Author: KMIZ

Ellyse Edwards

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Moberly Area Community College opened a new aviation training facility at Columbia Regional Airport on Wednesday as the college prepares to welcome its first class of commercial pilot students.

MACC and the City of Columbia celebrated the opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the former terminal. The facility is home to MACC’s new Associate of Applied Science in Aviation Commercial Pilot program.

The inaugural class includes 16 students, with classes scheduled to begin Aug. 24. The FAA Part 141 program is accelerated and can be completed in two years. The program was announced in 2023.

MACC Aviation Commercial Pilot Program Director Ed Longoria said the program comes as the industry faces a need for more pilots.

“Well, the vision is to help with the pilot shortage. So for 2026, there’s going to be about 24,000 pilots, a shortage of 24,000 pilots,” Longoria said.

The new training center includes classrooms, faculty offices, student learning spaces and an FAA-approved Advanced Aviation Training Device simulator. Flight training will be provided through MACC’s partnership with ATD Flight Systems. The program’s home also gives new life to Columbia Regional Airport’s former terminal, which had been vacant since newer terminal opened in 2022.

MACC and the city entered into a lease agreement in 2024 that initially provided MACC with about 1,900 square feet of space.

MACC added another 1,057 square feet in May to accommodate a Redbird flight simulator and additional training space.

The college says it has invested more than $350,000 in renovations to turn the former terminal into an aviation education and training center.

Airport Manager Michael Parks said the facility allows an unused part of the airport to serve a new role.

“Well, I think this is an absolute fantastic opportunity to utilize the old terminal here at the airport. A space that’s not being used or wasn’t previously being used in a way to help promote aviation, not just in central Missouri, but also just nationwide,” Parks said.

Students will also be learning in the middle of an active airport. Parks said students will be exposed to commercial and general aviation operations as well as the day-to-day work that goes into operating an airport.

Longoria said the demand for pilots is expected to continue beyond the immediate shortage.

“And then Boeing has just released a forecast for the next 20 years that we’re going to be short 660,000 pilots. So, it’s important that we start helping in the process of developing qualified, wide safety minded pilots to help with this dilemma,” Longoria said.

The college says the program is intended to prepare students for careers as professional pilots, with an emphasis on safety, technical training and industry standards.

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Melissa Houston

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The viaduct at High Street in Jefferson City officially reopened on Wednesday after being closed for road repairs.

The viaduct was closed in February due to a hole that was impacting drivers and other deterioration of the road. The contracted cost for repairs with Double Arch Construction was estimated at $74,800 and the final cost totaled $70,000.

The city stated in a press release that only necessary work was done on the bridge, including two full-depth deck repairs, each roughly 8.5-feet-by-7 feet. The hole that initiated the closure was also repaired, and new reinforcing steel was installed in the repaired areas before new concrete was placed.

The city says they did the immediate necessary repairs to the bridge so it can be opened, but they want to do a complete renovation. The estimated cost for this is between $16-18 million dollars.

There are two federal grant applications pending to help with the cost of the project. And in the release, the city says it will continue to try and get federal, state and other funding opportunities to ensure this project happens.

In regard to the estimated start date of the renovation, City spokeswoman Molly Bryan said it is “not at the point of establishing a construction schedule for a replacement project.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Boone County Prosecutor Roger Johnson has responded to criticism from University of Missouri System President Mun Choi.

Emails given to ABC 17 News by a university spokesman on Tuesday showed that Choi has criticized city leaders following multiple high-profile incidents this summer that have occurred on Walnut Street.

Choi has sent multiple emails to city leaders since April 19, demanding the city hire more police officers while calling a portion of Walnut Street “a danger zone.” 

Choi sent emails to Seewood, Buffaloe, all City Council members and Johnson on July 27, the day after a brawl occurred on Walnut and Ninth streets that led to seven people being arrested. At least one person was charged with a felony.

That email shows Choi addressing Johnson directly and criticized the prosecutor of giving “violent perpetrators a slap on the wrist” while including five links to local media reporting on sentences for various crime stories.

Johnson gave a statement on Choi’s criticism on Tuesday through email, saying sentences have “trended stronger.”

