Category: kmiz-local-news

Ryan Shiner

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The north side of West Capitol Avenue in Jefferson City will be closed next week for resurfacing and painting, according to a press release from Jefferson City Public Works.

Work will start at 7 a.m. Monday and is expected to be done by 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 15, the release says.

Road closure signs will be posted and drivers are urged to use caution and avoid the area, the release says.

The road surrounds the Missouri Capitol.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia teenager who was sentenced to 13 years in prison for his alleged role in a July 2024 shooting is appealing his case.

Jeremiah Johnson, 19, was found guilty by a Boone County jury on July 3 of first-degree assault, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon. He is currently being held at the Boone County Jail. A notice of appeal was filed on Wednesday.

A man was shot at 1 a.m. July 10, 2024, in the 200 block of Lincoln Drive. Court documents in previous reporting show that shell casings were also found in the 400 block of McBaine Avenue and a gun was found near a Jeep Compass that was registered to Johnson.

Johnson allegedly told police that he was shot at and fired back, court documents in previous reporting say.

According to a probable cause statement in previous reporting, a woman heard banging on her front door around 2:30 p.m. the day before and saw Johnson and a woman who she didn’t know. The woman had apparently wanted to fight the woman at the residence, the statement says.

Johnson then allegedly sat in his vehicle, held a gun, but did not fire it then, the statement says. A witness also allegedly told police that she saw Johnson hold the gun while in the vehicle. One of the women was allegedly able to show police a photo from Johnson’s Instagram account that showed the gun, the statement says.

The witness allegedly told police that Johnson threatened to come back to the area and “shoot this place,” according to the statement.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia restaurant whose owner is accused of arson had its lease terminated last month, according to court documents filed on Wednesday.

Grindstone Plaza Development filed a petition in Boone County indicating Casa Maria’s owes $60,316.50 in unpaid rent and other costs. The document accuses Crystal Umfress and Marion Spence of unlawful detainer and breaching their contract.

Court documents say Grindstone Plaza Development issued Umfress and Spence a notice of default on June 18 and a notice to terminate the lease on July 24. Documents show the landlord declared the lease terminated the next day. The monthly rent is $9,038.66, according to the petition. A motion for a special process server was issued on Wednesday.

The restaurant at 1305 Grindstone Parkway had an “open” sign lit up on Thursday and appeared to be serving customers when ABC 17 News went to location on Thursday afternoon.

Umfress is charged with felonies in two cases. The first of which she is charged with second-degree arson after she was accused of hiring Kerry Raymond to burn down Lupita’s Mexican Restaurant in 2023 in Dunklin County.

In another case, she is charged with two counts of filing false documents and three counts of forgery after she was accused of impersonating county officials and restaurant owners.

A trial for both cases is set for Feb. 2, 2026.

Raymond is charged with second-degree arson. A case review is scheduled for 1 p.m. March 6, 2026. Court filings in Raymond’s case from earlier this year indicate he will testify in Umfress’ case.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Two people are dead after a helicopter crashed onto a barge on the Mississippi River near St. Louis.

The crash happened in Alton, Illinois. St. Louis-area media say Alton authorities told them the helicopter was involved in utility line work.

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Keriana Gamboa

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Homeowners living near the site of a planned subdivision in east Columbia are raising concerns about traffic and other issues.

Troy Miller Properties LLC is asking the City of Columbia to approve a development plan for 77 new housing units on 24.13 acres off East Broadway near the Brooks subdivision.

The Columbia Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously decided to table the item at a meeting on Thursday night.

Brooks resident Aleece Rhinehart told ABC 17 News the property owner had expressed interest in further discussions with neighbors about the project. However, she noted that no meetings have been scheduled, and the community remains uncertain about how their concerns will be addressed.

Community members submitted more than 90 pages of comments about the project, according to correspondence provided by the city.

The proposed development will be located at the north end of Sagemoor Drive. Each building in the proposed development will have up to three housing units.

Traffic appears to be the primary concern, particularly on the neighborhood’s two main roads. In response to these concerns, the City of Columbia plans to extend El Chaparral Avenue as part of the new development. Additionally, Columbia Public Works will consider traffic calming devices on Hoylake Drive to help address safety concerns.

Brooks resident Holly McCoy says her main concerns center on Sagemoor Street, where she lives.

“My concern is the use of the street in front of our house as the main entrance into a high density living arrangement. These are single-family dwellings, and  I would,  you know,  have that concern of high traffic on this road,” McCoy said.

City Planner David Kunz said the city conducted a 2017 traffic study that evaluated developments larger than the one currently proposed and found no significant impact on Sagemoor Street.

The first construction phase will include 23 buildings; the second phase will be 36 buildings; and the third phase will include 18 residential buildings and improvements to Sagemoor and El Chaparral Avenue. Each building will have three units included.

Steve Smith and his wife live next to the proposed development on the north end of the street. Steve said they are a part of their neighborhood’s homeowners association, and are also concerned about the long-term effects on property values.

“Our properties are held to a certain standard to be maintained, and not knowing if the new development going in next door is going to be held to that same standard, we sort of wonder how that’s going to affect our property values,” Smith said.

