KFRU Business Spotlight

KFRU Business Spotlight -- June 6th & 7th, 2026.  Jacque Sample, 3rd Ward City Councilwoman, joins us to talk about her first year (and a bit) on the Columbia City Council, telling us about how the council works together as a team.  We asked about her favorite parts of the job and the negative points as well.  We talked extensively about the one-cent sales tax up for a vote of the citizens of Columbia on the Augu...

KFRU Business Spotlight -- May 23rd & 24th, 2026. Eric Kopinski, the director of the Improve I-70 Project, joins us to talk about the ongoing activity as the widening of I-70 to three lanes both ways continues.  Eric talks about some parts of the overall project that have been completed, some just in the last days.  We also talk about the big parts of the project which will be happening in the next few weeks.  Ko...

KFRU Business Spotlight -- May 16th & 17th, 2026.  This week, Lili Vianello of Visionworks Marketing tells us about Relocating in Columbia, a recent acquisition for her company.  The magazine focuses on stories on many exciting people, places and things in Columbia. We cover many topics including the start of Visionworks and the changes that have occurred through the years.  We also talk to Kate Harry and Patsy S...

KFRU Business Spotlight -- May 9th & 10th. Gregg Busch, the 50th District State Rep and John Martin, the 44th District State Rep, join us for this week's Spotlight to talk about the latest news as this year's session nears its end.  We cover the new budget and its effect on Missourians, talk about income taxes versus sales taxes and educational funding.  All that information with the perspective from both sides of the...

KFRU Business Spotlight -- May 2nd & 3rd, 2026.  Nick Foster joins us this weekend after an announcement on Thursday, April 30th, that he intended to resign from the Columbia City Council effective June 12th.  Nick's wife, Candace Kuby, PhD, is a Deputy Provost at the University of Missouri and has taken a job as the Dean of the Education school at Georgia State University in Atlanta.  Nick and Candace and their ...

KFRU Business Spotlight -- April 25th & 26th, 2026.  This week on the KFRU Business Spotlight, Director Chris Kelley joins us to talk about the Office of Emergency Management. There has been much activity at the center in the past few weeks with severe weather passing through Boone County, so Chris told us what happens at the OEM during those times designated through communication with the National Weather Service.  T...

KFRU Business Spotlight -- April 18th & 19th, 2026.  Dr Mun Choi joins us this week to talk about the University of Missouri.  From research at the NextGen MURR and NextGen Precision Medicine, the university is making great strides to finding cures for many medical conditions.  For the first time ever, Ellis Fischel Cancer Center is hosting a trial that focuses on liver cancers.  Hear what Dr. Choi has to sa...

KFRU Business Spotlight -- April 11th & 12th, 2026.  Randy Cole, CEO of the Columbia Housing Authority, joins us. Randy gives us some insight on what the CHA is and what it does for folks in Columbia.  The Columbia Housing Authority celebrates 70 years this year.  One brand new CHA development has just been completed in the past six months, while a complete "to the ground" remodel is going on for their Blind Boon...

KFRU Business Spotlight -- April 4th & 5th, 2026.  The candidates for the 5th Ward City Council seat in the April 7th Municipal Election join us for a last weekend before the election day conversation.  Christina Hartman is the challenger in the race and talks about her reason to get involved through the council, along with the things she believes are most important for the council to work on in the coming years. ...

KFRU Business Spotlight -- March 21st & 22nd, 2026.  Ken Rice joins us to talk Columbia.  Ken, who has had an unsuccessful run for both City Council and School Board seats, has taken on new service positions recently taking a spot on the Columbia Disabilities Commission.  We talk about how that commission works and the information they provide for the City Council and members of the community.  Ken also give...

KFRU Business Spotlight -- March 28th & 29th, 2026.  Eric Kopinski joins us to talk about the I-70 Improvement program.  Eric is the director of the program and brings us an overview of the project, along with the very latest traffic modifications underway right now that will affect drivers now through the late summer months.  Eric also gets into the changes within the program that allows for safer driving and mo...

KFRU Business Spotlight -- March 14th & 15th, 2026.  Sydney Olsen joins us to talk about communications and the City of Columbia.  Sydney has been pitching this proposal from City Manger De'Carlon Seewood to the council even as she plans to make a move to the Marketing Director position at Central Bank of Boone County. The change would make a change in supervisors of many of the communications employees.  The hea...

KFRU Business Spotlight -- March 7th & 8th, 2026. Dr. Jennifer Rukstad, the Executive Director of the MSHSAA joins us to talks about two bills, Senate Bill 863 and House Bill 2278, that were written to change the governing body that would oversee the association from a group chosen from members of the association to a group chosen by the legislature.  Ironically, the bills were filed as the MSHSAA celebrates its 100 year a...

KFRU Business Spotlight -- February 21st & 22nd, 2026. This week, Paul Eisenstein, the director of the City of Columbia Office of Economic Development department and the President of Regional Economic Development, Inc brings us up-to-date on what's happening.  From working with businesses that may be looking to move their job producing activities here, to helping local businesses grow and expand here, to help in supporting...

KFRU Business Spotlight -- February 14th & 15th, 2026.  Nick Foster, the 4th Ward City Councilman and Don Waterman, the 5th Ward City Councilman, joins me this week to talk electric transmission line construction.  The Columbia City Council met in a work session to hear a proposal from the Utilities Department to get a long paused project underway.  There are two routes being discussed, but the Water & Light ...

KFRU Business Spotlight -- February 7th & 8th, 2026.  Columbia Fire Department Chief Brian Schaeffer joins us this week to talk about the latest at CFD.  Recently, a new recruit class of 13 graduated. Some moved on to their EMT training while the rest moved into their new assignments across the city.  Chief Schaeffer also explained a recent change in policy and procedure -- passed by the City council at their las...

KFRU Business Spotlight -- 1/31 & 2/1, 2026.  This week Chief Jill Schlude from the Columbia Police Department joins us to talk about numerous topics.  First, Jill tells us it's been an active start to 2026 with a gun fired inside Dick's Sporting Goods, a murder as a Facebook Marketplace deal went bad over a used cell phone, and other shots fired calls this past week. We also talk about the fact that suspects in these...

KFRU Business Spotlight -- January 24th & 25th, 2026.  Chip Jones, PE, the Executive Vice-President for Operations for Emery Sapp and Sons, joins us to talk about the I-70 Improvement project from Rocheport to Columbia that was recently awarded.to ESS. This is a 13 mile stretch of Highway 70 from the Missouri River Bridge at Rocheport to just about US Route 63 in Columbia  It's also one of the highest volume sections ...