Author: KMIZ

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Department of Conservation will conduct an invasive carp removal next week on the Grand River, the department announced in a Thursday press release.

Crews will remove invasive carp from the river from Monday through Thursday, which will require the closure of the Brunswick Access. After being caught, the fish will be brought to a commercial fishing business to be processed into various products, the release says.

The release says officials will target silver, bighead, grass and black carp, which have previously been known as Asian carp. Any other fish species captured will be measured and released as part of research and monitoring of the river’s fishery, according to the release.

Boaters can still access the river at the Bosworth Access.

“Efforts like this project have potential to increase available food and habitat for native fish in the Grand and Missouri rivers. Invasive carp tend to spawn in the slower-moving feeder streams, while young and mature carp congregate in the nutrient-rich waters of deep pools. Continued efforts in these areas could help remove large numbers of invasive carp,” the release says.

Nonnative invasive carp can reproduce and grow quickly to sizes too large for native predator fish to consume.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says those types of carp were brought to the country in the ‘70s “as a biological control for plants, algae and snails in aquaculture, wastewater and retention ponds.” The Minnesota DNR wrote that a few fish escaped during high-water events “and became established in the lower and middle Mississippi River.”

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Marie Moyer

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Forty-nine Lincoln University students are temporarily moved out of Anthony Hall until at least the end of the fall semester after mold was discovered growing in an empty dorm room.

Students were initially notified on Wednesday and moved out that evening and throughout Thursday.

“We got an email saying that we’re going to be having a meeting, relocating to Dawson Hall yesterday and today,” first-year LU student John Marker said. “It was kind of a pretty big surprise, really unexpected.”

Marker was one of the 49 students living in Anthony Hall who were moved.

“It was more just annoying, I don’t really have that much stuff, all my stuff fit into a duffel bag and a suitcase,” Marker said. “I do know that there was some people that had like really decorated the room and had a ton of stuff, it was going to take them quite a while and a lot of effort to get moved out.”

ABC 17 News was on campus Thursday and saw LU employees moving furniture out of Anthony Hall into moving trucks from the school’s Facilities and Planning Department.

According to students ABC 17 News spoke with, residents were moved to Dawson, Tull and Perry halls. Residents who were moved to a more expensive dorm hall kept their original room and board fees, while residents in dorm halls with cheaper fees were refunded the difference.

“Whenever the beginning of the school year started, there was a few people that had seen mold in their rooms, and I made sure to thoroughly check my room and I didn’t really see anything,” Marker said. “I think that my room was, for the most part, pretty safe.”

Marker added during the meeting where the relocation was announced, some students raised concerns about previous residents reporting mold.

“Some people were arguing about the fact that they [Lincoln University] could have done deeper inspections in between last year and this year,” Marker said. “There was a lot of issues with students last year that had seen mold in their rooms, and they had sent in a ticket for it, and that ticket apparently didn’t go anywhere.”

“When a specific concern is reported, the University’s protocol is to conduct an initial assessment and, when warranted, bring in specialized outside professionals,” LU wrote in an email to ABC 17 News.

LU did not address whether maintenance received or addressed the complaints of mold from the previous school year.

Even with short notice, students are staying positive, with several who spoke with ABC 17 News reporting that mold is inevitable with historic campuses.

“There wasn’t really much that they could do besides relocate us until they have it fully cleaned out, it is for our safety and for their safety,” Marker said. “It is guaranteed pretty much for an old building to at some point in its life have some kind of form of fungal infestation, which sucks, but it happens.”

First-year student Jamier Wilson does not live in Anthony Hall, but was similarly not suprised about the reports of mold.

“I was expecting complications, I knew what I was coming into, going to HBCU at that, especially like how the how the United States is right now, I wasn’t expecting high funding or anything, so I was understanding about it,” Wilson said. “And they’re [Lincoln University] trying to figure it out, it’s not like they’re just keeping them [students] in there, they’re trying to fix it.”

