Category: kmiz-local-news

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The City of Fulton announced in a Wednesday press release that it is partnering with Callaway County Special Services to create an Inclusive Park Project.

The release says the project will include accessible play structures, sensory-friendly elements and other features. Information on the city’s website says it will be built at Carver Park.

“Callaway County Special Services is proud to partner with the City of Fulton,” Executive Director Mike Lederle said in the release, “to expand inclusive play opportunities for all children and families. Our Inclusive Parks Initiative reinforces a simple but powerful belief: every child deserves to belong, to explore, and to play without barriers. By integrating accessible and sensory-inclusive features, we are creating spaces that meet a wide range of needs and invite every family to participate fully. Together, we are building a community that reflects our shared values of accessibility, inclusion, and dignity for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.”

Similar projects have occurred in Holts Summit and Columbia.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man who was accused of sexually abusing a child at a Moberly restaurant earlier this year was found guilty by a Randolph County jury on Friday.

Hector Marcos-Perez, 33, was found guilty of second-degree child molestation of a youth who is younger than 12 years old. He will be sentenced at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9. He is being held at the Randolph County Jail.

His address is listed as Moberly in court records, though a prior press release from the Moberly Police Department describes him as a Mexican national and jail records describe him as residing in the country illegally.

Previous reporting indicates the assault occurred Jan. 2 in the bathroom of a restaurant in the 100 block of Wightman Street.

Video footage allegedly showed the victim enter the bathroom of the establishment and Marcos-Perez entering about a minute later, court documents in previous reporting say.

The victim was seen on video running from the bathroom door about 8 minutes later, along with Marcos-Perez, the probable statement says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 46-year-old man died in a shooting in north Columbia on Wednesday.

Officers were called to a home on Triple Crown Drive a little after 5:30 p.m. About eight police cars were at the scene, many with their flashing lights on, when an ABC 17 News reporter arrived. Crime scene tape was up around a house.

Edward Brown Jr., of Columbia, died from injuries he suffered in the shooting, police wrote in a Wednesday evening social media post. A 15-year-old was arrested at the scene.

Columbia Police Department spokesman Colin Imhoff said at the scene earlier in the evening that all people allegedly involved with the shooting are in custody.

A crime scene investigation van arrived on the scene around 8:20 p.m.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A woman has sued the Otterville School District and its superintendent, claiming that her First Amendment rights were violated after she was banned from athletic events in the district.

The lawsuit – which was filed in the Western District Court of Missouri on Tuesday – says Teni Northern was banned from her grandchildren’s games after she sent a message on Facebook to a junior high and high school volleyball coach about her coaching.

Superintendent Dan Kruse allegedly sent Northern an email that reprimanded her behavior and Kruse claimed there was a “parent meeting” about the coach and “that she was trying to be helpful,” according to details from the lawsuit. The Facebook message to the coach was sent on Sept. 15 and Kruse responded to Northern on Sept. 17, court documents say.

Northern allegedly met with Athletic Director Kate Wittman and Kruse on Sept. 23 and was banned from attending high school volleyball games, according to the lawsuit. She was still allowed to attend junior high games. Wittman allegedly said the district could not bar her from attending away games, Kruse allegedly asked other school administrators to enforce the ban, according to the lawsuit.  

The lawsuit claims junior high and high school volleyball games are often held the same day at the same location. Northern allegedly “was not supposed to be on the varsity side,” during a pair of Sept. 25 away games, according to the petition. Kruse allegedly allowed Northern to stay for the varsity game, but Northern had to stand next to the superintendent during the game, court documents say.

Northern allegedly made a “general” post on social media that led to her getting banned from junior high games, the petition says. Northern allegedly tried to appeal the decision to the Board of Education on Oct. 15, but Kruse’s decision was upheld, the petition says.

She was then sent an email — which was shown in court documents – that banned her from sporting events for the rest of the school year. A subsequent email sent a corrected suspension until Jan. 1, 2026.

“On September 17, 2025, we held a meeting to discuss your inappropriate and disrespectful communications with Otterville coaching staff, including over social media and involving students. I reminded you that we had previous conversations last year about this same type of issue, reiterating that your negative communications would not be tolerated and requesting again for you to speak to the coaching staff in a respectful manner,” the email from Kruse shown in court documents says.

“After our meeting, you again communicated with the coaching staff in a disrespectful manner. We met a second time and I advised that you were suspended from attending high school volleyball games. Subsequently, you attended three more volleyball games – once lying to District staff, falsely telling them that I had given you permission to attend the game, and once dressing and sitting in the opposing teams section so you would not be recognized.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man has been charged with a child sex crime after authorities say he messaged someone who posed as a minor and asked them to meet for sex.

