Category: kmiz-local-news

Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The City of Columbia says a water main break on 9th and Cherry Street Tuesday afternoon was caused by corrosion on a buried pipe.

Utility spokesman Jason West said “while it is part of the oldest pipes downtown, this particular pipe may be pushing 75-years old.  This was a fairly routine fix, from what I am being told,”

A boil water advisory was issued for nearly 30 businesses in the area until 1 p.m. Wednesday.

The break has been repaired now, a cement slab covers the hole, surrounded by construction cones still blocking off the area.

Colleen Rieman part owner of Hexagon Alley in downtown Columbia said she found out about the break after a call from employees saying the water was not working. She says the break impacted Tuesday trivia night and caused them to turn business out the door.

“Usually Tuesday’s are a busier than they were last night we definitely turned some people away last night because of not being  able to have any food,” Rieman said.

While the water main break was lifted, Rieman said Hexagon Alley would play it safe and use bottled water and bags of ice in hopes to return to normal operations Thursday.

“We bought ice this morning, we bought water bottles, we’re just not serving any of our coffee, we’re truing to figure out alternatives for the coffee but we’re encouraging people to use our bottled beverages,” Rieman added “We don’t have a stove we don’t so it really hard for us to do the safety precautions for that so thats why we had to switch to the bottle water,”

For bathrooms, Rieman said businesses in the area stepped up to help.

“Last night we weren’t able to use them so we asked our neighbors across the street let our customers use them but when they closed we kinda had to be like we just don’t have a  bathroom for you,” She said.

Businesses like Booches and Goldie’s bagels were also impacted, however Sparky’s ice cream got lucky.

Sparky’s employee, Clara Strathausen saw the break and says the impact for them was minimal.

 “A bunch of water going down cherry street i think it is,  only thing that it would have been is parking of course but our water didn’t change colors or anything like that,” Strathausen said.

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Lucas Geisler

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Osage County Sheriff’s Office plans to reopen the county jail on Monday.

County Sheriff Mike Bonham said Wednesday that he needed to close the jail and move inmates to other facilities in May due to a lack of staffing. He said the county has made new hires and now has seven workers for the jail.

“After recent upgrades and operational improvements, the facility will begin transitioning inmates back into the jail,” Bonham wrote in a text message to ABC 17 News. “We will begin accepting new detainees on Monday, July 28.”

The sheriff’s office shared pictures Wednesday morning of its new hires training for the reopening of the jail.

Osage County Commission meeting minutes show the jail closed on June 2 while the county staffed up and trained new hires. Bonham said Osage County has housed inmates and admitted new ones in several nearby facilities, including jails in Miller, Maries, Franklin and Crawford counties. The county pays each place $50 to $65 a day for each inmate it houses.

“We appreciate the continued support and cooperation from surrounding law enforcement agencies, the courts, and the public during the temporary closure,” Bonham said. “This reopening marks a significant step forward in restoring full correctional services to Osage County.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

No injuries were reported in a fire that occurred Wednesday in an outdoor storage area of the Sam’s Club at 849 Stoneridge Parkway in Jefferson City.

A social media post from the Jefferson City Fire Department says that crews responded to an automatic fire alarm at 2:14 p.m. The fire was started in an area used to store recycling materials and a sprinkler helped contain the fire, the post says.

The store was evacuated while first responders put out the fire, the post says. The cause of the fire I under investigation.

“Thanks to the sprinkler system in this commercial building, the fire was contained to the exterior portion of the building. The store was evacuated in a timely and orderly manner with the assistance of Sam’s Club employees. No injuries were reported. Store operations were suspended during the emergency response,” the post says.

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Sam Roe

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe signed the American Beer Act earlier this month, which will reduce excise tax on beer sold in Missouri.

All beer made in America will be taxed at 2 cents per gallon when sold in Missouri. Kehoe signed the bill at the Anheuser-Busch brewery in St. Louis. The new law will provide a tax break not only for the largest breweries in Missouri but also the small craft breweries in Mid-Missouri.