Students also told ABC 17 News the school is hoping to clear the mold by the end of the fall semester. However, students were warned the new placements could last until the rest of the year. LU has not yet publicly announced a date for when maintenance for Anthony Hall will be completed.

“The University’s goal is to complete the necessary work and reopen Anthony Hall for the spring semester, providing students with a residence hall that meets the University’s standards for health, safety and comfort. Lincoln will continue to support the temporarily relocated students to ensure they are successfully settled in their new residence halls for the remainder of the fall semester,” LU said in the email.

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Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) 

President Donald Trump’s plan to bring more foreign beef into the U.S. market is intended to help lower prices for consumers, but Missouri cattle producers and agricultural economists question how much shoppers will actually save,  and whether the move could hurt the domestic cattle industry in the long run.

Trump said the United States will allow up to 300,000 metric tons of ground beef to be imported over the next three months without being subject to out-of-quota tariffs.

He also said the beef would be sold at 25% below current market prices, although the administration has not specified which companies made that commitment or which foreign exporters are involved.

The move comes as Americans continue to face historically high beef prices. The nation’s cattle herd has fallen to its lowest level since the 1950s following years of drought, high feed and input costs, and herd liquidation.

A May report from the American Farm Bureau Federation noted imports entering under quota generally face a tariff of 4.4 cents per kilogram, while imports above quota face a 26.4% tariff. According to the report, for beef valued at about $7 per kilogram, the difference can amount to more than $1.80 per kilogram in tariff costs.

The Trump administration’s decision would temporarily eliminate those higher out-of-quota tariffs for the additional imports.

But Wesley Tucker, a University of Missouri field specialist in agricultural business, said the high price of beef is largely the result of a supply-and-demand imbalance. Years of drought and low profitability discouraged cattle producers from expanding their herds at the same time consumers continued to demand beef.

“As a nation, we are still suffering from drought and that is still holding back cattle numbers. That is having a major impact across the country, although not as big an impact in Missouri lately this year.” Tucker said. “It really is a perfect storm of low supply and an increased high demand at the same time. So the reality is, yes, the drought and low profitability for a number of years created a situation where there was no incentive for cattle producers to expand and to grow their herds, and because of the drought they were having to reduce their numbers.”

That demand has remained strong despite higher prices, Tucker said, with consumers often choosing ground beef over other meat options such as pork and chicken.

“One of the big reasons beef is too high is because the consumer has chosen to demand it. The question I like to ask is ‘Is beef too high if that’s what the consumer says they want?’ Just look at how much cheap pork and cheap chicken is available at the grocery store shelf whenever you go to buy food for the weekend,” Tucker said. “The reality is the consumer is saying, I may not be able to afford that steak, but I can instead of choosing an alternative meat source that’s just pork or chicken, I’m going to choose hamburger instead of steak.”

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, Missouri Cattlemen’s Association and Missouri Farm Bureau have all voiced frustration with the Trump administration’s decision, with Missouri Farm Bureau president Garrett Hawkins writing in a statement:

“This proposal does not solve the underlying causes of high food prices and unfairly places the blame on American farmers and ranchers. We strongly urge the Administration to reverse this decision and support American cattle producers.”

What does it mean for shoppers?

Gbenga Ajilore, chief economist for the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and a former senior adviser in the Office of the Undersecretary for Rural Development at the USDA, said the administration’s strategy is essentially a short-term attempt to increase supply and bring down grocery costs.

But he said it does not address the underlying shortage of cattle.

“One of the things about these quick fixes in short term to try to lower prices, it never solves the fundamental problem,” Ajilore said. “We already know that with cattle farmers, they’re already struggling with drought. They’re struggling with higher costs. We’ve have increased costs of fertilizer because of the war in Iran. We’ve had tariffs that’s impacted their input costs. And generally, this is going to have a harsh impact on them without solving the problem of lower supply. So it’s just going to make it even a bigger struggle for these cattle farmers.”

For consumers hoping the additional imports will translate into significantly cheaper steaks and roasts, Tucker said there is an important distinction.

