Month: August 2025

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Kansas man was charged in Cooper County after he allegedly broke into a home and pointed a gun at the homeowner on Sunday morning.

Rivanold Truman Tegomo Tekombo, 25, of Olathe, Kansas, was charged with first-degree burglarly, second-degree kidnapping, armed criminal action and two misdemeanors: Fourth-degree assault and stealing. He is being held at the Cooper County Jail on a $250,000 bond. A court appearance is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.

The probable cause statement says law enforcement was called around 6 a.m. Sunday for a report for an abandoned vehicle on Highway 135 near Martinsville Road. Troopers found a note written in the GMC Yukon about the driver getting trespassed, the statement says. Police allegedly received a call about a crash around 1 a.m. near where the GMC was found, court documents say.

At 7:38 a.m., authorities received a phone call about a home invasion in the 14900 block of Highway 135 and that someone pointed a gun at the homeowners, the statement says.

The victim stated they came home after work and didn’t see his dog in the yard, he went inside and Tekombo allegedly pointed a gun at the victim while in the downstairs area of the home, court documents say.

A standoff ensued and Tekombo eventually came out of the home wearing some of the victim’s clothes at 9:35 a.m.

Tekombo allegedly wrote a number of things on a whiteboard, including “’#MAGA, #Life, Liberty, Happiness,’ and his Social Security number,” court documents say. He also allegedly wrote a note declaring himself a secretary for the US and was “awakened to protect President Donald Trump,” court documents say.

A family member allegedly told law enforcement that Tekombo is diagnosed with bipolar disorder and has not been taking his prescribed medicine, the probable cause statement says.

Click here to follow the original article.

Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia City Council on Monday evening voted 5-0 to change its water rates.

According to council documents, the water ordinance would increase revenue by $3.6 million, or 12%, and would take effect with the start of the fiscal year on Oct. 1.

The council will decide on changing electric rates at its next regular meeting.

The electric utility ordinance, if passed, would also take effect Oct. 1, and would increase revenue by $2.8 million, or 2%, according to another council document.

The proposed price is based on the current Consumer Price Index, according to the council document for electric rates.

“This isn’t just a money grab. This is to go to pay for projects, to pay for materials, to pay for personnel and, you know, pay update staffing costs, those type things,” spokesperson for Columbia utilities Jason West said.

The utilities department says these changes are necessary because of the rising cost of operation and maintenance expenses, and to preserve adequate funds for both water and electric.

The city anticipates the increased water revenue will decrease monthly payments for about 65% of residential customers, according to a previous ABC 17 News report.

However, electric rates would increase service rates on all customer charges, demand charges, energy charges and dusk-to-dawn lights by 2%.

The customer charge for single-phase service would go up from $22 per month to $22.44, and the three-phase service would go up to $33.66 from $33.

West said it will be a couple extra dollars tacked onto the monthly electric bill.

“They will see an increase, but it’s not going to be 25 to $30 increase that most people may see under $5, an increase in their actual bill, depending on if they’re still using the same amount of electricity,” West said.

The energy charges vary based on how much energy is used and in what season. High utility costs have been squeezing consumers in the Midwest during the past year. Natural gas prices are up nearly 15% compared to a year ago, while electricity costs 7.4% more across the region.

Click here to follow the original article.

Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

With less than a month before the 2026 fiscal budget is expected to be approved, the City Council will hold the second of three public hearings at City Hall as staff brace for a tighter budget after expected tax revenue fell 3% short last year. 

The 2026 budget projects roughly $560 million in expenditures. Columbia allocated $563 million of its total spending for the 2025 fiscal year.

 According to the city, the proposed changes would increase water utility revenue by 12%. However, despite the increase City of Columbia expects water bills to decrease for 65% of residential customers under the three-tier system based on average water use.

The City Council is looking to vote on the final budget on Sept. 15 before the new fiscal year begins on Oct. 1. 

The City Council will also be holding a public hearing on setting the property tax rates. Roughly 8% of the general fund revenue comes from property tax, which brought in approximately $11.1 million last year. 

