Author: KMIZ

Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The University of Missouri Faculty Council is set to vote on an artificial intelligence policy that will categorize students’ assignments by allowed AI use.

According to Council documents, if approved, all graded course assessments of student work will also include a number label from a zero through three scale.

Assignments where an instructor allows no AI use are considered “Level 0″ while “Level 3” would be assignments where professors are OK with AI helping on bigger tasks.

Courtesy: MU Faculty Council

The label is meant to communicate the expectation of AI use for projects and promote responsible AI use.

“The goal is to increase transparency, allow better communication about expectations, and to protect academic integrity,” AI Committee Chair Kevin Brown said in a statement. “We’re hoping that this policy will help to proactively address student concerns about AI.”

Resolution AI Use Scale PolicyDownload

ABC 17 News spoke with around a dozen students on MU’s campus who all said that AI use is typically on a case-by-case basis across classes and instructors. Brown added the university does not have a list of approved or preferred AI programs that instructors recommend.

“Instructors at Mizzou have the freedom to decide how AI can be used and not used in their individual classroom,” Brown said.

Students generally reported that instructors are evenly split between banning AI, occasionally using it, and integrating it into their classwork.

“I feel like on campus, the dependency isn’t necessarily there,” said Sarah Tarpley, who is a student at MU’s digital storytelling program. “I feel like a lot of people gravitate towards it, like they want to use it for ideas and stuff like that.”

Students also say if AI is allowed, a majority of instructors only allow it for brainstorming and expanding on ideas.

“The only really allowed use of it was for brainstorming, researching or trying to figure out what you would write about, but not for writing itself,” MU psychology student Zach Zellmer said.

“While the majority of instructors still do not allow AI use, there are more and more instructors who are incorporating AI into assignments to help prepare our students for the workforce, in which AI knowledge will be increasingly valuable,” Brown said.

Geography student Michael Murphy said one of his geography classes allows AI in research when finding sources. However, students must report what program they used and review the source’s page to make sure it’s a valid source.

“They allow us to use AI to generate prompts for like project ideas or to generate sources for our assignments, but they also want us to include how we used the AI or which AI we used,” Murphy said.

Council documents add that even if passed, AI use levels will ultimately remain up to each instructor.

“While the majority of instructors still do not allow AI use, there are more and more instructors who are incorporating AI into assignments to help prepare our students for the workforce, in which AI knowledge will be increasingly valuable,” Brown said.

The Faculty Council meeting is at 3:30 p.m. Thursday in 205 Cornell Hall.

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Nia Hinson

CALLAWAY COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

People who live in the eastern and southeastern portions of Callaway County typically have to wait longer to receive an ambulance, according to new data.

According to a social media post from Callaway County Emergency Medical Services, a consulting company created map showing projected response times. The map depicts response times based off of road network routing and assumed travel speeds. Actual response times can vary, depending on factors such as dispatch processing and weather.

The map shows areas in green typically have an ambulance reach them the quickest, which is within rough 5-10 minutes– while areas in the yellow and orange will wait slightly longer. Areas in the red portion of the map could see the longest wait time, with waits up to 35 minutes. That includes areas such as Portland, Steedman, Reform and Readsville.

Callaway County Ambulance District EMS Chief Charles Anderson said they aren’t currently having discussions about expanding in the areas that face slower times, but he believes a use tax on the April ballot could help. Voters will vote on use tax on April 7.

Callaway County ballot 3-18-2026Download

Anderson said the ambulance district’s primary funding mechanism is a half-cent sales tax. However, he said as they start to see more online shopping, the district doesn’t receive any sales tax from the sales. If approved, the use tax would apply the half cent sales tax to online purchases, which could potentially generate $500,000-$700,000 per year for Callaway County EMS.

Curtis Hall, who serves on the Callaway County EMS Board of Directors. also said he believes the use tax could help. Hall said he believes the current placement of ambulances in Callaway County has served the community well, but said population growth in Holts Summit is putting a strain on that. That can sometimes also mean mutual aid from Fulton or Cole County is requested.

“As with any public safety services there are significant cost considerations to consider such as facilities, salaries, benefits and ambulances. Personally, I feel the use tax would be beneficial so that serious conversations can be discussed about repair/ replacement of existing ambulances and support the long term goal of additional resources to the Holts Summit area,” Hall wrote via email.

According to Anderson, the company conducted the data unsolicited. Anderson said although EMS did not specifically request the data, he stills finds it helpful and said that it brings up talking points about possibly contracting with a company in the future to provide call volume data.

Anderson said that the eastern and southeastern areas usually face longer wait times due to the positioning of resources. The locations sit further from stations and include road networks with fewer direct routes, the post says.

