Category: kmiz-local-news

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

One of the men accused in the Isle of Capri casino robbery from late March has new options for his bond.

Benjamin Charles, 21, of Columbia, is charged in Cooper County with first-degree robbery, armed criminal action and tampering with evidence. He is currently in the Cooper County Jail. His original bond was $1.3 million.

A judge on Monday gave Charles two options for bond: A $1 million cash or surety bond or a $250,000 cash bond. A trial setting is scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday, Sept. 28.  

He is one of two men accused in the case. Hollis Vanleer Jr., 20, of Bloomington, Illinois, was arrested in his hometown last month. He is charged with first-degree robbery, armed criminal action and first-degree assault.

The pair, who were carrying guns when they entered the casino, allegedly took about $1.28 million from the main money drawer and that a patron had tackled one of the men, previous reporting from court documents shows. Vanleer hit the patron before the pair got away in a Ford Taurus, court documents in previous reporting say.

The vehicle was left in Howard County. Law enforcement found a receipt in the vehicle and were able to determine a card used in the purchase belonged to Charles, who was also determined to be an employee at the casino, the statement says.

Vanleer is also charged in Illinois in a separate case.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A member of the Mizzou football team’s past two seasons is seeking an extra year of eligibility.

Defensive tackle Sterling Webb filed a lawsuit on Tuesday in St. Louis County against the NCAA, claiming that he should have one more year of eligibility.

Webb is seeking a declaratory judgement and claims there has been a breach of contract.

Webb played at New Mexico State during the 2022 and 2023 seasons before transferring to Missouri in 2024 and completing the 2025 season. The petition alleges that Webb should have an extra year left after the NCAA made eligibility changes to an “age-based model” of five seasons in five years.  

Webb was 18 years old when he started playing college football in 2022 and will be 23 this year. The petition alleges that recent seniors are excluded while still fitting in the framework of the rule and this year’s incoming freshmen benefit more.  

“But the NCAA did not stop at adopting the new model. It attached a transition condition providing that student-athletes who had already completed a fourth season of competition before the model takes effect, without a ‘redshirt year’  in reserve, get nothing (the “Transition Exclusion”),” the lawsuit says.

The petition alleges MU has a roster spot available to him and cites a recent court case in Texas that allowed an offensive lineman at Texas to play an extra year.

The lawsuit says Webb is seeking a decision on the matter before fall camp starts for the Tigers on Monday, Aug. 3.

Mizzou Athletics gave its support for Webb in a statement sent to ABC 17 News.

“Mizzou Athletics is aware of today’s court filing to consider Sterling Webb’s college football eligibility status,” the statement reads. “We support Sterling as he pursues his legal options and will continue to monitor the process. Because this is an active legal matter, we will not speculate on the outcome or provide further comment at this time.”

A motion hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

26SL-CC05297 – STERLING WEBB V. NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSODownload

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man who allegedly pointed guns at passing vehicles near his Worley Street apartment on Friday night has been charged with felonies and misdemeanors in Boone County.

Glen Lee Parey, 53, was charged on Monday with unlawful use of a weapon, misdemeanor fourth-degree assault, first-degree harassment, misdemeanor misusing 911 and resisting arrest. He was also charged in a separate case for repeatedly misusing 911 in early June.

A public defender was appointed to determine Parey’s eligibility on Tuesday. A confined docket hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 4. A preliminary hearing is set for 9 a.m. Thursday, Sept. 10. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond.

The probable cause statement from Friday’s incident says Parey called dispatchers and made several threats, including saying he was going to kill the 911 operator and that he was “ready for a fight.”

Another person had called 911 stating that a man was pointing two guns at vehicles that drove by the 1400 block of West Worley Street, the statement says. Police called Parey and he allegedly admitted to doing it for his “protection,” the statement says.

Police went to the residence with an armored vehicle and made commands for him to come out. Previous reporting indicates he was arrested after 4 a.m. Saturday.

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Matthew Sanders

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

State Sen. Rick Brattin and Secretary of State Denny Hoskins said at a news conference that an LGBTQ+-themed event held last weekend at the Columbia Public Library included “grooming” of children.

