Missouri budget director to retire Oct. 1; Department of Corrections director to take over

KMIZ on August 19, 2026

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri Budget Director Dan Haug will retire on Oct. 1, according to a Monday press release from Gov. Mike Kehoe.

Haug has served as budget director for 11 years — making him the longest to serve in the position — and has worked in state government for 31 years, the release says.

“It has been an honor serving alongside Governor Kehoe and all previous Governors as budget director,” Haug was quoted in the release. “I am very grateful to have had the opportunity to help these administrations craft state budgets that improved the lives of Missourians in countless ways. I want to thank the amazing team at Budget and Planning for all of their excellent work and service to the state.”

Haug began his state government career as an economist for the Office of Administration’s division of budget and planning in 1995, the release says. He joined the senate appropriations staff in 2002 and served as director of the department from 2005-13. He became the department of mental health’s director of administration in 2013 before becoming the budget director in 2015.

Department of Corrections Director Trevor Foley will serve as budget director after Haug retires. The appointment for the next DOC director “is forthcoming,” the release says.

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Columbia teenager pleads guilty to 2025 shooting near mall, gets 15-year prison sentence

KMIZ on August 19, 2026

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 17-year-old Columbia boy was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Monday after pleading guilty to felony charges in connection with a shooting at the mall in 2025.

Samiyon Myers, 17, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault, armed criminal action and second-degree drug trafficking. He is currently being held at the Boone County Jail, according to online jail records.

He was originally charged with first-degree assault, delivery of a controlled substance, two counts of armed criminal action, two counts of unlawful use of a weapon, one count of shooting at a car and second-degree drug trafficking.

Court documents in previous reporting say police were called around 5:30 p.m. Jan. 19, 2025, for a shots-fired call in the 2100 block of West Worley Street.

A gun was found in a bag near Myers and video from the Columbia Mall allegedly showed Myers firing the gun at a vehicle filled with people, court documents in previous reporting say.

Police saw bullet holes in the vehicle and were able to identify Myers by the color of his underwear, which was seen on video and was the only person wearing red, previous reporting indicates. Police allegedly found Myers with more than 200 pills and found additional guns in a garbage bin, previous reporting says.

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Owensville man charged with several counts of child porn possession

KMIZ on August 19, 2026

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An Owensville man was charged on Friday with 13 counts of possessing child sex abuse materials.

Wilbur Krumrey was served a $100,000 cash-only bond warrant. A mugshot was not available on Monday.

The probable cause statement says a woman and her brother went to the Owensville Police Department on July 26 to report an assault by Krumrey. The woman also reported seeing child sex abuse files on Krumrey’s cellphone.

Krumrey was arrested that month and allowed investigators to look at his phone and they found images of minors “in a sexualized manner,” court documents allege. Authorities applied for a search warrant and were able to use it on Aug. 10, where led to the discovery of at least 13 files of child sex abuse found on the phone, court documents say.

Police wrote in the statement that Krumrey has been staying near Owensville City Park.

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Video of deadly Columbia hit-and-run crash leads to suspects’ arrests

KMIZ on August 19, 2026

Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A hit-and-run crash late Friday in Columbia was captured on video, leading to the arrest of two suspects, a probable cause statement filed Monday states.

The video captured the moments a vehicle allegedly driven by Shunta Bohanon hit 47-year-old Mark Hunter Jr. at East St. Charles Road and Remm Drive. Hunter was pronounced dead at the hospital. Bohanon was charged with involuntary manslaughter, armed criminal action, leaving the scene of a crash resulting in death and evidence tampering in a felony prosecution

Police officers identified Bohanon’s vehicle and its license plate from video footage, the probable cause statement says. Bohanon allegedly admitted to police that he was driving the car that killed Hunter, but said he didn’t see the man and didn’t realize initially that he had hit a person, the document states.

The impact sent Hunter down the road, leaving a trail of blood, police say.

Bohanon parked his car inside a garage after the crash and closed the door, according to the statement.

Another suspect, Sandra Sharp, 55, hasn’t been charged. Because she posted bond, charges don’t have to be filed until her bond hearing date on Sept. 10, Boone County Assistant Prosecutor Melissa Buchanan told ABC 17 News via email.

Sharp was arrested on suspicion of evidence tampering, resisting arrest and assault of a special victim, according to the Columbia Police Department.

