Good morning, Columbia.

The Boone County Fair, symbolized by Bengal and Siberian tigers, opened Tuesday and runs through Saturday with livestock shows (entertainment and a carnival) for local visitors.

Missouri’s annual tax-free weekend will run from Friday, Aug.

7 at 12:01 a.m. until Sunday, Aug. 9 — offering families tax savings on back-to-school items including clothing, school supplies, and computers.

Nine Missouri universities made the U.S. News best colleges list for 2026, with Washington University in St. Louis ranking as the top school (No. 20 nationally) while Saint Louis University and the University of Missouri also secured spots.

The rankings were released on July 22.

Starting overnight Friday, MoDOT will reroute westbound I-70 at Exit 117 as it rebuilds the Route J bridge in Boone County.

Two lanes will run at 35 mph with detours via U.S. 40/Missouri 240 until the new bridge finishes by November (Routes O and J access is closed).

Columbia Regional Airport will close its north parking area on Aug.

3 for a $3.2 million project to add 250 paved parking spaces — travelers returning after Aug. 1 should use the south lot and free shuttle. The construction will take 135 days and is expected to finish before holiday travel.

The City of Columbia is preparing to trim its No Mow Zone pollinator habitats along roads & medians after a wet summer led to social media complaints about safety hazards.

Residents can share their opinions in the poll.

Midwest utilities asked regulators on Thursday, July 23 to pause competitive bidding for large-scale powerlines to speed grid upgrades for AI data centers.

State lawmakers and consumer advocates worry the move could raise utility bills for Missouri families, with FERC set to decide this fall.

MoDOT will install new girders at the Providence Road ramp on I-70 starting Monday while demolition crews work overnight (July 27 to 29, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m.), narrowing lanes and closing ramps for several months so drivers should use the Range Line Street ramps.

Boone Health celebrated the opening of a new primary care clinic in Glasgow Wednesday, July 22.

The expanded facility, triple the size of the old clinic, adds a provider and X-ray suite to improve healthcare access for local and surrounding residents (including patients from 9 counties).

Columbia/Boone County Public Health reported eight new cyclosporiasis cases Wednesday, raising the county total to 53.

Cole County reported seven cases + state totals reached 216 this week.

Boone County public health reported 53 confirmed cases of cyclosporiasis as of 4:42 p.m. Wednesday, up from 37 on Monday — health officials urge residents to thoroughly wash produce since disinfecting may not fully remove the parasite.

University of Missouri researchers announced a test that detects Rocky Mountain spotted fever in 40 minutes using a two-step DNA process, which may help rural and under-resourced clinics speed up diagnosis and treatment.

The test shows a color change to signal a positive result.

More than 600 paddlers will race 340 miles from Kansas City's Kaw Point Park to the Lewis and Clark Boathouse in St. Charles from July 28–31.

Volunteers will support racers at five checkpoints and a finish-line celebration with live music and awards is planned (July 31).

Twister Movie Night

8:30-10:30 p.m. — Lakeside Ashland — No outside food or drink — Enjoy a classic film under the stars with family and friends.

Brad Upton Live Performance

7 p.m. — The Blue Note — Ticket prices vary — Enjoy an evening of laughter with comedian Brad Upton in Columbia's iconic venue.

Basics of Industrial Sewing Class

10 AM – 1 PM — MACCLab | A Community Makerspace — All materials included — Learn to use home sewing machines and industrial equipment while creating a tote bag.