Month: July 2025

Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A one-page note found in the pocket of the man who opened fire in a New York office on Monday claimed he suffered from CTE — or chronic traumatic encephalopathy — and appeared to be targeting the NFL headquarters, according to reporting from national outlets. 

According to ABC News, Shane Tamura, 27, fatally shot and killed four people — including a New York police officer — and injured another at the building on Monday that houses the NFL’s headquarters.

Tamura played high school football and had a three-page note in his pocket accusing the NFL of hiding the dangers of playing football to boost profits. Tamura claimed in the note that he suffered from CTE due to playing football and asked that his brain be studied. The Chief Medical Examiner from the New York City Office said Tamura’s brain will be examined as part of his autopsy. 

While Tamura never played professionally, a 2023 study from the National Institute of Health found that the pathology of CTE starts early, with CTE being reported in people as young as 17. The study examined 152 brains from contact sports players who died before reaching 30. Of those brains, more than 40% had CTE.  

In high school sports, more than two out of three concussions result from collisions among athletes. CDC data from a 2024 study shows contact sports — which includes football, basketball and soccer — are associated with 45% of all sports and recreation-related traumatic brain injuries for children ages 17 and younger. 

The two sports with the highest concussion rates included tackle football and girls soccer, with the concussion rates in girls soccer being even higher than boys soccer, ice hockey, wrestling and lacrosse. 

Tackling was responsible for 63% of high school football concussions, while roughly a third of concussions suffered during girls soccer were the result of heading. 

According to the University of Kansas Health System, the U.S. Soccer Concussion Initiative recommends limiting children 10 years old and younger from hitting a soccer ball with their head. U.S. club soccer gives a lists of rules on its website.

According to Dr. Carolyn Quinsey, a neurosurgeon at MU Health Care, many young athletes return to sports too soon, unaware that high-level brain functions—like balance and hand-eye coordination—are still affected. Symptoms such as headaches often resurface during play, signaling unresolved issues that can be treated more effectively with early identification and targeted therapy.

“Concussions are a little bit like snowflakes,” Quinsey said.  “There aren’t any two that are perfectly alike. And so it’s important to keep that in mind that we tailor the treatment to the patient itself and then how their symptoms are. So probably the biggest guideline I can give you is that no one should be returning to full physical or mental activity if they’re still having symptoms.” 

The Missouri State High School Activities Association has a five-step policy for an athlete to return to the field after a concussion after being cleared for progression by a neuropsychologist. 

The five steps include: 

Step 1: Light cardiovascular exercise.

 Step 2: Running in the gym or on the field. No helmet or other equipment. 

Step 3: Noncontact training drills in full equipment. Weight training can begin. 

Step 4: Full, normal practice or training (a walk-through practice does not count as a full, normal practice). 

Step 5: Full participation. Must be cleared by MD/DO/PAC/LAT/ARNP/Neuropsychologist before returning to play.

However, that progression is determined on a case-by-case basis according to each school’s policies and procedures. 

During the past decade, some high schools across the state have introduced safety measures in football, including tackling rings to improve form and soft-shell helmet covers designed to provide added protection during practice. But the CDC warns that there is no “concussion-proof helmet.”

Suffering multiple concussions can result in permanent brain damage that has long-lasting effects, especially if they are not cared for properly. 

According to Quinsey, a common pattern with delayed concussions in children involves initial headaches that subside after a few days, followed by lingering symptoms tied to eye coordination or vestibular issues. 

“In patients that do have multiple concussions, particularly if they haven’t even healed from the first one,  they definitely can have permanent intellectual deficit and lower IQ,” Qinsely said.  “We really want to make sure that kids in particular, are really healing from their injury.”

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Keriana Gamboa

JEFFERSON CITY Mo. (KMIZ)

Jefferson City is set to have negotiation talks with a third-party vendor to operate the city’s parking lots and structures.

Some city council members have raised concerns that when a city service or the management of the city service is privatized, prices increase for the citizens served.

The Jefferson City Council voted to move forward with contract negotiations with PCI Municipal Services LLC, following a 7-3 vote at its meeting two weeks ago.

3 city council members voted not in favor of the privatization, Ward 2 Councilman Aaron Mealy, Ward 3 Councilman Derek Thomas, and Ward 5 Councilwoman Mackenzie Job.

Council member Derek Thomas told ABC 17 News that because of the demolition of the Madison Street parking garage for the building of the new proposed conference center, the City staff did not feel like Parking Services had the skills to manage the 400 spaces going missing for the next 2 years.

The city initially issued a request for proposals to parking management companies nationwide as part of its effort to explore third-party oversight of Jefferson City’s parking services.

