KFRU Business Spotlight -- February 21st & 22nd, 2026. This week, Paul Eisenstein, the director of the City of Columbia Office of Economic Development department and the President of Regional Economic Development, Inc brings us up-to-date on what's happening. From working with businesses that may be looking to move their job producing activities here, to helping local businesses grow and expand here, to help in supporting entrepreneurs in developing ideas into new local businesses, the economic development help to grow the Columbia and Boone County economy. Boone County is a growing county with somewhere around 2,000 new residents per year and that tends to support higher economic growth.

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KFRU Business Spotlight -- February 14th & 15th, 2026. Nick Foster, the 4th Ward City Councilman and Don Waterman, the 5th Ward City Councilman, joins me this week to talk electric transmission line construction. The Columbia City Council met in a work session to hear a proposal from the Utilities Department to get a long paused project underway. There are two routes being discussed, but the Water & Light Advisory board voted to support the Grindstone-Nifong-Vawter School Road version with a 5-0 vote. That version is also the less expensive of the two. This is only the very beginning of the process which could take up to 10 years to complete once construction begins.

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KFRU Business Spotlight -- February 7th & 8th, 2026. Columbia Fire Department Chief Brian Schaeffer joins us this week to talk about the latest at CFD. Recently, a new recruit class of 13 graduated. Some moved on to their EMT training while the rest moved into their new assignments across the city. Chief Schaeffer also explained a recent change in policy and procedure -- passed by the City council at their last meeting -- that aligns leadership responsibilities for emergency management to the Boone County Office of Emergency Management. This move make the emergency management process more effective and efficient.

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KFRU Business Spotlight -- 1/31 & 2/1, 2026. This week Chief Jill Schlude from the Columbia Police Department joins us to talk about numerous topics. First, Jill tells us it's been an active start to 2026 with a gun fired inside Dick's Sporting Goods, a murder as a Facebook Marketplace deal went bad over a used cell phone, and other shots fired calls this past week. We also talk about the fact that suspects in these crimes have been arrested in fairly short order which is the positive part. The use of the Flock camera technology has played a significant role in these investigations as well. We talk about the meeting with the Governor, her plans for the request for officers for the upcoming budget discussions and told us some facts about ICE/Border Patrol activity in Columbia following a question from a member of the City Council.

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KFRU Business Spotlight -- January 24th & 25th, 2026. Chip Jones, PE, the Executive Vice-President for Operations for Emery Sapp and Sons, joins us to talk about the I-70 Improvement project from Rocheport to Columbia that was recently awarded.to ESS. This is a 13 mile stretch of Highway 70 from the Missouri River Bridge at Rocheport to just about US Route 63 in Columbia It's also one of the highest volume sections of the interstate as it is used as a local road for Columbia residents in addition to the ever increasing level of traffic on the interstate. There are many changes to be made in this segment of the project, including adding a third lane in each direction, reconstructing aging payment and bridges, upgrading major interchanges and local connections while improving flow for both regional traffic and daily commuters at the same time enhancing safety, reliability and long-term mobility. Open houses are scheduled for early March for the public to see the finalized plans before work begins in April-may 2026.

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KFRU Business Spotlight -- January 17th & 18th, 2026. Brian Toohey, the CEO of the Columbia Board of Realtors joins us. We take a look back on the best things and the worst things about 2025. We also look ahead to 2026 and what to expect in terms of housing prices, interest rates and more. Also, Brian tells us that the name of his organization will change in the next few months to more realistically reflect their membership. He also gives us an update on the Columbia Board of Realtors upcoming candidate forum for the April Municipal elections with segments for both Columbia School Board and Columbia City Council candidates.

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KFRU Business Spotlight -- January 10th & 11th, 2026. This week Ted Farnen joins to talk about a variety of things including his latest journalistic foray into being a columnist for the Columbia Missourian. He talks about his second piece that covered the "median" laws that the Columbia City Council brought forward, then tabled recently. We also get into the upcoming local election for Columbia City Council and Columbia Schools Board of Education. We also talk about the opening days of the Missouri Legislative session and what to look for moving forward.

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KFRU Business Spotlight -- January 3rd & 4th, 2026. Happy New Year!!! This week we talk with Nick Knoth and David Lile. Nick is the owner and editor and producer of COMO Vanguard, a new subscription information service that covers the Columbia City Council meetings, along with some special reports on council news and the planning and zoning commission. COMO Vanguard will take the "next" step in their coverage of the council with a podcast after every city council meeting. David Lile joins Nick as a co-host of the podcast that intends to give additional information depth to particular council matters. Along with Nick and David, there will always be a third voice involved as a co-host for even more depth on the focused topic. COMOVanguard.com

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