Most of the imported beef is expected to be lean, grinding beef used for hamburgers and food service rather than the higher-quality cuts shoppers typically purchase as steaks and roasts.

“Realize this beef that we’re talking about importing from these countries is grinding beef. It’s the lean, grinding beef that ends up in your food service long term. It’s not like it’s coming in as a packaged product ready to go in the grocery store. So we’re talking about huge chunks of processed beef that’s going to come in, go to the packer to be cut up and worked on, and then eventually make it to your fast food stations and a little bit of it into your grocery stores,” Tucker said.

Even if importers pay less for the beef, Tucker questioned whether those savings will necessarily make their way to consumers.

“That beef may have been going to come into the country at a higher tariff anyway and so it comes in at a cheaper price,” Tucker said. “What is the middleman’s incentive to pass that price through to the consumer? Do you really think just because that supplier of McDonald’s gets a little bit of cheaper product, that they’re going to lower the price of a Big Mac suddenly?”

Ajilore added the additional imports would represent only a small portion of the overall beef market.

“It will have an impact, but it’s just going to be so small,” Ajilore said. “So, for example, they’re importing 300,000 metric tons of ground beef, and that’s about 2% of the total market. And so if it does have an impact, we’re looking at maybe a quarter, maybe $0.35 lower.”

Ajilore believes consumers should be skeptical of expectations for a dramatic drop in grocery prices.

“When it comes to lowering prices, it’s a really complicated process and there are no quick fixes. And if any politician is promising a quick fix, then you have to be wary of that.”

Missouri cattle producers push back

Missouri ranks among the nation’s leading beef-producing states, and the cattle industry has been one of the brighter spots in the state’s agricultural economy in recent years.

Mike Deering, executive vice president of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, said producers have benefited from strong cattle prices, but those profits come after years of rising costs.

“The last couple of years, in terms of the cattle market has really been the bright spot of the ag industry as a whole in Missouri. Our crop friends and others are not doing as hot, but we’ve been doing pretty well in the cattle industry,” Deering told ABC 17 News.  “As far as the input cost, those are still through the roof and high and so it’s not it’s profitable, better than it has been, but it’s still not as glamorous as some people try to make it.”

Deering also pushed back on the idea that consumers are demanding relief from beef prices, pointing to continued strong demand.

“We have a historic consumer demand right now. So as these prices that you watch tick up, you’ve seen the demand follow that, which is unusual. But the consumer demand is going up, up, up. Consumers are sending a signal to cattle producers that the product isn’t too high and when it does get too high, they let us know,” Deering said. “I don’t really buy into beef prices are too high. We’re not hearing an outrage on that from consumers at all. And when you look at beef and you look at agriculture, we’re not crude oil. So when people go to the grocery store, they have choices.”

The Missouri Cattlemen’s Association has argued that bringing in more foreign beef at a discounted price could discourage producers from rebuilding the nation’s cattle herd.

Deering said he believes the problem is not necessarily the imports themselves, but the government’s decision to manipulate the market by offering them at a lower price.

“It really overshadows a lot of the great things that this administration has done for the cattle industry in terms of tax relief and other tax exemptions. And the list goes on and on. They’ve done a lot of good things and so this kind of overshadows some of that to some degree because it’s totally unnecessary,” Deering said. “It’s not necessary the imports that cause us all the heartburn it’s the market manipulation. When you are buying this product at 25% under market price and you’re undercutting the American producer, that’s where we have a problem.”

Deering believes the solution is to allow cattle prices to respond to supply and demand without government intervention.

“Let the markets work and stop the government interference. I don’t care if it’s Kleenex or beef, get the government out of it,” Deering said. 

Tucker echoed that argument, saying lower prices now could actually make it less attractive for cattle producers to make the long-term investment needed to rebuild the herd.