Torrey Guerra, 48, was charged with child enticement and misdemeanor illegal possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. An initial court appearance was held Wednesday.

The probable cause statement says a Boone County deputy posed as a 16-year-old girl on a website that “advertises adult escorts,” and received a text message from Guerra at 9:07 a.m. Tuesday. Guerra alleged stated he was OK with the decoy’s age when the account said they were 16, the statement says.

Guerra exchanged images with the decoy and allegedly offered them drugs, according to court documents.

Guerra made plans to pick up the decoy and sat outside a residence in a Google Fiber truck about two hours after the first text message was sent, the statement says. He was then arrested and allegedly admitted to knowing that he was trying to meet a youth, court documents say.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A portion of Business Loop 70 that closed earlier this month for roundabout construction has reopened.

The new roundabout is now in use and is expected to give Business Loop 70 direct access to Interstate 70 by 2027, a Wednesday press release from the Missouri Department of Transportation says.

Business Loop 70 between Hathman Place and Eastland Circle closed on Nov. 12 and work was expected to last two weeks.

The construction was part of the Improve I-70 Project.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The viewing platform at Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area has reopened after two years.

The platform was closed for renovations and removal of boardwalks in November 2023, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation. The boardwalks had become a safety concern, the department says. The trail remains accessible from the Katy Trail and South Warren School Road.

Eagle Bluffs, located in southern Boone County near McBaine, attracts visitors interested in seeing waterfowl in the area’s extensive wetlands. Those wetlands were restored by creating 17 shallow pools.

The park is located off Route K.

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Olivia Hayes

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Boone County judge on Wednesday ruled that the Central Missouri Humane Society will have custody of the dogs who were allegedly abused by a local breeder.  

A lawyer for Melissa Sanders, 26, argued the animals she is accused of abusing should be returned to her.

Boone County/Columbia Animal Control argued to the judge why the animals should be turned over to the Central Missouri Humane Society to reunite the animals with their owners. Those owners will be allowed to pick them up from CMHS with proof of ownership.

Sanders, of Columbia, is charged with three counts of felony animal abuse and 15 counts of misdemeanor animal abuse after animal control, assisted by Boone County sheriff’s deputies, found 16 living but severely malnourished dogs, five “intact” dead dogs and about a dozen dog skulls on her property. Officers also found four dead dogs outside of her building. Sanders is being held in the Phelps County Jail without bond.

Sanders owns Magnum Opus German Shepherds a breeding, boarding and training facility.

Judge Kayla Jackson-Williams heard witness testimony from animal control officers who responded when Sanders property was searched on Nov. 13 along with the veterinarians that treated the animals following their rescue.

Boone County Animal Control officer Emily Rathbun described her experience from the day of the search.

“You could smell the decomposition from outside, but once you stepped inside the feces and urine had built up to the point that would burn your eyes,” Rathbun said. “The kennels inside were full of fur, feces, urine and skeletal remains. A lot of them were bent or mangled past the point of being usable anymore.”

Rathbun also said on the stand that due to the number of remains that were found through out the property, the total number of dogs that died while in Sander’s car is unknown.

Kevin Meyers, Boone County Animal Control supervisor, also took the stand with his experience.

“I had to leave and get a mask because I physically could not breathe inside that space,” Meyers said. “What looked like remains of a dog that had slothed off its matted fur. As they decompose the fur falls off, the skin and the fur melts.”

Following the judge’s ruling, many owners arrived to CMHS to be reunited with their dogs.

“My dog Romy had been with her and I later found out she was deceased,” Brianna Moore said. “However, five of my puppies were there with her, five of Romy’s puppies and thankfully they are alive and I’m getting to take them home.”

It was also revealed in court Wednesday that after one week in the humane’s society care all of the dogs rescued, except one, saw significant weight gain and improvement. One dog initially rescued from the property, named Hex, died due to the severity of its condition.

The veterinarian that cared for Hex, Jessica Thiele, said on the stand that when she first examined Hex he looked like a 4-to-5-month-old puppy due to malnourishment. Another dog that was pregnant at the time of her rescue, Eri, delivered nine puppies while in the care of the humane society.

Owners have until Dec. 5 to claim their dogs from CMHS.

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Haley Swaino

EDITOR’S NOTE: AI was used to research background for this story.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A company paying people to get signatures on a petition to overturn a new Missouri congressional map has denied it employs illegal immigrants, a claim made this week by the state’s attorney general.

