Author: KMIZ

Demetra Alarcon

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A business owner claims ongoing construction on the St. Charles Road Bridge on Interstate 70 has caused customer traffic at a coffee shop to drop by 80%, prompting to ask the community for help on Facebook to keep their doors open.

As part of the Improve I-70 Project, the St. Charles Road Bridge has been under construction since mid-April.

Monday morning, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the St. Charles Road bridge to celebrate the near completion of the bridge.

The bridge is expected to open for cars on Friday, Aug. 15, and will open to pedestrians when construction on the sidewalk is complete.

A business, Just Love Coffee Cafe shared on its social media on July 31 that it began running into issues when construction started in April.

Billy Watkins, owner of Just Love Coffee Cafe, said that the decision to post on social media stemmed from barely being able to pay the bills.

“It just comes down to numbers, you know, barely being able to to pay the bills. My family here as a mom and pop shop. We don’t have any more funds to put into this business. So at that point where our backs are against the wall because we can barely pay the employees,” Watkins said.

The post claims that since construction started, there has been an 80% drop in customer traffic at their east side location during what should be one of their busiest seasons.

“Unfortunately, significant prolonged road construction and I-70 overpass/bridge closures have severely impacted access to our cafes, resulting in a dramatic 80% drop in customer traffic at our east side location during what should be one of our busiest seasons for I-70 travelers, summer. We’re not asking for sympathy—we’re asking for support,” the post says.

A Columbia resident, Matt Frappier, created a GoFundMe for the coffee shop, saying that they were deeply worried about the business. The GoFundMe has received $950 in donations out of its $11k goal.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Results from Boone County’s elections were certified on Monday, County Clerk Brianna Lennon announced.

An email from Lennon shows 55 provisional ballots were accepted and counted, 18 ballots that “could not be counted by the tabulator at the polling place,” were accepted and counted and two military/overseas ballots were accepted and counted.

Those military and overseas voted had to arrive by noon Friday.

Election Night results had indicated Columbia’s Proposition 1 – a 1% sales tax that is going to public safety resources – passed by an 85-vote margin. After the certification, “no” votes gained an extra vote and “yes” passed by an 84-vote margin.

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Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the June death of an electrician who died while working on the University of Missouri’s Memorial Stadium renovation project.

Corey Sooter, 44, died on June 10 after working at Memorial Stadium on June 5. He was a foreman for BK2 Electrical and Design and was an electrical contractor working on the project.

Records obtained by ABC 17 News from the Columbia Fire Department show first responders were dispatched at 9:05 a.m. and arrived at Faurot Field five minutes later, where they met with University of Missouri medics who were treating Sooter.

According to the incident report, firefighters used a hot stick to check the electrical wiring and determined it was still energized. CFD listed the incident type as electrocution. 

An OSHA inspection of BK2 Electrical & Design opened June 11, according to the agency’s inspection records, and remains ongoing.

“The University of Missouri community is deeply saddened by the passing of Corey Sooter. Our thoughts and prayers are with Corey’s family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time,” an MU spokesperson told ABC 17 News in a statement. “The university will comply with OSHA as it continues to investigate.”

Sooter was married and had a son and three daughters. The Holts Summit native worked as an electrician for several companies before joining BK2 Electrical & Design, where he served as a foreman. His obituary states he completed the IBEW Local 257 apprenticeship program after attending the Columbia Area Career Center.

In a June 13 Facebook post, BK2 Electrical & Design remembered Sooter as a leader and mentor who made a lasting impact on his coworkers.

“He led by example, worked with integrity, and genuinely cared about the people around him. Whether on the jobsite, with his family, or among friends, Corey had a way of making people feel valued, respected, and appreciated,” the company wrote in the post. “His laugh was contagious, his presence was genuine, and his heart for others was unmistakable. He was always willing to lend a hand, share his knowledge, encourage those around him, and help make others better. The impact he made on our team and in the lives of so many people will not be forgotten.”

Sooter was also an organ donor. According to his obituary, his donation helped save five lives.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Large gaps in academic proficiency persist between student demographic groups at Columbia Public Schools, according to state testing scores from last year.

CPS has struggled for years with what some leaders have called the “achievement gap,” which refers to the disparity in standardized test scores between certain student demographics and their peers. This year’s scores show Black students were nearly 30 percentage points behind the overall student average, despite gains over the last five years.

That dynamic was seen in 2025 scores, as well. During the 2024-2025 school year, Black fourth graders scored 9.4% proficient in math, compared to 19.6% for students overall. The gap grew in fifth grade, at 7.3% and 21.4%, respectively.

The scores are used by state officials to grade schools and make up a major part of the state’s Annual Performance Reports for schools. The state can intervene in schools that show continued poor performance.

