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Boone Health launched First Gift, a birth tissue donation program in partnership with Saving Sight, and a mother who delivered by C-section donated placenta + cord tissue on Thursday.

Her donation could help up to 75 people, and more mothers can choose to donate in the future.

West Middle School is set to become a fine arts lottery school as Columbia Public Schools integrate arts into its curriculum, making it the district's second middle school to adopt this model (a shift toward creative learning).

Freshmen from local public schools participated in the Worlds of Work event on Thursday, hosted by the Chamber of Commerce, where they watched live demos + spoke with local professionals in healthcare, technology, and trades to explore diverse career paths in the community.

NAACP hosted a town hall meeting Tuesday night at Second Missionary Baptist Church where over 60 community members and leaders discussed community policing, job equity, mental health and housing challenges with breakout sessions that aimed to find solutions + another town hall is set for Nov. 10.

Boone County’s 911 center switched its phone service provider from Brightspeed to AT&T on Wednesday after a Sept.

16 outage disrupted emergency calls in Mid-Missouri — Christie Davis with Boone County Joint Communications confirmed the change on Thursday.

Ronald McDonald House Mid-Missouri selected Christina Devine as its next executive director effective Dec.

1 — she will replace Terri Gray, who retired earlier this year. Devine’s board service and volunteer experience make her a strong fit to support families across the region.

Mid-Missouri PrideFest returns this weekend in the North Village Arts District with drag and musical performances including shows at Rose Music Hall and a parade on Broadway starting at 11 a.m. on Sunday; the free festival suggests a $10 donation for the drag shows amid lower vendor turnout.

Race Matters, Friends claims that the close scrutiny on Reign Bar—as part of a broader pattern targeting Black-owned businesses—raises concerns over selective public safety enforcement.

The nonprofit will hold a virtual press conference at 1 p.m. Monday to urge local officials for consistent oversight.