Author: KMIZ

Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

As winter approaches, the Boone County Fire Protection District’s fire chief is reminding residents to check their safety devices.

Scott Olsen said now is the time to make sure all smoke and carbon monoxide detectors are working to give families the early warning they need.

“Fires burn a lot quicker, a lot faster now and are deadlier. You don’t have much time anymore to get out of a structure that’s on fire,” Olsen said.

The U.S Fire Administration warn that today’s house fires move much faster than in the past. Modern furniture and home materials, often made from synthetic products, burn hotter and quicker.

From the start of this month, firefighters have responded to multiple fires across Mid-Missouri, some of them causing significant damage to homes. Officials said these incidents highlight how quickly fires can escalate from a small blaze to a life-threatening situation, leaving very little time to escape.

The U.S. Fire Administration notes the growing number of lithium-ion batteries in homes is another factor contributing to faster fires. These batteries are found in phones, laptops, power tools, e-bikes and other household devices.

“Back when I first started this business, a fire could take 15-to-20 minutes to really get going because of the types of products in our homes,” Olsen said. “Nowadays, it’s less than 5 minutes. You don’t have much time to get out, so you need every warning you can get. We encourage our citizens to take smoke detectors and CO detectors very seriously.”

Lithium-ion batteries can reach thermal runaway in as little as 15 seconds after the first sign of smoke, sometimes causing explosions.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has issued warnings and recalls for several household items over the past year. EVERCROSS EV5 hoverboards have been flagged for fire risks, and consumers are urged to stop using them and safely remove the lithium-ion battery packs, though the company has not issued a recall or offered a remedy.

Elide brand fire-extinguishing balls may fail to put out fires, creating serious burn and inhalation hazards, and the company has also not issued a recall. Honeywell recalled about 29,000 fire alarms and strobe units due to malfunctioning sounders and strobes that could prevent them from alerting users in a fire.

Additionally, Best Buy has recalled more than 187,400 Insignia air fryers and air fryer ovens, which can overheat, melt handles, or shatter glass, posing fire, burn, and laceration hazards.

You can learn more about product recalls and safety alerts here.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A housing development in Jefferson City has been awarded more than $1.9 million in low-income housing tax credits through the Missouri Housing Development, according to a Friday press release from the city.

The credits were awarded for the Moreau Valley housing development — located at 2135 Schotthill Woods Drive – which is a proposed 48-unit multi-family development consisting of 36 three-bedroom units and 12 two-bedroom units, the release says.

The release says eight units will be set aside for the Rape and Abuse Crisis Service.

“Moreau Valley will leverage Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds, LIHTC, and private investment to make this project possible,” the release says.

Information from the city shows $1,130,000 from federal 9% tax credits, while $791,000 is from state 9% tax credits.

The release says Moreau Valley is expected to replace about one-third of rental units lost from the 2019 Jefferson City tornado.

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Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

GoCOMO bus riders are sharing their concerns after the City of Columbia removed a bus shelter and trash container at a bus stop at 21 Conley Road.

The Kroenke Group, who owns the Broadway Crossings, sent a letter to the city on Sept. 19 requesting the bus shelter be removed and it was removed the following week, according to the city.

The Kroneke Group cited the bus stop having several issues including, excessive trash, excessive noise, harassment and even violence.

Columbia Police Department dispatch logs show 54 calls were made to the 2700 block of Trimble Road from Jan. 1-Sept. 19. A city of Columbia spokesman last week said the bus stop was technically located on Trimble Road. A bus stop is listed at 2701 Trimble in dispatch logs.

Of those 54 calls, two were related for trespassing, one was for vandalism and one was for harassment and 33 were listed as “check subject.”

Columbia Fire Department dispatch logs during the same period list a bus stop on Trimble Road having five calls, three of which were medical responses and two were listed as “unknown problems.”

Columbia Public Works spokesman John Ogan said the bus stop has roughly 600 riders every month and there have been several service calls at the stop compared to other shelter locations.

“Prior to its removal, the stop had generated more police responses than is typical for a shelter. These factors contributed to the property owners request or decision to withdraw consent and the shelt’er removal does not change the fact that this remains an active bus stop,” Ogan said.

According to the city, majority of bus shelters are placed on private property via an agreement with the property owner. That agreement allows the property owner to request removal of bus shelters.

“Owners have the ability to request removal of amenities, and a shelter is no different. GOCOMO would have preferred for the shelter to stay in place,” Ogan said.

Christian Tabak with the City of Columbia said in an email Monday, GoCOMO has had money in their budget to add bus shelters to existing stops but it can be difficult to find a willing property owner.

GoCOMO Transit has 228 bus stops, 29 of which have shelters, and most of those shelters are located next to private property, according to the city.

Ogan cited the several businesses that are near the stop and a rider could wait

“There are businesses there that one could, wait in if one needed to, and use the app to see how far away the bus is,” Ogan said.