Preliminary MAP and EOC – Board PresentationDownload

Overall, the district’s scores were up over 2024-2025 in every subject, according to a presentation being given to the Columbia Board of Education on Monday night. English scores were up 1.8% over last year, while math was up 3.7%, according to the presentation.

English language learners, students on free and reduced-price meals, students on special learning plans and Black and Hispanic students all lagged behind the overall district scores. Most of those categories have remained on an upward trajectory over the past five school years.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Huntsville man was charged on Monday after he allegedly pointed a gun at a woman on Saturday at his residence and refused to let her leave.

Ethan Cruse, 18, was charged with second-degree kidnapping, armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon and third-degree domestic assault.

He pleaded not guilty during an arraignment on Monday and is being held on a no-bond warrant, though his information did not appear in the Randolph County Jail’s online records. A bond hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 17.

The probable cause statement says the victim was at her mother’s residence and Cruse started arguing with her about getting McDonald’s. The pair went into Cruse’s vehicle and Cruse refused to take the victim back to her mother’s residence after she asked during the argument, the statement says.

Cruse allegedly had scratched and torn the victim’s shirt while trying to keep her from leaving the vehicle when they arrived at his residence before the pair went into the home, the statement says. Cruse allegedly pointed a gun at the woman’s head, demanded she not speak to anyone and took her cellphone, the statement says.

Cruse took a shower, which is when the victim hid his gun and messaged a friend for help, the statement says. Cruse allegedly threated to “shoot anyone who attempted to help” the victim, court documents say.

Law enforcement arrived and Cruse shoved the victim while the victim tried to leave and he was looking for his handgun, the statement says. Cruse allegedly then threatened to use an AR-15 or crossbow, court documents allege. He was eventually arrested by deputies.

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Ryan Shiner

Editor’s note: Layton’s middle name has been corrected.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man was charged in Randolph County after he allegedly shot someone during a fight on Saturday.

Jeffery Dale Layton, 41, was charged on Monday with first-degree domestic assault, armed criminal action, illegal gun possession and unlawful use of a weapon.

A no-bond warrant was issued and Layton appeared for an arraignment on Monday by video from the jail, though his information and mugshot were not available in online jail records. Layton pleaded not guilty on Monday and has a hearing scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 17, court filings show.

The probable cause statement says a witness let in the victim, who was locked out of the home on Saturday night. One witness claimed the victim and Layton mutually caused the fight before Layton fired shots, though that witness then claimed Layton started the fight “if she were to guess,” court documents say.

Two teenagers at the residence reported hearing gunshots after leaving the area where the fight occurred, deputies wrote. Layton’s wife allegedly told deputies that the victim started the fight, court documents say.

Law enforcement wrote that shooting occurred in the kitchen of the home and spent shell casings, a bullet and a handgun were found at the scene. The victim had a gunshot wound in their abdomen when deputies arrived and they were brought to an area hospital with serious injuries, the statement says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia woman was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Friday after she pleaded guilty in June to stabbing a man last year.

Brianna Boone pleaded guilty on June 15 to first-degree domestic assault, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon.

Previous reporting shows that Boone allegedly admitted to law enforcement that she tried to kill the man over an argument. The victim had called one of his parents the night of the stabbing to say he was attacked, previous reporting says.

The parent then went to Boone’s residence and saw her on top of the victim with blood all over the floor, court documents in previous reporting say.  

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Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Foodborne illnesses are on the rise, and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services continues to report increasing cases of cyclosporiasis and, recently, salmonella.

Last week, the CDC linked the salmonella outbreak to jalapeños from Coast Citrus Distributors, which come from Sinaloa, Mexico. Following that recall, Chipotle and QDOBA pulled the product from their menu. The CDC and the FDA have cleared the restaurants as safe after reviewing the actions following the recall.

On Monday, the Food and Drug Administration issued recalls for the Spicy Jarlsberg Dip and Spicy Pimento Cheese Dip, both of which are sold at Kroger stores in Missouri. There are three Kroger stores in the state, located in Rolla, Troy and Poplar Bluff. The recall also includes Gerbes, which is run by Kroger.

DHSS reports 539 cases of salmonella in Missouri, and the CDC salmonella tracking map reports that Missouri has seven cases. Nationally, 345 people in 27 states have been affected by the illness.

Columbia/Boone County Health Department spokesperson Austin Krohn said 101 confirmed cyclosporiasis cases have been reported here since the outbreak began.

MU Health Care has treated 100 cases of cyclosporiasis.

“This is probably the largest outbreak in recent memory for cyclosporiasis that we’ve seen,” MU Health Care Dr. Christopher Sampson said.

He said cases have seemed to slow down, especially compared to previous weeks.

