Author: KMIZ

Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missourians will get flat license plates instead of the current plates with raised numbers and letters, starting in February.

The Missouri Department of Revenue announced the change in a news release Friday. The department says switching away from the current embossed plates “supports greater efficiency” and lays the groundwork for moving to seven-digit license plates.

“We are running out of six-digit configurations for plates; this move not only saves taxpayer dollars but prepares for the future,” DOR Director Trish Vincent said in the news release.

The change will start with the implementation of a new software system called FUSION in February 2027, except for motorcycles and specialty plates. DOR says any plates that are replaced before then will be in the current, six-digit design, but they will be flat.

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Haley Swaino

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Two southwest Columbia streets closed Friday morning after a man was critically injured in a motorcycle crash.

According to Boone County Joint Communications, the crash occurred on Scott Boulevard near Gillespie Bridge Road shortly before 6:30 a.m.

Ryan Schaeffer with the Columbia Fire Department said the crash involved one motorcycle, and a man was taken from the scene by ambulance with “critical” injuries.

ABC 17 News arrived on scene around 6:50 a.m. and saw two Columbia police cruisers, one Columbia fire truck and an MU Health Care ambulance.

Both lanes of Scott Boulevard and Gillespie Bridge Road were seen closed. Schaeffer said around 7 a.m. that drivers should expect a two-hour delay.

Officers were seen directing traffic through one lane of Scott Boulevard around 8:30 a.m. The road opened a little before 9 a.m.

Check back for updates.

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Haley Swaino

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was updated after the man was reportedly located.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Police Department said a missing 56-year-old man was found safe Friday morning.

In an earlier Facebook post Thursday night, CPD asked for the community’s help in finding the Columbia man.

The post says Michael Marvel was last seen Thursday around 9:15 p.m. in the 3700 block of Santiago Drive in south Columbia. He was wearing a black shirt, black shorts and black tennis shoes

Marvel has medical issues, according to the post. He is 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 180 pounds.

ABC 17 News reached out to CPD for more information.

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Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) 

The College Football Playoff could see a new format change heading into the 2027 season, with a suggested expanded field going from 12 teams to 24.

National reporting shows under the proposed agreement, ESPN would pay the CFP an additional $345 million on top of the $1.3 billion it already pays for exclusive broadcast rights. However both ESPN and the CFP have reportedly agreed not to expand the format past 24 teams until at least the end of ESPN’s current contract which runs through the 2032 postseason. There is a Dec. 1 deadline to make any changes for next season.

University of Missouri System President Mun Choi expressed support for the expanded playoff after Thursday’s faculty council meeting, adding that it could be beneficial for the football team. 

“In terms of going from 12 to 24 [teams], I think it’ll make college sports more exciting, college football even more exciting,” Choi said. “We could have been part of the CFP had the 24 teams been in place.” 

The Tigers posted a 10-2 record during the 2023 regular season, but fell just short of the four-team College Football Playoff field. Under the 12-team format introduced the following season, Missouri likely could have earned a playoff berth. Instead, the Tigers capped their season with a Cotton Bowl victory over Ohio State.

In 2024, Missouri finished the regular season at 8-3, reaching as high as 19th in the College Football Playoff rankings, which once again would have put them in the conversation for a playoff berth under the expanded 24-team field. 

“Now that it’s going to start in 2027, our goal is to be in there and bring a home game for CFP in 2027,” Choi said. 

The Tigers currently hold a 5-2 record and are 2-2 in Southeastern Conference play. They are currently ranked at 22 in the AP poll. The Tigers take on the Arkansas Razorbacks at 6:45 p.m. Oct. 31 on the road.

The first College Football Playoff rankings for this season come out on Nov. 3.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 17-year-old Jefferson City girl was seriously injured in a crash that occurred Thursday afternoon in Russellville, according to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The crash occurred at the intersection of Routes C and AA, according to the report.

A 29-year-old Russellville woman was in her 2015 Ford Transit that was facing westbound when she tried to turn left and into the path of a 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee that was driven by the girl, the report says. The Jeep hit the Ford on its passenger side and the Ford ended up hitting a road sign, the report says.

The girl had serious injuries and was taken to Capital Region Medical Center by a private vehicle, the report says. The Russellville woman had no reported injuries.

Both vehicles had extensive damage. The girl wore a seatbelt, while the woman did not, the report says.

MSHP reports do not name those involved in crashes.