“Obviously, our brewers make significantly less beer, but a tax relief is tax relief,” said Sherry Wohlgemuth, executive director of the Missouri Craft Brewers Guild. “So, especially facing some of the tariffs and things that will start adding to the bottom line for everyone in the brewing industry.”

Despite already having one of the lowest tax rates on beer at 6 cents per gallon, the new malt liquor excise tax rate of 2 cents per gallon will tie Missouri with Wyoming as the lowest in all 50 states.

Mid-Missouri brewers such as Logboat in Columbia and Last Flight in Jefferson City will benefit from their reduced tax bill.

“This will save them, probably several thousand dollars in taxes,” Wohlgemuth said. “They can use that money for growing their business instead of paying taxes on it. So, it’s a win for everybody that’s making beer in the state of Missouri.”

The American Beer Act will also expand the hours that alcohol can be served during next year’s FIFA World Cup. Licensed servers will be able to sell alcohol for 23 hours per day from June 11 to July 19, 2026.

The new law will take effect on Aug. 28.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man was arrested and charged after he allegedly punched another man in his face and tried to stab him on Tuesday, court documents say.

Tyler Casteel, 21, was charged on Wednesday in Boone County with second-degree assault, two counts of armed criminal action and a count of unlawful use of a weapon. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. A court date has not been scheduled.

The probable cause statement says two witnesses saw Casteel yell at the victim and grab a knife. One of the witnesses walked away when Casteel grabbed the knife, while the other recorded the interaction, court documents say.

Casteel allegedly punched the victim before trying to stab him, the statement says. The victim told police that Casteel was mad because his phone would not work, court documents say. Police wrote that they viewed the video, which lined up with statements made at the scene.

Court documents say Casteel told police that he punched the victim in the face and held him at knifepoint.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Jefferson City man who was originally charged with attempted murder in a stabbing last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.

Fredy Navichoc-Putzul, 24, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to first-degree assault. He was originally charged with first-degree attempted murder and armed criminal action. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison and was given credit for time served. He is currently being held at the Cole County Jail.

Court documents in previous reporting say Navichoc-Putzul stabbed the victim in the neck multiple times and bit his hand on March 4, 2024. Cole County Sheriff’s deputies found a knife without a handle at the residence in the 6900 block of Meadowbrook Drive.

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Ryan Shiner

Editor’s note: The time of the crash was updated after law enforcement sent an updated press release.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 42-year-old pedestrian in Moberly was flown to University Hospital with life-threatening injuries on Tuesday night after they were hit by a vehicle, a press release from the Moberly Police Department says.

The release says officers were called at 9:13 p.m. to the 1000 block of North Morley Street for a call about a vehicle hitting a pedestrian.

A 60-year-old man drove a vehicle northbound when he hit the pedestrian. Additional identifying information about either person — including their names — or the vehicle was not immediately available.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An Audrain County man who was charged earlier this month in a fatal crash has been arrested, according to a press release from the Mexico Department of Public Safety.

Joshua Frye, 22, of Mexico, Missouri, was charged with driving while intoxicated while causing two or more deaths and misdemeanor reckless driving. Police wrote in the release that he was arrested Tuesday afternoon in the 1300 block of Paris Road in Mexico after he was released from University Hospital.

The release says that first responders were called to a crash at 6:39 a.m. June 12 in the 4800 block of South Clark Street. Two people — Kristain Pritchett, 22, and Austin Terry, 27 – died in the crash, according to previous reporting.

Court documents in previous reporting indicate that both people were in the car with Frye. Court documents allege that Frye drove a Kia Soul southbound on Clark Street when he lost control of the vehicle and crashed into a Chrysler in the northbound lane.

A confined docket hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday at the Audrain County Courthouse.

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Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A new Missouri law will require drivers to pay the motor vehicle sales tax directly at the car dealership when purchasing a vehicle in a bid to reduce the number of expired temporary tags on the road.

