Author: KMIZ

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A woman has sued the Otterville School District and its superintendent, claiming that her First Amendment rights were violated after she was banned from athletic events in the district.

The lawsuit – which was filed in the Western District Court of Missouri on Tuesday – says Teni Northern was banned from her grandchildren’s games after she sent a message on Facebook to a junior high and high school volleyball coach about her coaching.

Superintendent Dan Kruse allegedly sent Northern an email that reprimanded her behavior and Kruse claimed there was a “parent meeting” about the coach and “that she was trying to be helpful,” according to details from the lawsuit. The Facebook message to the coach was sent on Sept. 15 and Kruse responded to Northern on Sept. 17, court documents say.

Northern allegedly met with Athletic Director Kate Wittman and Kruse on Sept. 23 and was banned from attending high school volleyball games, according to the lawsuit. She was still allowed to attend junior high games. Wittman allegedly said the district could not bar her from attending away games, Kruse allegedly asked other school administrators to enforce the ban, according to the lawsuit.  

The lawsuit claims junior high and high school volleyball games are often held the same day at the same location. Northern allegedly “was not supposed to be on the varsity side,” during a pair of Sept. 25 away games, according to the petition. Kruse allegedly allowed Northern to stay for the varsity game, but Northern had to stand next to the superintendent during the game, court documents say.

Northern allegedly made a “general” post on social media that led to her getting banned from junior high games, the petition says. Northern allegedly tried to appeal the decision to the Board of Education on Oct. 15, but Kruse’s decision was upheld, the petition says.

She was then sent an email — which was shown in court documents – that banned her from sporting events for the rest of the school year. A subsequent email sent a corrected suspension until Jan. 1, 2026.

“On September 17, 2025, we held a meeting to discuss your inappropriate and disrespectful communications with Otterville coaching staff, including over social media and involving students. I reminded you that we had previous conversations last year about this same type of issue, reiterating that your negative communications would not be tolerated and requesting again for you to speak to the coaching staff in a respectful manner,” the email from Kruse shown in court documents says.

“After our meeting, you again communicated with the coaching staff in a disrespectful manner. We met a second time and I advised that you were suspended from attending high school volleyball games. Subsequently, you attended three more volleyball games – once lying to District staff, falsely telling them that I had given you permission to attend the game, and once dressing and sitting in the opposing teams section so you would not be recognized.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man has been charged with a child sex crime after authorities say he messaged someone who posed as a minor and asked them to meet for sex.

Torrey Guerra, 48, was charged with child enticement and misdemeanor illegal possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. An initial court appearance was held Wednesday.

The probable cause statement says a Boone County deputy posed as a 16-year-old girl on a website that “advertises adult escorts,” and received a text message from Guerra at 9:07 a.m. Tuesday. Guerra alleged stated he was OK with the decoy’s age when the account said they were 16, the statement says.

Guerra exchanged images with the decoy and allegedly offered them drugs, according to court documents.

Guerra made plans to pick up the decoy and sat outside a residence in a Google Fiber truck about two hours after the first text message was sent, the statement says. He was then arrested and allegedly admitted to knowing that he was trying to meet a youth, court documents say.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A portion of Business Loop 70 that closed earlier this month for roundabout construction has reopened.

The new roundabout is now in use and is expected to give Business Loop 70 direct access to Interstate 70 by 2027, a Wednesday press release from the Missouri Department of Transportation says.

Business Loop 70 between Hathman Place and Eastland Circle closed on Nov. 12 and work was expected to last two weeks.

The construction was part of the Improve I-70 Project.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The viewing platform at Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area has reopened after two years.

The platform was closed for renovations and removal of boardwalks in November 2023, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation. The boardwalks had become a safety concern, the department says. The trail remains accessible from the Katy Trail and South Warren School Road.

Eagle Bluffs, located in southern Boone County near McBaine, attracts visitors interested in seeing waterfowl in the area’s extensive wetlands. Those wetlands were restored by creating 17 shallow pools.

The park is located off Route K.

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Olivia Hayes

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Boone County judge on Wednesday ruled that the Central Missouri Humane Society will have custody of the dogs who were allegedly abused by a local breeder.  

A lawyer for Melissa Sanders, 26, argued the animals she is accused of abusing should be returned to her.

