Category: kmiz-local-news

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Erin Keys has been named the City of Columbia’s next director of utilities, according to a Thursday press release from the city.

“I look forward to continuing to support our excellent staff in the work they do to provide the various utility services to our customers and to engage with the community to move forward with some very important infrastructure projects for the long-term sustainability of our utilities,” Keys said in the release.

The release says she has worked for the city for 25 years “designing, managing and directing infrastructure improvement projects in Utilities and Public Works” and has been the interim utilities director since March.

She previously worked as the acting assistant director for the electric utility, assistant director for the sewer and storm water utilities, acting engineering supervisor and engineer with the city, the release says. She has a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from The Catholic University of America in Washington D.C . and is a professional engineer, the release says.

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ABC 17 News Team

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A groundbreaking was held Thursday for the Jefferson City River Market. 

The event at the former site of the Missouri State Penitentiary was attended by Mayor Ron Fitzwater and several other city officials. 

According to previous reporting, the Jefferson City Council approved a contract to build the site last year with hopes of beginning construction this summer. 

Parks and Recreation Director Aaron Grefrath spoke about the project.

“Obviously a lot of the hard work’s been done as far as construction documents, getting a bid now it’s the process of going through the actual construction, but JC Parks has a lot of work that lies ahead as far as what do the fees look like, what do the operations look like,” Grefrath said. “So now we’ve got to roll up our sleeves and really get busy because this is going to be here before we know it”

The project is scheduled to be completed next year. 

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Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Mid-Missouri is taking steps toward curbing violence through collaborative efforts between local, state and federal agencies.

The Violent Crime Abatement Team — which began on Jan. 1 — looks to discuss recent violent crimes and arrests in the area during monthly meetings at the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Discussions include sharing information about what law enforcement is encountering in their areas and make decisions about investigations and prosecutions, spokesman Bailey Coulter said.

Local agencies and prosecuting offices included within the discussions include:

Columbia Police Department;

Boone County Sheriff’s Office;

MU Police Department;

Boone County Prosecutors Office;

Jefferson City Police Department;

Cole County Sheriff’s Office;

Cole County Prosecutor’s Office;

Callaway County Sheriff’s Office;

Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives;

Federal Bureau Investigation;

Drug Enforcement Administration; and

Internal Revenue Service

Much of the efforts have focused on urban centers in Columbia and Jefferson City, according to Coulter.

“Over the last several years, our community has seen shootings and other acts of violence that harmed or threatened innocent people,” Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Kummerer said in a statement to ABC 17 News. “This is an obvious problem, and there was resounding support and a sense of urgency among all of our law enforcement partners to bring our resources together to try to address this.”

Boone County Prosecutor Roger Johnson said his office began interagency discussions several years ago to discuss violent crime and trends in the community. The discussions allowed local agencies to have the opportunity to share intelligence.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office approached those involved this year with an interest to take the helm of that after the team was successful in other areas. A recent change in Missouri law — that now allows local agencies and the prosecutor’s office to collaborate with the federal government — is to thank.

“And it’s been fantastic that they’ve been able and willing to do that,” Johnson said. “They have the ability to reach out over a broader area of the community.”

Johnson said during meetings, law enforcement partners detail what sort of trends they’re seeing and look at certain individuals who may be causing a “disproportionate amount of harm.”

Discussions are also had that look at ways resources can be used to focus on higher-problem areas.

Johnson has worked at the Boone County Prosecutor’s Office for about 15 years. During his time, he said he’s always noticed violent crime trends, including drug dealing that perpetuates violence. In more recent years, he said the proliferation of guns winding up in the hands of youth has increased.

“The police officers now tell me that almost every young person that they encounter on the streets, people have guns,” Johnson said. “And when you’re mixing that problem where you have groups and conflict and they’re also armed, it’s a recipe for violent crime.”

Johnson said an increasing challenge prosecutors have faced over the years is the lack of witnesses who are willing to come forward and testify. That, along with recent staffing issues within the Columbia Police Department is something he said can create problems when working to keep the community safe.

Johnson said a state federal task force in previous years used to work to address violent drug dealers in the area, as well as local gangs. However, he said those organizations have begun to build back up but collaborative work with federal prosecutors that expands Boone County’s resources is a positive.

“They have agents, technology and things that they can share and provide, so part of it is increasing our capacity for crimes that we can address,” Johnson said. “Federal prosecutors can focus on gun cases, they can focus on violent drug dealers and they have laws that allow them to take those people off the streets for longer periods of time.”

Cole County Prosectuor Locke Thompson also told ABC 17 News via email he believes in the nearly six months since the team was created, it’s worked well.

“Pooling the information and resources of our local, state, and federal agencies greatly enhances our ability to target and prosecute violent crime here in Cole County,” Thompson wrote.

