Category: kmiz-local-news

Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Despite the growing number of school shootings in the United States, many Missouri school districts and law enforcement agencies lack standardized requirements for active shooter drills.

In Missouri, teachers are required to participate in simulated active-shooter drills under the state’s ASIRT statute. However, broader safety training, such as how to identify threats or respond to intruders, is optional and left up to individual districts.

A new law signed by Gov. Mike Kehoe will change that, with students and teachers being required to participate in active school shooter drills starting in the 2026-27 school year. The law went into effect in August.

To better understand how local districts are preparing for potential threats, ABC 17 News requested active shooter drill records from 10 Mid-Missouri school districts: Columbia Public Schools, Southern Boone, Moberly, Hallsville, Jefferson City, Cole County R-V in Eugene, Camdenton, North Callaway, South Callaway and Fulton.

ABC 17 News did not hear back from the Fulton, South Callaway, North Callaway and Camdenton school districts.

Records revealed some inconsistent practices when it comes to active shooter drills. While some districts conducted two drills in a school year, others reported conducting one, with at least one district not conducting any drills at all.

Columbia Public Schools provided records for all of its 33 buildings for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 school years. According to records, at least two A.L.I.C.E. drills, which simulate active shooter situations, were conducted at each of the 33 buildings.

John McDonald, chief operating officer for the Missouri School Boards’ Association Center for Education Safety, says multiple drills need to be done each year.

“If you don’t do another drill for a year, you often lose information, you often lose the learning, you often forget some of the things perishable skill sets are important to maintain,” McDonald said.

“My recommendation is that one in the fall semester, very early on, one in the spring semester, then that’s all you should have to do,” McDonald said. “Kids remember the drill, teachers remember the drill. Good learning occurs with good drills, and the parents find comfort in knowing that their students have gone through training and are prepared.”

West Middle School, for the 2023-24 school year, conducted three drills within nearly two months of the start of the school year.

The Southern Boone School District requires one active shooter drill to be conducted at each school per academic year. According to district records, during the 2023–24 school year, two active shooter drills each were conducted at the high school, middle school and elementary school. In the 2024–25 school year, one drill was conducted at both the high school and middle school, while two drills were conducted at the elementary school.

The Cole County R-5 School District does not conduct active school shooter drills with its students, Superintendent Charley Burch said.

“At this time, we do not conduct active shooter drills with students. However, our administration does review safety and security procedures with them, including expectations for entering and exiting the building,” Burch said in an email to ABC 17 News in September.

Burch said the district is considering implementing student drills, either later this school year or at the start of the next, when such drills will become mandatory under a new state law.

Records from the Moberly School District show active shooter drills were conducted at least twice a year at each of the district’s eight buildings from 2023 to early 2025.

The Jefferson City School District reported 183 lockdown/intruder drills in the 2023-24 school year, 189 in the 2024-25 school year and 17 so far this school year. The number of drills for each building within the district was not provided.

One active shooter drill was conducted each school year over the past two years in the Hallsville R-IV School District, according to records.

For a drill to qualify as “successful”, McDonald says there are several factors.

“Have those kids move into the proper positions, the proper placement, teachers moving with the students, making good decisions at that moment in time, that’s a great drill,” McDonald said. “Every school, from 50 kids to 2,000 kid,s should be able to lock down in less than 30 seconds. What that means is behind a properly locked classroom door, any barricaded door in a school environment or out of the building.”

During a drill, students turn off the lights, lock doors, move out of sight and stay silent. McDonald said drills should be conducted on a consistent basis, but should not be excessive.

“We train enough to make it meaningful, but we don’t overtrain to the point that kids find it boring and routine. If you don’t do another drill for a year, you often lose the information, you often lose the learning, you often forget some of the things perishable skill sets are important to maintain,” McDonald said.

Requirements in other states

In the wake of the Uvalde school shooting in Texas that left 19 students dead in 2022, ProbPublica found that most states require active shooter drills for school districts. Thirteen states do not, including Colorado and Connecticut, which have had the two deadliest school shootings in U.S. history.

The Columbine High School mass shooting in Colorado in 1999 left 13 people dead. In Connecticut, the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting claimed the lives of 26 people in 2012.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol has an anonymous hotline to report school violence and threats. Tips can be submitted through the app, by phone, online or by text message.

