Category: kmiz-local-news

Matthew Sanders

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services is warning the public against using products containing 7-OH, pronounced “seven-hydroxy.”

The health department issued an advisory Friday saying 7-OH is a natural psychoactive drug that is found in kratom. Kratom and 7-OH are both marketed as ways to promote alertness, relieve pain and anxiety and opioid withdrawal, the advisory says.

The department warns that 7-OH products found in Missouri have higher concentrations than natural kratom and that the substance is more potent than morphine on human opioid receptors. The FDA started steps to restrict 7-OH in July.

Like kratom, 7-OH is not regulated by the state.

Signs of overdose include nausea, vomiting, confusion, agitation, trouble breathing, rapid heartbeat, high blood pressure and seizures.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Part of Business Loop 70 will be closed for two weeks next month for roundabout construction.

The Missouri Department of Transportation said Thursday that the closure between Hathman Place and Eastland Circle will start Nov. 12 and continue through Nov. 26. The closure will allow contractors to build a new roundabout.

MoDOT says businesses will remain accessible during the construction.

The new roundabout will allow direct access to eastbound Interstate 70 in late 2027 as part of the statewide Improve I-70 project, MoDOT says. But the roundabout will open to traffic Nov. 26, weather permitting, according to the transportation agency.

Work on the Improve I-70 project is ongoing between Columbia and Kingdom City, with an extra lane being added in each direction.

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Lucas Geisler

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Jefferson City’s lawyers say the lodging association suing over the city’s tax on hotel stays shouldn’t be allowed to bring the lawsuit.

An attorney for the city filed a motion to dismiss the case on Thursday. The motion says the non-profit suing the city, the Jefferson City Lodging Association, started just days before filing the lawsuit, and that the association never claims to have paid the city’s lodging tax. Because of this, the association has never been “damaged or injured” by the 7% lodging tax and doesn’t have standing to sue.

The association sued the city on Oct. 24, claiming its use of lodging tax funds to pay for a future conference center and hotel is illegal. The lawsuit claims more of the money collected should be going to the city’s convention and visitors bureau to promote tourism.

Petition in lodging tax lawsuitDownload

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Meghan Drakas

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Minutes before the opening of the new Trader Joe’s in Columbia, hundreds of people were in a line wrapped around the Shoppes at Stadium from the new store to Old Navy.

“This is my first grand opening, but I just love the atmosphere and the fun,” said Columbia resident Tim Dollens.

According to Trader Joe’s website, this is the sixth location in Missouri. Other locations include Brentwood, Chesterfield, Creve Coeur, Des Peres and Kansas City. Trader Joe’s told ABC 17 News in an email that this is the 604th store to open.

Dollens was in line around 7:30 a.m. with dozens of other excited shoppers. Dollens is a super fan — he says he’s been to 144 Trader Joe’s in 42 states.

“When I go on vacation, I just make time to go to Trader Joe’s,” Dollens said.

Shopper Victoria Wiltfong said she’s excited that she doesn’t have to travel far anymore to find a variety of options which align with her diet.

“Not having to commute to St. Louis or Kansas City to get gluten-free food, I’m really excited about that,” Wiltfong said.

She also picked up a Halloween Trader Joe’s reusable bag, which was an item popular with shoppers today. ABC 17 News saw multiple large stacks of these bags in the front of the store around noon, but they were gone around 6 p.m.

Store manager Pamela Volk said this is her seventh Trader Joe’s store and her third as store captain. She said the store has hired around 75 employees, but is open to hiring more. She said they’re always accepting applications.

“It’s been a lot of hard work, patience, teamwork, creativity and just heart,” Volk said. “They’ve really put, this team has put their heart and soul into the store.”

Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe said the store filling up a space that used to house a two-story Macy’s, which closed in 2016.

“They pay full-time wages, like these are people that are going to be working and living in our community,” Buffaloe said. “It’s just great for us, for our economy, that when we talk about this, like having a place like Trader Joe’s, that more sales tax for us, which supports the foundation of what we provide with city services and so we’re thankful to have them.”

According to the city, Columbia has a sales tax rate of 7.98%. In February, the city predicted it would bring in $64.5 million dollars in sales tax for fiscal year 2025. By fiscal year 2030, the city predicts it will bring in over $69 million in sales tax.

Shoppers also pay an extra 1% sales tax at the Stadium Shoppes for a transportation development district.

Many packed into the grocery store on Thursday morning and afternoon, purchasing handfuls of items ranging from fresh flowers to produce, frozen items and alcoholic beverages. Lines varied throughout the day at registers but there was always a constant flow of people in and out of the store.

Trader Joe’s in Columbia is open everyday from 9 am to 9 pm.

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Matthew Sanders

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Citing a dramatic increase in demand for food, the Jefferson City Salvation Army has issued a public call for donations to replenish its food bank.

