Category: kmiz-local-news

Marie Moyer

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

In an 11-2 vote with one member abstaining, the Missouri House Committee of Economic Development approved Senate Bill 3 Tuesday afternoon.

SB3 covers a wide range of items, with the Show-Me Sports Investment Act being the hot topic of the bill.

If the act passes, Missouri’s Office of Administration and the Department of Economic Development will give tax credits to Missouri’s professional sports teams’ construction projects. The project must cost at least $500 million and involve stadiums with more than 30,000 seats. The state could cover up to 50% of the total cost and eligible teams could also access a tax credit worth up to 10% of their investment.

This deal is part of the current “Border War” between Kansas and the Show-Me state on the location of Kansas City sports’ home state.

Supporters of the act argue that its implementation will improve Missouri’s identity as a tourist destination while also bringing jobs to the state.

“The bottom line is if the teams go across the state line, we will lose a lot of the revenue that we currently generate, if we keep them here, the state of Missouri will be better off, the city of Kansas City would be better off,” Kansas City’s 2nd District Councilman and former Rep. Wes Rogers said.

Rogers added in his testimony that outside of bringing in sports-entertainment-related jobs, additional sports construction could be a draw to people relocating to Missouri.

“So one lady from Columbia, which is an Ivy League (school), says, ‘well, I don’t really like baseball, but we sure go by the stadiums a lot to eat dinner,’ and I said, ‘We got great restaurants here, and there’s going to be more once we build the stadiums,'” Rogers said.

Opponents of the bill warned that it would give too much power to private corporations and cause public services like public schools and healthcare to lose out on state funding.

A major opponent of the bill was Patrick Tuohey of Show-Me Institute. His passionate testimony argued that Missouri shouldn’t be making a deal to keep professional sports teams in the state at the expense of funds, comparing the border war to a “race to the bottom.”

“When we talk about pride, we talk about, ‘I love our teams.’ When we talk about how much it means to Missouri, understand this: The teams do not love us back, this is a bottom line deal for them and they are telling us, ‘If you want us to stay, if you want our love, it’s going to cost you,'” Tuohey said. “There’s a word for that, and it’s nothing that the Missouri legislature should participate in.”

The bill does mention that if a team decides to move out-of-state after SB3 is approved, “the owners of the franchise shall repay the state the amount of funds expended by the state under the agreement and the total debt service remaining for any outstanding bond indebtedness, as described in the act.”

A similarly controversial part of the bill is the addition of a property tax freeze. If approved, voters in 97 of Missouri’s 144 counties would have the option to vote in 2026 for the freeze. This would be similar to the state’s property tax freeze for seniors. Opponents of the credit argued that lower property taxes would harm public services that receive funds from property taxes and that it was unfair for only certain counties to have the opportunity to vote.

“For many, many decades, local property taxes have been primarily what funds schools, we’re one of the most reliant states on local school revenues, we spend about 60% local money when we’re investing in our schools each year,” Otto Fajen Legislative Director of the Missouri National Education Association said. “It needs to be seen as something that is functional and fair.”

SB 3’s Sponsor Sen. Kurtis Gregory (R-Marshall) argued the cut would help increase residential growth.

“There’s some instances where people are literally getting taxed out of their home because they have just enough in their paycheck to make ends meet,” Gregory said. “Every county, I think when you look at how property tax functions, is different, I think in your faster growing counties it is easier and maybe more prudent for there to be the freeze because there is enough new things being built in coming on to the tax rolls.”

If passed, SB3 would reauthorize the amateur sports credit. Under the credit, businesses that support amateur or youth sports events and facilities would receive a tax break. The bill would also offer a $5,000 tax credit in 2025 to people whose homes were damaged in storms. These parts of the bill were left mainly unopposed during the hearing.

SB3 also has a severability clause that would allow parts of the bill to be passed or overturned, instead of the entire document being overturned if one aspect is struck down.

The House’s Fiscal Review Committee will review the bill at 8:15 a.m. Wednesday in House Hearing Room 4, and the bill will then move to the House floor for discussion.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man who evaded law enforcement for more than 18 years has been detained, the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office wrote in a Tuesday social media post.

Dontay Cropp was arrested in Clarke County, Iowa, according to the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office. He was charged with forcible rape and forcible sodomy in 2007, according to court filings.

A $50,000 bond was set on July 17, 2007, and a warrant was issued days later. A judge was assigned on Dec. 1, 2017.

The sheriff’s office also wrote that he was wanted for parole and probation violations and “other miscellaneous warrants.”

Cropp awaits extradition back to Missouri, the sheriff’s office wrote.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Highway 54 in Cole County over the Neighhorn Branch will narrow to one lane in each direction, according to a Tuesday press release from the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Crews will begin replacing the eastbound bridge on Monday, June 16 and the traffic shift will be fully in place by the week of June 23, the release says. There will be some turning restrictions, including:

Existing median crossovers closed at Route CC, Shepherd Hills Road and Wooded Hills Lane.