ABC 17 News has reached out to the developers for comment.

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Mitchell Kaminski

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) 

The Missouri Legislative Black Caucus strongly condemned President Donald Trump’s plan to redraw congressional boundaries during a press conference on Thursday.

Missouri is one of several states where Republican lawmakers are pushing for new congressional maps, aimed at gaining an edge in the U.S House of Representatives during the mid-term elections. With Republicans holding a slim 219–212 majority, both parties view the U.S. House as a battleground heading into the 2026 elections.

“This is a disgusting, shameful, power-grab that has never, ever been seen in modern American politics,” Missouri Legislative Black Caucus Chair Michael Johnson (D-Kansas City) said. 

Gov. Mike Kehoe took questions from reporters after speaking during the opening of the Missouri State Fair on Thursday morning in Sedalia. A Kehoe spokesperson told ABC 17 News this week the governor has had several conversations with the Trump administration about Missouri redistricting.

“As I’ve told everybody, the way the maps have been drawn have been talked about since we drew them or the House and Senate drew them four years ago,” Kehoe said of the state’s current House district, which were drawn after the 2020 census. “Nobody’s been exactly happy with it, so looking at how that might be more compact and contingent, making sure that America’s voice matches Missouri’s values, and Missouri is a great conservative, Christian-value state, and I think we’re always going to try to make sure that we support [Republican House Speak Mike Johnson] and that we don’t have an alternative.”

State lawmakers traditionally redraw district maps based on census data every 10 years. The last redistricting took place in 2022. Because of this, state Rep. David Tyson Smith (D-Columbia) called the gerrymandering efforts unconstitutional. 

“It is shameful that this idea would be floated,” Tyson Smith said. “This is not constitutional.  The Missouri Constitution does not allow for redistricting unless there is an immediate census, and that has not happened.  This is nothing but a power grab, a power grab by the Trump administration to maintain control of the House.” 

Missouri Democrats contend the Trump administration feels threatened by a surge of rallies across Missouri and the rest of the country.

Missouri currently has six Republicans and two Democrats in the U.S. House. While no redrawn map has been released, Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D-Kansas City), who has served since 2005,  would likely be the main target. Cleaver’s district currently has a high population of black and Hispanic residents. 

“Congressman Clever does an excellent job working across the aisle, so for his seat to be under attack like it is, is an offense not only to him but to our community because he’s effective,” state Rep. Yolonda Fountain-Henderson (D-St. Louis) said. 

Tyson Smith claimed Trump has no plans to leave the White House, citing newly released merchandise suggesting he intends to remain in power through 2028.

“This is his attempt to keep control of the House because that is the only body that can stop them at this point. We cannot allow him to do that, and this power grab is unconscionable. This is outrageous. We haven’t seen these times in the last 50, 60, 70 years of America,” Smith said. 

Democratic-led states like California have responded by threatening to conduct their own redistricting. When asked if Missouri Democrats would consider the same tactic if they controlled the Legislature, they said yes. However, they currently lack the votes to block the plan. Democrats are instead aiming to mobilize voters statewide and potentially challenge the move in court.

State Rep. Marlon Anderson (D-St. Louis) accused Republicans of undermining the will of Missourians with their redistricting efforts. Anderson made references to the Missouri GOP rolling back voter-approved sick leave and attempts to challenge the legal status of abortion, which was also approved by voters.  

“The Republicans of this state, time after time, undermine the will of Missourians. From Amendment 3 to Prop A and now the Missouri Congressional maps, the majority of whom believe that their voices are larger than Missouri. This is yet another attempt to further their agenda, while completely disregarding the will of Missouri,” Anderson said.

Kehoe said Thursday that he’s interested in “making sure America’s voice matches Missouri’s values” in Congress as the debate continues over whether Republican-heavy states should redraw their U.S. House maps. Kehoe claimed Democrats do not represent Missouri’s values.

The Trump administration has spoken with leaders in red states about redrawing their congressional districts to add more Republican-friendly seats to the U.S. House.

Several Missouri Republicans have expressed support for redrawing the maps, including state Senate leaders and the Missouri Freedom Caucus. However, Johnson claims not every Republican is on board. 

“There are some Republicans, some of our  Republican colleagues in this building,  that don’t want to see this happen,” Johnson said. “And I know that for a fact.”

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Jazsmin Halliburton

SEDALIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri State Fair kicked off in Sedalia Thursday, with hundreds of thousands of people expected to attend over the next week and a half. The theme of the fair this year is Step On In.

Governor Mike Kehoe proclaimed the fair a “Great American Fair” at the kick off ceremony Thursday morning. This is the first step in what Gov. Kehoe is calling ‘Show-Me 250’ as the United States inches closer to its 250th birthday in 2026.

Leading up to the next Fourth of July, Kehoe said communities across the nation will celebrate 250 years of America. He said the state of Missouri is already celebrating with the Missouri 250 logo being pushed out and drone shows.

This is the Missouri State Fair’s 123rd year and hot temperatures mixed with thousands of people and 11 days of action can leave plenty possibility for some things to go wrong.

