Month: August 2025

Alison Patton

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Gov. Mike Kehoe said Friday that he will call a special session on redistricting and initiative petition reform.

“Today, I am calling on the General Assembly to take action on congressional redistricting and initiative petition reform to ensure our districts and Constitution truly put Missouri values first,” Kehoe said in a news release. “This is about clarity for voters and ownership of our future, and I hope the legislature will work together to pass our Missouri First Map and critically needed IP reform.”

Democrats had anticipated Friday’s action and had a response ready.

“Trump puppet Mike Kehoe’s calling of a special session to steal a congressional seat for Republicans and gut Missourians’ constitutional right to enact laws through the initiative process marks the worst threat to the integrity of our state government since pro-slavery lawmakers voted for Missouri to join the Confederacy in 1861,” House Minority Leader Ashley Aune (D-Kansas City), said in a news release. “Missourians will not tolerate acts of electoral sabotage from their leaders nor silently allow Republicans to seize more power.”

The special session would start next week, one week before the annual veto session, which set for Sept. 10.

Kehoe’s news release on Friday called the map his office will present the “Missouri First” map. The map would still split Boone County, like the current map. But the new one would also split Jackson County — home to Kansas City.

Rep. David Tyson Smith (D-Columbia) said in an interview with ABC 17 News Friday afternoon the move to redistrict is outrageous.

“Well this whole thing is illegal, its disgusting and its shameful that this is happening,” Smith said.

Splitting Jackson County would fundamentally alter the Fifth Congressional District, one of two represented by Democrats in Missouri. Emanuel Cleaver, who holds that seat now, said in a statement that “truth is under assault.”

“President Trump’s unprecedented directive to redraw our maps in the middle of the decade and without an updated census is not an act of democracy – it is an unconstitutional attack against it,” Cleaver said. “This attempt to gerrymander Missouri will not simply change district lines, it will silence voices. It will deny representation. It will tell the people of Missouri that their lawmakers no longer wish to earn their vote, that elections are predetermined by the power brokers in Washington, and that politicians – not the people – will decide the outcome.”

Missouri FIRST MapDownload

Missouri is caught in a national push to get more Republican seats in the House of Representatives to boost their narrow majority. Missouri Republicans want to split up the Kansas City congressional district, a mostly blue district, which would give the GOP another seat.

“Democrats represent about 40% of voters in Missouri,” Smith said. “That’s millions of people and to say, we should have three seats mathematical and to say we’re only going to have one seat is not right it doesn’t make sense and to have two black congressional leaders and take away one of them is not right,”

President Donald Trump praised Kehoe on Truth Social for calling for a special session.

“GREAT Governor Mike Kehoe, of the Wonderful State of Missouri, which I love and won SIX times, including with 1.8 Million Votes in 2024 (by far the most Votes in History!), just called a very Special Session to begin passage of a new, much fairer, and much improved, Congressional Map, that will give the incredible people of Missouri the tremendous opportunity to elect an additional MAGA Republican in the 2026 Midterm Elections — A HUGE VICTORY for our America First Agenda, not just in the “Show-Me State,” but across our Nation.” The president said.

A screen capture of the map Gov. Mike Kehoe’s administration wants legislators to vote on.

Smith said republicans are being too silent, when they should be speaking up and fighting back against Trump.

“Where are the John McCane’s out there, John McCane would have stood up to his own party and said no but everyone is so afraid of Donald Trump they are allowing him to continue with this illegal action this is outrageous and it needs to be stopped,” Smith added.

The special session will also take up initiative petition reform, which would set stricter standards for statewide ballot issues — a Republican priority that has failed to make it through the last couple of regular legislative sessions.

Kehoe was at the announcement of a new partnership between Acculevel and three Missouri communities throughout the state on Friday morning in Jefferson City.

Acculevel repairs basements and foundations. The company has locations in Kennett, Sarcoxie and Smithville, Missouri.

The company is investing about $2.9 million at each location and adding about 41 jobs to each location, according to Michelle Hataway, Missouri Department for Economic Development director.

The governor also said he hasn’t received a direct request for the Missouri National Guard to aid police in Washington, D.C.

“We are working with Homeland Security on some processing issues with the National Guard,” Kehoe said, but didn’t elaborate.

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Olivia Hayes

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

As the Labor Day weekend approaches, drivers will still have to adapt to work zones along the highways.

One work zone that has become a hotspot for several traffic crashes in recent months is the U.S. Highway 54 bridge rehabilitation project. The road in certain areas, both westbound and eastbound, is surrounded by road construction and narrowed down to one lane with speed reductions.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, 17 people died and 498 were injured in 1,047 traffic crashes over the 2024 Labor Day holiday in Missouri. The MSHP holiday counting period begins at 6 p.m. Friday through 11:59 p.m. Monday, September 1st. The Highway Patrol reports all available troopers will patrol roadways & waterways.

