Author: KMIZ

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A judge from the Missouri Court of Appeals has approved new ballot language that asks voters to approve or reject a new Congressional map.

A Thursday decision by Western District Judge Aloka Ahuja shows that the ballot language will now read:

“Do the people of the state of Missouri approve the act of the General Assembly entitled “House Bill No. 1 (2025 Second Extraordinary Session),” which repeals Missouri’s existing congressional plan, and replaces it with new congressional boundaries that keep more counties intact?”

The previous version of the question last month stated:

“Do the people of the state of Missouri approve the act of the General Assembly entitled ‘House Bill No. 1 (2025 Second Extraordinary Session),’ which repeals Missouri’s congressional plan, and replaces it with new congressional boundaries that keep more cities and counties intact, and are more compact?”

People Not Politicians, a political group that had filed an appeal in the lawsuit to challenge the ballot language, had took issue with calling congressional districts “compact,” according to previous reporting. This is the second appeal in the case, which last month saw a Cole County judge initially rewrite the ballot language.

PNP Missouri Executive Director Richard von Glahn approved of the new ballot language in a statement.

“For the second time, a court has ruled that the Secretary of State tried to mislead voters about critical facts about the impact of HB1 and we appreciate the Western District setting the record straight,” his statement reads. “When Missourians vote on the referendum, HB1 will not be the “existing” map and HB1 can only be lawfully enacted by an affirmative vote of the people. People not politicians should choose which maps they believe reflect fair representation in the U.S. Congress. We are glad voters will have a clear understanding on what is being asked of them on the referendum vote.” 

Check back for updates.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

One person was taken to a hospital after an apartment fire in Columbia on Thursday.

A Columbia Fire Department spokeswoman said 18 fire personnel were sent to the scene in the 2400 block of Whitegate Drive. The cause of the fire was under investigation, spokeswoman Skyler Clark said.

The call came in at 1:47 p.m., and firefighters had the blaze under control about 10 minutes after that, Clark said.

Clark confirmed that emergency radio traffic said a person escaped by jumping from a second-story window, but she didn’t have other details.

Sarah Wilson, Director of Portfolio Relations, said one male tenant is listed on the lease for the apartment where the fire occurred.

She said that tenant escaped the fire and was taken to the hospital.

Following the incident, the complex sent a crew to begin emergency repairs. Wilson said fire marshals forced entry into both the affected apartment and the neighboring unit.

An ABC 17 reporter observed crews working on the damaged doors Thursday evening.

“Emergency repairs are being done tonight” Wilson said. “The rest of the repairs will be done as soon as possible.”

She said the primary unit will require a full rehabilitation.

Wilson added that officials still need to assess the damage and determine where the tenant will stay.

The section of the building where the fire occurred remained closed off until fire marshals cleared it to be safe.

Check back for updates.

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Mitchell Kaminski

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri House on Thursday approved a bill that would allow state officials to increase speed limits on rural, four-lane highways.

The bill, which was sponsored by Sen. Jamie Burger (R-Benton) and carried in the House by Rep. John Voss (R-Cape Girardeau), had already passed the Senate. However, the House added amendments before passing the bill 82-53 on Thursday, so the Senate will need to approve the legislation again before it can go to the governor’s desk.

The bill would allow officials to increase the speed limit to 75 miles per hour on rural, divided highways where the limit is now 70 mph.

Voss argued the bill does not require anyone to drive that speed, but allows drivers the freedom to do so if they choose. Opponents raised safety concerns for drivers and for highway workers.

The Missouri Department of Transportation told ABC 17 News it has not yet developed a map for where those changes will take place, because the bill is still pending. However, based on the current language of the bill, MoDOT says any freeway or interstate located outside of an urban area could qualify for the higher speed limit.

“In practical terms, most interstates and freeways currently posted at 70 miles per hour could potentially increase to 75 miles per hour,” MoDOT spokesman Jacob C. Luecke told ABC 17 News.

