Author: KMIZ

Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia City Council unanimously passed a resolution on Monday that would affirm the city’s compliance with federal nondiscrimination laws tied to grant funding and pledging legal protection for city officials who file related documents.

The resolution comes after threats from the federal government about the city’s Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.  The resolution commits to defending and compensating officials from lawsuits or claims, such as the False Claims Act, stemming from their official duties, as long as they act within the scope of their role.

Despite the city council passing that resolution unanimously, there were some concerns raised by residents who felt that the resolution was an acknowledgment that the city may have been breaking federal rules. Ward 1 councilwoman Valerie Carroll also questioned some of the language, saying that the wording of parts of the resolution was drawing unnecessary attention to the city. 

However, the city views this as not only a protection for city staff when applying for grants but also for people in the community who rely on that funding.

The City of Columbia has received several grants from the federal government, which asked the city to file certificates stating that it is complying with all federal regulations and executive orders relating to non-discrimination and equal employment opportunities.

ResolutionDownload

Columbia may potentially be in violation of the federal antidiscrimination laws. 

On April 24, the U.S. Secretary of Transportation sent a letter to all recipients of Department of Transportation funding — including Columbia — warning that any policy, program or activity involving “discriminatory policies or practices designed to achieve so-called ‘diversity, equity, and inclusion,’ or ‘DEI,’ goals presumptively violates federal law.”

The letter goes on to say: 

“Recipients of DOT financial assistance must ensure that the personnel practices (including hiring, promotions, and terminations) within their organizations are merit-based and do not discriminate based on prohibited categories. Recipients are also precluded from allocating money received under DOT awards-such as through contracts or the provision of other benefits based on suspect classifications. Any discriminatory actions in your policies, programs, and activities based on prohibited categories constitute a clear violation of Federal law and the terms of your grant agreements.” 

US DOT – Letter to Grant RecipientsDownload

In light of possible enforcement actions against both grant recipients and officials responsible for filing certifications, the city is seeking to shield those employees. The resolution states Columbia will defend and indemnify city officials from legal claims stemming from their official duties related to federal grant compliance.

The city earlier this month tabled an item that would have removed DEI language following pushback from community members.

The city wrote in its council memo for the May 5 meeting that the proposed changes to its vision, mission, core values, priority areas and goal statements in its strategic plan are to comply with an executive order from President Donald Trump on Jan. 21 that targets the language used.

Click here to follow the original article.

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The University of Missouri Board of Curators on Monday approved a 5% tuition increase for next school year, according to a press release from the university.

The release says undergraduate tuition at all four UM universities will rise 5%, which equates to a roughly $20-$25 increase per credit hour depending on the university. Graduate and professional tuition increases will range from 3-5%

Documents show ungraduated tuition at the Columbia campus will increase by $22.75 per credit hour, while Missouri S&T in Rolla will go up $22.60, UMKC will go up $19.55 and UMSL will see a $25 increase per credit hour.

2025.05.19-20 Board of Curators Retreat Meeting BookDownload

Click here to follow the original article.

Haley Swaino

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Road rage led to a deadly shooting at the McDonald’s on Nifong Boulevard in south Columbia on Sunday afternoon, Office of Violence Prevention administrator D’Markus Thomas-Brown said Monday.

“It was two individuals, not interpersonal, traffic signal parking lot discussion, an altercation, and then followed across the street at McDonald’s to the individual getting shot and killed, and another individual being shot,” Thomas-Brown, who works with the City of Columbia, said. “And so, just road rage that lends itself to a lost life.”

Derek Gonzalez, 32, of Columbia, died at a hospital after he was shot. A second victim was also taken to a hospital with gunshot wounds.

“We have two people who were legal gun owners, and it was just a lack of being able to de-escalate an argument and a situation,” Thomas-Brown said.

Police have not released details about what led up to the shooting. Columbia Police Department Assistant Chief Paul Dickinson said Monday that police were not ready to talk about a possible motive.

Thomas-Brown said incidents like these are largely due to untreated mental health issues.

“For someone to be in fight or flight over a parking spot or a traffic signal is signs of untreated trauma,” Thomas-Brown said. “And that’s what we [the Office of Violence Prevention] hope to be on the front side of, is being able to help people identify their untreated trauma. So it’s not acting out in a situation like this.”

He said if a person is being followed by someone they suspect has road rage, they should drive to a police station.