ABC 17 News spoke with two GoCOMO riders who expressed frustration with the decision to remove the shelter, citing the possibility of inclement weather as a cause for concern.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Parking fines in Jefferson City could soon cost residents a lot more money.

The Jefferson City Council will introduce a bill on Monday that could significantly raise the fines associated with parking around the city.

Most notably, a fine for parking at a metered whose time is expired could rise by $19, according to the council packet. The current fine is $6 and it would be $25, if passed. Information from the council packet indicates the change would take effect immediately, if it is passed.

Parking violation fines would be changed to $25 across the board. Other notable increases includes blocking a driveway and parking in a no-parking zone increasing from $17, parking at an expired 10-hour meter results in a fine, first offense of overtime metered parking is raised from $8, while a second offense is raised from $14 and a third offense is decreased from $29.

Failing to pay parking garage fees is raised from $15, while a residential permit parking violation goes up from $18.

The council packet says the city has collected $112,149 in parking fines in 2025 and $88,108.75 in 2024

A full list of fines can be viewed in the graphic below.

A change in parking fines suggested by the Jefferson City Council. [Courtesy Jefferson City]

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Sedalia man has been charged after he was accused of stabbing a man in his stomach on Wednesday.

Samuel Storer, 43 was charged on Thursday in Pettis County with first-degree assault and armed criminal action. He is being held at the Pettis County Jail on a $25,000 bond. A court date has not been scheduled.

A deputy wrote in the probable cause statement that law enforcement was called at 10:49 p.m. that night and found the victim with a stab wound in his stomach. The victim claimed he knocked on the door of a trailer and Storer stabbed him, the statement says.

The victim then punched out a window on the door after Storer closed it, the statement says.

The victim was flown to University Hospital. A witness at the scene allegedly corroborated the victim’s story, the statement says.  

Storer allegedly told deputies that the victim and witness came to the residence multiple times throughout the day and Storer told them to leave multiple times, the statement says. Storer claimed the victim first broke the window of the door and tried to force his way in, which led to Storer punching and stabbing the victim, the statement says.

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Olivia Hayes

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Mid-Missouri homeless organizations are preparing to see an increased need as extreme low temperatures are expected over the weekend.

Maj. Nancy Powers, a Corps Officer with Columbia’s Salvation Army Harbor House, said Friday that the colder weather has already brought people to Harbor House with dangerous weather-related health problems.

“By the time they’re coming to us, they may have black fingertips or black toes,” Powers said. “Oftentimes their skin is red and cracking, that kind of thing.”

Harbor houses typically focus on families facing homelessness, but they will work with other local organizations, like Room at the Inn, on a referral basis to help with any overflow.

“We have cots so we can accommodate what we need to on cots,” Powers said. “We do screen everybody to make sure we don’t have any sexual predators, or anybody that would be dangerous with our kids.”

Powers said Harbor House’s non-resident day shelter opens at 6 a.m. and closes around the time other overnight shelters and organizations in town open up.

“They need to leave here by four o’clock to catch the bus to go there,” Powers said. “We encourage folks, get that bus so you have some place to go.”

However, families and Harbor House residents are able to stay 24 hours. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are served daily for residents, but lunch is open to members of the public.

“It’s really good that they’re here and they offer the services that they do,” said Melanie Mooney, a Harbor House resident.

Powers said the shelter needs more winter gear and clothing for its residents and community members in need.

“Boots, hats, gloves, scarves,” Powers said. “Adult coats, especially large sizes of adult coats, are really important.” 

John Trapp, with Columbia’s Room at the Inn, said 110 beds are available for people looking to get out of the cold overnight. Trapp also said Turning Point, located at Columbia’s United Methodist Church on Wilkes Boulevard, will be open overnight as a warming center to assist with any overflow.

Audrain County is expected to be one of the hardest hit areas by the extreme low temperatures. Ra’Vae Edwards-Moore, executive director for Audrain County’s Room at the Inn, said it will be open 24 hours on Saturday and Sunday with capacity for 16 people overnight.

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Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The state is working with stakeholders to figure out how to implement restrictions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the Missouri Department of Social Services said Friday.

The state was approved to adjust the SNAP program to exclude items like sodas, candy, packaged and prepared desserts and juice with less than 50% of vegetable or fruit juice.

Kim Buckman from Feeding Missouri said the organization hopes to be included in conversations with the state as it navigates how and what to restrict.

“We hope to work closely with the state, retailers, and partners to ensure efforts to support healthier outcomes are implemented in ways that protect access to food and strengthen the systems that communities of every size depend on,” Buckman wrote in an email.

She also emphasised the need for clarity with the new restrictions.

“Changes need to be clear, consistent, and practical so they don’t unintentionally reduce access to food or place added strain on local retailers — risking their ability to continue serving their communities,” Buckman said.

The earliest start date for the prohibition is Oct. 1, 2026.

California resident and SNAP recipient Regina Anderson said her five-year-old daughter could have a hard time switching juices.