“We exercise judgment in every case based on the facts and the law, and we stand behind those decisions. The outcome in a courtroom isn’t ours alone to decide — plea agreements, judges, juries, and witnesses all play a role,” Johnson’s statement says. “Overall, our sentencing outcomes have trended stronger, with increased sentences in violent crime and drug cases. We will continue to aggressively pursue serious offenses and seek strong sentences.”

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Demetra Alarcon

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Cole County residents should expect a knock on their door soon as the Cole County Assessor’s Office starts a mass reinspection plan.

Every odd-numbered year, there is a reassessment of the value of residential properties. This property value then determines property taxes.

This year, the assessor’s office is gathering detailed information on every residential parcel to guide next year’s reassessment.

Assessor Tim Theroff wouldn’t discuss details about why the mass reinspection was needed, saying the reasons go back to before he took office in 2025. However, the State Tax Commission has told the county that current property assessments are too low.

Assessors will first knock on the door when they arrive at a home. They’ll then take photos around the residence, updating new features as needed. Assessors only observe the outside of a home.

The process used in the past by the Cole County Assessor’s Office was simply going out with a pen and paper, gather information, then head back to the office to put the new information in.

With this new technology, assessors take an iPad out in the field, take their pictures, and enter their data while they are still in the field.

Noah Lara, an assessor in Cole County, said that this new software makes it easier for assessors to gather data and have it back in a timely manner.

“It lets us do most of that work in the field, like editing our sketches, adding photos, confirming our outbuilding data,” Lara said. “It allows us to do all that in one software and then send it off.”

Theroff said that although the first week using the new technology has gone well.

“So for the sake of efficiency, we take the pictures and do all of the data entry in the field, and then we’re able to stay out in the field for all five days and spend more time out, inspecting those properties and feel like it’s a better use of our resources,” said Theroff.

Theroff said that, when it comes to cost, assessors can now spend more days in the field than in the office, so he feels it is a net value.

“For the sake of efficiency and being good stewards of the taxpayers’ money, our field inspectors are able to be out in the field for five days a week instead of three days a week. So we figure it is a net gain,” said Theroff.

Theroff said the cost of the software is around $20,000 annually.

Theroff notes that the assessor’s objective is to accurately value property, and to make sure that everything is fair.

“If properties are valued scientifically, and there’s equity in how close they are to true market value, then that establishes fairness and what people are paying in taxes,” said Theroff.

Lara said that when assessors come to a home, they announce themselves and explain to residents what the process looks like.

“Because a lot of people, some people just don’t know what this process is or, you know, they’re first-time owners or, you know, they haven’t seen this in a while. So we just like to put people at ease,” Lara said. “I mean, we’re just out collecting our data. We’re out making sure that we have everything that we need for this assessment cycle. It’s great to interact with the public”

Theroff is cautiously optimistic that this new system will increase the efficiency of field inspectors.

Cole County will send out postcards to residents with updates.

Theroff said that the reassessment process is expected to take seven to eight months, with 25,000 homes to inspect.

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CNN Newsource

By Cindy Von Quednow, Aaron Cooper, CNN

(CNN) — Two people are dead after a military helicopter crashed in a field in Salado, Texas, on Wednesday afternoon, a sheriff’s official said.

The Apache helicopter from Fort Hood military installation crashed around 1:35 p.m. local time, and the two pilots on board were confirmed dead, according to Cliff Coleman, a spokesman for the Bell County Sheriff’s Office.

Crews responded to a large, uncontrolled wildfire sparked by the crash, and evacuations were in place, Coleman said.

The helicopter did not hit any structures or people, Coleman said.

“It crashed into a field, and you could tell it was a violent crash,” he added.

The AH-64 Apache attack helicopter was based at Fort Hood, the installation said in a statement. Local emergency responders, military personnel and law enforcement were on scene.

“Our immediate priority is securing the site and supporting the initial response efforts,” Brig. Gen. Ethan Diven, acting commanding general, said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with the crew and their families as we await further information.”

It was unclear where the helicopter was coming from or where it was headed.

The AH-64 Apache is an attack helicopter with seats for two crew members: the pilot in the rear of the aircraft and the co-pilot and gunner in the front, according to the US Army.

The four-bladed helicopter can carry 16 Hellfire missiles, 76 aerial rockets and 1,200 rounds for its 30 mm gun.

Apaches have been upgraded and modernized since the aircraft was first introduced in 1984, and they are slated to keep flying until 2050.

