*Note: The April installment of “Street Talk” featured news about The Loop facing a grant freeze; since publication, the Business Loop Community Improvement District (CID) received word that the $2.13 million Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant from the feds was back. Learn more about this in May’s installment of “Street Talk.”

The wave of cuts in federal spending has reached Columbia. A $2.13 million grant awarded to the Business Loop Community Improvement District for improving the Business Loop is now off the table.  

Carrie Gartner, executive director of the Loop CID, said in a public announcement on March 11 that she had “disappointing news.”  

“The Federal Highway Administration has informed us they cannot allocate any of the funds for our Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods Grant and that the project should be stopped,” Gartner wrote. “This is the result of an Executive Order that required federal department heads to provide an assessment of all current grants and other funding with an eye towards cutting specific programs. At this time there is no additional information coming from USDOT.”  

The city was the grant recipient, in partnership with the Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT).   

“We are all working to understand what the path forward might be,” Gartner added. “It’s unclear whether we can get the funds reobligated to our project or whether a new grant process will be introduced to reallocate these dollars to projects meeting new criteria.” She said if federal funds are no longer available, the Loop CID will work with the city “to explore other locally initiated funding tools that are not reliant on grants.”  

Focusing on Feral Felines  

The Columbia Board of Health has moved a mid-March meeting to April 10 to seek public input on proposed changes to the city ordinance related to feral cats. The February issue of COMO Magazine featured the article “Corralling Cats on the Prowl,” which provided a glimpse at animal control ordinances that cat rescue groups say are burdensome. These meetings will include staff presentations, review of existing ordinances, and discussions between Board members.    

The April 10 meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. at the city/county health department at 1005 W. Worley St. 

Arriving, Coming, and Changing …  

It’s here … Home Goods is open for business at The Shoppes at Stadium, and renovation work is beginning at the former Macy’s building where Trader Joe’s will soon open shop. In addition, Smalls Sliders has announced plans to expand its cheeseburger franchise to Columbia and Jefferson City. A news release said a husband-wife duo that owns two Scooters Coffee locations in Missouri plans to bring two of the burger business’s Smalls Sliders Cans to COMO and Jeff City “within the next several months.”  

And just like that, Columbia’s Penguin Piano Bar has a new owner. Dan Rader, owner of MyHouse, a downtown nightclub and sports bar, said in a news release that The Penguin will reopen on April 3. The popular downtown dining and entertainment venue abruptly closed in February after reopening last spring following a nearly four-year COVID hiatus.  

Rader said guests at The Penguin “can expect the same vibe you’ve enjoyed in the past, in an improved space.”  

Columbia Insurance Group announced a new brand identity that includes a shorter name — Columbia Insurance — on March 10. Todd Ruthruff, president and CEO, said in a news release that the new brand identity marked “a significant milestone in the company’s ongoing business transformation.” The branding initiative includes a new modern logo, shortened name, updated website and emails, and a small series of videos.  

Moving Missouri Forward  

The Columbia nonprofit Local Motion will present the Moving Missouri Forward Summit at the Broadway Hotel from Wednesday, April 16, to Friday, April 18. The $100 registration fee includes all sessions and meals, and hotel rooms are available at a block rate. For the full details on the summit, including speakers, schedule, and more, visit lomocomo.org/summit.  

Serendipity Will Host Black Alchemy  

Matchbook Marketing, a student-run marketing agency at the University of Missouri, has announced the return of Black Alchemy, an annual event celebrating the work of local Black artists. The event will be held at Serendipity Salon & Art Gallery in Columbia from 4-7 p.m. on April 26. Matchbook Marketing is collaborating with Mizzou Black Creatives, a student-run organization that supports Black artists on campus, to bring the event to life.  The event is free and open to the public.