News

The Missouri State Penitentiary in Jefferson City will reopen for partial tours in late April. The tours were canceled in fall 2013 due to the presence of mold in the buildings. ABC 17 News investigated the mold problem back in January, looking through inspection reports to find that the problem had dated back years. While

Jefferson City police arrested 28-year-old Melvin Nunley Jr. Tuesday in the 800 block of east Dunklin Street. Nunley Jr. is a suspect in an ongoing heroin distribution investigation with the MUSTANG Drug Task force. Court documents say Nunley sold heroin to undercover officers twice in November and sold them cocaine once in December. All three

A Columbia man has been federally charged for sex trafficking involving two people. 33-year-old Kenyata Miles was charged Wednesday with a count of sex trafficking and another count of attempted sex trafficking of a minor. Miles was arrested in May 2013 by the Boone County Sheriff’s Department Cyber Crimes Task Force for suspicion of promoting

A Jefferson City man was indicted by a federal grand Jury Wednesday for dealing heroin in Cole County. 31-year-old Xavier Deprey Johnson was charged in a two-count indictment. Johnson was charged with one count of distributing heroin in July 2013 and one count of possessing heroin with the intent to distribute in August 2013. The

One year ago, Lisa Clements watched as her husband of nearly 30 years was gunned down in their Colorado doorway. The family had only moved from Columbia to the Colorado Springs area about a year and a half prior, so Tom could be the head of that state’s Department of Corrections. On the anniversary of

Columbia Public Works is conducting a traffic test in South Columbia in an effort to help traffic flow on Forum Boulevard. The first traffic test was from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday. Police officers directed traffic at the Fairview and Chapel Hill Road intersection, as well as at Chapel Hill Road and Limerick Lane.

Jim Marshall, who lost his son to a drug overdose, addressed William Woods University students Wednesday night. Students attending told ABC 17 the problem is real, and drugs are readily available. More than 100 students came out to hear Marshall speak. Afterwards, students had a chance to talk to Marshall one on one. Students agree,

Hickman boys and Rock Bridge girls basketball prepare for semifinals at Mizzou Arena Thursday. Both teams have won state championships in the past. Hickman boys face Hazelwood Central, a team they beat at Mizzou Arena in the MFA Oil Shootout. Rock Bridge girls face St. Joseph’s Academy, a team they played in last year’s state

The suspect in a 1997 shooting in Moberly appeared in court Wednesday for a preliminary hearing. Ollie James III was arrested in January for allegedly shooting and robbing a 48-year-old man at Richard’s Steakhouse in Moberly. The victim, Richard Greiner, testified about the attack in the parking lot of the steakhouse as he was closing

A Columbia man is back behind bars in Boone County after police caughthim in Illinois two weeks ago. Cameron Caruthers appeared in court Wednesday after allegedly cutting off his home detention monitor last month and fleeing the state. A judge originally ordered Caruthers to wear an ankle bracelet after he was arrested for drugs. Police

It has been one month since 10-year-old Hailey Owens, of Springfield, was kidnapped and killed. Nearly three months ago, 6-year-old Markell Beasley was also kidnapped and killed. These children have certainly not been forgotten and have many Mid-Missourians asking for an improved Amber Alert System. Former Highway Patrol public safety officer Charles Jackson created the

A suspicious bag closed a Walmart parking lot in Columbia Wednesday afternoon. A 9-1-1 caller reported the bag at the Conley Road store, and the Columbia Police and Fire departments arrived at the scene. A full-sized black suitcase was abandoned in a mulch planter near the middle of the parking lot. Crews blocked off part

After another day of discussion, the Columbia City Council made decisions on three downtown housing developments. The three developments with Collegiate Housing Partners, Opus Development Company, and American Campus Communities were open for public comment at Monday night’s and Wednesday’s meetings. The Council unanimously approved the Collegiate Housing Partners development, which plans to build a

One day after a heated Columbia city council meeting, council members gathered for an all-day retreat. They discussed downtown infrastructure, development, utility needs, and public safety. Although no decisions were made or votes taken, councilwoman Laura Nauser believed they made good progress. “We were all here until 1 a.m. at the council meeting and all

General Motors is recalling more than 3 million vehicles. 1.6 million vehicles are being recalled because of a problem with the ignition switch. “What I’m hearing is that it’s an electrical failure where the vehicle could possibly die while driving, in which case you’re going to lose some of your steering, breaking and some of

Leaders with the City of Jefferson have released summaries of the two final conference center proposals. Both the Ehrhardt Group and the Farmer Holding company have proposed separate centers — one downtown and one at the mall. The summary shows a larger conference center for the Farmer proposal, but they are asking for just as

Columbia Police arrested a First Student bus driver Tuesday morning for “unacceptable actions” against a student on the Shephard Boulevard Elementary School route. 55-year-old Robert Harris Braid was arrested for 3rd degree assault for hitting a 7-old-boy in the face with paper while on the bus. Columbia Public Schools spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark confirms the incident

A man who is accused of throwing gasoline and lighting his wife on fire with a cigarette lighter in June 2013 appeared in court Tuesday for a pretrial conference in Huntsville. Their home in at 301 S. Randolph Street in Higbee was also engulfed in flames. Willard Hunt was charged in Randolph County with first

In a visit to Moberly Tuesday afternoon, Missouri Governor Jay Nixon and Moberly officials made an announcement that 125 jobs will be created in the Randolph County city in the coming couple of years. GAF Materials Corporation will build a plant near the old Mamtek site, about 1/4 mile from the USDA building in Moberly.

Columbia City Council got an earful Monday night during a public hearing on three proposed student housing complexes downtown and near the MU campus. “It appears when the wealthy, distant corporate speculators tell this administration to jump, their only question is ‘how high?’” said one resident in attendance. Cries of support after a demand for