“Don’t pull over into a parking lot, go to the police station and have them approach you there just because untreated mental health, hyper vigilance, different things like that,” Thomas-Brown said. “We don’t know what individuals would do if they have a perceived altercation.”

The restaurant was closed Sunday after the shooting but reopened on Monday morning.

Thomas-Brown said Columbia residents should not feel unsafe because this was another isolated incident. However, he acknowledged that crossfire is a danger.

“Those are two individuals who had an altercation,” Thomas-Brown said. “A lot of the shootings in Columbia are, ones that have happened as of late, have been isolated events. Crossfire is always a real thing, bullets don’t have names on them, but as far as just the general population, there’s not a lot of danger due to them.”

The shooting happened at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

A person was detained at the scene but was released from custody without charges.

A marketing company representing the local McDonald’s franchise said Monday that it would release a statement about the shooting soon.

Click here to follow the original article.

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Florissant man was charged with two felonies after he allegedly crashed a boat while he was drunk on Saturday and left the scene.

Joseph Crabtree, 41, was charged with leaving the scene of an accident and boating while intoxicated. He bonded out of the Camden County Jail at 7:15 p.m. Saturday and has an initial court appearance scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, June 24.   

The probable cause statement says the crash occurred in Osage Beach after a pontoon boat hit two other boats at a dock. The driver of that boat left the scene and one person suffered an injury to their foot, the statement says. Law enforcement viewed video of the crash, which allegedly showed the driver of the boat pulling away after crashing, the statement says.

Troopers checked the registration and learned it was a rental. They went to the business where it was going to be returned and spoke with Crabtree, who allegedly said he was at the site of the crash but claimed no crash occurred, the statement says. Crabtree allegedly showed signs of intoxication and gave a sample of his breath, which determined his blood alcohol level was .147, the statement says. Crabtree allegedly stated that he drank for multiple hours that day and used marijuana, the statement says.

Click here to follow the original article.

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A woman accused of pulling a knife on someone while ransacking a convenient store on Friday has been charged with multiple felonies.

Diranda Matress Thompson, 33, of Columbia, was charged with first-degree burglary, first-degree making a terroristic threat, unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action. She is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. A hearing was held on Monday afternoon.

According to the probable cause statement, police were called to the Phillips 66 on Range Line Street after a caller claimed a woman was destroying the store and pulled out a knife on an employee. Police saw “numerous display shelves” on the ground and “food items across the floor throughout the store,” court documents say.

One of the victims allegedly told police that a woman got into a fight with a man and was told to leave by an employee, the statement says. Thompson allegedly yelled back at the employee and started tearing down display shelves, the statement says. She also allegedly threw food at an employee before pulling a knife out on another.

Another person allegedly heard Thompson threaten people in the store, the statement says. Thompson drove away, but police found her at a BreakTime on Paris Road, court documents say.

The store provided police with video that allegedly backed up what was described by employees, the statement says.

Thompson allegedly told police that she “left the store without issue,” and pulled out a knife after she was followed, the statement says.

Click here to follow the original article.

Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Gov. Mike Kehoe’s office requested a federal emergency declaration Monday after storms ripped through Missouri last week, killing seven people.

Five people died in St. Louis and two in southeast Missouri’s Scott County when tornadoes hit Friday. Experts who surveyed the area say the St. Louis twister showed damage consistent with an EF-3 tornado, which packs winds of up to 165 mph.

Kehoe’s office said on Monday that the governor has asked President Donald Trump to issue a federal emergency declaration for the storm response, which would authorize federal assistance and up to $5 million for storm response and debris removal.

Kehoe also asked FEMA to help with a preliminary damage assessment in St. Louis, St. Louis County and Cape Girardeau, Iron, New Madrid, Scott, Stoddard and Wayne counties in southeast Missouri.

Six teams are set to survey damage on Wednesday to see if individual assistance will be made available from FEMA.

Missouri has created a website with information about disaster recovery to assist storm victims.

Click here to follow the original article.

Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia City Council will discuss a resolution to protect city officials when engaging in duties related to federal grants and contracts in Monday night’s meeting, addressing key pieces regarding the city’s compliance with government-wide requirements.

This resolution would protect the City Manager or designees from liability when it comes to performing their duties related to federal contracts and grants.

