Category: kmiz-local-news

ABC 17 News Team

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Cole County Commission is trying to figure out how to pay for victims’ advocates.

Right now, the county pays about $27,000 for two advocates and the rest is paid for by a federal grant.

County Prosecutor Locke Thompson says cuts at the federal level means less money in Missouri for those jobs. He’s asking the county to take on the full cost of those spots, which could be more than $100,000 Crime victim notifications and rights are a mandated function of Missouri courts.

Presiding Commissioner Sam Bushman said Cole County will decide what to do during budget discussions in the fall.

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Mitchell Kaminski

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) 

The Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down parts of a 2022 elections law that restricted how organizations and individuals conduct voter registration drives, ruling the provisions unconstitutional limits on political speech.

The decision affirms lower court rulings that permanently block enforcement of the restrictions, which were part of House Bill 1878, a sweeping elections measure passed by Missouri lawmakers in 2022.

The law prohibited paying people to help register voters, required those collecting more than 10 voter registration applications to register with the state, limited who could assist with registrations to people who were at least 18 years old and a registered Missouri voter, and prohibited encouraging voters to request absentee ballots.

A coalition that included the League of Women Voters of Missouri and the Missouri NAACP challenged the law, arguing it violated constitutional protections for free speech and political participation in a lawsuit. 

A Cole County circuit court agreed in 2024, forcing the state to appeal the decision to the state’s supreme court. 

In its ruling, the high court found the provisions were “facially unconstitutional restrictions on core political speech,” leaving in place the lower court’s permanent injunction.

In a statement, the ACLU of Missouri and its partners said:

“The court rightfully rejected the portion of House Bill 1878 that imposed criminal penalties for political speech, voter registration, and civic engagement efforts by organizations like the League of Women Voters and the NAACP. Third-party voter registration activities blocked by the challenged legislation are critical, constitute core political speech, and are necessary to ensure that voters can get on the rolls and participate in elections. Legislation like HB 1878 was designed to block access for Missouri voters and halt the ability of civic engagement organizations to engage their fellow citizens.”

Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon says the ruling will have little immediate impact on voters, saying that since the circuit court placed an injunction on HB 1878, it could not be enforced. 

“Nobody has been signing up as a voter registration solicitor for the entire time that this lawsuit has existed,” Lennon told ABC 17 News.  “People can be free to register voters. It really only had to do with people that were volunteering or working in the voter registration space. It never affected individual voters.”

Legal experts say the ruling highlights a broader disagreement over how election laws should be evaluated.

“What’s really interesting about this is there was a sharp disagreement about which side had to prove their case. Did the people challenging these restrictions have to prove their case or did the government have to prove its case? And that’s why the judges disagreed with each other,” Dave Roland,  senior legal adviser with the Freedom Center of Missouri, said. “Now, all of the judges agreed that the part of this challenge that dealt with  restrictions on  soliciting absentee ballot applications those were unconstitutional because they were really, really broad.” 

Roland noted that while the court was divided on some issues, there was agreement on others.

“Now, all of the judges agreed that the part of this challenge that dealt with restrictions on soliciting absentee ballot applications those were unconstitutional because they were really, really broad,” he said.

Supporters of the law had argued the restrictions were necessary to protect election integrity and ensure accountability among those handling voter registration materials. But Roland said the state faced an uphill battle justifying some of those requirements, particularly the age limit.

“For example,  a couple of the restrictions that they were focused on was that you had to be 18 years old and you had to be a registered voter in order to take this one particular type of paper, piece of paper, and give it to somebody else. And so the government was saying, well, you’ve got to be 18  because you’ve got to demonstrate a certain level of responsibility. Also, you’ve got to be a registered voter because that somehow indicates some level of responsibility,” Roland said “ I don’t know exactly what one of those things has to do with the other. And if it was a different kind of information, it would be perfectly legal.  And so in a circumstance like that,  the government’s got to be able to show, there’s a reason to believe problems will result if we don’t have these restrictions.” 

The ruling is final under state law, as it was decided on Missouri constitutional grounds, meaning it cannot be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.

“The ACLU, which represented the challengers here,  made the decision not to bring this as a First Amendment challenge.  They brought it as a free speech challenge under the Missouri Constitution. Now, Missouri’s protections for free speech are similar to the First Amendment, but they are markedly different,” Roland explained. So the ACLU is arguing that under this Missouri-specific language, this is protected speech and therefore the restrictions can’t be enforced. So because the Missouri Supreme Court was deciding this as a matter of Missouri constitutional law instead of a matter of the First Amendment,  there’s no way to appeal it to the U.S. Supreme Court.” 

In a separate decision issued the same day, the Missouri Supreme Court also ruled that challengers to the state’s photo voter ID law lacked standing to sue, leaving that law in place without addressing its constitutionality.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A type of opioid has been detected in the wastewater of several schools around the state, including a few in Mid-Missouri.

