Author: KMIZ

Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. 

The City of Columbia Sewer Utility is proposing to replace a privately maintained sewer system near the intersection of South West Boulevard and West Stewart Road. 

If approved, the utility would construct a new public sanitary sewer to serve the affected property owners.

According to Assistant Utilities Director Tom Ratermann, the project will affect just five homes on West Stewart Road and one on South West Boulevard. The plan calls for a new sewer line that would connect each property to the public system.

“These private sewers, they don’t have a lot of access points to them. So, if there is some kind of stoppage in the line, there’s no good way to  remove it and to clean it and to get the stoppage out,” Ratermann said. “So what the city plans on building will have a structure at least every 400 feet, and every place where there’s a bend in the line so that they can be maintained.” 

Ratermann added the city is at least a year away from starting construction, as officials still need to finalize the design and secure easements from property owners. No major traffic disruptions are expected, aside from a possible lane closure on South Greenwood Avenue.

The project is part of the city’s ongoing Private Common Collector Elimination program, which started in 2008. Private common collectors are major sources of stormwater inflow and infiltration into the sewer system, and the city says replacing outdated private sewers helps prevent backups and overflows.

“This project is more preventive maintenance,” Columbia Utilities spokesman Jason West said in an email. “There have not been any major issues yet, but these private common collector systems can cause bigger problems because the city is not able to properly maintain them. The PCCE program helps the city perform regular maintenance to hopefully avoid major problems down the road.”

West said the PCCE is funded through an enterprise fund included in the city’s budget.

Since 2008, the PCCE program has included multiple projects throughout the city, though officials do not have a total cost available for all 18 years of work. Currently, the city is working on nine PCCE projects, with at least five more planned.

“The overall system is functioning well and as intended,” West said. “While there are newer parts that are functioning at a high level, we are also focused on repairing and updating older parts such as this one to keep the system functioning properly.”

The city held a public meeting Wednesday at City Hall to discuss the proposed sewer improvements.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A former employee of Columbia Public Schools has been arrested on suspicion of multiple child sex crimes, according to a social media post from the Columbia Police Department.  

CPD wrote that officers on Wednesday arrested Zachary Hutchinson, 38, of Columbia.

He was charged on Wednesday with three counts of second-degree statutory sodomy, one count of child enticement, sexually exploiting a minor, giving pornographic material to a minor (a misdemeanor), second-degree promoting child porn and possessing child porn.

He is being held without bond at the Boone County Jail. A court date has not been scheduled.

Educator credentials were listed for Hutchinson at West Middle School for the 2025-26 school year on the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education’s website. Information for educator credentials dates back to 2021 for Hutchinson on DESE’s website. Additionally, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s public pay database lists Hutchinson as a teacher at West Middle School.

The probable cause statement also identifies Hutchinson as a teacher at West Middle School at the time the document was written.

A spokesperson from the school district told ABC 17 News in an email that Hutchinson had worked at West Middle School, but that the incident did not involve the school or any of its students. The district spokesperson did not confirm his position or dates of employment.

Police wrote that it became aware of Hutchinson having “a potentially inappropriate relationship” with a girl on Jan. 15.

“The investigation has determined that Hutchinson and the juvenile victim did not meet as a result of his employment, nor did any known contact occur on school property,” police wrote on its social media.

The probable cause statement says Hutchinson encouraged the victim to go into his vehicle to perform sexual acts. The victim’s mother allegedly found nude photographs of Hutchinson on the victim’s phone and additional messages appeared to show Hutchinson making plans to meet with the youth.

Text messages described in court documents took place over the course of several days and showed explicit conversations and details of illicit photos between Hutchinson and the victim.

Check back for updates.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man from Salisbury, Missouri, has been charged after authorities claim he molested a child in November.

Gregory Calvert, 28, was charged on Wednesday in Chariton County with second-degree child molestation of a child younger than 12 years old. He is being held at the Randolph County Jail on a $5,000 bond. A court date has not been set.

The probable cause statement says law enforcement was called on Nov. 20 after a child allegedly told an adult that Calvert bathed with them and touched them inappropriately.