Sheriff John Wheeler, of the Cole Co. Sheriff’s Office, also said that his department will be heightening its patrol over the course of the holiday weekend. He explained that the extra deputies will allow the sheriff’s office to keep safety on the roads top of mind.

“Just making sure people are behaving themselves, especially around the construction zones,” Wheeler said. “We’re going to be looking for those that speed, we’re going to be looking for improper lane usage. We’re just going to be looking for everything, so people just need to slow down.”

The Missouri Department of Transportation reports that, except for emergencies, work will stop at noon on Friday and resume on Tuesday morning. Even though the work is paused, the work zone along Highway 54 will remain in place.

Steve Cearlock, with the Cole County Fire Protection District, said on a normal day more than 30,000 cars can drive across the stretch of highway. He said the most common accidents the fire district responds to are fender benders and that many of the crashes are caused due to distracted driving.

“Put your phones down and buckle up because putting your phones down is very important. You don’t need to be looking at your phone in this kind of condition,” Cearlock said.

Drivers should keep in mind the westbound bridge rehabilitation over the Moreau River Drainage, south of Jefferson City. That is scheduled for completion in October 2025.  

Bridge rehabilitation also continues over Missouri Boulevard, and is scheduled for completion in early September 2025.  Certain ramps associated with the project will also remain closed through September 2025: 

Westbound U.S. Route 54 off-ramp to Missouri Boulevard. 

Eastbound U.S. Route 50 off-ramp to westbound U.S. Route 54.  

Missouri Boulevard on-ramp to eastbound U.S. Route 54. 

Bridge replacements and associated access restrictions over Neighorn Branch, south of Jefferson City, are scheduled for completion in November 2025. 

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Madison Stuerman

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A former state trooper was sentenced to three months in jail after he was found guilty of sexual assault and kidnapping.

Jeffrey Durbin was found guilty of the two counts in January, but his sentencing was delayed after the defense argued juror misconduct.

A Boone County judge ordered Durbin to serve three months in the Monroe County Jail starting Sept. 2. He will also have a year to pay the $5,000 fine.

In January, the jury recommended that Durbin serve no prison time for the sexual abuse charge but did recommend a fine. It was recommended that he spend three months in Boone County jail for kidnapping, along with a fine.

At the sentencing hearing on Friday, Boone County prosecutors presented an impact statement from the trial in January from the victim.

The defense asked for Durbin to be sentenced to 30 days and for it to be in the Monroe County Jail. Their reasoning included safety and to help the distance for his wife and daughter during visitation. They also tried to allow Durbin time due to his loss of employment.

Prosecutors asked for him to pay the fine recommended by the jury, along with the three months.

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Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Friday marks week one of high school football season, a time in Columbia and across the state battle week-to-week to ultimately land a seat in the championship.

The games bring an influx of excited fans each week at each Columbia high school. Columbia Public School has had a bag policy for several years, requiring people coming to watch the games to bring a clear bag. Small clutches or wallets will be allowed inside.

CPS spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark told ABC 17 News via email that CPS is now allowing fans to bring in sealed or unopened water bottles to games and events this year.

Samantha Symonds works as the Assistant Principal of Activities and Athletics at Battle High School. Symonds said using the policy at games last year went smoothly, but the school ran into a few hiccups reaching people who were not from Columbia.

“We tried to put it on social media everywhere we could, but it was hard to reach some of those people that aren’t directly connected with Battle or with that game,” Symonds said. “Some of them showed up and it was a surprise and they’d get a little frustrated.”

Symonds said the district is also working to clarify that people can bring diaper bags to games, but should be prepared for them to be searched.

“We had a lot of parents coming in with like Ziploc bags and wipes and stuff and it was a little difficult on them,” Symonds said. “I think it’s necessary just because you see so many things happening on the news and everything, I think now is the time to do it.”

According to Symonds, Battle High School will also utilize weapons detection systems at all crosstown rivalry games as an extra precaution, due to the large crowds the games bring in. Symonds said Battle High School did not run into any problems with people attempting to bring in a weapon to games last year.

According to the district’s policy, re-entry to games and events will not be allowed. All bags will also be searched.

Columbia Police Department Assistant Chief Mark Fitzgerald also told ABC 17 News the department collaborates with CPS for games throughout the year.

“We have school resource officers that typically go to all of the home football games and we have relationships with CPS where we actually have additional off-duty officers that go to most of the games,” Fitzgerald said.

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