Recycling on pause, Ragtag funding cut, restaurant news.
We’re now almost two months into living without a recycling program in Columbia, courtesy of the EF1 twister that destroyed the Materials Recycling Facility on April 20. As the city’s utilities department ponders its options for building a new facility or diverting recyclables to another city — at least temporarily — all trash, including the blue-bagged recyclables, is going into the city’s landfill.
Despite social media claims to the contrary, “most” recycling material hadn’t been going into the landfill already. The Columbia Missourian reported that about 11,000 tons of recycling was picked up in 2024 and about 60 percent of it was recycled. The MRF processed 6,500 tons of recycling — almost twenty-five tons per day.
We’re wondering: Will you get out of the recycling habit before city leaders figure out a solution or build a new facility? Let me hear from you at jodie@comocompanies.com.
Ragtag Takes Federal Funding Hit
Ragtag Film Society, the organization that runs the True/False Film Fest and Ragtag Cinema, learned on May 2 that the National Endowment for the Arts terminated its grant funding, some $30,000, for the 2025 fiscal year.
RFS said in a news release that despite previously approving grant funding, the NEA announced that Ragtag’s core values are no longer relevant to the federal administration’s agenda — an agenda that according to the NEA’s notification email, “reflects the nation’s rich artistic heritage and creativity as prioritized by the President.”
The organization will now rely more heavily on local funding and donations, the news release said.
Curry-osity Comes, Seoul Taco Shutters
A new Indian restaurant has opened at 1301 W. Broadway. Curry-osity features Indo-Chinese fusion dishes and appetizers. The new eatery also has a bar.
That opening supplanted the loss of Seoul Taco, which closed its downtown Columbia location. The closure was confirmed by a letter posted on the restaurant doors at 1020 E. Broadway. The letter stated, “We celebrate ten years of serving this welcoming and vibrant community and express our sincere gratitude to each and every one of you. Columbia has been more than just our business location; it has been our home.”
The restaurant joined Columbia’s food scene in 2015, sharing a space with Strange Donuts, which closed in 2017.
Columbia Entrepreneur in the Spotlight
Mizzou alum and Columbia entrepreneur Brian Whorley has been named a finalist for Ernst & Young’s 2025 Entrepreneur of the Year Heartland Award. Whorley is the founder and CEO of Paytient, a Columbia-headquartered health tech company. Founded in 2018, Paytient partners with hundreds of employers, insurers, and leading healthcare providers to make it easier for members to access and pay for care.
Regional award winners will be announced on Thursday, June 19. The winners will be considered for the Entrepreneur of the Year National Awards, which will be presented in November.
Special Election to Fill Council Seat
Qualified Columbia residents had until June 3 to file to run in a special election for the vacant Second Ward seat, according to a news release from the city clerk’s office. The election will take place on Aug. 5. The election comes after council member Lisa Meyer announced her resignation Friday because of her ongoing struggle with breast cancer.
She has represented the Second Ward, located in northeast Columbia, since April 2024.
The Second Ward seat will remain vacant until a successor is elected.
Street Talk is a monthly overview of “word on the street” business and community news. Street Talk is sponsored by The Bank of Missouri.
