Author: KMIZ

Haley Swaino

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Snowy weather conditions caused multiple MU Health Care and Jefferson City Medical Group locations to close on Sunday.

The ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather team expects snowfall to taper off Sunday afternoon after overnight snow accumulations left about 5 inches in Columbia and 5 to 7 inches in the capital city.

MU Health Care closed three Quick Care locations Sunday:

Conley Road in Columbia

Nifong Boulevard in Columbia

West Truman Boulevard in Jefferson City

The West Broadway location in Columbia will also close at noon, making all Quick Care locations across Mid-Missouri closed for the remainder of the weekend, according to MU Health Care spokesman Eric Maze.

All Urgent Care locations will be open.

The Jefferson City Medical Group closed its Express Care clinics on Sunday due to the weather, according to a group spokesperson.

All three locations were closed:

Express Care of JCMG Elm Court

Express Care of JCMG Fulton

Express Care of JCMG Stadium

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Snow picked back up Sunday morning, adding at least one to two inches to already snow-packed roads.

Columbia got about 5 inches of snow accumulation, and Jefferson City saw 5 to 7 inches in some areas, according to the ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather Team.

Before the brunt of the snowfall, Boone County Joint Communications reported several crashes on Saturday evening, including on major roads like Rangeline Road, Providence Road, Highway 63 and the Interstate 70 connector.

According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol post on X, by 8 a.m. Sunday, troopers reported:

858 calls for service

143 stranded drivers

144 non-injury crashes

23 injury crashes

One deadly crash (non-weather related)

MSHP said yellow crime scene tape left on crashed or abandoned cars means the wreck has been checked by law enforcement.

MoDOT Central District urged travelers to avoid travel if possible to give MoDOT snowplow crews room to work. The MoDot Traveler map also reported major roads like Highway 63, Route 50 and I-70 covered around 5 a.m. Sunday.

For drivers who do get out and about Sunday, AAA recommends checking tires are properly inflated, keeping at least half a tank of fuel in your vehicle at all times and increasing the following distance to the car in front of you.

If people end up stranded out on the roads, AAA says to stay with the vehicle as it provides temporary shelter and makes it easier for rescuers to locate stranded drivers. Officials also suggest running the engine and heater just long enough to remove the chill in order to conserve gasoline.

Staying warm in the dangerous cold is also extremely important. Use whatever is available to insulate the body from the cold. AAA says it’s best to have an easily-accessible emergency kit packed in the car that includes a blanket. People can also use floor mats or other similar items to stay insulated in an emergency.

The State Emergency Management Agency mentions important items in an emergency car kit include a snow and ice scraper, a shovel, a radio with batteries, bottled water and snacks, a first aid kit, and a cone or bright-colored flag to use in case of being stranded.

Sand, shingles, and cat litter are also recommended materials to use under tires in the event of a car getting stuck in the snow.

Several churches called off Sunday service times. As of 1:30 p.m. Sunday, 15 Mid-Missouri schools will be closed on Monday. Meals on Wheels of Columbia will also not be delivering.

Go COMO transit services have been canceled for Monday, but Go COMO fixed route and Tiger Line services should run normally, according to a Columbia Public Works post.

The department says city bus delays are possible Monday.

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Madison Stuerman

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Greene County jury found the man charged with killing a Hermann police officer guilty Saturday.

The Hermann Police Department shared on Facebook that a jury found Kenneth Simpson guilty of killing Sgt. Mason Griffith and wounding Officer Adam Sullentrup in March 2023.

Bill Miller Jr. from the Missourian, pool camera for media, shared a photo with details that said Simpson was found guilty on all counts. The information said the jury deliberated for about four hours on Saturday.

The trial started on Tuesday in Franklin County after it was moved from Gasconade County, where the shooting happened.

Kenneth Simpson was charged with multiple felonies for killing Griffith and hurting Sullentrup at a Casey’s convenience store in Hermann.

The trial was expected to last three weeks.

ABC 17 News has reached out to the Attorney General’s office, along with Simpson’s public defender.

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Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia Public Works snow crews are working to keep roads clear as a snowstorm coats downtown roads, making travel difficult Saturday.

The snow stalled for a few hours, but picked back up Saturday evening. The ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather team expects snowfall to pick up during the night and taper off Sunday afternoon.

