Author: KMIZ

Steven Lambson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The finance committee for the Columbia Board of Education voted on Monday to recommend an increase in medical insurance premiums for district employees.

The committee heard a presentation from the district’s Chief Financial Officer Heather McArthur about different changes to insurance premiums and what those changes would bring in estimated revenue. The committed voted 3-2 to recommend a 29.9% increase in premiums. McArthur’s presentation also included revenue projections if premiums went up 15% or 35%.

Because the district covers 100% of employee health insurance premiums, the impact to out-of-pocket costs would only affect district employees who add one or more dependents to their insurance.

According to McArthur’s presentation, a 29.9% increase would generate an estimated $8.381 million in revenue. The presentation said the district has not increased rates since the 2018-19 fiscal year.

Coverage for GLP-1 medications was one issue that generated a lot of discussion during Monday’s meeting. GLP-1 medications were developed to help treat diabetes but have also been prescribed by doctors to help with weight loss.

One option discussed at Monday’s meeting was whether to consider removal of coverage for GLP-1 medications when prescribed for weight loss. McArthur’s presentation included a multi-year strategic plan that listed GLP-1 coverage removal as an item of consideration for 2027.

The proposed increase will go before the full Board of Education for a vote at a future meeting.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Lincoln University athlete who is accused of killing her boyfriend will continue to be held at the Cole County Jail after a Monday hearing.

Denita Jackson, 27, is charged in Cole County with second-degree murder and armed criminal action. Court filings from Monday afternoon show she has hired private counsel and was denied a bond modification.

Jackson was accused of stabbing and killing her boyfriend Kevaughn Goldson last week after she allegedly found him with another woman at a residence on Fairmount Boulevard. Goldson and Jackson were members of LU’s track teams.

ICE issued an immigration hold for Jackson on Thursday.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 34-year-old Jefferson City man has been charged with a felony after court documents claim he harassed girls for sex.

Brian Duncan was charged on Monday in Cole County with first-degree harassment. He is being held at the Cole County Jail without bond. An arraignment was held on Monday and Duncan pleaded not guilty via video from the jail. A counsel status hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Friday and a preliminary hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. Thursday, April 2.

The statement says a witness called police at 12:51 p.m. Saturday for suspicious activity. The statement says two child victims were harassed by Duncan while they moved into a home with their mother, which was a few houses away from Duncan’s residence.

After the mother was not seen, Duncan walked up to the residence multiple times during a two-hour period and asked the victims their ages, the statement says. One of the times, he came back with a knife and was stroking it while talking to the victims, the statement says.

Police found Duncan outside his residence and he allegedly told police he asked one of the victims her age because he thought she was “old enough to have sex with.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Tennessee man was charged with multiple felonies after police claim he sexually assaulted a woman early Monday.

Lucas Watson, 28, of Goodlettsville, Tennessee, was charged with first-degree sodomy, first-degree attempted rape and third-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 were called to a Columbia residence around 1 a.m. after Watson would allegedly not leave the home. Watson was allegedly heard in the background of the call, the statement says.

He eventually left after police were called and was stopped on Scott Boulevard at Mesa Drive, the statement says. He allegedly admitted to hitting the victim “out of frustration,” the statement says.

The victim detailed a sexual assault to police where they said no multiple times. Watson allegedly denied the allegations before saying the victim told him no, the statement says.

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Haley Swaino

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri drivers are paying more at the pump as gas prices rose nearly 16 cents per gallon this week, to an average of $2.68.

According to GasBuddy’s latest survey of more than 3,900 gas stations statewide, this jump continues a trend that has pushed Missouri fuel prices nearly 16 cents higher than a month ago.

The national average rose about 5 cents per gallon this week, bringing it to $2.94 — up nearly 8 cents over the last month.

The Tuesday update from GasBuddy includes a five‑year comparison to Missouri and U.S. averages:

2025: Missouri $2.85 | U.S. $3.04

2024: Missouri $2.99 | U.S. $3.34

2023: Missouri $3.00 | U.S. $3.35

2022: Missouri $3.43 | U.S. $3.69

2021: Missouri $2.49 | U.S. $2.74

While prices are still about 17 cents lower than the same time last year in the Show-Me State and 10 cents lower nationwide, costs are increasing.