Kummerer said while the work is an ongoing effort but momentum has been encouraging. She said all agencies involved have worked vigorously toward collaborations to find the tools to address crimes within the community.

“We expect to continue to be able to build on this progress, especially as staffing improves for our local partners,” Kummerer said.

Columbia looks to add Violence Prevention Advisory Board

Columbia’s Leader for the Office of Violence Prevention is looking to expand his efforts toward decreasing violence in the city.

D’Markus Thomas-Brown said he and Roger Johnson have had discussions aimed at removing barriers and giving resources to people so they aren’t prone to choosing violence. Thomas-Brown is now looking to form a Violence Prevention Advisory Board in the city that uses a collaborative approach to achieve that.

“Whether it be county, the prosecutor, community based organizations, stakeholders and business owners coming together to analyze what’s going on to bring adequate solutions and resources to the interventions and situations that going on in the community,” Thomas-Brown said.

Thomas-Brown said he’s reached out to 16 people within the city, including the Columbia Police Department and University of Missouri Police Department.

He’s still working to nail down a set schedule, but hopes to launch the meetings in June and hold meetings once a month from then on.

He said the meetings will largely focus on discussions from organizations about their needs, and looking into data driven evidence to see what needs to be done to better the city.

“And I believe we can but it’s going to take, as it was stated by the mayor and stated by the city manager, it’s going to take time to perform but we’re trending in that direction,” Thomas-Brown said.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 53-year-old Moberly man was seriously injured in a crash on Thursday on Highway 63, south of Highway 24 in Moberly, a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol says.

The report says a 2005 Buick Lacrosse – driven by the Moberly man – was heading south in the northbound lanes and hit a 2020 Ford Escape – driven by a 72-year-old Kirksville woman. Debris from the crash hit a 2024 Chevrolet Silverado that was driven by a 67-year-old Armstrong man, the report says.

The Moberly man was brought to University Hospital by ambulance and the Kirksville woman was taken to Moberly Regional Medical Center in a private vehicle, the report says. The woman wore a seatbelt and it is not known if the other drivers wore theirs.

The Buick and the Ford were totaled, while the Chevrolet had minor damage, the report says.

MSHP reports do not name those involved in crashes.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Another person has filed to run for the open Ward 2 seat on the Columbia City Council.

Librarian Vera Elwood announced her candidacy Thursday in a press release. City Clerk Sheela Amin wrote in an email that the city received Elwood’s petition on Thursday and is in the process of reviewing it to determine if it’s sufficient. 

Elwood wrote that focuses of her campaign include “improving infrastructure, creating a safer and more welcoming city, and ensuring every voice in the community is heard and uplifted.”

“I am running for City Council because I love Columbia. I met my husband here. I started a family here. I found my community here. I believe that my experience in public service, knowledge of Columbia, and dedication to community involvement can help make Columbia a truly safe place for everyone,” Elwood said in the release.

The release says Elwood works as a librarian at the University of Missouri, is a member of LiUNIA Local 955 and served as an organizer for Mizzou Workers United. She first moved to Columbia for college and wrote that she is a graduate of the University of Missouri, according to the release. She earned a Master of Library and Information Science degree in 2019, the release says.

She came back to Columbia in 2019 to raise a family, the release says. She serves as the chair of the Columbia Disabilities Commission and is a member of the Commission on Cultural Affairs, the release says.

She also works as a youth program coordinator at The Center Project and is a volunteer at True/False Film Fest, Unbound Book Festival, Mid-Missouri PrideFest and the Central Missouri Humane Society, the release says.

Ken Rice announced his candidacy last week and his petition was determined to be sufficient, Amin wrote.

The city called for a special election on Aug. 5 after Ward 2 Councilwoman Lisa Meyer announced that she would step down on May 16. 

Election packets can be picked up at the city clerk’s office and candidates have until June 3 to file, according to previous reporting.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

More than 1,400 high school seniors in Columbia will graduate this weekend.

Graduation ceremonies for Columbia Public Schools will be held Friday and Saturday. There will be 1,422 students receiving their diplomas. A press release from the school district says the class of 2025 collectively earned more than $14.5 million in scholarships for post-secondary education.

The schedule of graduations will be as followed:

Friday, May 23

Douglass High School – 10 a.m. at the Missouri Theatre. There will be 62 students graduating.

Battle High School – 7 p.m. at Mizzou Arena. There will be 403 graduates.

Saturday, May 24

Rock Bridge High School – 11 a.m. at Mizzou Arena. There will be 482 graduates.

Hickman High School – 5 p.m. at Mizzou Arena. There will be 475 graduates.

All graduation ceremonies will be streamed on CPS’ website at https://cpsk12mo.org/2025grad.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The University of Missouri Police Department is looking for a man who allegedly exposed himself Wednesday afternoon near Stankowski Field.

