Saturday Cover

A look at K-12 and higher education in Columbia, past and future.

People in Columbia post their photos on Flickr as a way to connect with other photographers about shared interests.

Anne Gamboa was living in Florida when her family discovered her squalid living conditions. They made the decision to bring her back to Missouri, which required buying a new house and moving to Ashland.

The terms that swirl around foreclosures and mortgages can often be more complicated than the process itself. Here’s a glossary to help make sense of the convoluted situations.

Homeowners who are confused, troubled or even just wondering about their status have options in securing their residential future.

Adjustable-rate mortgages, or ARMs, are complex because rates can differ from year to year, leaving homeowners confused and often troubled about how to move forward.

Although many agree Columbia and Boone County have suffered far less than many others in the nation, foreclosures have still had widespread effects on many group stakeholders in the Boone County mortgage market.

It took Zimbabwe native Munashe Chigerwe some time to warm up to Columbia, but a group of runners helped him find his stride and make the transition into his new life.

On display at the Museum of Art and Archaeology, there’s a little white disk in the middle of a room. It’s inconspicuous, at first — a simple bauble left by ancient American Indians who once called Missouri home. But peel away the layers of history, and you’ll see that the little disk is far more than an extremely old-school trinket.

In this, the second section in honor of the Missourian’s Centennial Celebration, we look at the history of faith groups in Boone County from 1823 to the present.

The land at Rock Bridge Memorial State Park is rich with layers of cultural history. Park staff are digging into the past to find clues about the area, and they hope community members can help them in preserving the park’s heritage.

Some faculty members questioned Forsee's lack of academic background, but curators sought a president with business know-how.

It’s a chaotic household, and it shows on the faded maroon carpet, worn from the bustling activity of the 101 foster children who have called this house a home.

Grumpy’s Bar-B-Cue opened five years ago as a summer-only take-out joint. Today, regulars flock to the Bill and Betty Woods’ year-round restaurant for the homestyle meals and homey atmosphere.

Car crashes killed their teenage sons and daughter. Now, the surviving parents have come together to push

for new laws designed to keep young drivers safe on the road.

As director of the Voluntary Action Center for the past 17 years, Cindy Mustard has made Columbia a better place for thousands of residents.

CAT's future could be an increase in funding and huge growth. Or it could go off the air entirely. A potential contract with the city could keep the station alive.

This college football season was inconceivable.

Appalachian State upset Michigan. Notre Dame won only three games. A sophomore won the Heisman Trophy for the first time. And Missouri played Kansas with the No. 1 ranking in the nation at stake.

The Tigers prevailed, claiming the top spot in the polls for the first time since 1960. Chase Daniel showed up in sports fans’ mailbox, gracing the cover of Sports Illustrated. Fans started to plan trips to New Orleans for the national title game. But Oklahoma forced everyone to cancel their reservations, dominating the Tigers in the Big 12 Conference Championship.

Such a story would have seemed absurd in August, like Nebraska giving up 76 points to Kansas.

But it did happen, and here’s how …