Category: kmiz-local-news

Ryan Shiner

EDITOR’S NOTE: The story has been updated to say Douglas Harris might not be an owner of the bar.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man involved in running a Jamestown bar is accused of assaulting a woman in the business on Sunday morning.

Douglas Harris was charged with second-degree assault. A warrant was issued and a $25,000 bond was set. A mugshot was not immediately available.

Court documents say Harris allegedly got into a heated argument with someone and multiple people tried to stop him from attacking them at Twisted Pickles in Jamestown. A victim told investigators that Harris is an owner of the bar, but owner Deanna Harris told ABC 17 News that he is a manager.

Harris allegedly grabbed a woman by her neck and shoved her into a pool table, the probable cause statement says. She fell to the floor, had injuries to her face and knees and had “significant bleeding,” the statement says. A patron then provided First Aid, the statement says.

Court documents allege Harris gave a “partial or insincere apology” before complaining about financial losses and threatening to assault another woman. The victim then went to a hospital in Jefferson City, the statement says. Law enforcement saw injuries on the woman when she spoke with them on Monday, the statement says.

Harris then allegedly sent an apology in a text message, the statement says. Harris did not give a statement to police when he was arrested and two witnesses give similar accounts of what occurred to law enforcement, court documents say.

Click here to follow the original article.

Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Harrisburg School District will lose out on about $300,000 and likely will need to cut staff or programs after voters rejected a property tax increase on Tuesday.

School district voters rejected the dual measure, which would roll back Prop C sales taxes while increasing the district’s property tax levy, with 275 “no” votes to 216 “yes” votes. The property tax increase would have been 50 cents per $100 of assessed value, or 7%, and cost a taxpayer with a house appraised at $200,000 about $16 per month.

Superintendent Steve Combs said Tuesday that he was a “little disappointed” about the vote and that cuts are likely in the coming school year. The tax increase would have brought in about $300,000.

The district had pitched the tax measure to voters as needed to continue providing quality education as the district grows.

“While we celebrate the success of our students and the accomplishments of our District, we also look to the future and recognize the cost to operate the District continues to rise,” Combs wrote in an open letter posted to the district’s website in June. “Our District is financially sound, but we are at a crossroads. Unfortunately, we cannot rely on federal and state funding to cover increased costs.”

The district employs about 85 people and has about 600 students. 

Click here to follow the original article.

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man who was accused of armed robbery at a Columbia Vapor Maven on June 5 has seen case moved to federal court.

Noah Cooley, 21, was charged with robbing a store and brandishing a gun during a violent crime. He was charged in Boone County with first-degree robbery, two counts of armed criminal action and a count of unlawful use of a weapon. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond.

Court documents in previous reporting say police were called to Vaper Maven in the 100 block of Business Loop 70 around 12:16 p.m. June 5. The victim had allegedly stated to police that a man robbed her at gunpoint, the probable cause statement says.

The victim was able to identify Cooley to law enforcement in a photo lineup. Cooley at the time allegedly asked the victim about a product and she turned around, the statement says. Cooley then allegedly jumped behind the counter, pointed a gun at her head and told her to put products in a bag, along with money from the cash register, the statement says.

The victim locked the door of the store after Cooley left, the statement says. Cooley allegedly took about $300 in cash and $500 worth of product. Police also reviewed video of the incident which allegedly matched details the victim gave police, the statement says.

Click here to follow the original article.

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The City of Sedalia announced in a Tuesday press release that it will inspect another building on Main Street on Wednesday for asbestos.

The city is seeking to demolish 209 West Main St. and its neighbor, the release says. A building deemed dangerous at 207 West Main St. has significant damage, and a judge ruled last week the city has the authority to OK demolition of the building.

The city looks to put together a plan for demolition that would not impact the building at 217 West Main St., which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the release says.

