Month: November 2025

Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

While families get to spend the Thanksgiving holiday at home, others like firefighters at the Columbia Fire Department have to spend the holiday on the clock.

At CFD’s Fire Station No. 1 on Orr Street in downtown Columbia, the crew teams up to fight fires, and on Thanksgiving morning, they teamed up in the kitchen to prepare a holiday meal for themselves and their families.

“Couple hams in the oven, some green bean casserole, gingerbread cookies, some banana pudding, apple pie,” firefighter Callan Whitehouse said.

Cpt. Derek Abbott has been with CFD for more than 12 years and has spent several Thanksgivings at the fire station. He said he’s thankful for the sense of family.

 “At CFD, the overarching theme of our agency is that we’re all a family. The folks that work here, our immediate family can come and visit us. And you know the people we serve, they are part of the community we served in and that kind of goes in that same theme were here to survive and thrive,” Abbott said.

While working on Thanksgiving can result in missing time with family, Abbott says his family and his crew make the sacrifice easier.

“My wife and kids all really kind of understand the role that I play at the fire department and realize that it’s just something that has to happen. So they get it when I’m not around for the holidays,” Abbott said. “My family here at work, they welcome me and make sure that we’re all you know together and treat kind of the same,”

Thursday was firefighter Jeffrey Vance’s first Thanksgiving with CFD. While he was unable to spend the holiday with his fiancé, he’s grateful for the chance to build a bond with his fellow firefighters.

“It brings that brotherhood, sisterhood in which are crews and families just getting to spend time with them on the holidays, it’s kind of like you know the big part of the family thing,” Vance said.

While firefighters are able to carve time to eat a Thanksgiving meal with their families, a meal is a race against time since a call can come in at anytime, so they are ready to respond whenever help is needed.

“Obviously we’re still available to respond to calls at any point, so if the tones go off we still have to go respond to an emergency for anybody else,” Whitehouse said.

“If we have to run to a call we do that, there’s always people that can step up and finish the turkey or make the stuffing,” Abbott said. “We can always kind of just help each other out,”

For Abbott, he’s thankful this Thanksgiving for the family he found at Fire Station No. 1.

“I just started with this crew. So this year, I’m thankful they allowed me to come in and join their family. They’re great firefighters and they’re great people and it’s really to be bale to come to work and have a ready made family that I get to be a part of” Abbot said.

Click here to follow the original article.

Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, MO. (KMIZ)

The National Retail Federation is projecting another record-breaking holiday season, predicting that Americans will spend more than $1 trillion on gifts, food and décor.

Consumers plan to spend an average of $890.49 per person this year on gifts, food, decorations and other seasonal items. That figure marks the second-highest spending level in the survey’s 23-year history, according to the National Retail Federation’s latest holiday survey, conducted by Prosper Insights and Analytics.

However, shoppers across almost every generation are planning to cut back their holiday spending this year and those who do plan to shop, with 50% of them are planning to use a Buy Now, Pay Later plan, according to Better Business Bureau.

Gen X is the only group expecting to spend a little more, up about 3% from last year. But Gen Z is pulling back the most, cutting their budgets by 34%. Millennials plan to spend 13% less, and baby boomers are also tightening their wallets with a 6% drop compared to last year, according to a recent Deloitte Holiday Retail Survey.

While the National Retail Federation and Deloitte surveys show slightly different numbers, both offer reliable insights into how Americans are planning to spend this holiday season.

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway is urging shoppers to be cautious of the spike in scams that often appear around Black Friday and Cyber Monday. As online shopping, promotional emails and flash sales continue to grow, scammers frequently take advantage of the chaos by pushing fake deals, phishing links and fraudulent websites.

The AG’s Consumer Protection team highlighted several warning signs and helpful reminders based on recurring issues seen in previous years:

Black Friday Shopping Tips

Be cautious of unexpected messages advertising “special” deals—especially if they ask for personal details or include unfamiliar links. These could be attempts to install malware or collect sensitive information.

Some retailers may boost prices before Black Friday to make discounts appear larger than they are. Checking typical prices ahead of time can help you spot this.

Many stores pause their price-matching policies during the Black Friday–Cyber Monday window.