“It is highly mobile, lethal, and can destroy armor, personnel, and materiel targets in obscured battlefield conditions at ranges out to 8 kms (5 miles),” the Army said on its website. “With the addition of improved situational awareness, flight performance, and joint interoperability, the AH-64E has become the most advanced aerial fighting vehicle in the world.”

This story has been updated with additional information.

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The University of Missouri Provost announced in a Tuesday email that the fall 2026 semester will not have a “Reading Day.”

The day – also known as “Stop Day” by students and alumni – was debated on being cut for the upcoming fall semester after because Veterans Day falls on a Wednesday. Gov. Mike Kehoe last year signed a law that gives UM workers Veterans Day as a paid holiday.

The university is required to have 29 academic days scheduled for Tuesday/Thursday classes and 43 for Monday, Wednesday and Friday classes, according to previous reporting.

Stop Day is typically scheduled with the intent of students having an extra day to study for their final exams.

Finals week for the fall semester lasts Dec. 14-18. Previous reporting shows the change would not affect Stop Day in the spring semester.

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CNN Newsource

By Betsy Klein, Alayna Treene, CNN

(CNN) — White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will leave her role at the end of August, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday.

The imminent departure of one of the president’s closest allies inside the White House marks a major shakeup for the president’s press operation, with less than three months until the midterm elections.

Describing her as “one of my most trusted aides,” Trump said in a social media post that Leavitt “will be departing her role at the end of the month so she can spend more time with her beautiful young children and family, a decision I totally understand and respect!”

Leavitt, he added, will continue to serve as an outside adviser.

The departure comes at a challenging moment for Trump, who’s facing low approval ratings amid the ongoing war with Iran and high gas prices, with most Americans saying he hasn’t paid enough attention to the country’s most important problems.

Leavitt, 28, made history as the youngest-ever White House press secretary, and also the first woman to be pregnant in the high-pressure job. She returned to the briefing room podium last month after a short maternity leave.

Leavitt served in a junior role during Trump’s first term, then but has emerged as one of his most effective and loyal spokespeople during his second. She has cultivated a personal brand as a pit bull for the president and his policies, tussling with reporters who ask tough questions and welcoming friendlier outlets.

Behind the microphone and on social media, she has also presented herself as a devoted wife and working mom, toting toddler son Niko to Air Force One and the Oval Office, posing for photos with her husband at the White House Easter Egg Roll and Halloween celebrations, baking an apple pie from scratch and basking in newborn snuggles with daughter Viviana.

As is often true of social media, the images belie her demanding job.

“The truth is since returning to the White House after the birth of my daughter, I have felt in my heart that I cannot be the best mom my two young children deserve while devoting the constant time, energy, and attention required of the White House Press Secretary,” she wrote in a social media post Wednesday, calling her decision “bittersweet.”

The president, who believes he is his own best spokesperson, has been demanding of those who speak on his behalf. Following the birth of her daughter on May 1, Leavitt took roughly a month of leave away from the White House, during which the president often called her and, at times, asked when she planned to return, a person familiar with the discussions said.

When Leavitt’s first child was born in July 2024, she took just a four-day leave, returning to the campaign trail the day after then-candidate Trump was the victim of an assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.

“It kind of threw me right back to work much sooner than I would have probably expected or hoped,” she later reflected in an interview with Megyn Kelly.

When Leavitt returned to the White House podium last month, she acknowledged balancing the demanding job with raising two young children was “challenging.” But, she added at the time, “I view this as more than job — I view this as public service.”

Leavitt ran for Congress in her home state of New Hampshire after Trump’s first term, losing in the general election. Then, during his 2024 presidential campaign, she became a trusted figure who quickly catapulted into his inner circle.

Now, as the 2026 midterms heat up, Leavitt could emerge as an important outside messenger.

“President Trump has asked me to continue serving as a top advisor to him on the outside, and I will always remain a vocal advocate for MAGA and the Republican Party,” she wrote Wednesday.

A vacancy at the podium

During Leavitt’s recent maternity leave, White House press briefings became significantly less frequent. The press shop stacked the lectern with top officials like Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio — guest appearances that came with varying levels of success.

As of Wednesday afternoon, it was not immediately clear to some White House staff who would replace Leavitt, a source said.

And finding a replacement for one of the most visible women in Trump’s administration could be challenging.