Records obtained by ABC 17 News show that the hotline, Courage2Report, received 927 tips between Jan. 1-July 3 this year. Of those, 106 involved bullying or repeated harassment, 94 were threats to kill, 65 were school shooting threats, 58 were reports of physical assault and 33 involved alcohol or drugs.

Missouri school violence reports

by Matthew Sanders

Data underscores the urgency to prepare: As of Sept. 23, CNN reported 53 school shootings in the U.S. — 27 on college campuses and 26 on K–12 grounds — leaving 19 people dead and at least 84 injured. Last year was the deadliest since 2008, with 83 shootings reported.

Law enforcement requirements

Missouri does not mandate a specific number of active-shooter drills or training hours annually for law enforcement agencies. Most agencies voluntarily participate in drills at least once a year.

ProPublica’s report found that only Texas and Michigan have laws that require all officers to complete active shooter training after the police academy.

Last year, Texas mandated that all officers, not just school police, take 16 hours of active shooter training every two years, according to ProPublica.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol, however, has prioritized this form of training for several years. Lt. Eric Brown said state troopers are required to complete four hours of active-shooter training, annually. That requirement will double to eight hours starting next year.

Brown emphasized the importance of the training.

“Being trained, prepared to respond to an active threat is important, it’s a priority for law enforcement, first responders to be trained,” Brown said. “So when an unfortunate … event occurs, we can respond appropriately and have all the needed resources there to deal with the situation as quickly and safely as possible.”

When participating in active-shooter training, agencies focus on classroom instruction and scenario-based exercises. Officers learn tactical procedures, response protocols and how to anticipate the challenges of real-world situations.

Scenarios simulate active threats in various environments, including schools, businesses, churches, school buses and other public spaces.

The Cole County Sheriff’s Office conducts active-shooter training drills at least once a year.

Sheriff John Wheeler said his office likely conducts more training than most agencies. The department participated in three drills in August at Perry Hall at Lincoln University. Wheeler said the overall goal in training is to get as close to reality as possible.

“This has been a requirement since I’ve been here, so for the eight years that I’ve been sheriff and for the 12 years I was chief deputy. Before that, we’ve been doing active shooter training,” Wheeler said.

“Human nature is that you run from fire, you run from gunshots, and we train our people to go to that,” Wheeler said. “We train them to protect civilians, protect someone, strangers they don’t even know, so we try to make this training as realistic as possible when you’re going through it.”

The sound of fake gunshots is important, said Cpl. Joey Matherne with the Cole County Sheriff’s Office.

“That’s not something that you hear day in and day out, and you hear people explain active shooter situations that have been in them, and what they perceived that sound to be, so to hear it is a good takeaway for us to kind of give you an idea of what to expect if you ever are in that situation,” Matherne said.

While law enforcement agencies prioritize realistic training, the drills require a significant amount of time, coordination and resources.

Cost is also a key factor; training often pulls officers off the streets and can require specialized equipment, overtime pay and logistical planning.

“The simulation guns are expensive. They cost about the same as a regular pistol,” said Charlie Greatsinger, training officer at the Cole County Sheriff’s Office. “The ammunition is more expensive than real training ammunition.”

Those costs runs several thousand dollars, including $12,000 for simulation guns and rounds, Greatsinger said.

Funding often falls on local agencies, and not every community is equipped to support it.

“How much money will a community spend to train their officers? Everybody says they need training. How much? Who’s paying for it?” Greatsinger said. “Because the sheriff does a lot with a very small budget. When you consider what goes on there, we have the support of our community here; it’s good. It’s way better than some places.”

Even as both schools and law enforcement agencies conduct active shooter training separately, there is no statewide requirement in Missouri for the two to train together. Without collaboration, critical gaps in timing, communication and coordination can persist, leaving holes that could mean the difference between life and death in a real emergency.

“Not everything can be legislated. But I think what we can do is we can say what’s the best practice and here’s a reasonable standard of care for our community,” McDonald said. “It’s important for law enforcement and schools to come together. They cannot be siloed. Those relationships are so important for the life, safety of the people in our schools.”

