JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A national teen driving program kicked off its teaching season in the Show-Me State. Be Responsible And Keep Everyone Safe, held a total of five three-hour sessions over the weekend at the Missouri EVOC Training Center, with more than 180 students participating. Rick Valentine, a Senior Instructor with B.R.A.K.E.S., said the
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) This year’s legislative session brought a major focus on public safety, as state leaders pushed a series of new laws aimed at protecting Missourians. In April, Governor Mike Kehoe signed two bills targeting child safety, along with legislation designed to strengthen law enforcement and public safety efforts. One of those measures,
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MOBERLY, Mo. (KMIZ) The Randolph County community came together Friday to offer mental health support and healing resources for those grieving the loss of 16-year-old Kayla Huff. The first “Day of Healing” comes as the Randolph County Prosecutor’s Office announced new charges in the case. Twenty-year-old Alayna Mason and 19-year-old Hunter Ames are now both
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools leaders could approve a new salary package for Superintendent Jeff Klein while also renewing a program that brings international teachers into district classrooms at Monday night’s meeting. The school district is seeking approval to renew an agreement with BVD Cultural Exchange, LLC, a company that helps sponsor international teachers
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RANDOLPH COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ) Law enforcement officers and volunteers spent Friday searching for a missing Randolph County teenager in a massive conservation area southeast of Higbee. The Randolph County Sheriff’s Office said Kayla Huff, 16, has been missing since Wednesday. Investigators focused Friday’s search efforts on the Rudolf Bennitt Conservation Area, where dozens of volunteers
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia City Council is heading into its Monday meeting with a major decision on the table following the upcoming resignation of Ward 4 Council Member Nick Foster. Foster announced Thursday that he plans to step down this summer, citing family matters. His final day in office is set for June 12.
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Community members are concerned following another public suicide this week at the downtown parking garage at Fifth and Walnut streets. On Thursday, one person was found dead in the alley near the parking garage. The Columbia Police Department said it will not release additional information about the case due to the nature
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Friday is International Workers’ Day, also known as May Day, honoring workers across the U.S. and around the world. LiUNA Local 955 brought its message directly to the University of Missouri campus, holding two rallies just hours apart to call for higher wages and better working conditions. The union represents service and
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CLINTON, Mo. (KMIZ) The National Weather Service has determined that two tornadoes moved through Clinton in southwest Missouri on Wednesday night. Clinton Fire Chief Mark Manuel said the National Weather Service was in town Thursday morning, surveying storm damage. “The first one on the southern portion of town was the EF-1,” Manuel said. “The second
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A new project is bringing Columbia’s history to life right from the sidewalks of downtown. CoMo Preservation is honoring six historic buildings through a new initiative called CoMo Brick & Mortar, designed to showcase the city’s rich architectural past in a modern, interactive way. The project transforms downtown Columbia into a self-guided
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools is preparing for major traffic changes following the closure of a bridge in northeast Columbia. The St. Charles Road bridge closed Friday evening as part of a construction project expected to last about five months, bringing traffic challenges for families and commuters across the area. The project began with
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Office of Violence Prevention Youth Advisory Council met at City Hall on Thursday for training and technical assistance from the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform. Last month, the group hosted an introductory meeting with stakeholders from Columbia to evaluate violence reduction efforts, establish shared definitions for community violence intervention and
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) The Jefferson City Task Force is set to present its homelessness action plan to the city council Monday. In a 10-page report, the group outlines several key priorities, including expanding shelter access, increasing affordable housing, strengthening employment support, enhancing mental health and safety services, and raising public awareness. According to Missouri
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STURGEON, Mo. (KMIZ) Sturgeon Mayor Seth Truesdell is speaking out against the Missouri Department of Transportation’s plan reroute traffic from a dangerous crossroads, stating the plan could put residents, especially students at risk. In a post on social media, Truesdell criticized the agency for moving forward with a project he said would reroute heavy traffic
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Boone County Government has several maintenance and renovation projects planned in the coming months, including a makeover for the Boone County Clerk’s Office. County leaders met Thursday for a preliminary discussion on the upcoming construction project, which is expected to cost about $210,000. According to Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon, the
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Residents in Columbia got a closer look at a potential tax increase during a “Let’s Talk Local” meeting on Thursday evening. City leaders said the proposal could mean higher taxes, but argue it would help better support police and fire services across the community. During the meeting — which was held at
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FAYETTE, Mo. (KMIZ) The Fayette community held a balloon release Saturday at Paige-Liberty Park to honor Zyairah Barney, a seventh grader at Fayette R-3’s Clark Middle School who died by suicide. Family members said Barney, who was biracial, had been dealing with ongoing bullying, which they claim was rooted in racism. Now, they are mourning
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia is down one animal hospital Friday. The closure was announced last week and many pet owners say the sudden shutdown is unfortunate and concerning. A reason for the closure has not been provided. Jada Sievers, a veterinary student and with two dogs, doesn’t use Columbia Animal Hospital herself but she understands
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Boone County Commission voted to move forward with the updated affordable housing plan Thursday following changes made earlier this month. Bill Florea with Boone County spoke with ABC 17 after the meeting. “It went great and I expected that it would.” Florea said. “We had worked closely with the Planning and
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BOONVILLE, Mo. (KMIZ) Strong winds moving through Mid-Missouri Sunday led to scattered power outages across counties. The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory for central Missouri through Monday afternoon, warning residents about potentially hazardous wind conditions. According to the Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives, at around 4:13 p.m., 813 customers were without power
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