“It’s actually creating the opposite effect, and it’s dis-incentivizing producers to make the long term investment investment and expanding the herd,” Tucker said. “So the likelihood that they’re going to grow the herd now is less than it was before this happened. It’s probably not going to lower the price that consumers are paying all that much, but it’s actually possibly going to make the situation worse.”

Tucker said allowing the market to work could eventually lead to lower prices as producers respond to higher cattle prices by expanding their herds.

“The cure for high prices is high prices. The best way to keep the best way to lower beef prices is to let the market work,” Tucker said. “When the prices were high, it was creating an incentive for them [cattle farmers] to grow and expand. If you let the market work, in a few years they will expand and increase the herd and prices will come down. But when the government gets involved and tries to manipulate it, rarely does it have the effect that they want.”

According to Deering, Missouri cattle producers are now left to adjust to a decision they had no control over.

“What is done is done but if our government officials, if our elected leaders would stop doing that and manipulating with the market, interfering with the marketplace, that would be very helpful. I’ve been grateful for our congressional delegation, for the most part, speaking up and saying, hey, this isn’t right. So standing against this decision has hopefully will get will get the attention it deserves,” Deering said. 

The debate also comes as farmers face pressure from other directions, including higher input costs and trade tensions with Canada. Ajilore said Missouri producers could face additional pressure if retaliatory tariffs reduce demand for American agricultural exports.

“Missouri, one of the biggest export markets is Canada. For Kansas, it’s the second-biggest one. And now your going to have lower export demand,” Ajilore said. “You already have higher-rising costs because of tariffs, because of the war in Iran. And so, farmers just continue to struggle. And we’ve seen this in the data to the number of bankruptcies.”

In 2025 alone, Chapter 12 farm bankruptcies surged 46%, with Ajilore predicting those numbers could get even worse this year. 

For consumers, Tucker said the administration’s promise of a 25% reduction is unlikely to materialize at the grocery store.

“I think the likelihood of that 25% price reduction is very, very minimal. But I think the other thing the other story that I think keeps getting overlooked, is President Trump has chosen to have to focus on the price of beef because he says the price of beef is too high,” Tucker said. “Well, there’s lots of other products that you can look at. Look at the price of a bag of potato chips or the price of a bag and get a gallon of gasoline. There are lots of things that are too high today. Why he has chosen beef to be the target? I do not know.”

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Demetra Alarcon

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Second Mountain held a two-day leadership conference highlighting culture change inside maximum security prisons at Jefferson City Correctional Center.

Second Mountain is a nonprofit based out of Kansas City that focuses on creating culture change inside of prisons.

The prison leadership conference on Aug. 26 and Aug. 27 was an invitation-only event that brought together approximately 100 leaders from outside the faculty alongside 100 residents and staff members of JCCC to show firsthand the culture change happening inside the prison.

Bo Cornelius, executive director of Second Mountain, started the program with his wife after his release from prison three years ago. Cornelius said that programs don’t help people, but that people help people.

“Programs don’t help people. People help people. There are a lot of people in prison with real lived experiences. And through sharing their real lived experiences, I can get better,” Cornelius said.

Justin Davidson, chief of custody at the prison, said events like these can help change the culture inside of prison for the better.

“It involves where staff and residents come together and understand that there doesn’t have to be a negative always. That allows them both to realize that they’re humans, ” Davidson said.

James Dunn, a resident at the correctional center, said during the past few years, with more programs, the prison has become more of a community.

“Staff and offenders, more human, human contact. They still do their job. We still live our lives. You know, they work here. We live here. But it doesn’t have to be, animosity about the situation, ” Dunn said.

Inside the correctional center, residents can work towards change. The honors dorms bring together residents who have chosen to pursue growth and success.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The man described as a marijuana supplier for the Gathering of the Juggalos remained behind bars on Thursday after a bond hearing earlier this week.

Kevin “Bluntman” Jones, 45, of Eastonm Pennsylvania, is charged in Camden County with first-degree drug trafficking. A bond hearing was held on Tuesday and he was denied bond again. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 22.

The festival was held last week.

