News Archives

Columbia Board of Education meeting delayed after residents voice concerns over decision to remove chief equity officer

April 13, 2026 4:43 PM Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Monday night’s Columbia Board of Education meeting was abruptly halted after a group of residents protested the district’s decision to replace its chief equity officer. Last week, Columbia Public Schools posted a job opening for chief equity officer, a position previously held by Carla London. London was responsible for training homeschool communicators

Northbound lanes of Providence Road near Hickman High School closed off after pedestrian hit by vehicle

April 13, 2026 10:24 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The northbound lanes of North Providence Road in Columbia near Hickman High School were taped off by police on Monday evening. The road was closed after a crash. Boone County Joint Communications sent a notification at 10:11 p.m. stating that a vehicle collision happened at North Providence Road at East Forest Avenue.

Fewer Columbia Public Schools students cited for having cellphones this school year

April 13, 2026 2:55 PM Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The Columbia Public School District has issued 2,628 cellphone policy referrals so far this school year, according to the district. The district says that number reflects incidents and not individual students, as one student can receive multiple referrals. This marks a decrease from 3,185 in the 2024-2025 school year. In the 2023-2024

WATCH: Kehoe meets with law enforcement for World Cup security discussion

April 13, 2026 2:49 PM Matthew Sanders, Olivia Hayes

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe met Monday afternoon with federal, state and local officials about security preparations for the World Cup in Kansas City. Kansas City will host six matches, including a quarterfinal game. The city is expecting 650,000 visitors and four countries will call KC its base camp. Those countries include:

Northbound ramps of Highway 63 at Grindstone Parkway to close April 20, will reopen in June

April 13, 2026 8:43 PM ABC 17 News Team

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The northbound ramps for getting on and off Highway 63 at Grindstone Parkway in Columbia will close beginning on Monday, April 20, according to a Monday press release from the Missouri Department of Transportation. Both northbound ramps are expected to be reopened by the end of June, the release says. The southbound

Rolla man accused of having child porn on his phone

April 13, 2026 7:57 PM Ryan Shiner

Paul Allen Dollar COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Rolla man was charged on Monday in Phelps County with a count of possessing child pornography. Paull Allen Dollar, 62, is being held at the Phelps County Jail on a $25,000 bond. A confined docket hearing is scheduled for 8 a.m. Tuesday. The probable cause statement says police

Woman charged after child falls out of moving Nissan Altima, tests positive for meth

April 13, 2026 7:35 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Rolla woman was charged with a pair of felonies after a child allegedly fell out of a Nissan Altima on April 4. Kirsten McCracken was charged on Friday in Phelps County with child abuse and endangering the welfare of a child. A warrant was issued and no bond was set. The

Woman sees several animal abuse counts dropped after indictment filed, hearing set for Monday

April 13, 2026 7:08 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Several charges against a Boone County dog breeder have been dropped after a superseding indictment was filed on Friday. Melissa Sanders, 26, of Columbia, is now charged with 13 counts of felony animal abuse and a lone count of misdemeanor animal abuse. She is being held at the Boone County Jail without

Columbia man charged with eight felonies in alleged truck assault

April 13, 2026 1:01 PM Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia man was charged Monday with eight felonies after allegedly running over three people early Sunday. Boone County prosecutors charged Andy Cenobio, 19, with four counts of first-degree assault and four counts of armed criminal action. Columbia Police say a man identified as J.E. was with three friends and his girlfriend

Holt replaces Mealy on Jefferson City Council

April 13, 2026 6:01 PM Ryan Shiner

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Cody Holt was approved by the Jefferson City Council and sworn in as the new Ward 2 member during a Monday work session. Holt was one of three people who expressed interest in the job after Aaron Mealy announced his resignation in March. The council approved Holts with an 8-1 vote,

Man charged in early April rollover crash in Audrain County

April 13, 2026 6:11 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Mexico, Missouri, man was charged with a felony and a misdemeanor on Saturday in connection with a rollover crash that happened earlier this month. William Ray Johnson was charged with driving while intoxicated – causing serious physical injury and misdemeanor reckless driving. An initial court appearance is scheduled for 9

