Author: KMIZ

Matthew Sanders

The Christmas shopping season is here, and it’s looking like an uncertain one on the economic front.

The National Retail Federation has predicted an increase in spending this year that’s less than last year’s, and warns consumers could remain cautious because of continuing inflation and other bad economic indicators.

However, markets remain at all-time highs, which could help boost confidence.

Has your Christmas shopping budget changed this year? Let us know by voting in the poll.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia woman has been arrested after she was accused of sexually abusing a child in Callaway County over the course of several years.

Samantha Flansburg, 21, was charged Wednesday in Callaway County with statutory sodomy of a child younger than 12 years old and second-degree child molestation. She is being held at the Callaway County Jail without bond and a court date has not been scheduled.

The probable cause statement says the child victim told law enforcement in September that they were abused by Flansburg from 2019-24 and that the victim was 6 years old when the abuse began. The victim described several occurrences of abuse, with the last time occurring when Flansburg would have been considered an adult, court documents describe.

Flansburg allegedly told the victim not to tell anyone about the abuse, the statement says.

Court documents say Flansburg allegedly admitted to one instance of abuse about a year before the victim moved away.

A witness described as the victim’s mother allegedly told deputies she at one point noticed a number of signs of possible abuse occurring because of the victim’s behavior, the statement says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man has been arrested and charged after he allegedly used a mason jar to attack another man on Tuesday.

Brent Smallwood, 35, was charged on Wednesday in Boone County with second-degree domestic assault. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. A court date has not been scheduled.

The probable cause statement says police spoke with the victim at Boone Hospital after he received stitches in his head for the injury.

The statement says Smallwood first attacked the victim while he was driving a car. After they arrived at Smallwood’s residence, while the victim was walking downstairs, Smallwood allegedly hit the victim’s forehead with a mason jar, court documents say.

The victim showed police a photo of the injury, which appeared to show a cut and fresh blood, court documents say. Dried blood was still visible when officers spoke with the victim, police wrote.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 26-year-old man from Clark, Missouri, was seriously injured Wednesday night in a crash on Highway 3, about 2 miles north of Mount Airy in Randolph County, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report.

The report says the man drove a 1990 Ford F-150 northbound when it went off the road and hit a bridge.

The man was brought to University Hospital in Columbia by ambulance. He was not wearing a seatbelt, according to the report.

The truck was totaled.

MSHP reports do not name those involved in crashes.  

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Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Multiple organizations in Columbia said they are expecting an increase in demand this Thanksgiving.

Powerhouse Community Development Corporation told ABC 17 News on Saturday, during a frozen turkey giveaway, that there’s been an increase in need because of the delay in SNAP benefits.

Powerhouse teamed up with the Fifth Street Christian Church to serve people in need of Thanksgiving meals, and the organizations were prepared to serve 800 people.

An ABC 17 News reporter was at the church about 45 minutes after the doors were opened. Pastor Katina Colon said at that time, about 100 people were served.

Colon said she’s been seeing a lot more phone calls, emails and even text messages from people who are dealing with food insecurity, and the church helps out in any way it can.

Colon said rising prices is one reason why more people need help.

“Food insecurity has been a little rough on families, and we just want to provide,” Colon said. “As it gets closer to the holidays and Christmas, it gets harder on the families. They want to not only have a meal, they want to also pay their light bills and water bills.”

Sophia Smith, founder of Sophia’s Helping Hands, said she’s also expecting an increase in need from families who were affected by the SNAP benefits pause and from the homeless population.

Smith said she’s also seen an increase in the homeless population since last year–when she started giving out free meals.

Smith said housing requirements and stipulations, like high credit scores and income minimums, could be a factor.

“We’re not just talking about single homeless people in our community. We’re talking about families that has been displaced and are at threat of still being homeless,” Smith said.

Smith said her organization is making sure people facing homelessness feel like they’re a part of the community.

“We wanted to be that place to have the doors open to offer a holiday meal, to let them feel that they are welcomed, they are loved,” Smith said.

Smith said she will have meals for Christmas and New Year’s, and she’s also collecting coats and blankets for the homeless.

These organizations in and around Columbia opened their doors and offered people in need hot, free meals for Thanksgiving.

Powerhouse Community Development Corporation, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Fifth Street Christian Church in Columbia

Sophia’s Helping Hand 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 705 Big Bear Boulevard, Columbia

The Salvation Army Harbor House, noon to 1 p.m. at 602 N. Ann St., Columbia

Salvation Army Center for Hope lunch 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. dinner at 927 Jefferson St., Jefferson City

Zion Lutheran Church 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1075 Urbandale Drive, Moberly

Beagle’s Food Truck starting at 11 a.m. in the U.S. Cellular parking lot, 206 N Western, Mexico

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Madison Stuerman

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A North Carolina man wanted for his involvement in ATM “jackpotting” thefts in Pennsylvania was arrested in Columbia.

Columbia Police arrested Antoni Garcia-Cordoba, 42, on Wednesday.

In a release, police said multiple police departments from other states informed detectives that Garcia-Cordoba was a suspect in recent ATM thefts.

Pennsylvania State Police told CPD that he had stopped in Columbia.

He was found by detectives and arrested at a short-term rental, according to police. A search warrant was served on the home where detectives said they found evidence.

Garcia-Cordoba is being held at the Boone County Jail on an out-of-state warrant from Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania court records show that a case was filed against Garcia-Cordoba yesterday on two counts of Corrupt Organization – Employee and Theft by Unlawful Taking – Immovable Property from Sept. 30.

A spokesperson for the Columbia Police Department was not able to provide information about the alleged thefts.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Branson woman suffered serious injuries after a crash in Cooper County Thursday morning.

Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the crash happened on Route 135 at Lang Road at 2 a.m. Thursday.

Troopers said a 40-year-old Branson woman was driving when she went off the road and hit an embankment.

The car went airborne and threw the woman from the car, according to the report.

The woman was transported to University Hospital by Cooper County EMS.

She was not reported to be wearing a seatbelt.

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