Dennis A. Pradhan, 49, of Silver Springs, Maryland, was charged with three counts of first-degree drug trafficking and two counts of delivery of a controlled substance. He is also being held at the Camden County Jail without bond.

 Jones allegedly advertised his business on the festival’s website and found with 128 pounds of weed and 2.5 pounds of mushrooms on Monday in Osage Beach, court documents in previous reporting say.

Pradhan also had a business that advertised having drugs on the festival’s website. He was arrested while driving to the festival during a traffic stop and was allegedly found with 90 pounds of marijuana, 124.5 pounds of psilocybin mushroom products, about a third-of-a-pound of ketamine, 27 vials of ecstasy and 40 vials containing ketamine and fentanyl, among other products, court documents indicate.

The state filed separate cases on Thursday for asset forfeiture of the two men, which would result in them losing nearly a combined $6,000, their vehicles and trailers. Court filings on Thursday say a summons was issued to both men at the Camden County Jail.

Pradhan has a bond hearing in his criminal case at 8:30 a.m. Friday.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man was charged with a felony on Thursday after authorities claim he possessed child sex abuse materials.

Stephan Jon Sheltmire II, 53, is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. An arraignment was held on Thursday afternoon.

The probable cause statement says authorities received a cybertip on Dec. 12, 2025. The reporting system determined multiple images of child sex abuse were being stored on a Google Drive between Aug. 19-Sept. 25, 2025. The account belonged to Sheltmire, the statement says.

A deputy wrote in court documents that more than 165 images were found on Sheltmire’s account on Jan. 22, 2026 and that Sheltmire included an image of his driver’s license on the Google Drive.

A search warrant was served on Wednesday and Sheltmire allegedly admitted to being the owner of the Gmail account, the statement says.

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Ellyse Edwards

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Two new Missouri laws taking effect Friday will give school districts more options for placing armed personnel inside schools.

One law creates a training program known as the “Missouri Rangers.” The other expands who may serve as a “school protection officer.” Participation in both programs is optional for school districts.

The Missouri Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission is required to establish the Missouri Rangers training program, which will focus on preventing and responding to emergencies or violent crises in schools.

The program may include up to 160 hours of training in areas including active-shooter response, firearms, close-quarters combat, de-escalation, behavioral threat assessments, defensive tactics, building security and first aid.

Applicants must pass a criminal background check and meet physical fitness requirements before entering the training program. People who complete the program will receive a certificate and Missouri Ranger badge.

Missouri Rangers must be employed by the school or district where they serve. Districts may hire them as full-time or part-time employees or use them as unpaid volunteers.

Their arrest authority is generally limited to school property, school buses and certain offenses involving firearms or school property. Those restrictions do not apply to active law enforcement officers.

Schools and districts will decide whether Rangers can carry weapons and whether those weapons must be concealed. Rangers who openly carry a handgun must use a special, secure holster.

A separate change to Missouri’s school protection officer law expands eligibility beyond teachers and administrators. Beginning Friday, any employee of a public school district or charter school may request designation as a school protection officer.

The role is voluntary and performed in addition to the employee’s regular job responsibilities. Any additional compensation must come from the local district because the law does not provide state funding.

School protection officers may carry a concealed gun or pepper spray if authorized by their district. An employee who wants to carry a gun must have a valid concealed-carry permit and complete a school protection officer training program approved by the Missouri Department of Public Safety.

Before implementing a school protection officer program, a school board must hold a public hearing and vote on the proposal. Notice of the hearing must be published at least 15 days in advance.

The Missouri Rangers program was created through Senate Bill 905. The expansion of the school protection officer program was included in House Bill 1866.

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Nathalie Jones

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Rock Bridge quarterback Sean Nevills Jr. went “Beyond the Game” with ABC 17 Sports Director Nathalie Jones, as the junior is set to lead the Bruins in his second season as the starter.

You can find the full transcript of the interview below.

