Author: KMIZ

Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Cases of cyclosporiasis continue to climb in Missouri, with health officials confirming Wednesday that the Show-Me state is among 15 affected states included in the nationwide outbreak linked to lettuce from central Mexico.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Missouri has reported the third-highest number of illnesses in the country, with 568 cases. The CDC said that figure includes people who were exposed through recalled Taylor Farms de Mexico lettuce or at Taco Bell locations, as well as people who traveled to Missouri before becoming ill.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has reported 1,095 confirmed cases statewide as Sunday, an increase of nearly double the previous week’s total. In Boone County alone,  Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services says 96 cases have been reported as of Wednesday. 

Columbia resident Chris Sonksen was one of those reported cases. 

Sonksen told ABC 17 News that he purchased romaine lettuce from the Walmart on West Broadway about three weeks ago. A few days later, he began experiencing symptoms.

“I started getting symptoms about two days after I ate romaine lettuce and I didn’t have the explosive diarrhea like everybody was talking about. My symptoms were very mild, but I did have diarrhea for about three weeks,” Sonksen said. “Then finally I went to the doctor and they did a stool sample and they did confirm today that it was cyclosporiasis.”

While Sonksen’s illness was relatively mild, he said the symptoms persisted long enough that he eventually sought medical treatment.

“I did hear where people got hospitalized, for up to 10 days for it. I did not have that. I just had the diarrhea part of it and really didn’t have a whole lot of other symptoms. The reason why I went to the doctor the other day was because it was just lingering. It comes in waves. It’ll quit for a couple of days and then it comes back again and then it quit and, I knew I needed to get some antibiotics for it,” Sonksen said. 

The experience has also changed the way he shops for produce. Before contracting cyclosporiasis, Sonksen said he was trying to avoid iceberg lettuce. Now he says he is leery of buying lettuce altogether. 

“It does kind of make me hesitant to buy I know it has the last few weeks for sure. Even going forward, I’m still a little hesitant about it. Especially since this happened to me,” he said. “They keep reporting that it was only the iceberg lettuce and I had the romaine and got it.”

The outbreak has also turned deadly nationally. Michigan health officials announced Monday that two people died after contracting cyclosporiasis, marking the first deaths associated with this year’s outbreak. According to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, both individuals had “significant underlying health conditions that may have been impacted by cyclosporiasis and dehydration.”

The CDC is advising consumers not to eat recalled iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico, including Marketside-brand products sold at Walmart, because the lettuce may be contaminated with the parasite. The recall includes more than 30 chopped salad and shredded lettuce products sold under multiple brand names. 

The FDA is advising consumers to throw away any recalled products or return them to the store where they were purchased.

According to the CDC, symptoms of cyclosporiasis typically begin about a week after consuming contaminated food and commonly include frequent watery diarrhea, loss of appetite, weight loss, stomach cramps, bloating, nausea, fatigue and, in some cases, vomiting or a low-grade fever. Without treatment, symptoms can last for weeks or even months.

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Demetra Alarcon

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Voters in Jefferson City approved Proposition 1, a capital improvement sales tax, during Tuesday’s election.

The sales tax won with 75% of the vote and will be renewable in 2036. This half-cent sales tax was first introduced to Jefferson City in 1986 and has been approved every time it has appeared on the ballot.

According to Improve Jeff City, “Sales Tax I will continue to fund critical projects and improvements in the following categories. The sales tax is estimated to generate approximately $79 million over 10 years.”

The estimated $79 million will be split into five categories, with each category receiving a different percentage of the money:

Public works: 59%

Public safety: 20%

Parks and recreation: 10%

Contingency: 9%

Technology: 2%

Improve Jeff City provides a link to YouTube videos detailing these plans. The half-cent sales tax was last approved in August 2021. The newly approved version will last 10 years.

Brad Bates, co-chair for the proposition, said the tax lasting a decade will allow for the city to plan bigger projects.

“That gives the city the option to help plan more and look at bigger projects more down the road. So it’s very beneficial to the community,” Bates said.

Bates said this sales tax has funded major projects,

“You look at the Edgewood extension was funded by this half-cent sales tax, The overpass over Lafayette Street or the federal courthouse was built, was funded through this project. So it’s very beneficial to the community,” Bates said.

A future priority project is the High Street Viaduct, which Bates said is a top priority,

“I would think at the very top, the High Street viaduct has some real structural issues that they that needs to be addressed rather quickly. So I think that’ll probably be the first thing that they tackle.” Said Bates.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The man found guilty of causing the 1993 Missouri flood was given parole during a hearing last week

James Robert Scott, 58, was found guilty decades ago of causing a catastrophe. He is being held at Jefferson City Correctional Center. He was sentenced to life in prison on July 6, 1998.

According to Adam Pitluk, who is a friend of Scott’s and attended the private hearing, Scott has a release date scheduled for July 6, 2028.