Bohanon, 53, was being held Monday without bond in the Boone County Jail.

Police say they arrested both Sharp and Bohanon on Saturday, and that Flock cameras were used to locate the suspects.

A candlelight vigil will be held for Hunter on Friday at Hogan House, located at 313 Hogan Dr. in Columbia. The vigil starts at 7:30 p.m.

Hogan House is a food pantry and a non-profit that falls under the organization Do Something Right Now. The goal is for Hogan House to help out its neighbors in surrounding areas, like families on Hogan Drive or Demaret Drive.

Do Something Right Now Executive Director Sue Riley said Hunter was a part of one of those families on Demaret Drive, and he volunteered with Hogan House for the last three years.

“Mark was very quiet. He had a special little grin, and I always called him a gentle giant because he would work hard, but he wouldn’t say a whole lot. He’d just look at you and smile,” Riley said.

She said Hunter worked with Love Columbia for job coaching, and he recently got one.

“He was proud of himself, and he had every right to be,” Riley said. “We had seen a lot less of him in the recent months because he had started working a job, but when he came around, I would tell him, ‘Mark, I am so proud of you. You’re doing so great.”

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Columbia Fire Department aims to expand crew size with extra staffing

KMIZ on August 19, 2026

Demetra Alarcon

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Fire Department system is currently staffed with a minimum of three people per truck, but the fire chief would like to see four per truck.

That could happen soon with extra money to pay employees and new recruits coming on staff.

A new public safety sales tax is expected to add 42 new firefighters and result in an estimated $31 million budget increase.

Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer said CFD will have a new class of trainees in October and continue to have more classes.

“It’s going to take us a lot of intense work to get people recruited, trained and what we call ‘on the floor,'” said Schaeffer.

Shaeffer said the increased hiring won’t lead to lower standards. He said that when the next class graduates, operations will decide which trucks to expand to four people.

As of Friday, according to a Facebook post made by CFD, eight new firefighters have completed their probationary period.

There are currently around 20 firefighters in the 18-month probationary period. They can be identified by their gray shirts.

Schaeffer said that the new sales tax will have a profound impact on recruiting at CFD.

Schaeffer said that in general, staffing is healthy.

The fire department has an estimated 185 operational, in-uniform positions.

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Jefferson County Fair wraps up in Rigby with emotional goodbyes

KIFI on August 19, 2026

Par Kermani

RIGBY, Idaho (KIFI) — The Jefferson County Fair wrapped up its week in Rigby Saturday, marking the end of days of livestock competitions, community events and months of work for local 4-H and FFA members.

For some young exhibitors, the final day also meant saying goodbye to animals they had spent much of the year raising.

Fifteen-year-old Tenley Walker raised her steer, “Big Guns,” and the pair earned Grand Champion Market Steer. As exhibitors prepared to load their animals Saturday, Walker said the end of the fair was emotional.

“I’ve had a really good year with him,” Walker said. “We’re about to load them on the trailer and I’m already getting a little bit worked up. But it’s okay, just the way it goes.”

Walker said participating in 4-H has taught her about hard work, setting goals, keeping records and taking responsibility for an animal.

Those lessons are a major part of what organizers say they want young people to take away from the program.

Lex Godfrey, an agricultural educator at Rigby High School and chairman of the fair’s Market Animal Sale Committee, said the animals may be the most visible part of the program, but the young people raising them are its real focus.

“Often people look at these as market animal projects. They are,” Godfrey said. “But the true product is these young people that are developing and learning what it takes to take care of something and be responsible for something.”

The fair began its livestock events with a horse show Monday, followed by market animal weigh-ins Tuesday and events throughout the week. Godfrey said the fair also included activities outside livestock, including exhibits featuring produce, baked goods and art.

Organizers say the fair continues to grow. Austin Davis, a local agricultural teacher and livestock committee chairman, said organizers expanded into a tent this year after running out of barn space. The fair has also added new pens, arenas and an auction block.

Friday night’s Market Animal Sale brought in more than $800,000 in livestock sales, according to Godfrey. He said additional contributions, known as boosts, could push the total above $1 million.

“That will go back to these youth in our community,” Godfrey said. “That makes me feel very good about the future we have and the investment we’re putting into our youth.”

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Hal Dulle is sworn in as next Ward 3 Jefferson City councilman

KMIZ on August 19, 2026

Mitchell Kaminski

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) 

Jefferson City swore in a new councilmember Monday, filling the Ward 3 seat left vacant by Derek Thomas’ resignation on June 2.

Hal Dulle was appointed to the seat after receiving five votes from the City Council, while Susan Cook received the remaining four.

Thomas resigned in June after moving out of state because of medical issues affecting his family.

Before the vote, Ward 2 Councilman Mike Lester voiced his support for Cook, saying he did not believe Dulle took his application seriously. Cook and Dulle were two of three residents who submitted letters of interest for the position, according to city documents.

“Mr. Dulle has appeared less serious than Mrs. Cook about wanting to serve on the council. At every stage of the process, he seems to give minimal effort. His letter of interest was just that, a couple of sentences announcing that he had interest,” Lester said during the meeting. “His endorsements from Ward 3 residents consisted of his wife, Scott Spencer and Mrs. Spencer.”

Lester claimed Dulle had not reached out to him or several other council members to discuss the position, unlike Cook, who he said demonstrated a greater “commitment to serve.”

Despite Lester’s comments, the council still voted 5-4 in favor of Dulle, with councilmen Randy Hoselton, Chris Leuckel, Shane Kampeter, Jeff Ahlers and Cody Holt all voting in favor. 

Dulle, a retired Vietnam veteran, previously served as executive director of the Missouri Veterans Commission. In 2018, he received the Kevin Meinhardt Memorial Award for Distinguished Public Service.

In his letter of interest, which was fewer than 200 words, Dulle highlighted his eight years of service on the Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau Board. He also noted he previously chaired the USS Jefferson City Submarine Committee, which coordinates visits to Hawaii with the submarine crew. While he is no longer the chair, the letter states he is still a member of the committee.

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Sharon Jones sworn in to Columbia City Council; marks city’s first all-female council

KMIZ on August 19, 2026

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Sharon Jones was sworn in to her seat as the Fourth Ward’s representative on the Columbia City Council on Monday evening.

Jones, an area lawyer and lobbyist, won the seat in the Aug. 4 election over Dave Sorrell and Ryan King. Jones’ addition makes her a part of the city’s first all-female council.

The Ward 4 seat became open after former Councilman Nick Foster stepped away from the position in June after announcing a move to Atlanta, Georgia.

Jones will serve the remainder of Foster’s original term through April 2028.

The current City Council is made up Mayor Barbara Buffaloe, Ward 1 Councilwoman Valerie Carroll, Ward 2 Councilwoman Vera Elwood, Ward 3 Councilwoman Jacque Sample, Ward 5 Councilwoman Christina Hartman and Ward 6 Councilwoman Betsy Peters.

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Jefferson City Council renews Flock agreement amid nationwide debate over its use

KMIZ on August 19, 2026

Mitchell Kaminski

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) 

The Jefferson City Council on Monday voted overwhelmingly to renew its agreement with Flock for automated license plate readers, with Ward 2 Councilman Cody Holt casting the lone dissenting vote.

Since September 2025, the Jefferson City Police Department has operated 21 Flock automated license plate readers throughout the city.

Ahead of the vote, Holt asked the council to discuss the cameras, citing concerns about privacy and how the data collected by the system is shared.

The use of Flock cameras has drawn scrutiny nationally, with privacy advocates raising concerns about data sharing and law enforcement access.

A national tracker of Flock contracts lists more than 30 communities that have ended their agreements amid similar concerns about privacy, data sharing and law enforcement access.

While Holt said he trusts the Jefferson City Police Department to use the cameras responsibly and wants officers to have access to useful tools, he felt the council needed to have a broader discussion about their use before voting to renew the agreement.

“I believe the personal security aspect is important, and I also think that arming our police and law enforcement officers with the most advanced tools to be able to do their jobs is a good thing, but I think the potential invasion of public privacy is outweighed by that risk,” Holt said during the meeting. 

However, other members of the council quickly voiced their support for the Flock cameras, with Ward 4 Councilman Chris Leuckel saying the police needed as many resources and assets available, pointing to an arrest from Columbia police with the help of the cameras. 

“One in Columbia as recently as I think last week, a crime was committed, and within minutes they were apprehended because of the Flock camera. I think those unfortunately are not celebrated,” Leuckel said. “Not designed to be celebrated necessarily, other than take the broader view of protecting the community and being safe. To address one thing that was brought up about getting potential misuse, as it related to this department, this city, I would give full faith and confidence to our police chief and our leadership. 

Ward 5 Councilman Shane Kampeter offered a similar sentiment. 

“A lot of the things that happen when these are used, minutes, seconds, matter. A car can leave Jeff City pretty fast,” Kampeter said during the meeting. “We do not have enough staff in Jeff City to sit here and physically watch cameras. Systems like this are able to track them before they even get to the Missouri River Bridge, which could be within seconds.” 

Ward 4 Councilwoman Julie Allen also acknowledged some of the pushback that Flock has received, but felt the benefits outweighed the concerns. 

“I would just caution us to not throw the baby out with the bathwater. I do know these have been very useful in some law enforcement issues that we’ve had,” Allen said.  

Jefferson City Police Chief Eric Wilde said the department has been utilizing some form of automatic license plate reading cameras for more than two decades, but it is now starting to gain more attention as the technology has continued to evolve and get better. 

“This is just another tool that we use that has been one of the most effective that I have seen in my career,” Wilde said. 

Wilde added during the meeting that the use of Flock cameras has helped the department solve three homicides. He also addressed concerns over misuse of the cameras, saying he understands there is not much trust in big government. 

But Wilde tried to alleviate those concerns, saying he understands the weight on his office’s shoulders and that the department will continue to train, establish policy, and audit the use of Flock to ensure they are being used appropriately.

“As law enforcement, we have so many tools that we can utilize that violate your constitutional rights. This weapon, this pepper spray, tasers, our radios, using them incorrectly,” Wilde said. “How we defeat that is ongoing and rigorous training, oversight, policy, and auditing.”

Council documents show the new agreement runs through May 14, 2027, and will cost the city $51,000.

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South Fork Fest celebrates five years of music, art and developing young creators

KIFI on August 19, 2026

Par Kermani

RIRIE, Idaho (KIFI) — Musicians, artists, filmmakers and families gathered near Ririe this weekend as South Fork Fest celebrated its fifth year.

Held at Aspen Grove Inn, the festival combines live performances with film screenings, open mics, songwriter rounds and workshops covering music, art, photography and other activities.

Caleb Brown, South Fork Fest’s creative director, said the event is intentionally designed to be more than a traditional music festival.

“We’ve got workshops, film screenings, kids activities, open mics, songwriter rounds, and then obviously the main stage and B-stage acts,” Brown said.

The festival also includes activities such as fly-fishing instruction for children and opportunities for emerging artists and filmmakers to interact with more experienced professionals.

Brown said the idea has roots in his own experience growing up in eastern Idaho. When he was 13, he performed in a punk rock band at a local music festival where young creators were able to interact with older musicians and artists.

He said members of that group went on to careers as touring and studio musicians, screenwriters, directors, published authors and other creative professions.

Years later, Brown and his friends decided to recreate that experience. What began as a gathering of friends and family five years ago eventually grew into South Fork Fest and the creation of the nonprofit South Fork Arts Foundation.

Brown said one of the festival’s goals is to create a similar pathway for a new generation.

“We open every festival with youth talent,” Brown said. “One of the kids that did the talent show, now they’re playing the open mic, and in five more years they’ll be playing the main stage with their band.”

The festival is hosted at Aspen Grove Inn, where owner Sharon Perry said the property is intended to provide visitors with a place for “peace and calm” where people can heal, bond and reconnect.

Perry said the setting among trees and outdoor gathering spaces has become part of the experience for visitors.

“We love the people that come here. We love the music, the food vendors,” Perry said. “It’s a great feeling of peace and calm here that I have not been able to find anywhere else.”

This year’s festival also came shortly after the fire in Heise. Perry said Aspen Grove Inn was not threatened by the fire and the festival went forward without delays. She also said organizers were seeing an increase in attendance this year.

Brown said organizers hope the festival continues giving young people a place to share their work while interacting with professionals doing the jobs they may someday want to pursue.

He said that could mean a child singing before an audience for the first time, a teenager sharing a short film or a young musician getting advice from a touring artist.

For organizers, Brown said, the goal is for those opportunities to continue growing along with the festival.

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