News

Columbia city leaders met Tuesday night to look over the fiscal year 2015 budget. They discussed everything from where the current city budget stands to what next year’s will need. One of the big issues ABC 17 News has been following is the need for increased funding in the public safety department – specifically the

Engineers hired to inspect every University of Missouri building after a walkway collapsed and killed a firefighter report the majority of buildings on the Columbia campus had no issues. In a 500 page report, engineers detail the inspections of 376 campus buildings. 18 of those buildings were found to have structural concerns that needed immediate

A Fulton man was sentenced in federal court Tuesday on two separate cases formarijuana trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm. 30-year-old Corey Brewer was sentenced to 15 years in federal prison without parole. He was sentenced as an armed career criminal due to his prior felony convictions. Brewer pleaded guilty to possessing marijuana with the

The Jefferson City Boys and Girls Club said it plans to move. The Missouri Department of Transportation’s Layette Street interchange project will cut off some access to the building and make it difficult for normal daily function. The department has offered to buy the building and a deal is set to be made any day

A man is charged with first-degree murder and armed criminal action after a woman’s body parts were recently discovered in a trailer park south of Sedalia. Joseph Arbeiter confessed to law enforcement that he stabbed Mandy Black several times in the chest in January, but did not dismember her body until several weeks ago. Before

A Mexican national was sentenced in federal court Tuesday for having methamphetamine that she intended to distribute in Morgan County, and for illegally reentering the U.S. 48-year-old Maria Teresa Marrufo is a citizen of Mexico who was living in Gardner, Kansas. Marrufo was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison without parole. In August 2013,

The Boone County Sheriff’s Department issued a warning to residents toalert them to scammers trying to steal money from them via phone. One resident reported getting three phone calls on May 12 from a subject sayinghe was a sergeant with the Boone County Sheriff’s Department, and that a warranthad been issued for the resident’s arrest

A Columbia man who turned himself in to police in early September of last year for attacking his neighbor pleaded guilty in Boone County Court Monday. 40-year-old Quincy Avant allegedly hit his neighbor in the head with a golf club while the victim was playing basketball on September 1, 2013 in the 2900 block of

Missouri’s General Assembly has been referred to as the million dollar legislature. When it comes to lawmakers’ ability to accept gifts from lobbyists, Missouri is in a game of no-limit political poker. There is no law prohibiting or even limiting lobbyist gifts to our state legislators. It is illegal for an office holder to accept

Mizzou golf is looking to continue a hot post-season stretch, having advanced to a regional in four of the last five years. They are led by senior captains Emilio Cuartero and Hunter Kraus. They have a unique advantage this year, as the Tigers are hosting an NCAA regional starting Thursday at The Club at Old

The Columbia Public School’s Board of Education approved a collective bargaining agreement with the teachers that reinstates a pay freeze from about five years ago. The measure passed with a unanimous vote. Board members spoke highly about the agreement because it would make up for a lost step in the salary schedule from the 2008-2009

Damaged property was the topic of a lawsuit hearing involving a Columbia apartment complex Monday. It all stemmed from a fire at Ash Street Place Apartments last year. A lawsuit filed against the owner alleges they were intentionally silent about a lack of pull-down fire alarms and asbestos. Currently, there are 43 plaintiffs in the

Missouri lawmakers have given final approval to legislation requiring parental consent for children younger than 17 to use commercial tanning beds. House members approved the bill 103-38 on Monday. It passed the Senate 22-10 last week and goes now to Gov. Jay Nixon. The measure includes penalties for businesses that allow customers under 17 use

The suspect in a string of campus-area sexual assaults and burglaries reportedly hanged himself on the University of Missouri campus on Saturday. Columbia police said Zane Black, 36, of Columbia, may be connected to dozens of crimes in the East Campus area dating back to May 2013. Black’s online resume indicated he was a registered

A Fulton man confessed Monday to his part in a murder-for-hire plot to kill his estranged wife. Michael Gordon was accused of trying to hire a hit man, who later turned out to be an undercover officer with the Missouri Highway Patrol. The two allegedly agreed to shoot Gordon’s wife in the head. Judge Kevin

Marshall and Slater were not directly affected by Saturday’s tornado. In order for a town to receive state recovery funds, twenty-four residential homes need to be severely damaged. Around three thousand Slater residents were without power for about three hours. Farm buildings and barns were the main structures affected. Route O in Saline County, is

Missouri lawmakers have given final approval to legislation barring people younger than 18 from buying electronic cigarettes. The House voted 127-19 on Monday to send the bill to Gov. Jay Nixon. It passed the Senate earlier this year. E-cigarettes are battery-powered devices used to heat a liquid nicotine solution and create vapor that is inhaled.

Dozens of people are out of a job after Fired Up! BBQ restaurant caught fire early Monday morning. Officials say an equipment malfunction is to blame for the fire that destroyed the building just after 4am. Fire officials say it was a difficult fire to put out because the building was rather old. They also

Jefferson City firefighters battled a blaze in the 1000 block of Hawthorne Parkway Monday afternoon. According to fire crews, the fire was electrical and started in the basement. Contractors were working in the basement, but the cause of the fire has not yet been determined. The interior of the home was heavily damaged by smoke.

The Columbia Fire Department was called to Jefferson Middle School Monday afternoon for reports of smoke in two classrooms. Students and staff were evacuated from the building around 1:00 p.m. Fire crews arrived and found no visible signs of smoke or fire. Crews told ABC 17 News construction work was being done in the lower