Your five-minute catch-up for Thursday, July 23. Here’s what matters on our stretch of the river today.
Roads & I-70
Nighttime lane squeeze at Providence Road starts Monday. MoDOT crews will set girders for the new Providence Road overpass in Columbia overnight July 27–29, 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. — I-70 narrows to one lane in each direction those nights, with rolling roadblocks to place the beams safely. Both eastbound ramps and the westbound on-ramp at Providence close for several months starting July 27; use Route 763 (Range Line Street) instead. It’s part of the same Improve I-70: Rocheport to Columbia project reshaping our stretch of the interstate. Full details from MoDOT.
Outdoors & River
MR340 paddlers shove off Tuesday. The world’s longest nonstop river race launches from Kaw Point in Kansas City at 7 a.m. Tuesday, July 28 (solo boats first, everyone else at 8 a.m.), and more than 600 racers will be working their way past our bluffs over the following days on their way to St. Charles — Missourinet reports. The river’s cooperating so far: the gauge at Boonville read 7.49 feet this morning, still falling, well under flood stage. Race details at MR340.org.
Around the Counties
Boonville High School has a new athletic director. Kelly Callanan is taking over the job, arriving after five years as AD at Marshall High School, and stepping into a role that hadn’t changed hands in what the paper called “decades” — Chris Shikles retired at the end of the school year. More from the Boonville Daily News.
New Cooper County Fair royalty. Hayley Frevert was crowned the 2026 Cooper County Fair Queen Tuesday evening, with Daisie Huth as first runner-up. Congratulations to both — more from the Boonville Daily News.
Happening Soon
Live music in Rocheport this weekend. Mick Byrd plays The Rocheport Winery at Mount Nebo Inn Saturday, July 25, 7–10 p.m. Details and location here.
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