness, and help reduce future occurrences.” So far, the program has established more than 425 dogs and handlers in 46 states and Canada.

Once acquired by the State Farm training program, canines go through a thorough three-month, 200-hour training course with the handler before being certied to become an o cial accelerant detection canine. Training takes place in Maine and is provided by Maine Specialty Dogs. Each accelerant-detecting canine, on average, costs $25,000 to acquire and train. e expense is fully covered through State Farm’s Arson Dog Program.

PRACTICE MAKES PERFECT

Jim says Labrador retrievers are uniquely quali ed for the role. Not only do they carry an unparalleled gift to distinguish accelerants at a re scene, their friendly disposition and personality, combined with their joy for working, make them the perfect candidate for the position — and Tony is no exception.

If practice makes perfect, Tony should be as close to perfection as they come. He starts every day with “the basics” as handler Jim calls it.

“It’s just a can with 50 percent gasoline in it; his job is to sit, no matter where I move that can to," Jim explains. "If he smells it, and he sits, we feed him a treat right over that can. It instills that positive food reward with the job well done.”

If he doesn’t have a re call, Tony will spend most of his day training or doing community outreach or demonstrations throughout the state.

On slower call days, Jim uses their time to do more intense training at the dedicated canine training area in Columbia. Jim says that training is similar to their morning basics training, but a bit more in-depth.

“We make that training more realistic to an actual re scene. We burn paper, wood, plastic, and carpet in multiple cans. One small drop of gasoline will be added to one of the cans," he says. "Now the dog has multiple cans with burnt debris. It’s Tony’s job to decide which one has the accelerant in it.”

How is that possible? A canine’s unmatched olfactory capability — its keen sense of smell — makes all the di erence. Dogs have up to 300 million smell receptors in their noses, while humans only have about six million, meaning a dog could potentially detect a drop of an alternative liquid mixed in a million gallons of water.

A DAY IN THE LIFE

Tony’s unmatched olfactory capabilities make him an invaluable tool to the CFD. His main function is to assist the primary investigators at suspicious re scenes in getting samples that will have a higher probability of testing positive for accelerants.

“We’ll go through a scene and we’re just watching for his clue, for Tony’s sign that he smells something," Jim adds. "We aren’t telling him where to look. We’re just giving him the chance to smell the scene and tell us where to look.”

Samples will be collected throughout the house and when Tony signals an accelerant is detected, those samples will be presented again. If he chooses the same sample, it will be sent to a lab for processing to determine if there is a presence of accelerants. Tony can also be used to nd accelerants near or around a re scene. If a large crowd is gathered at a re scene, Jim can use Tony to comb through the crowds to see if he detects an individual with an accelerant on their clothing or skin, which can lead to that person being questioned. Tony can sni large outside areas and exteriors of structures to see if accelerants have been stored nearby or lead investigators to vehicles that might have accelerants transferred into them by a person or clothing.

WORK HARD, PLAY HARD

Apart from training and investigating re scenes, Tony often participates in community outreach and demonstrations throughout Missouri. Jim has taken CFD’s canine to daycare demonstrations, community 5k runs, and pet-friendly events. ey also take part in a Mizzou elective course that highlights the dogs working to serve, protect, and assist emergency services workers and individuals with disabilities.

Tony lives with the Pasley family in his own designated space when he is o duty. On a typical night or day o , Tony gets to be, well, just a dog — playing with the Pasley's other dogs, spending time outside, and having a chance "to be more

relaxed," Jim says. “But he still trains every day — two, three, sometimes four times a day. Really, when he isn’t at the station, he’s like any other reman here, just waiting on a call.”

THE GOLDEN YEARS

Most accelerant detection canines start in the training program around 18 months of age so they are over 2 years old before they complete the Arson Dog Program.

“We have an agreement with State Farm that we will work them for a minimum of ve years," Jim says. "So, depending on the age of the dog when they come into the program will determine how long they work. Typically, seven, eight years."

At the end of the ve-year agreement, the re department will have the option to continue working with the dog to the age of 10.

" ey will be retired at age 10 no matter what because our intent is for these dogs to have a good life," he adds. "We don’t want them worked to an unfortunate point in their lives. We want them to have the best life possible.”

Once Tony’s commitments to the CFD have been ful lled, he will spend his golden years growing old with the Pasley family.

“I made sure that clause was added to the agreement, that he would get to retire with me. is dog literally eats out of my hand; there’s such a bond there," Jim says. "Everywhere I go, he goes. He’ll stay with me forever.”

a Restored

retreat

BY JENNIFER TRUESDALE PHOTOS BY LANA EKLUND

When you think of historic homes in Columbia, your mind might go to sections of West Broadway or Stewart and Rollins roads, or East Campus. But one of the oldest homes in Columbia is located at the southeast corner of the Crossroads intersection at Broadway and Stadium, just catty-corner to Andy’s Frozen Custard, on Briarwood Lane.

Heading east on Broadway just past Stadium, the white columns of the Colonial Revival at 100 W. Briarwood Lane can just be glimpsed to the right, at the back of a deep, winter-bare wooded lot. e estate is located on one of the largest lots in town, but it used to be well outside of city limits when it was built in the 1800s on the road out of town to Rocheport.

When he rst purchased the home in 1981, Ed Brent lived at 100 Briarwood with his then-wife and children for many years. He now co-owns the estate with Yangmali Sahadev Rai, and renovated it in 2019.

ey rent the home out on Airbnb and VRBO and after returning it to its former glory revel in its long and storied past.

Juxtaposed just next door is an ultra-modern estate owned by Ed and Yang that is also available as a shortterm rental.

AN AUSPICIOUS 19 TH CENTURY BEGINNING

It is believed that the original home on this lot was built before 1850. It was just a small, two-room brick cabin, whose bricks were handmade and red on-site. A Victorian-style frame house was built just 10 feet from the brick cabin around 1870.

In 1933, Alexander Richard Troxell (1893-1971) bought the property. Within a year, he married Jesse Williams (18941994). e pair was something of a power couple in Columbia at the time. Alexander earned three college degrees, including one from Yale University Law school,

A home as historic as Columbia itself finds new life as a luxury vacation rental.

and had a prominent law o ce on the third oor of the Guitar Building downtown. He went on to serve in both World Wars and retired from the army as a colonel. And so, the estate was known for many years as the Troxell or Col. Troxell house.

