COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Christopher Schmitz will be the next principal at Shepherd Boulevard Elementary, according to a Friday press release from Columbia Public Schools. He will replace Jill Edwards, who will become an elementary instructional mentor, the release says. He has 15 years of experience in elementary education and has been the principal at Moreau
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia man has been charged with a felony after he allegedly brought back a seagull from the Gulf of Mexico and amputated its wing with a pair of scissors. Aaron Lacey was charged on Thursday with felony animal abuse, misdemeanor animal abuse and violating an ordinance by the county commission. A
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Police found evidence of gunfire on Friday morning in the 4300 block of Kentsfield Lane, the Columbia Police Department wrote in a Friday afternoon social media post. Police wrote that “all involved parties were gone” and that witness saw several people “cause a disturbance,” the post says. Police did not find anyone
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia teenager was certified as an adult on Friday for his alleged role in shootings on Dec. 21 and Jan. 27. Justin Lumley Jr., 17, is charged with four counts of first-degree assault, seven counts of armed criminal action, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon and one count of
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Police in a Bootheel town say a missing man with dementia has been found after he went missing on his way to Columbia. Eugene Thompson was reported missing on Thursday, and his truck was last seen Friday going south on Interstate 55 near Ste. Genevieve, according to an Endangered Silver Alert issued
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) News reports from Louisville, Kentucky, and a state lawmaker say a former Columbia Public Schools superintendent who left before his contract expired will be hired to lead Jefferson County Public Schools. The district board of education voted 5-2 on Thursday to offer a contract to one of its two superintendent finalists. Yearwood,
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) As of this week, Missouri leads the nation in the number of tornado warnings issued since Jan. 1, with 140 more warnings than normal. The severe weather season ramped up in March and has been relentless ever since. Missouri typically averages around 50 tornadoes (2000-2024 average), and we have had more than
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Mid-Missouri is taking steps toward curbing violence through collaborative efforts between local, state and federal agencies. The Violent Crime Abatement Team — which began on Jan. 1 — looks to discuss recent violent crimes and arrests in the area during monthly meetings at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Discussions include sharing information about
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Editor’s note: Information about the flights was updated after a source error was corrected. COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) United Airlines will start flying again out of Columbia in the fall after nearly four years without local flights. City officials in a Thursday news conference announced the resumption of United service on Sept. 25 at Columbia Regional
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Fire Department will conduct training exercises at the Fifth and Walnut Parking Garage in Downtown Columbia, according to a Thursday press release from the city. Training sessions will occur 8 a.m., 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Tuesday, May 27; Thursday, May 29; and Thursday, June 5, the release says.
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The funeral for former Gov. and U.S. Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond was held Thursday in St. Louis. His celebration of life service was held at Ladue Chapel Presbyterian Church. Funeral honors were given by The Missouri National Guard and State Highway Patrol. It was open to anybody who knew bond.
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Erin Keys has been named the City of Columbia’s next director of utilities, according to a Thursday press release from the city. “I look forward to continuing to support our excellent staff in the work they do to provide the various utility services to our customers and to engage with the community
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A groundbreaking was held Thursday for the Jefferson City River Market. The event at the former site of the Missouri State Penitentiary was attended by Mayor Ron Fitzwater and several other city officials. According to previous reporting, the Jefferson City Council approved a contract to build the site last year with
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The U.S. House of Representatives passed the “one big beautiful bill” touted by President Donald Trump in the early hours of Thursday morning, a sweeping tax and immigration package that includes significant reductions to Medicaid and Medicare funding. Among the biggest impacts is a $700 billion cut to Medicaid throughout the next decade.
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A 53-year-old Moberly man was seriously injured in a crash on Thursday on Highway 63, south of Highway 24 in Moberly, a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol says. The report says a 2005 Buick Lacrosse – driven by the Moberly man – was heading south in the northbound lanes
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Another person has filed to run for the open Ward 2 seat on the Columbia City Council. Librarian Vera Elwood announced her candidacy Thursday in a press release. City Clerk Sheela Amin wrote in an email that the city received Elwood’s petition on Thursday and is in the process of reviewing it to
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Randolph County received a “poor” rating in an audit by the state auditor’s office after the review turned up “numerous mistakes” made by the county clerk’s office. The auditor’s office announced on Thursday that the clerk failed to comply with state law, which will require the Higbee Fire Protection District to put
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) More than 1,400 high school seniors in Columbia will graduate this weekend. Graduation ceremonies for Columbia Public Schools will be held Friday and Saturday. There will be 1,422 students receiving their diplomas. A press release from the school district says the class of 2025 collectively earned more than $14.5 million in scholarships
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The University of Missouri Police Department is looking for a man who allegedly exposed himself Wednesday afternoon near Stankowski Field. A press release from MUPD says witnesses saw the man expose himself before leaving. The release says he was last seen driving a white 2024 Volkswagen Jetta with a Minnesota license plate
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Jefferson City man on Thursday was charged in Cole County with having child pornography. Austin Russell, 27, is being held at the Cole County Jail without bond. A court date has not been scheduled. The probable cause statement says the Boone County Sheriff’s Office Cyber Crimes Task Force received a tip
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