Author: KMIZ

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

EDITOR’S NOTE: The details of Chase’s sentence have been corrected.

Former Monroe County Public Administrator Jessica Chase was sentenced to a 120-day “shock” incarceration program on Wednesday, according to online court records.

Records indicate that if Chase completes the program, she will serve five years of supervised probation, and a 10-year prison sentence if her probation is revoked.

Chase, 49, of Paris, pleaded guilty to financially exploiting a disabled person, stealing and filing false documents.

She served in the public administrator role from 2021 through February 2024, according to prior court records, and was accused of stealing money “from the custodial accounts of disabled persons under her care,” according to a release from the Monroe County prosecutor.

A federal investigation is still pending with the Social Security Administration, the prosecutor’s office wrote.

The probable cause statement in the case accuses Chase of taking at least $16,000 in purchases and cash withdrawals from victim’s accounts between March 16-Dec. 22, 2023. The prosecutor’s office wrote that roughly $23,000 was stolen in total.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man was charged after he threatened to use a hatchet to kill a victim on Wednesday morning, according to court documents filed by authorities.

Javan Jovon Harris, 32, was charged with two counts of misdemeanor fourth-degree domestic assault and single counts of unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action. 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 redacted residence at 9 a.m. Wednesday and officers found Harris holding a hatchet and yelling at one of the victims.

One of the victims told police that Harris and the other victim got into an argument over food before Harris grabbed the hatchet and stated he was going to kill one of the people in the home, the statement says. Harris then allegedly started hitting the hatchet on the ground in front of the home while yelling, the statement says.

One person described as a witness was on the phone with one of the victims and allegedly heard Harris yell that he was going to kill one of the victims, court documents say. A second person described as a witness allegedly told law enforcement they saw Harris swinging the hatchet while yelling, the statement says.

Harris allegedly told police that he thought one of the victims was getting a knife out of the kitchen, so he grabbed the hatchet, though he did not see the victim with a knife, the statement says.

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Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

If you’re walking through downtown Columbia, you may notice a new Flock camera at the intersection of Ninth Street and Walnut Street.

The camera comes as University of Missouri System President Mun Choi has called the area a “danger zone” in a series of emails to city leaders following high-profile incidents along East Walnut Street. One incident was a brawl that led to seven arrests on July 26 and another was a shots-fired incident that occurred this past weekend that led to felony charges being filed.

Columbia Police Chief Jill Schlude told ABC 17 News the camera was installed on Tuesday, adding that it is a live camera included in Flock’s video package that officers can monitor in real time.

“We originally planned to put one in that area of Walnut (I don’t remember if it was at Ninth Street or 10th St.) but had issues with getting a power supply to the camera, and the solar-type camera was not functioning correctly,” Schulde told ABC 17 in an email. “When this issue happened, we looked at the Ninth and Walnut location and got some temporary power hooked up until utilities can get something more permanent rigged up.”

The camera is one of Flock’s pan-tilt-zoom, or PTZ, cameras. The cameras are designed to monitor areas such as parking lots, intersections, and parks.

The new camera is one of the more than 100 Flock cameras installed across Columbia after the City Council approved additional surveillance technology in 2024.

During the system’s first year of use, Columbia police reported 5,521 Flock alerts. Of those, 2,877 were linked to outstanding warrants, 1,452 involved stolen license plates and 1,192 were connected to stolen vehicles.

Police said the department only shares its Flock data with other law enforcement agencies in Missouri.

The use of Flock cameras has drawn scrutiny nationally, however, with privacy advocates raising concerns about data sharing and law enforcement access.

A national tracker of Flock contracts lists dozens of communities that have ended their agreements amid concerns about privacy, data sharing and law enforcement access.

Columbia police told ABC 17 News earlier this month that, despite concerns from some residents, the department has no plans to cancel its Flock contract. Police have described the technology as a valuable tool for the department.

The city’s current contract with Flock expires in March 2027.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Four people were brought to an area hospital after a crash occurred at a busy Columbia intersection on Wednesday night.

The crash was reported at Paris Road and Vandiver Drive and led to the intersection shutting down.

Boone County Joint Communications announced the intersection was closed during an 8:09 p.m. notification. Columbia Fire Department Battalion Chief  Roger Mertensmeyer said two vehicles were involved and first responders were dispatched at 8:05 p.m.

At least one of the vehicles was seen with front-end damage.

An ABC 17 News reporter saw one person being put in an ambulance. Multiple Columbia police patrol vehicles, a firetruck and an ambulance were at the scene. Tow trucks were at the scene at 8:48 p.m.

ABC 17 News is working to learn more information. Check back for updates.

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Ellyse Edwards

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Moberly Area Community College opened a new aviation training facility at Columbia Regional Airport on Wednesday as the college prepares to welcome its first class of commercial pilot students.

