Nick Foster keeps seat in Columbia’s Fourth Ward
Columbia Fourth Ward voted to retain its city council member Tuesday.
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ELECTION NIGHT UPDATES: Buffaloe, Foster win reelection in Columbia
Check back for election updates.
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Stealing charge filed against associate pastor accused of taking Blair Murphy campaign signs
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A suspended associate pastor from Broadway Christian Church has been formally charged. The Rev. Andrew Lawrence Taylor-Peck, 46, of Columbia, has been charged with misdemeanor stealing. He was arrested on Friday evening and posted a $500 bond. An initial court appearance is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 7. The church announced
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Columbia City Council to vote on Parks and Recreation funding Monday
Columbia Parks and Recreation requested over $350,000 in funds to go to various projects, including a replacement for the Northeast Regional Park Northeast Event Center roof.
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Columbia mayoral candidates discuss homelessness ahead of April 8 election
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia’s four mayoral candidates sat down with ABC 17 News to discuss a number of topics, including homelessness in the city, before the April 8 municipal election. The candidates include incumbent Mayor Barbara Buffaloe, Blair Murphy, Tanya Heath and write-in candidate Lucio Bitoy. In 2024, The Boone County Coalition to End Homelessness
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Columbia mayoral candidates hope to crack down on crime
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Crime has been a pressing issue in the City of Columbia in recent years, and potential leaders say they plan to tackle the issue in office. Incumbent Mayor Barbara Buffaloe is looking to serve another three years in office in the April 8 election, while Blair Murphy, Tanya Heath and write-in candidate
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QUESTION OF THE DAY: Should there be new limits on giving to local campaigns?
The Columbia mayor’s race is bringing in big money. The latest campaign finance reports, filed Monday, show challenger Blair Murphy has collected more than $250,000 during the April election cycle. The incumbent mayor, Barbara Buffaloe, has brought in about $70,000 for her campaign. This isn’t the first Columbia mayoral race to draw big money, but
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Murphy’s campaign eclipses quarter-million dollars in Columbia mayoral race; Buffaloe lags behind at $70k
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A couple of Columbia’s mayoral candidates have garnered more donations in what has turned out to be a high-dollar election. Challenger Blair Murphy’s campaign eclipsed a quarter-million dollars in contributions, according to his eight-day campaign finance report submitted to the Missouri Ethics Commission. Eight-day reports had a closing date of March 27
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More than 1,100 Boone County residents cast ballots during no-excuse absentee voting
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) About 320 people cast their ballots over the weekend during no-excuse absentee voting for April elections in Boone County. Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon said that since no-excuse absentee voting began Tuesday, more than 1,100 people have voted. For many voters, casting their ballots early provides peace of mind. Lauren Williams, who
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Residents organize in opposition to Columbia’s Ash Street Improvement Project
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Residents along Ash Street in Columbia are organizing in opposition to the city’s Ash Street Improvement Project. According to a Facebook post, a protest is scheduled from 4 to 5 p.m. April 9 to “help keep Ash Street a safe neighborhood street.” Last week, 65 people attended an open house to learn
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City of Columbia Utilities requests funds to replace light poles
COLUMBIA Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Water and Light is asking the Columbia City Council for a quarter-million dollars to replace street lights in the city. According to city documents, the city would appropriate $250,000 from retained earnings to the electric operating account to replace failing street light poles. Columbia’s Communications and Outreach Supervisor Jason West told
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CPD reports murder increased in 2024, while assault, rape, sodomy fell
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Police Department released its crime statistics for 2024 on Friday. A news conference was held at 10:30 a.m. Friday at Columbia City Hall to discuss the statistics. Columbia Police Chief Jill Schlude said the 2023-24 use of force audits was one of her priorities as police chief in order to
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Sidewalk, parking closure announced for Downtown Columbia street next week
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Sidewalk construction next week in Downtown Columbia will impact street parking, according to a Wednesday press release from the city. A contractor will reconstruct the sidewalk in front of Tiger Barber Shop in the 100 block of South Ninth Street, the release says. A portion of the sidewalk on the east side
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Columbia names Office of Violence Prevention administrator
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The City of Columbia has named its administrator for the Office of Violence Prevention on Tuesday, a new position created in the 2025 fiscal year budget. D’Markus Thomas-Brown will be the first person to hold the position in the new office. According to a Tuesday news release from the city, he will
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Columbia community development director to retire in July
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) – The head of the Columbia city government’s planning, housing and neighborhood programs will retire in July. Tim Teddy, head of the Columbia Community Development Department, told ABC 17 News via email that he will retire on July 7. Teddy started working for the city in 2005. Teddy oversaw several major changes
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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.”
Boone County sheriff endorses Blair Murphy in Columbia mayoral race
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Boone County Sheriff Dwayne Carey has made a rare endorsement in the Columbia mayoral race. An email from Blair Murphy’s campaign states that Carey has endorsed him in the April 8 election. This is the second local law enforcement representative to endorse Murphy, who also got approval from the Columbia Police Officers’
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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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One year of roll carts in Columbia boosts safety and efficiency
March 4 marks one year since the City of Columbia rolled out roll carts.
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