Calvert allegedly spoke with law enforcement on Nov. 25, claiming he assisted bathing the youth because of a medical issue the child faced, but denied bathing with them, the statement indicates. Calvert then allegedly claimed the child had a “history of dishonesty,” court documents say.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

One person had moderate injuries after a vehicle crashed into an RV Wednesday afternoon in southwest Columbia.

A vehicle was seen turned on its side on Coats Lane, a road just off of West Gillespie Bridge Road.

Boone County Fire Protection Chief Battalion Chief Clint Walker told ABC 17 News that a vehicle had slid off the road, hit an RV and damaged a transformer. First responders showed up to the crash at 2:07 p.m.

Boone Electric’s outage map shows outages affected 40 customers was reported around 2 p.m. Crews are currently working to restore power to the area and roughly eight members were still affected at 2:53 p.m., according to the map.  

The person in the vehicle that crashed into the RV was brought to an area hospital, according to Walker.

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Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

People now have to be 21 years old to buy intoxicating hemp products within the city of Holts Summit.

The Board of Aldermen passed the ordinance 3-1 to increase the age limit at its Jan. 13 meeting, according to City Clerk Rachel Anderson. The age limit went into effect immediately after passage.

City Attorney Dave Bandre said this is to end a previous city law that would allow businesses to sell hemp products to people who are at least 18 years old.

Manager Brad Sibeneck at Up In Smoke smoke shop, located at 168 W. Simon Blvd., told an ABC 17 News reporter that they don’t sell to people under 21. There are at least four signs at the entrance that tell customers so.

According to the bill language, hemp-derived products are unregulated by federal and state agencies, which means these products go unchecked for product testing, don’t have an age limit and can be sold in a variety of places, like gas stations and vape shops.

New federal rules regulating the products go into effect in November, and state lawmakers are working on rules for Missouri in the current legislative session.

These products are sometimes designed after popular snacks and candies, which often target a younger audience, according to the bill language. The bill cites this as being double the legal limit for adult-use marijuana.

Sibeneck said he doesn’t sell look-alike candy.

“The City finds it necessary to enact regulations related to the sale of intoxicating cannabinoids found in hemp-derived products to protect the general public health, safety, and welfare, and specifically to protect those under the age of twenty-one from the adverse effects associated with the consumption of intoxicating cannabinoids,” the bill reads.

The bill also includes nonintoxicating CBD products.

Ward 2 Alderman Thomas Wulff voted against the measure.

“I’m one of those that believe that at 18 years old, you become a man because you can fight for your country, and you should have every right there is, whether it’s drinking or voting or being able to purchase hemp,” Wulff said. “But that’s not what my constituents want.” 

Wulff said he was last to vote, and if he thought his vote would matter, he would have voted in favor.

Intoxicating hemp products use a type of THC derived from hemp plants, which are closely related to marijuana plants. The compound is similar to the THC in marijuana, but many users say it delivers a milder high.

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Olivia Hayes

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A minor charged in connection with a southwest Columbia robbery-turned-shooting could be certified as an adult.

The minor, whose name ABC 17 News is not releasing unless charges are filed in adult court, appeared at a hearing in juvenile court Wednesday. He was one of four people arrested Tuesday in connection with a deadly shooting that took place in the 1400 block of Ridgemont Court on Sunday.

Alexis Baumann, of Hallsville; Kobe Aust and Joseph Crane, both of Columbia; were charged with second-degree murder, armed criminal action and first-degree robbery. All three are 18 years old. They each have a hearing set for Wednesday afternoon but it was rescheduled to Thursday afternoon.

The male juvenile is facing the same charges along with felony theft.

Court documents filed in the case say that Baumann and the group arranged to buy a phone from the victim, Michael R. Burke. The group had already met with and stolen from at least two other victims in the two days before the confrontation that led to Burke’s death, documents say. Those incidents took place on Claudell Lane and on Northampton Drive.

Baumann told police the juvenile would set up a meeting with someone through Facebook Marketplace to buy a phone, the group would steal the phone and then sell it for cash at a local ecoATM

Officers were sent to the 1400 block of Ridgemont Court at about 8:15 p.m. Sunday and found Burke shot. Baumann allegedly told officers that the juvenile and Crane went into Burke’s home and minutes later she heard three gunshots. They then took his iPhone and sold it at an ecoATM at the Walmart on Conley Road.