MACC and the City of Columbia celebrated the opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the former terminal. The facility is home to MACC’s new Associate of Applied Science in Aviation Commercial Pilot program.

The inaugural class includes 16 students, with classes scheduled to begin Aug. 24. The FAA Part 141 program is accelerated and can be completed in two years. The program was announced in 2023.

MACC Aviation Commercial Pilot Program Director Ed Longoria said the program comes as the industry faces a need for more pilots.

“Well, the vision is to help with the pilot shortage. So for 2026, there’s going to be about 24,000 pilots, a shortage of 24,000 pilots,” Longoria said.

The new training center includes classrooms, faculty offices, student learning spaces and an FAA-approved Advanced Aviation Training Device simulator. Flight training will be provided through MACC’s partnership with ATD Flight Systems. The program’s home also gives new life to Columbia Regional Airport’s former terminal, which had been vacant since newer terminal opened in 2022.

MACC and the city entered into a lease agreement in 2024 that initially provided MACC with about 1,900 square feet of space.

MACC added another 1,057 square feet in May to accommodate a Redbird flight simulator and additional training space.

The college says it has invested more than $350,000 in renovations to turn the former terminal into an aviation education and training center.

Airport Manager Michael Parks said the facility allows an unused part of the airport to serve a new role.

“Well, I think this is an absolute fantastic opportunity to utilize the old terminal here at the airport. A space that’s not being used or wasn’t previously being used in a way to help promote aviation, not just in central Missouri, but also just nationwide,” Parks said.

Students will also be learning in the middle of an active airport. Parks said students will be exposed to commercial and general aviation operations as well as the day-to-day work that goes into operating an airport.

Longoria said the demand for pilots is expected to continue beyond the immediate shortage.

“And then Boeing has just released a forecast for the next 20 years that we’re going to be short 660,000 pilots. So, it’s important that we start helping in the process of developing qualified, wide safety minded pilots to help with this dilemma,” Longoria said.

The college says the program is intended to prepare students for careers as professional pilots, with an emphasis on safety, technical training and industry standards.

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Melissa Houston

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The viaduct at High Street in Jefferson City officially reopened on Wednesday after being closed for road repairs.

The viaduct was closed in February due to a hole that was impacting drivers and other deterioration of the road. The contracted cost for repairs with Double Arch Construction was estimated at $74,800 and the final cost totaled $70,000.

The city stated in a press release that only necessary work was done on the bridge, including two full-depth deck repairs, each roughly 8.5-feet-by-7 feet. The hole that initiated the closure was also repaired, and new reinforcing steel was installed in the repaired areas before new concrete was placed.

The city says they did the immediate necessary repairs to the bridge so it can be opened, but they want to do a complete renovation. The estimated cost for this is between $16-18 million dollars.

There are two federal grant applications pending to help with the cost of the project. And in the release, the city says it will continue to try and get federal, state and other funding opportunities to ensure this project happens.

In regard to the estimated start date of the renovation, City spokeswoman Molly Bryan said it is “not at the point of establishing a construction schedule for a replacement project.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Boone County Prosecutor Roger Johnson has responded to criticism from University of Missouri System President Mun Choi.

Emails given to ABC 17 News by a university spokesman on Tuesday showed that Choi has criticized city leaders following multiple high-profile incidents this summer that have occurred on Walnut Street.

Choi has sent multiple emails to city leaders since April 19, demanding the city hire more police officers while calling a portion of Walnut Street “a danger zone.” 

Choi sent emails to Seewood, Buffaloe, all City Council members and Johnson on July 27, the day after a brawl occurred on Walnut and Ninth streets that led to seven people being arrested. At least one person was charged with a felony.

That email shows Choi addressing Johnson directly and criticized the prosecutor of giving “violent perpetrators a slap on the wrist” while including five links to local media reporting on sentences for various crime stories.

Johnson gave a statement on Choi’s criticism on Tuesday through email, saying sentences have “trended stronger.”

“We exercise judgment in every case based on the facts and the law, and we stand behind those decisions. The outcome in a courtroom isn’t ours alone to decide — plea agreements, judges, juries, and witnesses all play a role,” Johnson’s statement says. “Overall, our sentencing outcomes have trended stronger, with increased sentences in violent crime and drug cases. We will continue to aggressively pursue serious offenses and seek strong sentences.”

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Demetra Alarcon

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Cole County residents should expect a knock on their door soon as the Cole County Assessor’s Office starts a mass reinspection plan.

Every odd-numbered year, there is a reassessment of the value of residential properties. This property value then determines property taxes.

This year, the assessor’s office is gathering detailed information on every residential parcel to guide next year’s reassessment.