Motorcycle rider in Osage Beach flown to hospital after crash

April 13, 2026 4:25 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A motorcycle rider was flown to University Hospital on Saturday night after they crashed in Osage Beach, according to a Monday press release form the Osage Beach Police Department. The crash occurred at 10:26 p.m. Saturday, the release says. The release says someone from Texas road a 2006 Victory Kingpin on Barry

Columbia man who pleaded guilty to ex-wife’s murder dies in prison

April 13, 2026 4:12 PM Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia man who pleaded guilty in 2023 to shooting and killing his ex-wife in 2020 has died in prison, according to a Monday press release from the Missouri Department of Corrections. The DOC announced that Andrew Lucas, 59, was pronounced dead on Monday at University Hospital. An autopsy will be performed.

Deportations hit snag, unpleasant tax surprise, Picasso raffle: Catch up on the day’s stories

April 13, 2026 4:07 PM CNN Newsource

By Daniel Wine, CNN 👋 Welcome to 5 Things PM! Well, here’s a twist I didn’t see coming. Scientists just discovered that the “oldest octopus” in the world isn’t an octopus after all. Here’s what else you might have missed during your busy day. 5 things 1️⃣ Deportations hit snag In an effort to accelerate

Former General Director of the Brazilian Intelligence Agency Alexandre Ramagem at the Brazilian Supreme Court in Brasilia

Fugitive former Brazilian intelligence chief released after being detained by ICE, associates say

April 13, 2026 3:48 PM CNN Newsource

By Michael Rios, Max Saltman, CNN (CNN) — Brazil’s fugitive former intelligence chief and lawmaker Alexandre Ramagem has been released from custody after being detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement, his associates said Wednesday. Ramagem, who faces a 16-year prison sentence in Brazil for his alleged involvement in a coup plot with far-right ex-President

ChongLy Thao is detained after ICE agents and other law enforcement officers conducted an immigration raid at his home in St. Paul

Minnesota county investigates federal agents’ removal of US citizen from his home as a possible kidnapping

April 13, 2026 2:04 PM CNN Newsource

By Whitney Wild, Cindy Von Quednow, CNN (CNN) — Officials in Ramsey County, Minnesota, on Monday announced a criminal investigation into the arrest of ChongLy Thao, a US citizen caught in a viral photo as immigration agents walked him out of his home in freezing weather wearing little more than Crocs, shorts, and a plaid

Man accused of Columbia attack with unknown liquid is charged with assaulting deputy

April 13, 2026 11:40 AM Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A man who is in the Boone County Jail awaiting a mental health commitment after allegedly throwing an unknown, caustic liquid on two people is now accused of attacking a deputy. Maxon Castle, 23, has been held in the Boone County Jail since he allegedly sprayed the liquid on two strangers in

QUESTION OF THE DAY: Do you agree with President Trump’s criticism of the pope?

April 13, 2026 9:15 AM Matthew Sanders

President Donald Trump is at war with the pope. Over the weekend, Trump posted a long message critical of Pope Leo XIV on his Truth Social platform. That was followed by an illustration of Trump as a Jesus-like figure, healing a sick man. Reports have also emerged of the administration telling a Vatican ambassador that

French citizens Jacques Paris and Cecile Kohler

After three years as Iran’s hostage, the taxman came knocking

April 13, 2026 9:02 AM CNN Newsource

By Joseph Ataman, CNN Paris (CNN) — There’s no escape from the tax collector. At least that’s what Benjamin Brière must have felt after his return from three and half years as a hostage in Iran when he got that message that we all dread: he hadn’t filed his taxes. The return of two French

President Donald Trump arrives at the White House on April 12

Judge tosses Trump’s Wall Street Journal defamation lawsuit, gives him chance to refile

April 13, 2026 8:50 AM CNN Newsource

By Brian Stelter, Andrew Kirell, CNN (CNN) — A federal judge on Monday dismissed President Donald Trump’s defamation lawsuit against The Wall Street Journal over its reporting on a lewd birthday letter to Jeffrey Epstein bearing Trump’s name. US District Judge Darrin P. Gayles ruled that Trump failed to plausibly allege the Rupert Murdoch-owned newspaper