COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Dozens of Montgomery County residents packed the County Commission Room Thursday to voice their concerns against a possible Amazon data center entering the region. A major concern for residents is the data center’s environmental impacts, including noise pollution, chemical runoff and over-pumped wells. According to the International Energy Agency, large-scale data centers
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) University of Missouri System President Mun Choi met with Gov. Mike Kehoe on Tuesday to discuss public safety in the city, but some area leaders were absent. “I was disappointed, not just that I wasn’t there, that’s not a big deal, but that my police chief wasn’t there,” Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) State Rep. Jeff Vernetti (R-Camdenton) announced his reelection bid in the Missouri House of Representatives in a Wednesday press release. Vernetti first won his seat last year. State representatives serve two-year terms. The release says focuses of his campaign include “accessibility and constituent service.” He owns LOZ Sports Training and Vernetti’s Italian
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The state senator who represents Columbia clapped back on social media after Gov. Mike Kehoe shared images of his meeting with University of Missouri President Mun Choi. Kehoe posted on social media with photos of him and Choi meeting with public safety officials, including Missouri State Highway Patrol leaders. “This week, our
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The City of Columbia is considering to form a task force to look into campaign finance reform. The council on Monday night unanimously approved creating the task force, though specifics of the task force– including who would be on it and how many people would make it up — still need to
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) University of Missouri System President Mun Choi says he is supporting the City of Columbia’s proposed median ordinance, but hopes to see other safety measures in place. “I really do enjoy working with the mayor and she has been very supportive of the police department. But, we all recognize that there’s more
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By Holmes Lybrand, Devan Cole, Kara Scannell, Katelyn Polantz, CNN (CNN) — A federal judge dismissed the indictments against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James on Monday. The judge found that President Donald Trump’s appointment of interim US Attorney Lindsey Halligan in Alexandria, Virginia, was invalid. Trump handpicked Halligan
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A representative for Columbia in Missouri’s state house plans on prefiling legislation about dog-breeding facilities. Democratic State Rep. David Tyson Smith wrote on his social media on Thursday that he plans on prefiling a bill that would require regular inspections at dog-breeding facilities. The announcement comes after Melissa Sanders, 26, of Columbia,
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Boone County plans to spend more than $20 million in its 2026 budget for upgrades to equipment, vehicles, and radio systems for first responders. The Boone County Commission introduced its proposed budget for 2026 at its Tuesday commission meeting. Total spending for the budget adds up to $143,956,629, a 3% increase over
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia City Council members did not vote on a median ordinance as scheduled on Monday night. Ward 3 Councilwoman Jacque Sample and Ward 5 Councilman Don Waterman told ABC 17 News on Monday afternoon that many council members were seeking more information from commissions. Council members on Monday night voted 6-1 to
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A deal to end the federal government shutdown included a provision that limits how much THC can be legally contained in hemp-derived products. Under the new rule, hemp products could contain no more than 0.4 milligrams of total THC per container. Experts note that hemp generally has much lower levels of THC
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Doug Hunt’s full comments to the board have been added to the story. COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Police Officers’ Association is asking the Citizens Police Review Board to remove one of its members over a social media comment that appeared to criticize the CPOA’s president. The CPRB plans to discuss the issue
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LAKE OZARK, Mo. (KMIZ) Lake Ozark Board of Aldermen on Wednesday night will determine whether to approve or deny a deal with Osage Casinos. The new property is part of a new entertainment district in Missouri announced last fall by the Osage Nation. The proposed site is at 3501 Bagnell Damn Blvd. and is expected
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Jefferson City council member said he plans to run for Cole County’s top election official next year. Jeff Ahlers filed paperwork on Nov. 3 with the Missouri Ethics Commission to run for Cole County Clerk in 2026. Ahlers said he plans to run for the Republican nomination in August’s primary to
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Gov. Mike Kehoe’s “Missouri First” map is facing five lawsuits and one referendum seeking to overturn it. An attorney working on two of those lawsuits said the earliest decision on the legality of this map could come in January. Chuck Hatfield is representing two groups that filed different lawsuits against redistricting. Hatfield
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Thousands of federal workers are feeling the financial strain as the government shutdown stretches past a month, leaving many furloughed or working without pay in what is expected to become the longest shutdown in U.S. history. The shutdown began Oct. 1 as lawmakers in Washington D.C. are in a stalemate over a
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A group backing a referendum petition to put the “Missouri First” map on the November 2026 ballot will have to wait to argue before a judge. A Monday bench trial in a lawsuit the group People Not Politicians filed against Secretary of State Denny Hoskins was delayed after Judge Daniel Green
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A November ballot in an odd-numbered year is usually pretty thin. But this year, if you live in Hallsville, you have the chance to decide on three big questions: The first is whether the Hallsville School District should continue its four-day week for another 10 years. The district has used the abbreviated
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Thousands of Mid-Missourians could soon face food insecurity as the federal government halts SNAP benefits on Nov. 1. In response, Boone County and the City of Columbia are redirecting money and reactivating CoMoHelps, an emergency relief portal created to coordinate community aid. The effort is led by Boone County, the City of
Continue Reading JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Elected officials in Cole County will take home more money in the coming years, after a vote for a 5% raise was narrowly passed at the Tuesday meeting of the Cole County Salary Commission. The vote came after a debate between members about whether to note that elected officials have not
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