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Moberly Area Community College is launching a new degree program for commercial pilot training at the old airport terminal in Columbia.

The program will equip students with the skills needed for FAA certification.

Fewer young donors have visited Missouri blood drives this summer as school closures cut participation by about 40% at the Community Blood Center of the Ozarks & steady supplies are held for now, though centers warn that conditions can change quickly if appointments fall.

A tractor-trailer carrying three sea lions to the Missouri State Fair crashed early Thursday on I-70 near the 133-mile marker in Boone County, leading to the cancellation of the Sea Lions Splash show & the hospitalization of one person, with the animals later evaluated as healthy & rerouted to Sedalia.

Columbia’s Office of Violence Prevention and Go COMO have launched a Community Navigation Liaison program that places two outreach workers on buses to de-escalate conflicts and connect riders with resources.

The liaisons use their lived experiences + build trust and proactively improve safety on city routes.

MU Health Care psychiatrist Dr. Laine Young Walker advises parents to watch for signs of anxiety, such as headaches or trouble sleeping, as back-to-school season begins, and she encourages open communication (parents managing their own stress can ease the strain).

A U.S. flag that flew over the Capitol for the 250th anniversary was presented to 95-year-old Navy veteran Mitchell Bennett at Big Mama's Cafe in Columbia on Thursday morning.

Bennett, a Korean War veteran, now leads his family—completing daily farm chores on their 140-year-old Ashland property.

Columbia student Georgia Jane Wade received a Teamsters scholarship from the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Scholarship Fund early today and plans to attend the University of Arkansas this fall.

She recently graduated from Rock Bridge High School and is the daughter of a member of Teamsters Local 399.

MU Health Care in Columbia earned the Comprehensive Cardiac Center Certification from the Joint Commission today, making it one of 28 centers nationwide and one of five in Missouri.

The designation gives mid-Missouri patients access to advanced heart care including coordinated services & cardiac rehabilitation.