A press release from MUPD says witnesses saw the man expose himself before leaving. The release says he was last seen driving a white 2024 Volkswagen Jetta with a Minnesota license plate that reads RAX207.

Stankowski Field is located on Tiger Avenue between Kentucky Boulevard and Rollins Street, near University Hospital.

The investigation is ongoing. MUPD is encouraging anyone with information to call 573-882-7201 or Crimestoppers at 573-875-8477.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

A former University of Missouri basketball prospect accused of sexual assault is set to be in the Boone County Courthouse for a preliminary hearing on Thursday.

Keiner Asprilla, 18, was charged with first-degree rape, first-degree sodomy and second-degree kidnapping. A police report states the alleged assault happened in September at the Tiger Hotel in downtown Columbia when Asprilla was at the University of Missouri for a campus visit.

In a probable cause statement, the victim said she was drunk and with friends who met up with a group of men. Her friends “went to do something else,” and then she went to the Tiger Hotel with Asprilla and his group.

Asprilla allegedly asked the other men to leave so he could be alone with the victim, according to court documents. The victim rejected multiple advances and actions, but the victim stated that Asprilla sexually assaulted them more than once.

Asprilla is being charged as an adult after a petition was filed in juvenile court in January.

Asprilla will be at the Boone County Courthouse on Thursday at 9 a.m. before Judge Kimberly Shaw.

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Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the “one big beautiful bill” touted by President Donald Trump in the early hours of Thursday morning, a sweeping tax and immigration package that includes significant reductions to Medicaid and Medicare funding.

Among the biggest impacts is a $700 billion cut to Medicaid throughout the next decade. Advocates say that could leave millions of Americans, especially low-income families in Missouri, without health coverage.

“Medicaid helps keep Missourians healthy so they can work, succeed in school and contribute to their communities, and about 9-in-10 Missourians with Medicaid health insurance are already working or qualify for an exemption because of a disability, caregiving, or school,” said Amy Blouin, president and CEO of the Missouri Budget Project.

Missouri Budget Project spokesperson Traci Gleason said the impacts could be widespread.

“It’s estimated at least 90,000 Missourians would lose medicaid just based on one provision of the bill, broader health care provisions suggest that about 200,000 Missourians would lose health care,” Gleason said. “Even if those populations aren’t targeted by the cuts that were made in the bill the additional red tape and administrative provisions will result in health care cuts for all Missourians,”

Provisions include, work requirements that would apply to recipients without disabilities between 18-65 years old who do not have a child younger than 7 years old.

Other provisions include, frequent eligibility checks, cutting federal funds to states that use Medicaid infrastructure to provide health care coverage to undocumented immigrants and banning Medicaid from covering gender transition services for children and adults.

The Kaiser Family Foundation reports that more than 1 million Missouri residents are enrolled in Medicaid.

Medicare could also be cut by about $500 billion. These cuts could decrease access to care and increase out-of-pocket costs, especially for seniors. In Missouri, rural hospitals would be directly impacted, as many are already on the brink of closure and rely on Medicaid to keep doors open.

“Medicaid helps rural health care providers stay afloat so they can serve everyone in their communities,” Blouin said. “Many rural hospitals are already on the brink of closing, and decreased Medicaid funding could push them over the edge.”

“The loss of Medicaid patients and Medicaid dollars means a lot of those folks are going to shut down and rural Missourians won’t be able to access care or will have to drive a lot further to be able to be seen,” Gleason added.

The bill includes a $300 billion cut to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The cuts would put the cost on states and families

“SNAP benefits are spent directly in local stores,” Blouin said. “Federal funds from both programs directly support critical jobs in our communities, which then fuels additional economic activity in Missouri.”

The Missouri Hospital Association said in a statement “Although the U.S. House has adopted a bill, the Senate will now work on their own version of the legislation. We can’t know what differences might arise from their version of the legislation. Massive cuts to either program would be devastating for enrollees and providers. Where cuts are made matters relative to that harm. Additionally, large scale cuts could blow an enormous hole in the state’s budget. We are at the end of the first phase of a negotiation. Until the Senate alternatives appear, it’s all speculation. However, the House’s version represents powerful storm clouds on the horizon for Medicare, Medicaid and the millions of Missourians who count on the coverage they provide.”

The bill now heads to the Senate, where pushback and changes are possible.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia Public Schools will have its last day of classes on Friday.

CPS wrote in an email to students’ families that state officials gave the district a waiver allowing classes to be out of session next Tuesday. The district had planned for a shortened day Tuesday — one day after Memorial Day — to meet state requirements for instruction time before the waiver was granted.

Friday will be an early release day, the district says.

The email thanks families for being patient and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education for reevaluating the case and granted the waiver after initially denying it.

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