Marina fire at Lake of the Ozarks ruled accidental
A fire at a Lake of the Ozarks marina early Monday was accidental, investigators say.
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Columbia Fire Department says budget cut will not hurt service
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Fire Department leaders say services won’t be cut despite a 1% drop in the department’s fiscal 2026 budget. The city is predicting it will bring in around $560 million in revenue for fiscal 2026, for around $600 million in spending, leaving a deficit of $40 million, nearly double the city’s deficit
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Fire at Eagle Bluffs Elementary ruled accidental
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Fire marshals have determined a fire that occurred last week while crews were working on the new Eagle Bluffs Elementary School on Sinclair Road was accidental. Columbia Fire Department spokeswoman Katherine Rodriguez told ABC 17 News in an email the fire was accidentally caused by construction crews who were using hot torches.
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Resurfacing to begin this week on portion of West Worley Street in Columbia
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Contractors will begin resurfacing a portion of West Worley Street at 5 p.m. Wednesday, according to a Monday press release from the City of Columbia. Roadwork will occur from 5 p.m.-7 a.m. each day and is expected to be finished by 7 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 13. Lane closures will occur during work
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No charges will be filed against Jefferson City officers who shot at woman
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) No charges will be filed against any of the Jefferson City police officers who were accused of shooting at a woman in March, according to a letter from Cole County Prosecutor Locke Thompson. Julie Knehans was dead with a gunshot wound after police opened fire while responding to a burglary on March
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2 charged in prostitution sting in Camden County
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Two people were charged in a prostitution sting in Camden County over the weekend. Justin Merz, 49, of Wenztville, was charged with drug possession and third-degree promoting prostitution. He is being held on a $25,000 bond at the Camden County Jail and a court date has not been scheduled. Christine Clay, 46,
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Boone County murder suspect gets life in prison for father’s death
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Hartsburg man who admitted to killing his father was sentenced to life in prison Monday after a previous sentencing hearing was delayed. Collin Knight, 25, was charged with first-degree murder and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of his father. Knight had previously agreed to a plea deal that
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City of Columbia revenue falls short again in FY’26 proposed budget
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Spending projections continue to rise, while revenue continues to fall for the City of Columbia. The Columbia City Council is set to hear input from Columbia residents during its Monday night meeting.The City’s budget is made up of five different fund types: the general fund, enterprise funds, internal service funds, special revenue
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California man killed in Moniteau County ATV crash
MONITEAU COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ) A California man died on Sunday after his ATV crashed. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, the crash occurred around 8:30 on Route KK- north of Swillum Road. The crash happened when the 74-year-old’s 2001 Honda TRX350FM crossed the center of the road and traveled off the left
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Back-to-school sales tax holiday ends midnight Sunday
Sunday is the last day to take advantage of Missouri’s back-to-school sales tax holiday.
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Jefferson City man pleads guilty to child sex crime
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A Jefferson City man faces life in prison after pleading guilty to a child sex crime. Ryan Swillum, 25, of Jefferson City plead guilty to first-degree statutory sodomy on Friday, according to a press release from Cole County Prosecuting Attorney Locke Thompson. According to the release, the events occurred in Jefferson
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2 Jefferson City women killed in Saturday morning crash
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Two Jefferson City women were killed in a single-vehicle crash Saturday morning on Route C in Cole County, just west of Zion Road, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report. It is not known if the women were wearing seatbelts, the report says. The crash occurred as a 2008 Ford
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Fulton firefighter injured while responding to house fire
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Fulton firefighter suffered minor injuries while responding to a house fire just after midnight Saturday in the 600 block of Churchill Road, according to a Saturday morning press release from the Fulton Fire Department. The firefighter – who was not named – suffered a minor burn injury and was treated on
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MU professor weighs in on Sen. Hawley’s tariff rebate proposal
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A new bill introduced by Sen. Josh Hawley could provide American families with rebate checks worth thousands of dollars, using revenue generated from tariffs under the Trump administration. The proposal came just days before President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday night imposing steep tariffs on 66 countries—including the European Union,
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‘Swatting’ call prompted law enforcement response in Moberly, Huntsville
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Law enforcement agencies in Randolph County responded to what ended up being a pair of “swatting” calls on Friday morning. . “Swatting” occurs when someone makes a prank call or message to draw a surprise emergency response to an address. A similar call was made to the residence of former Secretary of State
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Conley Avenue parking garage reopens after $5.5 million repair project
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Conley Avenue parking garage reopened Friday, nearly a year after it was shut down for repairs. The structure at 511 Conley Ave. closed on Aug. 17, 2024, for maintenance. But just two months later, the university announced it would remain closed until fall 2025 to address serious repair needs. Records show
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Jay Moore becomes Cole County auditor after Kehoe’s appointment
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Jay Moore will be Cole County’s next auditor, according to a Friday press release from Gov. Mike Kehoe’s Office. Kehoe made the appointment on Friday. Moore replaces Mark Ruether, who announced his retirement last month. Moore is the finance director for the Jefferson City Chamber of Commerce and has more than 30
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$2.5 million CMHS donation match extended through August
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Central Missouri Humane Society announced in a Friday press release that its anonymous donor who is matching up to $2.5 million in donations has extended the match through the end of August. Previous reporting says the money will be put toward its new campus it intends to build on a 17.5-acre
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Former Tipton prison worker pleads guilty to having sex with inmate
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A former worker at the prison in Tipton pleaded guilty on Friday to having sex with an inmate. Jessica Baird, of Versailles, will be sentenced at 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 3. She is accused of having sex with a male prisoner on Oct. 21, 2024, when she worked at Tipton Correctional Center,
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Inmate dies after month in custody at Fulton Reception & Diagnostic Center
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) An inmate at the Fulton Reception & Diagnostic Center died this week after he was in custody for just over a month. Missouri Department of Corrections said Timothy Poore, 72, died on Wednesday. Poore was serving a six-year sentence for sexual abuse and sodomy charges from Callaway County, according to the department.
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