Author: KMIZ

Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri drivers are getting a break at the pump, with gas down by 13-15 cents across all types, according to AAA. However, consumers could see higher grocery prices because of how expensive diesel is.

“I think this is affecting all retail, not just grocery,” CEO and president of the Midwest Retail and Grocery Alliance, Dan Shaul, said. “The cost of transportation is figured into everything from blue jeans to lead acid batteries to your bananas, your tomatoes, in this case.”

AAA reports diesel in Missouri is $5.10 a gallon, which is down 15 cents from a week ago, but it’s still $1.91 more now than it was in 2025.

Shaul said Midwest retailers are working to keep prices reasonable.

“When they’re paying diesel fuel costs over $5 a gallon to get it from the point of the manufacturer, or where it’s grown to the consumer, it’s certainly going to have an effect, and we’ve seen that certainly recently,” Shaul said.

A report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows annual inflation rose by 3.8% before seasonal adjustment over the past year. The report also notes that the index for food at home rose 2.9% over the last year, with fruits and vegetables rising 6.1%.

Tomatoes have seen a jump in price, partly because of crop failure and partly because of the cost to transport the vegetable.

Tony “Tomato” White is a farmer from St. Louis. He told ABC 17 News that frost killed thousands of tomato plants in Florida earlier this year, which put more pressure on retailers to buy from Canada and Mexico. However, the quality of the vegetable wasn’t as good.

“You saw some really inferior tomatoes that were selling for $4, $5 a pound, I mean it was ridiculous,” White said.

According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, the national average is $2.56 a pound for tomatoes, the highest it has ever been.

White said his tomatoes are doing well, and he only had to raise his prices by 25 cents following the Florida freeze in February, mostly because of increased demand and partially because of gas prices.

“We’re very fortunate because we don’t have that travel time. That tomato we talked about from Mexico, well, it takes two or three days to get here,” White said.

He said his customers, mostly chefs who work in esteemed kitchens, were pushed to order a few more pounds of tomatoes so fewer delivery trips needed to be made.

“If we can cut back on our own gas expenses, then we’re going to be able to help you out,” he said.

As for tomatoes in grocery stores, White estimates prices could go back down within the next month or so once crops start to mature.

“When we get into mid-July, there will be a glut of tomatoes back on the market locally, and then that puts less demand for the stuff from Canada,” White said.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Middletown, Missouri, man was seriously injured in a motorcycle crash Friday evening, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report.

According to the report, at around 9 p.m., the 32-year-old man was driving a 2018 Yamaha YZF-R3 south on Highway 161 near Highway A when he flipped off the right side of the road. The motorcycle then struck two road signs, throwing the driver from it.

The man was driven to University Hospital by EMS. He was wearing a helmet. The motorcycle had moderate damage.

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Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Regional Airport is rolling out a new shuttle service starting Monday as airport leaders work to accommodate growing travel demand.

Airport officials announced travelers parked in the new south parking lot will now be able to take a shuttle directly to the terminal. The change comes after the airport added about 250 new parking spots and paved another 175 existing spaces over the last couple of months.

For many Mid-Missourians, flying out of Columbia offers a more convenient option than driving to larger airports in St. Louis or Kansas City.

“I like here because it’s two hours down there. Here you just pop in and out,” said Kofi Asamoah-Boadu, a Jefferson City resident who said he uses the airport about twice a month. “Yeah, it’s a lot easier, closer to Jeff City than a two-hour drive.”

As more travelers choose Columbia Regional Airport, officials said parking demand is continuing to grow.

In February, the Columbia City Council unanimously approved an amendment to its fiscal year 2026 budget to help build a new 600-space gravel lot south of the terminal near Angel Lane. The proposal included $400,000 from the transportation sales tax fund. Airport staff said additional parking is necessary to keep up with increasing ridership.

According to the airport’s 2026 master plan, Columbia Regional Airport currently has about 1,000 parking spaces, but officials estimate demand could eventually grow to as many as 1,600 spaces.

The report said improvements to parking and traffic flow are needed to better serve future travelers.

“There’s a lot of people that park here and they be gone for a long time before they come back,” Asamoah-Boadu said. “Parking is always full. So that will be a good idea.”

According to the airports website travels leaving their vehcile for more than 30 days has to fill out a form.

