Matthew Sanders
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Missouri Tigers men’s basketball team will continue conference play on Tuesday when Tennessee comes to Mizzou Arena.
The Tigers fell short of an upset against Arkansas last week in Fayetteville.
Olivia Hayes
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Missouri Department of Transportation is seeking the public’s input on its proposal for major improvements to Business Loop 70 and Paris Road.
“An at grade intersection where you can make all those different turns, regardless of which direction you’re coming from at that intersection,” said MODOT Improve I-70: Rocheport to Columbia Project Director Spencer Robinson.
The changes would be part of MODOT’s Improve I-70 Project. Both the Paris Road and the Business Loop Road safety audits conducted by the City of Columbia flagged problems with the intersection.
Plans shared Monday by the Business Loop Community Improvement District include raising the Business Loop to the same level as other roads near the intersection. The Paris Road bridge will also be removed. Once it’s removed, that section of Business Loop will be wide enough for sidewalks and bike lanes.
The area is known for its tricky turns and redirection through nearby neighborhood streets.
“If you’re coming north from like College Avenue and you’re trying to turn either direction on Business Loop, you have to cut through some neighborhood streets to get to old 63, to get to that light, to be able to turn onto business loop,” Robinson said.
The COLT Railroad bridge would be removed, but the track bed would be preserved, widened and fortified. Columbia Parks and Recreation is seeking input on railbanking the COLT line as the first step to a rails-to-trails project.
Robinson said the future improvements will help with the additional traffic expected after the integration of the roundabout connecting the Business Loop to I-70 Eastbound.
“That connects directly to and from eastbound I-70 off of a barrier separated collector distributor road. So it’ll be kind of an on and off point if you’re on eastbound I-70 from the business loop,” Robinson said.
While that roundabout is complete, Robinson said the I-70 connection won’t happen for about another year.
An engineer’s drawing of the new intersection. (Missouri Department of Transportation)
MoDOT and contractor Emery Sapp & Sons will have two public hearings to highlight the basic project plans, construction phasing, and schedule of the Improve I-70: Rocheport to Columbia project from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday, March 2 at the Boone Electric headquarters and from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 4 at Midway Golf and Games.
MODOT says the construction will begin in 2028.
Jazsmin Halliburton
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A Fayette woman was sentenced Monday to life in prison in the April 2021 death of a child.
In January, Jennifer Johnson, 49, was found guilty of felony murder in the second degree and two counts of first-degree child endangerment in the April 2021 death of Hannah Kent.
Judge Brouck Jacobs sentenced Johnson to life in prison on the murder count and 15 years on each of the endangerment counts.
According to court documents, Hannah’s mother, Lanetta Hill, found the child about 8:30 a.m. unresponsive and cool to the touch after returning home and immediately noticed bruising. Hill took the infant to Women’s and Children’s Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Testimony during the first two days of the trial detailed Hannah’s condition after being left in Jennifer Johnson’s care. Police and medical witnesses described bruising and brain injuries consistent with recent trauma.
Hill gave a victim-impact statement in court on Monday afternoon.
“I left my baby in her care believing she would be safe, loved and protected. Instead, my daughter was harmed and lost her life. The person I trusted to watch over my child became the reason I will never hold her again. That betrayal will stay with me forever,” Hill said.
Investigators testified they found baby formula on Johnson’s clothing, and testing showed blood on the shirt belonged to Hannah.
“I constantly replay the moment I entrusted her care to someone I believe was my friend, and the guilt and heartbreak are unbearable,” Hill said during Monday’s impact statement. “No punishment can bring my baby back, but I ask the court to fully recognize the severity of this crime, not only the taking an innocent life, but the deep betrayal of trust that made it possible.”
Johnson’s daughter Angela Johnson was not pleased with the outcome of the case.
“I feel crushed. I feel like none of this… this case wasn’t taken serious. I feel like the jury trial was a piece of crap. There was a lot of errors that obviously no one even paid attention to,” Angela Johnson said after the trial. “With me getting back on a lot of the reports that was given back on what happened, I just think my mom should not be in there (prison).”