Property tax rates are established annually within limits set by Missouri’s constitution and statutes. They are based on revenues from the prior year, with adjustments for inflation. Growth from new construction, property improvements, and increases in personal property valuation are excluded when calculating the rate. The resulting figure becomes the city’s permitted tax rate if it falls below the legal ceiling, which in Columbia is currently $0.4125 per $100 of assessed valuation.

For 2024, the city’s tax rate was $0.4075 per $100 assessed valuation. For 2025, the rate has been reduced to $0.3907, as certified by the Missouri State Auditor. The decrease reflects the Hancock Amendment, which limits the growth of existing property values for tax purposes to the lesser of the Consumer Price Index or 5%. Because assessed valuation growth exceeded 8% this year, the city had to roll back the rate to comply with the law.

Under the proposed ordinance for 2025, a tax of $0.3907 per $100 assessed valuation would be levied on all taxable property in Columbia. If the state auditor determines the city’s ceiling is lower, the rate will be adjusted to the auditor’s ceiling.

Despite the lower rate, both the City of Columbia and Columbia Public Schools expect to collect more revenue in the upcoming fiscal year due to rising property assessments.

CPS Chief Financial Officer Heather McArthur confirmed the calculation in an email to ABC 17 News, noting the CPS finance committee will also be reviewing the tax rate calculation during its Monday night meeting.

Click here to follow the original article.

Matthew Sanders

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Fulton Public Schools is adding its name to a suit challenging a state law to provide subsidies for pro sports teams.

The Fulton Board of Education voted last week to join the lawsuit filed by state Sen. Mike Moon (R-Ash Grove), state Rep. Bryant Wolfin (R-Ste. Genevieve) and a Maries County man. The lawsuit alleges that Senate Bill 3 is unconstitutional because it has provisions related to numerous subjects.

The lawsuit also claims the bill allows elected officials to use campaign funds for personal use to pay attorneys to defend legal challenges brought against them related to the bill, and that it allows some, but not all, counties to vote on the adoption of the tax credits for property tax relief.

The board also voted to retain the law firm Tueth Keeney Cooper Mohan & Jackstadt, P.C., to represent FPS in court.

FPS said in a statement sent to ABC 17 News that the district is challenging the law’s property tax credit portion.

Click here to follow the original article.

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An Audrain County man was charged with several felonies on Friday after authorities claim he helped a teenager commit a shooting in March in Mexico.

Casey Minter Jr., of Mexico, was charged in Audrain County with conspiracy to commit a felony, unlawful use of a weapon, armed criminal action, endangering the welfare of a child and second-degree property damage, a misdemeanor. A warrant was served on Monday and a hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday at the Audrain County Courthouse.

The probable cause statement says a 15-year-old shot at a home in the 300 block of North Missouri Street multiple times on March 26. Three residents were in the home at the time of the shooting.

“Surveillance video from the area showed an SUV commonly driven by Minter in the vicinity at the time of the incident,” court documents say.

Officers did a traffic stop on a vehicle on April 8 and found a gun – which ballistics testing allegedly determined was used in the shooting, the statement says. Minter allegedly denied being involved in the shooting, but the person he used for an alibi allegedly told law enforcement that he told them he helped “shoot up” the home with the youth, court documents allege.

Another person described as a witness in court documents allegedly told police that they were in the SUV with Minter and the youth. That person claimed they saw Minter drive the vehicle and give the youth the gun, court documents say.

Click here to follow the original article.

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Mexico, Missouri, man was charged on Friday with a pair of felonies after he allegedly strangled a woman multiple times this summer.

Jonathan Swiney was charged in Audrain County with two counts of first-degree domestic assault. A warrant was issued and no bond was set.

The probable cause statement says a woman was assaulted by Swiney on Aug. 9 after an argument occurred between the two. The victim allegedly told police they were strangled and beat by Swiney and described a second assault that occurred on July 3 that had similar details, the statement indicates.

The victim described multiple assaults and showed injuries they suffered in photographs they saved, the statement says.

Click here to follow the original article.