Category: kmiz-local-news

Demetra Alarcon

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The City of Columbia is hosting a set of meetings regarding a transmission line project that was originally approved in 2015, but has been stalled amid residents’ concerns about high-power lines near homes.

The meetings will be held on Tuesday from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Activity and Recreation Center, 1701 W. Ash St.

These meetings will allow residents to ask questions and provide feedback on an upcoming project, which will connect the Perche Creek substation to the Grindstone substation with a 161-kilovolt line.

According to the city of Columbia, the route will follow Scott Boulevard south to Vawter School Road, then east along the Vawter School-Nifong-Grindstone corridor.

The Vawter School Road route proposal was unanimously approved by the Columbia City Council as the most cost-effective option for the project.

The cost was estimated at $35 million and expected to take eight to 10 years, according to the city of Columbia.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

It is important to know the dangers of being in a hot car amid a heat wave rolling through Mid-Missouri.

The ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather Team has issued a Weather Alert Day Tuesday and Wednesday for extreme heat in Mid-Missouri. However, it does not take triple-digit heat indices for your vehicle to feel like an oven.

Never leave a child, a disabled adult or pets in a hot car. Every year, an average of 38 children and an untold number of pets die from heatstroke nationwide, according to the National Weather Service.

According to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, in 2025, there were 35 heat-related deaths in the state, five of which were in hot cars.

When the heat in the car is completely trapped, the temperature spike happens fast. On a nearly 90-degree day, the interior of a parked car can easily surge past 100 degrees in less than 10 minutes. Within an hour, dashboard temperatures can clock in at a staggering 140 degrees or higher.

Cracking the windows does not help slow the heat or cool the car down. A child’s body overheats three to five times faster than an adult’s, and children have died from heat stroke in cars with outside temperatures as low as 60 degrees.

There are recommendations from officials to help people remember their child is in the car:

Place a visual clue in the front passenger seat of the car, such as a diaper bag or a toy

Make a habit of opening the back door every time you get out. According to Kids and Car Safety, to enforce this habit, place an everyday item in the back, such as a backpack, purse, phone, etc.

Ask your childcare provider to call you immediately if your child hasn’t arrived where they need to be on schedule

If you see a child or pet alone in a car, call 911 immediately.

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Matthew Sanders

The United States just can’t seem to get past food making people sick.

It started weeks ago with an outbreak of cyclosporiasis that was traced to lettuce. That outbreak hasn’t died out yet, and now salmonella has taken the spotlight.

Jalapenos sold in several stores and restaurants have been recalled because of salmonella risk. And what caused the contamination hasn’t been identified in either case, which has led many Americans to avoid fresh vegetables.

Meanwhile, some are blaming a food safety system that has seen cuts under the Trump administration.

Has the food safety industry suffered, contributing to the foodborne outbreaks? Let us know what you think by voting in the poll.

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Demetra Alarcon

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A business owner claims ongoing construction on the St. Charles Road Bridge on Interstate 70 has caused customer traffic at a coffee shop to drop by 80%, prompting to ask the community for help on Facebook to keep their doors open.

As part of the Improve I-70 Project, the St. Charles Road Bridge has been under construction since mid-April.

Monday morning, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held at the St. Charles Road bridge to celebrate the near completion of the bridge.

The bridge is expected to open for cars on Friday, Aug. 15, and will open to pedestrians when construction on the sidewalk is complete.

A business, Just Love Coffee Cafe shared on its social media on July 31 that it began running into issues when construction started in April.

Billy Watkins, owner of Just Love Coffee Cafe, said that the decision to post on social media stemmed from barely being able to pay the bills.

“It just comes down to numbers, you know, barely being able to to pay the bills. My family here as a mom and pop shop. We don’t have any more funds to put into this business. So at that point where our backs are against the wall because we can barely pay the employees,” Watkins said.

The post claims that since construction started, there has been an 80% drop in customer traffic at their east side location during what should be one of their busiest seasons.

“Unfortunately, significant prolonged road construction and I-70 overpass/bridge closures have severely impacted access to our cafes, resulting in a dramatic 80% drop in customer traffic at our east side location during what should be one of our busiest seasons for I-70 travelers, summer. We’re not asking for sympathy—we’re asking for support,” the post says.

A Columbia resident, Matt Frappier, created a GoFundMe for the coffee shop, saying that they were deeply worried about the business. The GoFundMe has received $950 in donations out of its $11k goal.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Results from Boone County’s elections were certified on Monday, County Clerk Brianna Lennon announced.

An email from Lennon shows 55 provisional ballots were accepted and counted, 18 ballots that “could not be counted by the tabulator at the polling place,” were accepted and counted and two military/overseas ballots were accepted and counted.

Those military and overseas voted had to arrive by noon Friday.

Election Night results had indicated Columbia’s Proposition 1 – a 1% sales tax that is going to public safety resources – passed by an 85-vote margin. After the certification, “no” votes gained an extra vote and “yes” passed by an 84-vote margin.

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Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating the June death of an electrician who died while working on the University of Missouri’s Memorial Stadium renovation project.

Corey Sooter, 44, died on June 10 after working at Memorial Stadium on June 5. He was a foreman for BK2 Electrical and Design and was an electrical contractor working on the project.

Records obtained by ABC 17 News from the Columbia Fire Department show first responders were dispatched at 9:05 a.m. and arrived at Faurot Field five minutes later, where they met with University of Missouri medics who were treating Sooter.