Boone County/Columbia Animal Control argued to the judge why the animals should be turned over to the Central Missouri Humane Society to reunite the animals with their owners. Those owners will be allowed to pick them up from CMHS with proof of ownership.

Sanders, of Columbia, is charged with three counts of felony animal abuse and 15 counts of misdemeanor animal abuse after animal control, assisted by Boone County sheriff’s deputies, found 16 living but severely malnourished dogs, five “intact” dead dogs and about a dozen dog skulls on her property. Officers also found four dead dogs outside of her building. Sanders is being held in the Phelps County Jail without bond.

Sanders owns Magnum Opus German Shepherds a breeding, boarding and training facility.

Judge Kayla Jackson-Williams heard witness testimony from animal control officers who responded when Sanders property was searched on Nov. 13 along with the veterinarians that treated the animals following their rescue.

Boone County Animal Control officer Emily Rathbun described her experience from the day of the search.

“You could smell the decomposition from outside, but once you stepped inside the feces and urine had built up to the point that would burn your eyes,” Rathbun said. “The kennels inside were full of fur, feces, urine and skeletal remains. A lot of them were bent or mangled past the point of being usable anymore.”

Rathbun also said on the stand that due to the number of remains that were found through out the property, the total number of dogs that died while in Sander’s car is unknown.

Kevin Meyers, Boone County Animal Control supervisor, also took the stand with his experience.

“I had to leave and get a mask because I physically could not breathe inside that space,” Meyers said. “What looked like remains of a dog that had slothed off its matted fur. As they decompose the fur falls off, the skin and the fur melts.”

Following the judge’s ruling, many owners arrived to CMHS to be reunited with their dogs.

“My dog Romy had been with her and I later found out she was deceased,” Brianna Moore said. “However, five of my puppies were there with her, five of Romy’s puppies and thankfully they are alive and I’m getting to take them home.”

It was also revealed in court Wednesday that after one week in the humane’s society care all of the dogs rescued, except one, saw significant weight gain and improvement. One dog initially rescued from the property, named Hex, died due to the severity of its condition.

The veterinarian that cared for Hex, Jessica Thiele, said on the stand that when she first examined Hex he looked like a 4-to-5-month-old puppy due to malnourishment. Another dog that was pregnant at the time of her rescue, Eri, delivered nine puppies while in the care of the humane society.

Owners have until Dec. 5 to claim their dogs from CMHS.

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Haley Swaino

EDITOR’S NOTE: AI was used to research background for this story.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A company paying people to get signatures on a petition to overturn a new Missouri congressional map has denied it employs illegal immigrants, a claim made this week by the state’s attorney general.

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has launched an immigration-focused investigation into Advanced Micro Targeting, Inc., a signature-gathering firm from Texas.

Hanaway, in a news release Tuesday, accused the company of using undocumented workers to gather petition signatures to reverse the GOP’s gerrymandering efforts.

The release states that Advanced Micro Targeting is the signature-gathering contractor for many petition efforts in the state, including the anti-gerrymandering campaign associated with the group People Not Politicians.

“Election integrity is a core priority of this office,” Hanaway said in a statement. “Missourians, not unregulated labor hired by out-of-state interests, should determine our elections.”

Hanaway issued a civil investigative demand, a subpoena-like order, requiring Advanced Micro Targeting to provide documents related to its hiring practices and worker verification of Missouri clients. The issue has also been referred to federal immigration authorities, Hanaway said.

The Attorney General’s Office said preliminary information suggests the firm may have violated state laws against hiring or transporting unauthorized workers. They are also investigating whether the company provided misleading information to clients, which would violate the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act.

“Missouri’s laws are clear: no business may employ or transport individuals who are not authorized to work in the United States,” Hanaway, a Republican, said in a statement. “My Office will not allow dark-money groups to violate Missouri laws and hijack the will of voters.”

AMT rejects that notion.

“The allegations are not true,” Billy Rogers, AMT president and founder. “Everyone who works for AMT is a W2 employee, and every AMT employee is verified through the Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify system. AMT does not employ undocumented immigrants.”

The battle over the signature drive has spread to Missourians’ phones this week.

Some Missourians received a text message warning that out-of-state interests may be “trying to trick people into signing petitions” on Black Friday.

A text message some Missourians received on Nov. 25, 2025.

The Missouri Republican Party issued a statement after the text message was sent out, saying it is in support of Hanaway’s investigation.