As global tensions mount, people may feel the pressure at the pump.

“Looking ahead, markets will now begin reacting to this weekend’s U.S.–Iran attacks, which have elevated geopolitical risk premiums even in the absence of immediate supply disruption,” Head of Petroleum Analysis at GasBuddy Patrick De Haan wrote in a release Monday.

Even without an immediate drop in global oil supply after attacks began on Feb. 28 in the Middle East, global oil prices traded at their highest level in more than eight months on Monday.

Brent crude, the international benchmark, surged to $78.65 per barrel, an 8% increase.

“Oil prices have firmed as traders assess the potential for further escalation,” De Haan said. He added that concerns over key transit routes and broader instability have brought “fresh uncertainty” to global energy markets.

De Haan expects upward pressure on gasoline prices to continue in the coming week, with the national average likely to reach $3 per gallon for the first time this year.

A spike is anticipated as early as Monday evening.

“We’re looking at roughly 10 to 30 cents more per gallon, possibly as early as this evening across really the majority of the country. That does include here in Columbia as well as in the Show-Me State,” Petroleum Analyst Matt McCain said. “We [GasBuddy] looked at overnight Friday night, Saturday and Sunday to come up with our 10 to 30 cents a gallon increase. But the conflict did not end on Sunday.”

He said costs will not rise because of a low supply. U.S. oil comes from domestic production, Canada, even Missouri.

“The reason for the price increase is simply because crude oil is traded globally, utilizing U.S. dollars in a global exchange,” McCain said.

With continued, broadening attacks, impacts at the pump could change drastically in just days.

According to GasBuddy, the national average is rising for the fourth consecutive week, driven by a combination of seasonal refinery patterns and global market forces.

Diesel prices are also on the move. The national average increased 5.4 cents over the past week, now standing at $3.740 per gallon, adding further cost pressures for truckers and the supply chain.

Some Columbia trucking companies tell ABC 17 News they don’t anticipate a negative ripple effect until a few months into a broadened war with Iran.

It is worth noting that there has been a large gap reported between the cheapest and most expensive gas stations. GasBuddy reports wide price swings across Missouri. The lowest price recorded on Sunday was $2.26 per gallon, while the highest reached $3.69, a spread of $1.43 per gallon.

GasBuddy recommended some simple ways to cut back as more money is being put toward gas.

“Make sure that your tires are properly inflated. That usually comes with the word free, that helps with gas mileage. Making sure that you have proper oil changes and other aspects. All of these things can add up for fuel efficiency, which can help stretch that gallon a little bit more,” McCain said.

Gas can also last longer by not accelerating fast or speeding, using cruise control on highways and combining errands to reduce trips.

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Matthew Sanders

Editor’s note: The child’s uncle at the bottom of the piece has been correctly identified.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man was sentenced Monday to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to a reduced charge in a 3-year-old’s shooting death.

Kevin L. Brownlee Jr., 31, pleaded guilty to first-degree involuntary manslaughter, avoiding a murder charge in the death of 3-year-old Zy’mir Harris-Dawson. Brownlee also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to five years by Judge Stephanie Morrell for illegal gun possession.

Police responded on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023, to the area of Leeway Drive and Blue Ridge Road, according to previous reporting. A 3-year-old boy had been shot in the torso and two adults were rushing him to Columbia Fire Station No. 9 for help, according to a press release at the time.

Police then took the child to a local hospital, where he later died. Court documents indicated the mother of the child gave conflicting statements.

Police responded on Sunday, Sept. 24, 2023 to the area of Leeway Drive and Blue Ridge Road, according to previous reporting. A 3-year-old boy had been shot in the torso and two adults were rushing him to Columbia Fire Station No. 9 for help, according to a press release at the time.

Police then took the child to a local hospital, where he later died. Court documents indicated the mother of the child gave conflicting statements.

Harris-Dawson’s mother, Gabrielle Harris, made an appearance to give a victim statement.