The Republican politicians are pushing for an investigation into an event called “Rainbow Story Time” that was held Saturday at the library. The event was billed as a “queer-led” story time appropriate for families.

Hoskins has threatened the library’s funding, saying the event might involve material inappropriate for children.

Brattin, who sits on the Senate’s education committee, said the event sexualized children, emphasizing its acceptance of dressing in drag.

Hoskins said at the news conference that he plans to revisit the rule on funding for libraries because of the controversy. He called out one of the books from the story time, “Big Wig,” as “grooming” material because of its theme, which involves dressing in drag.

Hoskins said he would push for a law to outlaw these types of events.

“If it’s not illegal, then we’re going to be working with the legislature,” Hoskins said. “I had several legislators that have called out to me and said, ‘Hey, if this is not illegal, we want to file bills to ensure this is illegal in the future.'”

Hoskins added that his office has allocated over $1.2 million to the Daniel Boone Regional Library over the last four years.

“I’m going to revisit the rule on the and the formula allocation that goes to each public library to make sure that events like this aren’t funded with taxpayer dollars,” Hoskins said.

Brattin said the material at Rainbow Story Time was not “G-rated.”

Hoskins said he did not read either book, only excerpts through photographs of the books online.

“I did not, I think you had to pay for it, and most certainly I wasn’t going to pay for any of that crap,” Hoskins said.

Brattin did not mention if he read the books.

Under Chapter 573 of the Missouri Constitution, for material to be “pornographic for minors” it must meet all three requirements: cater sexual content to minors or, “cater or appeal to a prurient interest of minors,” clearly show nudity or sexual acts and lack “serious literary, artistic, political, or scientific value for minors.”

While specific examples of illegal material was not show, Brattin warned the books were grooming children.

“It’s pushing a narrative of a movement that tends to want to grow, and that’s what we’re protecting, it’s making sure that not one lifestyle that is sexualizing children is being pushed upon them.” Brattin said. “You take toddlers and you say it’s okay for drag shows, that it’s okay for cross-dressing, then it’s okay for men to be in the locker room and in the bathroom with you, you dismantle the guard of which we’re supposed to be putting kids and protecting kids, so it’s absolutely a grooming”

The comments prompted a response from state Rep. Wick Thomas, D-Kansas City, a former librarian, who held a news conference Tuesday focused on public libraries, intellectual freedom and access to community programming.

Thomas said the threats from state officials were unfounded and emphasized that families chose to attend the story time.

“It was a lovely storytime attended by dozens of families who all chose to be there. These books being accessible to our communities is not what they said it was. I do not believe in government censorship, and all of these families chose to be there.”

Thomas also defended the role of librarians in choosing books for their communities.

“I think it’s also important that librarians are uniquely poised to be able to represent their community and buy books for their community that the community wants. Queer youth exist. I know because I was one of them. I came out at 16 in rural Missouri, actually, in the same district that Senator Brattin represents now, which is why it is especially infuriating that his. language and this political stunt that he’s using for his campaign is going to harm kids like me. Kids who grew up in rural Missouri who were just looking for community while legislators in the Missouri State capital made their lives harder.”

The Daniel Boone Regional Library said Tuesday that it received Brattin’s request for information Friday and is in the process of gathering the requested documents.

In a statement to ABC 17 News, the library said Rainbow Story Time was “in full compliance with all statutes and regulations.” The library said the program consisted of age-appropriate picture books, songs and activities suitable for toddlers and preschoolers, and that “Absolutely no materials prohibited by current laws were presented to any child in attendance.”

The library added its programs receive age-appropriate designations and that it maintains policies regarding parental control over a minor’s access to materials, as well as a process for parents or guardians to challenge those designations.

Thomas said the controversy could also have broader implications for public education and library funding.

“We do not need threats from government officials. We are one of the last in teacher pay. What we need is to be funding education, not threatening librarians. What they have received this week was threats of complete defunding and potentially registering librarians as sex offenders for having books like Rainbow Saurus,” Thomas said. 

Rep. Kathy Steinhoff (D-Columbia) told ABC 17 News before the news conference that she has not heard complaints from Boone County residents on the event.

