Editor's letter: Joplin stands strong in the midst of pain

It was like taking a scoop of sand off the beach. Five days after the May 22 tornado hit Joplin, I joined a group of volunteers to clean up debris and help families try to salvage what they could from their homes.

5 Things about unusual Missouri laws

Missouri towns still have some weird laws in the books. Did you know about the town that has outlawed dancing? Or the laundry laws in Columbia? Read on to find out more of the Show-Me State's odd laws.

Columbia's city manager Mike Matthes plans for 2012

After taking office in May, City Manager Mike Matthes shares what he has accomplished this year and talks about what residents can look forward to in the new year. He has big changes planned for 2012 including public transit, expanded services at the Columbia Regional Airport and improved communication with city officials.

Read This: Micro

(Web Exclusive) Being half an inch tall puts a whole new perspective on life. Although this could be looked at as an unfortunate circumstance, it is the least of seven graduate students’ worries in Michael Crichton’s newest book, Micro.

On the nightstand with Joan Gabel

When MU Trulaske College of Business Dean Joan Gabel has a break from her hectic work schedule, she loves to curl up in bed with her Kindle. When she isn’t busy overseeing the business school, she loves to sit back and relax with these books.

Book Review: Call Me Tom

(Web Exclusive) Call him the youngest St. Louis circuit attorney, attorney general and lieutenant governor in Missouri history. Call him the Missouri senator who didn’t lose an election in a 30-year public service career. Or just refer to him as Tom. Whichever title you choose for the Show-Me State’s most successful congressman, the late Thomas F. Eagleton merits the recognition.

Unique magazine subscriptions

Particular, selective and discerning are all just fancy ways to describe that person who is hard to buy for. So when it’s time to finally make that gift purchase, creativity has to come into play. Here are some magazines that are sure to satisfy picky people.

A conversation with Brock Bukowsky

Brock Bukowsky’s desk is covered with the beaming faces of his three children, and religious scripture lines the walls. By spending just a few minutes in his office, it’s clear that these are the things that motivate him. Along with his brother, Brant, Brock opened VAMortgageCenter.com in 2003 after their million-dollar success with a previous company, Show-Me Tickets.

Vox Asks Columbians: What’s one gift you’ve always wanted but never received?

Vehicles and vacations are some of the things Columbians want this holiday season

Ed Hanson creates Talking Horse Productions

Good theater sparks conversation — or at least that’s what local actor Ed Hanson hopes to accomplish with his new company, Talking Horse Productions. Scheduled to open in January, Hanson is creating a theater where sophistication is combined with an exclusive experience.

Make This: Homemade wreath

With colder weather creeping in and Columbians brimming with seasoned spirit, crafting can serve as the perfect pick-me-up after a long day. Thanks to a creative idea from Lyssa Zimmerman’s blog, “Lyssa Beth,” Vox has found the perfect solution: a festive wreath.

Coming Home to Joplin

After the tornado demolished Highley's house in Joplin, his niece, Christina Williamson, began building him a new home. The catch: Highley's new home is a complete surprise.

Four families in Joplin are starting over

Joplin is healing itself like a wound from the outside in. On the periphery of the 6-mile long, 1-mile wide path of destruction caused by the tornado, lies a neighborhood. St. John’s Hospital can be seen but before the tornado, the view was obstructed by trees. The families that live here are rebuilding their homes and their lives.

By the Numbers: Rebuilding Joplin

Joplin is starting from the ground up

The wind blows stronger on Winfield Avenue. There are no trees. The houses are gone, too, torn from the ground when an EF5 tornado ripped through Joplin on May 22. It’s been more than six months since then, and Sheri McAllister stands on the foundation of her new front porch.

Joplin: After the storm clears

Nearly seven months after a devastating tornado wiped out parts of Joplin, claiming 161 lives in the process, the city is slowly beginning to heal itself. Most of the cleanup has ended, but reconstruction remains an arduous task. Vox sent a team of reporters, photographers and videographers to gather these stories about the community's recovery.

Restaurant Update: Crazy Noodle and Texas Roadhouse

New restaurants with unique niches set up shop in Columbia’s restaurant scene. An Asian-fusion noodle restaurant with a mix-and-match menu and a steakhouse with unexpected entertainment have opened for business. Grab some green, split the bill or fly solo while dining at one of Columbia’s newest eateries.

Decadent Nation rocks out for a cause

Decadent Nation says its purpose is in its name. When the band formed in Columbia about five years ago, its members decided to make music with a message that serves as a portrait of modern America. The band performs Saturday at The Blue Note to benefit the Central Missouri Humane Society.

See This: Pokey LaFarge

With a fedora and shined shoes, Pokey LaFarge looks like a modern-day Gatsby character equipped with a guitar. When he takes center stage tonight at Mojo's, he wants to get an audience swinging like it’s 1925.

Holiday Playlist

(Web Exclusive) Sure, most people know the American holiday classics “Jingle Bells,” “Winter Wonderland” and “Santa Claus is Coming to Town.” We’ve heard them all before. But across the world, people are celebrating the most wonderful time of the year with a plethora of tunes many of us have never heard.

See This: Jerrod Niemann

(Web Exclusive) Jerrod Niemann has waited a long time for his chance in the spotlight. The young musician began his career by writing songs for artists such as Blake Shelton and Garth Brooks, but was never able to nail down his own recording contract ­— until now. The idiosyncratic crooner will perform today at The Blue Note.

Hear This: Jonsi + Snoop Dogg

(Web Exclusive) Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa break out a new 12-track album featuring hit single "Young, Wild & Free" as a prelude to their upcoming stoner comedy, Mac + Devin Go To High School, , while Jonsi demonstrates his mastery of orchestral arrangement in We Bought a Zoo.