“Unfortunately, there are always malicious actors who wish to take advantage of Missourians’ generosity during the holiday season,” the Missouri GOP said in a statement. “There are serious questions about the tactics these groups are using to collect signatures.”

The Missouri GOP issued a statement in support of Attorney General Catherine Hanaway’s investigation into illegal aliens gathering signatures on Tuesday.

State Rep. John Martin (R-Centralia) urged Missourians not to sign such petitions.

“This weekend signature gatherers will be out among the shoppers and DECLINE TO SIGN,” Martin wrote in a Facebook post Monday. “The Left and all of their money continue to use Missouri’s low-threshold petition system to push their radical agenda and stop Trump’s agenda.”

People Not Politicians called the message a “scam.”

“Desperate politicians are at it again trying to scam Missourians,” the group wrote in a Facebook post Tuesday. “They are afraid of our power, but we know that we will win!”

Hanaway has filed a lawsuit in federal court to block the referendum on the state’s new congressional map from appearing on the November 2026 ballot.

The map, signed into law by Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe on Sept. 28, is expected to remove a Missouri Democrat from the U.S. House of Representatives. Dubbed “Missouri First,” the map is part of a broader Republican effort to strengthen the party’s hold in the U.S. House ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Hanaway contends that the U.S. Constitution grants the Missouri legislature exclusive authority over redistricting, and the referendum undermines this power.

Secretary of State Denny Hoskins approved the petition for circulation by People Not Politicians after initially rejecting the forms submitted last month. However, Hoskins noted that signatures gathered earlier are no longer valid, a claim disputed by People Not Politicians.

Several lawsuits have been filed challenging the new congressional district map.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Amazon is planning to build a data center north of Interstate 70 in Montgomery County.

The retail and cloud computing giant has secured land and now needs a building permit from the county for its data center between New Florence and High Hill, said Steve Etcher with the Greater Montgomery County Economic Development Council. The site will be about 1,000 acres, he said.

The county’s economic development council has spent months working to review the site and ensure the plan “supports smart and responsible growth, and positions the region for long-term success,” the organization says in a news release.

The release says Amazon is “in the final stages” of evaluating the site.

An Amazon spokesperson wrote in response to questions that the project is still too early to provide a timeline, cost and job numbers.

Etcher said the company has committed to hundreds of permanent jobs when the project is complete. Power would come from Ameren Missouri under its “large load tariff,” which is meant to shield other customers from cost increases associated with scaling up data centers.

The Montgomery County Public Water District will serve the facility’s significant water needs, and Etcher said the utility has the capacity to serve the data center.

Data center projects have come under fire across the country from people who say they suck up power and water without driving economic development. The creation of data centers has been driven by the need for more computing power and storage as digital technology grows.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia police said Wednesday that a man charged over the summer with a 2018 rape was arrested in St. Louis.

Antonio E. Bates, 58, of St. Louis, was arrested Tuesday on a warrant for first-degree rape, according to a Columbia Police Department news release. A CPD spokesman said Bates will be brought back to Columbia to stand trial.

Bates was not listed on the inmate rosters of the Boone or St. Louis County jails on Wednesday morning.

Court documents state that on July 24, 2018, police were called to a sexual assault in the 800 block of Ann Street around 3 a.m. Police said the victim reported being outside near a garden area of an apartment when a conversation started with Bates, whom the victim did not know.

Bates forced the woman to the ground and assaulted her, police say. A sexual assault examination yielded DNA that matched Bates, the statement says.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Hundreds of free rides will be offered starting Wednesday afternoon, ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday and as the Missouri State Highway Patrol begins the holiday counting period.

According to the Highway Patrol, the night before Thanksgiving is sometimes called “Blackout Wednesday,” a term that has become popular for social gatherings and heavy drinking. Breakthru Beverage Missouri will be partnering with Deep Eddy Vodka to offer 500 free rides home in Columbia, Springfield, St. Louis and Kansas City through the Lyft app.

People will have the opportunity to use the free rides home starting 2 p.m. Wednesday to 2 a.m. Thursday.

Riders must use the code: BBGMOTHANKS2025 to redeem the free trip.

The Missouri Department of Transportation and MSHP are urging caution and patience as Missourians hit the road for the Thanksgiving holiday. In 2024, the Highway Patrol reported 11 people were killed and 64 were seriously injured in crashes during the holiday period. According to MoDoT, the number of statewide deaths in 2025 has reached over 800.

