COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Vera Elwood will be the next person to represent Columbia’s second ward. Second Ward voters picked Elwood over Ken Rice in Tuesday’s special election, giving her 56.6% of the vote. She garnered 1,480 votes compared to Rice’s 1,130. Two write-in ballots were also cast. Boone County saw a 12.58% total voter turnout.
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Boone County voters overwhelmingly approved expanding the county’s senior property tax freeze on Tuesday. Voters approved the measure with 77.7% of the vote. “Yes” votes garnered 12,233 votes compared to 3,506 for “no.” Last year, Boone County voters approved an initial tax exemption that seniors have to apply for each year. This
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia teenager who was found guilty of three felonies last month for a July 2024 shooting. Jeremiah Johnson, 19, was found guilty by a Boone County jury on July 3 of first-degree assault, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon. He is currently being held at the Boone County
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia City Council tabled a vote on proposed water rate increases for fiscal year 2026. The council discussed the proposal during Monday nights meeting and heard public comments. According to the city, the proposed changes would increase water utility revenue by 12%. However, despite the increase City of Columbia expects water bills
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The City of Columbia agreed to amend its existing agreement with the transportation service First Last Mile to include the company in a pilot “ride home” program aimed at assisting members of the city’s homeless population. The city inked a deal with First Last Mile in January 2024, using a portion of
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Fire Department leaders say services won’t be cut despite a 1% drop in the department’s fiscal 2026 budget. The city is predicting it will bring in around $560 million in revenue for fiscal 2026, for around $600 million in spending, leaving a deficit of $40 million, nearly double the city’s deficit
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Fire marshals have determined a fire that occurred last week while crews were working on the new Eagle Bluffs Elementary School on Sinclair Road was accidental. Columbia Fire Department spokeswoman Katherine Rodriguez told ABC 17 News in an email the fire was accidentally caused by construction crews who were using hot torches.
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Contractors will begin resurfacing a portion of West Worley Street at 5 p.m. Wednesday, according to a Monday press release from the City of Columbia. Roadwork will occur from 5 p.m.-7 a.m. each day and is expected to be finished by 7 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 13. Lane closures will occur during work
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Spending projections continue to rise, while revenue continues to fall for the City of Columbia. The Columbia City Council is set to hear input from Columbia residents during its Monday night meeting.The City’s budget is made up of five different fund types: the general fund, enterprise funds, internal service funds, special revenue
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Sunday is the last day to take advantage of Missouri’s back-to-school sales tax holiday.
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The family of Riley Strain has removed several people from the wrongful death lawsuit they filed after he died on a group trip to Nashville, Tennessee. The lawsuit was filed in March against the Delta Chi fraternity and its members. In a court filing Tuesday, his family dismissed claims against nine fraternity
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Conley Avenue parking garage reopened Friday, nearly a year after it was shut down for repairs. The structure at 511 Conley Ave. closed on Aug. 17, 2024, for maintenance. But just two months later, the university announced it would remain closed until fall 2025 to address serious repair needs. Records show
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Central Missouri Humane Society announced in a Friday press release that its anonymous donor who is matching up to $2.5 million in donations has extended the match through the end of August. Previous reporting says the money will be put toward its new campus it intends to build on a 17.5-acre
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri’s annual back-to-school sales tax holiday began at midnight on Friday and will remain in effect until midnight on Sunday. The Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday exempts all state and local sales or use tax on qualifying items during the exemption period. During this time, certain back-to-school purchases, such as school supplies, computers,
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Firefighters were seen at the site of Columbia’s new elementary school on Thursday afternoon after a fire was reported. First responders were called to the 5400 block of South Sinclair Road, the site of the new Eagle Bluffs Elementary School that is expected to open in 2026. Columbia Public Schools spokeswoman
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia realtor is speaking out after finding people squatting in the homes she is trying to sell. Wendy Swetz, a longtime Columbia realtor, said she’s more squatting incidents over the past month and a half, and not in just one part of town. She says the issue is damaging homes, turning
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Missouri Department of Transportation will continue to monitor and fill a sinkhole that formed outside of a business on Business Loop 70 last week, across from Hickman High School. Employees at Ashland Auto Sales told ABC 17 News on Thursday that a customer notified them about the hole last week. The
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Boone County’s top prosecutor has announced that he plans on running for associate judge. A Thursday press release from Roger Johnson says he plans on running for division 11’s associate judge in 2026. “Serving as your elected prosecutor has been a great honor,” Johnson said in the release. “It has deepened my
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) After a year of repairs, the University of Missouri announced it will be reopening the Conley Avenue Parking Structure on Friday. The parking garage was closed on Aug. 17, 2024, for maintenance, but it was announced in October that the garage would be closed until Fall 2025 for repairs. Records obtained by
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) – Police closed a portion of West Broadway on Wednesday night for an investigation. A Boone County Joint Communications Alert said Broadway near Heather Lane was closed at 11 p.m. The road was reopened about 10 minutes later. A Columbia police officer on the scene declined to comment on the nature of
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