3:45 p.m. Tuesday: A.L. Gustin Golf Park

The America In Bloom judges ended their tour driving golf carts through the MU A.L. Gustin Golf Park. Isaac Breuer, director of golf course operations, led the caravan around the 18 hole public course where the judges toured fairways set among towering oaks, maple saplings and swaying wildflowers.
Discussion on course maintenance, grass species, field [...]

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1:30 p.m. Tuesday: Flat Branch Park

The rain clouds at bay and the humidity on the rise, the tour next stopped by Flat Branch Park. Mona Menezes of the Public Works Department and Steve Saitta, Superintendent of Parks and Development, led the judges down the length of the Flat Branch Creek, sidestepping the remaining pools of high water
Speaking from a spot [...]

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12:30 p.m. Tuesday: University of Missouri Campus

Pete Millier, Director of Campus Facilities and Landscape Services led the judges on a walking tour of the University of Missouri Campus.
The tour began at Peace Park. Millier said that the historic park is one of the largest remaining “undug” and undeveloped areas in Columbia, as well as the home to a creek that runs [...]

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11:30 a.m. Tuesday: YouZeum Conference Room

Over lunch at the Youzeum, the judges met with Gwen Robbins, executive director of the Youzeum, and a host of others who work on non-motorized transportation in Columbia.
Robbins gave a history of the YouZeum, mid-Missouri’s “first and only interactive health science center.” One interesting thing we learned was that everything in the museum is [...]

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9:45 a.m. Tuesday: Historic Preservation, Wabash Station and Missouri Theatre Center for the Arts

Due to heavy rain in this morning’s thunderstorm, the first part of the downtown walking tour was more of a “visual walking tour.” The judges met with Deb Sheals, historic preservation consultant and Carrie Gartner, executive director of Downtown Columbia Association. They discussed historic structures and preservation efforts in Columbia, most specifically the [...]

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9:30 a.m. Tuesday: Gentry Building Conference Room

The judges had a short meeting with Gerry Worley, environmental health manager of the Columbia/Boone County Health Department. They discussed weed ordinances enforced by the Health Department’s Environmental Health Division.  By this ordinance, weeds taller than 12 inches are considered excess vegetation.  Weed complaints are handled by the department of health in a streamlined process, [...]

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8:00 a.m. Tuesday: Stephens Lake Park

To the left: Julie Riley takes a picture of a rain garden in Stephens Lake Park.

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