A press release from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services says nitazenes are “a highly potent class of synthetic opioids increasingly detected across the state.”

The drug is roughly five-to-10 times more potent than fentanyl, according to the DHSS. The drug has allegedly been found in “counterfeit pills, illicit powders, unregulated cannabis products and vape liquid, often without the user’s knowledge,” according to the release.

The release says nitazenes were used in 14 overdose deaths around the state in 2024.

According to the release, 37 schools from around the state have participated in a wastewater monitoring program since January, resulting in 26 positive tests.

Mid-Missouri schools that tested positive included Boonville High School, Boonville Alternate School, Hallsville High School, Owensville High School and St. James High School.

You can view the full list of participants in the study and which ones tested positive for nitazenes in the document below.

Positive nitazene testingDownload

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather Team presents its 2026 Severe Weather Special.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The head of the Columbia firefighter’s union was arrested on Monday night.

Zachary Privette, 38, was booked into the Boone County Jail at 11:54 p.m. and has since posted a $4,500 bond.

Charges were not publicly filed yet as of Tuesday evening, but information from the jail claims he was arrested on suspicion of third-degree assault involving a special victim.

Columbia Police Department spokesman Colin Imhoff told ABC 17 News in a Tuesday evening email that an incident occurred around 9:10 p.m. in the 3300 block of Broadway Business Park Court. Imhoff wrote the incident was determined to involve a “special victim” because “the victim was considered to be elderly according to Missouri law.”

Privette declined to comment on Tuesday.

Check back for updates.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Osage Beach Mayor Michael Harmison and his business Harmy’s Cheese Store and More have been named in a civil suit out of the state of New York.

The lawsuit was filed in Monroe County, New York on March 17, but documents were dated March 13. The complaint claims Favo Funding LLC went into a futures contract worth $79,365 that it bought for $55,500.

The petition claims Favo Funding was authorized to collect payment through an ACH account, but claims Harmison’s business changed the account and placed a “stop payment” on Sept. 16, 2025.

The lawsuit claims it Favo Funding is still owed $22,641.99.

Osage Beach gave a brief comment regarding the case in a Tuesday press release.

“The Mayor and Board of Aldermen are aware of civil litigation recently filed against Mayor Harmison’s business and will continue to evaluate information as it becomes available,” the release says. “Because this matter concerns the private business activities of a City official and not City operations, the City has no further comment at this time.”

Harmison also commented on the litigation on his social media on Tuesday.

“As the City has clarified, this is a civil matter involving private business activities—not city operations. Nothing Illegal or Unethical: This has zero connection to my role as your Mayor, your tax dollars, or the ethical standards of our city,” Harmison wrote on his Facebook page.

“Interestingly, I first learned about this filing on Facebook—just 1 hour and 29 minutes after it was submitted to the court. As of right now, I have still not even been officially served. It is disappointing that a private business matter is being weaponized on social media in the final days of a campaign before the legal process has even begun. I’ll let the voters of Osage Beach decide why the ‘Facebook critics’ knew about this before I did.”

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

This April election will be a busy one for schools, ambulance and fire districts and 911 centers.

Ballots in Mid-Missouri are packed with issues that ask voters to raise or extend taxes to keep public safety operations funded. Such taxes are on the ballot in counties that include Callaway, Cooper, Howard, Maries, Morgan, Osage and Randolph.

Schools also feature prominently this spring. In addition to board of education races across the area, school tax levies and bond issues are on ballots in counties such as Boone, Morgan and Randolph. A few counties are also asking voters whether to approve property tax relief for seniors.

Boone County

Boone County April 2026Download

The Harrisburg School District is asking its voters for more funding.

The district has a 50-cent increase to the property tax levy on the ballot. If approved, the levy would increase from $3.948 to $4.448 per $100 of the assessed value of a home or personal property. The measure would also eliminate the district’s Prop C tax rollback. Harrisburg says it needs the extra money the tax will bring in to pay for qualified staff and better programs and facilities

Harrisburg’s levy had a Prop C rollback for the 2025-2026 school year. Increasing rollbacks have the potential to put a dent in the operating levy income the district would take in from the increase, according to school board documents.

The Southern Boone School District wants its voters to approve $4 million to work on school buildings, parking lots, roofs and an HVAC system, among other costs. The district serves Ashland and the surrounding areas, which have experienced a surge of enrollment as more people move to that area. Approval would leave the debt service levy unchanged at $1.7423 per $100 of assessed value.

In the county’s northern limits, Sturgeon schools want to borrow $2.8 million in bonds for facilities work. The debt service tax levy will remain the same.

Cole County

Cole County April 2026Download

Every voter in Cole County will get a chance to help decide whether to extend the county’s half-cent sales tax for capital improvements.

