Category: kmiz-local-news

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An Audrain County man is accused of sexually abusing a child younger than 12 years old.

Caleb Claggett, of Mexico, Missouri, is charged with first-degree sodomy. He is being held at the Audrain County Jail without bond. A confined docket hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday.

The probable cause statement says Claggett allegedly admitted to sexually abusing a child to his case worker in February. The child was interviewed at the Child Advocacy Center on March 4 and described sexual abuse by Claggett, the statement says.

Claggett was interviewed on April 23 and allegedly admitted to law enforcement that he sexually abused a child in 2019, court documents say.

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Marie Moyer

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Both houses of the Missouri General Assembly took up the state budget Wednesday, with contention over whether the legislature would properly fund K-12 education.

The budget bills are due on the governor’s desk by Friday.

After several days of deliberation in a conference committee, the total operating budget comes to around $48.7 billion — about $3 billion less than recommended by Gov. Mike Kehoe.

“It’s a budget that balances and starts to take a critical look at making sure Missouri state government is living within its means,” Budget Chairman Rep. Dirk Deaton (R-Seneca) said during a news conference.

The education funding bill, House Bill 2002, drew heavy debate. The 2027 budget has a little under $4.3 billion set aside for the state’s Foundation Formula. The program helps fund districts and private schools based on enrollment.

While around $13 million more than last year’s Foundation Formula budget, the funding falls short of what the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education requested by around $190 million.

Supporters of the budget argue that education has consistently been prioritized. The House also voted to approve a $15 million fund for school transportation.

“We did put, again, half a billion dollars in last year, fully funded the transportation line that goes up every year,” Deaton said. “I would challenge anyone to look at anything else in the state budget and tell me where we’ve done more, where we have prioritized more.”

“I don’t recall a whole lot of ‘atta-boys’ for fully funding the formula the previous years, it wasn’t enough then,” Rep. Darin Chappell (R-Rogersville) said.

Opponents argued that the funding request was calculated to continue underfunding public education. Budget committee member Rep. Kathy Steinhoff (D-Columbia) reported that for the current 2026 fiscal year, the state has been $245 short of the Missouri State Adequacy Target for each K-12 student, or the baseline per-student funding foundation formula.

“Just because we are spending a hefty amount on schools, which we are, it doesn’t make it our priority; if it were our priority, we would fully fund it first and then work out the rest,” Steinhoff said.

Opponents also called out the sources of funding for education, including a projected $106.5 million from the Lottery Proceeds Fund and $6.8 million from the Sports Wagering for Education Fund. These are annual proceeds from the state lottery and sports betting that go to education.

“Fully funding educational opportunities for kids in classrooms is my number one priority, so I am uncomfortable using dollars that may or may not be there later on down the road,” Budget Committee Ranking Minority Member Rep. Betsy Fogle (D-Springfield) said.

Stienhoff added that current lottery earnings have not met expected funds.

“People aren’t playing the lottery as much as we banked on, the sports wagering wasn’t coming in like predicted, the shortfall has been passed on to the children of this state, we are underfunding this current year’s expenses,” Stienhoff said.

Deaton adds that the projected numbers are based on numbers from previous years.

“Is House Bill 2 [2002] based on projections of lottery? Yes, just like the whole state budget is,” Deaton said.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Sedalia police officer shot a suspect during a chase Wednesday morning, the Missouri State Highway Patrol stated in a news release.

The suspect suffered injuries that were not life-threatening and was taken to a hospital. The officer was also injured and hospitalized, though the injuries were not life-threatening, the Patrol stated.

The chase started with a domestic violence call a little before 10 a.m. in the 1000 block of South Garfield Avenue. The suspect backed his truck into an officer’s vehicle at a stop sign during the chase, the release states, and the officers shot at the suspect.

The chase continued until the truck stopped, at which time officers noticed the suspect was shot, the Patrol says.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating the suspect’s shooting. The Sedalia Police Department is investigating the original domestic assault call.

The patrol posted the information on social media and said the shooting took place near 16th Street and South Garfield Avenue.

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Matthew Sanders

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri House Republican leaders spoke with reporters Wednesday morning before the full chamber was set to work on the state budget. Democratic leaders took questions after the House adjourned.