Anderson said while they’re aware of the longer response times, there are other factors they have to consider.

“It also probably has the fewest number of calls and so you know the question then becomes for us, does it make sense to spend the money to build a station and staff an ambulance crew down in that area for a handful of calls?” Anderson said.

While certain people could wait longer to receive an ambulance, it doesn’t mean that they don’t wait the full wait time to receive care. Anderson said fire districts that cover those areas are able to start basic levels of care before an ambulance can arrive.

“They respond to medical emergencies and they have trained emergency medical responders and trained EMTs,” Anderson said. “Working with the fire districts you know, we try to cut that time down because they are gonna get there quicker than we are.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A former corrections officer at the Cooper County Jail plans to waive her right to a jury trial, according to court filings from Monday.

Rachel Atherton is charged with first-degree involuntary manslaughter in the death Brooke Bailey. A motion to waive her right to a jury trial was filed on Monday and will be heard at 9 a.m. Monday in Callaway County. The motion means she will seek a bench trial.

Bailey died from untreated diabetes in her cell at the Cooper County Jail. Court documents say several jail workers told investigators with the Pettis County Sheriff’s Office that Pfeiffer brushed off Bailey’s complaints of feeling ill, saying the inmate was “playing games.”

Bailey was found dead in her cell with blood and vomit on the floor and on her clothing. Bailey was being held for a commitment to the Department of Mental Health.

A medical examiner found Bailey died from diabetic ketoacidosis and low sodium levels.

A second jailer, Robyn Pfeiffer, was found guilty by a jury on Feb. 3 of first-degree involuntary manslaughter. Her sentencing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Friday, April 3.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 36-year-old woman is dead and two juveniles were seriously injured after a two-vehicle crash in Audrain County just after 6 p.m. Wednesday, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report.

The report states that a 16-year-old boy from Mexico was driving a 1998 Chevrolet 1500 on Highway 22 on Audrain County Road 215 when he went off the right side of the road, overcorrected and hit a 2014 Toyota Sienna, driven by a 36-year-old woman from Thompson.

The woman was pronounced dead on scene. A passenger in the Toyota, an 11-year-old girl from Thompson, was taken to University Hospital with serious injuries. The 16-year-old was also taken to University Hospital with serious injuries.

Both vehicles were totaled. The woman and girl were both wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash. It is unknown if the 16-year-old was wearing a seatbelt.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Troop F posted about the incident, saying two vehicles crashed on Highway 22 on Audrain County Road 215, which is west of Mexico.

The road is blocked while first responders work the scene.

The highway was still blocked off when ABC 17 News arrived at 7:45 p.m., with law enforcement diverting traffic on a detour route at County Road 910.

MSHP Sgt. Kyle Green told ABC 17 News in an email that the road was expected to be closed for “a couple of hours.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A plea agreement has been reached with the final person accused in the 2023 Dove Drive shooting case, according to Tuesday court filings.

Ja’Shaun Barney, 21, of Columbia, was charged with conspiracy to commit a felony, accessory to first-degree murder, accessory to first-degree assault, first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle, unlawful use of a weapon and three counts of armed criminal action.

He is currently being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. His plea hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday, April 2.

Seven people total were charged in the Dove Drive shooting. Barney is the only one accused who has not pleaded guilty.

Court documents say Deazes Turner, Deljuan Turner and Alqueze Jones shot and killed Deshon Houston from a white 2017 Ford Explorer driven by Barney, while Bryton Allen also shot at Houston from an Acura MDX driven by Damarkus Williams. The shooting occurred June 26, 2023, in the 3200 block of Dove Drive.

Court documents filed earlier this month say a second person was also targeted during the shooting.

Williams, 21, was given a 10-year sentence in the Missouri Department of Corrections for a guilty plea in November to second-degree conspiracy to commit murder.

Deljuan Turner, 22, pleaded guilty in November 2024 to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 21 years in prison. Jones, 22, pleaded guilty that same month to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 21 years in prison.

Allen, 22, pleaded guilty in July 2024 to second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon and was sentenced to 20 years. He was also sentenced to four years in prison in an unrelated case where he pleaded guilty to resisting arrest in 2021.

Deazes Turner pleaded guilty in April to second-degree murder and was sentenced to 21 years in prison.

Jajuan Crockett pleaded guilty in May to second-degree murder, tampering with a motor vehicle, two counts of stealing and one count of tampering with evidence. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

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Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Animal Hospital is set to close on Friday, but a clear reason for the sudden shutdown hasn’t been provided.

The hospital, located in northern Columbia, announced the closure last week in a social media post saying, “After many years of serving the Columbia community, it is with sincere sadness that we share that Columbia Animal Hospital will be permanently closing as of Friday, March 20th.”

