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Columbia City Government

Columbia City Council approves $96K contract for pedestrian safety study amid concerns of panhandlers standing in medians

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia City Council on Monday night approved an agreement with a third-party professional engineering service to conduct a street and intersection pedestrian safety study.  The $96,550 agreement with George L. Crawford & Associates, Inc. will look into potential changes to ordinances and procedures for the city to align toward Vision Zero,

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DNR threatens Columbia stormwater permit over homeless encampments

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources has requested that the city of Columbia create a plan to minimize waste from homeless encampments from getting into public waters.
DNR sent a letter to the city, along with Boone County and the University of Missouri, on Feb. 28, 2025. It said it wants to see the issue addressed before it will renew their “Municipal Separate Storm System (MS4) Operating Permit Renewal.”

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Columbia Police Department report says technology is helping, but more is needed

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Police Department says surveillance technology is helping it to better police the city. CPD’s 2024 annual surveillance report says technology such as surveillance cameras, license plate readers, data analytics, radios and mobile devices has significantly enhanced the department’s capabilities in identifying suspects. However, the department is looking to improve its

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Murphy nets $182k in donations for Columbia mayoral race; outdraws Buffaloe, Heath by wide margin

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A staggering difference in donations have occurred in Columbia’s mayoral race, according to the reports submitted to the Missouri Ethics Commission on Thursday. Thursday’s filings were the reports campaigns submit 40 days before the election. This year’s municipal elections will be April 8.   A committee disclosure report for candidate Blair Murphy’s

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Columbia mayoral candidate Blair Murphy nets third five-figure donation

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia mayoral candidate this week collected another five-figure check, his third such donation this winter. Blair Murphy’s campaign took a $10,000 donation from Richard Miller, owner of Miller’s Professional Imaging. The picture printing company has a location in east Columbia. Miller is also a prominent University of Missouri athletics booster, having

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City Council asks Parks and Rec to gather more community feedback on Douglass Park basketball court renovations after pushback over name

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia City Council wants the Parks and Recreation Department to come up with a plan for reaching the community on the Douglass Park Improvement Project. The council on Monday unanimously decided to continue with the basketball court renovation project, but wants Parks and Rec staff to deliver a report on a

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Columbia Police Officers Association announces more endorsements for city elections

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Police Officer Association on Tuesday announced more endorsements for the April 8 municipal elections. The CPOA in November announced that it would endorse Blair Murphy for mayor. The mayoral race consists of Murphy, incumbent Barbara Buffaloe, Tanya Heath and certified write-in candidate Lucio Bitoy. The April election includes races for

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Columbia firefighter’s union to withhold endorsements during city elections

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Professional Firefighters IAFF Local 1055 announced in a Wednesday press release that it will not endorse any candidates in the April 8 election. The union has endorsed candidates in prior city elections and supported former First Ward Councilman Nick Knoth during his recall. “Breaking from the years long tradition of supporting

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Local union makes endorsement for Columbia mayor and Third Ward council member

LiUNA Local 955, a Mid-Missouri construction workers and public employeeses union, announced it is endorsing incumbent Barbara Buffaloe for mayor and Jacque Sample for Ward 3 council member in the April 8 municipal election.

The union hosted a candidate forum on Saturday for city council in the 3rd Ward, 4th Ward and mayor for the city of Columbia. The forum was the first of the election cycle and addressed crucial topics for union members.

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