Jesse was an equally impressive scholar, having earned three degrees herself, in arts, science, and journalism. She worked for the Boonville Advertiser during World War I, and it’s speculated that her choice of journalism as a career may have been in uenced by her uncle, Walter Williams, the founding dean of the MU School of Journalism. e couple also owned the local telephone company until they sold it to General Telephone. Both Troxells are buried in the Columbia Cemetery.

THE TROXELL ERA GIVES WAY TO MODERN LUXURY

e Troxells merged the two-room brick cabin and the frame house, but a re destroyed the frame house in 1938. e home had been fashionably appointed with dark walnut furniture and woodwork, which neighbors helped save from the re by prying the woodwork o with crowbars. e wood panels can still be found in the original two-room cabin today.

“In 1830, walnut was an easily available building material, so they used it to build the house,” Yang says about the antique woodwork.

After the re, Alexander hired local architect Henry Satterly Bill to design a house similar to the Victorian-style frame house that was destroyed. During demolition, an attempt was made to bring down the brick cabin, but it didn’t budge, so it was incorporated into the new house as a long living room and features a replace at each end. It remains today, at the back of the house. e room is sophisticated-cozy with leather and linen furnishings, and a large, black lantern hanging in the center, while the salvaged walnut replace mantles, chair rails, and window frames add warmth all around. An antique walnut door at one end leads to a spacious screened-in porch with views of the wooded acreage.

“My favorite part of the house is [this] great room,” Ed says. “Because this is the whole original house and we have managed to restore it to its original form.”

TONS OF HISTORIC CHARM

e enormous brick home’s six white pillars welcome guests to linger on the stately front patio before entering the front door into the foyer, where the historic charm is on full display. Directly to the right is the entrance to the parlor, and to the left is the entrance to a long dining room and kitchen. A set of stairs with an original banister and rails on the right side of the foyer winds up to the second story through a

curved opening in the ceiling that is still trimmed with original molding.

An original 1930s papier maché light xture medallion adorns the ceiling here, and in several places throughout the home. A large lantern hangs over the stairs to match the one in the great room at the back of the house. Straight ahead, a tall, arched doorway leads down a hallway to the great room. e parlor today serves as another living space, which is furnished in understated neutrals, including a sleeper sofa for guests. e crown jewel of the parlor is the marble replace, the mantle of which was salvaged from a demolished Boonville home.

e kitchen is timeless in all-white with stainless steel appliances. Ed and Yang tore down the wall that separated the dining room and kitchen, which had made the kitchen an extremely small galley style. What had once been the front of the kitchen is now an island with bar seating on the dining room side. e dining room boasts a long, narrow table that seats up to eight. e space is bathed in ample natural light from the home’s many windows.

“My favorite part of the house is the renovated open-plan kitchen and dining area because it allows families to stay together during meals,” Yang says. “And of course, I love cooking and it’s got a spacious modern kitchen.”

e upstairs houses four spacious bedrooms with dark walnut bedframes. With the sleeper sofa in the parlor, the Airbnb property sleeps 12, with lots of room to spread out.

e backyard o ers a magical respite with its enormous brick terraced patio that leads out to a charming pergola with inviting white curtains and lights.

It’s not just an enticing place to sit outside on a beautiful day — it has also been a popular wedding spot, especially during Covid-19.

e photo gallery on the Airbnb listing includes pictures of a few weddings; not only is the outside perfect for getting hitched, but the staircase in the foyer gives the bride a chance to descend the stairs like royalty.

Ed and Yang relied on the expertise of contractor Stephen Ketchum of Ketchum-Up Services for the renovation, Studio Home for interior design, and Korte Tree Care for cleaning up brush and tackling the massive project of thinning the trees in the front yard.

If you need a short-term rental for a special occasion or a stay-cation, Ed and Yang are Airbnb superhosts who make a point of meeting each of their renters and doing what they can to personalize their stay. A one-night stay runs from $800 to $1,200 per night for the entire luxury home.

WHAT THE HOME PROS KNOW

JAKE BAUMGARTNER

NATE ANDERSON

ROST LANDSCAPING

BAUMGARTNER’S FURNITURE

ARE YOU GETTING ENOUGH SLEEP — AND ENOUGH REST?

By Jake Baumgartner Find more at baumgartners.com

How important is a good night’s sleep? Here’s what the National Institutes of Health has to say.

“Sleep deficiency is linked to many chronic health problems, including heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and depression. Sleep deficiency is also linked to a higher chance of injury in adults, teens, and children.”

Now let’s add the trusted insight of Johns Hopkins Medicine, too.

“Getting a bad night of sleep now and then is annoying, but not a health risk. However, chronic poor sleep may increase the likelihood of developing cancers of the breast, colon, ovaries, and prostate … Not only that, but poor sleep can also affect the ability to function while performing daily tasks like working or driving.”

There are several reasons for poor sleep, including stress, poor eating habits, a health condition … or, perhaps, your mattress. When it comes to knowing the positive effects of restful, restorative sleep, the team at Baumgartner’s Furniture Store and Mattress Gallery in the Columbia Plaza Shopping Center at 1905 Bernadette Dr., Suite 102, has you covered.

Let’s take a quick look at the ABCs of mattress shopping by style, size, and comfort. Baumgartner’s classifies its mattresses into three category types: Innerspring, a traditional mattress with a coil support system and layers of foam to give comfort; foam — memory foam or Tempur-Pedic foam; and hybrid — a combination of innerspring and foam (mainly 50/50).

There are also four designations of comfort layers: Ultra firm; firm; medium; and soft.

JAKE BAUMGARTNER BAUMGARTNER’S FURNITURE

WHAT THE HOME PROS KNOW

Jake essentially grew up in the furniture industry, as he is the fourth generation involved in Baumgartner’s Furniture. Working very closely with his father, Alan, Jake has been devoted to the stores full-time since 2004. His greatest enjoyment, however, still comes from working closely with the customers. He is married to Sarah, and they have two active boys, Noah and Laine. Jake received his degree in finance from Saint Louis University.

Shopping by size offers customers a wide range from Twin/Single, Double/ Full, Queen and Split Queen, to King, Split King, Cal King, and Split Cal King. Styles also include adjustables, pillow top, tight top, Euro top, and more.

Most shoppers find the type that they prefer, then they start to narrow down their choices by exploring different comfort layers. And that’s where Baumgartner’s really shines, because there’s a “Comfort Guarantee.”

That’s right. Baumgartner’s offers a comfort guarantee for its mattresses. Customers must sleep on the mattress for 30 nights to give their bodies a chance to adjust. If it’s still not satisfactory after 30 days, you can exchange it for another type within the next 60 days. A small fee will apply.

