Editor’s note: A paragraph previously referencing another education organization has been corrected to reflect that the proposal was passed by the Columbia Board of Education. COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Missouri state lawmaker is pursuing legislation aimed at limiting superintendent payouts and protecting taxpayers, building on a proposal originally put forward by Columbia Public Schools. State
Continue Reading
Editor’s note: A source error led to Smith’s name to be initially spelled incorrectly. The name has since been corrected. COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The woman at the center of a Columbia AMBER Alert on Thursday is now charged with three felonies. The Boone County Prosecutor’s Office charged 24-year-old Joy A. Smith with two counts of
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A convicted sex offender on Monday pleaded guilty to keeping artificially generated child pornography on his cellphone. Charles Hooton, 64, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to four counts of child porn possession and one count of failing to register as a sex offender. He was sentenced to seven years in prison. The probable
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Boone County dog breeder accused of animal abuse is facing a significant number of felony charges after she was indicted by a grand jury on Friday. Melissa Sanders, 26, of Columbia, is now charged with 29 counts of animal abuse. All of the counts are felonies. She was previously charged with
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Boone County Commission on Thursdays approved the finalized budget for the 2026 fiscal year. Including money being using from the American Rescue Plan Act, expenditures for the new fiscal year are expected to total $156 million. Officials say the budget will allow for pay raises for some county employees. Presiding Commissioner
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Central Missouri Humane Society announced in a Friday press release that it is halting its intake of cats because of “the presence of a contagious upper respiratory illness within the shelter.” CMHS will waive adoption fees for all cats through Friday, Dec. 26. “Reducing our feline population is one of the
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A man has been charged with a pair of felonies after authorities claim he stole $15,000 from an elderly woman in a cryptocurrency scam. Charles Burri, 29, of Columbia, was charged on Thursday in Boone County with financially exploiting an elderly person and stealing more than $750. A warrant was requested on
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Columbia Public Schools has determined how it will spend some of the $9 million it received from Boone County after a property-tax settlement with Ameren Missouri. The county reached a resolution earlier this year in a long-running dispute before the Missouri State Tax Commission. The agreement resolved litigation over property taxes owed
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Safety and a strong learning environment is a top priority for Columbia Public Schools’ new Eagle Bluffs Elementary. The district broke ground on the project in the spring of 2024 and remains on track to be completed by fall 2026. The new two-story, $36 million facility will span 76,500 square feet and
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A woman is in custody after a search was conducted by law enforcement after they issued an Amber Alert on Thursday afternoon. The alert was canceled at 4:42 p.m. Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop A spokesman Justin Ewing said troopers stopped the blue 2005 Lincoln Aviator and detained the woman. MSHP also
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A 20-year-old man was arrested in east Columbia on Wednesday after authorities claimed he pointed a gun at two minors last month. Lee Jones III, of Columbia, was charged on Thursday in Boone County with unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action. He is being held at the Boone County
Continue Reading COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A judge is considering to allow a dog breeder – who is charged with 18 counts of animal abuse – to have a bond. Melissa Sanders, 26, of Columbia, has been held at the Phelps County Jail without bond since she was charged last month in Boone County with three counts of
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A woman accused of murder in the death of an 8-month-old girl in 2021 has been charged again. Jennifer Johnson, 49, was charged with misdemeanor sexual abuse in Phelps County after she allegedly exposed herself to another inmate at the jail. She is currently being held without bond. She is charged with
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Tickets for flights from Columbia to Charlotte, N.C., will be available next week. Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe said during a news conference at Columbia Regional Airport on Thursday that tickets for those flights will go on sale Monday. The American Airlines flights to Charlotte begin June 4. Last month, the airport announced
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) On Oct. 25, 2020, Columbia Police responded to 300 W. Brookside Lane around 1 a.m. for a report of shots heard. When police arrived, they found 17-year-old Bryant Wilks II had been shot multiple times and he was pronounced dead at the scene. “It was chaotic, there was a lot of people,”
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Boone County judge ruled Wednesday in favor of numerous defendants named in a wrongful death lawsuit over the death of MU student Riley Strain. Strain went missing in March 2024 during a Delta Chi fraternity trip to Nashville. His body was found days later in the Cumberland River; his death was
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Hundreds of people on Wednesday came out to support the Holiday Food and Fund drive at the Columbia Mall and Buchheits in Jefferson City. The Food Bank For Central And Northeast Missouri has raised more than $125,000 to help local families. People donated items like peanut butter, canned fruits, canned meats and
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The City of Columbia is working on a major update of its building codes, proposing to adopt the 2024 International Building Codes that govern residential and commercial construction, safety, energy efficiency and plumbing standards. The city currently operates under the 2018 codes. On Wednesday, the city’s Community Development department hosted a public
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Another dog that fell through ice was rescued by firefighters on Wednesday, according to a social media post from the Boone County Fire Protection District. The district wrote that crews were called to East Walnut Drive, north of Hallsville, for a report of a dog in the water. Firefighters found a beagle
Continue Reading
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri is hosting its 19th annual One for One Holiday Food and Fund Drive Wednesday. Donated items will be going to families in need for the holidays and beyond. Food and funds can be donated at two locations from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday
Continue Reading