“Community members seeking assistance with food has drastically increased over the past 2 weeks and with SNAP benefits not renewing for many neighbors next week, we expect even more visitors in the days/weeks ahead,” the organization wrote in a Facebook post Thursday morning.

The Salvation Army Food Pantry has a list that includes canned fruits and vegetables, canned meat, canned pasta, soup, Minute Rice, macaroni and cheese, pancake mix, canned milk, juice and peanut butter and jelly. Donations will be accepted from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday at 927 Jefferson St.

Those who need to drop off outside of that schedule can call 573-635-1975 to arrange another time. Donations can also be made online.

The Salvation Army also encouraged people to start food drives at their churches, workplaces and in their neighborhoods and bring the collected items to the pantry.

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Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Schnucks is helping out Missourians who lost their November SNAP benefits with a food drive at all stores across the state starting Thursday and running through Nov. 11, according to a press release.

The chain is asking people to donate shelf-stable, nonperishable items like canned goods, noodles and pasta sauce.

A manager at the Forum Blouvard location in Columbia said Thursday afternoon that there were several large donations since that morning.

Missouri food bank donations have been increasing since the federal government shutdown began Oct. 1. November SNAP benefits were paused as a result, forcing more people to fall back on food banks.

Gov. Mike Kehoe on Wednesday announced that over $15 million is going to food banks and a program to feed senior citizens.

The Boone County Commission a week before Kehoe’s announcement said that the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri will receive $50,000 to use within the county.

The average SNAP recipient received about $187 a month last year, with national spending nearly reaching $100 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia police officers could be on hand to help with traffic outside the new Trader Joe’s all weekend.

Mid-Missouri residents welcomed Trader Joe’s Thursday morning, as the grocery store officially opened its doors at 9 a.m. The opening of the store attracted many shoppers.

Some expressed traffic concerns about the opening in a congested area, but store captain Pamela Volk said she has invited Columbia Police Department officers to help with traffic all opening weekend.

An officer was directing traffic outside the store Thursday afternoon.

The store is located at 201 N. Stadium Blvd. at The Shoppes on Stadium, where several businesses, including Men’s Warehouse, Five Below and other stores are located.

The area is known for congestion with Home Goods and Chick-fil-A nearby. The streets likely to see the most traffic are North Stadium Boulevard, West Worley Street and West Ash Street.

On Wednesday, A CPD spokesperson said extra officers will be assigned to the area, and some off-duty officers will work traffic control.

In a statement from the City of Columbia, it said: “It should be noted that the city will be watching traffic volumes and impacts on the adjacent street network following the opening of these businesses to become aware of any adjustments that might need to be made to the signal timing at Worley and the Mall signal or any signage or striping that might be necessary on the surrounding streets.”

Employees will park in designated spots behind the store.

Trader Joe’s will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8:55 a.m.

Around two dozen shoppers began forming a line outside of Trader Joe’s just before 6:30 a.m., all bringing several items to keep warm as they wait for the doors to open.

According to Trader Joe’s Store Captain Pamela Volk, employees will be handing out chips and free reusable Trader Joe’s bags to customers.

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Dan Kite

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Elected officials in Cole County will take home more money in the coming years, after a vote for a 5% raise was narrowly passed at the Tuesday meeting of the Cole County Salary Commission.

The vote came after a debate between members about whether to note that elected officials have not received an official raise in decades. The only exceptions they noted were cost-of-living adjustments and a separate adjustment in 2017 to bring salaries back in line with state statutes.

The raise was passed by a vote of 7-5, with the county sheriff, prosecutor, and public administrator among those in favor, and all three county commissioners among those against the proposal.

The commission also passed a separate cost-of-living adjustment by a vote of 10-2.

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Camryn Payne

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Police Department will dedicate extra resources for the Trader Joe’s grand opening in Columbia on Thursday.

A CPD spokesperson said extra officers will be assigned to the area, and some off-duty officers will work traffic control.

Trader Joe’s will be located at 201 N. Stadium Blvd. at the Shoppes at Stadium, where other stores and businesses, including Five Below, Men’s Warehouse and Old Navy are located.

A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held moments before the store opens at 9 a.m. Thursday. The store will be open daily from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Fulton man led deputies to a half-pound of methamphetamine stashed in his truck Monday, according to court documents.

Lance M. Stout was charged Tuesday in Callaway County with drug trafficking and felony possession after the Monday night traffic stop. Stout was pulled over in his F-150 on Highway 54 for speeding in a construction zone and crossing the center line, according to a probable cause statement.

Stout told investigators that he had about a half-pound of meth in the rear passenger floorboard, the statement says. Stout also had digital scales and several plastic baggies, investigators say.

Stout also told deputies that he sold large amounts of methamphetamine in Boone, Callaway and Cole counties.

Stout is being held in the Callaway County Jail on no bond. He is seeking a public defender, according to court records.

A bond hearing is scheduled for Tuesday.

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