Always read the fine print on ads and promotions; some offers are limited by brand, time, or quantity.

Cyber Monday Safety Tips

Steer clear of sites with unusual spellings or strange dashes in their names—these can signal fraudulent look-alike websites.

If an online deal seems unrealistically cheap, it’s likely a scam.

Watch for fake “order confirmation” or “delivery issue” emails for purchases you didn’t make, as these often attempt to steal personal information.

When shopping online, choose a credit card over a debit card for stronger fraud protection.

Use secure, unique passwords for all online payment accounts.

The Better Business Bureau advises shoppers who are planning to use a buy now, pay later option to approach it as they would any other loan. Even when interest isn’t charged, consumers can still fall into overspending or incur late fees, so it’s important to ensure the total cost is genuinely affordable. Sticking to a budget is key, as payments can add up quickly.

The BBB also urges shoppers to carefully review the terms before agreeing to a buy now pay later plan. Consumers should understand who is financing the purchase, the length of the plan, the number of installments, how late or rescheduled payments are handled, whether interest applies, and whether additional fees are included.

It’s equally important to be aware of your rights: Lenders are required to investigate disputes, issue refunds for returns or cancellations, and provide regular billing statements. Before signing on, shoppers may also want to consider alternatives such as 0% APR credit cards or “pay over time” options, which offer similar flexibility while preserving the protections and rewards associated with traditional credit card use.

Anyone who suspects a scam or finds unfamiliar charges can contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-392-8222 or file a complaint online at ago.mo.gov.

Click here to follow the original article.

Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The family of a man who was shot and killed on Triple Crown Drive in north Columbia the night before Thanksgiving say they believe it happened after an argument.

The Columbia Police Department identified Edward Brown Jr., 46 as the victim late Wednesday night. Police said they were called to the 3800 Block of Triple Crown Drive around 5:40 p.m. and found Brown with gunshot wounds and died from his injuries.

A 15-year-old was detained in connection with the shooting.

Courts are closed for the holiday on Thursday and Friday. A spokesman for CPD said on scene Wednesday night that all people allegedly involved in the shooting were in custody and being interviewed.

Brenda Brown, Edward Brown Jr’s mother, said she believes Brown was trying to leave a home he was living in with his girlfriend to go to a relative’s home. She said she believes the two got into an argument before he was shot.

Amanda Harvey, who is the fiancé of Brown’s brother, said she heard something similar. According to Harvey, Brown and his girlfriend had been dating for roughly two or three years and were living together.

She said she spoke to the girlfriend and was told there was an argument before shots were fired. Harvey said it wasn’t out of the ordinary for them to argue, but it would never escalate to the degree it had on Wednesday night.

Police have not yet provided details on what led up to the shooting.

“We never imagined this would happen, especially at the place where he lays his head at night,” Harvey said.

Harvey described Brown as a hard-working, caring and loving man with a contagious laugh.

Harvey said he worked at the Quaker Oats Factory and had several children. She said moving forward, she would like people to remember Brown for the kind of man he was.

“We just want for him to be portrayed as the person he was and for the truth to come out about what really happened,” Harvey said. “And to just protect him and make sure that he’s taken care of and he gets justice for him too.”

Brenda Brown said her son was a loving father, who was originally from New Orleans but moved to Columbia later in his life. Brown said her son wasn’t perfect and had gotten into some trouble and was incarcerated at points in his life, but cared deeply for his children.

“He was definitely a loving father but if I said he didn’t get into any trouble,I would be lying,” Brown said. “All he wanted to do was get all of his children together so that they can be with their daddy.”

Brown said she just wants the person responsible to be held accountable.

“I want justice for my son. I’m definitely forgiving and I forgive them but at the same time, I want justice done. We have to solve the problem while it’s there. The problem has to be solved, you don’t put a murderer back on the street,” Brown said. “I love my son and I miss him and whatever happened it is what it is, just give me justice.”

According to data from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, children between the ages of 10-17 have been arrested for the most violent crimes in Columbia in 2025, with 161. The next closest age group is adults between 25 and 34, sitting at 159.

Click here to follow the original article.