It will require drivers to pay their motor vehicle sales tax directly at the dealership at the time of purchase, ensuring vehicles are properly registered and tracked from the start. The law is set to take effect Aug. 28, but the change to paying vehicle sales tax up front will only be implemented once the Department of Revenue’s new system is fully operational and viable, likely sometime late 2026.

Until then, the current process remains in place.

The Missouri state sales tax rate on vehicles is 4.225%. Owners also pay local sales tax. The problem of drivers not paying their vehicle sales tax within the 30-day window after purchase has persisted for years, frequently resulting in delays and uncollected fees.

Missouri Department of Revenue Director Trish Vincent said the department is working on a system to put in car dealerships around the state that will allow customers to pay their sales tax at the time of purchase, streamlining the process and reducing the need for temporary tags.

“When you go in and purchase a car, you will have to pay the sales tax when you go in with a dealer and make the deal, even a used car,” Vincent said.

With the new system, you’ll be immediately tied to your permanent license plate number at purchase, making it easier for the Department of Revenue to track.

“It will look like a temp tag, but it will have your license configuration on it, and then we will mail you your metal plate, so temp tags will be a thing of the past in a couple years. And we’re working on that system right now,” Vincent said.

Vincent said the new law will close the loophole of drivers avoiding paying their sales tax, which pays for improvements to Missouri roads. Some of the money also goes to county governments. She said the Department of Revenue processes over 1 million vehicle titles a year, and when drivers avoid registering their vehicles, it adds up fast.

 “You average that out, and the average tax is $1,200. That’s $1.2 billion or over that a year we’re taking in for highway, and if you’re not paying that, you’re taking away from highways,” Vincent said.

The DOR reported more than 113,000 delinquent fee accounts related to temporary permits sold between January 1, 2021, and July 23, 2024, with a combined estimated due amount approaching $145 million.

Last year alone, the Department of Revenue says it collected over $635 million in motor vehicle sales tax, and loses between $20 million-$30 million a year due to unpaid sales taxes. Vincent said the pandemic contributed to more drivers falling behind on paying their vehicle sales tax and the economy.

“I think in unpaid, we are at $28 million or so unpaid. Now, cars cost a lot more than they used to, and of course, there is tax on that amount that you pay. That’s a higher cost. I think economic times are hard,” Vincent said.

The dealership perspective

Longtime car salesman Eric Cronacher said he has noticed leasing vehicles has become more common, partly because sales tax is not included in vehicle leases. But, once the law takes effect, it could change a buyer’s budget.

“The banks turn around and turn somebody down because they don’t have enough room in their budget for their sales tax that could impact some sales,” Cronacher said.

While the law will bring new requirements for buyers, Cronacher believes the changes will ultimately benefit consumers.

“It will be a relief more than anything, I believe,” he said. “Anything to make it easier for the consumer makes it a little easier to buy cars, in my opinion.”

To figure out the sales tax on your vehicle, you can use the sales tax calculator available on the Department of Revenue website.

Some drivers say paying the tax up front could be a financial hurdle, while others think it’ll simplify the process.

Missouri resident Denise Schinabery said she understands both sides of the issue.

“It is frustrating when you see it, and it’s like two or three years old and nothing is being done,” Schinabery said. “But I also have to think I don’t know the whole story.”

Resident Jennifer Buck said she also feels the same way.

“I feel like there are people that never ever get them, and that’s frustrating, and I don’t know what the solution is, and I feel like these are people that are living paycheck to paycheck. I feel like it’s a sticky situation.”

Enforcement

The Missouri State Highway Patrol says it issued 15,000 citations in 2024 for expired temporary tags and expired license plates.

Drivers are expected to pay their sales tax within 30 days of buying their vehicle to obtain their license plates. If they don’t and get pulled over, Sgt. Kyle Green with MSHP Troop F says a driver faces a fine of $50.50 plus county court costs.

If a driver fails to title their vehicle within 30 days, there is a title penalty of $25 on the 31st day after purchase. The penalty increases another $25 for every 30 days you are late, with a maximum penalty of $200.

If a tag is more than 60 days expired, the fine could jump to $250.

