News

Many businesses are increasing their safety measures after four armed robberies in north Columbia in less than a week. Abc 17 talked to several businesses in the areas of the robberies to see what they are doing. Most of them, if not all, are taking the recent elevation in crime very seriously. One business was

The prosecution rested their case Wednesday morning following more testimony in day 3 of a trial for a Mid-Missouri woman charged for a deadly crash on I-70. Two more witnesses, including the man who tested Kelli Smith’s rape kit, and an investigator with the Highway Patrol testified in Montgomery County Court Wednesday. After the prosecution

ABC 17 first reported the contract termination of Columbia Star Dinner Train on Tuesday. The owner of the Columbia Star Dinner Train said he has been in the process of changing ownership of the train since October. He said they started experiencing some unexpected finance issues. Owner Allen Brown said the company does owe the

ABC 17 reported Tuesday night members of the Jefferson City community met to voice concerns over a possible name change to a historic street. Lincoln University put in a request to change the name of Lafayette Street to University Avenue. Community members said the name change would have erased one of the last remaining symbols

Tuesday evening, members of Jefferson City’s black community held a town hall meeting to discuss the possibility of changing the name of Lafayette Street to University Avenue. More than two dozen residents came out to petition the city to stop Lincoln University’s request to change the name. Residents told ABC 17, Lafayette has historical significance,

There have been no arrests as of Tuesday night in four armed robberies at four different Columbia businesses. ABC 17 News talked with the four businesses to find out more details on what happened. On Friday morning, an employee and customer at the Budget Host Inn were bound with duct tape when two men, at

Columbia City leaders said the reason for terminating the contract with Columbia Star Dinner Train is due to the city not getting timely payments and reports. Deputy City Manager Tony St. Romaine said they haven’t heard from the company since they sent the termination notice last week. St. Romaine said he doesn’t think the owners

The city of Columbia named Randy White as its new fire chief Tuesday morning. White, a 16-year veteran of the department takes over February 1 of next year as he replaces outgoing chief Chuck Witt. City manager Mike Matthes introduced White in a press conference today and said, “Randy is exceptionally well-prepared to take our

A woman will not face murder charges in a Columbia man’s July shooting death. Rebecca Bushman is, however, charged with unlawful use of a weapon for the July 16 shooting. Court documents said Bushman used backpage.com to have sex for money. 47-year-old Jon Chalfant contacted Bushman through the site in July. Bushman met up with

A Camden County man is facing drug charges after hunters found a meth lab in the woods near Rte. Z. Camden County deputies and members of the Lake Area Narcotics Group searched the area and found a complete working lab. From there, they got a warrant to search a home in the 100 block of

Osage County is performing poorly according to an audit by State Auditor Tom Schweich. In August, a road and bridge foreman resigned from his job after allegedly making unquestionable purchases and misusing county assets. The county gave that information to the prosecutor, but no charges were filed as of the end of last month. Despite

Columbia Police responded to an armed robbery at We B Smokin’ Monday night just before 8:00. ABC 17 confirmed a K-9 unit was on the scene looking for two suspects in a wooded area just west of the business on Bernadette Drive. Dispatchers said two suspects were wearing ski masks. One was said to be

Fulton police are looking for a man who robbed a Casey’s General Store early Tuesday morning. It happened at the store on north Business 54 at around 1:40 a.m. According to investigators, the suspect walked into the store with a knife and demanded money from the register. He took the money and left; no one

The Columbia school board Monday approved a policy allowing the Director of Safety and Security and his assistant to carry guns in schools. The 5-2 vote mirrored the vote taken at last month’s first reading of the policy. The new changes give the superintendent the power to allow those two CPS employees to carry a

Northerly winds will send colder air in to Mid-Missouri Tuesday keeping our daytime highs only in the 30s with morning clouds. Another wave of low pressure will move in from the northwest Wednesday bringing more clouds and chilly air. The jet stream will start to shift to the north Thursday, keeping the storm track and

The trial started Monday for a Jefferson City woman accused of driving drunk, going the wrong way on I-70, killing a man in a head-on crash. Kelli Smith, 25, is charged with first-degree involuntary manslaughter. Prosecutors said Smith went to several Columbia bars back in February 2012, before she traveled for at least seven miles

City of Columbia leaders are frustrated with the lack of cooperation with Uber, a ride-sharing service. Assistant City Manager Tony St. Romaine said he wished Uber would have their drivers turn off their Uber apps until February. He said by then the city should have something worked out so the company can operate the car

Columbia Police are still looking for suspects in three separate business robberies in three days. This weekend Jimmy John’s, Budget Host Inn, and Denny’s were all targets. While police were not talking Monday, ABC 17 News went to the three businesses hit and found several similarities. On Friday, people at the Budget Host Inn awoke

A Mid-Missouri daycare owner found guilty of endangering the welfare of a child is back in court Monday, after a judge approved a second trial last year. Parents of Lane Schaefer believe Richter shook the 7-month old back in 2010 at the home daycare in Taos, outside Jefferson City, leaving him with brain damage and

Monday morning, COMO Council Watch along with other groups delivered 59 petition pages with 451 signatures to the city clerk’s office in an effort to recall First Ward Council Member Ginny Chadwick. City officials said they’ll look through the signatures with the Boone County Clerk’s Office to determine if the signatures are registered first ward