“While structurally sound, its close proximity to the compromised buildings increases the urgency for stabilization and preservation,” the release says. “To support those efforts, Mayor Andrew Dawson submitted a formal letter to the administrators of the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Subgrant, urging an expedited technical review of the grant application for 217 W. Main.”

Click here to follow the original article.

Keriana Gamboa

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Boone County Commission says it will move quickly to expand a property tax break for seniors that voters approved Tuesday.

Northern Boone County Commissioner Janet Thompson told ABC 17 News that it will implement a new the new policy at the next meeting on Tuesday.

Officials promise a smooth transition for property owners.

“As stated throughout the election cycle, the Commission intends to ensure no disruption for the thousands of seniors already participating in the program,” the three-member commission wrote in a statement Tuesday.

Boone County voters have approved an extension of the senior property tax freeze under Proposition 1. The measure allows homeowners aged 62 and older to maintain current property tax rates by preventing increases in tax rates related to government debt.

The approval means qualifying senior homeowners won’t see their tax burden increase to pay off debt carried by school districts and other local governments. Proponents say the measure provides more financial stability for aging residents on fixed incomes.

The policy change will go into effect immediately after the vote.

Debt levies are portions of property taxes designated to repay loans for large projects, such as new school buildings or public infrastructure. These levies are typically approved by voters through bond issues.

Currently, all debt levies in Boone County are held by school districts and fire districts.

Thompson says Boone County School and fire districts are impacted by this change and could potentially take legal action.

“If we are sued by an entity that is impacted by this, if a court finds that to be unconstitutional, then we have to go back to the program that we have currently,” Thompson said.

Boone County Fire Assistant Chief Gale Bloomenkamp says they are not expecting to see much change.

“Unless we’re planning on increasing our tax rate, we are not going to see any effect of this whatsoever. It’s not that it freezes the amount of assets evaluation that’s being taxed. It actually just freezes the tax rate itself,” Bloomenkamp said.

He says taking legal action against the commission is not on their agenda.

Harrisburg School Superintendent Steve Combs told ABC 17 News that he voted in favor of the proposition but expects the district will begin to see a loss in revenue in the coming years.

Boone County Presiding Commissioner Kip Kendrick told ABC 17 News last month that the expansion could create legal uncertainty.

In 2024, Boone County voters approved a measure to freeze property taxes for homeowners aged 62 and older. However, county commissioners carved out two exceptions: the blind pension fund and existing debt levies.

Over 70 percent of voters approved the senior tax freeze extension.

Click here to follow the original article.

Olivia Hayes

SEDALIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

City of Sedalia officials evaluated a building along the city’s Main Street to develop a demolition plan for two of the units.

The City of Sedalia entered 209 W. Main St. on Wednesday under a search warrant to assess the structures ties to 207 W. Main St. and test for asbestos. The city is looking to demolish 207 and 209 W. Main, which have been declared dangerous buildings due to severe deterioration.

“It’s far beyond repair. Water has been leaking into the roof for several years. We had a structural engineer come, he looked over the building and decided that it did for sure need to come down. There was no saving the building,” said Jessica Hoffman, City of Sedalia’s spokesperson, regarding the buildings condition.

The city said its staff walked through with a different certified structural engineer and a licensed environmental technician during Wednesday’s inspection. The information gathered will be used by Miller Structural & Forensic Engineers to develop a demolition plan.

Demolition can also put surrounding buildings at risk. The city stated in a news release that city administrator Matthew Wirt has also coordinated with the owners of Main Street Logo, located at 217 W. Main St. While city officials say the building is structurally sound, its proximity to 207 and 209 increases the need for stabilization and preservation.

Mike Ingram, Main Street Logo’s owner, tells ABC 17 News his business received the Paul Braun Historic Revitalization Grant to help restore and preserve his storefront’s structure. Even though the grant was approved in May of 2024, Ingram said he still has not seen a cent.

Hoffman said that Sedalia’s Mayor sent a letter to state officials to try and expedite the proccess.