“I hate that these elected officials are trying to make this a political moment for them because our library is a fantastic example of serving our community and the needs and the interests of our community. And this programming is not of concern,” Steinhoff (D-Columbia) said. “It is nowhere near the allegations that they are making, it is not any infringement of our law, it is just good literacy and community engagement happening in our local library.”

Rep. Stephen Webber (D-Columbia) posted on X Tuesday in opposition to Brattin.

“Brattin has been one of the biggest anti-trans, pro-gun nut legislators in Jefferson City and now he’s going after our Boone County public library,” Webber said in a post.

Brattin has been one of the biggest anti-trans, pro-gun nut legislators in Jefferson City and now he’s going after our Boone County public library. 1/3 https://t.co/G80ULq0qk0

— Stephen Webber 🇺🇸 (@s_webber) July 28, 2026

In a statement Tuesday, the Daniel Boone Regional Library told ABC 17 News they received Brattin’s Sunshine Law request and are currently collecting the requested documents.

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Melissa Houston

EDITOR’S NOTE: The number of assaults from May to July 2025 has been corrected.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

University of Missouri System President Mun Choi said Tuesday in a written statement that concerns about violence near MU’s campus downtown “must be addressed” after a street brawl over the weekend.

This statement comes shortly after a fight in downtown Columbia resulted in seven people getting arrested on suspicion of a variety of crimes and renewed safety concerns for residents. One police officer was hit in the head but refused further medical treatment.

In the statement, Choi wrote, “violence and assaults against law enforcement officers are unacceptable and undermine the safety of our entire community.”

Choi mentioned a survey in which Columbia residents ranked homelessness and crime as the issues that needed the most attention.

“Columbia residents have consistently identified public safety as a top concern,” Choi wrote. “Their voices deserve to be heard, and their concerns must be addressed.”

According to the Columbia Police Department’s crime map, from May 1-July 28, there have been 22 calls for assaults in the downtown area, many of them on Walnut Street, Broadway and Tenth Street. Data on the map is posted with a three-day delay, so it does not capture the early Sunday street fight.

Twenty-three incidents were recorded during the same time frame in 2025. Of those, six were on Walnut Street, where the fight took place early Sunday.

Choi said in his statement that investing in the Columbia Police Department is the best way to achieve a safer downtown. Columbia voters will decide next week on whether to approve a sales tax to increase funding for its police and fire departments.

“Achieving safer communities requires continued investment in the Columbia Police Department,” Choi wrote. “This includes providing the resources needed to recruit and retain qualified officers, deploy advanced technologies, and ensure that city leaders provide officers the support they need to carry out their responsibilities effectively and professionally.”

Matthew McGee, downtown Columbia bar owner of On The Rocks, said he believes CPD being understaffed leads to issues downtown.

“CPD is 50 officers plus behind versus what they need,” McGee said. “So clearly we’re stretched thin, and they’re doing the best job that they can. I’m sure of that.”

McGee has owned his bar located on Broadway for 20 years and said he has seen crime in downtown fluctuate with no particular pattern.

However, McGee said that the crime that happens near his bar isn’t due to all the people leaving the bars at the same time and getting into an altercation; they stem from somewhere else.

“There’s certainly there have been incidences and around this block. I wouldn’t put them on any one bar,” McGee said. “The people who are fighting aren’t coming into the bars. They’re congregating downtown and causing incidents.”

Even with four assault calls coming from Broadway since May, McGee said he still feels safe about his location.

“I do feel safe. And I wouldn’t operate a business downtown if I didn’t say that with confidence. I understand when people have worries. I understand that people have concerns about crime,” McGee said. “I think that certainly we need to all press our city leaders about what we’re doing, about the problem, look for new solutions and try to think outside the box a little bit.”

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Law enforcement is still looking for a suspect on an ATV in Callaway County after chasing the man from Boone County into Callaway County fields around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday.

Boone County Sheriff’s Captain Brian Leer updated ABC 17 News over email that the chase started near the intersection of East St. Charles Road and Demaret Drive.

The man was allegedly driving on the wrong side of the road and speeding, Leer said. When a sheriff’s deputy attempted a traffic stop, he sped off heading east toward Callaway County.

Leer said the man turned north onto Callaway County Road 269, before turning eastbound onto County Road 284. About halfway down that road, the person allegedly drove into a field and law enforcement lost sight of the suspect.

