COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The City of Columbia hosted a meet-and-greet Wednesday at the Columbia Training Center for its three finalists for its communications director role as city leaders move forward with plans to reshape how the city reaches residents. The three finalists include Rob Jones, Christopher Ave and Shayne Martin. All three bring more than
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia public safety leaders are making their case to voters after the City Council on Monday approved putting a proposed 1% public safety sales tax on the August ballot, saying the measure is needed to address decades of understaffing, aging facilities and increasing strain on the city’s general fund. The tax would
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) After delaying a vote earlier this month, holding hours of discussion and hearing concerns from several residents, the Columbia City Council unanimously approved placing a proposed 1% sales tax for public safety on the August ballot. Monday marked the City Council’s final opportunity to approve the proposal in time for the August
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Around 6 p.m. Friday, lawmakers threw their papers in the air and began filing out of the House chamber after the Missouri General Assembly wrapped up its 2026 legislative session. Missouri lawmakers passed 100 bills during the session, the highest total since 2019 and a sharp increase from the 81 bills
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Mizzou running back Ahmad Hardy is set to return to Columbia after getting shot at a concert over the weekend in Mississippi. A spokesperson for Mizzou football said Hardy was getting released from the hospital on Tuesday, but did not provide any updates on when he will be able to return to
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Board of Education on Monday approved a salary increase for Superintendent Jeff Klein. The increase was on the agenda for Monday’s Board of Education meeting, which began at 6 p.m. Under the proposal, Klein will receive a 6% salary increase ($15,300) for the next school year. Klein currently makes $255,000
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) University of Missouri students celebrated “Stop Day” on Friday, but many said an increased police presence changed the atmosphere of the annual tradition. Reading Day, colloquially known as Stop Day, is intended to give students a day off from classes before finals week begins; though it has also become associated with large
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia City Council voted 4-3 on Monday night to table a decision that would have put a proposed 1% sales tax dedicated to public safety on the August ballot. City staff has written an ordinance that would add a 1% general sales tax, with the revenue generated going solely to the
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Supporters of a bill that could raise Missouri’s rural interstate speed limits to 75 miles per hour say it reflects modern driving habits, despite concerns that it could lead to more dangerous crashes. Senate Bill 1408 would allow the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission and the Missouri Department of Transportation to
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) The Missouri House on Thursday approved a bill that would allow state officials to increase speed limits on rural, four-lane highways. The bill, which was sponsored by Sen. Jamie Burger (R-Benton) and carried in the House by Rep. John Voss (R-Cape Girardeau), had already passed the Senate. However, the House added
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) After spending its first two months in the red, Missouri saw its first taxable sportsbook revenue in the third month of legalized sports betting. Missouri sportsbooks handled $277 million in February, after taking in just more than $385 million in wagers in January. However, with operators unable to deduct as many promotional
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HARRISBURG, Mo. (KMIZ) A culvert break along North Route F near Harrisburg forced the closure of part of the roadway Monday evening after rushing water damaged the road surface. The failure happened around 5 p.m. in the 17100 block of North Route F when water surged through a rusted pipe and caused several holes in
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Gov. Mike Kehoe signed House Bill 2641 into law on Thursday, a measure that tightens regulations on hemp-derived cannabinoid products and is expected to significantly reshape Missouri’s hemp industry by requiring many of those products to be sold only through licensed marijuana dispensaries. The law effectively bans the sale of THC
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) The Missouri Senate on Wednesday began advancing the state’s budget, approving a key education spending bill as lawmakers work to close a projected $2 billion shortfall, raising new questions about how the state will fund K-12 schools. By a 21-11 vote, the senate passed its own version of funding the Department of
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Traffic signal timing is being adjusted across Columbia as local and state officials attempt to combat congestion tied to the ongoing Improve I-70 project and related road closures. Columbia Public Works said in social media posts on Wednesday that it is reviewing traffic impacts and modifying city-operated signals where feasible, but noted
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) As construction continues on Columbia’s Opportunity Campus, community leaders are working to prepare both staff and the public ahead of the shelter’s opening this summer. The Voluntary Action Center is hosting a series of training sessions aimed at educating the community about homelessness. Thursday marked the third of six sessions and the
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Fallout continues after Columbia Public Schools’ decision not to renew Chief Equity Officer Carla London’s contract, a move that sparked protests and drew criticism from community leaders during Monday night’s Board of Education meeting. The Columbia NAACP says it is continuing to meet to determine if any further action will be taken
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Monday night’s Columbia Board of Education meeting was abruptly halted after a group of residents protested the district’s decision to replace its chief equity officer. Last week, Columbia Public Schools posted a job opening for chief equity officer, a position previously held by Carla London. London was responsible for training homeschool communicators
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) As Tax Day approaches, experts are warning about a rise in scams, with scammers exploiting deadline pressure and new technology to trick victims. According to an analysis by the Better Business Bureau Scam Tracker, tax scams resulted in more than $5.7 million in reported losses in 2025. While only about 13% of
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COLUMBIA, Mo (KMIZ) On April 10, 2025, the Columbia Board of Health met to discuss some proposed changes to the city’s ordinance regarding feral cats. Nearly a year to the day, the board met once again to discuss changes, with some residents saying the problems are only getting worse. The Columbia City Council has been
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