“So the quicker we can get the finances to them, the quicker that they can shore up all of their building before we come in and have to do the demolition,” Hoffman said.

Scruffy 2 Fluffy Dog Grooming, across the street from, 207 W. Main has had to board up its windows to protect from damage. Employees tell ABC 17 News that during a recent storm bricks and shingles from 207 W. Main flew across the road at their storefront.

“We’ve had to post some things on Facebook saying that our windows are boarded up but we are open,” said Ashley Williams, a dog groomer at Scruffy 2 Fluffy.

Not only has the situation caused confusion to their customers, its also caused problems for the dogs they service.

“A lot of people will just stand out here and just stand here and take pictures. When we’re grooming dog and they can see you from the table and they get excited and they want to come outside,” Williams said.

Many worry the building’s demolition will take away a piece of the town’s history, but Williams believes there so much more to Sedalia.

“Growth is also something that’s needed in a town. So whether the growth be in the downtown or not, we still have all these historic buildings. We have so many historic buildings down here that if it’s a danger then I feel like it just should be taken out,” Williams said.

The City anticipates receiving a report from Wednesday’s inspection within one week. That report will help them put together a plan for demolition which the city hopes to get done by the end of August.

Click here to follow the original article.

Ryan Shiner

ASHLAND, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man with ties to Boone County and the Lake of the Ozarks area has a history of repeated run-ins with the law.

Alexander E. Nolan, 26, was arrested after a more than two-hour standoff occurred Tuesday night at an Ashland duplex on James Court.

According to a Facebook post from the Ashland Police Department, officers tried to contact Nolan in the 900 block of James Court around 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, because he had a full extradition no-bond probation violation warrant.

Ashland Police informed Nolan they were there to serve him a warrant for his arrest; however, he refused to come out, the post states. According to online court records, Nolan is charged with aggravated fleeing from a traffic stop from an incident back in November.

More than a dozen law enforcement officers – which included Ashland police and Boone County deputies – were at the scene. An Ashland police officer said someone had a warrant out of Camden County.

Nolan walked out of the home and was detained by police just before midnight. Law enforcement used a loudspeaker to convince Nolan to come out of the home. He was taken into custody.

Law enforcement at the scene said Nolan is also from Camden County, but did not give any additional identifying information about him.

Police had put up tape around 11:30 p.m.

A man was seen walking out of a home Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025, on James Court in Ashland after a standoff lasted roughly two hours.

Nolan has had a record of several traffic and drug-related charges across multiple counties. Nolan was previously charged in November 2024 for aggravated fleeing a stop in Osage Beach.

Court documents report that a passenger was seen leaving a Casey’s with a case of beer and entering Nolan’s white truck. An Osage Beach Police Officer followed Nolan to monitor his driving when Nolan sped up and drove down the middle of the road.

The officer turned on his lights to begin a traffic stop and Nolan sped off, running a stop sign at the intersection of Beach Parkway and Redbud Road and later running a stoplight at the intersection of Osage Beach Parkway and Passover Road.

Nolan hit a roundabout and a mailbox. Nolan abandoned the truck and jumped a fence to hide in a nearby apartment, where he later surrendered to officers. Empty alcohol containers were also found in the car.

Nolan was later arrested and released on bond several times. A recent bond order from April 15 required him to use a breathalyzer to monitor his alcohol consumption, which Nolan allegedly failed to follow on July 20. The courts revoked his bond on July 24 and issued an arrest warrant, leading to Nolan’s arrest on Tuesday.

Nolan is being held in the Boone County Jail on no bond.

Click here to follow the original article.

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Boone County voters overwhelmingly approved expanding the county’s senior property tax freeze on Tuesday.

Voters approved the measure with 77.7% of the vote. “Yes” votes garnered 12,233 votes compared to 3,506 for “no.” Last year, Boone County voters approved an initial tax exemption that seniors have to apply for each year. This new measure seeks to do a “full freeze” that includes bond levies.

