Columbia firefighters responded to a fire inside a garage on Vandiver Dr. on Sunday. Jerry Jenkins, an assistant fire chief with the Columbia Fire Department, told ABC 17 News around 3:30 p.m. that the fire was put out. Crews were working to get smoke out of the building and check for hotspots, Jenkins said. A
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The Columbia City Council is looking at an agreement to reconstruct and expand a new hangar at the Columbia Regional Airport, according to the council agenda. According to the council memo, “Staff is requesting Council authorize the City Manager to execute a Consultant Agreement with Burns & McDonnell, Inc. to assist the City of Columbia
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A woman whose brother was killed by gun violence 21 years ago is working to put a stop to the recent string of shootings in Columbia. Erica Dickson led an event at Douglas High School Saturday afternoon, focused on starting conversations with children in the community. She said the recent uptick in gun violence in
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Columbia community members are gearing up for a weekend of anti-violence activities. Following a deadly month of violence in Columbia, five ex-convicts said they are hoping to help people avoid lives of crime. The ex-convicts are planning to speak at Douglass High School from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. The event is called Time
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Columbia Public Schools will bear a greater cost for four police officers to serve as school resource officers under a new proposal. The deal between the city and school district would require CPS to pay 55 percent of the officer’s salaries, amounting to $206,837. The current agreement, which expires on Nov. 1, allowed a 50-50
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A substitute teacher shortage across the nation is affecting Columbia Public Schools. CPS began a contract to supply substitute teachers with a new staffing company July 1. However, every substitute has to reapply with the new company. This means CPS lost the substitute teaching pool it had with the former company, Kelly Services. EduStaff is
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Living in high crime neighborhoods can take a toll on a person’s mental health. MU health officials told us today that a first or second hand experience can result in fear, resentment and even PTSD. Dr. Bruce Harry, an MU Health Care psychiatrist says, “It’s disruptive both to the sense of community but also individual
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A Boone County grand jury indicted a Harrisburg man Friday on four felony counts in connection with a deadly June crash on Rangeline Street. Charles Waddill was indicted on charges of felony driving while intoxicated, involuntary manslaughter, leaving the scene of a crash and felony evidence tampering. Prosecutors originally charged Waddill in July with leaving
Continue ReadingA lieutenant with the Jackson Police Department said Thursday that no reports or statements were filed in the six days following allegations of vandalism and hate speech at a high school football game. The Jackson High School Indians hosted the Battle High School Spartans Friday night, after which, multiple Battle parents told ABC 17 News
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A lawsuit against Columbia Public Schools and members of the Columbia Police Department claim they were negligent in how they questioned a student. The lawsuit said police officers violated the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution when they spoke to a 16-year-old Rock Bridge High School student about an alleged sexual assault. It also claims
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Prosecutors charged a Columbia man with eight felonies after a shooting Wednesday night in northeast Columbia. The Columbia Police Department arrested Terrell Marquise Lawrence, 21, after reports of shots fired near Rice Road and Boyd Lane. He was charged with unlawful use of a weapon, three counts of armed criminal action, two counts of domestic
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An unlicensed Columbia massage therapist pleaded guilty Wednesday to two misdemeanor charges of sexual misconduct. Karl A. Swope was sentenced to pay a $4,000 fine and register as a sex offender for life. Swope was charged in September 2018 with second-degree sexual abuse after he allegedly touched a woman inappropriately. Police said the victim went
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A data breach Hy-Vee grocery stores reported this summer affected customers at two Columbia locations and in Jefferson City and Osage Beach. The company on Thursday released more information about the breach that it initially reported in mid-August. The release Thursday included a list of affected stores. Malware meant to access card data was used
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Grocery store chain Schnucks will stop selling all tobacco products at all of its locations starting Jan. 1, the company said in a news release Thursday. The company has a store on Forum Boulevard in Columbia. “Tobacco products are certainly a profitable part of our business, but our company’s mission is to nourish people’s lives,”
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A water main break prompted a precautionary water boil advisory in a south Columbia neighborhood Thursday morning. The Consolidated Public Water Supply District No. 1 alerted the public to the advisory Thursday morning. Resident along Gans Road, Bearfield Road, Bearfield Drive, Rock Quarry Road, Happy Hollow Road and parts of Highway 63. The advisory is
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Authorities investigated in the area of Rice Road and Boyd Lane Wednesday night. Officers were dispatched to the scene around 7 p.m. Police cleared the area within the hour at around 7:40 p.m. ABC 17 News crews saw several patrol cars in the area, including one that was blocking Rice Road. Officers were searching the
Continue ReadingCivil rights group leaders, City Council members and Columbia residents are planning multiple events to help curb gun violence. Glenn Cobbins, a community activist, said he and others are set to host a block party near Rice Road and McKee Street. Police have investigated multiple shootings in the Northeast Columbia neighborhood in the past two
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Boone Electric Cooperative announced Wednesday it is completely rehabbing its headquarters in Columbia, including new buildings, and renovation of the existing space. The plan is set to cost $25 million, and Boone Electric customers will likely see a rate increase to pay for the new building. “Over the next few months, the board will discuss
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Work on a new roundabout in south Columbia may wrap up ahead of schedule. According to a post on the Public Works Department Facebook page, the roundabout at Forum Boulevard and Green Meadows Road is about 75% finished. The post said the contractor believes the opening date could be between Oct. 20 and Nov. 1,
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Columbia experienced a string of shootings in the month of September, several of them deadly. That gun violence has continued into October, with police investigating another shooting Tuesday night. Police responded to the 1400 block of Raleigh Drive at about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday after reports of shots fired. Police found several shell casings in the
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