The Columbia Police Department also participates in yearly training.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Wanyesville man was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Wednesday after he pleaded guilty last month to voluntary manslaughter.

Colin Mar was previously charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action after he was accused of shooting someone in a St. Robert home in March. Court documents in previous reporting say he shot a man in the back after an argument.

Another person at the home allegedly took credit for the shooting, but law enforcement did not believe the story and she admitted that Mar shot the man, court documents say.

Court documents say the evidence does not support a claim that Mar was defending himself from the victim. Six shell casings were found inside the home.  

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Court filings from Thursday show a Moniteau County dump truck driver is arguing he should be given immunity in a wrongful death case involving a crash.

The parents of Deborah Kay Coville filed a wrongful death lawsuit against John Kendrick and Moniteau County on Aug. 29 after Coville died from injuries she suffered in a crash on Aug. 5.

The petition alleges that Kendrick did not stop at a stop sign or yield to Coville’s Chevy Lumina as she drove eastbound on Lookout Trail. A Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report says the driver of the dump truck failed to yield to the Chevrolet.

Both drivers wore seatbelts in the crash, the report says. Coville was flown to University Hospital with serious injuries that day and later died on Aug. 12, the petition says.

A hearing in the case is scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday after Coville’s parents – Bobby and Suzanne Muprhy – filed for a change of venue on Oct. 3.

A filing from Thursday argues that Kendrick should be dismissed from the case because he is a public employee and is entitled to protection for “discretionary” acts. The petition accuses Kendrick of negligence, which Kendrick’s attorney alleges is a claim included within official immunity protections for public employees.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Jefferson City man accused of shooting and killing two women last week was indicted by a grand jury on Thursday.

Michael Davis, 40, was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, three counts of armed criminal action and a single count of unlawful use of a weapon in the deaths of Shawna Davis, 39, and Sofie Mulcahey, 31. Michael Davis is being held at the Cole County Jail without bond.

An entry of appearance was filed for Davis on Thursday. His next court date has not been announced.

Two women were found with gunshot wounds inside a vehicle in a wooded on Oct. 7 in the 900 block of Cordell Street, along with 30 shell casings. They had life-threatening injuries and were brought to University Hospital.

A witness allegedly described seeing a woman arguing with Davis and Davis allegedly pulled out a long gun, according to court documents in previous reporting. The witness did not see shots being fired, but they heard several shots in a row, the statement says.

Davis allegedly gave the witness keys to a gun safe and apologized, court documents say.

Police wrote that Davis said he thought the first victim was being forced into a vehicle by the second victim and fired several rounds at the car.

A second witness is cited in the probable cause statement as hearing an argument between the first victim and Davis during a phone call. He allegedly heard the argument while the second victim was on the phone with “Victim 1.”

“Victim 1” could allegedly be heard telling Davis “you have the gun case open; you are loading the gun while we are arguing,” the probable cause statement says.

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Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

People Not Politicians’ lawyer claims a referendum on the new congressional map passed by the Missouri legislature is protected under state law.

This comes after Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway filed a lawsuit in a federal court on Wednesday to block the referendum from getting on the November 2026 ballot.

The new congressional map is likely to cut out a Missouri Democrat from the U.S. House of Representatives. Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe signed the map into law Sept. 28, labeling it “Missouri First.”

Missouri is one of several red states where President Donald Trump has pushed Republican-friendly redistricting plans to boost the party’s House majority.

Attorney Chuck Hatfield, who is representing the group, said the legal battle hinges on the words “An act of the General Assembly,” which are written in the bill authorising the “Missouri First” map and in the referendum law.

Hanaway argues in the lawsuit that the U.S. Constitution gives the Missouri legislature the sole power to redistrict the state, and the referendum takes away that power.

“The Constitution entrusts congressional redistricting to the people’s elected legislature, not to activist organizations bankrolled by undisclosed donors,” Hanaway wrote in a statement released Wednesday. “If allowed to proceed, this effort would destroy faith in our elections and set a dangerous precedent where outside interests could override constitutional order.”

Hatfield said he’s confident the court will side with People Not Politicians.

“Federal judges take an oath to uphold the Constitution, and we expect them to do that,” Hatfield said. “I think when we get our day in court and have the opportunity to lay out the arguments, they’re going to see that the attorney general is wrong.” 