Columbia Ward 2 voters also chose to make Vera Elwood the ward’s representative on the City Council. Elwood bested Ken Rice 1,480 votes to 1,130. A special election was held after former Councilwoman Lisa Meyer announced her resignation earlier this year.

Voter turnout in Boone County exceeded the county clerk’s expectation with 12.58%. County Clerk Brianna Lennon previously told ABC 17 News that she expected around a 7-8% turnout.

There were 2,709 absentee ballots filled out.

Voters in the Harrisburg School District area also rejected a measure asked by the school on Tuesday. A question for the Harrisburg R-8 School District asked voters to eliminate the Prop C Sales Tax Rollback in its operating levy and increase its levy by 50 cents. Voters rejected the measure 275 votes to 216.

Higbee voters approve fire protection district bond

Higbee voters once again approved a proposition question for the Higbee Area Fire Protection District. The measure passed with 111 votes in favor and 18 against.

Voters in Higbee approved a bond measure in August 2024 that included the wrong amount. In May, the state auditor’s office determined the August and November elections for this measure did not comply with state law because sample ballots were not published.

The $1.6 million bond will be used to buy essential equipment, according to previous reporting.

There was a 10.71% voter turnout in that election.

Audrain County

Voters decided they wanted to be incorporated into the Van Far Fire Protection District with a 327-52 decision. A tax levy to fund the department was also approved 303 votes to 78.

Five people were selected to the fire protection district’s board of directors: Heather Williams (315 votes), Dean Middleton (302 votes), Marvin Yager (297 votes), Justin Hopke (276 votes) and Mark Woodward (272 votes).

The Vandalia Fire Protection District wrote on its Facebook page that Williams was picked to a six-year term, while Middleton and Yager earned four-year terms and Hopke and Woodward earned two-year terms.

There were 390 total ballots cast to lead to an 18.29% voter turnout.

Callaway County

New Bloomfield voters are deciding on a $3 million bond for its fire protection district.

Previous reporting indicates the money will be used for a new fire station and other improvements.

Initial counts posted at 7:43 p.m. by the Callaway County clerk showed “YES” leading 126 votes to 27.

Additional results from around Mid-Missouri will be added as the night continues.

Click here to follow the original article.

Mitchell Kaminski

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Department of Transportation is moving into the next phase of its bridge rehabilitation project along Highway 54 over Missouri Boulevard, with new traffic changes and ramp closures set to begin Tuesday evening.

Crews will begin work on the right-hand lanes of U.S. 54 over Business Route 50, forcing both eastbound and westbound traffic into the left-hand passing lanes. The shift will come with three ramp closures, including one not previously affected:

Westbound Highway 54 off-ramp to Missouri Boulevard. (Which is new during this phase.) 

Eastbound Highway 50 off-ramp to westbound Highway 54. (Closed during Phase 1.) 

Missouri Boulevard on-ramp to eastbound Highway 54. (Closed during Phase 1.) 

The ramp closures are expected to remain in place through early October. MoDOT officials say the work — part of a larger plan to rehabilitate 11 bridges and remove one out-of-use structure — was designed in-house and does not require additional right of way.

MoDOT has already completed work on eight of the 11 bridges in the first phase of the project. 

Chris Brownell, MoDOT’s resident engineer for the Central District, said the project is necessary to address wear and tear on aging infrastructure.

“We’re putting back on all these structures a latex modified wearing surface, which we’re hoping a 30-year surface. Plus, it seals up the water to keep from getting down in the concrete because water and calcium is what tears up your bridge the most,” Brownell said.

Construction in the evenings which has reduced the effect on the extreme heat seen across Mid-Missouri in recent weeks. 

“Obviously, the human element, it takes a little toll with the heat but as far as construction goes. It’s plowed ahead, good dry weather, they’re going to be able to work,” Brownell said. “The wearing surface, it kind of needs more of less sun so they usually do all that work at night because the sun rays will affect how that cures.” 

