Hunter Biden doesn't take the stand in his trial. Are you surprised? A Missouri inmate is scheduled for execution tonight. Missouri Politico Chris Arps on the day's headlines.

NFIB Missouri director Brad Jones says 42 percent of NFIB Missouri members now have jobs that they cannot fill, up from the April 40 percent number. Mr. Jones joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Mid-Missouri", telling listeners that small businesses represents 40 percent of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP). He says as small businesses go, so goes the nation. Mr. Jones tells listeners that three specific areas that his members are having a hard time finding employees are construction, manufacturing and transportation. Mr. Jones tells listeners that Ranken Technical College's multi-million dollar Ashland campus should help with the shortage of employees. The Ashland campus is focusing on construction, IT, nursing and manufacturing. Ranken also plans to incorporate life skills into its curriculum:

How Pediatricians in the industry are handling transgender children's healthcare. A Florida man finds himself facing some assault charges for a pretty crappy reason. State Committeewoman Pat Thomas recaps how last weekend's state party meeting went.

Missouri NFIB President, Brad Jones, joins us to go over this month's small business report. The state budget and its surplus monies.

An update on Hunter Biden's trial. Will he take the stand today? Women's basketball phenom, Caitlin Clark, gets left off of the USA Women's Basketball roster. Randy recaps a military graduation he attended last weekend.

Missouri Times Publisher Scott Faughn gives us the rundown of how the annual Cattlemen's Steak Fry in Sedalia went. A Missouri restaurant goes viral for a bizarre reason and we speculate on if "The Donald" will see any prison time.

Matt Nichols with the Columbia Police Officers' Association joins us to discuss the SWAT situations Boone County has had in the last week, as well as a Facebook feud with a former city councilman. The used car industry ain't what it used to be.

Missouri Governor Mike Parson (R), state lawmakers in both parties and state Department of Transportation (MoDOT) officials will be in Columbia Thursday morning for the groundbreaking ceremony for the $405-million project to rebuild and expand I-70 between Columbia and Kingdom City. The work will begin after the Fourth of July east of Columbia. Governor Parson signed bipartisan legislation in August in Columbia providing $2.8 billion to reconstruct and expand I-70 to six lanes from Blue Springs to Wentzville. The first phase will be the 20 miles from Columbia to Kingdom City. "Missouri Times" publisher Scott Faughn joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Mid-Missouri", telling listeners that this will be the largest public works project in Missouri history. Mr. Faughn also says the improvements are critical for America's national defense and for the economy. Mr. Faughn also discussed this past weekend's popular steak fry in Sedalia, which is organized by the Columbia-based Missouri Cattlemen's Association. Faughn says numerous political candidates from both parties attended and talked about Missouri Governor Mike Parson's final steak fry. Mr. Faughn also says he was impressed with House Minority Leader Crystal Quade's (D-Springfield) speech in Sedalia that night, where she talked about the importance of getting things done and growing up in Webster County:

The Columbia Police Officers Association (CPOA) says staffing shortages and increased violent crime are plaguing officers in the department. The CPOA has issued a Facebook post, which says 2024 is on pace to be the most violent year on record in Columbia. CPOA executive director Matt Nichols joined us live on 939 the Eagle's "Wake Up Mid-Missouri". He tells listeners that Columbia has seen ten homicides thus far in 2024, adding that the record number is 15 that was set in 2019. The city has seen four homicides in the past month. That includes two women being shot to death and dumped in a closet, the deadly gun battle in White Castle’s parking lot and an 18-year-old male being shot to death on Rice road. The CPOA says a number of the SWAT team members that responded to Thursday’s deadly standoff at the Links apartments on Clark lane came in during their time off. The CPOA's Nichols tells listeners that CPD officers are exhausted, and he says Columbia could use a full-time SWAT team. He also discussed the bullet-resistant BearCat, which was struck by gunfire from armed suspects twice last week:

We track an ongoing police standoff in Columbia, the second standoff in Boone County this week. Mike Deering with The Missouri Cattlemen's Association previews their upcoming steak fry.