Category: kmiz-local-news

Stephi Smith

HARTSBURG, Mo. (KMIZ)

A hot, dry summer left Hackman Farms short on pumpkins ahead of this weekend’s Hartsburg Pumpkin Festival.

The festival takes place every October in Hartsburg, a small village in southern Boone County. This year’s event will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Jeri Cooper, vice president of the festival, said she expects more than 40,000 visitors over the two days.

Cooper said homeowners along Main Street allow the festival to use their properties for the event. Homeowners are reimbursed for any vendors who use electricity or water from their property. Hartsburg had a population of 133 residents, according to the 2020 Census.

The festival will feature more than 190 vendors and more than 250 booths, but only one pumpkin farmer: Hackman Farms, which supplies all the pumpkins sold at the festival, Cooper said.

Owner Jo Hackman said her family farm has supplied pumpkins for the festival for several years. On Friday, she was arranging pumpkins of various sizes in the front yard of a home on South Bush Landing Road.

Hackman said her farm typically produces significantly more pumpkins than it did this year, forcing the farm to purchase some from another farm. The farm also usually sells several “Big Max” pumpkins, an exceptionally large variety that can weigh more than 100 pounds.

Hackman said she could not point to one reason for the lower production but said the hot, dry summer may have played a role.

“Wasn’t good this year, crop failure on them,” Hackman said. 

Taylor Tuttle, program manager for Missouri Grown at the Missouri Department of Agriculture, said pumpkin patches are an important part of agritourism, which brings people to farms and other agricultural sites.

Missouri brought in more than $19 million in agritourism sales, according to the 2022 Census of Agriculture.

“Missouri really does have a wide variety of agriculture, which provides a lot of opportunities for Missourians and visitors to our state to get out and learn more about Missouri agriculture,” Tuttle said. 

Thirty-six pumpkin patches are members of the Missouri Grown program, including Hackman Farms.

Planning for next year’s festival will begin almost immediately after this year’s event ends Sunday. Cooper said the festival’s revenue comes from $5 parking fees and vendor fees.

“It takes all year. We’ll start as soon as this is over…and we just start going from there and start planning everything,” Cooper said. 

Click here to follow the original article.

Demetra Alarcon

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

EDITOR’S NOTE: The spelling of the victim’s name has been corrected.

A Sturgeon man was found guilty of three felonies, including manslaughter, in the death of his father.

ABC 17 News was told at 9:30 p.m. that a verdict was reached by a jury. Just before 10 p.m., it was announced that Dalton Perkins was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter, one count of armed criminal action and illegal gun possession.

Perkins, 33, of Sturgeon, was originally charged with second-degree murder, two counts of armed criminal action, one count of first-degree domestic assault and a count of unlawful use of a weapon for the death of his 56-year-old father, Stephen Perkins, in May 2025.

He was found not guilty on the domestic assault charge and one of the armed criminal action charges.

He will be sentenced at 1:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30.

Taking the stand earlier on Friday, Dalton Perkins spoke about his living situation and the events leading up to the shooting. He testified that he lived in a separate house on his parents’ property, where leaving guns out of the safe in their home office was common. On the day of the incident, he had a shotgun out for a planned turkey hunt.

While testifying, Dalton Perkins said later that day he turned down his music in the sunroom after both parents complained, though he noted his father’s approach “rubbed me the wrong way.” He skipped dinner to keep his distance, but an argument broke out. Dalton Perkins testified that his mother fell when he unintentionally pushed her, prompting his father to tackle him face-first to the floor and place him in a chokehold.

According to his testimony, he was unable to breathe; Dalton Perkins told his parents they were trying to kill him and testified he thought he was going to die. After getting out of the chokehold, he saw his father run toward the room where the shotgun was located, he said. Perkins testified that he grabbed a gun off the refrigerator on instinct and accidentally fired it after hearing a loud noise.

Perkins broke into tears during a part of his testimony.

Yesterday, Dalton Perkins’ mother testified about the events of that day.

The trial began on Monday and was initially expected to be two days. Perkins’ mother testified on Thursday, telling the court that Dalton had told her “I just shot your husband” after the shooting.

