Month: December 2015

A multiple vehicle accident is now clear after traffic was blocked on Highway 63 Tuesday night. Both lanes of Highway 63 southbound in Columbia were closed for the 3 car accident near Stadium Blvd. Traffic was being diverted onto Stadium for a short time after 6:00 p.m.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol has finished its investigation into a September accident involving a Jefferson City police officer and a small child, who was struck by the officer’s vehicle on East McCarty. Missouri Highway Patrol Sgt. Scott White tells ABC 17 News the patrol does not anticipate submitting any recommendation of charges to the

Improvements could be coming for a big box store in Jefferson City. City Council members met on the issue Tuesday night to review plans to upgrade the Menards near Highway 50 and 179. The store wants to build a 22,000 sq. ft. warehouse at the corner of its lumberyard. It also wants to enclose its

Cole County commissioners are discussing the 2016 budget this week. Sheriff Greg White is requesting about $50,000 on top of the usual budget increase for his department. White tells ABC 17 News the money is for salary increases for department employees. “We have not followed anything that goes along with longevity over the years,” said

The Jefferson City Council Tuesday night is set to discuss the proposed closing of part of Chestnut Street. ABC 17 News has been following the issue for months. The city council chose not to vote on the issue in October. The request comes from Lincoln University, who wants to turn the section of Chestnut into

A Missouri senator this week filed legislation that would ban all meals and gifts from lobbyists to legislators or their staff. Representative Sheila Solon said the bill would improve the culture at the Capitol, and help improve accountability and transparency in state government. Solon’s bill would also prohibit alcohol and the use of tobacco in

Two Tuscon, Arizona residents were arrested last week after Phelps Co. deputies apparently caught traveling on I-44 with drugs in their car. Deputies stopped the car near the 197 mile marker on eastbound I-44 on December 3. Deputies searched the car and found 73 pounds of cocaine in a hidden compartment. 23-year-old Monica Castillo and

A 40-year-old California man was arrested Sunday morning after Highway Patrol troopers pulled him over for a registration violation. Troopers stopped Michael Cox at the 104 mile marker on I-70, and smelled a strong odor of burnt marijuana coming from him. Cox told the trooper he could not search the car, but the trooper used

A Holts Summit man was arrested Monday morning for charges relating to sexual abuse between 2010 and 2012. Court documents said Holts Summit Police overheard a 9-year-old victim say she “had a baby in her belly,” and “the baby in her belly was not coming out.” Investigators talked to the victim’s grandmother, who said the

A 19-year-old man was arrested Monday after officers smelled marijuana coming from a MU residence hall dorm room. An officer went to Zachary Bannister’s room in Hudson Hall and searched his room after he gave consent. The officer found drug paraphernalia including 2 scales, marijuana, two fake IDs, and an open, unlocked safe. Bannister had

Sentencing is now set in February for a mid-Missouri mother charged for the death of her daughter, who overdosed on prescription drugs Christmas Eve. Starletta Blevins-Moore just pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of endangering the welfare of a child. Her 16-year-old was found dead last year in Maries County near Dixon, about an hour

More than 250 bills were pre-filed Tuesday, for the 2016 Missouri Legislative Session that gets underway January 6th. Republican State Representative Caleb Rowden of Columbia, pre-filed a sweeping 4-point ethics reform package. As our guest on “This Week,” Representative Rowden talks about why ethics reform is so important to him at this moment. Here’s a

About two weeks after learning the Columbia Police Department will be dissolving its Traffic Unit, ABC 17 News asked MODOT’s Highway Safety division if the change could affect future grants to the city. ABC 17 News confirmed CPD’s decision to eliminate the Traffic Unit through a leaked email. CPD is set to dissolve the Traffic

ABC 17 News has confirmed a colonel with the Missouri National Guard from Columbia has landed in jail, accused of driving drunk and hitting another car. The crash happened Sunday night off Highway 17 just north of Fort Leonard Wood. Troopers say John Findley, 46, crossed the center line, trying to pass another car. His

Some major traffic impacts are planned for Interstate 70 this week that are expected to impact drivers in Columbia. Starting Tuesday night at 8:00, crews will redirect westbound traffic at Rangeline to the new westbound bridge built there. On Wednesday night at 8:00, crews will also redirectwestbound traffic at Garth to the new westbound bridge

The Columbia City Council approved a new neighborhood association plan, as well as approved raising the city manager’s salary. City Manager Mike Matthes left the room for the discussion Monday night to raise his base salary to $165,000. The bill attached to the city’s website for the issue said it would raise the salary from

A mild weather pattern is shaping up for the rest of the work week with high temperatures 15-20 degrees above average as we reach into the low to mid 60s Thursday and Friday. The weather looks mainly dry through Friday, with the exception of a few sprinkles or brief light showers Tuesday night. A stronger

A Centralia man was sentenced to 7 years Monday after he was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter in the 2013 death of a 12-year-old Columbia girl. 35-year-old Aaron Wormington was driving with 12-year-old Jade Stafford in the passenger seat on November 23, 2013 when the crash happened on Commerce Road in Mexico. Wormington tried to

A Missouri state representative this week filed a bill that would require DUI offenders to participate in a victim impact panel. Representative Mike Kelley wants DUI offenders to better understand the effects of driving while impaired. Kelley filed legislation to create Toby’s law, named in memory of Tobias Olsen, who was killed along with his

Now is the time of year many people are decorating their homes for the holidays. But if you are hiring someone to help out, officials said you should take extra measures to avoid being scammed. Many people turn to websites like Craigslist to save money, according to officials. But often times if you hire someone