COLUMBIA - COVID restrictions have put stress on Columbia restaurants over the past year. Last Monday, city council voted to allow downtown businesses to utilize metered parking spaces for additional outdoor dining. Now, a specific group of local restaurants are looking to see if the city can help cover certain license fees.
According to Matt Jenne, co-owner of Addison s, the president of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, Matt McCormick, has taken the lead on the project. Jenne said Addison s along with other local restaurants and the chamber are rallying behind the cause.
The proposal asks the city to help cover fees that come from business licenses, liquor licenses and food inspection.
Bird Scooters will return to Columbia soon, after unanimous council vote
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
UPDATE 9:15 p.m. : Bird scooters are on their way back to Columbia, after city council approved an agreement with the University of Missouri and Bird Rides, Inc. Monday Night.
The unanimous vote in support of the dockless scooters came after a line of questioning about past issues like placement, logistics and financials.
Leaders say 500 scooters will come back to the city. There is not set timeline right now, but the city says it could be within the next month.
Bird Rides will pay an initial fee of $10,000 each to the City of Columbia and the University of Missouri and $2.00 per scooter in operation each day. That would be split with the University and the city.
COLUMBIA - Columbia College announced Friday that they will hold an in-person commencement ceremony at Mizzou arena on Saturday, May 1.Â
The University of Missouri is also planning to have in-seat graduation during two weekends. The ceremonies will be held May 7-9 and May 14-16.Â
MU and Columbia College held virtual commencement ceremonies last year for 2020 graduates.Â
The Dean for Student Affairs at Columbia College emphasized the importance of having an in-seat ceremony for these students. Unfortunately for our 2020 graduates, they came in at the tail end where things were just awful, Dave Roberts, Columbia College Dean for Student Affairs, said. So to now after a year be able to announce that we re going to be able to have an in-person commencement, we know for our students, the ability to walk across the stage at the end of this experience, especially after this year, to say I achieved this degree I ve worked really hard for it is very meaningful in a very mea
Local businesses hopeful Restaurant Week will provide a boost in business
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Restaurant Week in The District in downtown Columbia began Monday, and local restaurants say the event could help boost businesses for the industry during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Nickie Davis with the District said restaurants are still being impacted by the pandemic while only being able to serve people at half capacity. A majority of them are far less than that capacity because we still need to factor in the six-foot distancing which means that some of them are at 20% capacity, Davis said. That doesn t mean that their utilities went down 20%. That doesn t mean their rent went down 20%. That means their income and their normal profitability is down almost 80%.
We need help, Will Granberry with The Relevant Youth said.
The Relevant Youth is a student-run creative agency in Columbia, designed to equip students with the skills and experience they need for careers in marketing and advertising industries. All its work for clients is pro-bono no cost and students aren t paid. He compared his effort to a car that s out of fuel.
Granberry made his presentation during a section of the REDI meeting agenda labeled Equality through Economic Opportunity.
REDI Chairman Matt Jenne said it was an initiative he and REDI President Stacey Button had worked on. He mentioned the Sharp End, the downtown section of Black-owned businesses that was eliminated by urban renewal.