Click here to follow the original article.

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Fulton Mayor Steve Myers will not seek reelection, the city announced in a Friday press release.

Myers cited health concerns as the reason for not running. He was elected in 2022 after serving as the city’s police chief from 2002-21.

“Due to health concerns, I will not be seeking re-election. It is my intent to continue serving as mayor through the end of my term to the best of my ability. I believe the city is in a great position, and I am confident in our current leadership and dedicated staff,” Myers is quoted in the release. “I remain committed to being involved with the city and our community as a whole. I look forward to supporting our next mayor and continuing to watch Fulton flourish.”

Candidate packers for the spring municipal election are available on Oct. 27 and candidate filing opens at 8 a.m. Dec. 15. Filing closes at 5 p.m. Jan. 5. Election Day is April 6, 2027

Click here to follow the original article.

Madison Stuerman

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Gov. Mike Kehoe has expanded restrictions on dyed diesel to all drivers, not just farmers.

Executive Order 26-20 allows all motor vehicles to use dyed diesel fuel on Missouri highways. The action follows an executive order President Donald Trump signed on Monday.

“Haulers in Missouri will now be able to utilize tax-free diesel fuel on any road in Missouri for any purpose,” Kehoe said in a statement. “Lowering transportation costs across the entire supply chain means savings that trickle down to reduce everyday expenses for every Missouri family, business, and consumer.”

The new order rescinds Executive Order 26-19 signed by Kehoe on Sept. 30, which only applied to vehicles operating for agricultural purposes. It also extends the increase in the allowable weight for agricultural loads from 88,000 to 90,000 pounds.

The order is in effect through Dec. 31.

Dyed diesel is off-road fuel marked with a red dye. It is commonly used for construction machinery and agricultural equipment. Because it is sold without the motor-fuel tax, its use on public roads is normally restricted.

Click here to follow the original article.

Gabrielle Teiner

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Across the Show-Me State, more than 122,000 Missourians aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer’s disease, according to the latest data from the Department of Health and Senior Services. One-in-three seniors die from Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia across the country.

“That is a staggering figure,” said Senior Program Manager for the Missouri Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association Teresa Brown. “That’s just by reported estimates and by diagnosed; we know that there are many, many more individuals in different stages, maybe they haven’t been diagnosed, maybe they haven’t come forward, maybe they just don’t.”

Brown has been personally affected by Alzheimer’s. Her grandmother, Nora, was diagnosed when Brown was younger, and at the time, there wasn’t much information to help them understand the diagnosis.

“When my family was on this journey, it was some time ago, and there wasn’t a web search or a Google search or anything like that, and we were just kind of in the dark and figuring it out as we went,” said Brown. “So we were kind of figuring it out and uncovering the layers as we went.”

Data shows that since 2000, the number of deaths from Alzheimer’s and other dementias has increased by more than 153%. Across the United States, nearly 7 million people are living with the disease, mostly women.

Brown says that number is going up.

“We’re living longer, and we’re getting the diagnoses out there,” said Brown. “It’s being diagnosed more frequently, and earlier, so we do anticipate that number to be on the rise.”

For people aged 70, 61% of those with Alzheimer’s dementia are expected to die before the age of 80, compared with 30% of people without Alzheimer’s dementia, according to the latest data from the Alzheimer’s Association.

In 2025, the walk raised $73,965.

This year, the Jefferson City Walk to End Alzheimer’s aims to raise $85,500, according to the Jefferson City walk’s homepage.

In the United States, caring for those with Alzheimer’s and related dementias is projected to cost up to $1 trillion by 2050. Brown says there are more than 300,000 caregivers helping people with Alzeheimers across the state.

“Because we walk, we can contribute to research and to treatment, and we are able to help families on the journey,” said Brown. “We’re able to have support groups across not only Missouri, but all across the country.”

The money raised also helps the Alzheimer’s Association provide a free 24/7 hotline (1-800-272-3900), offering resources, support, assistance and information for anyone affected by Alzheimer’s.

Brown says the Jefferson City community and committee has been working towards this walk since before summer.

