Alcohol suspected to be a factor in multi-vehicle crash Saturday night
A crash shut down a portion of southbound Providence Road in Columbia Saturday night.
Continue ReadingColumbia
Law enforcement steps up drunk driving enforcement on ‘Saturation Saturday’
COLUMMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Law enforcement agencies across Missouri participated in Saturation Saturday, an annual event aimed at curbing impaired driving through coordinated checkpoints and increased patrols. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 27% of Missouri’s traffic deaths in 2022 were caused by impaired drivers. For Sheila Lockwood, a Mothers Against Drunk Driving ambassador,
Continue Reading
Increased Columbia police presence downtown draws praise, criticism
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Police Department has been ramping up its enforcement efforts downtown in recent weeks as part of a targeted approach to reduce violent incidents. With classes back in session next week for the University of Missouri, the department says to expect to see more officers on patrol during peak bar hours.
Continue Reading
Telehealth network helps Boone Health provide faster support to sexual assault survivors
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services on Tuesday announced the launch of a statewide telehealth network designed to help hospitals that do not have Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners available onsite. The department released training for the Sexual Assault Forensic Exams via Telehealth Network in August 2024 to support hospital staff across the state. Hospitals have until Jan.
Continue Reading
New ‘inclusive’ playground to be built a Rock Quarry Park
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A new playground will be built at Rock Quarry Park in Columbia. A post from parks and rec said it accepted a $150,000 donation from the Cosmo Luncheon Club at Monday’s City Council meeting. That money will go toward the development and construction of a new playground. The 17,000 square foot playground will replace
Continue Reading
City of Columbia bid deadline closes Friday for homeless camp cleanup
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The window for bids from companies to clear out homeless camps around the City of Columbia closed on Friday. Documents showed the city was looking for bids totaling fewer than $50,000. City spokesperson Sydney Olsen said the contractors would be on standby for when the city needs them. The contract would start
Continue Reading
Pavement maintenance scheduled for more than 30 Columbia streets
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Contractors for the City of Columbia will conduct some pavement maintenance from Aug. 27-Sept. 12 on more than 30 streets around the city, a Friday press release from the city says. The release says crews will use Onyx surface treatment on treats that previously used chip seal. Onyx is a thin, fast-drying
Continue Reading
Nurse practitioner indicted by grand jury, faces more child porn charges
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A nurse practitioner was indicted by a grand jury on Friday and is now facing more felony charges. Michael James Lewis, 31, of Ashland, was charged on Friday with five counts of child porn possession, a count of second-degree domestic assault, third-degree domestic assault, tampering with evidence and tampering with a witness.
Continue Reading
Rocheport man settles with family of woman killed in 2024 Columbia crash
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A man charged with manslaughter has settled with the family of a woman who was killed in a crash in February 2024. Court documents filed on Thursday show Matthew Shilling settled with the family of Christina Mayfield for $25,000 in her death. Shilling is currently facing criminal charges in Boone County, including
Continue Reading
Columbia Public Schools working to balance AI’s potential while keeping cheating down
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools is adapting to the evolution of artificial intelligence and its use throughout the district. CPS spokesperson Michelle Baumstark said the district has a group working to learn more about various aspects of AI. This effort is being led by Beth Winton under the direction of Adam Taylor, the district’s
Continue Reading
Student group alleges MU is erasing Black voices after event was canceled over name
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Legion of Black Collegians claims the University of Missouri is trying to erase its presence, while administrators cite inclusivity concerns over a canceled event. The Legion of Black Collegians stated in an Instagram post on Wednesday that its “Black 2 Class Block Party” was canceled after administrators took issue with the
Continue Reading
City of Columbia’s Office of Violence Prevention considers liaison for public transit
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The City of Columbia’s Office of Violence Prevention is considering adding two “community navigation liaisons” to help defuse problems on the city’s public transit. “What this program does is it puts individuals on the transit lines with the driver to de-escalate and to actually navigate folks to services so that they’re not,
Continue Reading
Pair of downtown Columbia parking lots to close for maintenance in coming weeks
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Two downtown Columbia parking lots will close for a couple of days in sequential weeks, according to a Thursday press release from the city. Contractors will perform maintenance on the two lots, which includes filling cracks, sealing asphalt and restriping parking spaces, the release says. The Tenth and Walnut parking lot will
Continue Reading
Columbia Board of Education approves 16-cent tax rate decrease
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Board of Education approved Thursday a decrease in property tax rate for Columbia Public Schools. For the 2025-26 school year, the tax rate is dropping by nearly 16 cent, meaning property owners will pay CPS $5.55 for every $1,000 of assessed value in property taxes for the year. However, due
Continue Reading
Parents express mixed feelings about new CPS bus company
COLUMBIA, MO. (KMIZ) Some parents of students who attend Columbia Public Schools are not pleased with a new bus company the district rolled out, two days into the school year. CPS debuted its new bus service, DS Bus Lines during its first day of school on Tuesday, after it signed a three-year contract in February.
Continue Reading
More than 6,000 students expected to live on MU campus this school year
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) With the first day of classes in less than a week, the University of Missouri campus is alive with thousands of students moving into dorms. MU’s Director of Housing Tyler Page estimates 2,500 students arrived on Wednesday and another 1,500 will join on Thursday, with returning students expected to trickle in before
Continue Reading
Prosecutors seek greater punishment for man accused in December shooting outside Boone County bar
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Prosecutors are seeking to amend a charge for a man who is scheduled to go to trial next month for his alleged role in a shooting that occurred in December outside of a Boone County bar. Steven Jones, 45, of Columbia, is charged with illegal gun possession and is being held at
Continue Reading
Trump’s proposal to end mail-in voting could disrupt Missouri elections, county clerk says
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) President Donald Trump announced Monday he wants to change the shape of elections in the United States and eliminate mail-in voting and voting machines. In a post on Truth Social the president said he would “lead a movement” to get rid of mail-in ballots, and get rid of voting machines. Trump made
Continue Reading
First MU Alert of school year sent out Monday evening as students return to campus
The University of Missouri sent out its first MU Alert to students since move-in began for the 2025-2026 school year Monday night.
Continue Reading
Nearly 19,000 Columbia students enrolled on first day of school
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Nearly 19,000 Columbia Public School students made their way back into the classrooms for the first day of the 2025-26 school year Tuesday morning. Columbia Public Schools Superintendent Jeff Klein told he’s excited and that this is a great opportunity as he begin this new position. “Our focus this year is on
Continue Reading