Jennifer Johnson denied any knowledge of what had happened. Phone records, however, showed messages sent from her phone about drugs during hours she said she was asleep.
“She’s told us that she didn’t do it. She has remorse for the baby dying. Everyone’s going to cry when someone dies,” said Elizabeth Beaman, who is Jennifer Johnson’s daughter-in-law. “She cared for this family. She cared for everybody. She’s a caring person, but. She’s not going to have remorse for something she didn’t do. She’s not going to admit to something she didn’t do.”
Matthew Sanders
A massive buildup of American firepower in the Middle East, along with bellicose rhetoric from President Donald Trump, has many wondering if a strike on Iran is imminent.
The military has many options, from strikes like those that damaged Iran’s nuclear facilities to regime change actions. And the U.S. has the support of a powerful regional ally in Israel.
Democrats and some Republican members of Congress insist that military action in Iran should come with a congressional resolution. What do you think?
Let us know by voting in the poll.
Alison Patton
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A Missouri Supreme Court Justice knocked down a law last month that would allow the Secretary of State to rewrite unfair ballot summaries, instead of a judge. Lawmakers are taking another go at passing a similar law and making it stick this time.
Rep. John Simmons (R-Washington) introduced House Bill 3146 that would give Secretary of State Denny Hoskins three tries to rewrite ballot language if a judge finds it unfair. It would also increase the word limit from 50 to 100 words and require actions challenging the language to be completed 70 days before election day.
Simmons’ bill is closely modeled after Senate Bill 22, but omits one clause regarding the powers of the Attorney General.
Chief Justice Brent Powell wrote in his opinion that the SB 22 clause was unrelated to the original intent of the bill and declared the whole bill unconstitutional.
The House elections committee voted to pass HB 3146 on Tuesday. It was then referred to the administrative rules committee on Thursday. It is not on the agenda for the next meeting.
The law currently requires a judge to rewrite the ballot language.
For example, Cole County Judge Daniel Green ruled on Friday that language in a ballot summary that would make initiative petitions harder to pass was unconstitutional because it included what some call “ballot candy.”
Because SB 22 was knocked down last month, Green is in charge of rewriting the ballot language instead of sending it back to Hoskins.
Earlier this month, Hoskins admitted to writing biased ballot language for a referendum that would put the 2025 congressional map on the November ballot. In a lawsuit challenging the language. Hoskins’ legal team is asking a Cole County judge to allow the Secretary of State to rewrite the language.
The judge is now considering the state’s request and deliberating on arguments. A judgment hasn’t been issued.
Marie Moyer
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
No one was reported to be injured after a car crashed into a fire hydrant in southeast Columbia on Sunday morning.
According to a Columbia police officer at the scene, the crash happened around 5:15 a.m. in the 800 block of Grey Oak Drive, near its intersection with Grey Oak Drive.
A car drove over the fire hydrant, the officer said. An ABC 17 News reporter saw the hydrant completely knocked off the water main, with water flowing into the street around 5:40 a.m.
A tow truck also was seen removing the car from the area. It had heavy damage to the front, and its airbags were deployed.
ABC 17 News reached out to the Columbia Police Department to find out the cause of the crash and the Columbia Water and Light Department regarding the fire hydrant.
Check back for updates.
Marie Moyer
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Postal workers and letter carriers gathered at the USPS office on Walnut Street Sunday afternoon for the “Fight like hell” protest in Columbia.
The demonstration was held in coordination with events across the country. Despite cold temperatures leading to a smaller turnout locally, carriers said the message remains urgent: they want better pay, improved staffing and stronger safety protections.
According to the National Association of Letter Carriers, letter carriers deliver nearly 376 million pieces of mail and packages to approximately 169 million delivery points every day nationwide.
Carriers in Columbia said the workload has become increasingly difficult to manage. Robert Blackmore, who has worked as a letter carrier in Columbia for 33 years, said staffing shortages are one of the biggest challenges.
“We have a shortage of mail trucks, which is one of our biggest problems. So, we’re shorthanded every day,” Blackmore said.
