Category: kmiz-local-news

Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

After a six-year absence, the Gold Star Memorial Parade will return to the City of Columboa on Memorial Day, bringing with it a renewed sense of unity and remembrance.

The parade– which honors fallen service members– is set to begin at 10:00 a.m., traveling down Broadway from Hitt Street to Fourth Street.

The day’s events will begin with a wreath-laying ceremony at 9:00 a.m. at the Boone County Courthouse. Following the parade, Gold Star families will return to the courthouse for a brief ceremony and the opportunity to lay wreaths for their loved ones.

Sherry Wyatt, the parade’s founder and a Gold Star mother, has been instrumental in reviving the event.

Wyatt lost her son, Sterling Wyatt, who was killed at the age of 21, when a vehicle he was driving in was struck by an IED in Afghanistan. She views the parade as a meaningful tribute to those who served and sacrificed.

“They died for the ideal of America and Americana,” Wyatt said. “That’s what I hope to bring tomorrow—everyone, regardless of who you are, coming together as a community.”

Wyatt, along with Sabrina McDonnell and several other parade captains, gathered Sunday afternoon at First Baptist Church to discuss logistical preparations for the event. Topics included safety measures, such as distributing radios and vests to ensure clear communication among parade staff. Wyatt said the Columbia Police Department and Columbia Public Works will also assist during the parade.

“They have been very, very helpful. We have our public works people that are going to be putting up barricades. We’re just trying to keep everybody safe.” Wyatt said.

Wyatt initially reached out to McDonnell in November 2024 with the idea to bring back the parade. The board officially submitted its application to the city in January 2025, leading to months of planning and community coordination.

“We’ve worked incredibly hard over four months,” McDonnell said. “But, no one harder than Sherry and Randy.”

The event will feature 91 entries and is expected to last about an hour. Organizers are encouraging residents to attend and participate in the symbolic day of remembrance.

All downtown parking will be free for the holiday, although drivers are advised not to park where meter signs indicate “No Parking.”

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Nia Hinson

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Those looking to lay out by the pool on Memorial Day Monday in Columbia and Jefferson City may run into some trouble.

According to a social media post from Jefferson City Parks and Rec, the city will not open the Memorial Aquatic Center and Ellis-Porter Riverside Pools until Wednesday, May 28, weather permitting.

The post says the delay is due to low air and water temperatures expected within the next few days.

JC Parks and Rec had previously delayed the opening date of pools to allow last-minute adjustments at the centers after recent repairs, along with training for its staff.

The Albert-Oakland Family Aquatic Center in Columbia also will not open until after Memorial Day.

A Sunday social media post from Parks and Rec says the city plans to open all three outdoor pools for the season at noon on Friday, May 30, weather permitting.

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Haley Swaino

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 12-year-old boy from Climax Springs was seriously injured in an ATV crash in Camden County on Saturday evening.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the crash happened on Dodds Camp Road at Prospect Place at 5:30 p.m.

According to the online crash report, the crash happened when the 12-year-old was driving a 2002 Suzuki ATV southbound and drove off the left side of the road, crossed a private drive, and then went into a creek bed and struck a tree.

The boy was taken to Lake Regional Hospital by ambulance with serious injuries. A 17-year-old boy from Higginsville was also riding on the ATV and went to Lake Regional Hospital with minor injuries.

The 12-year-old was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash and the 17-year-old was not, the report states.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

With students away on break, the University of Missouri turns its gaze to the many summer renovation and maintenance projects around campus.

Minor projects include general maintenance, like repainting and repairing the exterior of Jesse Hall’s dome and HVAC system and underground infrastructure renovations around Memorial Union.

Several projects are set to be completed by winter 2025.

Conley Avenue Garage – Maintenance and repairs, to be completed July 31.

Stanley Hall project – Renovates the Child Development Laboratory playground and adds new classrooms, to be completed Sept. 16.

Medical Science Building improvements – Renovates multiple floors and adds an advanced research hub, to be completed Nov. 1.

Other projects are expected to be finished in 2026.