Baumann also said when Crane and the juvenile returned to the car following the shooting, the minor allegedly admitted to shooting Burke.

All three adults admitted to police that the group was at Ridgemont Court on the night of the shooting, according to court documents.

The boy appeared before a Boone County judge on Wednesday for a detention hearing. The state requested that he be kept at the juvenile detention center until an adult certification investigation can be completed. The defense requested in-home detention.

The judge ordered the boy to stay in juvenile detention until his next court hearing on Tuesday. She also granted the defense’s request for an in-home detention investigation and the state’s request for an adult certification investigation.

Columbia Police Department recommends people use its Online Exchange Zone located inside the downtown Columbia department as a safe alternative to your home for an online sale meet up. The Boone County’s Sheriff’s Office also offers its 24-hour lobby and parking lot for safe exchanges. For student, the University of Missouri Police Department says its lobby is also open 24-hours and a safe place to meet complete online sales.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

EDITOR’S NOTE: An organization not in attendance was removed from the list.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Protesters flooded all three floors of Missouri’s Capitol rotunda on Wednesday to challenge state lawmakers, whom they claim are going against the will of the people.

Several organizations around the state come together a noon for the “Stand Up, Fight Back” rally.

Major issues raised were paid sick leave and abortion access. Both were approved by voters in 2024, however, legislation in the 2025 general session, like House Bill 567 repealed mandated sick leave, while House Joint Resolution 73 put abortion access back on the 2026 ballot.

Alejandro Gallardo, a Columbia restaurant worker with Missouri Jobs With Justice, assisted with door-knocking to put the bill that added paid sick leave on the ballot.

“It wasn’t just in Kansas City or St. Louis, it was all across the state. We got in the bootheel down in the old industrial areas, large majorities were in favor of this,” Gallardo said. “It was devastating to see the majority of the legislature here just ignore the will of the people, ignore the will of workers.”

“People knew what they were voting for, we spoke to people,” Richard Eiker with Missouri Workers Center and Stand Up KC said. “We’re going to keep on pushing to get, you know, better working conditions to get paid sick, time off.”

“When we vote for something at the ballot box, we don’t want them [lawmakers] to come in and just nitpick things here and there that they don’t like and take it out, because we need all of those things,” said Bill Thompson, who was also with Missouri Workers Center and Stand Up KC.

Protesters also raised concerns about several topics including the legislature’s recent push for anti-LGBTQ+ policies, access to health care and the new mid-decade congressional map.

Mandy Monsees, a transgender military veteran and member of PROMO, traveled to the protest from Springfield.

“3% of the population, total population in Missouri, but this year alone, there’s over 21 bills against LGBT people,” Monsees said. “I fought for freedom and democracy around the world for 24 years and now I have to fight at home for my own democracy and rights.”

Wednesday’s event was similar to a September 2025 rally where hundreds gathered to protest lawmakers filing the initial bills on the same issues.

According to the press release, 16 statewide organizations will be represented in the rally:

Missourians with SEIU Healthcare

SEIU Local 1

Missouri Workers Center

Abortion Action Missouri

Missouri Jobs With Justice

Action St. Louis

PROMO Missouri

Beacon Reproductive Health Network

Heartland Alliance for Progress

Indivisible KC and Indivisible STL

Planned Parenthood Great Plains Vote

Planned Parenthood Great Rivers Action

UAW Local 31, UAW Local 249 and UAW Local 2250

Rep. David Tyson Smith (D-Columbia) called the protest “exciting,” encouraging voters to use their voice.

“What’s shocking to me in this building is that people pass bills and then the voters vote for things and then the legislature overturns it,” Tyson Smith said. “This legislature is not in lockstep with what the people want and it’s a shame when they’re passing bills in this building and the people are so upset they have to flood the Capitol.”

ABC 17 News reached out to Speaker of the House Jon Patterson (R-Lees Summit) and Senate Pro-Tempore Cindy O’Laughlin (R-Shelbina) for comment.