The tax money goes to fund work on roads and bridges, including construction, repairs and updates. The county sales tax rate, including the half-cent that was approved in 2021, is 5.6%.

Callaway County

Public safety-related tax questions will be on many ballots in Callaway County.

The biggest, in terms of area, is the Callaway County Ambulance District’s ask to implement a use tax at a rate equal to the district’s sales tax of 6.725%.

The Holts Summit Fire Protection District is also hoping for more funding. The district wants voters to approve $8 million in bonds that it says it will use to reduce response times by purchasing equipment, acquiring land and constructing new buildings.

The City of New Bloomfield wants voters to OK a half-cent sales tax that would fund public safety, including police department equipment, salaries and facilities.

Cooper County

Cooper County April 26Download

The Cooper County ambulance district also wants more funding. The district wants voters to approve an extra half-cent sales tax, to make the total district levy three-quarters of a cent. A “yes” vote would also approve a three-quarter-cent use tax countywide.

County leaders also want funding from a three-eighths-cent sales tax to pay for 911 operations.

The total sales tax within ambulance district boundaries is 6.225% before the election.

The City of Pilot Grove seeks not just one, but two sales tax extensions on this April’s ballot. The town hopes that voters will extend two half-cent sales taxes — one for transportation projects and another for capital improvements. The extensions would be good for five years, pushing back the taxes’ sunset date to 2031.

The Village of Windsor Place wants approval for a use tax that would equal the village’s 8.725% sales tax rate.

Two Cooper County-based school districts also feature tax questions on their ballots: A request from the Pilot Grove School District to make permanent a temporary, $0.6892 tax levy and a $3.5 million bond issue in the Smithton School District that would raise the debt service tax to 45 cents from its current level — zero.

Howard County

Howard County April 2026Download

The Howard County Ambulance District is seeking a change to how its pays for operations.

The ambulance district is asking voters to reduce the property tax levy and instead impose a 1-cent sales tax countywide to help pay for ambulance operations. The property tax would be reduced each year pegged to sales tax revenue.

The Fayette School District is asking for a $2 million bond issue to build and equip school facilities, including the athletic stadium, its bathrooms and concession area. The bond issue would leave the district debt service levy unchanged at $0.7762.

Conlidated Public Water Supply District No. 1 also has a bond issue on the ballot. The water district wants to borrow $9 million to extend and improve the water system. The debt would be repaid through user fees.

Randolph County

Randolph-aprilDownload

The largest dollar-value item on the ballot in Randolph County is in the Moberly School District, where administrators are seeking voter approval to borrow $11.5 million to construct new facilities, renovate the middle school and elementary schools, and build a storm shelter. The district’s debt-service levy would remain the same if the measure is approved.

The Randolph County Ambulance District wants voters to approve a use tax equal to its sales tax — 5.975%.

The Renick School District wants voters to approve a continuation of its 47-cent temporary operating tax levy. The district says it needs the money to retain and recruit quality staff, along with paying for daily operations.

The Northeast Randolph County School District also features a tax levy question on its ballot. The district wants voters to approve a 75-cent increase to the district’s operating tax levy, for a rate of $4.6101 per $100 of assessed value. Money from operationing levies go to pay for salaries, benefits and day-to-day school operations.

The Higbee Area Fire District is seeking about $1.6 million in voter-approved bonds to upgrade its facilities and equipment.

Audrain County

Audrain County April 2026Download

Audrain County is one of many counties around the area that will ask if they should implement property tax relief programs. State law requires counties to put the question on the ballot whether property taxes should be frozen for senior homeowners.

The Community R-VI School District is seeking a $1.625 million bond issue from its voters to pay for a long list of facilities upgrades, including a new entrance for the Old Gym.

Van-Far School District wants $4 million to make upgrades, including safety and security fixes at multiple buildings.

The debt service levy would remain at the same level at each district if the bond issues pass.

Moniteau County

Moniteau County April 2026Download

The Moniteau County R-I School District is asking for $10.3 million for a slate of work it is calling Proposition Safe. The work list includes additions to the high school that would enhance student safety. The district’s debt service levy will remain the same if the issue is approved.

The City of California wants a half-cent sales tax to pay for firefighting operations.

Miller County

Miller County April 2026Download

The Miller County ambulance district is one of many around Mid-Missouri that is asking the public to give it more funding. This April, ambulance district leaders are asking for a half-cent sales tax on top of the district’s already existing half-cent sales tax, for a total of a full cent.

The Miller County R-II School District is asking to borrow $500,000 for multiple facility improvements without a change to the debt service tax.

Morgan County

Morgan Co. sample ballotDownload

Two Morgan County political subdivisions are asking for more money to help fund public safety.

The Versailles Rural Fire District is asking voters to OK a half-cent sales tax. Those who pay property taxes would then get relief based on the amount of sales tax collected.

