Mike Dulak has been building mandolins for 22 years. Having spent decades playing in honky-tonks and clubs, he is a seasoned and grizzled musician with the chops to hang with any band you could put him with. Folks in Columbia might recognize some of his hilariously named (but blazingly talented) groups such as The Rank […]
The true wealth of Columbia is found in its philanthropic spirit. It seems that in every moment, someone in Columbia is in fact working to make the world a better place. From escorting our veterans to see war memorials in Washington, D.C., supplying families in need or raising funds to pay off health care bills, […]
Columbia’s William (Bill) Claassen encapsulates a unique paradox of silence and volume. He speaks gently of yoga, meditation, monastic retreats and the therapeutic benefits of movement and dance. “I prefer silence,” says Claassen. Yet, energy and excitement shimmer on his face — even his silence is not so quiet. Perhaps the volume of Claassen’s quietude […]
When studying the rich tapestry of Columbia’s writing community, Steve Weinberg is a repeating pattern. His threads are integral, colorful and diverse. With over four decades of journalism experience, Weinberg has created a solid foundation in the field. Weinberg obtained both a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the Missouri School of Journalism at the University […]
“Only about 30 percent of our students go to state parks with their family even though Rock Bridge State Park is right here in town,” declared Columbia Public Schools’ (CPS) K-12 Science Coordinator Mike Szydlowski. “We don’t want outside to be an exceptional thing. We want it to be normal,” he emphasized. Now, every CPS […]
Columbia is filled with many residents who have an idea for a book. What makes Columbia unique is the percentage of people who invest in their idea all the way through to publication. Sean Frazier is a new addition to that ever-growing statistic with his first title, “The Call of Chaos (The Forgotten Years: Book […]
Photos by Paul Jackson My first introduction to drone technology was in a park in China. I watched a four-bladed helicopter sitting completely still in the air as its operator placed the remote on the ground. Having flown a number of RC planes and helicopters, I was amazed at the apparent autonomous control that allowed […]
Photos by L.G. Patterson Do you live to work or work to live? I asked Drew Lemberger of Rocheport what motivates him to own and operate a handful of small businesses while shouldering the challenges of growing one of the state’s largest wineries, Les Bourgeois Vineyards in Rocheport. “It’s not what you do, but how […]
Alex George is a busy man. Author, attorney, husband and father, George is also the director and founder of Columbia’s Unbound Book Festival. As the festival approaches, it promises to be a stellar second-year event (www.unboundbookfestival.com). George has the additional adventure of promoting his newest novel, “Setting Free the Kites,” which is already gathering recognition […]
Dr. Peter Stiepleman has been the Columbia Public Schools superintendent since 2014. Peter is the second generation Stiepleman in the United States. He says that sharing the story of his family often helps him connect with others. “Superintendency really involves three jobs. One of those jobs is I’m the CEO of the third largest employer […]
photo courtesy of L.G. Patterson Debbie Furnell gets hired to dig — not into dirt but into the past. Her clients might ask her to squint through the glow of a microfilm reader, scanning records for a great-grandfather’s name. Or, she’ll pour through the journal of an 1840s-era doctor, snapping a photograph of each of […]