Boone County has 19 cases this year of salmonella, Krohn said. In 2025 and 2024, Boone County had 35 cases, and in 2023 there were 42 cases.

State health department data for salmonella cases were not immediately available.

Sampson said the hospital hasn’t treated an abnormal number of salmonella cases, but there are a few patients every couple of months.

“We normally, typically see a few cases every one to two months,” Sampson said. “A lot of those are from farm exposures or undercooked meat.”

Symptoms of salmonella are stomach cramps, watery diarrhea and sometimes bloody stools, Sampson said. Symptoms typically last four to seven days, but go away on their own.

People with severe symptoms, including a high fever or dehydration, should consult with a doctor, Sampson said. The best way to prevent the bacterial infection is through hand washing, especially after touching animals, and thoroughly cooking meat.

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Ellyse Edwards

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 20-year-old man was charged Sunday with two misdemeanors and two felonies for allegedly firing shots in downtown Columbia.

Tavan Williams-Patrick of Columbia was charged with the felonies of armed criminal action and exhibiting a weapon illegally, along with the misdemeanors of fourth-degree assault and illegally firing a gun after shots were fired early Sunday near Ninth and Walnut streets.

According to a probable cause statement, Columbia police officers were working a separate incident near Ninth and Walnut around 1:13 a.m. Sunday when they heard three to four gunshots coming from west of the intersection. The statement says the shots were heard in proximity to several officers.

Officer Saige Wells wrote that he ran toward the area where the shots were heard, near 807 E. Walnut St., about half a city block from where officers had been working.

Wells said he saw about eight people running away from the area. As he ran toward the scene, Wells said he saw Williams-Patrick setting down a firearm on the sidewalk in front of the bar 50 Yard Line.

Williams-Patrick was arrested around 1:17 a.m. and placed in a police vehicle. Wells wrote that other officers at the scene found four spent shell casings and a live round of .40-caliber Smith & Wesson ammunition.

Wells alleges Williams-Patrick was armed with a handgun and fired four rounds near about 30 people on a public sidewalk near an open business.

Wells recommended that Williams-Patrick be denied bond because he has previously been arrested for several violent felonies, many of which involved firearms.

The statement says Williams-Patrick has previously been arrested for second-degree murder, armed criminal action twice and unlawful use of a weapon three times.

In 2022, Boone County prosecutors accused Williams-Patrick, who was 16 at the time, and three other teenagers of taking part in a shooting that killed Doxley on McKee Street.

Prosecutors initially charged Williams-Patrick as an adult with felony counts of second-degree murder, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon in connection with Doxley’s death.

Those charges were dropped last year.

Williams-Patrick appeared in court Monday afternoon, where a judge made no changes to his bond.

He is scheduled to return to court at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 18, for a bond hearing. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Sept. 24.

The shooting also raised concerns among nearby downtown businesses.

Todd Myers, owner of Room 38, told ABC 17 News his employees were working at the restaurant when the shooting happened nearby early Sunday morning. Myers was working a private event off-site at the time and said his employees called him and sent video before locking themselves inside the restaurant.

Myers said the business has had to take similar precautions before when employees or customers do not feel safe outside.

“We don’t want anybody going out in that mix until they feel safe, that they can leave,” Myers said. “A lot of our folks walk home or walk to their apartments.”

Myers said safety concerns can affect businesses throughout downtown because customers need to feel comfortable walking to their cars, homes, parking garages, or other businesses at night. He said he believes some people are already avoiding certain parts of downtown because of concerns about encountering trouble or crime.

Meyers said he wants the city and police to work more closely with local businesses and develop plans to address safety issues that affect surrounding businesses.

“It has to be actionable. It has to be actual action,” Meyers said. “We have to see results because we’re only seeing negative results at this point.”

Despite his concerns, Meyers said he wants people to continue coming downtown and enjoying the area, especially as Mizzou football season approaches.

ABC 17 News reached out to Boone County Prosecuting Attorney Roger Johnson for an interview Monday. Johnson said he did not have time to meet Monday.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Department of Transportation is set to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday morning for the St. Charles Road bridge over I-70 in Columbia.

The ribbon-cutting will begin at 10:30 a.m. on the St. Charles Road bridge. Guests are encouraged to park at the shopping center on the north side of the bridge and walk to the ceremony. MoDOT staff will help guests cross the bridge safely.

According to a press release, the new bridge is not anticipated to open immediately after the ceremony but is on track to open ahead of schedule. An estimated date for when drivers can use the bridge is Aug 14, according to previous reporting.

The East St. Charles Road bridge has been under construction since mid-April and was expected to open back in late September.

The original bridge was built in 1957 and was not wide enough to accommodate the Improve I-70 Project, which will expand the interstate to three lanes in each direction.

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