Jodie Jackson Jr.

Where can you go to see whimsical splashes of color that expertly blend in with fire hydrants, traffic lights, and asphalt and concrete? In downtown Columbia, you can go to the bank. More specifically, Commerce Bank, Simmons Bank, and Central Bank. In addition to mosaic benches that display milkweed, canna lilies, petunias, and coleus, among […]

As Beatrice Stewart watched residents at the Flourish shelter work on art projects at the shared kitchen table late last year, it became clear that the young artists were trying to unwind and relax in the midst of chaos. “We needed a designated art space, somewhere where they can go to escape and work through […]

Geico has a gecko. AFLAC has a duck. Liberty Mutual has an emu. But topping them all is Shelter Insurance Company, which has a five-acre botanical garden, located at its corporate campus at 1917 West Broadway in Columbia. More than a thousand people attended Shelter Gardens’ grand opening in August 1975, and it has now […]

Mizzou’s nationally ranked No. 1 recruiting class for 2025 will be well represented at this weekend’s Norm Stewart Classic at Mizzou Arena.

Even before the COVID pandemic altered the way businesses do business, Dr. Jill Luther was hatching an idea for the University of Missouri School of Veterinary Medicine to offer mobile animal surgery services. As that concept grew to fruition, the university and the vet school were making budget cuts, and adding mobile vet surgery didn’t make the […]

This story was originally published in the April 2026 issue of COMO Magazine.

A soft glow emanated from inside Flyover as the muffled sound of guests mingling with chefs Adam Wells-Morgan and Shelly La Fata held the promise of sharing a thoughtfully prepared meal. The scene was from the January 19 Celebration of Missouri Food and Wine pop-up, presented by COMO Magazine, bringing together Wells-Morgan of Flyover and La Fata […]

Slyman Bros Appliances has invited the community to a grand opening event from May 1 to May 4 at the still-new showroom and warehouse at 1801 Westfall Dr. The store, which opened in November, represented the company’s first expansion outside of St. Louis in 60 years. Grand opening customers get 10 percent off current prices […]

Mizzou Ophthalmology 5K Run/Walk 10 a.m. Sunday, May 3 Twin Lakes Recreation Area The event is a fundraiser to support MedZou’s free clinic for underserved patients in Columbia. Participants are encouraged to arrive by 9:30 a.m. for check-in. Following the race, participants are invited to stay for refreshments. Kids, pets, and families are encouraged to […]

Anyone referring to the state champion bur oak tree in the Missouri riverbottoms in McBaine as “just a tree” is probably asking for a fight. It’s basically the same thing as calling a family’s beloved pet “just a dog.” The Big Bur Oak has earned a place of sacred respect for its size, longevity, history, and connections to multiple generations of Boone […]