Business

A locally-owned Kirksville grocery store is closing.  Near and Far Downtown Grocery sells produce from local farmers to stock its shelves. Velda Salt opened the store with her husband after having success at the farmer’s market. But she says the college town environment, and its seasonal nature, made it tough to be profitable year-round.

“More than half of our clientele are students," said Salt. "But it’s not just the students, because when school is out the professors are gone, a lot of them. The community…overall the town decreases.”

A judge upheld the language of a proposed ballot initiative Thursday that, if passed, would raise the state minimum wage from $7.25 an hour to $8.25. Kansas City Restaurant Owner Victor Allred challenged the initiative, claiming the language was unfair. But Cole County Circuit Judge rejected his challenge. Missouri Jobs for Justice is the group supporting the initiative, and will turn in the signatures to the Missouri Attorney General next week. 

This week: Columbia’s biggest export to China isn’t corn, soybeans, or any manufactured product.  It’s scrap metal.  In fact trade experts are calling Columbia’s export “waste and scrap.” Plus, find out how one farmer is still shifting through the aftermath after losing hundreds of acres of farmland.

Scott Olson is getting ready to plant corn and soybeans, but he wonders if anything will grow.

Missouri lawmakers are aiming to attract large economic development projects with a new type of incentive modeled on a strategy used elsewhere.

Watch the show and join the conversation on the Intersection website.