Scott’s lawyer James Wyrsch said his team is researching options to work on a possible earlier release.

Scott was accused of causing the West Quincy levee to fail. Scott spoke with ABC 17 News in 2018, where he again denied the accusation.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

After Tuesday’s primary election, heads turn toward November.

An amendment challenging the state’s abortion rules, known as Amendment 3, will be on the Nov. 3 ballot. If passed, Amendment 3 would reinstate an abortion ban statewide.

Multiple contributions have been made this week that triggered the 48-hour reporting window for the Missouri Ethics Commission, which occurs when contributions exceed $5,000.

Former New York Mayor and media mogul Michael Bloomberg contributed $1.25 million on Monday to “Stop The Ban,” a committee that opposes Amendment 3. Before Bloomberg’s donation, the group raised nearly $5 million this election cycle and had $3.65 million on hand, as of the Missouri Ethics Commission report it filed on July 15.

Bloomberg’s donation was posted by the MEC on Wednesday.

Additionally, the Health Forward Foundation out of Kansas City contributed $100,000 on Monday and Ross Boucher, of San Francisco, California, gave $50,000. Both donations were posted on Tuesday.

Political Action Committee “Her Health, Her Future” – which supports Amendment 3’s passage and has Missouri first lady Claudia Kehoe as its treasurer – had raised nearly $1 million, according to its July 15 MEC report. The group had nearly $800,000 on-hand, according to the report.

The conservative PAC had two donations that met the 48-hour reporting threshold after the July 15 report. Conservative Solutions for Missouri PAC, of Clayton, contributed $15,000 on July 23, while Columbian Charities of Missouri Inc., of O’Fallon, gave $25,000 on July 28.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Two people were charged on Tuesday after they were accused of stealing $1,600 from a pair of cash collector machines at a northeast Columbia car wash on Monday.

Todd Harget, 37, of Edgar Springs, and Sierra Claxton, 30, of Joplin, were each charged with two counts of organized retail theft and two counts of first-degree property damage. They are both being held at the Boone County Jail, with Harget having a $40,000 bond and Claxton having a $25,000 bond. Initial court appearances were held on Wednesday.

The probable cause statements say Claxton drove a Jeep to Lighthouse Car wash on Clark Lane with Harget in the vehicle. The Jeep was allegedly used in a previous burglary at the same location on July 22, court documents say.

Harget was allegedly seen on video using a crowbar on two cash collectors, causing about $6,000 worth of damage and taking $1,600 in cash.

Another probable cause statement for the July 22 incident states Harget caused roughly $7,000 in damage to cash collecting machines and netted $1,100 in cash.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The City of Columbia is holding a news conference on the results of the vote on Proposition 1 — a 1-cent sales tax for public safety that passed with 85 votes on Tuesday.

The final total won’t be certified until next week.

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Melissa Houston

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Cole County Jail is holding 14 inmates who have been court-ordered for psychiatric care, but officials are saying they do not have enough facility resources to provide mental health care to inmates.

In a Facebook post by Cole County Sheriff John Wheeler, the Cole County Jail has 160 inmates, and 14 of them have been found incompetent to stand trial. Two of the 14 have been determined permanently incompetent.

Wheeler said that one inmate has been waiting since March 19, 2025, and another since April 19, 2025.

Those inmates have been court-ordered to a Missouri Department of Mental Health facility. However, there is a shortage of psychiatric beds, so those inmates are still located in the Cole County Jail, waiting for a spot in a facility.

Emily Loesch with the Missouri Department of Mental Health said that statewide 560 people are waiting for admission into the DMH. Of those 560 people, 132 are on bond in the community.

Loesch said the average wait time for admission is approximately 14 months.

Wheeler said that the Department of Mental Health provides counseling services to the inmates, but the facility is not staffed or equipped to deliver extensive care to the inmates.

“Our facility is not designed or staffed to provide the level of psychiatric care these individuals require. As a result, several continue to decompensate while awaiting placement in an appropriate treatment facility. Their care requires extensive staff time, specialized attention, and additional resources, placing an even greater burden on an already overextended workforce,” wrote Wheeler in the Facebook post.

Because the jail is operating beyond capacity, Cole County is paying to send 26 additional inmates to outside facilities, which is about $1,300 per day or $39,000 per month.

Wheeler said that those inmates weren’t sent to various counties like Moniteau, Callaway, and Osage. But, to send inmates to stay in these seperate counties it costs Cole County everyday.

“Those organizations charge me so they don’t hold them for free. So, on average, it’s about $50 a day per inmate,” said Wheeler.

As of last year, Wheeler spent around $452,000 to house inmates. He said based on the trends he is seeing this year is looking to cost roughly $502,000 for inmate housing.

“Cole County taxpayers are bearing the financial burden of these delays,” wrote Wheeler.

Wheeler said it is possible to expand the Cole County jail but that would cost more money that they do have.