Two of Missouri’s neighboring states have already approved similar speed limit increases. In 2011, Kansas raised its maximum speed limit from 70 mph to 75 mph. Nebraska followed in 2018, increasing the speed limit on divided expressways from 65 mph to 70 mph.

In the five years before Nebraska’s increase, the state recorded 1,128 traffic fatalities from 2013 through 2017. In the five years after the higher limit took effect on July 18, 2018, Nebraska recorded 1,173 fatalities from 2019 through 2023,  an increase of 45 deaths.

A study from Sustainable Transport Safety also found that Kansas’ speed limit increase from 70 mph to 75 mph resulted in a 27% increase in the total number of crashes that occurred on freeways. The number of crashes that resulted in injuries or death also rose 35% in locations that received a speed limit change.   

“The faster you are going, if you get into a crash,  the greater the likelihood that there will be serious injuries or fatalities,” David Reich, a spokesman with the National Road Safety Foundation, told ABC 17 News. “The NHTSA’s says for every ten miles an hour faster that you’re going,  the risk of dying in a crash nearly doubles.”

According to the National Road Safety Foundation, speeding is a factor in 29% of fatal crashes nationwide. In Missouri, that share is even higher, with speeding involved in 34% of fatal crashes.

“Missouri is among the top ten states in terms of speed-related crashes,” said David Reich, who is a spokesman with the National Road Safety Foundation. 

While higher speeds carry greater risks, Reich said speed alone is not the only factor in many fatal crashes involving speeding.

“About 51% of speeders in crashes were not belted. So that increases the risk of them being hurt or killed, and they’re going to be thrown from the vehicle, possibly, or thrown around the car. For people who obey the speed limit on average, it’s it’s about 21%  are not belted,” he said. “So speeders, in addition to just going faster, are putting themselves generally at greater risk for things for very easy decisions like not buckling your belt.” 

Maj. Curtis Hall, with the Callaway County Sheriff’s office, told ABC 17 News he did not see a strong need for an additional 5 mph increase, but added that it wouldn’t change much for the department since the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigates crashes in rural areas of Callaway County. 

Hall added that there were over 2,800 reported crashes in Callaway County from 2022-24. Of those, more than 500 were attributed to speeding or driving too fast for the weather conditions.

“From a practical standpoint, the time saved is minimal. Driving 100 miles at 70 MPH versus 75 MPH results in about a 6-minute difference. In my view, if someone feels they need that extra speed to stay on schedule, it likely comes down to planning rather than necessity,” Hall told ABC 17 News in a statement. “At the end of the day, higher speeds reduce reaction time and increase of serious or fatal accidents.”

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A weak tornado touched down Monday in Monroe County during a severe weather outbreak.

An EF-1 tornado with peak winds of about 90 mph touched down near Route M and Highway 151, the National Weather Service reported Thursday. Most of the damage was on a farm, where tree limbs were broken and a barn was damaged.

Straight-line winds accompanied the storm, causing damage in southwest Monroe County, the weather service wrote.

The tornado measured about 400 yards wide and was on the ground for about 1.8 miles.

The weather service this week also reported that a tornado touched down in Saline County and continued into Howard County.

No injuries have been reported from Monday’s storms.

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Marie Moyer

Jefferson City, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Jefferson City man is still missing more than 24 hours after he was last seen, but his family is not giving up the search.

Nathan Spencer, 20, has been missing since around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. He was last seen leaving the scene of a crash near Cedar Creek Court and Expressview Drive, just north of Highway 50/63. The Jefferson City Police Department reported Spencer’s vehicle rear-ended the other vehicle.

His family adds that Spencer may have been injured in the crash. He also wears glasses and has been diagnosed with autism.

“He’s a really good kid, and this is unusual, this isn’t like him at all,” Nathan Spencer’s brother Ethan Spencer, said.

Spencer adds that the search has been a difficult time for the family.

“It’s been very emotional and, it’s been hard, but I’m not giving up, I love that boy, and I just want to find my brother,” Ethan Spencer said. “He’s really smart and he’s driven, and those are two really good characteristics about him, he’s got a big heart.”