Leavitt has served in the role for 18 months, making her the second-longest-serving press secretary under Trump. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, now governor of Arkansas, held the role for just under two years during Trump’s first term. Kayleigh McEnany held the role for eight months, Stephanie Grisham for 10 months and Sean Spicer for six months.

There has been some turnover in the White House press office during Trump’s second term. Taylor Budowich, who was deputy chief of staff for communications, departed after eight months. Two of Leavitt’s deputies, Harrison Fields and Abigail Jackson, have also left.

This story has been updated with additional information.

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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Olivia Hayes

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia Police are sharing new evidence of a theft investigation at the home where a University of Missouri employee was shot to death in 2021.

James Hundle was assistant to the vice chancellor and dean of the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources at the University of Missouri when he was killed. He was also an adviser to the agricultural fraternity Alpha Gamma Rho.

Officers found the 52-year-old dead with a gunshot wound in the 4800 block of Marble Cedars Drive on the morning of Oct. 13, 2021. CPD criminal investigator Lt. Matt Gremore said an associate of Hundle’s had called for medical help.

“He was found basically in an unconscious state. So they did not know if he was deceased or alive at the time that the caller made the call,” Gremore said. “It was very vague. It was unknown circumstances of what had happened.”

Gremore said the caller found police when they arrived and led them to where he had been found.

“I can’t get into the exact injuries that he had, but I can tell you he was found deceased,” Gremore said.

Gremore later said Hundle was shot, but would not say how many times or if any casings and a gun were recovered. Police found that it was not a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to Gremore.

However, a homicide was not the only thing they would end up discovering. An incident report obtained by ABC 17 News through a records request showed police were also investigating a theft. Gremore would not say what exactly was taken, but said the items were not guns or money.

“There were some items taken from the home. I’ll just say personal items,” Gremore said.

In 2021, a subpoena obtained by ABC 17 News showed that police had requested information from Tiger Security Services the day after Hundle was found dead. The request asked the company for “all sensor activations, arm and disarm of the security system” from Oct. 6 to Oct. 14.

Police at the time did not say whether anything was found in the security system data or the significance of the time frame provided. Gremore declined to discuss those details for this story, as well.

Gremore singled out three dates in that week they believe could be crucial to finding answers — Oct. 11-13.

“Anybody that had any conversations [with Hundle] from Oct. 11 through the 13th could be very beneficial,” Gremore said.

Ring doorbell footage was also collected from houses in the neighborhood, Gremore said. Police were searching for more information about a car in the preliminary days of the investigation, but Gremore would not say if it is believed to be a suspect vehicle or give any identifying details.

Hundle also owned Ruckus Bar and Grill and Splasher’s Laundromat in Columbia for several years. Both businesses have since changed hands.

“That’s a contact for us to have someone to talk to to see if he had problems with anybody, if there was any history there that we don’t know about,” Gremore said. “So that just leads you to another lead to investigate”

Gremore said the most beneficial discovery would be knowing the last person Hundle had contact with before his death.

Dylan Boling, a mentee of Hundle’s, remembered the day he heard the news. He had just graduated and moved away months prior. Boling said Hundle hadn’t shown up to work, raising concerns for those working with him.

“My good friend Isaiah was working for Hundle,” Boling said. “I remember Isaiah calling me, and I was in my office at our home at that time, and he told me that he was, he was gone, and he was killed, and there was little to no details about it.”

Boling was a member of the fraternity from 2017 to 2021 and served on the executive team for two years, where he described Hundle working as his “right-hand man.” Boling described his relationship with Hundle growing into a friendship over time.

“He wasn’t a harsh person by any means; he was very soft-natured,” Boling said. “He taught me a lot of good lessons. He would always keep you in check, and he had a good way about doing it.”

Boling did not know Hundle to have any enemies, but said his friend did not tend to share details of his personal life.

“That’s why this didn’t make a lot of sense when it happened and still doesn’t to this day; it’s like, why him?” Boling said.

Gremore said police don’t know the perpetrator’s motivation for killing Hundle.

“Only the killer knows the motivation, whether it was something they had planned versus something that had just kind of gotten out of control,” Gremore said.

Through the last five years, Gremore said, hundreds of people have been interviewed in connection with this investigation. Gremore said police have persons of interest in the case, but would not say how many.