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Stephi Smith

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A new childcare subsidy program helped one Mid-Missouri mother cut her childcare costs by more than half.

Kids Win Missouri oversees the Child Care Works program, which is designed to help families afford childcare while helping employers recruit and retain workers.

The program splits childcare costs among the state, participating employers and employees. Depending on the arrangement, the state and employer can cover up to two-thirds of the cost, with the employee paying the rest.

According to the Child Care Works Missouri website, families with children ages 12 years old and younger and household incomes below the federal poverty level may be eligible for the subsidy.

Brian Schmidt, executive director of Kids Win Missouri, said he experienced the financial strain of childcare costs himself.

“It felt like I was making a payment on a vacation home, but I couldn’t afford to take a vacation,” Schmidt said. 

Schmidt said his organization found that parents were struggling to afford childcare while employers faced workforce shortages. He said Child Care Works is designed to address both problems by making care more affordable and helping parents stay in the workforce.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe praised the program during an event at Jefferson City Hall. The program received $2.5 million in its initial year of funding.

Kehoe said Missouri has struggled with childcare shortages for years, with the problem worsening after the COVID-19 pandemic. He said helping parents access affordable care could allow more people to return to work and help businesses fill open positions.

He said the program can help businesses fill workforce shortages by allowing more parents to return to work.

“If this is a tool that helps them fill that workforce gap, put some trained workforce into their companies, that will be the true measure of success,” Kehoe said. 

Haley Johnson works at Stepping Stones Preschool in Jefferson City and has a 3-month-old child. She said she was worried about childcare costs as she prepared to return to work, particularly after learning that many other subsidy programs in Missouri had lengthy waiting lists.

Johnson said Child Care Works reduced her childcare costs by more than half. She said childcare can cost at least $1,000 a month.

“Especially being young and…like, right now I’m trying to buy a house. How would I do that if I’m paying a mortgage for daycare?” Johnson said. 

Jefferson City’s 2027 budget includes $30,000 for a city employee childcare benefit through Child Care Works. 

Jefferson City Mayor Ron Fitzwater said he fully supports the program and hopes to expand it so more city employees can use the benefit.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Airbnb hosts have mixed feelings about newly announced rules that lighten the chore load for guests.

Under the change, hosts can no longer require guests to perform chores that take a “significant effort or time.” This includes tasks like washing the dishes, stripping sheets off the bed, doing a load of laundry or taking out the trash.

Instead, hosts can set expectations under the seven standard rules:

Maximum overnight guests Quiet hours Events Pets Smoking Commercial photography/filming Lock-up/key drop-off at checkout

Host-imposed fees are also not allowed. If issues like property damage occur, hosts and guests are expected to resolve the issue. The change is meant to improve trasparency and prevent conflicts over fines after a stay and extra rules that a host may enforce outside of the initial booking.

An ABC 17 News reporter spoke with several people who have previously stayed at an Airbnb. Most were supportive of the changes, with one woman reporting during one stay, the required tasks took around an hour to complete. Also, during a separate visit, the host wrongly accused her online of leaving carpet stains. Another guest reported receiving cleaning fees despite doing the required chores.

Two guests told ABC 17 News they didn’t mind the previous rules and considered doing the dishes and taking out the trash common courtesy.

Michelle Mathews has been hosting rentals in Columbia for seven years, and doesn’t feel strongly about the change.

“It doesn’t affect me at all. The only tasks I ask guests to do is turn off the lights and shut the door behind them. I actually don’t want them doing any cleaning as I prefer to do it myself and make sure it’s done correctly,” Mathews said.

Host Jessica Simpson has been working in Columbia for 12 years and manages around 15 properties. She tells ABC 17 News she prefers to handle laundry herself. Guests are typically asked to take out the trash and load and start the dishwasher.

“You never know what is in someone’s trash, and it’s really, could be hazardous,” Simpson said.

Simpson warns the change will most likely be more of a burden on guests.

“If time that the cleaners are there is increased, it’s just going to be another fee passed on to the guest,” Simpson said. “It seems like Airbnb is changing a lot and it actually seems like they’re honestly getting pretty greedy, I mean, they have increased the host fees on our end almost 20%.”

Simpson added the best way for guests to save money is to go directly through the host.

“Many people are leaning more towards direct bookings where we can offer stays for 15-to-20% cheaper through direct booking,” Simpson said.

