PILOT GROVE, Mo. (KMIZ) Around 100 people showed up for a town hall meeting in Pilot Grove on Tuesday about a potential solar field in the city. An organized effort was made by Cooper County residents over questions about neighbors’ concerns over the project. Local elected officials and the developers of the project presented details
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The FBI is offering up a $5,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest of a man who is accused of robbing the Isle of Capri Casino in March. Two men were charged in the robbery, with the first being Benjamin Charles, 21, of Columbia. He is charged with first-degree robbery,
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A corrections officer at Boonville Correctional Center was charged with two felonies on Wednesday after authorities claimed she had sexual relations with an inmate. Emmalee Walker, of Boonville, was charged in Cooper County with first-degree sodomy and committing sexual conduct in the course of public duty. A $10,000 bond was issued on
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A woman who was sentenced last month in a Cooper County embezzlement case was sentenced to probation in her Boone County case on Friday. Both cases make a combined total of over $63,000 of stolen funds. Jennifer Waibel, 53, of Boonville, pleaded guilty on Friday in her Boone County case to stealing
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A tractor-trailer loaded with cheese crashed on Interstate 70 westbound on the west side of Boonville on Thursday, closing the road temporarily. The Missouri State Highway Patrol said the injury crash happened at the 102-mile marker near the Ashley Road exit in Boonville. Crews were working late Thursday afternoon to clean up
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A man accused in a criminal case involving a baby’s death and accusations of sex crimes and slavery has requested for his case to be moved to another county. Sam Shetler, 42, of Boonville, is charged with three counts of trafficking for the purpose of slavery/forced labor, a count of first-degree sodomy,
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) EDITOR’S NOTE: An erroneous reference to a 120-day jail sentence has been removed. A Boonville woman who pleaded guilty last month to embezzling from a Cooper County nonprofit was sentenced to serve 30 days in jail. Judge Jeff Mittelhauser sentenced Jennifer Waibel last week to 30 days in jail and five years
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Boonville man was charged on Friday with a pair of felonies after authorities claim he broke into a building by crawling through a hole that housed an office air conditioning unit. Joshua Allen Kautzman was charged with second-degree burglary and first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle. A warrant was issued and
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Bunceton school board member pleaded guilty on Thursday in federal court for her role in an alleged scheme that defrauded the school district out of $385,000. Ashley Benny, 41, waived her right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty to wire fraud, according to a Thursday press release from the Department
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Liberty Utilities customers in several Mid-Missouri counties will see a temporary increase on their electric bills starting next month. The Missouri Public Service Commission on Wednesday approved Liberty’s application for a rate increase from June through November, though regulators slimmed down the incrase from $14.81 per month to $8.74 per month. The
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Power is being restored in Mid-Missouri Monday morning after storms rolled through. According to the City of Columbia’s outage map, nearly 1,800 customers are without power due to six electrical incidents. This is an improvement from earlier Monday morning, when more than 3,700 customers were without power due to seven power incidents
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The mayor of a Cooper County town resigned from his position on Tuesday. The City of Bunceton shared on its social media on Wednesday that Mayor Justin Hein resigned after 15 years as mayor. The city did not share why Hein decided to step down. Information from the Cooper County Clerk’s website
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A 35-year-old truck driver from Independence, Missouri, was treated for injuries after he lost control of his tractor-trailer Wednesday on Interstate 70 in Cooper County. The 2017 Freightliner was traveling east at the 96.2 mile marker when the truck went off the left side of the road at about 9 a.m., according
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission has picked a contractor for the Improve I-70: Truck Parking project, according to a Wednesday press release from the Missouri Department of Transportation. KCI construction Team was picked for the projects in Concordia, Boonville, Mineola and Wright City, the release says. The truck parking project is
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The leader of a “cult-like” Amish community who was charged with several felonies, including manslaughter and sex crimes, was indicted by a Cooper County grand jury on Friday. Sam Shetler, 42, of Boonville, is charged with three counts of trafficking for the purpose of slavery, a count of first-degree sodomy, first-degree sex
Continue Reading
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
Continue Reading
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
Continue Reading 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
Continue Reading
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
Continue Reading