More than 100 parents, teachers and students from across Missouri gathered at the state Capitol on Tuesday afternoon for Public Education Lobby Day, urging lawmakers to prioritize funding for public schools.
Advocates came together in the Capitol Rotunda after having more than 100 different meetings with legislators regarding public education funding.
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Despite safety efforts nationwide, more than 2,000 incidents were reported at highway rail crossings nationwide in 2025, resulting in 268 deaths and 686 injuries, according to data from the U.S. Department of Transportation. Only about 2% of those incidents happened in Missouri, where 34 crossing collisions resulted in four deaths and nine
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A bench trial began Monday in Jefferson City over the language that would place Missouri’s new congressional map on the November ballot. The trial is the latest in a series of lawsuits challenging the congressional map the General Assembly passed during a September 2025 special session, a map that could possibly
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A bridge replacement will begin on Feb. 18 on Interstate 70 in Montgomery County, according to a Monday press release from the Missouri Department of Transportation. The release says the project will replace the bridge with a wider bridge and update the interchange layout. One Wednesday, Feb. 18, the Route E/Y interchange
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri’s first month of legal sports betting generated heavy activity, but no money for education. When Amendment 2, which legalized sports betting in Missouri, appeared on the ballot, one of its biggest supporters was the group Winning for Missouri Education. The group estimated the measure would generate $100 million in tax revenue
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A woman charged with felony murder is still listed on the Boone County Jail roster on Friday evening, a day after she was given a bond. Alexis Baumann, 18, of Hallsville, saw her bond reduced to $50,000 on Thursday and is eligible for home detention. She is charged with first-degree robbery, two
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A man who was wanted for child sex crimes in Wyoming was booked into the Miller County Jail on Tuesday. Ellis Martin Bay, 43, of Marys Home, Missouri, was charged in Miller County with being a fugitive from out of state. He is being held without bond. He is charged in Campbell
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway filed a discrimination lawsuit on Wednesday against MSHSAA in the Eastern District Court of Missouri. Hanaway accuses the Missouri State High School Activities Association of two counts of unlawful race and sex discrimination, unlawful discriminating with respect to conditions of employment and discriminatory protection of the
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Parents of a Virginia man killed in a 2018 online sale meet up turned shooting say they were moved to put up billboards promoting ‘safe online exchanges’ after a Columbia man was killed in a similar way. Michael and Diane Grey tell ABC 17 News that they knew they needed to take
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A Cole County judge on Wednesday did not OK the Secretary of State’s request to rewrite the ballot language for a referendum that would put the new congressional map on the November ballot. Judge Brian Stumpe did not deny the request during the case hearing, either; the request will be considered
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Missouri Senate passed new rules on Tuesday that could make it harder to force an end to debate in the chamber. The chamber voted 23-11 on two new rules, sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin (R-Shelbina). One change requires more signatures on a motion to vote on the “previous
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A woman who was accused of arson in Dunklin County was found not guilty of the charge. Crystal Umfress, who owned Casa Maria’s in Columbia, was found not guilty of her second-degree arson charge, her attorney Russell Oliver told ABC 17 News on Tuesday night. She was accused of hiring Kerry Raymond
Continue Reading JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) The Missouri State Capitol Commission is moving forward with renovation plans for the state Capitol totaling nearly $600 million. The commission approved a motion Monday allowing the Office of Administration to begin the process of hiring an “owner’s representative” to oversee the project. A $595 million budget has been set aside
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway reached a deal with her former client, Grain Belt Expres,s in the company’s lawsuit over the state’s demand for documents. Hanaway was the lead counsel for Grain Belt when she worked at law firm Husch Blackwell. She left that job when she was appointed attorney general
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A man who was found guilty last month of murdering a Hermann police officer in 2023 will be sentenced in June. Kenneth Simpson, of Steelville, was found guilty on Jan. 24 of first-degree murder, first-degree assault, two counts of illegal gun possession, one count of illegally possessing a weapon and two counts
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Law enforcement took Malang Jan Akbari in custody around 1:40 p.m. after he was accused of taking two children after killing their mother.
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Jurors have agreed that a man found guilty of killing a Hermann police officer in 2023 should face the death penalty. Kenneth Simpson, of Steelville, was found guilty on Saturday of first-degree murder, first-degree assault, two counts of illegal gun possession, one count of illegally possessing a weapon and two counts of
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Missouri attorney general on Friday sued the U.S. Census Bureau over its counting of undocumented immigrant populations for the purpose of drawing U.S. House districts. Attorney General Catherine Hanaway filed the lawsuit Friday in federal court for the Eastern District of Missouri. Missouri is asking for an injunction to stop factoring
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COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The unlicensed Boone County daycare owner took the stand in her own defense Thursday in the manslaughter trial against her. Brown is charged with first-degree involuntary manslaughter for her alleged role after Ayla Gibson died in her care on May 25, 2023. Brown detailed her experience in childcare noting she had been
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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) A committee in the Missouri state House of Representatives heard the governor’s income-tax elimination bill and public comment on Wednesday. Income-tax revenue makes up about two-thirds of the state’s revenue. The general assembly needs to find a way to replace money from the income tax, and Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe proposed
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