COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri is the 18th largest state by population, with 161 licensed hospitals statewide. In rural counties, their numbers are dropping. According to the Department of Health and Senior Services, 12 Missouri hospitals in rural counties closed from 2014 to 2023. “Minutes can mean the difference between life and death,” said Heidi Lucas,
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) An EF-1 tornado touched down in Audrain County on Sunday, the National Weather Service determined on Thursday. Severe storms impacted Mid-Missouri this weekend, leading to damage and power outages (with some still active in Columbia). An EF-1 tornado had led to the destruction of Columbia’s recycling facility. An EF-2 tornado occurred in
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Mexico, Missouri, man was found guilty of 10 child sex crimes on Wednesday, according to a press release from the Audrain County Prosecutor’s Office. John Sidney Kelly Jr., 43, was charged in the case with first-degree rape, first-degree child molestation, three counts of endangering the welfare of a child, one count
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Vandalia man has been charged in Audrain County after he allegedly rammed his Ford pickup truck into a Dodge Challenger on Tuesday after he allegedly threatened to kill a woman. Joseph Dean Fischer was charged on Wednesday with three counts of first-degree assault, one count of armed criminal action, one count
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Little Dixie Fire Protection District battled two significant fires on Tuesday, according to a press release from the district. At 5:10 p.m., crews responded to a 40-50-acre fire on County Road 250, just south of Auxvasse, the release says. The fire was described as a “natural cover fire.” A second fire
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Mexico, Missouri, man was sentenced on Wednesday to five years in prison. Nickolas Crum pleaded guilty in January to first-degree statutory rape. He was previously charged with first-degree statutory rape and statutory sodomy of a person younger than 14 years old. Court documents in previous reporting say that the victim was sexually assaulted
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) An Audrain County man has been charged with a felony and multiple misdemeanors after he allegedly kidnapped a woman in Mexico, Missouri, on Saturday morning. Nathan Sommer, 40, was charged with first-degree harassment and three misdemeanors: Third-degree kidnapping, fourth-degree assault and second-degree sexual misconduct. A hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Tuesday
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Crown Linen will close its processing plant in Mexico, Missouri, on Friday, April 25, according to a press release from the company. The company has been at the facility since 1904. The release says that a fire that destroyed two buildings last May and a decision was made to transition from a
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Vandalia man is facing several charges after he allegedly sexually assaulted a woman last year. Stuart Rice is charged with first-degree sodomy, first-degree attempted sodomy, first-degree stalking and five counts of misdemeanor violating an order of protection. A warrant was requested. The probable cause statements say that Rice assaulted a woman
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) No injuries were reported in a garage fire Monday afternoon in the 9800 block of Audrain County Road 421, according to a press release from the Little Dixie Fire Protection District. Crews were called at 4:34 p.m. for a fire in a detached garage, which took about 10 minutes to bring under
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Mexico, Missouri, man was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Monday after he pleaded guilty to several child sex crimes. Randall Giboney, 55, pleaded guilty in February to sexual exploitation of a child, fourth-degree child molestation and three counts of child porn possession. A press release from Audrain County Prosecutor
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Eight people were taken into custody Friday morning after law enforcement in Audrain County conducted search warrants at two separate homes.
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EDITOR’S NOTE: The location referenced in the headline has been corrected. AUDRAIN COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ) Route B in Hannibal, between Route KK and Highway 54 in Audrain County, is closed due to a crash, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation. An email alert from MoDOT sent just after 7:30 a.m. Wednesday states the road
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Audrain County Commission announced in a Friday press release that it passed its senior property tax credit ordinance at its Thursday meeting. A state law allowing a property tax exemption for seniors went into effect Aug. 28, 2023. The measure was also passed in Boone County by voters last year. Residents who are
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) An Audrain County man has been charged with a pair of felonies after he allegedly pulled out a gun during a road rage incident on Friday morning while driving through Columbia. Jarrod Whelchel, of Mexico, Missouri, was charged in Boone County with unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action. A
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) An Audrain County man was indicted in the Missouri Eastern District Court for federal drug charges, according to a Thursday press release from Department of Justice. Charles Henton, 34, of Mexico, Missouri, was indicted on March 19 with one count of drug possession with the intent to distribute fentanyl. He pleaded not
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A former cheerleading coach at Mexico High School pleaded not guilty to a pair of felony charges Thursday at the Audrain County Courthouse. Janae Nunnelly, of Mexico, Missouri, was charged on March 13 with two counts of having sexual contact with a student. She is being held at the Audrain County Jail
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AUDRAIN COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ) Two people were hurt early Tuesday morning after a UTV crash near the Audrain and Boone County line. A 45-year-old Centralia man was seriously hurt and a 22-year-old Centralia woman was moderately hurt after a UTV crash in Audrain County just after 3 a.m. Tuesday, according to a Missouri State Highway
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A man accused in a shooting in Mexico, Missouri, turned himself into the Audrain County Sheriff’s Office on Monday, according to a press release from the Mexico Department of Public Safety. Police wrote that Branden Truss, 28, of Mexico, Missouri, turned himself in at 6:15 p.m. Monday following a search. He is
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AUDRAIN COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ) Editor’s Note: The location and vehicle type in the headline has been corrected. Two people are seriously injured after an UTV crash in the 20000 block of Rangeline Road near the Audrain/Boone County line according to a Missouri State Highway Patrolman on scene. An ABC 17 News reporter on scene saw
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