According to the incident report, firefighters used a hot stick to check the electrical wiring and determined it was still energized. CFD listed the incident type as electrocution. 

An OSHA inspection of BK2 Electrical & Design opened June 11, according to the agency’s inspection records, and remains ongoing.

“The University of Missouri community is deeply saddened by the passing of Corey Sooter. Our thoughts and prayers are with Corey’s family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time,” an MU spokesperson told ABC 17 News in a statement. “The university will comply with OSHA as it continues to investigate.”

Sooter was married and had a son and three daughters. The Holts Summit native worked as an electrician for several companies before joining BK2 Electrical & Design, where he served as a foreman. His obituary states he completed the IBEW Local 257 apprenticeship program after attending the Columbia Area Career Center.

In a June 13 Facebook post, BK2 Electrical & Design remembered Sooter as a leader and mentor who made a lasting impact on his coworkers.

“He led by example, worked with integrity, and genuinely cared about the people around him. Whether on the jobsite, with his family, or among friends, Corey had a way of making people feel valued, respected, and appreciated,” the company wrote in the post. “His laugh was contagious, his presence was genuine, and his heart for others was unmistakable. He was always willing to lend a hand, share his knowledge, encourage those around him, and help make others better. The impact he made on our team and in the lives of so many people will not be forgotten.”

Sooter was also an organ donor. According to his obituary, his donation helped save five lives.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Large gaps in academic proficiency persist between student demographic groups at Columbia Public Schools, according to state testing scores from last year.

CPS has struggled for years with what some leaders have called the “achievement gap,” which refers to the disparity in standardized test scores between certain student demographics and their peers. This year’s scores show Black students were nearly 30 percentage points behind the overall student average, despite gains over the last five years.

That dynamic was seen in 2025 scores, as well. During the 2024-2025 school year, Black fourth graders scored 9.4% proficient in math, compared to 19.6% for students overall. The gap grew in fifth grade, at 7.3% and 21.4%, respectively.

The scores are used by state officials to grade schools and make up a major part of the state’s Annual Performance Reports for schools. The state can intervene in schools that show continued poor performance.

Preliminary MAP and EOC – Board PresentationDownload

Overall, the district’s scores were up over 2024-2025 in every subject, according to a presentation being given to the Columbia Board of Education on Monday night. English scores were up 1.8% over last year, while math was up 3.7%, according to the presentation.

English language learners, students on free and reduced-price meals, students on special learning plans and Black and Hispanic students all lagged behind the overall district scores. Most of those categories have remained on an upward trajectory over the past five school years.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Huntsville man was charged on Monday after he allegedly pointed a gun at a woman on Saturday at his residence and refused to let her leave.

Ethan Cruse, 18, was charged with second-degree kidnapping, armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon and third-degree domestic assault.

He pleaded not guilty during an arraignment on Monday and is being held on a no-bond warrant, though his information did not appear in the Randolph County Jail’s online records. A bond hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 17.

The probable cause statement says the victim was at her mother’s residence and Cruse started arguing with her about getting McDonald’s. The pair went into Cruse’s vehicle and Cruse refused to take the victim back to her mother’s residence after she asked during the argument, the statement says.

Cruse allegedly had scratched and torn the victim’s shirt while trying to keep her from leaving the vehicle when they arrived at his residence before the pair went into the home, the statement says. Cruse allegedly pointed a gun at the woman’s head, demanded she not speak to anyone and took her cellphone, the statement says.

Cruse took a shower, which is when the victim hid his gun and messaged a friend for help, the statement says. Cruse allegedly threated to “shoot anyone who attempted to help” the victim, court documents say.

Law enforcement arrived and Cruse shoved the victim while the victim tried to leave and he was looking for his handgun, the statement says. Cruse allegedly then threatened to use an AR-15 or crossbow, court documents allege. He was eventually arrested by deputies.

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Ryan Shiner

Editor’s note: Layton’s middle name has been corrected.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man was charged in Randolph County after he allegedly shot someone during a fight on Saturday.

Jeffery Dale Layton, 41, was charged on Monday with first-degree domestic assault, armed criminal action, illegal gun possession and unlawful use of a weapon.

A no-bond warrant was issued and Layton appeared for an arraignment on Monday by video from the jail, though his information and mugshot were not available in online jail records. Layton pleaded not guilty on Monday and has a hearing scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 17, court filings show.

The probable cause statement says a witness let in the victim, who was locked out of the home on Saturday night. One witness claimed the victim and Layton mutually caused the fight before Layton fired shots, though that witness then claimed Layton started the fight “if she were to guess,” court documents say.

Two teenagers at the residence reported hearing gunshots after leaving the area where the fight occurred, deputies wrote. Layton’s wife allegedly told deputies that the victim started the fight, court documents say.

Law enforcement wrote that shooting occurred in the kitchen of the home and spent shell casings, a bullet and a handgun were found at the scene. The victim had a gunshot wound in their abdomen when deputies arrived and they were brought to an area hospital with serious injuries, the statement says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia woman was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Friday after she pleaded guilty in June to stabbing a man last year.

Brianna Boone pleaded guilty on June 15 to first-degree domestic assault, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon.

Previous reporting shows that Boone allegedly admitted to law enforcement that she tried to kill the man over an argument. The victim had called one of his parents the night of the stabbing to say he was attacked, previous reporting says.

The parent then went to Boone’s residence and saw her on top of the victim with blood all over the floor, court documents in previous reporting say.  

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