Michael L. Parson Meat Science Education and Learning Laboratory – New meat processing and research facility, costs around $35 million, to be completed July 2026.

Memorial Stadium Centennial Project – Adds premium seating like box seats and suites as well as an interior section of Memorial Stadium, costs around $250 million, to be completed for the 2026 football season.

University of Missouri Research Reactor – Adds new production lines for radiotherapies, to be completed Oct. 2026.

Dr. Dan Brown Building – Adds new teaching and research areas and a data and biosecurity center, costs around $73 million, to be completed Nov. 2026.

Construction progress can be tracked on MU’s Campus Construction Impact Dashboard.

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Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia Public Schools celebrated day two of graduation ceremonies on Saturday, as hundreds of students crossed the stage at Mizzou Arena. The morning began with Rock Bridge High School, followed by Hickman High School in the evening.

More than 64% of students from Columbia Public Schools pursue college or postsecondary programs, according to the district.

While celebrations continue in Columbia, data from the University of Missouri Board of Curators highlights significant enrollment challenges across the state’s higher education system.

A report released in April 2025 found that 11 of Missouri’s 13 public universities have experienced enrollment declines between 2019 and 2024. The University of Missouri and Northwest Missouri State University were the only two institutions to maintain or increase student enrollment during that time.

In contrast, institutions such as Missouri Western State University, Truman State University, and Harris-Stowe State University have reported enrollment drops nearing 40% in the past five years. The decline has been largely attributed to a shrinking number of high school graduates in Missouri and across the Midwest, a trend that is projected to continue through the end of the decade.

To address these demographic challenges, the University of Missouri System plans to expand its recruitment efforts into the Southeastern states, where projections indicate a continued increase in high school graduates.

Mara Woody, a Rock Bridge High School parent and professional in the field of education, said the current landscape places more pressure on institutions to demonstrate their value to prospective students.

“I think it’s really contingent that post-secondary education and colleges prove the value of education as students see its value today,” Woody said. “It’s really just important for us as educators to understand that, and to really start doing those things that we need to do to meet our learners where they are and make sure they’re getting that education they need.” 

Woody’s daughter will be attending the University of Central Missouri this fall to study interior design.

Nearly 500 students were expected to graduate from Rock Bridge and Hickman High School.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Jefferson City will be hosting the 15th annual “For the People Pow Wow” to celebrate Native American Culture in Missouri during Memorial Day weekend.

This festival will begin Saturday at noon to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 5:00 p.m. at the Jaycee fairgrounds. The Pow Wow features Native American art vendors, food, raffles and is free and open to the public.

For anyone planning on attending the weekend’s festival, here are some things guests should know according to its website.

No drugs or alcohol.

Wear appropriate clothing (nothing too revealing or clothing with obscene or hateful slogans, etc.).

Use common courtesy.

Do not touch or photograph a dancer, or their regalia (worn clothing), without first asking their permission.

Unless you are participating in a dance, please remain outside the arena area, which is cordoned off with arena benches. 

Listen to the Master of Ceremonies (MC). The MC will announce Grand Entry and the dance and explain who can dance during each song.

Show respect for the flags by standing and removing hats when the MC announces Grand Entry.

Respect the Head Man and Head Woman Dancers. Their role entitles them to start each song or set of songs.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

President Donald Trump has approved two of Missouri’s major disaster declaration requests for severe storms, tornadoes and flooding that occurred March 14-15 and March 30-April 8, according to a Friday press release from the governor’s office.

“This is important and very welcome news for the Missouri families and communities hit hard by the devastating storms and tornadoes that began in March and have affected so much of our state,” Gov. Mike Kehoe said in the release. “The State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) will be working closely with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to move the federal assistance process forward, which will provide millions of dollars in much needed recovery support for individuals, families, and local jurisdictions. We appreciate the work of our federal congressional delegation in advocating for these requests and future assistance for Missourians.”

Individual assistance is available to eligible residents in 18 counties for the March 14-15 storms, including: Bollinger, Butler, Camden, Carter, Franklin, Howell, Iron, Jefferson, Oregon, Ozark, Perry, Phelps, Reynolds, Ripley, St. Louis, Wayne, Webster and Wright.

