Category: kmiz-local-news

Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Cole County judge ruled in favor of the state in a battle over a Boone County charter school on Thursday, determining that a law that allows charter schools in Boone County is constitutional.

The suit was filed in December 2025, with Columbia Public Schools claiming Senate Bill 727, which was passed in 2024, unlawfully singles out Boone County. The law states that charter schools can operate in counties of “between 150,000 and 200,000 inhabitants.”

While the bill does not name Boone County, it is the only county in the state that fits this description.

During court hearings, the state claimed that Boone County is a good candidate for a charter school for several reasons, including the law’s population guidelines.

Judge Emily Fretwell wrote that the state’s law was created rationally and that arguments have not proven that the General Assembly was targeting Boone County with the law.

“The General Assembly could have similarly believed that counties below this threshold would lack sufficient demand for charter schools. Even if this classification is not ‘perfect,’ it is not arbitrary and unreasonable,” Fretwell wrote.

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway called the ruling a “complete victory for Missouri students.”

“As a mother, I know families need options that fit their child, not a one-size-fits-all system,” Hanaway said. “This win protects educational opportunity and keeps the focus on what families need, not what institutions prefer. We will keep fighting to ensure students have the support, resources, and options they need to succeed.”

In a statement, CPS spokesperson Michelle Baumstark reported CPS was disappointed in the ruling.

“Legislation that singles out Boone County for treatment different from other Missouri communities is a matter of statewide significance. The district intends to appeal this decision as we believe the constitutional questions raised by this legislation deserve further judicial review.”

This case is about more than charter schools. It is about fairness, accountability, and the constitutional protections that prevent individual communities from being singled out through state legislation. The expansion of charter schools in Boone County also raises serious concerns about the long-term impact on public education and the responsible use of taxpayer dollars,” the statement said.

Fretwell added that the state’s additional arguments for a charter school in Boone County, including its high achievement gap between student demographic groups in public schools and proximity to a higher education institution, made the county viable for a charter school.

CPS v state judgmentDownload

The Missouri Board of Education in April approved an application by Frontier Charter School sponsored by Saint Louis University to open in the Columbia area. The school will be STEM-focused and plans to start operations in 2027 with only pre-K through second-grade students.

Frontier will add a grade every year. The school plans to welcome fifth-grade students by the start of the 2031-32 school year and have full enrollment by the 2032-33 school year.

In their statement, CPS also warned of potential funding issues that come with charter schools.

“Charter schools divide limited taxpayer dollars among competing systems, do not serve all students, and weaken the educational opportunities available to those students who remain in traditional public schools. Public education policy should strengthen our schools, support student achievement, and ensure every child has access to high-quality educational opportunities. Columbia Public Schools is committed to protecting the resources necessary to provide an excellent education for all students,” the statement said.

CPS filed a second lawsuit against the State Board of Education in September, claiming the board did not follow proper procedure in its approval and that Frontier’s application failed to meet several required deadlines.

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Demetra Alarcon

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The much-anticipated Nordstrom Rack store opened its doors in West Columbia on Thursday.

This is the first Nordstrom Rack in Mid-Missouri, with the closest locations in the Kansas City and St. Louis areas. The store is an “off-price” department store chain, which sells high-quality brands at discounts.

The 25,000-square-foot store is in the former Macy’s building in the Shoppes on Stadium at 201 N. Stadium Blvd.

This building has been vacant since 2016, when Macy’s closed.

The official grand opening event started at 8 a.m., although the first person in line told ABC 17 News that she arrived at 4:30 a.m. to guarantee her spot. Other shoppers in line said they arrived at 6:30 a.m.

Shoppers said they were most excited about the convenience of the store being in Columbia. One shopper said she used to drive four hours for a Nordstrom Rack, and now she only has to drive two.

Leanne Sullen, the district manager for Nordstrom Rack, said that this has been in the works for over a year. She added that Nordstrom is excited to have a presence in Mid-Missouri and be closer to its customers in the area.

The sales tax rate in this area of Columbia is 8.975% and includes state, county, city, and transportation development district taxes.

For a total of $214.88, there is $ 19.29 in tax, making the total $234.17.

With a one percent sales tax towards public safety being passed in Aug. and the possibility of a 3/8-cent sales tax to build a new jail on the ballot next election, ABC 17 News asked shoppers if this would change their shopping habits.

Morgan Montgomery, a Columbia resident, said that although she thinks her habits should change, they probably will not. She said that she believes the taxes are for a reason.

“I think that they are going for things that our state needs. And if they’re not getting it through sales tax, they’d find a different way to get it. So to me, the money’s going to come from somewhere no matter what,” Montgomery said.

Montgomery added that she liked the location and its proximity to other stores

“I do think parking is probably going to become a nightmare at some point. But right now you can kind of hit up everything in one stop,” Montgomery said.

Another Columbia resident said that she is not specifically worried about the increase in sales tax impacting her shopping.

“I’m not specifically worried. I trust God to provide for me. So but it would be nice if the taxes were lower,” Tina Vaughn said.

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Matthew Sanders

This year’s World Series featured two teams that, regardless of their prowess on the field, aren’t exactly household names.

The Central Division Champion Milwaukee Brewers represented the National League, while the Tampa Bay Rays represented the American League. For those of us living in a state divided between Cardinals and Royals fans, there’s not much rooting interest there.

But it’s still October baseball, and this year’s series offered some excitement, such as the Rays’ extra-innings win on Tuesday.

Did you watch any of it? Let us know by voting in the poll.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Fischer Minerals LLC filed an application for a mine expansion in Callaway County, according to information from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

The application to the DNR was stamped with a Sept. 4 date. The DNR told ABC 17 News in an email that Fischer Minerals is expanding 40 acres for a total of 120 acres to mine limestone.