The comfort guarantee is a great way to help alleviate any worry that a customer is picking the wrong mattress.

And don’t forget that you will find your bedding accessories — linens, pillows,

and more — at the Mattress Gallery showroom. There are also adjustable bases to choose from.

Feeling comfortable in your bed is not everything. It’s the only thing.

Your mattress should fit like it was made for you. On average, you spend one-third of your life on your mattress. No other piece of furniture in your house is used as much as your bed. A mattress set with the right comfort and support for your body can make the difference between a good day and a bad day. Find the right comfort in a mattress and get the deep, restorative sleep you need to start the day!

NEW FOR 2023 WHAT THE HOME PROS KNOW

By Nate Anderson Find more at rostlandscaping.com

As a designer for Rost Landscaping, I get the added benefit of working closely with Superior Garden Center who stocks an enormous selection of plant materials. Our retail center is always looking to stay ahead of the curve by providing the newest and best performing landscape plants on the market. Every year, breeders are trying new things to get plants to do things like bloom longer, be more compact, grow bigger flowers, and so on. Our team stays educated on these trends so that we can offer them to our customers. Here are a few new plants coming to Superior Garden Center in 2023:

1. ‘Thunderbolt’ Box Honeysuckle

Don’t let the name scare you away on this one. Unlike the invasive honeysuckle that plagues so many homeowners, this ornamental shrub is low maintenance and non-invasive. It has a dense structure and features a beautiful chartreuse foliage. It has a naturally cascading habit, but can be trimmed and shaped if desired. This shrub is semi-evergreen, and can be used as a boxwood alternative. Adding a variety of not just bloom colors but also foliage colors is a great way to make your landscape stand out.

2. ‘Lucky Devil’ and ‘Spicy Devil’ Ninebark

These upright compact shrubs boast some striking foliage colors. “Lucky Devil” offers a bright yellow leaf color, while “Spicy Devil” has a deep reddish-purple foliage. Both varieties bloom white in spring, and prefer full sun. These shrubs only get 3 to 4 feet tall and wide, making them great foundation plants.

3. ‘Flowerfesta’ Lilac

This lilac comes in blooms of white, pink, and purple. Coming in at 3 to 5 feet tall and wide, this lilac has a more compact growth habit than many other varieties. This shrub offers a perfect way to add some spring color to your landscape. The flowers attract butterflies and are fragrant. There are also tree form versions that would work great in an area that needs some height or a focal point.

NATE ANDERSON ROST LANDSCAPING

Nate Anderson has been a resident of Columbia for seven years, and he has been working in the landscape industry for just as long. Nate is a designer and estimator for Rost Inc. While working on his degree in plant science and landscape design, he also worked as a foreman at Rost Landscaping, where he oversaw landscape construction projects. He credits much of his inspiration to his “early years” where he got to be a part of the construction of many beautiful landscapes.

(573) 445-4465 ROSTLANDSCAPING.COM

4. ‘Prairie Dog’ Switch Grass

This grass is prized for its shorter upright growth and its sturdier stems that are less prone to flopping over. It has a blueish green color to the foliage and a subtle rosy color bloom. They are easy to grow plants with low water requirements. Ornamental grasses are a great way to add texture and variety to your landscape.

5. Mango, Lemon, and Apricot ‘Stella d Oro’ Daylily

The tried-and-true “Stella d Oro” daylily is now available in three new colors! This herbaceous perennial is extremely hardy and low maintenance. Stella daylilies are more compact than other varieties and they are rebloomers meaning they can bloom multiple times in one growing season. They are great when used in masses to add a pop of color to your garden. Come check out all the newest varieties of plants that Superior Garden Center will offer this year, as well as your tried and true favorites.

Cookin’ with HOSS

Seasoning

BY AMANDA LONG PHOTOS BY LANA EKLUND

In one way or another, Jim “Hoss” Koetting and his wife, Trish, have been serving the Columbia community for nearly 40 years. Even though Hoss (a nickname he earned in college), and Trish are both are originally from St. Louis, the two didn’t meet until they were enrolled at the University of Missouri and working at Boone Tavern in the 80’s, then owned by Dick Walls.

e couple continued to work for Walls Restaurant Group for a number of years, putting down roots in Columbia. It was an outing during an Easter visit in 2001 to a beloved St. Louis institution, the Smokehouse Market, that inspired a new idea. “Hoss loves the Smokehouse Market,” says Trish. “We joke that we send him in with $100 and 10 minutes.”

e Smokehouse Market, located in the same building as well-known restaurant, Annie Gunn’s, is a family-owned business and popular destination.

e market o ers a wide range of fresh, smoked and cured meats as well as a variety of gourmet food items, such as cheeses, sauces and spices.

It was after that visit that Trish and Hoss agreed a similar concept would go over well in their hometown of Columbia — and they were right.

“At the time we had two small kids, and we were working way too many hours to be working for someone else,” says Trish.

In September 2002, the Koettings opened Hoss’s Market and Rotisserie, which, over the next nearly 20 years, evolved into the muchloved deli, gourmet market, restaurant and caterer it is today.

Additionally, Hoss’s Market worked to support local farmers and producers while o ering a wide selection of high-quality products. Hoss’s customers rave about the friendly, knowledgeable sta and delicious food, and over the years Hoss and Trish established themselves as a signi cant part of the Columbia community.

In July 2022, due to health complications, Hoss and Trish made the tough decision to sell Hoss’s Market to local restaurateurs Ben Hamrah and Amanda Elliot, owners of Peachtree Catering and Beet Box.

blends for every dish.

BBQ Rub

e BBQ Rub has a little kick and works well to season meats for smoking such as brisket, pulled pork, ribs, and chicken, or for the grill or oven.

Cajun Seasoning

e Cajun

Seasoning is a ery and savory blend of spices that is high octane and can be added to pasta, dirty rice, jambalaya, and gumbo. A favorite application is for seasoning chicken wings by mixing the Cajun Seasoning with Hoss’s BBQ Rub.

Southwest Seasoning

Hoss’s Southwest Seasoning can be used to spice up tacos, casseroles, salsas, fajitas, deviled or scrambled eggs and grilled seafood. e perfect seasoning for any chili starter, too. Mix the Southwest Seasoning with lime juice and soy sauce and use for a marinade.