Watch the news conferences here.

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Matthew Sanders

Both the Columbia City Council and Boone County Commission are considering, or soon will, sales taxes on upcoming ballots to help pay for public safety.

The City of Columbia’s proposal is already out there — a 1% sales tax for police and fire department staffing, new equipment and new facilities.

Boone County Auditor Kyle Rieman brought the issue up last week with a letter calling on the governments to coordinate their tax-increase asks to voters.

Do you like local sales tax as a way to fund public safety? Let us know by voting in the poll.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia Regional Airport on Tuesday announced a new record month for March 2026.

Airport Manager Mike Parks told ABC 17 News on Tuesday that the airport had 29,837 total passengers that month, which included 14,773 people getting on a plane at the airport and 15,064 getting off a plain.

Parks said the total is about 500 more passengers than the airport’s previous record from October 2025.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia City Council on Monday night decided that a special election will be done to find the replacement for its Fourth Ward representative.

Councilman Nick Foster announced last week that he intends to resign from his position on June 12. Nomination packets will be available at the city clerk’s office on Wednesday.

Candidates can begin filing on Tuesday, May 12, and will have until 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 2 to file, city documents show. Election Day is Tuesday, Aug. 4.

Sharon Jones, an attorney who is on the Planning and Zoning Commission, announced her intent to run in a Sunday social media post.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 30-year-old Jefferson City man is accused of breaking into the residence of Lincoln University’s president and staying there for two days.

Lamont Batts Jr. is charged with first-degree burglary. He is being held at the Cole County Jail without bond and a court date has not been scheduled.

The probable cause statement indicates that LU President Jonathan Moseley found Batts in the master bedroom of the Jackson Street home around 3:15 p.m. Monday.

Batts allegedly admitted to going into the residence, staying there for two days and “consuming food and alcoholic beverages belonging to another, J.M., including crab legs, spaghetti noodles, garlic bread, and Hennessy,” court documents say.

The statement says Batts was seen on camera opening gates at the residence around 4:20 p.m. Saturday.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A woman was charged with two felonies in Boone County after she allegedly stabbed someone with a knife on Monday morning in the 4500 block of Rice Road.

Dariell Deshell Smith, 33, of Columbia, was charged on Tuesday with first-degree domestic assault and armed criminal action. She is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. A hearing was held on Tuesday.

The probable cause statement says police were first called for an assault call that alleged the victim was stabbed by someone described as a witness.

The victim had a stab wound on their left arm and additional scratch marks, the statement says. The 911 call allegedly included someone identifying themselves as the witness’ name in the stabbing, police wrote.

Smith had claimed she started arguing with the victim before the witness stabbed them, court documents allege. Footage from a doorbell camera allegedly caught video of Smith assaulting the victim outside, the statement says.

Both the victim and the witness had identified Smith as the person who stabbed the victim, the statement says. Smith also allegedly denied any part of the attack occurring outside of the home, the statement says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Mizzou football player was booked into the Boone County Jail early Tuesday and was charged with a felony.

Jaden Jacobi Bush, 18, of Theodore, Alabama, was charged on Thursday with aggravated fleeing and misdemeanor reckless driving. He was booked into the Boone County Jail at 12:47 a.m. Tuesday. A sheriff’s office spokesman said Bush bonded out at 8:40 a.m. A hearing has not been scheduled.

The probable cause statement says a Columbia police officer saw a white 2024 Ford Mustang speeding near East Broadway and Old Highway 63 on Monday night. Bush turned west onto East Broadway and the officer turned on his lights for a traffic stop, but Bush kept driving for 24 seconds, the officer wrote in the statement.

Bush had 19-year-old passenger in his vehicle when he was stopped at East Broadway and Old Highway 63 south, the statement says.

Bush allegedly told the officer that he was driving 80-90 miles per hour and that he did not initially pull over because “that’s just how my car is,” he was quoted in the probable cause statement.

The Mizzou Athletic Department confirmed in an email to ABC 17 News that Bush was suspended from the football program indefinitely.

“We are disappointed in JJ’s actions. He is indefinitely suspended from the team as the legal process plays out,” a statement from head coach Eli Drinkwitz says.

Bush is listed on the Mizzou football website as a freshman linebacker.

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