Fischer will expand from its current site.

2026 FM Expansion – MapsDownload 2026 FM Expansion – ApplicationDownload 2026 FM Expansion – Mine PlanDownload

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Public Service Commission has until Feb. 28, 2027, to rule on a proposed substation plan by Ameren Missouri.

The application was submitted on Oct. 16 and plans to add a roughly 76,000-square-foot substation just southwest of Columbia.

CCN Application – Katy PublicDownload

According to a statement from Ameren, the substation’s location has not been officially released. The project’s total cost is also unknown.

“We generally don’t provide detailed information about the exact location of our electric infrastructure in a particular area for safety and security reasons. The proposed Katy Substation would be constructed southwest of Columbia on land owned by Ameren Missouri,” Ameren spokesperson Evan Asher said in a statement.

According to the application, the substation will connect to the existing 161 kV Loy Martin-Overton-3 transmission line, which runs from Ashland across the Missouri River to Overton. An application attachment of the proposed substation shows the building will be located near Little Bonne Femme Creek. Boone County data also shows Ameren owns land near the intersection of South Smith Hatchery Road and Woodie Proctor Road.

Attatchment of planned substation in Ameren application

According to Ameren, the addition will help secure the power line in emergencies and give the company options for expansion.

Ameren serves nearly 5,000 customers in Boone County.

Currently, an outage of the [transmission line] results in an outage of the CWLD McBaine tap to the AECI McBaine substation,” Ameren reported in their application. “By segmenting the line, the [proposed substation] would eliminate the potential for a line fault anywhere along the line between Loy Martin and Overton to interrupt electricity supply to the line going to the AECI McBaine substation.”

The company added that in the event of an outage, the substation would allow a faulty line to be isolated without affecting the other lines.

If approved, Ameren plans to begin construction in 2027, with facilities being operational by spring 2028.

The project will be funded by existing funds in Ameren’s treasury and competitive bidding will be used to find the construction company.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man was arrested and charged after he allegedly shot a hawk within Fayette city limits on Monday.

Jeffrey Cramer, 60, of Fayette, was charged on Tuesday in Howard County with being a felon with a gun and misdemeanor illegally shooting a gun. He is being held at the Howard County Jail on a $10,000 bond. An arraignment was held on Wednesday. A bond review hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 5.

The probable cause statement says someone called law enforcement at 2:30 p.m. Monday after they saw a hawk in the road on Oaklawn Avenue after hearing a load noise. The witness allegedly saw a man holding a rifle before running to a truck and driving off, the statement says.

The witness gave a description of the man to law enforcement and the officer asked if he knew the name Cramer. The officer reported seeing Cramer in the area prior.

The officer went to Cramer’s residence and detained him. Cramer allegedly told the officer that he shot a bird off of a chicken because the bird was killing his chicken, the statement says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Former Missouri Budget Director Dan Haug has been named the state government relations director at Centerstone, the nonprofit announced in a Wednesday press release.

Haug retired from his position with the state on Oct. 1, according to previous reporting. He served as the budget director for 11 years, which makes him the longest to ever serve in the role.

The release says at Centerstone, Haug will “lead the organization’s government relations strategy in Missouri and serve as a liaison to legislators, state agencies, regulators, associations and other stakeholders. He will work closely with Centerstone leaders and clinical teams to identify policy priorities, monitor legislative and regulatory developments and advocate for policies that support access to behavioral health care and related services.”

“After more than 30 years in state government, I’m excited to bring my experience to Centerstone and continue working to improve the lives of Missourians,” Haug was quoted in the release. “Behavioral health touches communities across our state, and I look forward to working with policymakers, state agencies and Centerstone colleagues to support policies that help more people access the care they need.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A registered sex offender was charged on Tuesday in Cole County with possessing child sex abuse materials.

Shawn A. Swan, 51, of Eugene, is being held at the Cole County Jail without bond. A court date has not been scheduled.

The probable cause statement says an investigator found files containing child sex abuse on Swan’s phone while looking into another case on Oct. 23. A forensic examiner examined Swan’s cellphone on Monday and found a video showing child sex abuse, the statement says.

The statement says Swan is considered a Tier 3 sex offender and he allegedly admitted to messaging a 13-year-old girl recently and receiving child sex abuse files from the victim.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A former employee of the Cooper County Jail was sentenced to probation on Friday after he pleaded guilty to sexual misconduct.

John Dillehay, 50, pleaded guilty to sexual conduct in the course of public duty. He was accused of having sex with an inmate in 2024.

He was sentenced to probation for four years along with a five-year suspended sentence. He was also given credit for time served. He previously faced a misdemeanor charge in addition to the felony he pleaded guilty to.

He’s accused of having sexual misconduct with an inmate on Aug. 4, 2024. He is also charged in Cooper County with permitting escape and concealing a felony on the same day the sexual misconduct charges allegedly occurred, court filings indicate.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A northeast Columbia road was closed Wednesday evening after a crash that left two people with critical injuries.

A crash was reported on East St. Charles Road near Demaret Drive. Boone County Fire Protection District Lt. Joey Rimel told ABC 17 News that two vehicles were involved and the drivers were both pulled from their cars.

Rimel first described their injuries as “critical.” Both people were taken to University Hospital. He described the crash as a head-on collision.

Boone County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Capt. Brian Leer said the crash involved a man and a woman. Leer said at 8:50 p.m. that both people are in serious condition.

Leer said the man drove his vehicle eastbound “at a high rate of speed,” crossed the center line and hit the other vehicle head-on. Leer said the male driver did not have a driver’s license. The names of those involved in crash were not announced on Wednesday.

The crash was first reported by Boone County Joint Communications at 3:28 p.m. A deputy taped off St. Charles Road just before 4:30 p.m.

Check back for updates.

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