Steak Seasoning

e most popular of the six is the Steak Seasoning — a bold, all-purpose blend that will enhance the avor and juiciness of pretty much any kind of meat or vegetable, and since salt is not the main ingredient, it is an excellent substitute for high-sodium Seasoned Salt.

Bronze Seasoning

Similar to blackening, bronzing is a cooking technique used to add avor and color to various types of meats, sh, and vegetables by coating the food with a mixture of spices and then searing it in a hot pan until it forms a golden-brown crust, commonly used in Cajun and Creole cuisine. Hoss’s Bronze Seasoning is a relatively mild Cajun blend that is works well on chicken, pork or seafood.

Italian Seasoning

Hoss’s Italian Seasoning is a quick, and easyto-use blend of spices that brings authentic avor when used to make soup, pizza, at breads and pasta sauces or can be mixed with ground beef or pork for delicious meatballs.

Trish says, “One of my favorites is the bronze seasoning — it is just a little spicey and so delicious. We use it on salmon, snapper, shrimp — any kind of seafood and you don’t need sauce or anything.”

“It was a di cult decision to make, but we sold them everything but our seasoning recipes,” says Trish. “Hoss created them himself.”

Trish says that when they rst opened Hoss’s Market, Hoss had trouble nding the right combinations of spices that could be versatile enough to be used in a wide variety of recipes and applications.

Using his years of cooking experience, and a bit of trial and error, Hoss perfected six proprietary seasoning blends that can be used for cooking and smoking nearly any food and are also sold for retail.

“ e original recipes are in Hoss’s head,” laughs Trish. “I don’t know what the blends are to be honest — he’s the chef in the family.”

Trish says, “One of my favorites is the bronze seasoning — it is just a little spicey and so delicious. We use it on salmon, snapper, shrimp — any kind of seafood and you don’t need sauce or anything.”

Hoss's Seasonings are a gluten-free, Missouri-made product that have gained a reputation for their high-quality and unique avor pro les. “Up until about a year half ago we bottled them in the store! I would walk in, and Hoss would be up to his elbows in seasoning,” she laughs, adding that the spices are now made and bottled by a company in St. Louis.

Varieties can also be purchased online at www.seasoningsbyhoss.com and at four retail outlets around Columbia including Pierpont General Store located just outside Columbia, Talulah’s Kitchen and Home in downtown Columbia’s e District, Crane’s Country Store in Williamsburg and a recent new addition, Steele’s Custom Meats in Je erson City.

“ e Hoss’s Market customers are huge followers of the seasoning — if someone orders them online locally, they get a door drop instead of paying shipping,” says Trish.

e new website launched last summer, o ering customers outside of Columbia a way to purchase the beloved seasonings. “ e website has beautiful photos, thanks to a little help from LG Patterson, who was one of my college roommates.”

Plans for the future involve the addition of a blog to the website called, “Cookin’ With Hoss” that will include recipes and cooking tips. Additionally, the couple are in the process of taking their line of spices into a large retail chain that will remain anonymous at this time.

“It’s all about the volume,” says Hoss, sharing that they hope to also be selling Hoss’s Seasonings at a retailer at the Lake of Ozarks and in Rocheport very soon.

In addition to the new website, Hoss’s Seasonings can be found on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates and information.

April 20–23, 2023

PANELS - READINGS WORKSHOPS - PERFORMANCE SIGNINGS - CONVERSATIONS

2023 Keynote Event

Friday, April 21•7:30p - 9:30p•Missouri

Ross Gay

is the author of four books of poetry: Against Which; Bringing the Shovel Down; Be Holding, winner of the PEN American Literary Jean Stein Award; and Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude, winner of the 2015 National Book Critics Circle Award and the 2016 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award. His first collection of essays, The Book of Delights, was released in 2019 and was a New York Times bestseller. His new collection of essays, Inciting Joy, was published by Algonquin in October of 2022.

Theatre

Patrick Rosal

is an interdisciplinary artist and the author of five books of poetry, most recently The Last Thing: New & Selected Poems and Brooklyn Antediluvian, winner of the Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize and finalist for the Kingsley Tufts Award. He has earned fellowships from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Fulbright Senior Research Program. He is Professor of English and inaugural Co-Director of the Institute for the Study of Global Racial Justice at Rutgers-Camden.

All events are free to attend. For more information, or to donate, visit unboundbookfestival.com or scan the QR code.

2023 Authors

Unbound is back, bigger and better than ever! We have more events, more venues, more guests, than ever before! We’re bringing the very best writers and poets from across the US to Columbia for our eighth festival. And guess what? It’s completely free. Come join us!

Maria Isabelle Carlos

Ann Dávila Cardinal

Danny Caine

YZ Chin

Johnnie Christmas Nandi Comer Jocelyn Cullity

Andrew Ervin José Faus

V.V. Ganeshananthan

Peter Geye

Megan Giddings

Jennifer Haigh Angela Hume

Gabino Iglesias CJ Janovy Janine Joseph Megan Kaminski

Calvin Kasulke

Christina Baker Kline Akil Kumarasamy

Howard Wight Marshall Jennifer Maritza McCauley

Desideria Mesa Lydia Millet

Jenny Molberg

Britney Morris Natalie Moore

Benjamin Percy

Mary Morris Phong Nguyen Buki Papillon

Vanessa Riley Matthew Salesses Will Schwalbe

Dani Shapiro Sun Yung Shin

Whitney Terrell

Maryfrances Wagner

Alexander Weinstein Ed Yong Andrew Yoon

Kerri Arsenault BJ Best

ALL RISE

BY JODIE JACKSON JR PHOTOS BY MADI GREEN

When Julian Jackman and Lonnie Lockhart Bey listen to Columbia middle school gang members and other children and teens who are at risk of making choices that will lead to crime, the two men have a measure of understanding that they wish they’d had once upon a time.

Julian and Lonnie talk about their “lived experience,” drawing on personal and compelling, sit-up-and-take-notice stories about criminal activity, gang involvement, and incarceration.

But there’s also a story of redemption.

Julian and Lonnie are the impassioned facilitators for a brand-new initiative called RISE, which stands for Responsible Intelligent Scholars Excelling. RISE contracts with Columbia Public Schools to help troubled children and teens develop new ways of responding to traumatic experiences that may be at the root of poor academic performance and behaviors that seem destined for a collision with law enforcement and the criminal justice system. e two Columbia entrepreneurs and nonpro t leaders developed the initiative, along with a workbook, guides, and other material, while they were inmates at the Je erson City Correctional Center.

e curriculum aims to help participants change the way they think about

themselves, their actions, and consequences. Julian and Lonnie base the material and teach from their “lived experience,” which, to be more speci c, encompasses a combined 42 ½ years in prison. Julian was released from the Department of Corrections in August 2022 after serving 16 years behind bars. Lonnie, who was sentenced as a juvenile to a term of life in prison, was released in August 2021 thanks to a change in the law that applies to juvenile sentencing guidelines.