According to the NALC paychart entry-level transitional employees start at about $21 an hour. Workers argue that pay has made it difficult to attract and retain workers.
Anthony Mitchell has worked as a letter carrier in Lexington, Missouri, for the past 28 years and also serves with the National Association of Letter Carriers. He traveled to Columbia Sunday to show his support for the rally.
“We’d like to get a better starting pay to attract more people,” Mitchell said. “Right now the staffing shortages are really incredible and typically within the first year, we’re having over 50% of the new people quit.”
According to a press release from the National Association of Letter Carriers, contract negotiations between the NALC and the U.S. Postal Service are set to begin. The current contract was last updated in May 2025, with the agreement stating it is effective through May 22, 2026.
The NALC is also backing two congressional bills, the Protect Our Letter Carriers Act and the Federal Retirement Fairness Act.
The Protect Our Letter Carriers Act focuses on both mail security and the safety of mail carriers. According to the NALC, over 1,300 cases were opened between 2019 and 2023 for crimes against postal workers, including assault, robbery and burglary, with over two-thirds of attacks involving a weapon.
“More and more carriers are just under assault, whether it’s physical violence or verbal, and we have carriers that are being murdered daily,” Mitchell said.
Mitchell and Blackmore said they don’t fear for their safety on their daily routes, but they acknowledge that letter carriers face greater risks in larger cities like Kansas City and St. Louis.
“It’s not just an issue for the Democats or Republicans,” Mitchell said. “Both parties are coming together because everybody loves their letter carriers,”
If passed, the act would provide $7 billion in funding over five years to the Postal Service to modernize mailboxes with high-security collection boxes and update current universal mailbox keys with electronic ones.
The post office has reportedly rolled out the new security measures in select areas and saw an increase in prosecution rates.
“When these carriers get not necessarily killed but attacked, robbed. The penalties are so low right now, and there aren’t enough prosecutors to do anything about it,” Blackmore said.
The act will also streamline court cases by assigning a district attorney for each judicial district to prioritize cases of crimes against mail carriers. Sentencing guidelines would also be adjusted so that assault or robbery of a postal employee would be treated similarly to the assault of a law enforcement officer.
The Federal Retirement Fairness Act will allow part-time or transitional hires in the postal service to purchase retirement credit for time spent working.
The NALC reports that more than 65% of current letter carriers worked at USPS in non-career positions, some for two or more years. Those who start as noncareer employees are not creditable under the Federal Employees Retirement System.
The NALC adds that more than 132,000 letter carriers who started in non-career positions often work similar shifts and roles as career employees, but do not receive the retirement credit.
Both bills have been introduced in the House of Representatives.
Nia Hinson
MORGAN COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)
An Owensville woman was hospitalized after a four-vehicle crash in Morgan County on Friday night.
According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, the crash occurred on U.S. 50 just before 10 p.m. The report says the 61-year-old was traveling west in a 2025 Nissan Altima, when the vehicle crossed the center of the road and side swiped a 2004 Honda Oddessey. The Oddessey had attempted to avoid the Altima, the report states.
The Nissan then crashed into a 2025 Hyundai Elantra head-on.
A fourth vehicle– a 2013 Honda Accord– also crashed into the Hyundai.
The Owensville woman was taken to University Hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the Hyundai– a 21-year-old California, Missouri man suffered moderate injuries in the crash. The two other drivers were not injured.
According to the report, all four drivers were wearing their seatbelts when the crash occurred.
Alison Patton
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Some Columbia City Council members who were present at a recent public safety meeting between the city and the University of Missouri on Thursday told ABC 17 News on Saturday that the meeting was “productive.”
The meetings are typically held behind closed doors, which university president Mun Choi said is to keep the members focused on the goal: increasing safety.
Ward 5 Councilman Don Waterman said that Thursday’s meeting was a roundtable discussion, where each invited member gave updates from their department.
“Rather than getting into this stat or that stat, we’re not throwing information or accusations or statistics back and forth,” Waterman said. “Where do we stand on various topics and various issues? And then going on from there, and also looking at possibly some next steps.”