Marla James, a Jefferson City resident was picking up her daughter Saturday morning. She said she loves that the airport is finding new ways to expand parking.

“I would be 100% agreeable. It is needed,” said Marla James, a Jefferson City resident. “Unfortunately, I had to drive around and around trying to find a spot to park.”

Airport officials said the south lot can hold about 700 vehicles, and the shuttle will operate daily from 4 a.m. until midnight.

The shuttle includes 15 passenger seats and rear luggage storage for larger bags. Officials said a round trip between the terminal and south lot takes about 10 minutes, depending on passenger loading and unloading.

Airport officials also said vehicles currently parked in non-designated areas, including grassy areas and curbsides, will be relocated to the south lot Sunday evening. Travelers returning Monday morning or later should be prepared to use the shuttle to retrieve their vehicles.

The changes come just days before Allegiant Air is scheduled to begin its first flight out of Columbia on Wednesday.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia Public Schools announced in a Friday press release that Virginia Tate has been picked to become Hickman High School’s next principal.

Tate is the assistant principal at Rock Bridge High School. She replaces Mary Grupe, who is taking a job at the district’s central office.

The release says Tate has more than 20 years of experience as an educator, started her career as an English teacher in Columbia, South Carolina, and has since served in a variety of roles. She also served as the state’s advanced academic programs education associate.

Tate has a bachelor’s degree in English, a master’s degree in gifted education and an educational specialist degree in educational leadership.

“Ms. Tate is dedicated to building strong relationships with students, families, and staff. Her leadership approach comes from a place of humility, respect, and a sincere appreciation for staff, students, and families. We’re excited to have her become part of the strong tradition of excellence that exists at Hickman,” Superintendent Jeff Klein is quoted in the release.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A new judge was assigned on Friday to a Cole County murder from 1991.

William “Chris” Niemet, of Fulton, is charged with first-degree murder in a 1991 death of his classmate in Russellville.

Niemet, of Fulton, is accused of killing his classmate, Greg Jones, in April 1991 in Russellville. Jones was 14. Niemet also would have been 14 at the time. Niemet was charged in 2020 with first-degree murder.

The trial has been delayed multiple times.

Division 5 Judge Emily Fretwell was assigned to the case on Friday after a change of judge order was filed on Thursday. Judge Joseph Shetler previously presided over the case.  

A hearing in the case is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 9 at the Cole County Circuit Court. The Attorney General’s Office joined the prosecution in the case earlier this month.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Two Jefferson City men were accused of firing shots at a vehicle on April 26 at a Waffle House on the north side of Columbia.

Damonte Jones was charged on Friday with unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action. He is not currently listed on an online jail roster.

Police announced on Thursday that they arrested D’Monte Lee, 19, on suspicion of armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon. Charges have not been filed on Casenet for Lee as of Friday afternoon. He is being held at the Cole County Jail.

The probable cause statement says the men were at the Waffle House on Vandiver Drive at 2:53 a.m.

Lee allegedly got out of a Ford, stood between two vehicles, pulled out a gun and shot at a vehicle on Range Line Street, police wrote that they saw from video in the area. Police wrote a second man also fired shots at the vehicle.  

A witness allegedly identified Jones as the second shooter while Jefferson City police investigated another case on April 30 that allegedly involved Jones pointing a gun at someone, the statement says. Police wrote that there was a National Integrated Ballistic Information Network match for Jones’ gun and shell casings found at the scene.

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Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Despite rainy weather Friday, the Missouri Department of Transportation says it is continuing with plan to demolish the North Providence Road bridge over Interstate 70 in Columbia.

Crews are scheduled to begin tearing down the overpass at 9 p.m. Friday as part of a major reconstruction project expected to impact traffic in the area for the next several months.

This weekend, MoDOT began demolishing the Providence Road overpass, shutting down direct access to and from I-70 for drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. Traffic on I-70 in both directions has been reduced to one lane, and drivers can no longer enter or exit the interstate at Providence Road. The westbound entrance ramp from Range Line Street to I-70 is also closed.

During parts of the demolition, drivers are being rerouted up and over the Exit 126 ramps before merging back onto I-70.

MoDOT officials said once demolition wraps up Sunday morning, I-70 will return to two lanes in both directions. Other ramps in the area are expected to remain open.