Individual Assistance allows eligible residents to seek federal assistance with temporary housing, housing repairs, replacement of damaged belongings, vehicles and other qualifying expenses, the release says.

The deadline to apply is 60 days after the major disaster declaration by the president and can be applied online at www.disasterassistance.gov.

For the March 14-15 storms, public assistance is available for 20 counties: Bollinger, Butler, Callaway, Carter, Dunklin, Franklin, Howell, Iron, Madison, New Madrid, Oregon, Ozark, Perry, Phelps, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard and Wayne, the release says.

The April 2 request for March 14-15 storms included more than $26.9 million in qualifying expenses already identified, the release says.

For the March 30-April 8 storms, public assistance is available in 25 counties: Bollinger, Butler, Cape Girardeau, Carter, Cooper, Douglas, Dunklin, Howell, Iron, Madison, Maries, Mississippi, New Madrid, Oregon, Ozark, Pemiscot, Reynolds, Ripley, Scott, Shannon, Stoddard, Texas, Vernon, Wayne and Webster, the release says.

The April 30 request for March 30-April 8 storms included more than $25.5 million in qualifying expenses already identified, according to the release.

The state is still waiting for declaration approval for the April 29 and May 16 storms.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Missouri shopper became a millionaire after buying a scratch-off ticket from a vending machine at the Walmart on Stadium Boulevard in Jefferson City, according to a Friday press release from the Missouri Lottery.

The winner – who was not identified in the press release – learned he won $2 million after scratching off the ticket in his car in the parking lot. The ticket was the “$2,000,000 Jackpot Fortune.”

 “I can just use this money to help get the family on track,” the winner was quoted in the release. “This way, no one will have to stress out about money and that’s the biggest thing.”

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Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The North Callaway Fire Protection District has a new, but familiar leader.

Just one week after the previous fire chief was terminated, the district announced that Matthew Walton has taken over the fire chief position since Tuesday. Walton is no stranger to the department. He previously served for more than 20 years before retiring.

Now, he’s stepping back into leadership following the resignations of 13 department members in response to recent internal changes.

The North Callaway Board of Directors confirmed it had fired the former chief and a volunteer due to “several months of attempts to address unacceptable behavior.” The board did not elaborate further on the nature of those issues.

When asked about the situation involving his predecessor, Walton said he wasn’t informed about the specifics.

“I don’t have any information on that. I came in as a request to come back to help, since I already knew a lot about the department, and I’m letting the board handle anything with it,” Walton said.

In the wake of the departures, Walton says the department currently has around 10-12 active personnel but would like to have at least 20-30. Boosting recruitment and improving retention are Walton’s top priorities. He said the department is working on new strategies to increase engagement and visibility in the community.

“Our plan is better communication,” Walton said. “We’re going to be working on getting a website built, reaching out to the public. [We’ll] hopefully start doing some more public events like to-touch-a-truck and some open houses and stuff with the fire department,” 

The department responds to roughly 900 emergency calls per year. Last month alone, it handled about 30 calls.

Despite the recent leadership changes, some residents in North Callaway County say they’ve always been able to rely on their local fire department.

“I haven’t really ever head of any situation where we haven’t had a first responder or a firefighter ot someone in those fields make it to where they needed to be when they needed,” Chloe Holtkamp said.

As of now, the department does not have any upcoming recruiting events scheduled. All roles within the department remain volunteer-based and are not paid positions.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Christopher Schmitz will be the next principal at Shepherd Boulevard Elementary, according to a Friday press release from Columbia Public Schools.

He will replace Jill Edwards, who will become an elementary instructional mentor, the release says. He has 15 years of experience in elementary education and has been the principal at Moreau Heights Elementary in Jefferson City since 2021, the release says. He also served as the principal at Thorpe Gordon Elementary School for 10 years.

His career began as a teacher at at Moreau Heights Elementary, the release says. He has a specialist degree in educational leadership from Saint Louis University and a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from the University of Central Missouri, the release says.

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