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May is foster care awareness month. Missouri Governor Mike Parson will begin his day tomorrow morning by presenting a proclamation for foster care month to the state Department of Social Services (DSS) children's division leadership team and to foster youth. Coyote Hill Foster Care Ministries in Boone County began in 1991. Coyote Hill Foster Care Ministries chief executive officer Bill Atherton appeared in-studio for the hour Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle's "CEO Roundtable." Mr. Atherton describes Coyote Hill as a safe place for every child impacted by foster care. Mr. Atherton, who grew up in Oklahoma, earned his master's degree in social work. Coyote Hill encompasses about 300 acres and has seven foster homes and more than 30 employees. Mr. Atherton tells listeners that about 50 children live at the property, while another 250 children are served in various foster homes in the Columbia, Jefferson City and Hannibal areas. Host Fred Parry and Mr. Atherton also discussed Coyote Hill's rich history, which has been highlighted by love and dedication. Most of you recognize these names: Larry and Cathy McDaniel, Mark and Laurene Zimmer and Ira and Gail Hubbell. They are just some of the people in that rich history:

The Columbia Housing Authority was founded in 1956. Its mission is to provide safe, healthy and affordable housing to low-income Columbia/Boone County residents and families. Columbia Housing Authority chief executive officer Randy Cole joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle's "CEO Roundtable." The Columbia Housing Authority currently serves about 2,000 households and about 4,000 residents. Mr. Cole grew up in western Missouri's Liberty, which is a Kansas City suburb. He played football and baseball in high school and earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Mizzou. Mr. Cole has worked numerous jobs in his career, including a stint in then-Columbia city manager Ray Beck's office. He also managed weatherization and low-income energy assistance for Central Missouri Community Action. Mr. Cole also previously worked for the Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC). He tells listeners that the Columbia Housing Authority has 76 employees and that they own and maintain about 750 units. Mr. Cole describes his job as meaningful, adding it has a real impact on lives:

The Columbia Housing Authority was founded in 1956. Its mission is to provide safe, healthy and affordable housing to low-income Columbia/Boone County residents and families. Columbia Housing Authority chief executive officer Randy Cole joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle's "CEO Roundtable." The Columbia Housing Authority currently serves about 2,000 households and about 4,000 residents. Mr. Cole grew up in western Missouri's Liberty, which is a Kansas City suburb. He played football and baseball in high school and earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Mizzou. Mr. Cole has worked numerous jobs in his career, including a stint in then-Columbia city manager Ray Beck's office. He also managed weatherization and low-income energy assistance for Central Missouri Community Action. Mr. Cole also previously worked for the Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC). He tells listeners that the Columbia Housing Authority has 76 employees and that they own and maintain about 750 units. Mr. Cole describes his job as meaningful, adding it has a real impact on lives:

The Columbia Housing Authority was founded in 1956. Its mission is to provide safe, healthy and affordable housing to low-income Columbia/Boone County residents and families. Columbia Housing Authority chief executive officer Randy Cole joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle's "CEO Roundtable." The Columbia Housing Authority currently serves about 2,000 households and about 4,000 residents. Mr. Cole grew up in western Missouri's Liberty, which is a Kansas City suburb. He played football and baseball in high school and earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Mizzou. Mr. Cole has worked numerous jobs in his career, including a stint in then-Columbia city manager Ray Beck's office. He also managed weatherization and low-income energy assistance for Central Missouri Community Action. Mr. Cole also previously worked for the Missouri Public Service Commission (PSC). He tells listeners that the Columbia Housing Authority has 76 employees and that they own and maintain about 750 units. Mr. Cole describes his job as meaningful, adding it has a real impact on lives:

Boone Health is the sixth-largest employer in Columbia/Boone County, according to the latest statistics from Columbia Regional Economic Development Incorporated (REDI). REDI says Boone currently has 1,581 employees. Brady Dubois is celebrating his six-month anniversary this weekend as Boone Health’s chief executive officer and president. Mr. Dubois joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle’s “CEO Roundtable” program. Mr. Dubois grew up in southeast Texas and south central Louisiana and worked on his grandmother’s farm. He tells listeners he learned the value of hard work and family while growing up there. He graduated from Southwest Texas State in San Marcos and provided bedside care for five years before joining the U.S. Navy for eight years from 2000-2008. He later worked at northwest Missouri’s Mosaic Life Care in St. Joseph, serving on the Jefferson City-based Missouri Hospital Association’s board at that time. Mr. Dubois later worked in Detroit before the Boone opportunity came up. His children were attending school at Mizzou and he tells listeners that Columbia “felt like home.” Mr. Parry describes Brady Dubois as decisive and transparent. One of the main issues discussed during the interview was the non-disclosure agreement (NDA) that Boone Health signed with officials in mid-Missouri’s Mexico and Audrain County this month. Boone Health says the NDA’s purpose is to allow for a full review of hospital service needs for Audrain County and the co-development of a master health plan to meet the needs of residents and businesses in Audrain County. Noble closed the doors on its Mexico hospital in March 2022. Mr. Dubois says they all agree that Mexico/Audrain County needs to have 24-7 emergency care, which means a hospital. They’re working on details. He also updated Mr. Parry about efforts to create a network of Boone-affiliated physicians in the market:

Columbia had another bloody week last week, with two brutal homicides and another suspect charged with threatening to cut the heads off of children at the Islamic Center. Police chief Jill Schlude joined host Fred Parry in-studio for the hour Saturday morning on 939 the Eagle's "CEO Roundtable." Recent crime was a major topic, including Monday night's killing of a 22-year-old man in Douglass park. Graphic court documents indicate Kejuan Allen's throat was cut and that he was stabbed 20 times. The suspect also allegedly used a taser/stun gun on Allen. Mr. Parry asked about that murder and the other recent violence we've seen in Columbia. Chief Schlude is focused on trying to get CPD fully staffed. She tells listeners that they have 37 officer vacancies. Chief Schlude says she had two job offers on her calendar for this week and that another 11 officers are currently in the Academy. The chief didn't mince words about the staffing levels she has, noting CPD currently has a two-person traffic unit and that the street crimes unit is currently staffed at 50 percent. In addition to violence, Chief Schlude also warned about increasing auto thefts across the city. She says auto thefts are pervasive across the city, noting a lot of Columbia residents leave their keys in their cars and they also leave the car running at gas stations. Jill Schlude will celebrate her 18th anniversary at CPD in October. She grew up in northwest Missouri's St. Joseph, where her parents still live. She began college as a journalism student at Mizzou, and her first law enforcement job was a civilian job with the Boone County Sheriff's Department. She is a proud graduate of Columbia College: