Good morning, Columbia.

A Columbia teen named Samiyon Myers was charged with seven felonies after he was accused of shooting at a car near the Columbia Mall on January 19th, with charges including first-degree assault, three counts of unlawful use of a weapon, two counts of armed criminal action and delivery of a controlled substance; no injuries were reported.

Tuesday morning, the Senate Education Committee held a hearing on Senate Bill 594 that would require every Missouri school and charter school to display the Ten Commandments in every building and classroom beginning Jan.

1, 2026. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Jamie Burger, lets local school boards choose the display design and funding options—each display must measure at least 11 by 14 inches in large print.

Columbia School Board candidates discussed different approaches to school safety ahead of the April 8 election—some supporting weapons detection systems and others proposing measures to address community violence.

No-excuse absentee voting opened March 25 for Boone County’s April 8 municipal election at the Boone County Government Center where voters may cast ballots from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Voters may also vote at weekend sites—Columbia Mall on March 29 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Douglass High School on March 30 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Southern Boone Public Library and Centralia Public Library on April 5 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the Columbia/Boone County Health Department on April 6 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The City of Columbia announced that the south side sidewalk in the 900 block of East Broadway will be closed today and Thursday for Breeze Dress to remove signs and paint its building—this work will affect the block between Ninth and Tenth streets from 7 a.m. today to 7 p.m. Thursday and require parking meters to display no parking bags.

Tanya Heath, Barbara Buffaloe and Blair Murphy will appear as candidates for Columbia mayor on the April 8 ballot.

They participated in a debate at the University of Missouri campus — discussing public safety, the city budget and public education — before the election.

On Monday, the Missouri House gave initial approval to a school safety bill that requires schools to ban cellphone use during class time—districts can set stricter rules if they wish.

The bill also mandates measures like bleeding-control kits and intruder-response training and awaits a final vote before moving to the Senate.

MU Health Care said in an email on March 24 that Anthem customers will likely lose in-network coverage if no new agreement is reached by March 31—services will leave Anthem starting April 1.

Dr. Zhivegas Live Concert

8:00-9:30 p.m. | The Blue Note | Ticket prices vary | Experience an energetic performance by Dr. Zhivegas in the heart of Columbia.

Gimme Gimme Disco Dance Party

7-11:30 p.m. | Rose Music Hall | Cost TBA | Dance the night away to ABBA hits and classic disco tunes from the 70s and 80s.

Wild And Scenic Film Festival

1:30-5:30 p.m. | The Blue Note | Tickets starting at $29 | Experience the energy and excitement of the Wild and Scenic Film Festival live in Columbia.

Threads: Sewing & Costume Design Class

5 PM – 6 PM — TRYPS Children's Theater — Check website for pricing — Learn the basics of sewing and costume design over 8 weeks with fun projects to take home.

Grease Auditions

Apr 1-2 — TRYPS Children's Theater — Registration required — Showcase your talent at auditions for the summer production of Grease!

Missouri State Bears vs. Missouri Tigers Softball

5-9 p.m. — Mizzou Softball Field — Free entry — Catch the exciting showdown between local softball rivals Missouri State Bears and Missouri Tigers.

Drake Milligan Concert

8 PM — Rose Music Hall — Ticket prices vary — Enjoy a night of live music with Drake Milligan in Columbia, MO.

Missouri Startup Weekend

Friday, Apr 11th — 4:30 PM – 7:00 PM — EquipmentShare - Corporate Office — $0-89.99 — Unleash your billion-dollar startup idea with expert mentors and networking opportunities over a weekend of innovation.

Introduction to Machine Embroidery Class

10 a.m. — MACCLab | A Community Makerspace — Materials included — Learn to create an embroidered patch using the Melco Bravo embroidery machine in this hands-on class.

Stavros Halkias Live Comedy Show

7-8:30 p.m. — The Blue Note — Ticket info unavailable — Enjoy an evening of laughs with comedian Stavros Halkias, known for his unique comedic style.