“It’s not fair if you think about it because most juices are less than 50% juice,” Anderson said. “Unless you’re getting 100% apple juice or 100% orange juice. Not every kid likes apple juice or orange juice. My daughter like drinking the little Kool-Aid juices.”

Anderson also said she uses her SNAP dollars to bring cupcakes or ice cream into her daughter’s class when it’s her birthday to celebrate. She won’t be able to do that under the new restrictions.

Bryan Wolford, another California resident, said he was on a USDA commodities program as a child.

He said that while he sees the importance of the SNAP program, he thinks the program should have limits.

“Taxpayers, which I am and have been since I was 15, we should not be paying for these high sugar, high fat foods that are essentially poisoning our families and our Missouri kids,” Wolford said.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The judge in a lawsuit surrounding Missouri’s new redistricting proposal has opted to not rule on the case until collected signatures are verified.

Cole County Judge Christopher Limbaugh wrote in a Friday decision that People Not Politicians had submitted more than 300,000 signatures to Secretary of State Denny Hoskins to certify in their effort to get the new congressional map on the state ballot.

“Currently, to the court’s knowledge, no signatures have been officially accepted or rejected. Conceivably, this could be enough signatures to place the referendum on the ballot thereby mooting the issues presented in the case at bar,” Limbaugh wrote.

“Therefore, the court will hold this case in abeyance until the requisite number of signatures have been certified or up until enough signatures have been rejected so as to prevent plaintiffs’ referendum from appearing on the ballot. It is further ordered that Secretary Hoskins preserve all signatures filed with his office, whether those signatures are accepted or rejected, until further order by this court.

People Not Politicians issued a statement showing support for the judge’s decision.

“Judge Limbaugh recognized that the key issue right now is whether the submitted signatures are certified. No signatures have been accepted or rejected yet, and the court ordered that they all be preserved. We agree with the judge — let’s check the signatures,” People Not Politicians spokesperson Elsa Rainey told ABC 17 News in a statement.  

Hanaway on Friday also filed a motion in federal court to sanction People Not Politicians’ lawyers. Hanaway’s motion argues that the counsel should be sanctioned for suggesting to media outlets that the map should be frozen.

Arguments in the trial earlier this week included PNP claiming Hoskins failed to follow Missouri open records laws by not approving the referendum language. The state argued because the governor hadn’t signed the new congressional map into law during the initial submission of the language, he couldn’t approve it.

Hoskins and Attorney General Catherine Hanaway claimed on Thursday that the new map is cemented in state law.

A federal judge earlier this week dismissed a lawsuit filed by the state that sought to block the new map from appearing on the ballot.

Republican lawmakers had suggested redrawing lines sooner than the state’s typical period of every 10 years after it was requested by President Donald Trump ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Critics of the map have called it gerrymandering and if it is passed, it is expected to give Republicans an additional lawmaker to represent the state. The area at the center of the discussion is currently represented by Democratic Rep. Emmanuel Cleaver.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A woman has been charged in Monroe County after she allegedly tried to make a child lie to authorities in order to protect her spouse who was accused of child molestation.

Jennifer Navarro, 34, of Paris, Missouri, was charged on Thursday with tampering with a victim in a felony prosecution. She is being held at the Monroe County Jail on a $50,000 bond. A bond hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Joseph Navarro, 39, of Paris, Missouri, was charged on Nov. 20 with second-degree child molestation and second-degree kidnapping. He is being held at the Monroe County Jail without bond. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday, Jan. 2.

Joseph Navarro was accused of repeatedly sexually abusing the victim over the summer through October, a probable cause statement says.

The statement filed in Jennifer Navarro’s case says after law enforcement started looking for Joseph Navarro, Jennifer Navarro had apparently called him to warn him that law enforcement was looking for him.

She then allegedly repeatedly told the victim to lie to authorities and tell them the assaults were a dream, the statement says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A woman was arrested and charged after a trooper allegedly found 221 pounds of marijuana in her vehicle during a Thursday traffic stop on Interstate 70 in Montgomery County.

Briana Roberts, of Spanaway, Washington, was charged on Friday with first-degree drug trafficking and endangering the welfare of a child. She is being held without bond at the Montgomery County Jail. A court date has not been scheduled.

A Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper wrote in the probable cause statement that he pulled over a 2025 Chrysler Pacifica with Utah plates after the driver drove it too close to a tractor-trailer and the trooper noticed the plates were expired.

The trooper noted that a child was in a booster seat and several recently purchased duffle bags were seen throughout the vehicle. The child was apparently not in the proper restraint and Roberts was brought to the trooper’s patrol car, the statement says. Roberts refused to allow the trooper to search the vehicle, but a search warrant was obtained and roughly 221 pounds of weed was found throughout the various duffle bags in the vehicle, the statement says.

Roberts allegedly told the trooper she was moving to Atlanta, Georgia, and gave the trooper a different Washington state address than what was listed on her driver’s license, the statement says.

She allegedly denied knowing about the weed in the car, court documents say.

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