“Our lived experience gives everything we do all the more meaning,” Julian says. “We’re serious about this. We’ve got a bunch of young kids out here who don’t realize what is going to happen to them” if they choose a life of crime.

WHAT DOES ‘TRAUMAINFORMED’ MEAN?

Each potential participant in the RISE groups is given an “adverse childhood experiences” assessment, or ACEs score, which is a tally of di erent types of abuse, neglect, and other adverse childhood experiences. A higher score indicates a higher risk for physical and mental health problems later in life, and the possible need for intervention to avoid risky or criminal behavior.

e intake process and ACEs assessment is administered and charted by Pastor Charles L. Stephenson II, executive director of Powerhouse Community Development. Parents must apply for their children to be in the RISE program, and the process typically starts when the school principal noti es the parents that their child could bene t from RISE.

e parent or parents also go through the intake process. e assessment is documented, charted, and then monitored. Ju-

lian says RISE uses “fact-based evidence to make sure what we’re doing is helping and not hurting.”

Both Julian and Lonnie are certi ed trauma-informed community specialists.

e Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, or SAMHSA — an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services — states that being trauma-informed means recognizing the prevalence of ACEs and trauma and how many behaviors and symptoms are the result of traumatic experience. SAMHSA’s clinical guidebook says that trauma-informed care means shifting from the medical question of “What’s wrong with you?” to the trauma-informed question of “What’s happened to you?”

“People of trauma, they have a trigger,” Julian explains. “We come in; we know what you’re going through. We kind of crack the code that some of the teachers aren’t able to crack.”

Lonnie doesn’t mince words.

“For me, it was a long journey” to gang involvement, violent criminal activity, and then prison, he explains. “ ere’s a vicious cycle of violence that exists when you have the mindset that nobody cares and you’re in this world by yourself.” Lonnie is an avid advocate for changing thought patterns, which result in behaviors — both positive and negative. He adds, “Criminality is a mindset. It’s not an inevitable condition.”

WHEN GANGS COLLIDE.

RISE was in the works for about a year as Lonnie and then Julian met with Columbia Superintendent of Schools Dr. Brian Yearwood. e initiative was launched in January at Lang Middle School. Group sessions with eight to 10 sixth graders,

Former inmates are helping steer at-risk Columbia youths away from criminal and gang involvement.

Destiny of H.O.P.E .,Inc.

MISSION

Our mission is to help atrisk youth, the formerly incarcerated, and the community at large, to love, teach, and to guide them into fulfilling lives of promise; to give them hope and a future.

FOUNDED 2000

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

• Stephanie Lockhart Bey president

• Glenn Cobbins, Sr. vice president, outreach director

• Lonnie L. Lockhart Bey executive director

• Judy Hubbard, secretary

• James Figueror-Robinett, Jr

• Dr. Sahba Jalali

P.E.A.C.EPeople Embracing Another Choice Eff ectively

P.E.A.C.E was created by Julian Jackman during his incarceration. The concept was born from the education he received over the last 17 years and his desire to educate his community, while advocating for prison reform.

“Our lived experience gives everything we do all the more meaning. We’re serious about this. We’ve got a bunch of young kids out here who don’t realize what is going to happen to them”

“There’s a vicious cycle of violence that exists when you have the mindset that nobody cares and you’re in this world by yourself. Criminality is a mindset. It’s not an inevitable condition.”

JULIAN JACKMAN

LONNIE L. LOCKHART BEY

seventh graders, and then eighth graders take place during students’ elective course hours on Tuesday and ursday. If a student has been expelled or suspended or is homeschooled, there are group sessions for them on Mondays and Fridays in the RISE o ce at Parkade Plaza.

Julian says it’s not uncommon that members of competing gangs are in a RISE group together.

“We pay it no never mind. We love it,” he adds. “We see who’s who, we tell them this is a safe spot to learn. If you can’t do that, let me know. We don’t force anyone to do this. But we will pour into you after that point.”

RISE came about as a way to unify some of the work Julian and Lonnie were already doing with LLCs and nonpro ts that they work with. Julian’s LLC is Agents of Change, which works with men and women coming out of prison and giving them a format to speak to youth about their experiences. His nonpro t is P.E.A.C.E. — People Embracing Another Choice E ectively. Lonnie is executive director of the nonpro t Destiny of H.O.P.E., which for 21 years now has worked with at-risk youth to “redirect the school-to-prison pipeline.” His LLC, Boyz 2 Men Consulting, targets gang prevention.

Gang prevention is a primary focus of Lonnie’s approach to giving back to the community. He grew up in a “pretty rough” environment in the Berkeley-Kinloch area of St. Louis County and saw “a lot of things that a child should not see.” He gravitated to a gang that gave him a sense of acceptance and purpose. Lonnie says there are more than 120 gangs in the St. Louis area, 81 known gangs in Kansas City, and ve established gangs in Columbia.

AN OPPORTUNITY TO CHANGE.

“What this says to me is there is time and there is an opportunity to change,” he adds. “Most of these young people are not joining gangs because they like gangs. Many of these children are pushed out of school because they feel like nobody is understanding them.”

Lonnie says he and Julian understand.

“ ere was times where I would go to the refrigerator and there was nothing in there but a box of baking soda,” Lonnie says. “I know what it’s like to be hungry. I know what it’s like to get up and go to school the next day starving. … What do you do? Where do you go? You go to the streets. You go to what you know best.”

RISE is designed to challenge and change decisions that sprout from desperation. Lonnie says there’s a “psychological prison” that rst captures a young person’s mind that leads to prison.

Other schools in the Columbia school system have asked for the RISE Initiative in their buildings. at’s going to mean additional sta ng and volunteers who have trauma-informed training. And that will require more funding. Julian and Lonnie hope that can be achieved through grants and donations.

“One thing we hear, a lot of gentlemen tell us, ‘If I’d had this information when I was 13, I don’t know if I’d be in prison,’” Julian says. “Me and Lonnie want to make sure a child doesn’t follow down the same road we did.”

