Columbia Orthopaedic Group (COG) was founded in 1965 on Broadway in downtown Columbia. It started as a white frame house near Boone Hospital Center. COG built their current 72,000 square feet state-of-the-art facility at Broadway and Keene in 2008. The current facility includes an in-house ambulatory surgery center, doctor offices, exam rooms and an imaging center.
Longtime former Columbia Orthopaedic Group president Dr. Mark Adams joined host Fred Parry Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable.” Dr. Adams, who served as COG’s president for 18 years, emphasizes their humble beginnings and growth. He notes the bedrooms in that 1965 white-frame house served as exam rooms. Dr. Adams tells listeners that COG today sees 700 visits each day, adding they have 27 physicians and more than 225 employees. Mr. Parry and Dr. Adams also discussed numerous other topics on the show, including the $10-billion merger between St. Louis-based BJC HealthCare and Kansas City-based St. Luke’s. Dr. Adams tells listeners that he sees the merger as an attempt to shift the power curve that exists in medicine. Dr. Adams says insurance has had pricing power for many years. They also discussed a number of benchmark developments in Columbia healthcare in the past 40 years, including Columbia Regional Hospital’s 1974 opening. Dr. Adams tells listeners that Boone was very crowded at that time, adding that Columbia Regional, which is behind the Moser’s on Keene and is now Women’s Hospital, essentially became an orthopaedic specialty hospital. Fred and Dr. Adams also reflected on three of COG’s founders: Garth Russell, Glenn McElroy and John Payne:
UPDATE: Columbia residents are putting trash in roll carts one month before start
Columbia officials are reminding residents that the roll cart trash collection system doesn’t begin until March 4, and that trash bags are not supposed to be placed in your roll cart before then.
A vendor for Columbia Solid Waste Utility, Rehrig Pacific, began distributing roll carts to residents and businesses on January 29, and that distribution continues.
Columbia spokeswoman Sydney Olsen tells 939 the Eagle that some residents have been placing trash bags in their roll carts and putting them on the curb. Columbia’s trucks won’t be ready for roll carts until March 4, and the city has been notifying residents about that date for months. 939 the Eagle’s Aric Bremer reports seeing numerous roll carts with trash on the curb on streets near Boone Hospital Center and Columbia College.
Columbia’s city council voted unanimously last March to approve a roll cart trash collection system. City manager De’Carlon Seewood says roll carts improve safety for sanitation employees and boost efficiency.
(LISTEN): Comobuz.com publisher Mike Murphy appears on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable”
939 the Eagle’s Fred Parry says there’s been a tremendous downgrade in engagement in the Columbia community in recent years, saying some business leaders don’t know who the superintendent of Columbia Public Schools (CPS) is. It is Dr. Brian Yearwood.
Parry made his comments Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable”, where he was joined by Comobuz.com publisher Mike Murphy. Mr. Murphy tells listeners that some Columbia doctors, lawyers, teachers and other professionals don’t know what ward they live in. Both men say they want to see more engagement. Parry describes Comobuz as the best reporting in Columbia, adding that “it’s the only watchdog journalism” left in Columbia. Parry and Murphy also discussed the lawsuit filed this week in Boone County Circuit Court over recycling pickup. Mr. Murphy tells listeners that lawsuit asks for a preliminary injunction ordering the city to provide household recycling pickup. Parry and Murphy also discussed local news coverage in Columbia, the Columbia city council and Boone Hospital Center:
Columbia has two Juneteenth celebrations today; Juneteenth is a federal and state holiday
Today is Juneteenth, which is a federal, Missouri, county and city holiday. It marks the effective end to slavery in the United States, commemorating the emancipation of enslaved people in the U-S.
Most federal, Missouri, county and city offices are closed today, with the exception of emergency services like the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Sheriff’s Departments and prisons. Most of Jefferson City’s 14,000 state employees have the day off. Banks and financial institutions are closed, and there will be no regular mail delivery today. County courthouses are closed, and the Columbia and Jefferson City council meetings have been moved to Tuesday evening.
President Joe Biden signed legislation into law in 2021, making it a federal holiday. Missouri Governor Mike Parson followed-up that week with an executive order, making Juneteenth one of Missouri’s 13 official state holidays.
A community fun and fellowship Juneteenth event will take place from 11 to 4:30 today at Columbia’s Douglass park on North Providence, and the Village of Columbia Juneteenth celebration will take place from noon to 6 today at Cosmo park, just north of I-70.
There was a good turnout at Saturday morning’s Juneteenth parade in Columbia. Former mayoral candidate Tanya Heath notes the parade had a lot of entries and that children handed out candy. The parade began in downtown Columbia and ended at Douglass park on Providence, where about 200 people attended the Juneteenth celebration. Heath notes the Rev. James Gray encouraged everyone to enjoy free food, visit a booth and to meet a neighbor in fellowship. Boone Hospital and Columbia Parks and Recreation were just some of the booths at the celebration.
Ms. Heath says about 175 people attended Saturday evening’s Juneteenth event at Shelter Garden, sitting in lawn chairs listening to live music, while children danced and had their faces painted. Tanya notes food trucks and booths were also at the celebration, serving up Big Daddy’s BBQ and other treats.
Mizzou is still Columbia’s largest employer; VU now third on list
The University of Missouri is still Boone County’s largest employer, by far. Columbia’s Regional Economic Development Incorporated’s (REDI) website says Mizzou has 8,612 employees. It’s followed by the number two employer, which is University Hospital and Clinics, also known as MU Health Care. They have more than 5,200 employees. Columbia Public Schools (CPS) and the …