Nathalie Jones: What’s up, everyone? We’re at Rock Ridge High School, going beyond the game with quarterback Sean Nevills Jr. Sean, Fridays are almost here. Do you have a game day tradition at all? 

Sean Nevills Jr.: I always, before the game, I always walk around the whole field with no shoes on, just socks, and I just listen to Kendrick Lamar. It just gets me going.”

Jones: What kind of zone does that get you in? What kind of mindset?

Nevills Jr.: Especially this year, it kind of calms me down a little bit, not to have too much adrenaline, wear myself out before the game even starts.

Jones: Yeah, I mean, just tell me about this team. What do you like about this group that you have this year for the Bruins?

Nevills Jr.: Man, I’m so excited for it. It’s definitely a younger team, you know, throwing to some of the guys that I played with freshman year. So, seeing them on varsity with me, it’s like it just feels so much more comfortable throwing to them and easy.

Jones: Yeah. What did you learn in your first season as a starter last year that you want to carry into this one?

Nevills Jr.: Just the confidence, you know, like it definitely carried into last Friday, but having that confidence to make those throws.

Jones: Is there a guy on your team that if they had to make a pass to you, who would you trust to make a pass to you on this team?

Nevills Jr.: It’s gonna be really controversial, but I’d say Elijah Morgensen.

Jones: OK. Reasons why?

Nevills Jr.: We did it freshman year a lot, but he’s a lefty thrower, so I know he’s just gonna get it high, and I can jump up and get it.

Jones: Just tell me about expectations for this season. Where do you want this team to go?

Nevills Jr.: Got some really high expectations, especially after last year, underperforming and seeing the new group. So, not too many people know what to expect, but we know what to expect, and definitely a district champion, going very far.

Jones: What would people be surprised to know about Sean Nevills Jr. off the football field? 

Nevills Jr.: I’m a chill person. Like, if you come up to me, I’ll say what’s up, but I’m not gonna be too loud. I’ll just be chill.

Jones: Awesome. Well, guys, you just went Beyond the Game with Sean Nevills Jr. Sean, thanks for hanging out.

Nevills Jr.: Thank you.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Several road projects in Columbia and Boone County are set to begin Thursday and Friday.

The exit ramp from Highway 63 to westbound Interstate 70 will close at 8 p.m. Thursday, as MoDOT crews can add temporary barriers. The ramp will reopen “no later than” 6 a.m. Friday, according to a MoDOT press release. MoDOT suggests that during the closure, drivers use alternate routes, such as eastbound I-70 to the St. Charles Road exit 131 to get to westbound I-70.

This work is part of the Rocheport to Columbia portion of the Improve I-70 Project, which will add a third lane in each direction on I-70.

Boone County announced that starting Thursday, 60-80 Broadview Court will be closed for street repair and is expected to reopen Monday.

Beginning at 7 a.m. Friday, contractors for the City of Columbia will start pavement maintenance on 39 city streets, according to a Wednesday press release from the city.

Crews are expected to finish by 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16, and will not work Labor Day weekend, the release says.

The contractor will apply Onyx surface treatment to streets that went through chip seal maintenance this year, the release says. The treatment, according to the release, is “a quick-drying asphalt and pavement sealing solution.”

The release says crews will place the signs 24 hours before work begins.

For a full list of the roads being worked on and their order, click here.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Nearly 50 Lincoln University students are being relocated from Anthony Hall after mold was found in the dorm, LU communications announced in an email.

The email stated 49 students and a residential director who lived in the residence hall were relocated after mold was found in a vacant room.

“This will allow facilities professionals full access to thoroughly assess the building and complete any necessary remediation, cleaning or other work without repeatedly disrupting residents,” the email to ABC 17 News states. “Residential Life is communicating directly with affected students and providing moving supplies and assistance as they transition to available rooms in other University residence halls.”

The email did not state how long students would be displaced. A second email stated a “full assessment will take place” to determine the length of time it will take to fix.

The school’s website says Anthony Hall is designated as the university’s honors program residence hall. The first day of classes for LU was held Aug. 17.

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