ABC 17 News Investigates Archives

More Missouri schools using safety app as 2023-24 year begins

August 22, 2023 3:46 PM Hannah Falcon

Hundreds of Missouri schools have signed up for a new tool they hope will increase campus safety — an app meant to improve the response to school safety threats.

Why Missouri educators are leaving the profession and what’s being done to stop it

August 21, 2023 3:11 PM Hannah Falcon

More than 60% of Missouri teachers leave the profession in their first five years on the job, education officials say.

Cause of deadly Columbia apartment fire undetermined; possibilities identified

August 2, 2023 5:20 PM Lucas Geisler

Fire investigators in Columbia could not fully determine how a deadly apartment blaze that killed two children started in December, according to a report obtained by ABC 17 News.

Two out of three recommendations to protect missing children still open for Missouri foster care system

July 17, 2023 4:18 PM Morgan Buresh

The Missouri Children’s Division has been taking steps to protect kids who go missing from foster care, but one federal agency doesn’t think enough has been done.

Voluntary Action Center drops ask for federal funding for homeless center over conflict-of-interest concerns

July 6, 2023 5:24 PM Lucas Geisler

Questions over federal conflict-of-interest rules caused a Columbia nonprofit to pull its funding requests for a homelessness resource center.

Columbia City Council spends $17,000 on work retreat

June 23, 2023 5:58 PM Lucas Geisler

City spokesperson Sydney Olsen said 34 people attended the retreat at the Stoney Creek Hotel in Independence, including consultants with Raftelis, which provides management advice to local governments and utilities.

All rides at Centralia Anchor Fest pass inspection report

June 2, 2023 7:34 PM Nia Hinson

CENTRALIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The annual Centralia Anchor Festival kicked off Friday afternoon. The 2023 festival features 23 rides from Tinsley’s Amusements. A ride inspection report — conducted March 16 — shows all 23 rides passed inspection with satisfactory requirements. Some categories in the list of inspections needed to pass include safety restraints, having a fire

Arrest report names CPD officers, man on ground seen in weekend video in front of Harpo’s

May 12, 2023 4:44 PM Marina Diaz

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia Police Department arrest report gives the names of two officers under investigation and a man who was arrested early Sunday outside of a Downtown bar. A video was recorded by a resident showing officers attempting to detain a man who was on the ground. One police officer could be seen

City of Columbia parking garages in ‘good’ condition; report recommends removal of ‘potentially loose concrete’ at Sixth and Cherry Garage

April 19, 2023 7:15 PM Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) In wake of a New York City parking garage collapsing on Tuesday afternoon, which left one dead, five injured and hundreds of cars destroyed, the ABC 17 News Team dug into what the City of Columbia does to keep up with their parking buildings. The City of Columbia owns and operates six

Large University of Missouri police presence was response to suicide threat

April 13, 2023 10:50 PM Mitchell Kaminski

A large University of Missouri police response on campus April 7 was related to a suicide threat.

Mid-Missouri schools seek state dollars to boost teacher pay; hundreds of thousands spent locally

March 23, 2023 11:34 AM Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The state spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to bring starting pay up for teachers in Mid-Missouri this year. In the Mid-Missouri area, rural districts ranging in size were most dependent on the money, from the more than $150,000 spent in North Callaway to the $52,000 spent in Southern Boone. Schools may

Columbia Utilities leader lays out reporting plan for new lead, copper drinking water testing

February 28, 2023 3:44 PM Lucas Geisler

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) – City of Columbia staff plan to set up a new process to report water testing results for lead and copper. A memo from Utilities Director David Sorrell on Monday said the water division’s lab supervisor will now report weekly to the department’s assistant director on water testing. Sorrell said the lab

Columbia City Council lacks residency requirements while Jefferson City debates their removal

February 16, 2023 5:05 PM Marissa Hollowed

Just because someone represents part of a city in a local government, it doesn’t mean they actually live there.

‘Sample’ inspections frequently turn up smoke detector problems in Columbia

February 8, 2023 4:21 PM Lucas Geisler

City of Columbia inspectors often note problems with smoke detectors during large rental property inspections, according to records obtained by ABC 17 News.

Fire report indicates Golden Corral New Year’s Eve fire started from grill

January 23, 2023 9:06 PM Lucas Geisler

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) ABC 17 News investigates how a fire started at an east Columbia restaurant on New Year’s Eve. A report from the Columbia Fire Department indicates the fire at Golden Corral off Clark Lane on Dec. 31 started on a grill at the restaurant. An investigator says it didn’t appear the grills were

Columbia police say prosecutor’s death a suicide

January 8, 2023 6:54 PM Lucas Geisler

(The following story discusses suicide and depression. If you or someone you know is in need of help, contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.) COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) – Police believe former Boone County prosecutor Dan Knight died by suicide, according to the department’s death investigation. ABC 17 News obtained the Columbia Police Department’s

Columbia apartment complex had history of smoke detector problems

December 21, 2022 5:19 PM Lucas Geisler

The Columbia apartment complex where two children died in a fire last week had a history of problems with smoke detectors.

Columbia inspectors say cellphone tower antenna ‘swaying’ on top of Guitar Building

December 19, 2022 8:00 PM Lucas Geisler

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) – City inspectors say owners of the Guitar Building in Downtown Columbia must fix issues with a cellphone tower on top of it. City inspector Harlan Hazlett wrote in a Dec. 16 inspection that the antennas on the top of the building’s southwest corner at Walnut Street and Eighth Street is “swaying

Downtown building that was evacuated Thursday fails city inspection

December 15, 2022 7:52 PM Marina Diaz

COLUMBIA, Mo, (KMIZ) The City of Columbia Public Works evacuated Downtown Columbia’s Guitar Building on Thursday after bricks fell from it Wednesday. An ABC 17 News records request from the City of Columbia revealed the building failed a Wednesday inspection. There were seven inspection points on its checklist that the building owned by Kimberly Hughes

Courage2Report anonymous tips for school shootings, assaults and harassment continue to rise

November 16, 2022 5:59 PM Marina Diaz

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri State Highway Patrol’s anonymous tip hotline Courage2Report has received more reports in 2022 than the previous three years. MSHP’s Courage2Report records showed the anonymous hotline has received 742 tips between Jan. 1- Oct. 26. In 2021 there were 594 total tips received, 330 in 2020 and 430 in 2019. Bullying continues