News

A new Missouri education commissioner has been chosen to replace a leader who faced frequent criticism while dealing with struggling districts. The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education announced Wednesday that the State Board of Education has promoted an assistant commissioner, Margaret Vandeven, to education commissioner. Vandeven replaces Chris Nicastro, who announced in September

An execution date of Jan. 28 has been set for a man who fatally stabbed a St. Louis County woman during a 1998 burglary. The Missouri Supreme Court on Wednesday set the execution date for 45-year-old Marcellus Williams. It would be Missouri’s first execution in 2015, after a state record 10 inmates were put to

A man from Gasconade County was arrested fur burglary and assault near Ashland Tuesday night. At around 11:30 p.m. deputies went to a home in the 16000 block of James Sapp Road for reports of a burglary. The person living there told deputies Ryan Lieneke broke through the front door and attacked him. Deputies say

Fees paid by Missouri businesses could become the overall lowest in the nation-that’s if legislation filed Tuesday by Senator Wayne Wallingford, on behalf of Secretary of State Jason Kander, is passed next year. The proposal has bi-partisan support, and if the bill passes, it would make business filing costs much cheaper. As it stands now,

19-year-old Jack Lipp remains in the hospital in critical condition after falling off a balcony that residents said was in disrepair. The life-threatening incident prompted ABC 17 News to look into who is responsible for keeping these properties safe, and how renters can protect their homes. Leigh Britt with the Office of Neighborhood Services said

Palcohol is alcohol in the form of powder. It was approved by the federal government in April. But Det. Tom O’Sullivan at the Boone County Sheriff’s Department believes the product will only give minors easier access to alcohol. Not only that, he said since the packaging is not like your typical can or glass of

During the summer ABC 17 News reported on a house in Jefferson City filled with trash, including soiled diapers, cockroaches and debris. Since then, Ott Property Services has worked hard to clean up the property, bringing it up to code. Although they did not want to go on camera, several neighbors have told us that

Tuesday, suspects are still on the loose after five armed robberies at Columbia businesses in a little over a week. Those five robberies do not include the recent bank robberies. Three days after the latest business robbery, Columbia police said they still have no suspects. Abc 17 talked to neighboring businesses about what they think

An upper level wave will move in from the southwest Wednesday night sending Pacific moisture over the cold air which has settled over Mid-Missouri. This will lead to light snow which will develop close to 9 PM at the Lake of the Ozarks and spread north to I-70 near midnight. Snow is likely from midnight

Federal officials released a preliminary report of what caused a deadly plane crash in Boonville last month, saying the engine lost power while the pilot was trying to land. A surviving passenger told officials the pilot was able to briefly restore power, but it went out again. The plane stalled completely about 250 feet off

Missouri’s unemployment rate has fallen to its lowest point in more than six years. The state Department of Economic Development released data Tuesday showing the seasonally adjusted jobless rate dropped from 5.9 percent in October to 5.6 percent in November. That puts the unemployment rate at its lowest rate since May 2008. Seasonally adjusted non-farm

Gov. Jay Nixon and a top Boeing Co. official say the company’s latest venture in St. Louis opens up new possibilities for the region. Ground was broken Tuesday for a plant that will make parts for Boeing’s new 777X passenger aircraft, which will be manufactured in the Seattle area. The parts facility will bring 700

A person must now be 21 years old to buy tobacco in Columbia. The Columbia city council voted to increase the legal age Monday night after more than an hour of public comment. Council members spoke about the overall public health benefit they think this will cause. Two council members even talked about their days

A woman is recovering after a trailer fire on Rock Quarry Road in Columbia late Monday night. Both city and county units responded to the scene just before 11 p.m. A woman managed to escape the burning trailer by breaking through a window. Crews on the scene told ABC 17 News a passerby helped the

Former Jefferson City Council woman Carrie Tergin announced Monday she is running for mayor. Anyone who has followed her career on the city council knows Carrie Tergin can have some blunt opinions. She was a big proponent the conference center getting built downtown and has, at times, stood alone on the council for certain projects.

Columbia police responded to a bank robbery in the northeast part of the city just before closing time around 5 p.m. Monday. Officers were called to the Boone County National Bank at 1916 Paris Road near Clark Lane. An ABC 17 reporter said several detectives were working the area. Officials confirmed the suspect was a

We have an active weather pattern which will bring precipitation chances and colder air to the area through Christmas week with most days in the 30s and nights in the 20s. The upper level winds moving in off the Pacific will dive south across the west coast and lift to the northeast. Upper level disturbances

The cause of a large Columbia house fire remains under investigation, but on Monday officials said damages will cost roughly $350,000. Around 2 p.m. Saturday, Columbia and Boone County firefighters responded to a home fire on Foxwood Court off Scott Boulevard in west Columbia. No one was inside the house at the time of the

Police officers are searching for the gunman in a Monday afternoon shooting off Rice Road near Ballenger Lane in northeast Columbia. Officials received some early reports of shots fired around 4 p.m. Investigators left the scene by Whispering Meadows Court just before 5 p.m. Police say they found nine shell casings, and they think the

Gov. Jay Nixon is backing a bonding package to pay for repairs to Missouri’s century-old Capitol building and other government and university facilities. Nixon got a firsthand look at some of the needed repairs Monday. He walked through the mud underneath the Capitol’s driveway and used his fingers to snap off one of the many