Leer said the search was broken up around 12:15 p.m.

According to a Callaway County Sheriff’s Office Facebook post, sheriff’s deputies from both agencies were using dogs and drones to follow the suspect near Callaway County Road 284, and Lt. Curtis Hall told ABC 17 News around 1:30 p.m. that the search was broken up at County Road 240.

The Callaway County Sheriff’s Office updated its original post at 2:15 p.m. and said deputies would stay in the area, as service calls allow.

The Callaway County post describes the suspect as having brown hair and wearing a black hat, khaki pants and a light blue shirt.

The man was driving an ATV and went south into a field from County Road 284 near Stephens, according to the post.

Residents in the area were asked to lock their homes and vehicles. It wasn’t clear whether the suspect was armed.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

With about a week to go before Election Day, former Columbia Utilities Director David Sorrell is still leading in donations given to campaigns.

Committees needed to submit finance reports to the Missouri Ethics Commission on Monday, eight days before the election.

Sorrell leads funding this cycle with $25,819 in contributions. Some notable donations made to this campaign since the July quarterly report include $2,500 from James Yankee and $1,047.91 from Fred Overton. Russell Duker has given $2,020 in total to the campaign, with the most-recent being a $20 contribution on July 2.

Attorney and lobbyist Sharon Jones has raised $22,115 this election. In the July quarterly report, she had raised just $6,555 compared to Sorrell’s $15,041.70.

That gap was closed thanks in part by a $10,000 donation by the Homefront PAC on July 10, $1,500 from James Yankee and $1,000 from Aaron Smith from the AW Smith Law Firm. Another notable contribution is a $250 donation from Scott Faughn, of Faughn Media, which owns The Missouri Times and the Jefferson City News Tribune.

Attorney Ryan King has raised $1,550, most of which came from his own $1,000 donation.

Sorrell’s campaign has $7,436.66 on hand, while Jones has $12,630.49 and King has $469.38.

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Sutton Parker

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Moberly JBS meat production line is still closed following a USDA notice of suspension in April.

On April 3, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service issued a notice of suspension to the JBS Prepared Foods facility in Moberly, immediately suspending inspection services for its Fully Cooked-Not Shelf Stable processes due to producing adulterated product and sanitary failures.

Following a food safety assessment at the JBS plant from March 20-31, the EIAOs conducted an investigation of JBS’ written programs and records that included evidence of Listeria monocytogenes, along with observations of pre-operational and operational activities.

26-146 Final Response Docs (1)Download

The investigation also found JBS failed to keep areas where meat is handled clean enough to prevent Listeria from spreading. Along with this, JBS did not properly carry out their required daily and periodic cleaning procedures designed to control bacteria, documents obtained by ABC 17 News through a records request say.

Additionally, when Listeria was found, JBS failed to figure out where it came from or update their safety plans to make sure it would not happen again, documents show.

According to the USDA Report, FSIS placed a suspension on all Fully Cooked-Not Shelf Stable production, which includes Bits Lines 1, 2 and 3, as well as Slice Lines 4, 5 and 6.

The letter noted the plant cannot resume normal operations until the USDA reviews that plan, finds it adequate, and agrees to lift or ease the suspension.

JBS followed up with a letter on April 12, stating that between April 7-10, the group worked to identify and correct the lines.

Some of those corrected items were: Inspectors must confirm that the new Bits line exhaust has been capped or removed and making sure a physical barrier keeps the Bits and Slice areas separated.

Additionally, it also mandated workers strictly follow daily hygiene rules—such as washing hands, cleaning boots and wearing designated frocks— and that these safety checks are properly recorded.

Following the first set of changes, JBS was able to reopen some of the lines, while others were ordered to remain closed for further repair. Due to redactions on the document, ABC 17 News cannot confirm which lines reopened and which lines stayed closed.

On April 20, another letter was sent from JBS stating that between April 14-18, the company made additional repairs on the lines that were still closed.

Some of the fixes made in the verification plan required that inspectors must observe employee monitoring and review records to ensure proper sanitation procedures, line run-time limits, and corrective actions for elevated test results are strictly maintained.

