PILOT GROVE, Mo. (KMIZ) Cooper County residents held a town hall meeting in Pilot Grove to discuss a proposed solar farm project. More than 100 local residents attended the meeting to express concerns over environmental impacts, tax revenues and the lasting effects of solar panels. The Cooper County commissioners, county assessor, and State Rep. Tim
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UPDATE: This brief was updated after a Tuesday morning press release from MoDOT gave an update. COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Rolling roadblocks are planned this week on Interstate 70 near the Missouri River, according to an updated press release from the Missouri Department of Transportation. “Blasting operations” are scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday as part of
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BOONVILLE, Mo. (KMIZ) A Cooper County judge denied bond for the leader of a “cult-like” Amish community after new charges, including manslaughter, were filed against him this week. Sam Shetler, 42, of Boonville, appeared Tuesday in front of Judge Keith Bail after the new charges were added for a previously scheduled bond reduction hearing. Bail
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The leader of a “cult-like” Amish community who was charged with felonies last month is now charged with manslaughter in the 2025 death of an infant. Sam Shetler, 42, of Boonville, is now charged in Cooper County with three counts of trafficking for forced labor, a count of first-degree sodomy, first-degree sex
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The two men accused of robbing the Isle of Capri Casino in Boonville last month have each been indicted by a grand jury. Benjamin Michael-Dass Charles, 21, of Columbia has been charged with first-degree robbery, armed criminal action and tampering with evidence. He is being held at the Cooper County Jail on
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A woman accused of embezzling money from nonprofits in Boonville and Columbia has pleaded guilty in one of her cases. Jennifer Waibel pleaded guilty on Monday in Cooper County to stealing more than $25,000. She will be sentenced at 1:30 p.m. Friday, May 22. She is still charged in Boone County with stealing more than $750
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 just west of Columbia were closed on Friday during rush hour after a crash. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, at around 5:45 p.m., a 27-year-old Columbia man was driving a 2021 Ram 3500 east on I-70 when he passed a 38-year-old Fayette
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ As severe storms approach Mid-Missouri after days of rain, Boone and Cooper County officials are reminding people to “turn around, don’t drown” when they see water on roadways. Cooper County is under a severe thunderstorm watch until 10 p.m. Friday. “We’ll be monitoring the weather all day,” Cooper County Emergency Management Agency
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A former jailer who was found guilty of manslaughter earlier this year was sentenced on Friday to three years in prison. Robyn Pfeiffer was found guilty on Feb. 3 by a Callaway County jury for first-degree involuntary manslaughter in the death of Brooke Bailey. Bailey, of Jefferson City, died on Oct. 27,
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Cooper County town was awarded $4.8 million in financial assistance from the Missouri Department of Natural Resource for upgrades to its wastewater treatment system, according to a Wednesday press release from the DNR. It will cost a total of $6.28 million to upgrade Pilot Grove’s system and the city expects the
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) EDITOR’S NOTE: AI was used in background research of this article. The leader of an Amish community who was accused of sexual abuse and forced labor at a rural retreat asked a Cooper County judge to get in contact with his family during a status hearing on Tuesday. Sam Shetler, 42, faces
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BOONVILLE, Mo. (KMIZ) EDITOR’S NOTE: AI was used in background research for this article One of the men accused of robbing the Isle of Capri Casino in Boonville last week pleaded not guilty at his first court appearance Tuesday. Benjamin Michael-Dass Charles, 21, of Columbia, appeared by video feed from the Cooper County Jail. Charles
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Thousands of Missourians are expected to join millions of protesters nationwide Saturday in over 3,000 “No Kings” protests.
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. The leader of an Amish community in Cooper County was arrested on Wednesday over claims of sexual abuse and forced labor at a rural retreat. Cooper County Sheriff Chris Class said Sam Shetler, 42, was arrested after a search warrant in the 11000 block of Hidden Valley Court at the Mercy and Truth-Amish
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Two men have been charged in connection with the armed robbery at the Isle of Capri Casino in Boonville earlier this week. Benjamin Michael-Dass Charles, 21, of Columbia has been charged with first-degree robbery, armed criminal action and tampering with evidence. He is being held at the Cooper County Jail on a
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BOONVILLE, Mo. (KMIZ) EDITOR’S NOTE: A source’s name has been corrected. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives joined the investigation of Wednesday’s armed robbery at the Isle of Capri Boonville casino as of Thursday morning. Lt. Eric Brown of the Missouri State Highway Patrol told ABC 17 News that the ATF joined in
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BOONVILLE, Mo. (KMIZ) Police were at the Isle of Capri casino on the Boonville riverfront Wednesday afternoon investigating. The Howard County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a now-deleted Wednesday evening social media post that an armed robbery occurred at the casino and that multiple agencies are investigating. The sheriff’s office wrote that two men with
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BOONVILLE, Mo. (KMIZ) Local and state health agencies are focusing on education and prevention in Mid-Missouri schools after evidence of the opioid nitazene was found during a volunteer wastewater study. According to a release from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, the state’s Department of Public Safety analyzed the sewage, or wastewater, of
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Firefighters, friends and loved ones of Billy Hurt took part in a funeral procession for him from The Crossing church in south Columbia to the Boonville area. Hurt, a retired firefighter, was killed a week ago working safety at a sprint car track.
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A former corrections officer at the Cooper County Jail plans to waive her right to a jury trial, according to court filings from Monday. Rachel Atherton is charged with first-degree involuntary manslaughter in the death Brooke Bailey. A motion to waive her right to a jury trial was filed on Monday and will
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