No reason was given, and a staff member says employees haven’t been given one.

“I’m so sorry, but I really don’t have a solid answer on why we are closing, as our staff is also unsure,” a staff member wrote in an email to ABC 17 News.

The hospital is owned by CareVet LLC, and registered to a Jefferson City address. CareVet describes itself as a partnership with more than 500 licensed veterinarians.

Staff members say they were given about two weeks’ notice of the closure by the hospital’s corporate ownership. In total, eight employees are affected, according to the staff.

The hospital is encouraging clients to request their pets’ medical records as soon as possible, but warned there may be delays in fulfilling those requests.

At this time, the hospital has not recommended a specific veterinary clinic for clients to continue their pets’ care.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri courts are warning residents of scammers trying to spoof its website Casenet.

Casenet is the website where the public can view charges, court documents and other public information as well as pay fines for traffic tickets. Missouri courts gave the warning in a press release on its website.

The official Casenet can be accessed online at https://www.courts.mo.gov and https://www.courts.mo.gov/casenet/.

Wednesday’s press release says scammers are spoofing the website with a fake url containing “Casenetmo.us,” as well as others including:  

mo-casenet.us

casenetmo.net

mo-case.net

casenetmonet.website3.me

www-casenetmo.us

The release says the fake websites may contain malware or viruses. Law enforcement is investigating.

“These other websites are not managed by or affiliated with the Missouri courts. It is unclear at this time whether they pose similar dangers. The investigation remains ongoing,” the release says.

Court administrators can be reached at (888) 541-4894 or by email at OSCA.Help.Desk@courts.mo.gov. 

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An Eldon man who was charged with second-degree statutory rape last month in Morgan County is now facing the same charge in Miller County.

Ethan Wood, 22, was charged on Wednesday in Miller County with second-degree statutory rape. A $30,000 bond was requested in that case. In his Morgan County case, court filings show he bonded out of jail on March 5 and has a hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 7.

The probable cause station in the Miller County case says law enforcement spoke with someone who knew the victim on Jan. 29 about the victim having sex with Wood. That person did not know Wood’s name, but was able to provide law enforcement with images sent to them by the victim that contained Wood.

Law enforcement spoke with the victim, who first denied the interaction but then admitted to it occurring at Wood’s home in December. Police spoke with Wood on Jan. 30, who first denied it occurring before allegedly admitting to it, the statement says.

In the Morgan County case, he is accused of having relations with a girl the same age as the victim in the Miller County case.

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Nate Splater

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Hundreds of thousands of fans are expected to come to Kansas City this summer for the World Cup, and local organizers and emergency management officials are preparing with strategic safety plans.

These emergency plans are designed to be flexible and applicable to a wide range of hazards. Jacob Waller of Boone Emergency Management said his agency’s plan of action is similar to their regular procedures for fires, natural disasters or other emergencies, but will be adaptable to the high volume of travelers in the area.

In the event of severe weather or natural disasters, emergency management officials will use wireless emergency alerts to communicate with the public. Waller said these notifications are designed to reach people directly on their cell phones, providing immediate instructions during a threat.

“We would use what’s called a Wireless Emergency Alert to activate people’s cell phones, to direct them to the nearest safe place,” Waller said. “So that might be, well, first of all, alerting people that there is some sort of threat coming in and then kind of telling people to find shelter.”

Most people are already familiar with Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs) such as AMBER Alerts or imminent threat alerts (like a severe thunderstorm warning). WEAs are geographically targeted and will be broadcast to any mobile device within the area affected by an emergency.

The alert system can also accommodate international fans by automatically translating emergency messages into the native languages set on their mobile devices. Megan McConachie at the Columbia Convention and Visitors Bureau noted that this feature will apply to mobile browsers and text messaging systems used by international visitors.

“For a vast majority of these international visitors, they will be on mobile devices that will automatically translate information for them,” McConachie said. “Any sort of messaging about emergencies, that is going to come through in their native language.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man who was wanted for a drug warrant prompted a large law enforcement response Tuesday in Randolph County.

Dennis Nash, 65, of Moberly, was charged on Wednesday with drug possession and resisting arrest. He is being held at the Randolph County Jail on a $10,000 bond. A court date has not been scheduled.

The probable cause statement says law enforcement saw Nash outside of a shed at a property around 9 a.m. Wednesday. Nash ran inside the shed after law enforcement gave him commands to give himself up, the statement says.

Another warrant was applied for by law enforcement to enter the shed. A SWAT team was called in and sent “chemical munitions” into the shed, the statement says.

After about seven hours, officers entered the shed and found Nash hiding in a portable baby crib under several blankets, court documents say.

Law enforcement found a glass container and 5.1 grams, or 0.18 ounces, of methamphetamine.

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