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Matthew Sanders

President Donald Trump is not relenting in his demands that the United States take over Greenland.

Trump says American control of the autonomous Danish territory is vital to national and international security. The president this week has made headlines by doubling down on his push to take over the Arctic island.

Do you think he should continue? Let us know by voting in the poll.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia City Council on Tuesday rejected the development of new triplexes known as Ashford Place, following intense pushback from residents.

“No” votes consisted of Mayor Barbara Buffaloe, Ward 1 Councilwoman Valerie Carroll, Ward 2 Councilwoman Vera Elwood and Ward 6 Councilwoman Betsy Peters. “Yes” votes consisted of Ward 3 Councilwoman Jacque Sample, Ward 4 Councilman Nick Foster and Ward 5 Councilman Don Waterman.

Troy Miller Properties asked the City of Columbia to approve plans for triplexes resulting in 77 buildings on more than 24 acres off East Broadway near the Brooks subdivision at Sagemoor Drive and Hoylake Drive.

The first construction phase of “Ashford Place” would have included 23 buildings; the second phase would have been 36 buildings; and the third phase would have included 18 residential buildings and improvements to Sagemoor Street and El Chaparral Avenue, previous reporting shows.

Issues from residents have ranged from traffic increases, safety concerns and property value decreasing. Several people reiterated those concerns, mostly focusing on traffic safety, during the public comment portion.

Previous reporting shows the city had plans of extending El Chaparral Avenue and is considering traffic-calming measures on Hoylake Drive. Columbia officials also pointed to a 2017 traffic study, saying the project would have no significant impact on the area.

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Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Sophia Danh attends Hickman High School in Columbia as a freshman, and goes to class alongside her usual classmates. But she said there’s a feeling of uncertainty that lingers in her mind from time to time.

Danh said her parents are immigrants, and though most of her family are citizens but it isn’t solely her family she has to think about.

“Most of my friends are immigrants and I think that it’s extremely wrong for like immigrants to be deported wrongfully without due process, considering America was built on immigration in the first place,” Danh said. “I do have like a minor fear that we will be deported without due process.”

It was those fears that led Danh to become one of dozens of students to walk out of class on Tuesday afternoon as part of a nationwide protest. Free America urged people to walk-out of work and school at 2 p.m. Tuesday to speak out against the federal immigration crackdown spearheaded by President Donald Trump administration among other actions it considers to be “threats.”

A district spokeswoman had told ABC 17 News that as many as 70 students had walked out on Tuesday, though some students gave estimates as high as roughly four times that number.

Federal agents have been sent to several cities around the country, most notably, Minneapolis. 37-year-old Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE agent in early January, prompting large-scale protests across the country, including in Mid-Missouri. The Department of Homeland Security has claimed the shooting was done in self-defense.

According to Danh, Tuesday’s protest at Hickman was orchestrated by the school’s student council. Danh and her friend, T’Ana Johnson said the large group of students walked out around 2 p.m. and marched along Providence Road and around campus for about 30 minutes.

The two said the group yelled out anti-ICE cheers and held posters and signs. Johnson said the group also heard speeches from the student council’s president before marching.

“I think we really wanted to draw attention to the problem of ICE and what is happening in our country at the moment,” Danh said.

Virginia Chiarottino is a junior who did not participate in Tuesday’s walk-out, but commented on students feeling the need to protest during school hours. Chiarottino said she could see herself participating in future protests, if they were to occur.

“It’s kind of crazy that like our rights are not being protected whatsoever and it’s getting to a point where high schoolers have to protest it,” Chiarottino said. “It’s gone so far now that kids who should be thinking about school are not thinking about school and are busy being worried about ICE instead of focusing on their education.”

Danh said her personal connection to the matter made seeing the large group of students who participated in the walk-out that much more fulfilling. She said she hopes in doing so, they were able to send the message that enough is enough and the turn out on Tuesday speaks for itself.

“America is built on unification to peacefully protest and hope for a change but I eventually do hope that we will get a change out of ICE,” Danh said.

CPS spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark said depending on if a student had a class during the time of the walkout, they may receive an unexcused absence.

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