The City of Laurie is also asking for a half-cent sales tax, but this one would pay for police operations inside the city. Laurie also has a half-cent sales tax for parks on the April ballot.

Maries County

Maries Notice of Election Municipal 2026Download

Voters across Maries County will have one question atop their ballots this April — whether to continue a half-cent sales tax. The tax pays for roads, public safety and county operations and would remain in place for 10 years if approved.

The Maries County R-1 School District is asking for permission to borrow $1 million in bonds to upgrade facilities, with no change to the debt service levy.

The Maries-Osage Ambulance District proposition will appear on Maries County ballots, asking voters to approve an additional half-cent sales tax to add to the district’s current half-cent sales tax. It would also impose a use tax.

The City of Belle wants voter approval for a half-cent public safety sales tax.

Montgomery County

Montgomery County SampleDownload

Montgomery is one of many counties around Mid-Missouri that are asking voters whether to approve property tax relief, which was made possible by a recently-passed state law.

The small town of Jonesburg wants to bring in some revenue from hospitality, asking voters to approve a 5% lodging tax.

The Wellsville Special Road District wants to extend a property tax levy of 30 cents for four years.

Osage County

Osage Co Sample BallotDownload

Osage County voters will see two property tax relief questions on their April ballots.

One question is broad, asking if certain “eligible” property owners should be protected from increases on their primary residences. The second asks specifically whether senior citizens should have their tax rates frozen.

Chariton County

Chariton 040726 PublicationDownload

Chariton joins other rural Mid-Missouri counties in having the general property tax relief question on its April ballots.

Two major public safety questions will appear on the ballot for some Chariton County residents. They are: to form a new Salisbury Fire Protection District and whether to impose a 30-cent property tax levy to fund it.

The New Brunswick School District has a $4.2 million bond issue on the ballot to pay for a list of upgrades from elementary to high school. The debt service levy would remain the same.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An Eldon man was charged on Monday after authorities claim he threatened to shoot a cat and pointed a gun at a woman’s head.

Robert Russell, 18, was charged in Miller County with second-degree domestic assault and unlawful use of a weapon. He was released from the Miller County Jail on Tuesday morning after posting a $25,000 bond.

The probable cause statement says Russell threatened to shoot a cat on Sunday after a “memorial for his father” was broken. The victim recorded an argument between Russell and her when he mentioned him planning to kill the cat and assault the victim, the statement says.

Russell allegedly held a gun during the 18-minute recording, the statement says. The victim wrote in a statement that Russell held a Glock at that back of her head during the during argument.

The victim also allegedly told deputies that Russell had choked her during a March 17 assault, the statement says.

The victim also “emailed more audio recordings and photos of bruising on her hand, leg, thigh, rib area, and forearm from previous altercations with Robert,” court documents say.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

No injuries were reported after a fire was reported Tuesday at a Jefferson City apartment building in the 100 block of Amador Avenue.

Firefighters found a fire on an upstairs apartment patio and quickly got it under control before it spread, a press release from the Jefferson City Fire Department says.

The release says the damage was limited to the outdoor patio area.

“Residents are reminded to use caution with any outdoor cooking or smoking that those items be extinguished and disposed of in a noncombustible container on balconies and patios, as these areas can present a significant fire risk if not properly maintained,” the release says.

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Matthew Sanders

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a mid-decade redrawing of Missouri’s congressional districts does not violate the state constitution, though one judge issued a strong dissent.

In the lawsuit brought by Suzanne Luther against Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, Luther and other voters argued that the map approved last summer by the Missouri General Assembly is unconstitutional.

The Republican-dominated General Assembly approved the new map on a party-line vote after the White House started a campaign to get more House seats from red states and increase the party’s majority. Democratic states followed with their own gerrymandering efforts.

The Missouri map splits up the current Fifth District — a Democratic stronghold represented by Emanuel Cleaver of Kansas City.

Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh ruled the map constitutional, with the case then appealed to the Missouri Supreme Court.

“The obligation to legislate congressional districts once a decade does not limit the General Assembly’s power to redistrict more frequently than once a decade,” the majority wrote. “Simply put, ‘when’ does not mean ‘only when.'”

Opinion_SC101412Download

Judge Paul C. Wilson authored a dissenting opinion, saying the map is unconstitutional.

“Respondents contend the general assembly can draw congressional districts immediately after the apportionment and census are reported to the governor and then come back one day later and redistrict again, and that it may repeat this exercise – with no new census or apportionment – as often as it likes,” Wilson wrote.

“This is not what the constitution says, and it was not what anyone – not the framers, the voters, or more than 70 years of legislators – has understood it to mean.”

The court on Tuesday also issued an opinion that the NAACP lacked standing in its lawsuit challenging the new map.

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