Columbia School Board vice president Chris Horn is seeking his second three-year term on the board. Mr. Horn was first elected in 2020. He joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable.” Both of Mr. Horn’s parents were in the U.S. Air Force, and he was born in North Carolina and moved several times as a child. He came to Columbia to attend Mizzou, where he earned a degree in mathematics. Mr. Horn says the board is concerned about everything that happens in the district. He also tells listeners that the school board is elected to effect policy, to manage the budget and to help CPS have a long-range facility plan:
Kendrick praises partnerships that led to Columbia Regional Airport’s new terminal
The Democratic nominee for Boone County presiding commissioner describes Columbia Regional Airport’s (COU) $23-million new terminal as a game-changer for the region.
Former State Rep. Kip Kendrick (D-Columbia) tells 939 the Eagle that Columbia, Boone County, Jefferson City and mid-Missouri will all benefit.
“It is also the visitors that we’re going to get in, businesses we’re going to be able to recruit. The colleges will be able to compete better,” Kendrick says.
Kendrick says Mizzou, Columbia College, Stephens College and Moberly Area Community College will all benefit.
Mr. Kendrick also praises the partnerships that led to the new terminal’s completion.
“You know it wasn’t any one entity, it wasn’t any one municipality, it wasn’t any one county. It was the state, it was the federal government, it was local governments,” says Kendrick.
The first flight at COU’s new terminal is Wednesday.
Mr. Kendrick faces GOP nominee Connie Leipard in the November general election for Boone County presiding commissioner. The winner will replace outgoing presiding commissioner Dan Atwill, who decided against a re-election bid.
Familiar name in Columbia municipal government is now deputy city manager
A familiar name in Columbia and in local government is the new deputy city manager.
Mike Griggs, who had been serving as acting deputy city manager since April, was sworn-in at Monday night’s council meeting.
Mr. Griggs, a Hickman high school, graduate, earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Mizzou. He worked for Columbia Parks and Recreation for 36 of the past 39 years, including a decade as director. Griggs credits his parks career for preparing him for the transition. He’s worked on urban planning, infrastructure issues, parking lot planning and utilities.
The key hire represents another step in Columbia government, as first-year city manager De’Carlon Seewood continues to build his team.
Columbia man faces potential life sentence for sexually assaulting two women
A Columbia man is facing a lengthy prison sentence after being convicted on all seven counts involving the robbery and sexual assaults of two sex workers in separate incidents. The incidents happened in December 2020 and January 2021.
A Boone County jury deliberated for two hours-and-15 minutes on Wednesday before returning guilty verdicts against 26-year-old Xavier Gee, including kidnapping, rape and sodomy. 939 the Eagle News was in the courtroom for all three days of the trial, including during Wednesday’s penalty phase. One of the victims took the witness stand and turned her chair toward Gee and looked straight at him as she spoke.
“You took my life away from me. I hope you beg for your life the way you made me beg for mine,” the woman testified. Gee looked down at a table as she spoke.
Gee also took the stand during the penalty phase, telling Boone County Circuit Judge Jeff Harris and the jury that he is remorseful. He apologized and blamed his actions on his drug use. He testified that he held jobs at the Fieldhouse, Flat Branch Pub and Brewing and at the Columbia Boys and Girls Club before the pandemic. But he says he began using drugs during the pandemic and blamed drugs for what happened, saying he’s not that person anymore.
Boone County assistant prosecutor Nick Komoroski spoke to the jury after that, saying Gee’s comments weren’t an apology and describing Gee as manipulative. Prosecutor Komoroski says Gee’s actions were egregious, saying both victims thought they would be murdered. One was placed in a trunk after being kidnapped.
Gee wore a black dress shirt and dark pants in court on Wednesday. He testified that he attended Ladue high school near St. Louis and went to Mizzou to study broadcast journalism. He had hoped to be on television one day. He had no family in the courtroom. His girlfriend, a Columbia nurse, was in the courtroom and testified during the penalty phase. She asked the jury for mercy.
Judge Harris will sentence Gee later this fall.
Mizzou’s research reactor to receive 40,000 square foot addition
A $20-million addition to the Mizzou research reactor in Columbia has been approved by the UM Board of Curators. The board voted Thursday to approve the 40,000 square foot addition to expand the existing facility. It’s expected to be finished in 2024. The MU research reactor, which operates at ten megawatts, is the most powerful university …