To make sampling more clear and accurate, JBS updated its environmental monitoring program and will collect food-contact swabs during every cleaning cycle for 30 days.

This document specifically lists that, after review, bit lines 1 and 2 were allowed to start production again, while bit line 3 remained suspended.

According to the documents, Bit Line 3 is still closed. JBS told ABC 17 News the facility is set to reopen soon.

“The facility remains temporarily closed as we complete necessary maintenance and construction-related updates identified through our comprehensive assessment and discussions with the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). We are in the final stages of these repairs and updates, and anticipate resuming operations as early as next week,” the statement says.

JBS added that when the outbreak was detected, since operations were paused, no product has left the facility, and there is no recall associated with it.

“We remain in continuous communication with FSIS and are working collaboratively to ensure all required adjustments are addressed,” the statement says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A group supporting the elimination of income tax within the state of Missouri has spent $12.9 million this election cycle.

Amendment 5, which would phase out Missouri’s income tax and and expand sales and use taxes, will be decided by voters on Aug. 4. Filings for political campaigns and committees were required to turn in a report on contributions and spending on Monday, eight days before the election.

Missouri Promise PAC – which supports the passage of Amendment 5 – has spent $12.9 million, according to its eight-day report.

Secure Missouri — whose mission statement says it supports Gov. Mike Kehoe — contributed $2.95 million on July 21, while Missouri Action contributed $6.5 million over three dates. America Advancement Inc., gave $1.2 million through a pair of donations, while the American Policy Coalition gave $1 million and the Revitalization Project contributed $900,000.

The committee has about $23,000 on hand. The bulk of spending for the group has been political media buys and purchases for digital advertising.

Missourians for Fair Taxation, the Missouri Realtors-backed group that opposes the amendment – has spent $2.795 million of its $2.84 million it received this election cycle. It has about $166,000 on hand.

The Missouri Association of Realtors contributed $900,000 to the committee on July 17. The PAC’s top purchases are media buys.

Another anti-Amendment 5 group called Missourians for has spent about $27,700 of the $37,500 it grossed.

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Ryan Shiner

Editor’s note: A line in reference to a song that was performed at the event has been corrected.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

One of Missouri’s state senators is looking into an LGBTQ+-themed story time event that occurred this past weekend at the Columbia Public Library.

The library hosted the event on Saturday morning even after Secretary of State Denny Hoskins had threatened Daniel Boone Regional Library’s funding if the event occurred. Sen. Rick Brattin (R-Harrisonville) announced in a Monday press release that he is requesting records relating to how the event was organized.

Another release was sent later on Monday stating that Brattin and Hoskins will hold a joint press conference at 2 p.m. Tuesday to address “their proposed investigation.”

The event included readings of “Rainbowsaurus” and “Big Wig.” “Rainbowsaurus” is about two dads and their three children following a rainbow to find the rainbowsaurus. Along the way, they meet animals of all different colors, according to Simon and Schuster’s website.

“Big Wig” is about youth dressing up in drag to compete in a costume competition, and finding confidence in dressing out of the norm, according to Simon and Schuster’s website.

“I hate that these elected officials are trying to make this a political moment for them because our library is a fantastic example of serving our community and the needs and the interests of our community. And this programming is not of concern,” Rep. Kathy Steinhoff (D-Columbia) said. “It is nowhere near the allegations that they are making, it is not any infringement of our law, it is just good literacy and community engagement happening in our local library.”

Steinhoff adds that she was confused on Hoskin’s threat of pulling funding.

“Money that is spent has to be appropriated through us [the General Assembly],” Steinhoff said. “I serve on the Budget Committee and I know that the General Assembly, along with the governor, we are allowed to appropriate money, I don’t know how the Secretary of State thinks that they can withhold that money that’s been appropriated.”

Brattin wrote in his press release that he requested records about the event, including advertising, materials, personnel and expenditures. The release also says he requested documents “showing whether age-appropriate notices were used and what steps library officials took to comply with laws protecting minors.”

Reporting from over the weekend shows in addition to the readings, singalongs of “Old MacDonald” and “Pink Pony Duck,” a song that is played using the melody of Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club,” occurred and attendees received rainbow scarves and bubbles.

Both books can be viewed below.

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