Ravae Moore, the ceo of Missouri Missing, told ABC 17 News that people with neurological or cognitive disorders add an extra variable in the search.

“They’re in more imminent risk of danger, let’s put it that way,” Moore said. “[Officials] are likely to search for them quicker.”

The JCPD also reported that officers conducted a grid search of the area with a drone and UTV.

Nathan Spencer was last seen wearing a black shirt, black jacket with two white stripes down the sleeves, jeans, and black shoes. He is also six feet tall and weighs 230 pounds with red, collar-length hair.

“Anyone who wants to help, they are more than welcome to help us,” Ethan Spencer said.

All information should be sent to the JCPD.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, there are nine total active adult missing person cases in Cole County.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

One person is dead and others are injured after a crash Wednesday on Highway 63 near Sturgeon.

According to the crash report, the accident happened at 5:39 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of McComas Road and Highway 63.

A North Village Park van, driven by an 81-year-old Moberly man, made an improper left turn to enter the southbound lanes. A Linn County ambulance attempted to avoid hitting the van by changing lanes, but hit the van’s left side.

The 81-year-old driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

The 56-year-old ambulance driver from Brunswick, the 60-year-old passenger from Bevier and an 85-year-old patient from Marceline in the ambulance suffered moderate to minor injuries and were transported to University Hospital by ambulance.

The Linn County ambulance district confirmed in a Facebook post that one of its vehicles was involved in the crash. North Village Park is an organization based in Moberly that provides services for senior citizens and people with disabilities.

This is MSHP Troop F’s fifth fatality in April and 16th this year.

According to MoDOT, U.S. Route 63 at Route CC/Roy Barnes Road and Crofton Hall Road, both in northern Boone County, near Sturgeon, had experienced 14 crashes over the past five years, resulting in one fatality and four serious injuries.

Plans to add acceleration and deceleration lanes on southbound U.S. 63 to improve safety are currently in the planning and design phase.

Missouri State Highway Patrol spokesman Kyle Green confirmed to ABC 17 News that one person died in the crash. A post on Troop F’s X account said next of kin has been notified.

Boone County Joint Communications sent a notification at 5:46 p.m. stating that a vehicle crash occurred on northbound Highway 63 near East McComas Road.

Boone County Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Gale Blomenkamp told ABC 17 News in a text message that the crash involved a van and a Linn County Ambulance. He said CPR was in process at the scene and that four patients were reported.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man has been charged with three felonies, four misdemeanors and an infraction in a fatal crash that occurred Tuesday in Marshall.

Brent Reynolds, 42, of Marshall, was charged Wednesday in Saline County with first-degree involuntary manslaughter, two counts of armed criminal action, a count of second-degree assault, reckless driving, speeding, not stopping at a crosswalk, not having insurance and an infraction of not having plates.

Reynolds is being held at the Saline County Jail without bond. A court date has not been scheduled.

The probable cause statement says a 2014 Ford Focus that was driven by Reynolds crashed into a Ford Bronco on South Odell Avenue. A 65-year-old Marshall woman was pronounced dead at the scene.

The speed limit was 25 miles per hour and Reynolds allegedly crashed the Ford Focus into the Ford Bronco at 110.6 miles per hour, troopers found from the Ford Focus’ electronic data recorder.

The crash caused the Ford Bronco to hit a retaining wall and a pedestrian, a 32-year-old Marshall man who was flown from the scene to a hospital, according to the statement.

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Olivia Hayes

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

City of Columbia Utilities is proposing an irrigation ordinance to manage water use across the community. The department believes this move would also help to support ongoing commercial and residential growth in the area.

City utilities wrote on its BeHeard page that Columbia’s daily summer peak water demands can exceed 170% of winter water demands, with the highest hourly demand in the summer sitting at around 240% of the peak winter hourly demand. The utility is looking to have two public input meetings before bringing the ordinance to the City Council.