Four companies responded, and after a review process by a group of people selected by the city, PCI Municipal Services LLC was selected

“The stage right now is really just negotiating with Pcci to understand what they will and won’t do what we do and don’t need what we’re willing to pay for and what we’re not willing to pay for. So all the details have to come together,” Thomas said.

Brian Kern President at PCI Municipal Services, told the city council last week that they are “bringing new ideas that are operations, types of operations that we see in other contracts and other cities.”

Ward 2 Councilman Aaron Mealy told ABC 17 News in a statement that many of his constituents believe the city should retain control over its services and how they are managed.

“Almost always, when a city service or the management of the city service is privatized, prices increase for the citizens served,” Mealy said.

Councilwoman Mackenzie Job Ward 5 told ABC 17 News in a statement her reasoning for her vote.

“My ‘no’ vote is because I have reservations about turning over responsibility for a city asset to a third party, and those are based off reading several case studies from other communities who have chosen to take that route,” Job said.

The changes could potentially include higher parking meter rates or the installation of new meters on streets that currently do not have them. High Street in downtown Jefferson City has been without parking meters since 2003.

“Whether we raise the rates or it happens in conjunction with was turning parking over to an organization to manage it.  It’s it really needs to happen one way or another. So  I can’t apologize for rate increases,” Thomas said.

The resolution, approved by the council, formally authorizes city officials to begin discussions on the terms of a potential agreement with the private company.

Thomas also told ABC 17 News that if an agreement is reached, it will return to the city council for final approval. He expects that it could happen before the planned demolition of the parking garage, which is scheduled for September or October.

Thomas also said he expects more details and a specific timeline to be released following a city council work session scheduled for tomorrow afternoon. The session will focus on reviewing financing plans for the proposed conference center.

ABC 17 News has reached out to Council member Mike Lester, the sponsor of the resolution, for comment on the new negotiation talks.

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Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Voters in Boone County have taken advantage of in-person no-excuse absentee voting ahead of the Aug. 5 special election.

In-person, no-excuse absentee voting began on July 22 and Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon said turnout has been steady so far.

“In-person that have come in the office to vote we’ve had almost 900,” Lennon said. “If you include the people who have already voted by mail or submitted an absentee ballot by mail thats another 800,”

By the time Election Day wraps up, Lennon expects voter turnout to fall between 8-9%.

Boone County election judge Trynton Roberts said turnout has been consistent each day, with voters showing up for a particular issue on the ballot.

“About 100 voters each day, it seems that Proposition 1 has been the biggest drive for voters to show up,” Roberts said.

Boone County began in-person no-excuse absentee voting in November 2022 and Lennon said over the years it has grown in popularity,

“We’ve seen a shift as we’ve gotten no-excuse absentee voting to be more a common place for voters we’ve seen more people choosing to cast their ballots earlier,” Lennon said. “So there’s not much of a relationship between basing turnout on what we’ve seen from no-excuse absentee. It’s just people choose to vote before Election Day more often than they used to,”

Lennon says, the November 2024 election marked the highest used of no-excuse absentee voting so far.

“Smaller elections like April elections and things that has shrunk down a little bit more to 15% of our overall turnout comes from absentee but that’s still triple what our absentee turnout used to be,” Lennon said. “We’re not seeing it affect overall turnout numbers we’re just seeing people that would have voted anyway are just taking advantage of the convince of being able to vote before election day,”

Boone County resident Susan Devaney has done in-person, no-excuse absentee voting and said it’s a good option for retirees.

“Convenient, you can put it on your calendar and you have a whole rang of time you can come,” Devaney said. “Its always busier on election and people wake up and all of a sudden think oh I have to go vote today,”

Every voter in Boone County will see Proposition 1 on their ballot, which proposes an expansion of the senior property tax freeze.

In April of last year, voters approved an exemption for senior citizens from certain property tax increases, which they have to apply to use each year.

Residents of Columbia’s Second Ward will vote to elect a new representative in a special election. The Columbia City Council called the election to fill the vacant Ward 2 seat after Lisa Meyer resigned earlier this year. The candidates on the ballot to fill the seat are Ken Rice and Vera Elwood.

Polls for in-person no-excuse absentee voting are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. at the Boone County Government Center.

This Saturday, voters can cast their ballots at two additional locations: the Parkade Elementary School gymnasium from 10 a.m.-2 p.m., and the Columbia/Boone County Health Department from 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Voters are required to bring a valid photo ID to vote. Accepted forms include a Missouri driver’s license, U.S. passport or military ID.

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