Your business is your passion. Sure, there are days that aren’t as great as others, but you keep pushing forward. You deserve a bank that backs your passion – one that asks “What’s next?” instead of “What for?” Our bankers are here to do our part to make your dream a reality. Whether you’re just getting started or if you want to take it to the next level, we’re the bank of making it happen. We’re The Bank of Missouri.

Let’s get started with a banker near you.

The bank of never working a day

These Are a Few of Our (Alums ') Favorite Things

Class of 2017 NATHAN TODD

Favorite place: My back yard. Great ambiance, wonderful people, petfriendly, questionable food. 4.5/5 stars.

Thing: The Pinnacles.

Event in COMO: Boys and Girls Club Rootin’ Tootin’ Chili Cook-Off.

Class of 2018

NICKIE DAVIS

I'd say I'm most looking forward to Dog Day Sidewalk Sale coming up in July. It's so vibrant downtown with all the sale items on the sidewalks and all the people searching for the best deals. Love looking for great bargains, then grabbing Sparky's or a glass of wine in the AC after a long hot day of shopping. Give me SUMMER!

Class of 2009

JAY ALEXANDER

Columbia is such a special place for so many reasons it’s hard to pick one favorite place, time of the year, or event. However, my absolute favorite days are Mizzou Tiger football Saturdays with a sold-out crowd at Faurot Field. There’s nothing better than a beautiful, crisp, fall Saturday tailgating with friends and family. Our family has so many great memories of spending time together and rooting for the Tigers. There is definitely a different energy around town on home football weekends. If you’re downtown or around campus on the Friday before, the place is electric and filled with people in anticipation of the game on Saturday.

Class of 2001 SUZANNE ROTHWELL

My favorite place in Columbia is Capen Park off-leash dog trail. I can get there from my house in about 12 minutes, and my two Golden Retrievers, Charlie and Lily, are able to sniff and run and swim and explore, and we can all go at our own paces. Lily can run at the speed of lightning and not be burdened by the leash, and Charlie can meander around with a tennis ball in his mouth. People who go out there are very chill, and so are the other dogs. It’s absolutely beautiful, all year long, and so peaceful. I’ve seen about 100 sunsets out there and look forward to 100 more. It’s just one really special thing that makes COMO great!

Class of 2003 BILL COSTELLO

My favorite thing about Columbia is the Roots n’ Blues n’ BBQ Festival (now known as the Treeline Music Festival.) I have a very personal connection to it on many levels. I was fortunate to be a part of the advertising agency team that actually conceived the idea 16 years ago and brought it to life. Shortly after, I had the privilege of working for the hometown bank that, for many years, supported and gifted the festival to the community. Ultimately, the entire production came full circle for me a few years ago, as I watched my son perform with his band on stage at the very festival he grew up with. To say the least, it will always be one of the greatest things that makes Columbia a special place to me.

Class of 2019

KRISTA KIPPENBERGER

Magic Tree Festival!

Owners Scott Braudis (left), Dan Boes (right), (not pictured Daniel Beckett)

NOT YOUR GRANDPA'S GENERAL STORE

Ensconced by Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, Pierpont General Store serves the residents of Pierpont and Columbians looking for food, fun, and live music.

BY MICHELLE TERHUNE | PHOTOS BY CHRIS PADGETT

Conjure up images of a general store and you might envision old men playing checkers on top of a pickle barrel. You won’t see that at today’s Pierpont General Store. But you might nd collectors gathered around a table, trading baseball cards on a Wednesday night.

e store’s history is well documented. It originally stood on a di erent foundation in the area that’s now Rock Bridge Memorial State Park. e stream that ows out of Devil’s Icebox Cave was dammed and the building was constructed as a grist mill. In 1834, it became the rst paper mill west of the Mississippi River, then a whiskey distillery in 1847. In 1889, the structure was moved to its current location at 7650 Missouri Highway 163, where it intersects with Route N. It was a private residence to various families before it opened as a convenience store in the 1960s.

Back then, it seemed far removed from the growing city of Columbia. ere wasn’t much around except for hills, meadows, streams, springs, caves, and forests. In 1967, Rock Bridge Memorial State Park was opened, and on its southern border still stood Pierpont General Store – almost as much of a xture of the park as the Rock Bridge itself.

A Matter of Convenience

When it opened as a convenience store, Pierpont primarily served park visitors. ey could ll up with gas and grab snacks, drinks, and live shing worms while enjoying what

the rolling, 2,273-acre park has to o er. e Missouri River is just a little under six miles away.

But times change. e development of Columbia started rapidly expanding south. Homes and businesses transformed wooded areas, pastures, and farmland. Pierpont General Store, perched on the park’s southern perimeter, was unfazed — except, of course, more people started discovering the little gem.

In 2004, the 30-some residents of the area celebrated the Boone County Commission's approval to allow Pierpont to incorporate as a village, insulating the tiny town from the perceived threat of being annexed into Columbia, just twoand-a-half miles away. Today, Pierpont is home to more than 70 residents and, of course, to Pierpont General Store.

Residents and visitors clamored for the store to become more. e gas pump was outdated and only available during business hours. Lines of vehicles with nowhere to park were a common occurrence as park visitors waited to purchase what they needed at the store.

Today, local business partners Dan Boes, Scott Braudis, and Daniel Beckett own Pierpont General Store. e trio closed on the sale in May 2021 after the previous owners made improvements that allowed the store to ourish even during the height of the pandemic. e addition of the café and bar, heated enclosed deck, and large outdoor patio made Pierpont a go-to when everything else was shuttered.

Long-time patrons often worry about change when new ownership comes along. Dan says the ownership team has heard a lot of concerns from people who have frequented the store for years. And while there are plans for improvements, the team recognizes the value of the store's history.

“If you walk into the store, it still has the creaky oorboards that are original,” Dan says, admitting that when one breaks, they have to nd an old board to replace it. “We’re really trying to keep consistent with the history and the aesthetic of the store while o ering new things, such as products from local vendors.”

Shoppers can still buy toilet paper, snacks, and shing worms at the store. ey can even use debit and credit cards to buy gas any time of day. But Pierpont is much more than a convenience store.

It’s a Destination

Pierpont residents Craig and Charlotte Brum eld have been patronizing the store since they moved there in 2015.

ey say they used to go for things like gas, candy, drinks, eggs, and bread. But when the café and bar opened, it became so much more to them.

“We continue to patronize the store for gas, emergency items, and Dippin’ Dots for our granddaughter,” Charlotte says. “We also like to visit the heated deck for happy hour when it is cold outside and have brunch on the patio. We love to listen to live music, and the addition of the outdoor stage and some great talent make Pierpont General Store a fun and convenient night out.