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has launched an immigration-focused investigation into Advanced Micro Targeting, Inc., a signature-gathering firm from Texas.

Hanaway, in a news release Tuesday, accused the company of using undocumented workers to gather petition signatures to reverse the GOP’s gerrymandering efforts.

The release states that Advanced Micro Targeting is the signature-gathering contractor for many petition efforts in the state, including the anti-gerrymandering campaign associated with the group People Not Politicians.

“Election integrity is a core priority of this office,” Hanaway said in a statement. “Missourians, not unregulated labor hired by out-of-state interests, should determine our elections.”

Hanaway issued a civil investigative demand, a subpoena-like order, requiring Advanced Micro Targeting to provide documents related to its hiring practices and worker verification of Missouri clients. The issue has also been referred to federal immigration authorities, Hanaway said.

The Attorney General’s Office said preliminary information suggests the firm may have violated state laws against hiring or transporting unauthorized workers. They are also investigating whether the company provided misleading information to clients, which would violate the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act.

“Missouri’s laws are clear: no business may employ or transport individuals who are not authorized to work in the United States,” Hanaway, a Republican, said in a statement. “My Office will not allow dark-money groups to violate Missouri laws and hijack the will of voters.”

AMT rejects that notion.

“The allegations are not true,” Billy Rogers, AMT president and founder. “Everyone who works for AMT is a W2 employee, and every AMT employee is verified through the Department of Homeland Security’s E-Verify system. AMT does not employ undocumented immigrants.”

The battle over the signature drive has spread to Missourians’ phones this week.

Some Missourians received a text message warning that out-of-state interests may be “trying to trick people into signing petitions” on Black Friday.

A text message some Missourians received on Nov. 25, 2025.

The Missouri Republican Party issued a statement after the text message was sent out, saying it is in support of Hanaway’s investigation.

“Unfortunately, there are always malicious actors who wish to take advantage of Missourians’ generosity during the holiday season,” the Missouri GOP said in a statement. “There are serious questions about the tactics these groups are using to collect signatures.”

The Missouri GOP issued a statement in support of Attorney General Catherine Hanaway’s investigation into illegal aliens gathering signatures on Tuesday.

State Rep. John Martin (R-Centralia) urged Missourians not to sign such petitions.

“This weekend signature gatherers will be out among the shoppers and DECLINE TO SIGN,” Martin wrote in a Facebook post Monday. “The Left and all of their money continue to use Missouri’s low-threshold petition system to push their radical agenda and stop Trump’s agenda.”

People Not Politicians called the message a “scam.”

“Desperate politicians are at it again trying to scam Missourians,” the group wrote in a Facebook post Tuesday. “They are afraid of our power, but we know that we will win!”

Hanaway has filed a lawsuit in federal court to block the referendum on the state’s new congressional map from appearing on the November 2026 ballot.

The map, signed into law by Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe on Sept. 28, is expected to remove a Missouri Democrat from the U.S. House of Representatives. Dubbed “Missouri First,” the map is part of a broader Republican effort to strengthen the party’s hold in the U.S. House ahead of the 2026 midterms.

Hanaway contends that the U.S. Constitution grants the Missouri legislature exclusive authority over redistricting, and the referendum undermines this power.

Secretary of State Denny Hoskins approved the petition for circulation by People Not Politicians after initially rejecting the forms submitted last month. However, Hoskins noted that signatures gathered earlier are no longer valid, a claim disputed by People Not Politicians.

Several lawsuits have been filed challenging the new congressional district map.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Amazon is planning to build a data center north of Interstate 70 in Montgomery County.

The retail and cloud computing giant has secured land and now needs a building permit from the county for its data center between New Florence and High Hill, said Steve Etcher with the Greater Montgomery County Economic Development Council. The site will be about 1,000 acres, he said.

The county’s economic development council has spent months working to review the site and ensure the plan “supports smart and responsible growth, and positions the region for long-term success,” the organization says in a news release.

The release says Amazon is “in the final stages” of evaluating the site.

An Amazon spokesperson wrote in response to questions that the project is still too early to provide a timeline, cost and job numbers.

Etcher said the company has committed to hundreds of permanent jobs when the project is complete. Power would come from Ameren Missouri under its “large load tariff,” which is meant to shield other customers from cost increases associated with scaling up data centers.

The Montgomery County Public Water District will serve the facility’s significant water needs, and Etcher said the utility has the capacity to serve the data center.

Data center projects have come under fire across the country from people who say they suck up power and water without driving economic development. The creation of data centers has been driven by the need for more computing power and storage as digital technology grows.

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