“I do have an area in my facility that I can build out. Another 160 beds  is what we need to do, but that’s going to cost about $38 million and we’re going to have to go back to the citizens for sales tax to be able to build that out. “

Cole County judges have done their legal duties by issuing the commitment orders, and Wheeler wrote that the issues are not with them.

“The challenge is not with the courts — it is with the lack of available placement and timely action by the Department of Mental Health,” wrote Wheeler.

Wheeler also says that if the 14 inmates waiting to be sent to a Mental Health facility were transferred, that “would significantly reduce costs to Cole County taxpayers.”

The issues for the jail go beyond overcrowding and costs, according to Wheeler. He says it is important to ensure inmates receive timely treatment in places with the resources to meet their needs.

Wheeler said that there are two solutions: first, for the State of Missouri to add more beds for psychiatric care. And second, for the state to pay the jail for the time frame inmates are in jail after they are committed.

Loesch said the DMH is not able to make any further comment on this matter because of pending litigation.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Two people suffered serious injuries in a Chariton County crash Tuesday afternoon.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, an 18-year-old Salisbury woman was driving a 2023 Kia Forte eastbound on Highway 24 when she hit the back of a 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by a 65-year-old Salisbury woman at 5:17 p.m. Tuesday.

The 18-year-old woman then went into the path of an oncoming 2019 Dodge Caravan driven by a 55-year-old Moberly woman, hitting each other head-on.

The 18-year-old Salisbury woman and the 55-year-old Moberly woman suffered serious injuries. The Moberly woman was flown to University Hospital. The 18-year-old Salisbury woman was taken to University Hospital by Chariton County ambulance.

Both the 55-year-old Moberly woman and the 65-year-old Salisbury woman were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash. The youngest woman was not, according to online crash reports.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The group People Not Politicians held a news conference Wednesday morning to respond to the Secretary of State’s decision not to place Missouri’s congressional map on the November ballot, and to talk strategy on the court case challenging the secretary’s decision.

Secretary of State Denny Hoskins said Tuesday that a citizen-led referendum challenging a Republican-friendly map passed by the state legislature is “insufficient.” Hoskins called the referendum on the map “insufficient” because it is unconstitutional, based on court rulings and the Missouri Attorney General’s opinion.

“Federal law makes clear that the Missouri Constitution cannot be interpreted to strip the General Assembly of its authority over redistricting absent a clear statement,” Attorney General Catherine Hanaway wrote.

Hoskins agreed with Hanway, maintaining the Missouri Constitution doesn’t allow a challenge to a congressional map.

Hoskins announced at a news conference in Jefferson City about an hour before his deadline to certify the petition challenging the “Missouri First” congressional map.

People Not Politicians were prepared for Hoskins to call the referendum unconstitutional, and quickly filed a lawsuit to challenge the decision, claiming the petition is sufficient.

The lawsuit argues “Hoskins did not identify the number of signatures gathered as a reason for deeming the Referendum insufficient.” It also says Hoskins’ claim “the Missouri and U.S. Constitutions prohibit subjecting a redistricting bill to the referendum” is incorrect.

People Not Politicians attorney Chuck Hatfield argues Missouri law allows citizen referendums on any act of the legislature except laws crafted for immediate public peace, health or safety, or certain appropriations laws. He said the referendum on the 2025 congressional map doesn’t fall into either of those categories.

“The constitution the people voted for specifically preserves to them the power to reject the act of the General Assembly. It is not within the secretary’s right to take that away. It is reserved in the constitution,” Hatfield said.

People Not Politicians executive director Richard von Glahn said he’s expecting a Cole County judge to make their court case a priority, since the last day to add the referendum to the November ballot is Sept. 8.

“I think the case is required to be moved to the top of the docket, and we’re ready to go. And look, if the state feels confident in their legal argument, they should be ready to go,” von Glahn said.

Back in December, a federal judge ruled that Hoskins could declare the referendum unconstitutional, but many people are wondering why Hoskins waited until the last day to decide.

An ABC 17 News reporter asked Hoskins that question after he announced his decision. The secretary said he doing his due diligence as a public official.

“I would say that we’ve done some further research, we have an attorney general opinion now that also confirms my belief that it is unconstitutional, and so we wanted to let this process play out,” Hoskins said.

If Hoskins decides to certify the referendum, it would freeze the 2025 map, and Missouri would go back to the previous map passed in 2022. What this means for the August and November elections isn’t clear and would likely need to be determined in court.

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Matthew Sanders

The August primary election is over. But did it go the way you thought it would?

Two big ballot issues drove heavy turnout in Mid-Missouri — Amendments 4 and 5. And in both cases, the issue went down in flames. That definitely wasn’t the outcome everyone was expecting.

Meanwhile, a public safety sales tax in Columbia barely squeaked by, and a capital improvement tax extension won easily in Jefferson City.

Did the Election Day results surprise you? Let us know by voting in the poll.

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