The Attorney General Office wrote in an email Thursday that this lawsuit keeps restricting in the hands of elected officials.

“The Missouri Constitution and the U.S. Constitution vest the authority for congressional redistricting in the General Assembly, not activist organizations funded by outside interests,” the Attorney General’s Office wrote in an email.

Secretary of State Denny Hoskins approved People Not Politicians’ petition for circulation this week after initially rejecting the forms submitted last month. Hoskins said in his approval that signatures gathered earlier are no longer valid — something People Not Politicians claims is not correct.

Federal Judge Zachary Bluestone, who was appointed by President Donald Trump in May, is set to hear the case.

The state is asking the court for a hearing on or before Nov. 15, and a preliminary injunction to stop the referendum in its tracks.

Several lawsuits have been filed to overturn the new congressional district map.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) –

Two Hallsville School District staff members have resigned from the district after a month of paid leave over posts they shared about Charlie Kirk’s death.

Anthony Plogger and Kayla Lewis were suspended with pay for sharing posts about Kirk from a page called “So Informed.” The post expressed a lack of empathy for Kirk because of his past statements.

Kirk was a conservative activist and founder of Turning Point USA — an organization that sought to win young adults over to conservative politics. He was killed by a sniper during a speaking event at a university in Utah.

Since his death, Kirk’s allies have encouraged conservatives to expose social media posts critical of Kirk or celebrating his death.

School board president Craig Stevenson said in a statement sent to district families that the employees have separation agreements signed with the district.

“We are committed to ensuring a positive, respectful, and supportive learning environment for our students,” Stevenson wrote.

ABC 17 News obtained the agreements from the district. Lewis signed hers on Oct. 7 and Plogger signed his on Oct. 14.

The agreements state their resignations will be effective at the end of the 2025-2026 school year; until then, Plogger and Lewis will remain on leave with full pay and benefits. Their individual health insurance coverage under the district’s group plan will continue through June 30, 2026.

The district also agreed to pay Lewis for completing a career ladder step for the 2025-2026 school year.

The district will provide references for Plogger and Lewis to future employers, according to their agreements.

Separation Agreement Kayla LewisDownload

A reference letter for Lewis was attached to her agreement. Lewis’ reference letter comes from Ty Sides, the Hallsville Middle School principal.

“I have had the privilege of working with Kayla for the past 5 years as a middle school counselor at Hallsville Middle School, and I can confidently say that she is an exceptional professional who will thrive in any counseling role,” the letter reads.

Sides detailed the skills that Lewis could bring into her next workplace.

“She possesses a deep understanding of the unique challenges that students face during their formative years, and her ability to connect with and empower them is truly remarkable. Her natural empathy and communication skills allow her to build trust with students, making her a go-to resource for those seeking guidance and support,” the letter states.

Separation Agreement Anthony PloggerDownload

The agreements say the employees cannot make any claims against the district or its affiliates. Those can include claims for compensatory damages, emotional distress, loss of reputation, humiliation, embarrassment, costs, expenses and attorneys’ fees.

The employees also agreed not to pursue any legal action against the district, its affiliates and any of its current and former employees. They also waived any right to employment, reinstatement or reemployment with the District.

Lewis has to return any district property she has within three business days of the agreement being fully executed. Plogger has 10 business days.

No one admitted liability, according to the agreements.

About a dozen members of the public spoke about the issue last month at a school board meeting.

ABC 17 News spoke with Hallsville parents on Thursday. Many reactions were split around the issue.

Karena White said her son used to attend Hallsville Middle School and her daughter still attends Hallsville Primary School. She is concerned about her daughter’s future with the school district and its employees that support Plogger and Lewis.

“The fact that the same staff is openly supporting these vial opinions of staff in relation to the Charley Kirk tragedy makes me very concerned for her future in this school,” White said in a statement to ABC 17 News.

Another parent, who wished to remain anonymous due to fear of retaliation, said she feels the situation was ‘grossly mishandled’ by the district.

“My family is considering moving out of the district,” the parent said in a statement to ABC 17 News. “This is not just sad for our students who were without a teacher and counselor for a month, but our district which struggles with teacher retention to begin with, and also the state of the country as a whole. This was a matter of free speech and it was grossly mishandled.”