Route CC:

No access from Highway 54 eastbound to Route CC.

No access from Route CC to either direction of Highway 54.

Shepherd Hills Road/Wooded Hills Lane intersection:

No access to or from westbound Highway 54 at Shepherd Hills Road.

No access to or from eastbound Highway 54 at Wooded Hills Lane.

A 14-foot width restriction and speed reductions will be in place. The westbound bridge will be worked on after the eastbound bridge is completed, the release says. The entire project – costing $2.8 million – is expected to be completed in early November.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Boone County Commission has announced that Amy Hayse will be the director of the new Public Safety Childcare Center.

The commission announced the appointment in a Tuesday press release. She begins Monday, June 16.

The release says that Hayse has nearly two decades of experience in early childhood education, organizational leadership and administrative management. For the past 10 years, Hayse has served as the preschool director at College Park Christian Preschool in Columbia, the release says.

Construction of the childcare center is expected to begin this summer and will open by the middle of 2026, the release says.  

The commission last year approved a $2.5 million funding agreement for the center, which will “provide extended access to childcare for first responders within Boone County government,” according to previous reporting.

The release says that while the center is being constructed, “Hayse will play a key role in establishing the operations, developing policies, hiring and building a team, developing an early childhood education curriculum and nutritional program, and collaborating on future expansion of the Center. She will also work closely with stakeholders regarding policy development, programs, and feedback.”

“Ami’s experience in both early childhood development and organizational leadership make her the ideal choice to lead this new and essential initiative,” Boone County Presiding Commissioner Kip Kendrick said in the release. “Her dedication to building strong educational foundations and her ability to lead with empathy and efficiency will be a tremendous asset to building this much-needed program for our public safety staff and their families.”

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Mitchell Kaminski

EDITOR’S NOTE: A misspelled name has been corrected.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) 

A new law signed by Gov. Mike Kehoe on Tuesday includes sweeping public safety reforms, including updating the state’s outdated firework regulations. 

Senate Bill 81, which takes effect Aug. 28, modernizes how Missouri regulates fireworks for the first time in more than two decades, updating technical definitions, safety protocols and inspection authority.

“In terms of the fireworks provisions, there’s just a lot of things that needed updated and improved,” Sen. Kurtis Gregory (R-Cooper County), who sponsored the bill, told ABC 17 News. “In terms of fireworks, I think it’s been 25 years and there’s been some major advancements in fireworks and definitions needed changed. We had the proper definitions for the proper type of fireworks to make sure we had the right licenses and availabilities out there for everything to be done in a safe manner.”

Gregory emphasized that while the state hadn’t experienced enforcement issues, outdated definitions led to confusion. For example, some pyrotechnics commonly seen at sporting events were being mislabeled.

“The correct term is articles pyrotechnic, and that is what you see at football games and celebrations where it’s like on a timed button that gets pushed,” Gregory said. “Those are being defined as proximate fireworks. That’s not the correct definition at all.”

The bill also overhauls the state’s fee structures to help provide training for fire departments across Missouri. Gregory pointed to Missouri’s unique relationship with fireworks as to why the law was necessary.

“Missourians per capita spend more money on fireworks than anyone, any other state in the country, by like almost double,” Gregory said. “I think Missourians on average spend about $25 per person on fireworks. The next closest state is just a little over $10.”

Industry veteran Bob Gerau — who has owned and operated Bob’s Fireworks in Columbia since 2005 — has seen Missouri’s fireworks landscape change since entering the business in 1965.

“It was a lot looser than it is today,” Gerau said. “But it’s basically been the same. They don’t want fireworks in the city. And, you know, I can understand that to a degree.”

Still, Gerau said any state enforcement presence on his business has been minimal. 

“I haven’t seen an inspector in 10 years,” Gerau said. “If they come in my first thought is ‘Tell me what I need to do to correct it.’’”

Gerau also echoed Gregory’s point, noting that Missouri consistently ranks among the top states in fireworks sales nationwide.

“Missouri has a reputation amongst all the states as being fireworks-friendly,” Gerau said. “I’ve been asked the question many times. Just what is your favorite fireworks? I got a standard answer. Anything with a fuse.”

While the law will expand the State Fire Marshal’s authority to inspect retail locations, including those outside counties with local fire codes, it’s not expected to disrupt operations in regulated areas like Boone County.

“I think what it really does is it allows the State Fire Marshal’s office a little more access to those areas that don’t have a fire code,” said Gale Blomenkamp, who is an assistant chief of the Boone County Fire Protection District. “The trend has been people are leaning towards more of a brick-and-mortar type facility for these temporary fireworks stands because they’re easier to secure. Storms don’t blow them away, you know, like they’re blowing away their tents and their product is more secure and more safe.”

Blomenkamp noted that for many counties without their own codes, the law will help close inspection gaps. 

“That will allow the State Fire Marshal’s office to gain access into those structures, to do those inspections,” Blomenkamp said.

