Marie Moyer, Author at ABC17NEWS

Columbia city survey indicates resident support for tax increase to hire more police officers, firefighters

January 19, 2026 7:25 PM Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Police numbers, sidewalk improvements, homelessness and improved housing opportunities are the top priorities of more than 800 Columbia households that responded to the city’s annual Community Survey Findings Report. 2025 Columbia MO Survey ReportDownload According to city documents, the survey was completed by 804 random households. Around 84% of survey respondents have

Tyson Smith files bill to target jail mental health evaluations

January 18, 2026 5:21 AM Marie Moyer

A representative for Columbia in Missouri’s state house has joined other lawmakers in the push to address Missouri’s Department of Mental Health’s referral backlog.

Democratic State Rep. David Tyson Smith filed House Bill 2952 on Jan. 13.

Missouri schools to be given yearly scorecards following Kehoe executive order

January 17, 2026 5:18 AM Marie Moyer

The Missouri Department of Education has until June to create a plan to implement a new system for grading schools in the state, following Gov. Mike Kehoe’s announcement of an executive order signed during his State of the State address.

Boone County prosecutor weighs in on Kehoe’s proposal on juvenile crime

January 14, 2026 7:47 PM Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Missouri House and Senate bill are being considered in legislative committees with goals of curbing juvenile crime. This comes after Gov. Mike Kehoe gave his State of the State address Tuesday, which highlighted plans for state income tax, budget and public safety. “Violent crime committed by juveniles has reached a concerning

Jackson County judge hears opening arguments and testimony in Trial on Missouri abortion access

January 12, 2026 9:30 AM Marie Moyer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Planned Parenthood Great Plains and Great Rivers returned to the courthouse against the state on Monday to reinstate abortion in Missouri. Planned Parenthood started opening statements and argued that the current state regulations were unreasonable and difficult to achieve, and unique to Missouri abortion clinics only. They also claimed that the

43-year-old man seriously injured in Benton County crash

January 7, 2026 8:18 AM Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A 43-year-old Warsaw man was seriously injured after being hit by a car in Benton County on Tuesday, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol Crash Report. The crash happened at around 10:53 p.m. when a 31-year-old Warsaw woman was driving a 2008 Mercury Mariner southbound on Highway 63 at the MO-7

Judge considers bond and venue change for Boone County dog breeder

January 6, 2026 5:14 AM Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Boone County Judge heard arguments on whether a Columbia dog breeder who pleaded not guilty to 29 felony counts of animal abuse should be granted a lower bond and a change of venue. Twenty-six-year-old Melissa Sanders was arrested in November after law enforcement found several dead dogs and remains at her

Texas man dies in Phelps County crash during police chase

January 3, 2026 11:06 AM Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A 21-year-old Texas man was killed in a crash in Phelps County early Saturday morning during a police chase, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report. Around 12:15 a.m., the man was driving a 2017 Hyundai Sonata westbound on I-44 near mile marker 176 when he drove off the left

Columbia Police Department completes 86% of Flock camera installations

January 3, 2026 7:24 AM Marie Moyer

The Columbia Police Department is hitting some installation delays with Flock cameras more than a year after the technology was approval by the city council in 2024.

101 of 118 camera locations have been installed, according to CPD Assistant Chief Lance Bolinger.

California man charged after semi-truck chase on Christmas Day

December 29, 2025 11:22 AM Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) One man was arrested after he allegedly led officers on a chase in a semi-truck on Christmas Day. State troopers report the chase started on Highway 19 near Montgomery City when 42-year-old Francisco Portillo did not stop for state troopers. The chase lasted for more than 40 miles and ended on Highway

Boonville shooting suspect tied to Howard County home invasion

December 28, 2025 10:28 AM Marie Moyer, Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) No one was injured following a shooting in Boonville on Saturday night, according to the Boonville Police Department. In a social media post, on Saturday, around 6:15 p.m. at the intersection of Main Street and Morgan Street, two people in a car got into a fight. This led to the driver leaving

ACLU asks judge to suspend new congressional district map until public can vote on it

December 23, 2025 3:20 PM Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The ACLU of Missouri sued the Missouri Attorney General and Secretary of State on Tuesday, claiming they have evaded the state constitution’s rules on the referendum process. The group, representing two Kansas City voters, is asking the Cole County courts to suspend House Bill 1, a bill passed during a special session

Kehoe claims ‘Nothing is ever over,’ after Chiefs announce move to Kansas

December 22, 2025 7:56 PM Marie Moyer

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) State lawmakers are voicing disappointment and criticism Monday following the announcement of the Kansas City Chiefs’ move to Kansas in 2031. “They [The Chiefs] think a dome stadium and and landing a Super Bowl would be really big for the organization and I believe that that’s the piece that they were

Elkland woman seriously injured in Pulaski County Crash Friday

December 21, 2025 10:04 AM Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA Mo. (KMIZ) A 22-year-old Elkand woman was seriously injured in a crash Friday evening, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report. At around 11:05 p.m., a woman, driving with a 27-year-old Pleasant Hope man, was going westbound on I-44 near mile 152 in a 2004 Ford Expedition. The pair drove into the

Health officials urge flu shots as new variant raises spread concerns

December 17, 2025 7:09 PM Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Health officials are expecting a busy flu season following the discovery of H3N2 subclade K, a variant of the Influenza A strain. According to the CDC, of the 91 Influenza A virus samples collected since Sept. 28, almost 87% belonged to subclade K. The genetic mutation of subclade K makes it only

Missouri Department of Conservation puts pause on post-hunting season deer cull

December 16, 2025 12:05 PM Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) EDITOR’S NOTE: AI was used for background in researching this story. The Missouri Department of Conservation is pausing its chronic Wasting Disease management efforts to find a more sustainable option. The disease was detected in the state in 2010, and is reportedly on the rise but relatively low, with around 1% of

Local food bank highlights need for volunteers following holiday season

December 14, 2025 5:29 PM Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) As the Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri gears up to celebrate its annual One for One Holiday Food and Fund Drive on Wednesday, organizers are reminding mid-Missouri that the season of giving can last beyond the holiday season. “A lot of the times we see gaps in volunteerism after the

Hospital vacancies below pre-pandemic levels in Missouri Hospital Association report

December 13, 2025 5:40 AM Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) According to a Missouri Hospital Association report, Missouri hospitals saw a 4% drop in vacancies in 2024; however, overall turnover has remained steady. 2025_WF_Report (1)Download Based on 2024 data, the report found that the overall turnover rate for Missouri hospitals has been above pre-pandemic levels at 22.2%, compared to 21.5% in 2020.

Columbia Police Department warns of AI dangers following false shooting report

December 10, 2025 1:48 PM Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Police Department is warning residents of crime apps that use artificial intelligence following a false report of a shooting on Tuesday. On Tuesday morning, the app CrimeRadar alerted users that a 17-year-old was shot in downtown Columbia at 7:13 a.m., according to a CPD Facebook Post. The post claimed that

Missouri secretary of state receives more than 600 boxes of signatures as redistricting battle continues

December 9, 2025 1:36 PM Marie Moyer

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) The Missouri Secretary of State’s Office started scanning and counting more than 305,000 signatures on a petition to put a new congressional map to a vote. The group People Not Politicians delivered the signatures Tuesday after collecting them over several months. If approved, the signatures would put Missouri’s new congressional map