She questioned the district’s next steps forward.

“I question what the school district is doing to attract teachers, what they are doing to retain teachers, how they can assure that our students’ education and social/emotional development will not be negatively impacted until full-time replacement staff are hired, and how they will repair the broken trust of their teachers and this community,” the parent said.

A Hallsville teacher, who asked to stay anonymous due to fear of retaliation, tells ABC 17 News the situation has made many of the teachers within the district fear for their own jobs.

“The overwhelming message this sent the staff was that we aren’t protected by the district even if we do nothing wrong. This set a concerning precedent. Many of us are upset and disagree with how this turned out, including their students,” the teacher said.

In a statement to ABC 17 News, Superintendent Tyler Walker said the district has started the hiring process.

“The district is making every effort to fill these positions as quickly as possible in order to provide our students with consistent and high quality educational services,” Walker said.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The University of Missouri Board of Curators is seeking to attract developers for an entertainment and hospitality district on campus to enhance the university’s offerings.

The university aims to build on the momentum of the current renovations of Memorial Stadium and continue its goal to enhance the game-day experience for fans. The university will actively seek proposals to open certain areas on or near campus for entertainment and hospitality, enhancing the university as a whole.

There will be three development zones that the university has designated for developers:

Development Zone #1: North Campus/Central Business District

5th & Locust Street North

5th & Locust Street South

10th & Locust Street

Hitt & Paquin Street

University Avenue

Development Zone #2: Campus Core

Flat Branch Creek

Stadium & Tiger Avenue

Stadium & College Avenue

Development Zone #3: Athletic Sports Complex

Hearnes Complex

Gustin Golf Course

In the university’s search for developers, several requirements must be followed when requests are submitted. According to university documents, developers should consider and strive its request to follow the guiding principles of the university, such as:

Projects should prioritize hospitality and/or entertainment, enhancing the game-day experience within the MU Athletics Sports Complex and may include other mixed-use components to form a year-round commercial hub.

Projects within the MU Athletics Sports Complex should incorporate novel ideas, features, and benefits that have the potential to differentiate/elevate MU Athletics.

Projects should generate meaningful revenue for the University, either through upfront funds or over time through on-going payments.

Projects should not require any University capital be committed.

Projects should not require that the University issue or underwrite the use of bonds as a financing source.

Projects should not impact the University’s credit or rating.

Projects should be financially feasible and based on realistic assumptions.

Developers must send in their request to the Board of Curators by January 9, 2025.

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Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia residents had the chance to learn more about the city’s newly approved fiscal year 2026 budget during a “Let’s Talk Local” event on Wednesday night.

Mayor Barbara Buffaloe hosted the discussion at Missouri United Methodist Church, where city officials outlined spending priorities and answered questions from the community. Around 35 people — including city staff and media — attended.

During the presentation, the city’s Director of Finance Matthew Lue shared an anecdote that summed up the message behind the city’s budget priorities. 

“Don’t tell me what your priorities are. Show me where you spend your money and I’ll tell you what they are,” Lue said in reference to a quote from James W. Frick. 

By that measure, public safety remains one of Columbia’s top priorities. The city will spend $35 million on police and $30 million on the fire department this fiscal year. The next highest line item is Public Works at $17 million.

“The majority of that is for people,” Buffaloe told ABC 17 News. “It’s for the people responding for when you call for service.” 

The city is operating under a planned deficit for the second straight year. However, City Manager De’Carlon Seewood said that was partly by design. Last year’s shortfall helped purchase new police vehicles, while this year’s budget focuses on raising employee salaries.

“Last year, with capital purchases, we bought police vehicles. We bought vehicles for public works and so that was actually purposely done,” Seewood said during the meeting when talking about the deficit. “This year, it is about employees. Like the mayor said, we made a commitment to our employees. In the past, we hadn’t been rewarding our employees, and our salaries hadn’t adjusted and what we saw was we couldn’t hire anyone.” 

Seewood told ABC 17 News the city is currently reviewing its revenue sources after being asked whether tax increases could help close the deficit and improve staffing. He said that while it’s an option, no decisions have been made.

Staffing remains a concern for the Columbia Police Department, though Chief Jill Schlude said the department is carefully evaluating its needs before making additional funding requests.