Columbia’s snow crews are made up of 28 people who are working 12-hour shifts until the weather calms down. Crews will be treating and monitoring the roads potentially through Sunday afternoon.

Engineering and Operations Manager of Columbia Public Works, Richard Stone said plowing is the main goal because salt is ineffective in temperatures below 15 degrees.

“We can use it (salt) a little bit for traction, and if we overblast an area, it could be effective for a short period of location, so if it’s an intersection we’re trying to address,” Stone said.

Stone said that as snowfall lightens on Sunday, crews will start salting and immediately plowing the roads to avoid refreezing the melted snow.

An ABC 17 News reporter drove around on Saturday afternoon in downtown Columbia and on the University of Missouri Campus. The reporter noted roads with packed snow and car tracks.

Columbia resident Mikiah Hunt said she drove from St. Louis to Columbia on Saturday morning, and the roads looked OK, but she decided to walk with a friend instead of driving around downtown.

“The roads were pretty much good and cleared for the most part, but the north side of town when I was dropping off a friend, was pretty rough,” Hunt said. “That’s why we’re walking, we’re just keeping it tight to where we live.” 

The city also said in a press release that recycling pickup will be canceled for Monday, and the regular schedule will resume Tuesday.

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Nia Hinson

MILLER COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Montreal man was seriously injured in a crash in Miller County early Saturday morning.

According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, the 23-year-old was driving a 2007 Ford F150 south near Forgotten Lane around 2 a.m. The report states the man failed to negotiate a curve– traveled off the right side of the road– overcorrected– and cross the center of the road. The truck then began to skid, the report says.

The truck then slid off the right side of the road and hit a tree.

The man was taken to Lake Regional Hospital with serious injuries. The report states he was not wearing a seatbelt when the crash occurred.

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Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Ameren has canceled its alert asking customers to conserve energy as extreme cold drives up electricity demand across the region.

The cancellation comes after the Midcontinent Independent System Operator– which oversees the Midwest power grid– urged energy companies to reduce usage. Ameren said it is still monitoring conditions and warned customers may be asked to conserve again in the coming days.

Some Ameren customers said they are frustrated by the requests to cut back, especially as energy bills continue to rise.

On Friday, Ameren told ABC 17 News that hundreds of crews are ready to respond if outages happen. The company also said trailers with restoration equipment have already been moved to strategic locations to speed up recovery.

At the same time, Ameren activated demand response programs–agreements some customers previously signed up for that require them to reduce energy use during periods of extremely high demand.

But for some customers, those requests hit a nerve.

Belinda Kitchen has been an Ameren customer for 11 years and is enrolled in the company’s budget billing program, which is intended to spread energy costs evenly throughout the year based on past usage.

She said being asked to cut back during a five-hour window doesn’t add up, especially when she’s already paying a steady monthly bill.

“I think it’s kind of crazy because, one, they have got the rates up, and why should we have to do that? Because, one, we’re trying to keep warm and we’re trying to do the best that we can,” Kitchen said.

During the five-hour energy-saving period, Ameren asked customers to lower their thermostats, wear extra layers, unplug or turn off nonessential appliances, cover windows, and reduce water heater temperatures.

Kitchen said her family has been cutting back for months, but their bills haven’t gone down, leaving her wondering where the money is going.

“In November we had Thanksgiving dinner and the thermostat was set on 69 so we cut it,” Kitchen said. “We had it back on 68 for December, and we didn’t use the stove, and our bill doubled for December.”

Kitchen lives in a three-person household and said her most recent bill was $180 on budget billing, only slightly lower than when she first moved in eleven years ago, when it was around $200.

She said rising rates make it especially difficult for families.

“They need to keep the rates down for low-income people, honestly, and think about all the other people and not think about the almighty dollar,” Kitchen said.

Ameren was not the only utility company that asked customers to conserve. Columbia Water and Light also posted on social media Saturday afternoon urging residents to cut back where they can.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Watch live online newscasts with winter storm updates here.

The first one airs at 3 p.m.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The City of Columbia reminded drivers to move their vehicles that are parked along heavily trafficked roads as snow continued to build up on the ground Saturday evening.

Columbia Public Works wrote in a social media post that a 26-person snow-removal crew reported to work at 7 p.m. and will work overnight on priority routes. The city reminded drivers that vehicles must be removed from first- and second-priority routes or be towed once snow accumulation reaches 2 inches.