As Columbia prepares for months of construction, businesses in the area are maintaining a generally positive outlook despite the disruption.

Businesses along Providence Road told ABC 17 News MoDOT officials visited them earlier this week to discuss changes they can expect during the closure. The area includes several businesses and community resources, including restaurants, dealerships and churches.

Sarah Paben, owner of JJ’s Cafe, said the diner has been located near the bridge for the past six years. She said the closure will mostly affect employees commuting to work, with many now needing to detour through Vandiver Drive and Range Line Street.

Paben said she supports the project despite the short-term disruptions.

“I feel like it’s a good step. It’s going to bring a lot of good infrastructure that we need for sure. The growth in Columbia has been absolutely nuts in the last 10 years,” she said.

Traffic along Vandiver Drive appeared heavier than normal Friday as drivers began adjusting to the closure. Paben said it felt surreal watching crews begin shutting down the roadway, but she does not expect the closure to significantly impact customer traffic.

“You started seeing the cones go out, basically closing one lane right in front of us,” Paben said. “And people have maneuvered it lovely today. So honestly, that was really refreshing to see.”

Most of the businesses ABC 17 News spoke with Friday said they do not expect the bridge closure to seriously hurt business. Instead, many believe it will mostly create longer commute times and added inconvenience for customers and employees.

Tattoo You, located near Business Loop 70 and Range Line Street, expects traffic in the area to increase during the closure. Staff there said heavy traffic is already common during the week, especially during the evening rush around 5 p.m. With the Providence Road bridge closed, they expect even more drivers to use Range Line Street as an alternate route.

“Ultimately, if you want to expand, you’re going to have to have infrastructure growth anyway,” Tattoo You artist Cameron Hayes said. “So if we can just tough it out for the next couple of years, it’ll be better in the long run for Columbia.”

Hayes said while the closure may create temporary frustrations, he is looking forward to the final result once the bridge project is complete.

In response to the closure, the Columbia Police Department said people directly affected by the bridge shutdown could experience longer emergency response times. The Columbia Fire Department also said it will closely monitor any impacts from the closure and adjust response plans as needed.

Check back for updates.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

People who want to let state regulators know their opinions about an Ameren Missouri solar project planned for Audrain County have until June 12 to do so.

The Missouri Public Service Commission set the intervention deadline for Ameren’s application for multiple solar facilities on Friday. Among the projects are a 175-megawatt solar field next to the Huck Finn solar project in Audrain and Ralls counties and a 200-megawatt battery storage facility at the company’s Audrain Energy Center, located on Route P near Vandalia.

Ameren is also seeking permission to build battery and solar facilities in Stoddard and Lincoln counties and at the retired Meramec coal plant, according to state documents.

Staff will file a recommendation for the commission by June 13.

Information on how to intervene in the case is available on the PSC website.

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ABC 17 News Team

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri’s “how weather law” will be in effect from June 1-Sept. 30.

The Missouri Public Service Commission sent a reminder in a press release on Friday.

The law was made to protect residential customers of investor-owned utilities from having electric or natural gas service disconnected because of nonpayment “when electricity or natural gas is used as the source of cooling or to operate the only cooling equipment at the residence,” the release says.

Regulated companies are not allowed to disconnect service “if the National Weather Service local forecast between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. predicts that within the following 72 hours the temperature will rise above 95 degrees Fahrenheit or the heat index will rise above 105 degrees Fahrenheit.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Police from Columbia and Moberly made an arrest in an alleged road-rage incident that occurred Tuesday in the 3200 block of Clark Lane.

A Friday social media post from the Columbia Police Department says law enforcement arrested Robert Neese Jr., 49, of Moberly, on suspicion of first-degree assault, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon.

He was accused of firing shots. No injuries were reported.

Charges have not yet appeared on Casenet. Neese was listed on the Randolph County Jail roster on Friday. He was arrested in the 300 block of College Avenue in Moberly.

“Columbia Police Street Crimes detectives were able to identify the suspect through the use of camera systems including Flock Safety cameras,” the post says. “It was determined the suspect resided in Moberly and, through a joint investigation with the Moberly Police Department and the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department, an arrest warrant and search warrant were obtained.”

Check back for updates.

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