COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Police Department is still on track to relaunch its full-time dedicated downtown unit this summer. Police Chief Jill Schlude told ABC 17 News back in October that once the January 2026 academy graduates completed field training, the department would have staffing levels to support the unit. Lt. Clint Sinclair said
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Former Boone County Clerk Taylor Burks announced his bid for Missouri’s newly drawn Fifth District House seat in a Thursday press release. Burks, a Republican, has ran for congressional seats earlier this decade, including in the Third and Fourth districts. Filing for the Aug.4 primary opens Feb. 24. “Missouri deserves a representative
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A man was charged with multiple felonies on Thursday after he was accused of using a hatchet to attack a Callaway County deputy on Wednesday morning. Slade Lamont, 20, was charged with first-degree assault, misdemeanor resisting arrest, unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action. He is being held at the
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Service reports a drop in statewide measles MMR vaccination rates, while religious vaccination exemptions rise for the fifth year in a row. This comes as measles outbreaks have occurred recently in South Carolina and Texas. DHSS requires students to receive two doses total, with the first
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A class action lawsuit was filed on Thursday against one of Columbia’s biggest employers. A complaint was filed in the Western District Court of Missouri against Veterans United Home Loans. The plaintiffs in the class –which includes Christian Payton, Salem Zahn and Ernest Easter – are seeking at least a $5 million
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A woman who owned a Mexican restaurant in south Columbia pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor Tuesday in Butler County. Crystal Umfress pleaded guilty to making a false affidavit, a misdemeanor, according to the deputy clerk in Butler County. She was sentenced to 90 days in jail, but was given credit for time
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The Missouri Senate Education Committee held a hearing before a packed house Tuesday on a bill that would create a letter-grade report card system for public schools. Supporters say it will help parents identify the best places for their kids and provide incentives for schools to improve. Critics say it will stigmatize some schools and
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Editor’s Note: AI was used in background research for this article. JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Teachers and parents faced Missouri legislators on Tuesday as two Missouri senators work to write a new grading system for schools into law. Gov. Mike Kehoe signed an executive order creating school report cards in January, before his State of
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia City Council is moving forward with its plans for a proposed 1% Public Safety Sales Tax it believes will help close a $156 million funding gap in the Columbia Police and Fire retirement fund. The police pension has a $66 million funding gap with nearly $81 million currently in the
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) An out-of-state resident who was diagnosed with measles traveled through St. Louis Lambert International Airport earlier this month, according to a Tuesday press release from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. The release says the infected person was at the airport between 5-7 p.m. Feb. 7 and was at Terminal
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri lawmakers are taking a hard look at regulating artificial intelligence, focusing on images and videos created without consent. The House Emerging Issues Committee held a public hearing on Monday to examine a series of bills that would expand criminal and civil penalties for nonconsensual AI-generated content. Lawmakers emphasized the rapid
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Police Department identified the suspect in custody after an armed robbery at a bank in downtown Columbia on Saturday morning. Police arrested 71-year-old Basil Kyles, of Columbia, on charges of first-degree robbery, armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon, unlawful possession of a firearm and tampering with evidence in
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A work crew on scene of the former Fear Fest Haunted House tells ABC 17 News that a fire at the former attraction site in the 6300 block of West Highway 40 is a controlled burn. Boone County Fire Spokesman Gale Blomenkamp also confirmed to ABC 17 News that it was a
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Osage County Sheriff Mike Bonham tells ABC 17 News the victim of a shooting Friday night remains in critical condition. Bonham also confirmed the name of the victim as 45-year-old Jarrod Compton. Deputies responded to County Road 703 around 4:30 p.m. Friday and found Compton outside a mobile home with a gunshot
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) One person is in critical condition after a shooting in Osage County Friday afternoon. Osage County Sheriff Mike Bonham said deputies responded to County Road 703 around 4:30 p.m. and found a 45-year-old man outside a mobile home with a gunshot wound. Due to the rural location, a medical helicopter landed nearby,
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A man who the Missouri State Highway Patrol says has held “several law enforcement positions” was charged on Friday in Pettis County with first-degree rape. Collin Goodsell, 28, of Peculiar, Missouri, is being held at the Pettis County Jail without bond. A mugshot was not immediately available on Friday afternoon and a
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A Cole County judge ruled this week that Gov. Mike Kehoe acted within his legal authority when he called a special session for redistricting. The decision, issued by Judge Christopher Limbaugh, confirms the legality of the session and the resulting House Bill 1, which redraws Missouri’s congressional district. The NAACP challenged
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Moniteau County commissioner who resigned from his position earlier this week has been charged with three felonies. Former Northern District Commissioner Doug Naros was charged on Friday in Moniteau County with forgery and two counts of stealing. A warrant was issued for his arrest on Friday. He had resigned from
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Parents are raising concerns after the United Way’s United Cerebral Palsy Heartland approved a 45% tuition increase at its Columbia Child Development Center over the next two years. According to a letter from UCP Heartland shared to ABC 17 News by a parent, who wishes to stay anonymous to avoid impacts to
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri lawmakers are considering two bills that would require summer and day camps to be licensed and create emergency plans for inclement weather. The bill was prompted by a deadly Texas flood that killed 27 girls at Camp Mystic in July 2025. Rep. Cameron Parker (R-Campbell) introduced the legislation in the House,
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