The Columbia Regional Airport measured 1.2 inches of snowfall at 6 p.m. Saturday, the National Weather Service reported. Snow continued to fall and was expected to keep falling into Sunday.

Most of Mid-Missouri remained under a winter storm warning until 6 p.m. Sunday.

Roads south of Interstate 70 remained mostly covered in snow after sunset Saturday, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation’s traveler information map. The map showed I-70 itself was partially covered.

Interstate 44 reopened after tractor-trailers jackknife

Interstate 44 eastbound reopened in the St. Robert area in Pulaski County at about 4:30 p.m.

The highway closed several hours earlier, with the Missouri State Highway Patrol saying “multiple” tractor-trailers had jackknifed on the snow-covered road.

State highways south of Interstate 70 were listed as covered in snow on the Missouri Department of Transportation’s traveler information map. Most of Mid-Missouri remained under a winter weather warning Saturday afternoon as snow continued to fall. Temperatures were in the single digits around the area, with negative wind chills.

The ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather Team forecasts several more inches of snow to fall before the storm exits the area on Sunday.

Interstate 44 closed in Pulaski County as snowfall continues

The highway patrol closed one side of Interstate 44 in Pulaski County on Saturday afternoon after a pileup involving multiple tractor-trailers.

Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop I posted on social media that eastbound I-44 was closed at mile marker 163 in the St. Robert area after “multiple tractor-trailers jackknifed.” The patrol did not provide other details.

The Missouri Department of Transportation’s traveler information map showed the closure would likely last several hours.

The map lists I-44 in the area of the crash as snow-covered. The map also showed Highway 63 covered from the Lake of the Ozarks area to the northern border of Boone County. Most smaller state highways were also listed as covered.

Interstate 70 was partially covered throughout the state.

A public observer in Rolla reported about an inch of snowfall just before 1 p.m.

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Steven Lambson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A fire destroyed a home in Howard County late Thursday, according to the Glasgow Fire District.

In a post on Facebook, GFD said crews responded to a home near Boonsboro at around 11:20 p.m. The fire had spread to the entire home as crews arrived, the post said.

The fire district reported everyone inside got out without injury but the home is a total loss. The post added that bitter cold and windy conditions created icy and hazardous conditions for responders.

Crews cleared the scene just under four hours after the initial call, at around 3:15 a.m.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Mid-Missouri roads saw snow collecting starting a little before 8 p.m. Saturday, leading to slick roads and lowered visibility.

Two to three inches of snow are expected to be on the ground in Columbia by the afternoon with heavier snow expected to begin overnight and into Sunday morning. Travel is expected to be more difficult on Sunday.

Areas south of Jefferson City are expecting to get over six inches.

Boone County Joint Communications has not reported any crashes since 11 a.m. Saturday however, Champions Drive at Providence Road was reported closed around 10 a.m.

An ABC 17 News reporter found difficulties breaking and turning while on major roads and intersections in Columbia, such as on Providence Road and Stadium Blvd.

An ABC 17 Stormtrack Meteorologist also noticed snow visibility issues when driving behind other cars.

The MoDot Traveler map also reported major roads like Highway 63 and U.S. Route 50 covered at around 11 a.m.

According to the City of Columbia, Columbia Public Works Crews began snowplow duty at around 7 a.m. with crews expected to work in 12-hour shifts throughout the day.

Both the Columbia Police Department and Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop F made posts warning travelers about road conditions, with the CPD warning that the extreme cold may make salt less effective and the MSHP asking drivers to postpone travel if possible.

The Columbia Fire Department also reminded residents to dress warm and cover faces, noses, toes and ears. The Boone County Fire Protection District also asked homeowners to keep fire hydrants clear of snow by about three feet so crews can access them in case of emergencies.

LINK: Closures and delays

Several churches have called off Sunday service times, and Central Methodist University’s campus will be closed Monday.

The weather has also impacted flights into and out of Columbia Regional Airport. According to the airport’s flight status tracker, two early Saturday flights – one to Dallas and one to Chicago – were diverted, a flight to Denver was delayed and an early afternoon flight to Dallas has been canceled. One arriving flight from Chicago was delayed and one from Dallas was canceled.

This is an ongoing story.

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