Boling said police never talked to him about Hundle, but he thinks the conversation with him and other previous members of the fraternity could potentially help the investigation.

“There was probably a front that we knew that, you know, he kind of kept there, but anything that we can help with, maybe it clicks an idea on something else. Who knows?” Boling said.

In the aftermath of his death, Boling said Hundle left pretty big shoes to fill.

“I knew it was going to affect a lot of people,” Boling said. “We’ve never really had a steady adviser since then. I’ve stepped in the advisor role, and some others have, and in time just trying to fill the gap, but it’s hard to really fill those shoes fully.”

Even with the adviser role filled, members of the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity continue to remember Hundle and the legacy he left behind.

“He had these [bull horns] in his office, and those are in the fraternity house now, today,” Boling said.

Watch “Mid Missouri’s Cold Case Files: The Murder of James Hundle” at 6 p.m. on KMIZ.

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Alison Patton

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Cole County judge on Wednesday allowed three Republican groups to step in on a lawsuit challenging a certificate of insufficiency the secretary of state issued on a referendum to get the 2025 congressional map on the November ballot.

Judge Daniel Green allowed the Republican National Committee, National Republican Congressional Committee and Missouri Republican State Committee to join the secretary’s side in the lawsuit filed by political action committee People Not Politicians.

The lawsuit will go to trial next Tuesday, Green also ruled.

Attorney for the Republican groups, Marc Ellinger, argued in court Wednesday that his clients have a stake in the lawsuit because they want their candidates to win seats under the new congressional map. The 2025 congressional map is likely to cut out Democrat and District 5 incumbent Emanuel Cleaver and flip his seat to a Republican. Cleaver is running against state Sen. Rick Brattin (R-Harrisonville)

People Not Politicians attorney Chuck Hatfield argued against Ellinger’s points, adding that more people involved in arguments could slow down court proceedings when there’s about a month left to add measures to the November ballot.

In a separate People Not Politicians court case earlier this year, still on the 2025 congressional map, Ellinger intervened on behalf of another client and immediately asked for a judge change, which pushed back the trial.

“There has been a history in this case of state officials slowing the progress, waiting until the last minute,” Hatfield said. “I’m concerned about anything that would slow these processes down.”

Hatfield was worried this might happen again, but Ellinger said he doesn’t intend to call for a judge change.

“We do not want to run the clock out at all. We want to move as quickly as possible. This is important to get resolved, I mean, we’re going to try this case next week,” Ellinger said.

Hoskins waited until the last day permitted by law to announce his decision on the referendum. He has been a strong supporter of the 2025 map, also called the “Missouri First” map, since lawmakers passed the map in a special session nearly a year ago.

Hoskins, backed in court by the attorney general, argues Missouri law doesn’t allow a referendum on congressional maps. In his certificate of insufficiency, he calls the referendum unconstitutional.

People Not Politicians submitted their referendum to the secretary of state and started gathering signatures soon after the General Assembly approved the map, as lawsuits challenging mid-decade redistricting were filed in Cole County to block the map from going into effect.

The last day to add anything to the November ballot is Sept. 8, and the Missouri Supreme Court is expecting this case to reach the high court.

Chief Justice Brent Powell sent a letter to Green, asking the lower court to hold a quick trial and make a speedy decision.

“Following any entry of judgment in this matter, it must be assumed one or more parties will exercise their right to appeal,” Powell wrote. “Accordingly, the matter must be handled expeditiously to ensure sufficient time for expedited appellate review to be completed.”

People Not Politicians also has to win against the Republican National Committee, an intervenor and interested party in this case.

According to court documents, the RNC is invested in making sure its candidates make it to Congress.

The 2025 congressional map is likely to turn over Democrat Emanuel Cleaver’s seat representing District 5, which covered much of Kansas City under the old map, to a Republican. Cleaver is now running against Republican State Sen. Rick Brattin.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A temporary power outage has been scheduled for a Columbia neighborhood on Wednesday morning.

A Monday press release from the city says crews will remove fallen trees from an overhead power line.

“A tree has fallen onto a second tree, causing an issue with an overhead power line. For the crew to remove the tree safely, the power must be turned off,” the release says.

Power will be turned off between 8:30 a.m.-noon for the area near Lynwood Drive, Red Oak Lane and Crawford Street. About 70 city electric customers will be affected.

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