This is the fourth public safety meeting, following a deadly downtown Columbia shooting that killed a Stephens College student in September.
After the shooting, university and city leaders came up with a list of eleven actions that can be taken to increase safety.
Some of the actions have already been taken, like passing a median ordinance, meeting with Governor Mike Kehoe and the U.S. Attorney for Missouri’s western district, along with others.
Ward 1 Councilwoman Valerie Carroll said on Saturday that Thursday’s public safety meeting was more specific than previous meetings.
“We are speaking more directly about problems and solutions, and I really think that’s where progress lies,” Carroll said.
Carroll and Waterman have also expressed interest in making the public safety meetings open, despite Choi’s want to keep it closed.
Carroll said that an open meeting would mean that other council members could join the meeting. The closed nature of the meetings prevents council members from establishing a quorum and forcing the meeting to be publicly posted and open.
“Only three council members can attend,” Caroll said. “I feel like that’s categorically unfair to my partners. Similarly, I feel like that kind of limits the ability that we can be proactive. It limits what we can do because it limits our knowledge across council.”
Carroll also said she has been pushing for minutes of the meeting to be published, and that there will now be a “note taker” at the meetings.
Euphenie Andre
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Coalition Against Community Violence held its first town hall meeting Saturday, aiming to address violence in the city and open dialogue with residents.
Community members gathered to discuss what can be done collectively to improve the social determinants impacting children and families. While organizers hoped for a larger crowd, only three community members who are not part of the coalition attended.
The town hall is part of a pre-planning initiative funded by the Missouri Foundation for Health. The initiative will take a ward-by-ward look at violence across Columbia and Boone County. Saturday’s meeting focused on Ward 1.
Executive director of Destiny of H.O.P.E., Lonnie Lockhart-Bey called the turnout “disappointing,” but said the conversations that took place were meaningful.
Lockhart-Bey said coalition members promoted the event by going door-to-door and sharing information on social media to encourage participation.
Organizers said the purpose of the meeting is to collect both qualitative and quantitative data from residents who have been directly impacted by gun violence. That information will help guide future solutions and programming.
The group posed several questions to spark discussion, including; “Have you or someone you know been affected by gun violence?” “What do you believe is the main cause of violence in the area?” and “what actions are needed to create a positive change in the community?”
Participants shared a range of perspectives in response to the questions.
Some said that the influence of rappers and celebrities can impact children, while others pointed to systemic issues, including the impacts of white supremacy. Loose gun laws in Missouri– which some believe can make it easier for youth to access firearms– were also highlighted. Additionally, some attendees felt that teachers and schools bear responsibility for guiding children and keeping them safe.
“A lot of times, young people are getting the bulk of this blame, but gun violence is bigger than these young people,” Lockhart-Bey said. “There is a socio-economic impact that is happening throughout these communities that a lot of what we’re looking at seems like a fair game, when people are actually struggling and suffering.”
One of the residents who attended, La’Kesha Battie, said as a mother of two children and a teenager, she feels compelled to be part of the solution.
“[I’m here] to prevent the violence because it’s so many kids out here dying that shouldn’t, and dying over stupid stuff,” Battie said.
Battie said she learned about the meeting after receiving a paper flyer from her cousin. Based on what she’s seen, she believes much of the violence begins with rumors that quickly escalate into conflict. She also said some children fall into negative influences instead of choosing to be leaders and make positive decisions.
Battie said she found the meeting to be insightful and hopes more members of the community will attend the next one.
Lockhart-Bey said violence exceeds just guns.
“Violence don’t always have to be with a gun. It can be a system that has been put in place that put people in a situation where they cannot grow. Their options are so limited that they cannot foresee themselves doing anything but what they are doing,” Lockhart-Bey said.
Lockhart-Bey said the teen center located in the building’s basement is now complete. The space is designed to provide a safe, fun environment for youth Monday through Saturday, giving them a positive alternative to spending time downtown.
Ward 1 Council Member Valerie Carroll and Ward 3 Council Member Jacque Sample were also in attendance.
Organizers said they hope to see greater community involvement at their next meeting, which is scheduled for March.
