Month: January 2015

“That’s why I am sending this Congress a bold new plan to lower the cost of community college – to zero,” President Barack Obama announced in his State of the Union Address. He called it America’s College Promise and said it would cover the cost of students’ tuition for qualifying community college programs, so long

The deadline expired at 5 p.m. Tuesday for anybody trying to run in the April elections. ABC 17 News confirmed six people are currently in the running for Jefferson City mayor. Mayor Eric Struemph already announced last October he is not seeking another term, following his own scare with bladder cancer and his father’s battle

Special Olympics Missouri announced Tuesday it will build a new training facility in Jefferson City. The facility will be placed on over 15 acres of land near Highway 179. Construction will not start until the entire $12.5 million dollars is raised, but organizers have already reached more than half of their goal, with plans to

The Special Olympics of Missouri has officially chosen a new home for its new Training Facility for Life. Board Members met over the weekend and picked Jefferson City for the facility’s new location. The organization had bids from both Columbia and Jefferson City. The Chairman of The Special Olympics of Missouri, also known as SOMO,

Friday, Abc 17 News talked to officials to see what condition Missouri bridges are in after part of a freeway collapsed in Ohio Thursday night. A 35-year-old man from Kentucky is dead and a truck driver is hurt after the overpass suddenly fell on I-75 during construction just north of downtown Cincinnati. The exact cause

A Columbia man once on the run for a decades-old murder has died in prison. Johnny Wright evaded justice for more than 30 years after Becky Doisy disappeared in 1976. Wright was the last person to see Doisy alive, but police could never make a case against him until 2009 when he was arrested while

Big changes are in the works for the Columbia Chamber of Commerce. Currently, work is underway on a new strategic plan for the Chamber. There are also plans for upgrades to the Walton Building on Providence Road, whichhouses the Chamber offices. Columbia Chamber of Commerce President Matt McCormick sat down with ABC 17 News to

Phil Pitts will step down as Helias football coach, he told ABC 17 Sports Director Austin Kim this morning. Pitts, the coach at Helias for the last four season, said he is looking to pursue collegiate opportunities. Pitts said he could not comment further on what his new coaching ventures were. PowerMizzou reports Pitts will

There were multiple activities and events going on in Columbia Monday to honor Martin Luther King Jr. The Columbia chapter of the NAACP held a memorial at the MLK monument on Stadium Boulevard Monday morning at 11:00. Then there was a motorcade to Second Baptist Church downtown near Providence and Broadway. Columbia Parks and Recreation

Boone Hospital officials unveiled some major upgrades to the cafeteria area on the second floor. The serving area and dining room were designed with an open concept for better flow. The hospital serves residents in more than 20 Mid- Missouri counties.

Since his wife runs an in-home preschool, Charlie Scott visits the recycling drop-off center on State Farm Parkway two times a week. It’s his contribution to keeping trash out of the landfill and environment, but just a small offering to the bins overflowing with cardboard Monday afternoon. As a 36-year veteran of the U.S. Fish

A Northwest Columbia neighborhood is on high alert after a several homes were burglarized within the last month. Four Winds Villages management sent a letter to residents Sunday night explaining that five residents have reported things stolen out of their homes. But in each case, the suspect or suspect entered through an unlocked window or

“That’s when he was a baby,” James Dunn Sr. said as he pointed to a picture of his son, Rickie Dunn. “This is some of his football there, when he was a Kewpie. That was the last picture a week before it happened.” Rickie Dunn was shot and killed on Illinois Avenue in Columbia on

Parts of Highway 179 will be shut down starting Tuesday. Crews are replacing dozens of culverts over the next few weeks. The work will be on 179, south of Boonville to Route 87 near Jamestown. The locations will change from day to day and detours will be in place.

Hundreds gathered in Columbia to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. A prevailing thought throughout the day is that it’s been a difficult year in Missouri, especially in and around Ferguson. However, many said that Missouri can move forward in a peaceful way just like Dr. King did during his fight for civil rights. Similar

Three teenage boys fell through what appeared to be ice in St. Louis Monday morning. One of the boys was under water for nearly fifteen minutes before first responders arrived. Columbia officials closed Stephens Lake Park last week due to unstable lake conditions. On Monday, temperature were warm again and officials said it’s still not

More than a dozen units responded to a structure fire just northeast of Columbia Sunday night. Investigators with the Boone County Fire Protection District later confirmed the blaze started near a wood-burning stove. Units with the fire department responded to the incident on the 7700 block of Dusty Rhodes Lane, about two miles northeast from

Work is moving forward on the site of a new intersection near Lincoln University in Jefferson City. On Monday, Jackson Street closed down between East Elm and Miller streets. The same thing is also happening 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, so crews can re-route some of the power lines. They also started stabilizing dirt

The weather this week will mainly be dry and cool as the upper level winds carry in cooler air from the northwest. There won’t be enough moisture to produce rain the next few days but we will have passing clouds as temperatures drop closer to seasonal numbers by mid-week. As it’s been most of the

Gas prices have had a roller coaster of a week. After dropping 10 cents earlier this week, prices were back up another five cents Saturday. Missouri holds on to the title of lowest average gas prices in the country at $1.76 a gallon. The state’s fifth lowest fuel tax in the country also helps keep