Currently, there are 98 short-term rental properties in compliance with the City of Columbia. The city has recently been cracking down on illegal properties, with hosts often lacking proper rental and business licensing.

Twenty-two cases have been prosecuted so far, with the city aware of 20 additional illegal rentals in operation.

“We continue to try to identify those properties that maybe are already incompliant, to reach out to those owners, to let them know, ‘hey, we suspect that you’re operating here are the steps that you need to take to come into compliance with city code,'” said Leigh Kottwitz, who is the neighborhood services manager of Columbia’s Housing and Neighborhood Services Department.

Enforcement is meant to preserve neighborhoods and affordable housing in the area.

Residents are also encouraged to report short-term rentals that are not in compliance online. The reporting line was launched in the spring with only three complaints filed.

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Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) 

The University of Missouri is still exploring several commercial development options on university-owned property as it looks to enhance the game-day experience and provide more amenities for students, faculty and staff.

UM System President Mun Choi said during a faculty council meeting on Thursday that the university is considering an entertainment district, including a hotel near Memorial Stadium and additional student housing. However no decisions have been made, and discussions are ongoing.

“We’re still in the discussion phase right now, and we are looking at a variety of different options, including entertainment district, a hotel near the football stadium, as well as housing student housing on our property because students do like to live closer to the campus in downtown,” Choi told ABC 17 News. 

The university began seeking development proposals last fall, with the goal of building on ongoing renovations at Memorial Stadium and improving the experience for fans attending football games. Its bid portal closed Jan. 9, with eight properties across three designated zones identified as potential development sites.

The proposed development zones include properties in the North Campus and central business district, areas near the center of campus, and sites within the athletics complex. Potential locations include properties at Fifth and Locust streets, Stadium Boulevard and Tiger Avenue, the Hearnes Center complex and Gustin Golf Course.

A map provided by the University of Missouri shows proposed development zones.

Choi said the effort began after the University of Missouri Board of Curators asked administrators to evaluate how effectively the university was using its property.

“It came from a conversation that we had with the Board of Curators who asked are we using all of our properties effectively? There were parcels of land that were not being used effectively. So we said, let’s explore with the business community to see what kinds of opportunities there are,” Choi said. 

Under the university’s original bid documents, officials said they would consider selling properties in the North Campus and central business district zone while offering lease agreements for sites in the other two zones.

Choi said Thursday the university’s approach is intended to attract investment while generating additional economic activity in the region.

“Our goal is to provide land and in exchange for the land to have properties come in that will be paying taxes, which is good for the region and provide more amenities for our students, faculty and staff,” he said.

The university has emphasized that projects should generate revenue through upfront payments or ongoing payments while providing amenities that benefit the campus and surrounding community. Proposals also must not require the university to commit its own capital or issue or underwrite bonds to finance development.

Choi added the university has received positive feedback from downtown businesses, pointing to the role students play in supporting the local economy.

“Our students drive economic activity in this region, it makes the region more vibrant,” Choi said. “So in general, there’s a lot of support for this type of activity.”

That economic impact comes as MU continues to grow its student population. Undergraduate enrollment reached 29,500 this academic year, an increase of 500 students from the previous year. The university enrolled 6,050 freshmen, 25 more than last year.

Choi said he would ideally like to see the university enroll 6,200 freshmen annually, but current enrollment is approaching a level he considers sustainable given the university’s resources.

“We’re close to there. That is a sustainable a number for us given our infrastructure and the number of faculty and staff we have”

The university’s overall graduation rate also rose to 68%, up from 44% in 2015.

“We are really pleased with where we are because we’ve seen our graduation rates at four years, six years and retention rates go up. So we want to be able to maintain that, we can accept more students, but they’re not going to get the same type of experience. And our goal is to increase student success.”

The proposed developments could provide additional housing and entertainment options while supporting the university’s broader efforts to improve campus life. However, officials have not announced final project selections or a construction timeline.

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Ellyse Edwards

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A $1.5 million pump replacement project at Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area is still underway, and the Missouri Department of Conservation has no set completion date yet, Deputy Director Aaron Jeffries said Thursday.

MDC has paused waterfowl hunting at the area because current water levels are not sufficient to manage the wetlands for hunting. Jeffries told ABC 17 that MDC could not estimate when the project would be finished.

“We’re unable to give a timeline as to when the project’s going to be completed, as we work through some things with the contractor,” Jeffries said.

