Month: May 2017

The First Amendment in the United States Constitution protects the free speech of all Americans. Few are aware that free speech includes political speech. “If you want to give money to a candidate or party, then that is a type of speech,” said political science professor Terry Smith. “If you are a candidate or a

TODAY: Rain is possible through 8AM-9AM with plenty of dry time today. Temperatures will be right at average for May 11 with a high of 72. TONIGHT: Storms will be possible south of Columbia near the Lake of the Ozarks from 5PM-11PM where an additional 1″ to 1.5″ is possible. FRIDAY: It looks pleasant with

TODAY: Rain will be ongoing through 8AM south of I-70 becoming light and spotty east of HWY 54 through 9AM. Rain amounts today will range from 0.30″ to 0.50″ near I-70 to 1″ to 1.5″ south of HWY 50. After a humid morning, dry air will work it’s way in by afternoon and evening, bringing

The city’s last two attempts at building roundabouts ended with many residents opposing their construction. On Wednesday, residents near Vandiver Drive and Parker Street asked how they could get a roundabout there sooner. “Visibility is not the best, and there’s four cross traffics, and only two of them have to stop,” Danny Hammack, general manager

A man arrested on Smiley Lane in north Columbia Tuesday night has been charged. Tyrell Brown is now charged with unlawful use of a weapon, armed criminal action and two counts of second degree drug trafficking. Police said they found drugs, guns and bullets matching a shooting scene that happened on Edenton Boulevard earlier Tuesday

With the expected rain Wednesday night through Thursday, Cole County Public Works is watching low-lying problem areas across the county. At its peak, heavy rains shut down nearly 20 roads across Cole County last week near the Missouri, Osage and Moreau rivers. Many roads took several days to reopen. The ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather team

A 12 year old boy has been charged with two counts of second degree assault after cutting two fellow students at Fulton Middle School. The assault happened on Wednesday afternoon. Officers were called to Fulton Middle School, where they identified the 12 year old in the Principal’s office. The boy had cut two other students,

TONIGHT: Showers and t-storms are likely with isolated severe storms possible, mainly south of I-70. Large hail and damaging wind gusts are the main threats Some of the storms will produce heavy rain. It will stay mild with lows in the low to mid 60s. THURSDAY: There will be a good chunk of dry time

After hours of questioning 75 potential jurors and finally selecting 12, with two alternates, the trial of Emily Usnick is underway in Johnson County. Usnick is charged with second-degree felony murder for the death of her newborn child. The baby was found wrapped in a trash bag, inside a container, inside the trunk of a

UPDATE 5/10 9:54 A.M.: Columbia police officers were called to the 5300 block of Currituck Lane on Tuesday because of a trespass subject. After investigating, officers found out that Tyrell Brown had a verbal altercation at a home in the area with a woman whom he was related to by family. Brown struck the woman’s

Interim Chancellor Garnett Stokes has released a statement about the budget changes coming to the University of Missouri. In her statement to the university, Stokes said that each school, college and division will decrease their budgets by 12 percent. Interim Chancellor Stokes goes on to say that these cuts are based off of President Choi’s

On Wednesday, Boone County commissioners said they noticed an increase of permits for housing developments out in the county. Fred Parry, the southern district commissioner of Boone County, said the increase is partly because of the zoning ordinances in Columbia city limits. He said even though the city’s and county’s ordinances are very similar, the

Boone County sheriff’s deputies worked with Columbia police to arrest a wanted man suspected of several thefts Wednesday. Deputies and officers found Devin Clark, a Columbia man with two active felony warrants, in the driveway of a home in the 600 block of Calvert Hill Road. A brief foot pursuit occurred before Clark was taken

There are no injuries after a vehicle caught fire on Wednesday on I-70 and Stadium. ABC 17 News reached out to the Columbia Fire Department, who said that crews arrived on scene to the vehicle on fire at the engine compartment. ABC 17 News talked to a relative of the driver, who said that the

One woman has died after a vehicle crash in Camden County on Route D, just north of Liberty Road. Nancy Reynolds, 79, of Camdenton was driving a 2005 GM Envoy northbound on Route D when she traveled off the left side of the road, down an embankment and into a lake. Reynolds suffered fatal injuries.

The month of May is feast or famine when it comes to tornadoes in the Show Me State and so far this month it’s been famine. In an average year, Missouri will see roughly 30 tornadoes, making it one of the top states to experience severe weather. While we had an active start to the

As of Tuesday night, no arrests have been made in two shootings that happened an hour apart of each other in north Columbia Monday. The first shooting happened at Edenton Drive; the second on Mexico Gravel Road. ABC 17 News spoke with one resident who lives at the intersection of Mexico Gravel Road and East

UPDATE: Columbia Police arrested Jaron Gates, 20, and Jervon Johnson, 19, in connection with a larceny. Police said Boone County Joint Communications received a call at 2:11 a.m. Wednesday about a robbery in the 1700 block of University Avenue. Officers arrived to find two men matching the description of two of the suspects. Investigators said

Missouri senators have voted to give residents a choice to get a driver’s license that would allow them to board planes and enter military sites. Senators voted 28-5 Wednesday to allow residents to decide whether to get a license that complies with federal ID requirements. Without a change, Missouri residents won’t be able to use

A Phelps County man has been charged with first degree promoting child pornography and four counts of possession of child pornography after his home was search by the Missouri State Highway Patrol. James E. Reeb, of Newburg was arrested on May 5 after MSHP went to his home and served a search warrant. Reeb was