MoDoT is asking travelers to buckle, follow the speed limit and not drive distracted or impaired.

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Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Shopping for Thanksgiving this year likely put less of a strain on people’s wallets this year, according to a survey.

The American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual Thanksgiving survey shows a Thanksgiving dinner was down about 5% in 2025, compared to 2024. The report states an average dinner for 10 people costs roughly $55.18, or $5.52 per person. The country last saw a record-high cost in 2022, when the average dinner for 10 cost $64.05.

The items within the survey include a turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, rolls, peas, cranberries, a veggie tray and pumpkin pie with whipped cream.

People who include a boneless ham, russet potatoes or frozen green beans on the menu this year will pay slightly more, sitting at $77.09.

The most notable items that saw a drop in prices this year are the turkey, stuffing and dinner rolls. The turkey–which some consider a staple at the table– saw the largest decrease of 16.3%. Dinner rolls weren’t too far behind and decreased by 14.6%.

Other popular items, such as whipped cream, pumpkin pie mix and frozen peas saw a hike in prices this year compared to last. Sweet potatoes jumped by about 37% and a gallon of milk, by 16.3%. However, anyone who purchased a veggie tray saw the biggest increase in price of all items, increasing by 61.3%.

An ABC 17 News reporter went to grocery stores around the City of Columbia to see how national prices compare to the local price. The results from the survey, Trader Joe’s and the Schnucks on Providence Road are listed below:

Survey:

16 pound turkey: $21.50 or $1.34 per pound

Stuffing mix: $3.71

Two frozen pie crusts: $3.37

Half pint of heavy whipping cream: $1.87

1 pound of frozen peas: $2.03

12 dinner rolls: $3.56

Pumpkin pie mix (30 ounces): $4.16

1 gallon of whole milk: $3.73

3 pounds of sweet potatoes: $4.00

12 ounce bag of fresh cranberries: $2.28

Schnucks:

16 pound turkey: $1.99 per pound

Stuffing mix: $1.19

Two frozen pie crusts: $4.59

Pint of heavy whipping cream: $6.64

1 pound of frozen peas: $1.19

Hawaiian rolls: $3.99

Pumpkin pie mix (30 ounces): $5.09

1 gallon of whole milk: $4.24

3 pounds of sweet potatoes: $1.17

12 ounce bag of fresh cranberries: $2.49

Trader Joe’s:

16 pound turkey: $2.49 per pound

Stuffing mix: $4.99

Two gluten free frozen pie crusts: $5.49

Pint of heavy whipping cream: $3.99

1 pound of frozen peas: $1.79

8 dinner rolls: $2.99

Pumpkin pie mix (30 ounces): $2.49

1 gallon of whole milk: $3.99

3 pounds of sweet potatoes: $4.18

12 ounce bag of fresh cranberries: $2.49

According to Hy-Vee’s website, the lowest price for a fresh whole turkey is $2.48 per pound, while the cheapest stuffing mix hovers around $1.88. Sweet potatoes cost about 41 cents.

Those who choose to shop at Walmart may save some money. A fresh turkey cost $1.47 per pound, while the cheapest stuffing mix is $1.88. However, a sweet potato will cost roughly 77 cents.

Columbia shoppers most notably will pay slightly more for their turkey this holiday compared to national prices.

Kathy Reineking, is Trader Joe’s shopper from Georgia, but came to Columbia for the week to host Thanksgiving for her family. Reineking said she headed into the grocery store thinking she would shell out a lot more money than she did, especially the turkey she purchased from Hy-Vee.

“I’ve seen it be as much as $3 at other places so I don’t know if that was a better price than what it would normally be but I thought it was a really good price,” Reineking said. “I haven’t shopped as much as I did last year at this time but I’d say to me they’re (grocery prices) are about the same.”

Others, like Rita Fleisch say they’ve been feeling the financial strain all year long, something that’s only increased during the holidays.

“It’s been really chaotic because of the tariffs and everything, we try to adjust with our eating habits to accommodate what’s available and then on sale,” Fleisch said. “Basic needs like flour, sugar or salt, everything’s more expensive.”

According to the survey from the farm bureau, the Midwest will pay the second least amount on a Thanksgiving dinner this year, sitting at $54.38. The south will pay the least at $50.01, while people on the northeast and west coast will pay more than $60 for 10 people this year.

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