Missouri Archives

THURSDAY UPDATES: Boone County reports two more coronavirus deaths; 50 new coronavirus cases

October 7, 2021 6:30 AM ABC 17 News Team

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The Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services assistant director says outside counties are contributing to the majority of COVID-19 hospitalizations in Boone.

WEDNESDAY UPDATES: Boone County reports 17 residents hospitalized; 42 new coronavirus cases

October 6, 2021 6:16 AM ABC 17 News Team

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Catholic bishops urge Missouri leaders to end executions

October 7, 2021 10:30 AM Associated Press

By JIM SALTER Associated Press Leaders of the four Roman Catholic dioceses in Missouri are urging state leaders to end the use of the death penalty, after a convicted killer of three was executed despite a request for clemency from the pope. Ernest Johnson was executed Tuesday evening, the first Missouri execution in 16 months

Ameren Missouri customers can apply for a utility assistance program due to pandemic

October 5, 2021 5:15 PM Chanel Porter

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) An additional $1.5 million is now available by Ameren Missouri for families struggling to pay their utility bills due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ameren is directing $1.2 million to its Clean Slate program to support moderate-income customers who do not qualify for low-income programs. The company is also directing $300,000 to support

Missouri House of Representatives discuss solutions for the disappearance of foster kids

October 5, 2021 9:54 PM Kennedy Miller

Missouri’s House of Representatives discussed the ongoing issue regarding Missouri’s Welfare Agency not accurately reporting children missing from foster care.

State executes Ernest Lee Johnson for Columbia triple murder; state releases last offender statement

October 5, 2021 11:08 AM Matthew Sanders

The state executed Ernest Lee Johnson on Tuesday, 25 years after he killed three gas station workers and following a last-ditch effort by his lawyers to save him, The Associated Press reported.

Rallies, vigils hope to stop Ernest Lee Johnson execution

October 5, 2021 11:52 AM Joushua Blount

Johnson is set to be executed by lethal injection at 6 p.m. at a state prison in Bonne Terre for the 1994 murders of Mary Bratcher, Fred Jones and Mable Scruggs at a Columbia gas station.

TUESDAY UPDATES: Boone County reports five new coronavirus-related deaths; 50 new cases

October 5, 2021 6:32 AM ABC 17 News Team

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Convicted Columbia murderer Ernest Lee Johnson set to be executed Tuesday

October 5, 2021 5:24 AM Meghan Drakas

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Convicted Columbia murderer Ernest Lee Johnson is set to be executed Tuesday night in Bonne Terre, Missouri. Johnson was convicted of a triple murder at Casey’s General Store along Rice Road in Columbia in 1995. In February of 1994, Johnson robbed the convenience store after using drugs and hit, shot, and stabbed

MONDAY UPDATES: Boone County reports one coronavirus-related death; 92 new cases over the weekend

October 4, 2021 6:08 AM ABC 17 News Team

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A timeline of events in the Ernest Lee Johnson case

October 4, 2021 10:50 AM Lucas Geisler

Ernest Lee Johnson’s path from a Casey’s General Store in northeast Columbia to an execution room in the Eastern Reception and Diagnostic Center in Bonne Terre took 27 years to travel.

WATCH: State health department talks COVID-19 vaccines ahead of last VIP drawing

October 4, 2021 2:50 AM Molly Stawinoga

Watch the interviews at this link.

QUESTION OF THE DAY: Will you save receipts to get reimbursed for gas tax?

October 4, 2021 1:49 AM ABC 17 News Team

The tax could raise close to $500 million per year for transportation projects. But the law authorizing the tax also allows drivers to be reimbursed for the amount they pay under the new tax. They have to save receipts and fill out paperwork.

Thousands call for clemency ahead of a Columbia mans execution

October 3, 2021 7:13 PM Leila Mitchell

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) State leaders and concerned citizens have called on Governor Mike Parson at one last attempt to halt Ernest Lee Johnson’s execution. Johnson was convicted in 1995 for killing three people while robbing a Columbia convenience store in 1994. His execution date is set for Tuesday, 27 years after committing his crimes. His

SUNDAY UPDATES: Over 850 new Covid-19 cases recorded across Missouri

October 3, 2021 2:13 PM Chanel Porter

The state now has a seven day positivity rate of 8.8% on Sunday. The change in positivity comes along with 859 additional confirmed cases bringing the total to 680,293 since the start of pandemic. Health officials also recorded 151 new probable cases with a total number of 144,063 antigen test results being positive. Two new

SATURDAY UPDATES: Seven new Covid-19 related deaths added across the state

October 2, 2021 2:15 PM Chanel Porter

The state now has a seven day positivity rate of 8.7% on Saturday. The change in positivity comes along with 1,322 additional confirmed cases bringing the total to 678,112 since the start of pandemic. Health officials also recorded 402 new probable cases with a total number of 143,912 antigen test results being positive. Seven new

New Missouri gas tax takes effect with refund provision

October 1, 2021 1:27 PM Kennedy Miller

Drivers filling up their tanks in Missouri will pay an additional 2.5 cents per gallon of gas effective Friday. Gov. Mike Parson signed the increase into law in July. The tax is set to increase by the same amount yearly between 2021 and 2025. At the end of 2025, the state’s tax rate will sit at 29.5 cents per gallon.