“Our committee down there is so active bringing these things to life, whether it is mini walks put on by one of our sponsors,” said Brown. “So all of those things are in action, and they’ve been happening all summer and so, to have this beautiful culmination happening this Saturday at Memorial Park, I have every confidence that the community’s going to show up.”

Join ABC 17 News in the fight against Alzheimer’s and support the Jefferson City Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Saturday at Memorial Park in Jefferson City.

If you are unable to walk due to mobility issues or other reasons, Brown says people can still come and enjoy the event.

“There are kids’ zones; we have vendors that are out there; there’s a deejay; there are hot dogs, so you can come and enjoy the fellowship of the day and the memory in all of those pieces,” said Brown. “You don’t have to walk, and if you want to go stroll the shaded path at Memorial Park, you can do that as well.”

Click here to follow the original article.

Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Hurricane Isaias is expected to make landfall in the Florida Panhandle on Friday or early Saturday as a Category 3 storm after rapidly intensifying in the Gulf of Mexico.

Watch the storm’s approach on Panhandle beach cameras.

Sharky’s, Panama City

Perdido Key, Florida

Santa Rosa Island, Florida

Destin, Florida

Click here to follow the original article.

Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Football fans heading to the 11 a.m. kickoff between No. 14 Missouri and Texas A&M at Memorial Stadium Saturday must be aware of game parking and traffic impacts.

Permit and tailgate lots will be open at 6:30 a.m. Saturday.

Anyone with permits to park in areas designated for Mizzou game day must move their vehicles between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m. Friday. Vehicles that are not moved to an alternate parking spot may be ticketed or towed.

According to the University of Missouri, other alternate parking spots will be available. The alternate locations are listed below.

Your Lot or Permit Temporary Relocation Move by CG1/X, CG3X, TAPSE Parking Structure No. 7 (PS7) Friday (Saturday game), 5-10 p.m. before a game RP2, RP3, RP4, RP5, SG4/M, SG4/N, SG4/O, SG5/I, SG5/P, SG7, WG1, WG6 Conley Avenue Parking StructureHitt Street Parking StructureTurner Avenue GarageUniversity Avenue Parking Structure Friday (Saturday game), 5-10 p.m. before a game RP10* Conley Avenue Parking StructureHitt Street Parking StructureTurner Avenue GarageUniversity Avenue Parking Structure Friday (Saturday game), 4 p.m. TAPSD (student hospital) Tiger Avenue Parking Structure (TAPS) Level 5-6 Friday (Saturday game), park all day PS7, TAPS, TAPSR On-duty employees during a game may show credentials to continue parking in the Tiger Avenue Parking Structure (TAPS) or Parking Structure No. 7 (PS7)

Fans should be aware of ongoing construction on I-70, including the Improve I-70 Project in Columbia.

Construction on the Providence Road bridge is expected to be completed by November, weather permitting, according to the Missouri Department of Transportation.

MoDOT reminds fans to watch for narrowed lanes, reduced speeds, traffic delays and to leave in plenty of time.

Several events are scheduled in Mid-Missouri on Saturday. The Ashland Police Department posted on social media, stating that, along with Mizzou’s home football game, there will also be the Hartsburg Pumpkin Festival and the Southern Boone Marching Classic Band Competition in the area. Ashland PD warns of potential traffic impacts and asks people to be patient on the roads.

Heading into Saturday’s SEC matchup, there have been several updates on Mizzou football players throughout the week.

A University of Missouri football player, Johnnie “DJ” Jones, received a new heart on Wednesday

Head Coach Eli Drinkwitz posted on X on Thursday morning that freshman lineman Johnnie “DJ” Jones went through a heart transplant Wednesday night. Drinkwitz said the surgery “went well,” and that Jones is recovering.

https://t.co/pd2ADXv1Ta pic.twitter.com/wopk0fiZIz

— Eliah Drinkwitz (@CoachDrinkwitz) October 8, 2026

“We are incredibly grateful for the medical team who cared for DJ and the donor and donor family whose extraordinary gift made this possible,” Drinkwitz said in a statement. “Please continue to keep DJ, his family, the donor family, and his caregivers in your prayers as he begins the recovery process.”