The proposed ordinance would stagger lawn watering to specific days and times, so users can reduce the peak demand on the water system. City officials believe it will also reduce the total amount of water used and allow lawn irrigation systems to operate more effectively within their designed parameters.

Watering schedules are based on physical property address and apply to residential and commercial customers using city water, according to city documents. Irrigation is permitted on the allowed watering day before 10 a.m. and after 7 p.m. for a maximum of 30 minutes per irrigation zone.

Even-numbered addresses would be able to use irrigation systems on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, odd-numbered addresses on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and common areas, mixed addresses or locations with no address can water Monday, Thursday and Saturday.

Exceptions to the ordinance, according to city documents, include:

Irrigation of land used for commercial agriculture.

Watering by hand using an attended hose.

Low-flow, low-pressure systems designed to distribute small amounts of water on or below the soil surface are allowed at any time necessary to meet needs.

Irrigation of new landscape is allowed at any time for the initial 30 days and every other day for the next 30 days for a total of one 60-day period.

Watering in of chemicals, including insecticides, pesticides, fertilizers, fungicides and herbicides, is allowed within 24 hours of application.

Irrigation systems may run up to 30 minutes at any time of day for irrigation system maintenance and repair purposes.

Watering for new plant material, such as flowers, trees and shrubs, on the day of planting.

Watering to preserve turf subject to heavy public use.

The use of recycled or reclaimed water is allowed anytime.

City of Columbia Utilities may grant a different exception from the required schedule under certain circumstances.

Any customer who purchases and installs an automatic landscape irrigation system shall properly install, maintain, and operate:

A water meter dedicated to landscape irrigation, which shall be separate and apart from the water meter serving non-irrigation needs of the property.

A backflow prevention device, installed at the point of connection between the landscape irrigation system and the city water system.

Technology that inhibits or interrupts operation of the system during periods of sufficient moisture or rainfall.

Consumers with irrigation systems installed prior to the effective date of the ordinance shall be subject to the ordinance requirements upon making neccessary repairs, upgrades or changes.

The first violation comes with a $50 fine, the second violation is $250 and the third violation includes a $350 fine with the customer subject to suspension or disconnection of water utility service for irrigation.

The City of Columbia Water Utility, Office of Neighborhood Services, Columbia Police Department and any other agent of the City authorized to will help enforce the ordinance.

Water pressure issues have been seen particularly in the southwest portion of the city in recent years, with boil advisories having been issued in the Thornbrook area. A water tower was expected to have been built by 2021, but a variety of issues, including discussions of where it could be built, have occurred in the past few years.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A registered sex offender in Pettis County has been charged with child molestation.

Matthew Platt is charged with first-degree child molestation and failing to register as a sex offender. Kristy White is accused of leaving a child in Platt’s care and was charged with first-degree child endangerment. Platt is being held on a $250,000 bond, while White is being held on a $15,000 bond.

A counsel status hearing for Platt is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 5, while White has a hearing set for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 12.

The probable cause statements in the case say that the victim told authorities on April 5 about five separate instances of being sexually abused by Barrett.

White allegedly told authorities that she knew Platt was a sex offender “but stated she trusted him around the children,” and made claims the victim lied “but was unable to provide [law enforcement] with a reason why she would,” court documents say.

Platt allegedly denied the allegations to law enforcement, but then claimed he gave the young child a “hickey” on their arm because the victim “asked him to do it,” court documents say.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Police in Lebanon, Missouri, in Laclede County say a threat that was made to Lebanon High School on Wednesday morning was not credible.

Police wrote in a release that officers were called at 10:50 a.m. for an alleged bomb threat. Students were “relocated to an alternative site” while officers, including K-9 units, searched the campus.

Highway 64 near the school was closed while officers worked, police wrote in a social media post. Police had also told the public to avoid the middle school while it worked.

“Safety always remains the highest priority in situations like this,” Chief Jerry Harrison was quoted in the release. “I want to thank the students, parents, and school staff for their cooperation throughout this incident.”

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