Category: kmiz-local-news

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia Public Schools announced in a Friday press release that Virginia Tate has been picked to become Hickman High School’s next principal.

Tate is the assistant principal at Rock Bridge High School. She replaces Mary Grupe, who is taking a job at the district’s central office.

The release says Tate has more than 20 years of experience as an educator, started her career as an English teacher in Columbia, South Carolina, and has since served in a variety of roles. She also served as the state’s advanced academic programs education associate.

Tate has a bachelor’s degree in English, a master’s degree in gifted education and an educational specialist degree in educational leadership.

“Ms. Tate is dedicated to building strong relationships with students, families, and staff. Her leadership approach comes from a place of humility, respect, and a sincere appreciation for staff, students, and families. We’re excited to have her become part of the strong tradition of excellence that exists at Hickman,” Superintendent Jeff Klein is quoted in the release.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A new judge was assigned on Friday to a Cole County murder from 1991.

William “Chris” Niemet, of Fulton, is charged with first-degree murder in a 1991 death of his classmate in Russellville.

Niemet, of Fulton, is accused of killing his classmate, Greg Jones, in April 1991 in Russellville. Jones was 14. Niemet also would have been 14 at the time. Niemet was charged in 2020 with first-degree murder.

The trial has been delayed multiple times.

Division 5 Judge Emily Fretwell was assigned to the case on Friday after a change of judge order was filed on Thursday. Judge Joseph Shetler previously presided over the case.  

A hearing in the case is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 9 at the Cole County Circuit Court. The Attorney General’s Office joined the prosecution in the case earlier this month.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Two Jefferson City men were accused of firing shots at a vehicle on April 26 at a Waffle House on the north side of Columbia.

Damonte Jones was charged on Friday with unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action. He is not currently listed on an online jail roster.

Police announced on Thursday that they arrested D’Monte Lee, 19, on suspicion of armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon. Charges have not been filed on Casenet for Lee as of Friday afternoon. He is being held at the Cole County Jail.

The probable cause statement says the men were at the Waffle House on Vandiver Drive at 2:53 a.m.

Lee allegedly got out of a Ford, stood between two vehicles, pulled out a gun and shot at a vehicle on Range Line Street, police wrote that they saw from video in the area. Police wrote a second man also fired shots at the vehicle.  

A witness allegedly identified Jones as the second shooter while Jefferson City police investigated another case on April 30 that allegedly involved Jones pointing a gun at someone, the statement says. Police wrote that there was a National Integrated Ballistic Information Network match for Jones’ gun and shell casings found at the scene.

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Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Despite rainy weather Friday, the Missouri Department of Transportation says it is continuing with plan to demolish the North Providence Road bridge over Interstate 70 in Columbia.

Crews are scheduled to begin tearing down the overpass at 9 p.m. Friday as part of a major reconstruction project expected to impact traffic in the area for the next several months.

Businesses along Providence Road told ABC 17 News MoDOT officials visited them earlier this week to discuss changes they can expect during the closure. The area includes several businesses and community resources, including restaurants, dealerships and churches.

Friday morning, MoDOT reduced Interstate 70 traffic to one lane in each direction near the North Providence Road bridge ahead of the demolition.

Sarah Paben, owner of JJ’s Cafe, said the diner has been located near the bridge for the past six years. She said the closure will mostly affect employees commuting to work, with many now needing to detour through Vandiver Drive and Range Line Street.

Traffic along Vandiver Drive appeared heavier than normal Friday as drivers began adjusting to the closure. Paben said it felt surreal watching crews begin shutting down the roadway, but she does not expect the closure to significantly impact customer traffic.

“You started seeing the cones go out, basically closing one lane right in front of us,” Paben said. “And people have maneuvered it lovely today. So honestly, that was really refreshing to see.”

Most of the businesses ABC 17 News spoke with Friday said they do not expect the bridge closure to seriously hurt business. Instead, many believe it will mostly create longer commute times and added inconvenience for customers and employees.

Tattoo You, located near Business Loop 70 and Range Line Street, expects traffic in the area to increase during the closure. Staff there said heavy traffic is already common during the week, especially during the evening rush around 5 p.m. With the Providence Road bridge closed, they expect even more drivers to use Range Line Street as an alternate route.

“Ultimately, if you want to expand, you’re going to have to have infrastructure growth anyway,” Tattoo You artist Cameron Hayes said. “So if we can just tough it out for the next couple of years, it’ll be better in the long run for Columbia.”

Hayes said while the closure may create temporary frustrations, he is looking forward to the final result once the bridge project is complete.