The project is already ahead of schedule. Incentives built into the contract for each day the project finishes ahead of schedule helped accelerate the completion of the first five bridges.

“It does incentivize a contractor to work overtime, pull in an extra crew. It’s an important corridor and affects a lot of people,” Brownell said. The incentive is placed in there to try to get a contractor to mobilize his forces, to get in and out and do good quality work.” 

Despite the lane reductions, Brownell said traffic is generally flowing with minimal backups.

“What you see now in town over the Missouri Boulevard it’s a one-lane bridge. We’re not seeing significant backups. You know, weekends, we’re having some issues with capacity and traffic. For the most part. I think traffic is able to work around that where they can,” Brownell said. 

A number of Jefferson City residents, who were downtown on Tuesday afternoon, told ABC 17 News they haven’t experienced any major inconveniences from the project.

“We’re trying to get in and out as soon as we can,” Brownell said. “It’s just a good situation to have to have the funding to do the projects we need to do in a timely fashion,” Brownell added. “The main thing is to watch for signs, watch for slow and back traffic and just be careful as you get through the 54 corridor.”

Click here to follow the original article.

Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Vera Elwood will be the next person to represent Columbia’s second ward.

Second Ward voters picked Elwood over Ken Rice in Tuesday’s special election, giving her 56.6% of the vote. She garnered 1,480 votes compared to Rice’s 1,130. Two write-in ballots were also cast. Boone County saw a 12.58% total voter turnout.

Elwood said she’s looking forward to getting to work.

“The first thing I want to do, and I’ve said it since the beginning of the campaign, is I’d really love to see a full report, a full audit of the outsourcing in Colombia’s budget. I’d really love to see where that money is going, what it’s costing us item by item,” Elwood said.

Both candidates spent their final hours leading into Election Night speaking with voters and casting their own ballots.

The election was held after former Ward 2 Councilwoman Lisa Meyer announced her resignation.

Elwood works as a librarian and ran a campaign focused on “A Columbia for all.” The campaign focused on fully staffing city departments, expanding public infrastructure and making streets within the city more accessible for all.

Elwood spent the final weekend of the campaign knocking on doors and having conversations with ward 2 residents, according to her campaign manager Rachel Stallings.

“I believe strongly in the power and importance of local government and encourage everyone to vote today so your voice can be heard through the greatest form of civic participation,” Elwood said.

Ken Rice (left) poses for a photo — with his wife Rebecca and son Brandon — while the election for Columbia’s Ward 2 seat is underway on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025.

Rice works as the chief operating officer of Pickleman’s Franchising and ran a campaign focused on “less talk, more action.” He pushed for fully staffing police and emergency services within the city, investing in safer neighborhoods and allowing residents to be more involved in decision-making processes.

Rice said he spent Tuesday reminding people to vote by text and via social media. He also took to polling places, working to speak with voters and answer last minute questions.

“My message of being ‘the people’s voice’ and ‘less talk, more action’ truly resonated with the voters and we will do very well tonight,” Rice said.

The latest Missouri Ethics Commission report showed Elwood more than doubled Rice’ campaign finance total.

Rice was endorsed by former Councilwoman Lisa Meyer. Meyer told ABC 17 News Tuesday that she feels the City Council needs objectivity, which prompted her decision to support him.

“We don’t need somebody else on the council who’s just going to vote like everyone else votes,” Meyer said. “Ken is going to do his homework. He’s not going to show up and not know what he’s talking about and he’s going to ask really good questions.”

Elwood received endorsements from LiUNA Local 955, and former Ward 2 Councilmembers Andrea Waner and Mike Trapp, Rep. Gregg Bush (District 50), Rep. Adrian Plank (District 47) and Columbia Professional Firefighters.

Rice held a watch party Tuesday night at Sports Zone at Wyndham Hotel and Resorts at 6:30 p.m.. Elwood hosted a watch party at IAFF Union Hall in Columbia at 7 p.m.

Click here to follow the original article.