Assessor Tim Theroff wouldn’t discuss details about why the mass reinspection was needed, saying the reasons go back to before he took office in 2025. However, the State Tax Commission has told the county that current property assessments are too low.

Assessors will first knock on the door when they arrive at a home. They’ll then take photos around the residence, updating new features as needed. Assessors only observe the outside of a home.

The process used in the past by the Cole County Assessor’s Office was simply going out with a pen and paper, gather information, then head back to the office to put the new information in.

With this new technology, assessors take an iPad out in the field, take their pictures, and enter their data while they are still in the field.

Noah Lara, an assessor in Cole County, said that this new software makes it easier for assessors to gather data and have it back in a timely manner.

“It lets us do most of that work in the field, like editing our sketches, adding photos, confirming our outbuilding data,” Lara said. “It allows us to do all that in one software and then send it off.”

Theroff said that although the first week using the new technology has gone well.

“So for the sake of efficiency, we take the pictures and do all of the data entry in the field, and then we’re able to stay out in the field for all five days and spend more time out, inspecting those properties and feel like it’s a better use of our resources,” said Theroff.

Theroff said that, when it comes to cost, assessors can now spend more days in the field than in the office, so he feels it is a net value.

“For the sake of efficiency and being good stewards of the taxpayers’ money, our field inspectors are able to be out in the field for five days a week instead of three days a week. So we figure it is a net gain,” said Theroff.

Theroff said the cost of the software is around $20,000 annually.

Theroff notes that the assessor’s objective is to accurately value property, and to make sure that everything is fair.

“If properties are valued scientifically, and there’s equity in how close they are to true market value, then that establishes fairness and what people are paying in taxes,” said Theroff.

Lara said that when assessors come to a home, they announce themselves and explain to residents what the process looks like.

“Because a lot of people, some people just don’t know what this process is or, you know, they’re first-time owners or, you know, they haven’t seen this in a while. So we just like to put people at ease,” Lara said. “I mean, we’re just out collecting our data. We’re out making sure that we have everything that we need for this assessment cycle. It’s great to interact with the public”

Theroff is cautiously optimistic that this new system will increase the efficiency of field inspectors.

Cole County will send out postcards to residents with updates.

Theroff said that the reassessment process is expected to take seven to eight months, with 25,000 homes to inspect.

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CNN Newsource

By Cindy Von Quednow, Aaron Cooper, CNN

(CNN) — Two people are dead after a military helicopter crashed in a field in Salado, Texas, on Wednesday afternoon, a sheriff’s official said.

The Apache helicopter from Fort Hood military installation crashed around 1:35 p.m. local time, and the two pilots on board were confirmed dead, according to Cliff Coleman, a spokesman for the Bell County Sheriff’s Office.

Crews responded to a large, uncontrolled wildfire sparked by the crash, and evacuations were in place, Coleman said.

The helicopter did not hit any structures or people, Coleman said.

“It crashed into a field, and you could tell it was a violent crash,” he added.

The AH-64 Apache attack helicopter was based at Fort Hood, the installation said in a statement. Local emergency responders, military personnel and law enforcement were on scene.

“Our immediate priority is securing the site and supporting the initial response efforts,” Brig. Gen. Ethan Diven, acting commanding general, said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with the crew and their families as we await further information.”

It was unclear where the helicopter was coming from or where it was headed.

The AH-64 Apache is an attack helicopter with seats for two crew members: the pilot in the rear of the aircraft and the co-pilot and gunner in the front, according to the US Army.

The four-bladed helicopter can carry 16 Hellfire missiles, 76 aerial rockets and 1,200 rounds for its 30 mm gun.

Apaches have been upgraded and modernized since the aircraft was first introduced in 1984, and they are slated to keep flying until 2050.

“It is highly mobile, lethal, and can destroy armor, personnel, and materiel targets in obscured battlefield conditions at ranges out to 8 kms (5 miles),” the Army said on its website. “With the addition of improved situational awareness, flight performance, and joint interoperability, the AH-64E has become the most advanced aerial fighting vehicle in the world.”

This story has been updated with additional information.

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The University of Missouri Provost announced in a Tuesday email that the fall 2026 semester will not have a “Reading Day.”

The day – also known as “Stop Day” by students and alumni – was debated on being cut for the upcoming fall semester after because Veterans Day falls on a Wednesday. Gov. Mike Kehoe last year signed a law that gives UM workers Veterans Day as a paid holiday.

The university is required to have 29 academic days scheduled for Tuesday/Thursday classes and 43 for Monday, Wednesday and Friday classes, according to previous reporting.

Stop Day is typically scheduled with the intent of students having an extra day to study for their final exams.

Finals week for the fall semester lasts Dec. 14-18. Previous reporting shows the change would not affect Stop Day in the spring semester.

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