It also doesn’t hurt that the Brum elds and a neighbor travel to and from the store on Craig’s golf cart. Parking for them, they say, is never a problem. As parking expands, it becomes less of a problem for others, too.

e energy and atmosphere attract a lot more people who have gured out how close Pierpont is to wherever they live in Columbia. During the warmer months, the patio is lled with people grabbing a bite to eat, something to drink, and listening to live entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights, and some Sunday brunches.

Dan says that one of the attractions of Pierpont may be the older demographic the store attracts. It’s not over lled with college students like many other places in Columbia. Performers like it, too. Dan

says he's currently receiving about ve requests per week from talent wanting to book a performance, although it can be tough to make sure they’re the right type for the venue.

“It’s kind of hard to know which bands will t the vibe,” Dan says. “Because we are surrounded by a state park and residential housing, we have expressed to our neighbors that we won’t overdo it. We make sure we keep the volume pretty low and have the band stop playing at a respectable hour.”

Dan says there have been a few exceptions to closing hours, such as when beating the summer heat, taking advantage of longer daylight hours, and when hosting wedding receptions. But Pierpont’s owners are committed to being a good neighbor.

Doing Good Means Doing Well – For Everyone

What about those three slow months during the winter? Pierpont has that covered. e store hosts celebrity bartender events where locals serve drinks to raise money for a charity of their choice. People can put donations into the “golden charity bucket” which are donated directly to the bartender’s charity. Pierpont General Store kicks in 10 percent of the bar proceeds to the charity.

What started as a way to ll the place during the winter has become hot competition. Dan says that’s great because it’s all bene tting local charities. Although Pierpont promotes these events on social media, the celebs are doing their own e orts to raise money. ere’s an added incentive this year: Pierpont is awarding the top-earning bartender $250 for their charity.

Craig is one of those celebrity bartenders. He and Charlotte are all in to raise money for P.E.A.C.E.

“I’m, by nature, very competitive, so when they added a prize this year for the top bartender, we for sure had a conversation about winning,” Craig says. Craig and Charlotte’s fundraising goal was $1,500 and they raised $2,653 for a local nonpro t.

“ e event is a win-win for all involved as it brings people to the Pierpont General Store during the non-peak season, introduces some new folks to the establishment, and it’s a good time,” Charlotte says. “Most importantly, the event raises unexpected funds for organizations in our community.”

Old Store. Big Future.

Pierpont General Store is hosting e Trail Running Film Festival this year from 7-9:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 26. e touring global festival showcases inspiring short lms created by trail runners about their sport. Hosting the lm fest is another way to add dimension and variety to what Pierpont o ers.

“Columbia has such a unique trail-running community and environment,” Dan says. “We want to bring everyone together

to connect over a sport that is so empowering. It just seems so tting for Pierpont since we are surrounded by Rock Bridge State Park.”

Dan, Scott, and Daniel are making plans to continue upgrading what Pierpont General Store o ers to its customers, like adding convenience, products, and expanding the café’s menu. ey want to create a space that everyone can enjoy. is local institution has changed a lot over the years and will continue to evolve. Rest assured that shermen will always be able to get bait there. Neighbors can stock up on toilet paper and fresh local eggs. Patrons can buy some Pierpont and Rock Bridge swag.

It’s all grist for a former mill brought from the past to the present — and, no doubt, to the future.

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From Iconic to Whimsical

Columbia’s public art scene takes shape.

BY LAUREN SABLE FREIMAN

In the past few years alone, more than 10 pieces of public art, from murals and sculptures to painted and vinyl-wrapped tra c signal boxes, have popped up around Columbia. From publicly-owned pieces to privately-commissioned works, the booming public art scene in Columbia is evident from the vibrant colors and unique, eye-catching mixed-media pieces that adorn buildings, walls, green spaces, street corners, and other nooks and crannies throughout the city.

Check out a few of COMO's great (physical) galleries:

1. Sager Reeves Gallery 1025 E. Walnut St.

2. Orr Street Studios 106 Orr St.

3. Columbia Art League 207 S. 9th St.

4. Davis Art Gallery 1414 E. Walnut St.

5. The Sidney Larson Gallery 1009 Rogers St.

6. Stop-Gap Projects 810 E. Walnut St.

7. George Caleb Bingham Gallery University Fine Arts Bldg, A125 505 Hitt St.

8. Shannon Webster Art Studio & Gallery 1023 E. Walnut St.

9. The State Historical Society of Missouri 605 Elm St.

“As a child growing up in Columbia, I remember being impacted by public art in my day-to-day life, driving by the library and recognizing that art was tied to this building and this place that I would go to,” says Sarah Dresser, manager for the city of Columbia's O ce of Cultural A airs. “Public art makes art accessible to all as we go about our lives throughout the city. We’re able to experience art in everyday life.”

NAVIGATING THE ARTWORK

As public art continues to appear around the city, a free phone app makes it fun and easy to tour the city’s masterpieces. OtoCast, available for download on both Apple and Android devices, isn’t new, but it’s become increasingly popular among tourists and residents alike.

“We’ve been a participant for close to 10 years,” Sarah says. “At that time we were in the midst of guring out how we could make our public art more accessible, and it ended up being the perfect time for us to

elevate our collection and get the information out there.”

10. Boone County History & Culture Center 3801 Ponderosa St. 20U40 ALUMNI

OtoCast, along with a printed public art guide that is available at City Hall and the Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau, catalogs Columbia’s public art, including both private collections and city-owned art. e app currently features around 40 works of art.

In addition to a written description and map for each piece of art, the OtoCast app includes a recording for each piece.

“We try to have the artists do the recordings, which adds an extra layer,” Sarah says. “Maybe they go a little deeper into their process, why they chose the design, the meaning behind it. With the app, it’s not just photos and a description, it’s also the audio, which is a great element.”

While the OtoCast app can be used in Columbia for the Public Art Tour, it features two additional local tours - the African-American Heritage Trail and the Columbia Tree Trail. e app also includes

public art, history, and public-interest tours in cities across the U.S.

PERCENT FOR ART

Murals and other public art around the city have increased signi cantly over the years, largely thanks to momentum from Percent for Art, an ordinance passed by the Columbia City Council in May 1997.

“ rough Percent for Art, any municipal construction or renovation project over $1 million has to designate 1 percent of the cost for site-speci c public art,” Sarah says. “It has to be an above-ground capital improvement project.”

