Gallery

By Yi Gan  ¦   After nearly three hours of searching, officials found the body of an 18-year-old man who had fallen into the Missouri River on Monday afternoon.

By Missourian staff  ¦  

By Nick Agro  ¦   Ahmed Abdalla and his family fled Somalia to live in a refugee camp in Kenya. After seven years there, the family was allowed to relocate to St. Louis. It's been a journey of imagination and reality as the family has adjusted and learned the many cultural challenges and a new language. Now 20, Abdalla works as a doorman at a St. Louis hotel and attends college classes.

By Robert Swain  ¦   Tanner Brundage, who won this year's Missouri High School Rodeo trap-shooting contest, practices with his Browning Trap 99 shotgun for the upcoming national event.

By Yi Gan  ¦   Neighbors in the Golden Beach community on the Lake of the Ozarks have reacted to a July 4 accident by trying to improve the wiring of docks and increasing swimming and electrical safety. Two children died from an electrical shock while swimming in the lake.

The Columbia Disc Golf Club is hosting its biggest event this weekend, the Mid-America Open Disc Golf Tournament. The event takes place at Indian Hills Park and Albert-Oakland Park.

By Amy Bruer  ¦   DanJo Farms used to operate at the Columbia Farmers' Market. However, since DanJo Farms sells items from a variety of small farms, they cannot participate in the market. The business sells produce, homemade bread, sauces and eggs, among other items at various locations during the week.

The hot weather only worsened Saturday, causing major headaches for people across the country. For those that headed out into the heat, staying cool was a priority.

By Yi Gan  ¦   Will Kinney prepares a chicken dish that won him top honors at a national culinary competition.

By Benjamin Zack  ¦   To Sean and Darline Mabins, a healthy bank account enables a stable life for them and their children. Both came from homes where money was scarce but have worked hard to achieve what many consider to be the classic American Dream.

By Amy Bruer  ¦   On Friday, DanceWalk COMO started its parade at Artlandish Gallery and marched through Downtown Columbia to end where it began.

By Robert Swain  ¦   Blue Thunder Track Club, a community track team in Columbia, was founded in 2005. Since then, its numbers have swelled. This year, the club is sending 42 runners to an AAU national competition.

By Carrie Durkee  ¦   Geocaching participants work to find hidden boxes by using old-fashioned know-how and some up-to-date technology.

By Yi Gan  ¦   Bruce Hendren, owner of Roll On Premium Smokes, decided to end rolling Friday after a new law passes. The law regulates and taxes roll-your-own tobacco stores. Hendren opened the store in June 2011 on East Broadway.

Friends Jessica Long and Amanda Weyerich both ended up in Rocheport and enjoy the small-town community atmosphere. Long owns Annie's Breads and uses the kitchen of the General Store in the early morning to bake her breads.

By Amy Bruer, Robert Swain  ¦   Flags, fireworks and food abound on the Fourth of July in Columbia as residents and visitors gathered at Peace Park and Flat Branch Park for entertainment and activities for children and then stayed to watch the downtown fireworks.

By Robert Swain  ¦   From cool treats to traditional festival fare, Columbia residents celebrated the Fourth of July with food.

By Missourian Staff  ¦   Kids, families and adults dressed in red, white and blue for Columbia's Fire in the Sky celebration.

By Jaime Henry-White, Leah Beane  ¦   In honor of Independence Day, two Missourian reporters wandered around Columbia and asked people the question: "What is your favorite Fourth of July tradition or memory?" Whether they were visitors just in town for the holiday or Columbia residents, everyone had something to say about why they enjoy the Fourth of July.

By JIAXI LU/Missourian  ¦   More than 900 people waited outside the Courtyard by Marriott hotel early Wednesday morning for the return of 64 veterans who traveled to Washington, D.C., on an Honor Flight.