Columbia Archives

Planned Parenthood pushes back against Missouri AG’s cease-and-desist

March 12, 2025 6:14 PM Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey issued a cease-and-desist order against Planned Parenthood facilities in the state, prohibiting them from performing medication abortions without an approved complication plan from state health officials. However, Planned Parenthood officials contend they are not currently offering medication abortions and have complied with state requirements. Abortion appointments resumed

Family of MU hazing victim continues push for Danny’s Law, as Southern University student’s death leads to more arrests

March 12, 2025 5:39 PM Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Tom Santulli has not forgotten the early morning of Oct. 19 2021. “We lose sleep all the time about what if Danny had 20 more minutes? What if the paramedics had got there 20 minutes, you know 30 minutes before,” Santulli said. Santulli learned then that his son, Danny Santulli, who was

Man accused of spraying 2 strangers with burning liquid near Bear Creek Trail parking lot

March 12, 2025 4:36 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A man was charged in Boone County on Wednesday after he allegedly sprayed two strangers with liquid on Tuesday near the parking lot at Bear Creek Trail. Maxon Castle, 22, was charged with two counts of second-degree assault. A court date has not been set. He is being held at the Boone

Water main break on West Ash Street impacts ARC, 86 Columbia water customers

March 12, 2025 3:39 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A water main break near the Columbia Farmers Market has led to Columbia Water and Light to announce a boil advisory for 86 customers. City Utilities spokesman Matt Nestor wrote in an email that a 12-inch cast iron main broke around 2:45 p.m. and that the outage will last “at least a few

Love Columbia’s transitional housing, Love Forward Homes, set to open in early 2026

March 11, 2025 5:00 PM Meghan Drakas

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Love Columbia’s transitional housing complex, Love Forward Homes, is expected to be complete early 2026. The complex at 1221 E. Ash St. in Downtown Columbia will have six three-bedroom units and four two-bedroom units that can house up to 10 families. Love Columbia says in 2024, it provided 4,144 hotel nights to

Gold Star mother works to revive Columbia’s Memorial Day parade

March 11, 2025 7:32 PM Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) After a six-year hiatus, a Gold Star mother is hoping to resurrect a decades-old tradition of hosting a Memorial Day parade in Columbia. Sherry Wyatt says her heart sank when her son, Sterling, told her he wanted to enlist in the U.S. Army. A Rock Bridge graduate, Sterling was also an Eagle

DNR threatens Columbia stormwater permit over homeless encampments

March 11, 2025 12:13 PM Haley Swaino

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has requested that the city of Columbia create a plan to minimize waste from homeless encampments from getting into public waters.
DNR sent a letter to the city, along with Boone County and the University of Missouri, on Feb. 28, 2025. It said it wants to see the issue addressed before it will renew their “Municipal Separate Storm System (MS4) Operating Permit Renewal.”

Boone County sheriff endorses Blair Murphy in Columbia mayoral race

March 11, 2025 4:56 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Boone County Sheriff Dwayne Carey has made a rare endorsement in the Columbia mayoral race. An email from Blair Murphy’s campaign states that Carey has endorsed him in the April 8 election. This is the second local law enforcement representative to endorse Murphy, who also got approval from the Columbia Police Officers’

Columbia man charged with domestic assault, property damage

March 11, 2025 4:28 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia man was charged with two felonies after authorities say he assaulted another person. Michael True, 54, was charged on Tuesday with first-degree domestic assault and first-degree property damage. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. A court date has not been scheduled. According to the probable

Greek Week blood drive continues

March 11, 2025 5:42 AM Jazsmin Halliburton

The University of Missouri and the Red Cross are teaming up for the 34th time to collect life-saving blood donations. The Greek Week blood drive will take place at the University of Missouri recreation center on campus from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will also run during the same time Wednesday.

Charges updated for man accused of setting house on fire with propane torch

March 10, 2025 2:34 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Charges were updated for a man accused of setting a house on fire last month with a propane torch. Robert Merritt, 51, of Columbia, was charged on Friday with first-degree arson and three counts of first-degree domestic assault after a grand jury indictment was filed. He is being held at the Boone

Columbia Board of Education approves new superintendent’s contract

March 10, 2025 4:32 PM Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Editor’s Note: the date of a previous Muleskinners meeting has been corrected. The Columbia Board of Education unanimously approved a three-year contract for its new superintendent, Jeff Klein, during Monday night’s board meeting. The contract sets Klein’s salary at $255,000, which would be paid monthly. His salary can increase by as much

Columbia Police Department report says technology is helping, but more is needed

March 10, 2025 11:22 AM Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Police Department says surveillance technology is helping it to better police the city. CPD’s 2024 annual surveillance report says technology such as surveillance cameras, license plate readers, data analytics, radios and mobile devices has significantly enhanced the department’s capabilities in identifying suspects. However, the department is looking to improve its

Sidewalk, parking closures announced near Downtown Columbia intersection

March 10, 2025 5:33 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A portion of a sidewalk and metered parking will be closed off next week in Downtown Columbia as crews install a canopy. According to a Monday press release from the city, the canopy will be put over the sidewalk near the Guitar Building on North Eighth Street. A portion of the sidewalk

Power restored for nearly 1,800 Boone Electric customers who lost electricity

March 10, 2025 1:57 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Nearly 1,800 Boone Electric Cooperative customers were without power on Monday afternoon. According to the co-op’s outage map, 1,759 customers were without power for an outage that occurred on Mexico Gravel Road, just west of Route Z. The power A crew fixed the outage by 2:15 p.m. Boone Electric spokesman Zach Smith

$2.1M grant for Business Loop 70 improvement paused

March 10, 2025 1:34 PM Madison Stuerman

A $2.1 million dollar grant to improve Business Loop 70 in Columbia has been frozen by the Federal Highway Administration.

Columbia man charged with seven felonies after shots fired

March 9, 2025 3:01 PM Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Prosecutors charged a Columbia man with two felonies related to a shots-fired call Sunday and five more felonies in connection with a February incident. Clyde J. Johnson Jr., 50, was arrested Sunday after a shots-fired call in the 4200 block of Rice Road. Prosecutors charged him with illegal gun possession and armed

Columbia Police Department to hear community feedback on Axon technology Monday

March 10, 2025 5:41 AM Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Police Department will hold two meetings on Monday to gather community feedback on renewing and upgrading its Axon technology package. Community members will have two opportunities to listen and provide feedback: 11:45 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. at the Molly Thomas Bowden Neighborhood Policing Center, 1204 International Dr. 6 p.m. to

Columbia Public Schools to vote on contract for new superintendent Monday

March 9, 2025 9:36 PM Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Board of Education is set to vote on a three-year contract for its new superintendent, Jeff Klein during Monday’s meeting. If approved, Klein will make $255,000 in his first year, with the potential for up to a 6% increase in his second and third years. This decision comes as the

No evidence found after MU Alert of shots heard near Downtown Columbia

March 8, 2025 7:28 AM Gabrielle Teiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Police say officers did not locate anything at the scene after getting reports of shots heard near Downtown Columbia early Saturday morning. An MU Alert was sent out just before 2 a.m. Saturday. The alert states, “CPD reports shots heard at/near Walnut and College. Urgent/Stay away from area. No additional alerts