Your five-minute catch-up for Monday, July 20. Here’s what matters on our stretch of the river today.
Roads & I-70
New work zones open this week on top of the ongoing Improve I-70 closures. MoDOT has crews out on Route Z between Turner Lane and Nienaber Lane through Wednesday for a culvert replacement — one lane stays open with flaggers directing traffic. Route 124 between U.S. 63 and the Howard County line is under longer-term shoulder widening, and Route AC between Providence Road and U.S. 63 has intermittent single-lane closures and turning restrictions for pedestrian improvements. All of it is on top of the Providence Road/Route 163 interchange work we told you about Friday, which is still building toward that westbound on-ramp closure on July 27. If you’re running into Columbia this week, budget a few extra minutes. (KOMU 8)
On the Aug. 4 Ballot
No-excuse absentee voting opens tomorrow for the Aug. 4 primary — we covered the logistics Friday, so here’s what’s actually on the ballot. Boone County voters will decide Proposition 1, a new 1% Columbia public safety sales tax projected to raise about $38 million a year for police and fire — Columbia’s police chief says a slice of it could fund a “drone as first responder” program that would send camera-equipped drones to 911 calls ahead of officers (ABC 17). Also on Boone’s ballot: a Boone County Auditor primary, a Circuit 13 associate judge primary, and four statewide constitutional amendments, including a renewal of the state parks and soil/water conservation sales tax (KOMU 8). In Cooper and Howard counties, the same four amendments are on the ballot alongside a local one: Smithton R-6 School District is asking for a $3 million bond for safety and facility upgrades (KOMU 8). Bring a valid photo ID to the polls either way.
Around the Counties
Boone County has signed the first agreements in its new radio grant program, putting more than $11.7 million in 911-tax funding toward handheld and vehicle radios for agencies switching to the county’s upgraded 800 MHz emergency system. Columbia and Hallsville police, plus Columbia and Centralia fire and Centralia police, are the first five on board; the new system is set to launch late this year (Boone County Government).
Quick follow-ups on two stories we’ve been tracking: the Cooper County Fair’s carnival-ride question is still unresolved as the fair opens Tuesday — the Fair Board is still hunting for a replacement operator. And Boone County’s new jail reentry Peer Navigator program is now under contract with in2Action, funded through the county’s opioid settlement dollars.
Outdoors & River
The Missouri River at Boonville is reading 8.55 feet and falling, well under flood stage. Expect patchy fog to burn off into a mild, mostly calm day — high near 74 with barely a breath of wind.