Centralia | 98.3 The Dove

Top Columbia banker predicts more explosive growth in Ashland

January 16, 2023 By Brian Hauswirth

This is a design of the campus that Ranken Technical College is currently building in fast-growing Ashland (April 2022 design courtesy of Southern Boone R-1 spokesman Matt Sharp)

The president of Columbia’s largest bank says growth continues in Ashland, Boonville, Hallsville and Centralia.

Central Bank of Boone County president Ed Scavone notes the bank has branches in all of those communities.

“Some of the housing issues we talked about and cost of land and cost of living is enough difference between Columbia and those markets where that commute’s not so bad. And if you live in south Columbia and you work downtown it’s not much shorter than driving from Ashland to downtown now,” Scavone says.

He says the bank wants to help those communities and businesses grow. Ashland’s population has increased from 3,700 in 2010 to about 4,700 in 2020. That explosive growth has caught the eye of Scavone. He joined host Fred Parry in-studio Saturday morning for 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Round Table.”

“Maybe not in my career, but I see it like (southwest Missouri’s) Nixa to Springfield. And between us and Jefferson City. And you’re seeing with the Ranken School that I know you were a big part of making that happen, that’s just a tip of the iceberg of what’s going to happen down there I believe over the coming years,” says Scavone.

Construction continues on Ranken Technical College’s new center in Ashland. It will focus on IT, construction, nursing and manufacturing and is being built next to Salter Lawn Service, near Highway 63. Ranken’s president has told 939 the Eagle that Ranken didn’t choose Ashland, and that it was Ashland which chose Ranken.

Central Bank also opened a new branch in Naples, Florida in August.

(AUDIO): Central Bank of Boone County President Ed Scavone discusses economy and growth on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Round Table”

January 15, 2023 By Brian Hauswirth

Central Bank of Boone County is Columbia’s largest bank, with about $3-billion in assets. The bank has numerous branches throughout Columbia, two Boonville branches and branches in Ashland, Centralia, Hallsville and Sturgeon. Central Bank of Boone County president Ed Scavone joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Round Table.” Mr. Scavone credits the REDI staff for taking some REDI board meetings on the road to smaller communities. He also predicts that Ashland’s explosive growth will continue. Mr. Scavone predicts that in the future, Ashland and Columbia will be similar to what we’re seeing in southwest Missouri’s Nixa and Springfield:

(AUDIO): State Rep. Cheri Toalson Reisch (R-Hallsville) appears on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”

November 23, 2022 By Brian Hauswirth

Veteran State Rep. Cheri Toalson Reisch (R-Hallsville) is about to begin her fourth and final term in the Missouri House. While her newly drawn district still includes Centralia and Hallsville, it now also includes Hartsburg. Representative Toalson Reisch tells 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” that she’s thankful on this Thanksgiving for her family, including her children and grandchildren. She’s looking forward to January, and also supports an idea from State Rep. David Tyson Smith (D-Columbia) of both sides of the aisle eating meals together in Jefferson City:

Boone County’s clerk predicts a 55 percent voter turnout on Tuesday

November 7, 2022 By Brian Hauswirth

Boone County clerk Brianna Lennon (October 14, 2022 file photo from 939 the Eagle’s Brian Hauswirth)

More than 700 Boone County residents cast no-excuse absentee ballots on Friday, the largest one-day number since the period began on October 25.

Boone County clerk Brianna Lennon tells 939 the Eagle that her office has also had success by taking no-excuse absentee voting directly to the community.

“We were in Centralia last week, we had about 50 people in Centralia. We had just over 40 people at Douglass,” Lennon says.

Lennon’s office offered no-excuse absentee voting on Saturday and Sunday at the Roger Wilson Government Center in Columbia. It was also offered Saturday at the Southern Boone public library in Ashland and at the Columbia/Boone County Health Department on Sunday.

Despite the strong interest in no-excuse absentee voting, clerk Lennon is lowering her overall voter turnout projection for Tuesday from 65 to 55 percent.

“As great a turnout as we’ve had with early voting, generally early voting tends to just change the method for voting and not necessarily increase the turnout. So with this type of turnout, we might be more like 55 percent,” says Lennon.

Polls are open statewide on Tuesday from 6 am until 7 pm.

West-central Missouri Democratic congressional candidate is self-funding his campaign

November 4, 2022 By Brian Hauswirth

Lamar Democrat Jack Truman stands outside former President Harry Truman’s birthplace in southwest Missouri’s Lamar in 2022 (photo courtesy of candidate Jack Truman)

West-central Missouri’s sprawling fourth congressional district hasn’t sent a Democrat to Capitol Hill in 14 years. That’s when the late U.S. Rep. Ike Skelton (D-Lexington) won his final term in 2008.

Lamar Democrat Jack Truman believes he can win Tuesday’s election in the heavily-Republican district. The 57-year-old Truman tells 939 the Eagle that times are difficult across the rural district.

“Financially people are having to watch their pennies. And inflation and the economy is one of my top issues,” Truman says.

Mr. Truman says the regular person is having difficulty now just surviving, citing the cost of gasoline, food, rent, utilities and more. He’s self-funding his campaign and has been traveling across the sprawling 24-county district. He says there several other key issues that voters want to see addressed.

“Protecting our children, a woman’s right to choose, the economy, gun control, the environment,” says Truman.

He’ll face GOP nominee Mark Alford on Tuesday. Alford is a veteran Kansas City television new anchor.

The district includes parts of Columbia, Hallsville, Centralia and Sedalia. The district has only had two congressional representatives since 1977: Skelton from 1977-2010 and U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Harrisonville) from 2011 to today. Hartzler gave up her House seat to run unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate.