Month: October 2026

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A bridge that has been closed to vehicles since 2018 could reopen as Jefferson City seeks state funding to replace it and improve access to Washington Park.

The Jefferson City Council will vote Monday on a grant application to replace the Ohio Street bridge.

The bridge, which crosses Wears Creek to South Boulevard, closed to vehicles in 2018 after the Missouri Department of Transportation conducted a structural inspection. It remains open to pedestrians.

Replacing the bridge would cost about $845,000, per city documents. A state grant focused on smaller municipal bridges that could cover up to 80% of the project, or about $676,000.

The city would be responsible for the remaining cost. City spokeswoman Molly Bryan said most of the city’s share would come from sales tax revenue.

The High Street viaduct, which spans Missouri Boulevard and also needs to be replaced, is not eligible for the grant, Bryan said.

In 2024, the city added eight pickleball courts to Washington Park at 805 Ohio St. The city also put up concession stands for evening visitors earlier this year.

The parks department is also planning a proposed $4 million inclusive playground that would replace the tennis courts behind the ice arena at Washington Park. The parks department is also planning a new entrance sign for Washington Park off Missouri Boulevard and upgrades to the ice arena’s HVAC system.

“Due to all the redevelopment and investment that JC Parks has been putting into that Washington Park area, we thought this would be a good opportunity to put our hat in the ring to get some funding,” Bryan said.

Bryan said replacing the bridge also would benefit emergency responders. To access the pickleball courts from Missouri Boulevard, Bryan said a vehicle must take another street, which delays how fast an emergency responder could reach the scene.

“When seconds could matter, you want to make sure you have that one-way access down to those pickleball courts,” Bryan said.

Lyric Phelps frequently visits the Washington Park pickleball courts. He said he often stops at Will West Music and Sound on Missouri Boulevard before playing pickleball.

If the Ohio Street bridge were open to vehicles, Phelps said he could drive directly from the music store to the courts. Instead, he must turn left onto Missouri Boulevard and then turn left again onto Michigan Street or Kansas Street.

“I have to go all the way through the Boulevard and then back around to come play pickleball. It’d just make it a lot easier,” Phelps said of possibly reopening the Ohio Street bridge.

If the city receives the grant funding, Bryan said the project would likely begin in 2027.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Boone County and Columbia’s animal control partnership with the Central Missouri Humane Society is coming to an end.

The city and county announced a plan last month to buy the former site of Columbia Animal Hospital at 1300 East Boone Industrial Dr. The Columbia Animal Hospital closed in March.

Public Health and Human Services would use the space for an animal shelter for the city and county’s animal control services. Animals that are currently in animal control’s custody are housed at the Central Missouri Humane Society.

A CMHS representative told ABC 17 News on Friday that the move will bring the partnership to an end.

According to Michelle Casey, the Associate Director of CMHS, animal control and CMHS have worked together for years, but with their new purchase, it would not be a sustainable decision to continue working with animal control.

“They asked if we would be willing to provide animal care services in a new facility,” Casey said. “After careful consideration by our board, we determined that it’s not operationally or financially sustainable for CMHS to be operating and staffing two separate locations.”

The property on 1300 Boone Industrial costs $995,000. In a council meeting on Sept. 21, the proposal was for the City of Columbia to pay $595,000 and Boone County to pay $400,000. But for documents set for a meeting on October 5, the city will now be taking the full total out of reserves, and Boone County will contribute $400,000 at a later date.

CMHS is also building a new facility of its own. Casey said CMHS was unaware that PHHS was looking into buying a new shelter and was only informed of the purchase on Sept. 11. She said this new shelter brings up a lot of questions.

“What happens to the animals after their stray build? Who’ll be responsible for animal care?,” Casey said. “I’m curious to learn more, especially about how veterinary care would be provided and who’s going to be responsible for the animals at that facility.”

Casey claims PHHS has provided little information to CMHS about plans, operations and time frame for the shelter they are wanting to purchase/open.

“I don’t really have any details about their plans if the purchase does go through for this facility. I don’t know what their operating model would look like. I don’t know who would be providing services,” Casey said.

ABC 17 reached out to the city, animal control and county commission. The council will meet on Monday to discuss the PHHS proposal.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

One person was treated for smoke inhalation and a firefighter was shocked by electricity on Thursday night after a house caught fire in the 1200 block of Rainbow Road in Boonville, according to a Friday social media post from the Boonville Fire Department.

Crews were called at 8:27 p.m. and saw “heavy smoke pushing from the residence” and downed power lines in the backyard after a tree branch fell, the post says.

A fire was found in the kitchen and was quickly put out, the post says.

“Fire suppression and overhaul operations were complicated by electrical lines that had fallen onto the residence, creating a dangerous electrical hazard and the potential for electrical back feed into the structure. During operations, one firefighter received an electrical shock and was evaluated on scene,” according to the post.

Ameren crews eventually removed the line. Crews were on scene for about four hours and the fire was determined to be caused by an electrical issue, the post says.

Two people were displaced and the Red Cross is assisting those affected, the post says.