ABC 17 News Investigates Archives

Columbia complex where deadly fire happened lacks city rental certificate

November 1, 2023 4:39 PM Lucas Geisler

A Columbia apartment complex where two children died last year no longer has the proper city licensing for rental properties.

Columbia City Council spends more than $20,000 to attend leadership conference

October 6, 2023 7:40 PM Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia City Council spent more than $20,000 to attend a leadership conference last month. The 10th annual leadership trip, which was organized by the Chamber of Commerce, took place in Madison, Wisconsin. According to the Chamber, 71 Columbia business leaders and elected officials attended this year’s trip. Records obtained by ABC

Review of Pickard Hall demolition plan could take 15 months

October 5, 2023 7:02 PM Lucas Geisler

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A federal review of the University of Missouri’s plan to demolish a building with radioactive contamination could take until 2025 to complete. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission began its technical review this summer for the plan to demolish Pickard Hall. The NRC said its review of the different aspects of MU’s plan could

Changes coming to Columbia ARC after June fight

September 28, 2023 4:10 PM Lucas Geisler

ABC 17 News obtained video from the ARC showing portions of the fight involving multiple people.

Police overtime costs climbing as departments search for workers

September 11, 2023 3:34 PM Lucas Geisler

Taxpayers are footing a 57% increase in overtime costs for fiscal 2023.

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