“I have had to learn how to function while carrying pain that never fully leaves,” Harris said in the statement, “I forgive because my faith caused me to forgive, but forgiveness does not cancel consequences, forgiveness does not erase the harm that was done.”

Harris-Dawson’s family later said they felt the sentence was too lenient.

“What if that was your child? What if that was your grandson? What if that was the little brother?” Donyell Harris, Harris-Dawson’s uncle said. “I would have been okay with 30 years, at least 25 years, but 15 years, that’s a low blow, that’s not fair.”

“Ten years was a slap on the wrist,” Gabrielle Harris said. “It’s letting people know they can get away with stuff.”

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Matthew Sanders

President Donald Trump gave a statement Monday morning from the White House about the American attacks on Iran during a military medal ceremony being held there.

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Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Police say a woman was killed in a crash Sunday night in Columbia as she tried to cross Interstate 70 on foot.

The eastbound lanes of Interstate 70 near Range Line Street and the connector in Columbia were closed after the crash that killed Pollyanna Tinker, 50. She was pronounced dead at the scene. No one else was hurt.

According to a social media post from the Columbia Police Department, the crash involved multiple vehicles. CPD asked people to avoid the area.

The Missouri Department of Transportation also posted about the crash and asked people to use an alternate route while crews work the scene.

ABC 17 News is working to learn more information.

Check back for updates.

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Alison Patton

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Protesters gathered in the Capital city on Sunday afternoon to speak out against a crackdown on immigration in the United States.

The protest was scheduled before President Donald Trump announced the joint US-Israel attack on Iran early Saturday morning, but one protester said the attack was another reason to protest the administration.

“A war in Iran killing 107 students in an elementary school, killing a supreme leader, is unacceptable,” Fulton resident Khyron Cooper said. “We should be going for peace, love and changing perspectives instead of celebrating war and killing people.”

Cooper referenced Gov. Mike Kehoe’s Facebook post following the president’s announcement.

In the post, Kehoe acknowledges that Iran has been a threat to the U.S., and asks people to pray for the safety of those serving in the military.

Iran and the U.S. have had a tense relationship leading up to the attack. A political science professor at the University of Missouri told ABC 17 News on Saturday that it dates back over 40 years. Although every president has had a different foreign policy stance with Iran, Trump was the first to engage in military action.

Shelby Dorfman, a protester from Columbia, said the attack is infuriating.

“This has absolutely nothing to do with the greater good and about being a part of community. This is just absolutely ridiculous,” Dorfman said. “This does not have to be our lives, we do not have to let this happen.”

Jordan Herrera is a veteran who drove from Kansas City to be a part of the protest at the Capitol.

“I’m a person who served in Iraq and Afghanistan on the premise that there were weapons of mass destruction, which we never found,” Herrera said. “If the Trump Administration is now going to say that they (Iran) have the ability to develop a missile, meaning they don’t have the missile technology today, they need to develop it, I don’t understand why we’re bombing Iran.”

He is also running for Missouri’s 4th Congressional District, which Republican Mark Alford currently holds.

While the focus of the rally was to protest ICE and federal agent brutality involving citizens and noncitizens, one protester held a sign that read, “Let ICE show us what tough guys they are, send them to Iran to fight.”

Protesters speak out against ICE

Robert Olsen spoke at the protest about his best friend, Owen Ramsingh, who was detained by ICE in September for drug charges from his youth. Ramsingh was deported to the Netherlands in February.

Olsen said Ramsingh is struggling now that he’s out of an El Paso detention center.

“His daughter passed away about 11 months ago, and he’s been incarcerated in the ICE detention camp for five months,” Olsen said. “How do you think you’d be feeling? He’s traumatized.”

Ramsingh posted on Facebook shortly after arriving in his home country, the Netherlands, detailing the facility’s conditions.

Olsen said he’s seeing his best friend soon.

“I’m flying over there Wednesday to see him and give him the biggest hug that I’ve given him in many years,” Olsen said.

Dorfman said the whole situation is sad and infuriating.

“Because of how upsetting it is to see someone who changes Columbia in such a positive way to be taken from his home just because he went to visit his family members,” Dorfman said.

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