News

Gov. Jay Nixon announced the state will help to reopen the historic Missouri State Penitentiary that was closed to visitors after high levels of mold were discovered. Nixon said during a news conference Wednesday the state will split the cost of approximately $2 million with Jefferson City. Officials hope to reopen the facility by next

The Missouri Western District Court of Appeals handed down its opinion in the case of Ryan Ferguson, ruling in his favor and overturning his convictions. In the 54-page opinion released Tuesday, all three judges stated Ferguson’s convictions for murder and robbery should be “vacated.” The appeals court said that prosecutors withheld evidence from defense attorneys

Voters in Columbia overwhelmingly decided to pass a multimillion dollar sewer bond issue. Proposition 1, a $33 million bond issue, passed with nearly 80 percent of the vote. The money will be used over the next five years to fix broken pipes, replace outdated lines and dig new manholes. The money will not be coming

The parents and attorney of a man whose conviction was overturned held a press conference Tuesday evening. Bill and Leslie Ferguson, the parents of Ryan Ferguson, and attorney Kathleen Zellner spoke to the media at the The Tiger Hotel in Columbia. Earlier Tuesday, the Missouri Western District Court of Appeals overturned the murder and robbery

A breakthrough in cancer research is happening in Mid-Missouri, literally changing the way doctor’s see cancer. Washington University in St. Louis teamed up with the University of Missouri’s Veterinarian School to test cancer goggles. They are first testing them in dogs before moving to humans. “This would be a huge breakthrough in cancer research. This

The Missouri Department of Transportation is advising drivers to stay cautious when it comes to deer on Missouri roads. In 2012, almost 4,000 drivers collided with deer last year on state highways. Five of those people were killed. Currently, it’s the middle of deer mating season and that means bucks are out seeking mates and

Friends of Kent Heitholt say there is a whole other side to Ryan Ferguson story Tuesday. Ferguson was convicted in 2005 of killing Kent Heitholt, the sports editor for the Columbia Daily Tribune. That conviction was overturned Tuesday by the Missouri Western District Court of Appeals. Heitholt’s friends told ABC 17 News that people still

A Fulton man is behind bars, accused of stealing thousands of dollars worth of farm equipment. The Callaway County Sheriff’s Office arrested Richard J. Hoover, 28, for the theft. Authorities say they were called to the 8000 block of County Road 108 on Sunday. Deputies say approximately $11,000 worth of farm equipment was stolen. Residents

From California, Mo. to Columbia, communities across central Missouri are rallying behind the Tipton teenager injured in a football game last week. Chad Stover collapsed with just minutes left in a game against Sacred Heart in Sedalia. As of Monday night, he remains in critical condition at University Hospital. Since the injury, Mid-Missouri has shown

An Endangered Person Advisory has been issued for a missing Eldon teenager who was last seen last week. Police say Ethel M. Parker, 16, has been missing since her boyfriend dropped her off on Grand Avenue in Eldon around 7:47 p.m. on Oct. 28. Her boyfriend, 21-year-old Harley McFadden, dropped her off, but police say

A Columbia man ended up in jail Monday night after deputies say he threatened someone with a gun. Deputies were called to the 3500 block of New Haven Road shortly after 8 p.m. Witnesses there told them a man was waving a pistol around and threatened someone with that same gun. The deputies later found

A woman from Rolla died in a car accident on Highway 63 in Maries County Monday night. The accident happened around 9 p.m., just south of Vienna. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 36-year-old Rebekah Haslett’s car went off the road and hit a rock bluff. The car flipped and Haslett, who was not

A Jefferson City Public Schools teacher was arrested over the weekend and charged with aggravated stalking. Joshua Grotzinger, 31, of Rocheport, teaches math and coaches cross country and track at Jefferson City High School. He was arrested Saturday by Boone County Sheriff’s deputies for stalking. Court documents show since he and his ex-wife divorced, there

A school bus bound for Rock Bridge High School in Columbia left students standing in the rain Monday morning. Kirk Powell contacted ABC 17 News when the bus failed to show up long after the scheduled 8:18 a.m. time. He said he had to drive his son to school after a conference call. “I got

A small town is struggling to understand how a family fight ended with one man dead this weekend. It happened in Brunswick in Chariton County, about an hour and a half northwest of Columbia. The family reached out to ABC 17 News Sunday, but asked to not be identified. The family said David Weil, 26,

A former Transportation Security Administration employee has pleaded guilty to stealing at the Columbia Regional Airport. Back in April, Eric Dunlap, 42, of Jefferson City, was arrested after he was caught stealing a bag full of money as part of an exercised designed to test employees’ integrity. Instead of turning the bag in to lost-and-found,

Sunday the No. 7 Missouri volleyball team swept Kentucky 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-22) Now, the team remains undefeated with 27 wins, a national best and 11-0 in the SEC. Win 27 was Wayne Krewlow’s 500th win as head coach. The Tiger”s middle hitters combined for 20 kills on .613 hitting with 13 blocks in Sunday’s

Parishioners at Trinity Lutheran Church are clipping coupons to feed the poor. The church says the poor need help now more than ever after the federal cuts on the food stamp program last week. Benefits for 47 million Americans have been slashed, meaning a family of four will now receive about $36 less a month.

Several accidents prompted the closure of Interstate 70 westbound near the Missouri River Bridge Monday morning. The accidents included a tractor trailer that jack-knifed and a car that slammed into the back of a truck. According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Joshuah Hopson, 22, crashed into the rear of a tractor trailer that had

The mention of the “President of the United States” caused fans at Saturday’s University of Missouri football game to boo. During a Missouri National Guard ceremony to swear-in new members, guardsmen had to recite an oath that contained the line, “I will obey the orders of the President of the United States.” According to numerous