COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Four vehicles were involved in a crash Thursday morning on Interstate 70 near Millersburg, according to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol. The report says the crash occurred as a 2015 Mazda CX5, 2021 Ford Explorer and 2024 Chevrolet Silverado were slowing down in the eastbound lane for congested
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The University of Missouri Department of Emergency Medicine is seeking funding to launch a new safety initiative aimed at improving emergency response times and outcomes for crash victims in Mid-Missouri. The proposed initiative, called the Advanced Critical EMS Response Program, would temporarily equip a local emergency response vehicle with advanced care tools;
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The family of Zarian Simpson is speaking out after one of people accused in the robbery and killing of Simpson appeared in court on Wednesday. Simpson was killed on Sunday night at a Columbia apartment complex. Steven Padden, 34, of Columbia is charged with first-degree robbery, armed criminal action and second-degree felony
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Finding missing people is getting easier thanks to an important piece of technology: Drones. Missouri Task Force 1 has 30 drones under its belt that are used throughout Boone County for various missions. Some of those missions include helping local law enforcement, such as the Boone County Sheriff’s Office. The department began
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts across much of central and southwest Missouri are temporarily offline as the National Weather Service in Springfield conducts a scheduled system upgrade, just as strong storms are forecast to impact the region. The service disruption began Monday morning and is expected to last through Wednesday, June 18. It
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A woman who is charged with murder in a fatal shooting at a Holts Summit apartment complex in April will have her trial in Boone County. Heather Smith, 37, of Holts Summit, was charged with three counts of unlawful use of a weapon, a count of first-degree of endangering the welfare of a child, second-degree felony
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A Cole County judge awarded Ryan Ferguson nearly $44 million in his lawsuit against an insurer that hasn’t yet paid out his settlement with several Columbia police detectives. Judge Cotton Walker on Monday awarded Ferguson $43.8 million. A Cole County jury sided with Ferguson in November when he sued Travelers Insurance
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) An 18-year-old man has been charged with a felony after he allegedly broke into Centralia High School this week with three other people. Chase Moore, of Centralia, was charged with second-degree burglary and three misdemeanors: Institutional vandalism, first-degree trespassing and stealing. He is being held on a $5,000 bond, with a bond
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) According to AAA County Retail Prices, Boone and Cole counties are seeing lower prices at the pump than the national average, but one of the highest prices in the state. And with Israel’s attack and Iran and the subsequent retaliation, they could climb even higher. Friday’s report from AAA shows the national
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Hallsville School District said Wednesday that a bond issue approved by voters in April will not be certified by State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick. According to a social media post, the district learned on Friday that the State Auditor’s Office will not authorize the bond issue. The post by Hallsville School District
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Gov. Mike Kehoe signed an executive order on Thursday, activating the National Guard ahead of protests scheduled around the state and country this weekend. “We respect, and will defend, the right to peacefully protest, but we will not tolerate violence or lawlessness in our state,” Kehoe said in the release. “While other
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) While Columbia’s police chief believes she needs 51 new sworn officers to become “fully staffed,” she knows it will be a multi-year process to get there. Chief Jill Schlude has asked for 51 new sworn positions in the city’s fiscal year 2026 budget. In an interview with ABC 17 News, the chief
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Several counties and cities within Mid-Missouri, including Columbia, Jefferson City and Cole County have received the Missouri Blue Shield Designation from the Missouri Department of Public Safety. However, Boone County did not apply for the designation. The deadline to was June 1. Capt. Brian Leer, with the Boone County Sheriff’s Office told
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ASHLAND, Mo. (KMIZ) The City of Ashland has installed a mobile camera system at its recycling lot on Red Tail Drive. According to the city, the issue has escalated since Columbia’s recycling plant was closed after a tornado in April. Frustrations have been running high for the taxpayers of Ashland. “People [are] complaining cause they’re
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Boone Health announced in a Wednesday press release that it has signed a four-year contract with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield in Missouri. The signing means that Boone Health will be considered in Anthem’s network for four years. “We’re proud to extend our relationship with Anthem and ensure that Boone Health remains
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Attorneys for Ryan Ferguson are asking for an update on a possible multi-million dollar award for his wrongful conviction. Jefferson City attorney Michael Berry asked Judge Cotton Walker for an update in his pending decision on how much Ferguson will be awarded from Travelers’ Insurance. A Cole County jury found the insurance
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Boone County Commission has announced that Amy Hayse will be the director of the new Public Safety Childcare Center. The commission announced the appointment in a Tuesday press release. She begins Monday, June 16. The release says that Hayse has nearly two decades of experience in early childhood education, organizational leadership
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EDITOR’S NOTE: A misspelled name has been corrected. COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A new law signed by Gov. Mike Kehoe on Tuesday includes sweeping public safety reforms, including updating the state’s outdated firework regulations. Senate Bill 81, which takes effect Aug. 28, modernizes how Missouri regulates fireworks for the first time in more than two decades,
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The bear spotted in Centralia on Saturday was a cinnamon black bear, according to Missouri Department of Conservation biologist Nate Bowersock. Cinnamon bears are a subspecies of the American black bear.
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(Editor’s note, 6/9: The story now reflects the correct rank of Matt Nichols.) COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Police leaders see a need for more detective units at the Columbia Police Department. Police Chief Jill Schlude said she hopes to create a new unit dedicated to investigating auto thefts and thefts from cars as part of a
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