Good morning, Columbia.

Boone County families can double their food stamp dollars at the Columbia Farmers Market in the Access to Healthy Food program—backed by a $30,000 donation from Veterans United Foundation announced on Tuesday—and use tokens with their EBT cards to buy fresh, local produce amid rising grocery prices.

Tuesday night, a small fire broke out in a unit of Oak Tower on North Garth Avenue and the Columbia Fire Department arrived two minutes after a 9:30 p.m. call to quickly control the blaze—no one was hurt or forced to leave and repair work is planned.

A 46-year-old Jefferson City woman suffered serious injuries in a Wednesday crash at 1:58 p.m. near West Truman Boulevard and Masonic Court when her 2000 Jeep Wrangler went off the road — hit a curb and collided with a 2024 Subaru Cross Trek driven by a 19-year-old man, and the Subaru driver with his 18-year-old passenger received minor injuries.

The Scott County Prosecutor’s Office was named special prosecutor in cases charging Crystal Umfress—owner of a Columbia restaurant—with second-degree arson, filing false documents, and forgery, and her trial will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday, May 27 at the Butler County Courthouse while Kerry Raymond, charged with second-degree arson and expected to testify, will have a case review at 9 a.m. Thursday, July 31.

Mid-Missouri Solid Waste Management District awarded over $447,000 in grants to reduce landfill waste, including funding for the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri and the City of Columbia.

The Food Bank will use $90,000 to buy a refrigerated box truck to divert over 600 tons of usable food, and Columbia received $100,000 for a small rolloff truck for its recycling program — additional grants support education and local projects.

Working late Tuesday, the Missouri Senate approved most of the $50 billion budget proposal, adding $300 million in school aid while rejecting a plan for private school vouchers—lawmakers must finalize the budget with the House by next Friday.

The Missouri Senate approved a budget plan that raises funding for public schools and child care and cuts money for a private school scholarship program while spending nearly $49.5 billion overall.

The bills now return to the House so a conference committee can meet to reconcile differences over school funding and employee allocations.

The City of Columbia Water Utility will begin water main flushing in parts of central and west Columbia on Monday, May 5, with crews working from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. daily for about two weeks — customers may see temporary water cloudiness — and should call the city if discoloration persists for more than a couple of hours.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Screening

7:30-10 p.m. — Lakeside Ashland — No outside food or drink — Enjoy a family-friendly screening of the beloved Star Wars film.

Central Missouri Repeater Group Breakfast Meeting

8:30-10:00 a.m. — Summit Cafè — Free entry — Connect with fellow GMRS enthusiasts over breakfast and discuss local radio communication.

Georgia Bulldogs vs. Missouri Tigers Baseball

6:59-10:59 p.m. — Taylor Stadium — Check out the exciting matchup between Georgia and Missouri's college baseball teams.

CMRLC Gem & Mineral Show & Sale

12 PM – 4 PM — Knights of Columbus CKC Event Center — Entry Fee Applies — Explore a dazzling array of gems and minerals from various vendors.

Intro to Woodworking Class

9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. — MACCLab | A Community Makerspace — Class fee includes materials — Learn woodworking basics while creating a small project.

Basics of Industrial Sewing Class

5-8 p.m. — MACCLab | A Community Makerspace — All materials included — Learn sewing techniques while creating a tote bag from thick materials.

Jake Stack Live Performance

5-7 p.m. — Dive Bar — No cover — Enjoy a captivating performance by singer-songwriter Jake Stack from Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

CoolFest 2025

1-7 p.m. — The Arcade District — Free entry — Celebrate creativity with live music, awesome vendors, and delicious food trucks at the coolest event of the year.

ÆTHER REALM Concert

7-11 p.m. — The Blue Note — Cashless venue — Enjoy an evening of immersive music at this popular Columbia venue.

Intro to Shapeoko CNC Routers Class

6:00 – 8:30 PM — MACCLab | A Community Makerspace — Class fee includes materials — Explore woodworking with the Shapeoko router while learning essential safety protocols.