Daily
Columbia
Thursday, April 23rd, 2026
Good morning, Columbia. Here's your local news at a glance for Thursday, the 23rd of April.
COMMUNITY NEWS
- ➤ A clothing swap event is benefiting students and the environment after over 1,000 articles of clothing were donated (an organization leader said); the drive promotes reuse and helps reduce waste in the community. Columbia Missourian
- ➤ Downtown Columbia hosts the Spring Shop Hop on Saturday, Apr. 25, inviting locals to explore boutiques and specialty shops offering exclusive discounts and festive deals (supporting local businesses) in the District. Columbia Daily Tribune
- ➤ Volunteers from the Kiwanis Club and Sleep in Heavenly Peace are building 50 beds to give local children better sleep in Columbia. The project aims to support healthier futures for kids. Columbia Missourian
- ➤ The Ashland Masonic Lodge will host a community fish fry on April 25 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to support Southern Boone students with meal debt—donations are tripled through a matching program from the Masonic Home of Missouri. Columbia Daily Tribune
- ➤ Clementine's Naughty & Nice Creamery will host a pop-up at Poppy on 920 E. Broadway on May 1-2 from noon to 6 p.m. The microcreamery makes small-batch ice cream with dairy-free options and alcoholic flavors as it expands from St. Louis to Columbia. Inside Columbia
- ➤ The Food Bank is preparing for its final Float Your Boat competition this Saturday at Bass Pro Shops Lake — teams will build themed, custom-made cardboard boats in a friendly contest. Columbia Missourian
- ➤ Local eateries including Cafe Berlin, The Edgy Cowgirl, Makes Scents, Noodles and Company and Pancheros Mexican Grill will donate a portion of their sales to support Take Action for Autism Weekend — a community effort to promote autism awareness. Columbia Missourian
CULTURE NEWS
- ➤ Local CPS orchestra teachers Briana Miller (from Gentry) and Alison Lankheit (from Rock Bridge) will perform with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra to honor music educators. Columbia Missourian
ENVIRONMENT NEWS
- ➤ Residents in Boone County are using the iNaturalist app to identify local plants and animals. The app has logged 114,000+ observations across 6,354 species, fueling a growing interest in nature exploration in the area. Columbia Missourian
GOVERNMENT NEWS
- ➤ After last year's tornado destroyed its recycling facility, Columbia is reviewing bids—due May 12—to rebuild the site while residents sort recyclables at home, yielding cleaner waste. Officials will evaluate proposals and require city council approval before construction begins. KOMU 8
- ➤ The Boone County Fire Protection District has appointed Jake Heller as its new special operations director and program manager for Missouri Task Force 1. Columbia Missourian
HEALTH NEWS
- ➤ UCP Heartland announced that its Columbia Autism Services program will close on Apr. 30 due to a shortage of Board-Certified Behavior Analysts (BCBAs) and is working with local providers to support families during the transition. KOMU 8
SPORTS NEWS
- ➤ Mizzou athletics announced they will change student ticketing for football & men’s basketball. Starting the 2026-27 season, students will earn loyalty points instead of using a lottery, with a 72-hour ticket window opening before home games at Faurot Field & Mizzou Arena. Columbia Daily Tribune
- ➤ Missouri basketball’s transfer portal closed Tuesday, April 21, so new entries are barred while coach Dennis Gates and his staff can still sign up to three players before the season. Five players entered the portal; six returners are expected, and signings + transfers will complete the roster soon. Columbia Daily Tribune
- ➤ Missouri basketball and Marquette are close to finalizing a neutral-site game on Nov. 15 at the United Center in Chicago & details like tipoff time will be announced later. Columbia Daily Tribune
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Radkey Concert
8-9:30 p.m. — Rose Music Hall — Cashless venue — Experience an electrifying night with the dynamic sounds of Radkey.
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23rd Annual Bowling for Autism
11 a.m. — AMF Town & Country Lanes — Proceeds benefit Easterseals Midwest services — Bowl for a cause and support individuals with disabilities and their families.
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Iron & Wine Concert
8-9:30 p.m. — The Blue Note — Tickets available — Enjoy an evening of soulful tunes from acclaimed singer-songwriter Sam Beam.
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31st Annual ATHENA International Awards
6-8 p.m. — Cooper's Ridge Event Venue — Free entry — Celebrate the excellence and achievements of local women leaders in the community.
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Spongebob: Search for Squarepants
6:30-8:30 p.m. — Lakeside Ashland — No outside food or drink — Enjoy a family-friendly movie night featuring Spongebob in search of Squarepants.
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Defying Gravity
7-8:30 p.m. — Missouri Theatre — Not to be missed — A musical theatre extravaganza featuring Broadway veterans recreating cherished roles and beloved tunes.
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Intro to Vinyl Cutting Workshop
6-8 p.m. — MACCLab | A Community Makerspace — Class fee applies — Explore vinyl cutting techniques while creating custom tote bags and signs.
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All Your Friends
9:06 PM – 12:30 AM — The Blue Note — Cashless venue — Enjoy a lively evening with friends at this late-night event.
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Intro to Machine Embroidery Workshop
6-8:30 p.m. — MACCLab | A Community Makerspace — Class fee includes all materials — Learn to use the Melco Bravo embroidery machine and create your own embroidered item.
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The Lorax Movie Screening
8-10 a.m. — Lakeside Ashland — No outside food or drink — Enjoy a family-friendly movie under the stars with The Lorax.
No new real estate listings today. You can submit one here.
No new job posts today. You can submit one here.
No new community announcements today. You can submit one here.
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