COMO Magazine

09/09/2026

It’s budget season in Columbia, and with it comes a question Mayor Barbara Buffaloe hears often: Why does the city spend money the way it does? https://ow.ly/efQi50ZIi1T

09/08/2026

This week, The COMO 411 is dropping a special 20 Under 40 series highlighting our amazing 2026 honorees!

You can stay tuned here (and be sure to catch up on yesterday and today’s!)

Meet those selected to be members of the prestigious 20 Under Forty class by the Columbia Business Times!

09/08/2026

Through the City of Columbia’s Career-Related Experience (CARE) program, teenagers like Mae Cyr are building all the skills needed for future employment.

Access Arts touts benefit of interns from city’s summer jobs program.   Amid the “little bit of chaos” that is an art studio full of kids, Mae Cyr quietly goes about her work — gathering and handing out supplies, then supervising two young campers as they roll out clay and shape it into dra...

09/04/2026

Need a little stress relief between classes? Meet Luna, the Great Pyrenees carrying on Mizzou legend Harlan’s tradition of free dog therapy on campus.

Descendants of MU legend Harlan keep the tradition of free dog therapy on campus alive.   Are you a student stressed out by hard assignments and tests? Having a bad day and need something to cheer you up? Or do you just love petting cute dogs with fluffy fur? Every Wednesday, from 12:30 p.m. to [.....

09/03/2026

Behind every impressive person is a human being who’s still figuring it out, second-guessing themselves, and taking the occasional leap of faith.

“If you can dream it, you can do it.” Maybe you read that, and your eyes immediately rolled out of your head, or you gagged a little into your sleeve. It’s cheesy. It’s cliché. But, annoyingly enough, there’s a reason clichés become clichés. (Hint: it’s because they’re true!) Last m...

09/02/2026

A little newsroom news!

We’re excited to share that Jodie Jackson Jr. is stepping into the role of executive editor, and Kelsey Winkeljohn will be our managing editor.

We are incredibly grateful for the people, stories, and community that define COMO. We look forward to sharing these stories in new, engaging, and enjoyable ways. From the pages of our magazine to your screens, there’s much more great content coming your way!

Here’s to a new chapter for our editorial team and, most importantly, to all the stories still waiting to be told.

09/01/2026

Milestones are a strong focus of the September/October 2026 issue, with a look at how Columbia and three similar-sized college towns have grown and changed in 10 years. Also: Coyote Hill Foster Care Ministries marks 35 years and The Pasta Factory turns 50. And if you're a dog lover, we unleash Mizzou's Great Pyrenees tradition.

https://issuu.com/businesstimescompany/docs/como_magazine_the_20_under_40_issue_a7fe7dff4a155a

08/28/2026

Claire Van Doren's resume includes fundraising, marathon training, community leadership, public speaking, and eight years of sneeze analytics. ​

Yes, really.​

From age 22 to 30, Claire tracked every sneeze she sneezed in a spreadsheet, peaking in 2025 with 2,577 sneezes — an average of seven per day, for anyone keeping score (Claire definitely was).​

Since returning to Columbia three years ago, Claire has become a familiar face across the city, serving with the Women's Network, EPIC, Downtown Rotary, and Heart of Missouri Girls on the Run, while also helping lead fundraising efforts and community partnerships that support local families through Love Columbia.​

She's also a financial coach, a half-marathon finisher, a future marathoner, and a passionate advocate for bringing back one critical piece of community infrastructure: The indoor roller rink.​

Congratulations, Claire, on being named one of CBT's 2026 20 Under 40 honorees! https://ow.ly/bpCM50ZB6GX

08/27/2026

On any given day, Craig Stevenson might be working to improve health outcomes for foster youth, serving on a school board, or hunting down the next great piece of Cardinals memorabilia. ⚾​

At the heart of Craig's work is a commitment to helping children and families navigate some of life's most difficult moments. Through his role with Centene, he works alongside foster and adoptive families, nonprofits, and state leaders to connect young people with the care and support they need to thrive.​

Craig has spent more than a decade as a licensed foster parent, serves on the Hallsville School Board, and was appointed by two Missouri governors to Missouri's Foster Care and Adoption Board.​

Also, if you happen to have a rare piece of St. Louis Cardinals memorabilia lying around, he would probably love to hear about it.​

Congratulations, Craig, on being named one of CBT's 2026 20 Under 40 honorees! https://ow.ly/UTNL50ZB6Eu