Some drivers tend to drive around with expired tags for months or even years, but Green said that doesn’t mean they aren’t being stopped and cited by law enforcement. He said enforcement isn’t weak; it’s just misunderstood by the public.

“We can issue a citation every time we stop them. Let’s say a vehicle expired six months ago and they have been stopped three or four times and maybe received three or four citations. Nothing forces that person to go get that vehicle registered,” Green said. “They will pay the fine and move on, but to the general public, it looks like they are still driving around and nothing has been done, and when in fact that truly isn’t the case.”

Green said that while drivers can be issued multiple citations for expired tags, the costs can quickly add up, and repeatedly ticketing someone doesn’t always solve the problem.

“We don’t want to keep stacking tickets on somebody because ultimately it doesn’t force them to go get their vehicle registered. It might put them further behind financially,” Green said.

“To stake one ticket on top of another in a very short time frame would kinda defeat the purpose of them going to get their vehicle registered, especially if money is an issue.”

He said drivers with vehicles of all price ranges skip out on paying the sales tax, and for some, it is cheaper to keep paying the fines.

“Ten tickets for and pay it, and while that may be a lot of money, it may still not be nearly as much money as they will owe in sales tax,” Green said. “Trying to get people to go in there, it doesn’t force them to do that, and for many of them, they would rather take the chance and drive around with an expired temp tag and run the risk of getting a ticket rather than getting the sales tax part taken care of.”

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A company building a wind energy line across Missouri said Wednesday that the project will proceed with private funding after the cancellation of a federal loan.

The department canceled a $5 billion government loan for Grain Belt Express at Hawley’s request, the senator says in a news release. Hawley sent letters in March and June urging the department to cancel the loan.

“After a thorough review of the project’s financials, DOE found that the conditions necessary to issue the guarantee are unlikely to be met and it is not critical for the federal government to have a role in supporting this project,” the Department of Energy wrote in a news release. “To ensure more responsible stewardship of taxpayer resources, DOE has terminated its conditional commitment.”

A Grain Belt spokesman said in a written statement that the company will proceed with private funding.

“America is energy dominant and an AI powerhouse, and Grain Belt Express will be America’s largest power pipeline,” the statement says. “While we are disappointed about the LPO loan guarantee, a privately financed Grain Belt Express transmission superhighway will advance President Trump’s agenda of American energy and technology dominance while delivering billions of dollars in energy cost savings, strengthening grid reliability and resiliency, and creating thousands of American jobs.”

The loan was issued in November 2024 in the waning days of the Biden presidency.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey praised the decision. He had issued a civil investigative demand to Grain Belt, similar to a subpoena, early this month to obtain documents related to the project. Bailey claimed that Grain Belt oversold the benefits of the project and engaged in predatory use of eminent domain.

Grain Belt responded with a lawsuit, asking a judge to stop the demand. The project had already won approval from state utility regulators and couldn’t be reviewed again under law, the company argued in court documents.

The case has been assigned to Cole County’s presiding judge, who will pick a new judge after Grain Belt requested it.

Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins “commended” the Trump administration for canceling the loan in a statement posted on X.

“This isn’t just about one power line — it’s about the dangerous precedent it sets for using eminent domain as a tool for corporate gain,” Hawkins wrote. “If we would allow this, where does it end?”

The project will cross Missouri to deliver power from western wind fields to Illinois. The route will run through Mid-Missouri and a connection is planned from north of Centralia to near Kingdom City. That route includes land in Monroe, Audrain and Callaway counties, according to the Grain Belt website.

The main line will also run through Chariton and Randolph counties.

Grain Belt’s parent company, Invenergy, also inked a supply chain deal with Centralia’s Hubbell Power Systems.

The project has contracts with 39 municipal utilities in Missouri, including Columbia Water and Light. Project leaders say Grain Belt could save Missouri energy consumers billions of dollars.

The first eminent domain lawsuit was filed in Callaway County, according to reporting in the Missouri Independent.

Grain Belt’s website says construction on Phase 1 is expected to start next year.

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