Jeffries said the $1.5 million figure is the contract amount. He said the project focuses on replacing and relocating the pumps. All pumps at Eagle Bluff will be replaced, due to being outdated, and flood damage, he also mentioned levee repairs.

ABC 17 News asked when the new pumps could arrive, Jeffries said he did not have an estimated timeline. He said MDC had most of the pump materials, but did not confirm that the pumps themselves had arrived.

“I believe we have most of the material on the pumps. It’s just a matter of getting stuff in place,” Jeffries said.

The pumps bring Missouri River water into Eagle Bluffs’ wetlands. Rainfall and treated wastewater from Columbia are the area’s other water sources. MDC spokeswoman Maddie Est said Columbia’s treated wastewater accounts for about 12-20% of the area’s full water needs.

“Right now, the water levels at Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area are insufficient to allow for proper management for waterfowl hunting,” Est said.

MDC’s Oct. 21 announcement of the hunting pause said the river pumps are being replaced and that the department cannot maintain the conditions needed to manage waterfowl hunting. It did not give a date for when hunting could resume.

Even once the pumps are running, the wetlands will need time to fill. Jeffries said that process can take weeks or months.

“It’s a process that takes weeks, if not months, to adequately flood an area to provide those hunting opportunities,” Jeffries said.

MDC first announced the pump replacement project in April 2025, saying work was expected to begin that month and finish in fall 2025. In August 2025, the department said the new pumps’ arrival had been delayed and they were then expected to arrive in early 2026. MDC also said it planned to reinstall the original pumps and run them with generators in the meantime.

In October 2025, MDC cited supply-chain issues and said one of the original pumps had failed. The department said the river pumps supply more than 75% of Eagle Bluffs’ water.

Jeffries said Thursday that temporary pumping would not provide enough water across the area. MDC has not announced a new project completion date or a date for waterfowl hunting to resume.

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Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

After two months of closure, a portion of Clark Lane at Hanover Boulevard in northeast Columbia is expected to reopen Friday afternoon.

Missouri Department of Transportation Improve I-70 Program Director Eric Kopinski told ABC 17 News on Thursday that the road is scheduled to reopen around 3:30 p.m. Friday.

The improvements include a new roundabout, pavement and retaining walls.

“The roundabout will better allow traffic movement in the area for when we connect the westbound entrance and exit ramp that will kind of exit in that area,” Kopinski said.

Kopinski said crews had to work carefully as they reconstructed the area because of extensive drainage work, elevation changes and existing utilities.

“Anyone that travels that route tomorrow or in the future will see that there’s some walls in that location,” Kopinski said.

During the closure, drivers were detoured along Ballenger Lane, St. Charles Road, Mexico Gravel Road and Vandiver Drive. According to previous reporting, access to businesses west of the intersection was closed during construction, but drivers could still reach them through Hanover Boulevard.

“With the improvements to the Highway 63 Interchange and I-70, the roundabout will help traffic flow more efficiently and improve safety in the area,” Kopinski said.

Some of the detours directed drivers through residential neighborhoods, raising safety concerns for residents.

Ceara Houston, a Columbia native who lives along Rice Road, said she is looking forward to the roundabout opening, particularly because of concerns about speeding in her neighborhood.

“I’m extremely happy that it’s opening so that the people from up top can stop speeding through this neighborhood where all of our children play,” Houston said.

Houston is interested to see how the new roundabout will affect traffic in the area. However, she said she does not believe roundabouts will solve every traffic problem, adding that she thinks the city has too many of them.

The city announced Thursday that Go COMO’s Blue Route will return to its normal route on Saturday.

The reopening comes as the City of Columbia moves forward with plans to improve a 1.32-mile stretch of Clark Lane through a $10.5 million grant agreement with the Federal Highway Administration.

The planned corridor improvements include lower speed limits, four additional speed limit signs, eastbound and westbound bicycle lanes, four vehicle lanes, a six-foot-wide sidewalk on the north side and a 10-foot-wide multi-use trail on the south side.

John Ogan, a spokesman for the city’s Public Works Department, told ABC 17 that the grant agreement has been finalized and the city is now waiting for the grant funds to be released.

Meanwhile, drivers traveling between Boonville and Kingdom City could see additional changes next weekend. MoDOT plans to demolish two bridges in Kingdom City that officials have described as being “at the end of their life.”

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