CPD plans to bring back the downtown unit in May, but that move will come at the expense of the traffic unit.

“A city this size should have traffic so we want to make sure we build out a real ask,” Schlude said during the meeting. “I told the mayor this the other day and I think she was surprised but at one point we only had one detective working all the property crimes in the city.”

Schlude was also asked about the homelessness downtown. She says the department has been tracking calls they get about the unhoused and roughly 86% of those are for trespassing. 

“I think it’s important for people to understand that the police department. We’re not policing housing status, we’re policing behavior,” Schlude said. “So we’re responding to what people are doing that is not within the law, and just the way the world is right now, we get called to handle a lot of things that really aren’t things that we handle.” 

​​Schlude said most of the city’s officers have received crisis intervention training, but the police training program the city previously used did not offer it, leaving a gap in the department. She said the goal is to reach 100% certification, though the training takes a full week to complete.

The city has recently ramped up enforcement efforts downtown, but questions remain about how long that can last.

“Obviously, we have outside forces that are helping out right now, especially on weekends and gamedays. But we don’t expect it to happen much after the season,” Buffaloe told ABC 17 News. “When it gets colder, we don’t have as many hotspots in the downtown area. But, if you look forward to our fiscal year ’26 budget, we actually will, because of people we have graduating from the academy, we will have our summer unit starting before the summer of next year.”

The next Let’s Talk Local discussion is scheduled in two weeks and will feature D’Markus Thomas-Brown from the Office of Violence Prevention.

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ABC 17 News Team

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources says it’s almost done cleaning up a portion of the Lake of the Ozarks where a marina caught fire over the summer.

Investigators say the Aug. 4 fire was accidental and may have been caused by an electrical issue with a house boat. Several docks and a boat caught fire.

The DNR first had to remove the docks before taking out the boats.

A DNR spokesperson told ABC 17 News that cleanup should be finished in one or two weeks.

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Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A full report outlining recommended safety improvements for Business Loop 70 in Columbia is expected to be completed by next spring.

The Bicycle and Pedestrian Commission met Wednesday night at City Hall, where leaders provided an update on the audit. The City of Columbia and CBB Transportation Solutions conducted walk-throughs along the loop on Tuesday and Wednesday to identify safety improvements needed in the area.

Mckenzie Ortiz, an advocacy coordinator at Local Motion, took part in the walk-through on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. Ortiz said Tuesday night’s walk took place from the Aldi and Interstate 70 interchange roundabout to Providence Road. Wednesday morning’s walk took place from Hickman High School to Paris Road.

Ortiz said the walk gave her a unique experience of what activity along Business Loop 70 is at night.

“The one thing I noticed is that there’s a lot of pedestrian activity, even after dark in that area,” Ortiz said. “Also a lot of people driving, picking up folks so it was a lot busier than I thought. This morning, we were at Hickman High School so we got to observe the high school traffic and the marching band. We saw a lot of activity there too so overall we just saw how busy Business Loop really gets.”

Ortiz said overall, she believes the road could use more sidewalks, especially east of Range Line Street and said maintaining the sidewalks is key. She also said having traffic experts along the walk allowed them to view inconsistencies of drivers not knowing what to do, and trying to avoid medians.

Ortiz is a Columbia resident who doesn’t drive and said she has walked along the Business Loop before, and knows how scary doing that can be. She said conditions are especially scary on the east side, due to a lack of connected sidewalks.

“I was really excited to be there with professionals who are usually in their car to get them on their feet and kind of walking the lay of the land so that way they know what my experience is like and also the experience of so many folks, so many students from Hickman High School, so many people in general that don’t have cars,” Ortiz said.

The audit focuses on identifying safety improvements aimed at eliminating traffic-related deaths and serious injuries. The project prioritizes safer conditions for pedestrians, cyclists, seniors, motorcyclists and school-aged children.

A CBB Engineering Project lead told ABC 17 News on Tuesday that he sees a need to adjust the signal timing at Business Loop 70 and Stadium Boulevard on Saturdays during sporting events at Cosmo Park.

He also said filling in gaps along the  the south side of the corridor, as well as adding crosswalks to parts of the corridor for pedestrians is necessary.

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