Columbia Archives

Local company reacts to suspension on building permits

March 31, 2020 6:41 PM Sydney Olsen

One local construction is reacting after the City of Columbia suspended new commercial and residential building permits until Special Order 2020-03 expires on April 24.

A health worker at Boone Hospital works in the drive-thru testing location.

Columbia hospitals coordinating on COVID-19 ‘surge plans’

March 31, 2020 4:12 PM Molly Stawinoga

Columbia hospitals are working together to prepare for a surge in patients amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

State officials say Hearnes Center scouted as emergency hospital

March 31, 2020 2:19 PM Matt Ragsdale

Gov. Mike Parson said Tuesday that an inter-agency group including several state departments and the Missouri National Guard have scouted the Hearnes Center as a possible emergency hospital to treat COVID-19 patients.

Columbia police take extra precautions during COVID-19

March 30, 2020 7:06 PM Sydney Olsen

Officers at the Columbia Police Department are working to protect themselves as the number of cases of COVID-19 continues to rise in Missouri and Boone County.

Residents can still use parks during stay-at-home order but officials urge social distancing

March 30, 2020 5:48 PM Connor Hirsch

As stay-at-home orders come down across Mid-Missouri and the state, officials say citizens can still get outside and enjoy the spring weather while keeping social distancing in mind.

MU to offer satisfactory-unsatisfactory grading system

March 30, 2020 5:40 PM Matthew Sanders

University of Missouri students will be able to choose whether they want to use a different grading system for their spring semester classes, which were interrupted by COVID-19.

Columbia woman stuck in Peru ‘falling through cracks’

March 30, 2020 12:02 PM Molly Stawinoga

A Columbia woman has been trapped in Peru under quarantine for 15 days.

CPS faces adversity on the first day of remote learning

March 30, 2020 2:31 PM Amber Tabeling

Columbia Public Schools students and families hit an early yet short-lived roadblock in their first day of distance learning Monday.

Charges dropped in Columbia bomb threat case

March 30, 2020 2:06 PM Matt Ragsdale

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) UPDATE: Charges were dropped by the Boone County prosecutor’s office. ORIGINAL: A man charged with making a terrorist threat in Boone County has been brought back to Mid-Missouri after he was arrested in Iowa in February. Boone County prosecutors charged Raymond Utter with second-degree terrorist threats after he allegedly threatened University Hospital

Columbia teachers prep for “brand new” way of teaching after spring break

March 29, 2020 5:42 PM Connor Hirsch

With stay-at-home orders in place across Mid-Missouri hoping to slow the spread of COVID-19, school is already looking a lot different for students and teachers.

Bathroom fire at Stephens Lake Park under investigation

March 29, 2020 6:40 PM Sydney Olsen

The fire marshall with the Columbia Fire Department is investigating the cause of a fire in a bathroom at Stephens Lake Park.

CPS offering free meals, internet hotspots for students

March 29, 2020 7:26 AM Ben Fein

Columbia Public Schools plans to start up its Grab-and-Go meal service Monday.

Trucking industry getting assistance from all corners amidst the COVID-19 pandemic

March 28, 2020 7:55 PM Zach Boetto

Governor Parson and the Missouri Department of Transportation are offering special permits and extended hours to truckers responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. “The volume of goods that are being transported, particularly to grocery stores right now is unfathomable, its 2-3 times the Christmas rush, Black Friday type volume,” said Tom Crawford, President and CEO of

SATURDAY UPDATES: Mexico authorities say middle school students, staff possibly exposed to coronavirus

March 28, 2020 10:15 AM ABC 17 News Team

Check back throughout the day for the latest COVID-19 coverage.

Several outages hit Columbia, leaving nearly 200 without power.

Lights back on for more than 1,000 hit by outages in Columbia

March 27, 2020 11:32 PM Molly Stawinoga

Several power outages are shutting off lights in Columbia as storms sweep through mid-Missouri.

University of Missouri slows hiring and pay raises in response to COVID-19 pandemic

March 27, 2020 2:35 PM Matthew Sanders

The University of Missouri System has instituted a freeze on hiring and pay raises to brace for financial impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Schnucks purchases Columbia Lucky’s Market

March 27, 2020 10:55 AM Matthew Sanders

St. Louis-based Schnuck Markets, Inc., the owner of Schnucks supermarkets, purchased Columbia’s Lucky’s Market during a bankruptcy auction Thursday.

CPS ready to give out meals after spring break

March 27, 2020 11:22 AM Amber Tabeling

Columbia Public Schools is set to provide its students with meals starting Monday as in-person classes have been canceled to COVID-19.

Columbia lab responsible for one-third of COVID-19 testing across Missouri

March 26, 2020 10:26 PM Zach Boetto

A private Columbia laboratory is now assisting numerous hospitals across Missouri and out-of-state with COVID-19 testing.

Mental health experts offer advice for coping with COVID-19 related stress

March 26, 2020 11:48 AM Connor Hirsch

Psychiatric experts with the University of Missouri Health Care system are warning about the mental health effects of coronavirus-related stress and isolation.