At the new Columbia Regional Airport terminal, a piece hanging from the atrium ceiling by Denver sculptor David Griggs and wall sculptures by Columbia artist Chris Morrey are recent examples of public

art commissioned through the Percent for Art program.

“We’ve seen the importance the Percent for Art program is adding to our cultural landscape, but we’ve also seen an increased amount of privately initiated projects,” Sarah says. “We’ve seen a lot of mural projects around town, especially in the last three to ve years.”

Public art adds color and beauty to the city. It also enhances life in Columbia, Sarah says.

“ e community has realized that public art is important for our city’s vitality and for the wellbeing of our citizens,” she says. “It’s become a really important piece of our identity downtown.”

As part of the Percent for Art program, 1 percent of the allotted funds go towards the artist's commission, while 10 percent

of the fee is set aside for installation and long-term maintenance and cleaning. e O ce of Cultural A airs maintains responsibility for the upkeep of the publicly-owned pieces.

“ ey’re part of our cultural assets and we want to make sure we are keeping up with them, making minor repairs when needed,” Sarah says. “We assess the pieces to see what maintenance is required. Some work is handled internally, and some is contracted out to someone who specializes in public art conservation. We do have that maintenance as part of our ongoing budget and part of our funding for these projects.”

Columbia City Council and the Commission on Cultural A airs play a large role in administering the Percent for Art program. When the budget is being set for a construction project, the city council of-

Returning

Artist: Chris Morrey (local artist) | Year: 2022

Materials: fiberboard with acrylic metal coating

Location: Columbia Regional Airport

Returning is a pair of large oval rings, each about five by six feet in size, with different, detailed shapes and surfaces, and contrasting colors. The complex shapes of each ring are reminiscent of planets, suns and other celestial bodies, with curved radiating extensions from a central circle. The general ring shape of each of the pieces speaks to the cyclical nature of days, seasons and years, and resonates with concepts of leaving, returning and repetition. They have staggered surfaces, like a topographical map or wood grain. The two rings have different metallic finishes, each with a patina to highlight the surface relief and add interest. Returning was commissioned as a Percent for Art project.

Columbia Crossing

Artist: David Griggs | Year: 2022

Materials: aluminum and glass

Location: Columbia Regional Airport

This sculpture floats over the main hall of the terminal and engages the viewers with handpainted images depicting the land and legacy of Columbia and Boone County, reminding them of the special qualities that make Columbia a unique destination. The piece has multiple integrated parts that appear to move among and across each other suggesting the dynamics of flight. Columbia Crossing was commissioned as a Percent for Art project.

Content provided by the City of Columbia

cially designates the project as a Percent for Art project. at sets the rest of the process in motion.

“Our Commission on Cultural A airs will weigh in and make recommendations on the scope of the project,” Sarah says. “ ey’ll decide the scope for our artist pool, whether it will be regional or national.”

Keys to the City

Artist: Howard Meehan | Year: 2010

Materials: digitally enhanced photography in laminated glass, powder-coated steel frame, and LED lighting

Location: Columbia City Hall Plaza

Completed in May 2010, the Keys to the City sculpture is the biggest Percent for Art project undertaken by the city to date. This large-scale sculpture commemorates Columbia’s history and includes imagery of local landmarks, and notables like Mary Paxton Keeley and John William “Blind” Boone, set against a backdrop of local historical maps. The keyhole-shaped sculpture serves as a main portal to City Hall. Its design and placement are essential to the artist’s intended metaphor that an active and involved citizenry is the key to a prospering community.

Artists respond to a request for quali cations, which includes a resume and images of previous work. From that pool of artists, the Percent for Arts standing committee selects nalists, conducts interviews, and recommends an artist to the Commission on Cultural A airs. e city council then votes to approve the commission's recommendation. Once an artist is selected, the same process repeats when the selected artist submits a design for approval.

“ ere is a public comment period that is incorporated into the process at various points,” Sarah explains. “When the design is given the okay, the artists then receive benchmarks to meet along the way.”

CREATING COMMUNITY

In addition to adding beauty and visual interest, Columbia’s public art has proven to play a large role in the community. e Keys to the City sculpture, the largest Percent for Art project completed to date, serves as a main portal to City Hall. Installed in 2010, the large

sculpture commemorates Columbia’s history.

“It’s right in the middle of downtown in front of City Hall - it’s pretty huge - and you can’t miss it,” Sarah says. “It has really become a landmark for the city of Columbia. It has become a gathering place. Groups use it for demonstrations, and it is a great way nding tool if you’re trying to meet someone downtown.”

La Colomba, funded in part by the Missouri Arts Council, is owned by the city but is currently on a long-term loan to the Columbia Public Library for the next 30 years, she says. e stainless steel sculpture depicting an abstract dove in ight was completed in 1979. It was on the south side of Broadway before the library renovation, but it was moved to the northwest corner of Broadway.

“It’s iconic because it’s been there for more than 40 years," she adds.

Rolling Ahead, a Percent for Art project created by Ron Fondaw, is found on a parking structure at 8th Street and Cherry Street. e neon, ceramic-tile mural features a series of colorful lines radiating from the garage’s glass atrium.

“ is is a good example of public art being integrated into the buildings,” Sarah says. “If you think of site-speci c public art, it’s not always a stand-alone structure. It’s really e ective when it is integrated into the elements of the building.”

Rolling Ahead

Artist: Ron Fondaw | Year: 1999

Materials: ceramic tile and neon

Location: Eighth and Cherry Parking Garage

Fondaw’s handmade ceramic-tile mural, a series of colorful lines radiating from the glass atrium, uses the wheel as its design motif. By addressing both facades of the garage at all levels, the mural engages the viewer from a distance and at the pedestrian level. The mural was commissioned as a city Percent for Art project.

La Colomba

Artist: Peter Chinni | Year: 1979

Materials: stainless steel

Location: Columbia Public Library

Across the street from the city library, this abstract depiction of a bird in flight stands more than 10 feet tall on its base. “La Colomba” means “the dove.” The work, funded in part by the Missouri Arts Council, is owned by the city but is on long-term loan to the Columbia Public Library.

anks to continued growth and construction throughout Columbia, as well as the Percent for Art ordinance, the public art scene is consistently growing. A glass piece for the front of Fire Station 11 is currently being fabricated by Tyler Kimball of Monarch Glass Studio in Kansas City, and within the next year, the piece is expected to be completed and installed.

Content provided by the City of Columbia

Photo by Charles Bruce III

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