The fair is the state’s biggest agricultural showcase and can bring more than 30,000 attendees each day. In 2023, the fair broke the record for total attendees, with just under 350,000 people attending. In 2024, 345,643 people attended the fair.

Fair attendees will generally see the most traffic around the fairgrounds near the entrances. The entrances to the fair can be found at these locations:

Centennial Gate entrance – Hwy 65

Main Gate entrance – 16th St.

Gate 11 entrance – Hwy 65

Gate 6 entrance – Clarendon Rd.

General parking can be found along W. 16th St. and Hwy 65.

For those who choose to take the Amtrak to Sedalia for the fair, expect to see traffic around the train station in the morning and evenings on Main St. and S. Limit Ave.

Local, county and state first responders will be on site at the fairgrounds to keep visitors safe over the next week and a half.

Members of the Missouri State Fair’s Volunteer Fire Department have been coming together for nearly 65 years just to serve the state fair exclusively.

“This year we have 74 different departments represented here with personnel and we are going to average about 80 members each day at the fair,” said Larry Eggen, the spokesperson for the department.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol also assisting with work around the clock.

“We want to make sure that we have security going on 24 hours. So we have got a night squad and the day squad,” said Cpl. Justin Howard. “We have nine troops around the state of Missouri, and we’ve brought in a lot of members and personnel here to the state fair just for operational reasons.”

Emergency Medical Services and fire officials tell ABC 17 News they feel confident with the string of protocols on site.

“If you get sick our EMS serves our first aid, and we have our DMAT. They are like an urgent care, basically a little higher up than our first aid and then if they can’t help you, then we go to Bothwell with the patients,” Eggen said.

The “DMAT Tent” a Disaster Medical Assistant Team is set up with beds, monitors and an X-ray machine. Eggen said heat is important to plan for outside of physical injuries.

“We’ve had as many as 40 people, 40 calls in a day, the heat related,” Eggen said.

Seven water stations are set up around the fair grounds to help fairgoers cool down and beat the heat. The Missouri State Fair Foundation is also selling water bottles for $1 around the fair grounds.

“We’ll sell approximately 70,000 bottles in a week. There’s 32 pallets over there right now for this initial run and four pallets of Gatorade,” said Bret Kuhns with the foundation.

The money from the water bottle sales goes back into the state fair grounds.

Gates will be open daily from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. If you are entering after 10 p.m., fairgoers will want to use the entrance on Clarendon Rd.

Box office hours will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The Carnival area will be from Monday-Friday, 12 p.m. to 11 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to Midnight.

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Matthew Sanders

The Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday said it would wind down vaccine research using the type of technology used in the predominant COVID-19 vaccines.

The agency said it would wind down its mRNA vaccine research and pursue other types of research through its Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority.

Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said in a statement that the authority would end 22 mRNA vaccine development investments. He suggested the vaccines were not effective against upper respiratory infections.

Do you think it’s the right move? Let us know by voting in the poll.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man who was arrested in Illinois last week and charged with first-degree murder in Randolph County is in custody in Missouri.

Todd Turner, 38, of Cahokia Heights, Illinois, was charged with first-degree murder last week in the death of Donald Hickem on Feb. 1. He was booked into the jail at 2:21 p.m. Monday. A judge on Tuesday scheduled his arraignment for 1:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 11. He is being held without bond.

Hickem, 37, was found dead with gunshot wounds in the 500 block of North Moulton Street on Feb. 1.

Timothy Turner, 37, of Columbia, was initially charged in the case with first-degree murder and armed criminal action. Timothy Turner was shot and killed by Columbia police after a standoff in the 1500 block of Raleigh Drive in Columbia. Charges were not filed against the officers said to be involved.

Court documents in previous reporting say a phone registered to Timothy Turner was found at the Moberly residence in the 500 block of North Moulton Street.

A witness who knew Timothy Turner allegedly told police that the Turners entered an alley near the home and Todd Turner had told Timothy to put his gun away, court documents say.

The witness walked down the alley and heard four-to-five shots, the statement in previous reporting says. The witness went inside a home and came back out to see the Turners in a vehicle, with Timothy Turner pointing a gun at the witness, the statement says.

The witness claimed in a probable cause statement that they left with the Turners in Timothy Turner’s vehicle and they planned on driving to Illinois.

The statement says that lab results from June 18 determined the bullets recovered from Hickem’s body were fired from two different guns.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 66-year-old woman from California, Missouri, had to be airlifted to University Hospital after her vehicle was hit by a dump truck on Tuesday afternoon, according to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

The crash occurred on Lookout Trail Road at Industrial Drive in Moniteau County, the report says.

The report says a 2018 International Dump Trick was heading southbound when it failed to yield to the 1997 Chevrolet Lumina — that was driven by the woman – that was heading eastbound. The dump truck was driven by a 66-year-old Prairie Home man, the report says.

The Prairie Home man had no reported injuries. Both drivers were wearing seatbelts. The Chevrolet was totaled, while the dump truck had minor damage, the report says.

MSHP reports do not name those involved in crashes.

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