According to the meeting agenda, city officials are required to file “assurances and certifications” when a city is a part of a federal grant and contract. This means that the city will need to comply with government-wide requirements, such as Executive Order 14151.

Under this order, the city will reaffirm that it “will not engage in any unlawful discriminatory actions based on race, color, national origin, sex, or religion in its policies, programs, or activities. In addition, there is a reaffirmation that the City will ensure its personnel policies and practices are merit-based and do not discriminate.”

This comes after a city council meeting earlier in May, where they were set to discuss the language change to the city’s strategic plan regarding diversity, equity and inclusion, was tabled. That discussion will be tabled until June 16.

Monday’s city council meeting will be at 7 p.m. at Columbia City Hall.

Click here to follow the original article.

Matthew Sanders

Israel launched its newest ground operation, “Gideon’s Chariots,” over the weekend in Gaza.

The start of the attack was bloody, with scores killed on the first night. Reports on the ground say many of the dead are women and children.

Israel and Hamas started indirect talks over the weekend, as well, but they didn’t appear to hold much promise.

The war in Gaza has killed thousands of civilians, and observers are warning that the new operation could lead to many more deaths through an aid crisis and military action. Meanwhile, Israeli leaders have suggested support for President Donald Trump’s suggestion of emptying the enclave of its Palestinian residents.

Do you think Israel should intensify its war? Vote in the poll to let us know your opinion.

Click here to follow the original article.

Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri Task Force One returned to Columbia on Sunday afternoon following a two-day deployment to north St. Louis Friday in response to deadly storms.

The 88-member emergency response team was sent to assist with recovery efforts after severe weather caused widespread damage across parts of the city. Team members were stationed in impacted zones and at a designated St. Louis Fire Department staging area to help coordinate recovery operations.

According to Cathryn Shaw, Executive Director of All Among Us, a nonprofit that serves women and families in need, several neighborhoods in north St. Louis were left uninhabitable.

“I think we have a couple neighborhoods here that the majority of the homes in these neighborhood are going to be condemned,” she said.

An ABC 17 News reporter saw extensive destruction in both north St. Louis and the Central West End, including homes leveled, trees uprooted, and power lines barely intact.

“These people have lived in their homes for over 50 years and their roofs are gone. You know, their yards that they have built these beautiful like sitting areas and areas to welcome their family. It’s gone,” Shaw added.

Shaw, whose organization typically provides groceries and basic essentials, said the scope of this disaster has shifted the city’s needs dramatically. Shaw emphasized the urgent need for outside assistance.

“Well (they need) money. They need volunteers to come down. They certainly need tree removal,” Shaw said. “They need counselors. They need people to come just to sit with people and talk and listen to them and let them process their trauma.”

Missouri Task Force One members utilized technology such as drones to assess the damage from above, with three to four drones deployed to map and monitor the affected areas.

One member described the storm’s impact as particularly severe due to the dense population of the areas hit. Many neighborhoods remained without power Sunday, while others have only limited service restored.

Despite the devastation, Shaw said the response from residents, first responders, and volunteers has been nothing short of inspiring.

“Yesterday, what was so rewarding was to see everybody in St. Louis who literally had cooked all night to be on the street at six o’clock yesterday morning serving hot meals to people and not just the volunteers, but all the pole in the community,” Shaw said. “They could get a hot meal. Every third block had a hot meal going on. It was really inspiring and humbling to see yesterday… to see the city of St. Louis coming together.”

Click here to follow the original article.

Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 32-year-old man has died after he was shot near the McDonald’s on Nifong Blvd. in south Columbia Sunday afternoon.

The Columbia Police Department announced that Derek Gonzalez, 32, of Columbia, died at a local hospital after he was shot on Sunday in the 500 block of East Nifong Blvd.

Police said in a news release that officers found two people shot and both were taken to a hospital.

A CPD police officer on scene told ABC 17 News a man and a woman were shot. Police said the woman suffered serious injuries but is now in stable condition.

A person was detained at the scene but was released from custody without charges.

According to a social media post from CPD, there are no outstanding suspects.

An ABC 17 News reporter saw at least 10 Columbia Police Department vehicles, three Boone County Sheriff’s Office vehicles and several ambulances around 12:50 p.m. in the McDonald’s parking lot on Nifong Blvd.

Several evidence markers were also seen in the parking lot of the McDonald’s.

Check back for updates to this developing story.

Click here to follow the original article.