In response to the closure, the Columbia Police Department said people directly affected by the bridge shutdown could experience longer emergency response times. The Columbia Fire Department also said it will closely monitor any impacts from the closure and adjust response plans as needed.

Check back for updates.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

People who want to let state regulators know their opinions about an Ameren Missouri solar project planned for Audrain County have until June 12 to do so.

The Missouri Public Service Commission set the intervention deadline for Ameren’s application for multiple solar facilities on Friday. Among the projects are a 175-megawatt solar field next to the Huck Finn solar project in Audrain and Ralls counties and a 200-megawatt battery storage facility at the company’s Audrain Energy Center, located on Route P near Vandalia.

Ameren is also seeking permission to build battery and solar facilities in Stoddard and Lincoln counties and at the retired Meramec coal plant, according to state documents.

Staff will file a recommendation for the commission by June 13.

Information on how to intervene in the case is available on the PSC website.

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ABC 17 News Team

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri’s “how weather law” will be in effect from June 1-Sept. 30.

The Missouri Public Service Commission sent a reminder in a press release on Friday.

The law was made to protect residential customers of investor-owned utilities from having electric or natural gas service disconnected because of nonpayment “when electricity or natural gas is used as the source of cooling or to operate the only cooling equipment at the residence,” the release says.

Regulated companies are not allowed to disconnect service “if the National Weather Service local forecast between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. predicts that within the following 72 hours the temperature will rise above 95 degrees Fahrenheit or the heat index will rise above 105 degrees Fahrenheit.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Police from Columbia and Moberly made an arrest in an alleged road-rage incident that occurred Tuesday in the 3200 block of Clark Lane.

A Friday social media post from the Columbia Police Department says law enforcement arrested Robert Neese Jr., 49, of Moberly, on suspicion of first-degree assault, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon.

He was accused of firing shots. No injuries were reported.

Charges have not yet appeared on Casenet. Neese was listed on the Randolph County Jail roster on Friday. He was arrested in the 300 block of College Avenue in Moberly.

“Columbia Police Street Crimes detectives were able to identify the suspect through the use of camera systems including Flock Safety cameras,” the post says. “It was determined the suspect resided in Moberly and, through a joint investigation with the Moberly Police Department and the Randolph County Sheriff’s Department, an arrest warrant and search warrant were obtained.”

Check back for updates.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

EDITOR’S NOTE: The date that Daniels started service with MSHP has been corrected.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol on Friday confirmed the name of a trooper who died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

MSHP said Cpl. Gary T. Daniels was found Thursday with a gunshot wound on Callaway County Road 395, which is near Highway 63 in an area north of Jefferson City. Daniels was appointed to the patrol on July 1, 2015, the release says.

MSHP wrote in a Thursday release that no foul play was suspected.

The sheriff’s office received a 911 call at 2:55 p.m., the release says. Crime scene tape was seen at the scene by an ABC 17 News photographer, and first responders vehicles lined the road in that area.

ABC 17 News typically does not report on suicides; but it will here due to the public nature of the death.

Those who are experiencing thoughts of self-harm can call 988.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Contractors are set to begin treatments meant to preserve pavement on Columbia roads Monday.

CAM LLC will apply Reclamite to city streets on weekdays throughout June and July when the weather allows it, according to a news release from the City of Columbia. Reclamite is an oil-based treatment that is designed to prolong the life of pavement.

Work will take place on weekdays, according to the release.

The list includes several streets that were repaved last year — the city says that applying Reclamite a year after repaving is a standard practice to preserve street life.

Vehicles must be removed from affected streets between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. Streets will be marked with no-parking signs.

A full list of streets and a link to an interactive map of the road work are available on the city’s website.

The city is paying $408,103.62 for the fiscal year 2026.

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Lucas Geisler

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) –

A former Moniteau County commissioner will serve five years of probation for stealing.

Douglas Naros, 57, pleaded guilty on Thursday to felony stealing for taking gravel from the county and using a county dump truck to work on his driveway. Prosecutors dropped a forgery charge and second stealing count as part of the plea.

Naros was arrested and charged in February after the Missouri State Highway Patrol investigated claims he was using county resources for personal gain. Naros resigned from the commission shortly before the case became public. The case was moved to Morgan County in April.

Judge Aaron Koeppen sentenced him to five years of probation with a suspended imposition of sentence. That means the conviction will not be imposed on Naros completes probation. Naros was also ordered to repay $3,630.34 in restitution.

Moniteau County Presiding Commissioner Joe Lutz said the punishment was too weak.

“If you’re in a position of power and you abuse that, I think it should be a stiffer punishment,” Lutz said in a phone interview with KMIZ.

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