Though SB 81 becomes law in late August, its fireworks provisions won’t impact the upcoming Fourth of July season. Full implementation is expected by 2026.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man who crashed a tractor-trailer in the westbound lane of Interstate 70 on Monday has been charged with a felony.

Andrei Parham, 32, of Beaverton, Oregon, was charged Tuesday in Cooper County with driving while intoxicated. He is being held at the Cooper County Jail on a $15,000 bond. A court date has not been scheduled.

A Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report shows that a 2017 Volvo box truck and 2014 Freightliner M2 were in the driving lane of westbound I-70 near mile marker 92.8 when a 2023 Freightliner – driven by Parham – was in the passing lane. Parham’s vehicle rear-ended the Volvo, which then hit the other Freightliner, which went into the guardrail, the report says.

Parham’s vehicle continued moving and hit the side of the Volvo, the report says. The crash caused at least one of the lanes to close for more than an hour that night.

The probable cause statement says that troopers determined Parham appeared to be intoxicated and asked for a breath test. The statement says his blood alcohol content was .237, nearly three times the legal limit to drive. A second breath test indicated his BAC was .204, the statement says.

The driver of the other freightliner suffered minor injuries and was brought to University Hospital by ambulance, the report says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man who was arrested on Monday for allegedly exposing himself to a child in the 1100 block of Lakeview Avenue has been charged.

Bryan Lee Schneider, 32, was charged with sexual misconduct involving a child younger than 15 years old, resisting arrest and two misdemeanors: First-degree sexual misconduct and illegally possessing drug paraphernalia. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. A court date has not been set.

According to court documents, Schneider allegedly exposed himself to a 13-year-old girl in a parking lot. Police were called around 4 p.m. after the victim’s mother heard the child scream and saw Schneider with his pants around his knees, the probable cause statesman says.

The mother and four other adults flagged down police and pointed out where he was located, the statement says. After police announced themselves, Schneider allegedly started walking away, the document says.

Police told him he was being detained and he allegedly replied that he wasn’t, the statement says. The officer pulled out a stun gun and Schneider then allegedly started running away, but police got ahold of him, the statement says.

A used insulin needle covered in blood was found in Schneider’s pocket and he was “e was unable to form any coherent statements and seemed to be under the influence of drugs,” the statement says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man was charged with first-degree domestic assault on Monday.

A court date has not been scheduled for Jesse Jones. He was listed on the Boone County Jail roster on Tuesday evening and is being held without bond. Police wrote in a press release that his address was Centralia.

The Columbia Police Department wrote in a Tuesday evening press release that Jones, 38, was arrested in Hallsville.

According to the probable cause statement, multiple people called first responders on Sunday after seeing the victim walking near Ash Street and Ash Court looking “distressed, panicked and grunting with blood” on their shirt.

Police spoke with the victim near West Broadway and Greenwood Avenue. The victim had a broken jaw, had trouble talking and was bleeding, the statement says. The woman was brought to Boone Hospital for surgery, the statement says. The victim was able to identify Jones as the assailant, court documents say.

While at the hospital, the victim allegedly referred to other assaults, but did not disclose more details out of fear for their safety, the statement says.

The victim couldn’t remember all of the details of the most-recent assault, but told police she was hit by Jones while they were in a car with him, the statement says. She lost consciousness after the hit, but woke up with a broken jaw and was bleeding, the statement says.

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Madison Stuerman

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Governor Mike Kehoe signed Senate Bill 81 into law on Tuesday.

According to a news release, the bill includes multiple items that would strengthen public safety.

“From improving oversight and licensing to supporting law enforcement and victims of childhood abuse, this legislation gives the state the tools it needs to strengthen public safety measures,” Governor Kehoe said in the release.

The law modifies six provisions related to public safety. This includes expanding criminal background checks, license waivers for law enforcement spouses, extending the Line of Duty Compensation Act, and reauthorizes fee collections with the Missouri Emergency Response Commission.

The bill also creates Trey’s Law, which modifies the offense included in “childhood sexual abuse” for civil actions, along with authorizing nondisclosure agreements signed after Aug. 28 to no longer be enforceable under civil law.

Missouri’s firework laws have been updated with this law to match the national safety standards of the American Fireworks Standards Laboratory. State Fire Marshals now have oversight to inspect facilities and enforce compliance.

The bill was sponsored by Senator Kurtis Gregory (R-Marshall) and Rep. Timothy Taylor (R-Bunceton).

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Olivia Hayes

FULTON, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Fulton Police Department is warning residents on social media to be aware after cars were broken into or stolen.

“The most recent activity was in the Town and Campus Apartments and in the Commons Drive neighborhood,” the post read.

The post also asked residents to remove unsecured keys, fobs, wallets, money and weapons from their cars.

According to police, the two cars stolen over the weekend have been recovered.

Anyone who sees suspicious persons checking car doors or looking inside vehicles is asked to call 911 right away.

Check back for updates.

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