All-American running back Ahmad Hardy will not be available for Saturday’s game as he continues his rehab.

Hardy was shot in the leg at a concert in Mississippi in early May and has been working to get himself back onto the field. Mizzou Football requires Hardy to participate in a two-week ramp-up period before he can play.

Three freshman Mizzou football players were arrested Monday on suspicion of first-degree harassment, a felony.

Defensive back Ahmod Billins, cornerback Trashundon Neal and wide receiver Karsten Fiene were arrested Monday afternoon on suspicion of first-degree harassment, according to online Boone County arrest records. The Columbia Police Department did not disclose where they were arrested on what they’re accused of.

Each of the men posted bond, according to jail records.

Drinkwitz said during his weekly news conference Tuesday that the athletic department is investigating what happened and will work within established protocols.

Click here to follow the original article.

Matthew Sanders

The Mizzou football team hopes it can keep on winning in the SEC this Saturday when Texas A&M comes to Columbia.

The No. 14 Tigers are favored over the Aggies. The game will get a national showcase, kicking off the Saturday slate on ABC at 11 a.m.

Do you think the Tigers will prevail? Let us know by voting in the poll.

Click here to follow the original article.

Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Since its announcement Tuesday, 172 high school seniors across Missouri have opted into the University of Missouri’s guaranteed admissions program.

Eligible students are high school students with a 3.0 GPA who have completed at least 12 credits of college-level courses through their school district’s early college program. School districts partnering with MU include Columbia Public Schools, Farmington School District, Lee’s Summit R-7 School District, Liberty Public Schools and North Kansas City Schools.

There is currently no limit on guaranteed spots. The requirements are meant to mirror how a typical MU student would perform. The program is also not binding, leaving students free to consider other schools.

“I think students that first week of school or that first week of August, and as we start the school year, to know that they’ve been accepted somewhere, just kind of takes a weight off their shoulders and makes senior year hopefully a little bit easier,” CPS Advanced Studies Coordinator Jacob Biener said.

Biener says 40 juniors out of 250 students in CPS’ early college program with Moberly Area Community College opted into guaranteed admissions. He adds that non-eligible students who may have started college-level courses late still can benefit from CPS covering class costs.

“Even though they aren’t getting an associate degree or getting auto-admitted to Mizzou, they’re still getting a huge jump start and likely still meeting all the requirements they need to be accepted to,” Biener said.

According to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, statewide college admissions have been on the decline. From 2020-25, the percentage of high school graduates going to a four-year college declined about 2.5%. Vocational and technical school enrollment saw around a 2% increase since 2020.

“Our enrollment numbers have held steady and we’re really proud of that,” said Mitzi Clayton, who is MU’s director of enrollment management strategic initiatives. “But, we are not naïve to think that what Dr. [Mun] Choi has indicated, that nationally, college-going rates are on the decline and so it behooves us not to look at alternative ways in which we can reach students.”

Clayton added MU is considering adding other school districts with pre-college programs to the partnership in the future.

MU also has a similar guaranteed admission program for 4-H students and also has unlimited spots. Clayton confirmed that enrollment in either guaranteed admission program will not be affected by the additional students.

“We have students that know they’re going to law school, med school, and this is a way to kind of go through that process a little bit quicker,” Biener said. “Even students that are first-time college students or first-gen college students and students that know they’re going to be pursuing higher degrees, what they have in common is kind of how hard they work and that they’re in this program together.”

Click here to follow the original article.

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The City of Columbia Public Works Department will hold an open house meeting next week about a pair of projects.

The meeting will be held 5:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15 in conference rooms 1A and 1B at city hall about the East Green Meadows Road/East Nifong Boulevard roundabout and the Pershing Road sidewalk project.

The roundabout project also includes pavement and sidewalk maintenance along East Green Meadows Road and Veterans United Drive. Construction is expected to begin summer 2028. Public comments can be left on the project’s BeHeard website.

Construction for a sidewalk on the east side of Pershing Road between Gary Street and Again Street Park will be begin during the fall of 2027. Public comments can be left on its BeHeard website.

Click here to follow the original article.