Category: kmiz-local-news

Ryan Shiner

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Jefferson City is finally getting its Olive Garden.

A spokesperson for the company confirmed in a Monday email that the chain will be located at 504 Missouri Boulevard, near the Marriott Hotel.

An opening date was not announced by the company, but the spokesperson said more information will be available once construction officially begins.

The chain’s only current location in Mid-Missouri is on Interstate 70 Drive Southwest in Columbia.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A portion of a downtown Columbia street and sidewalk will be closed for roughly a month beginning on Thursday, according to a Monday press release from the city.

The release says Park Avenue between Seventh and Eighth streets will be closed as crews make waterline connections for the East Park Avenue Apartments. The closure is expected to be in place from 7 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 30 through 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20.

The sidewalk on the north side of the road will be closed, while the south side sidewalk will stay open and will have signs placed to direct pedestrians to safe crossing points, the release says. Four parking meters on the southern side of the road will also be closed, the release says.

All three entrances to the Armory on Park Avenue will be closed and drivers should access the parking lot from East Ash Street, the release says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Department of Natural Resource has awarded $3.1 million to a Randolph County city so it can upgrade its wastewater treatment system.

The DNR announced in a Monday press release that it is giving money to Huntsville and that the city is expecting the funding to cover the entire cost of the project, which is slated to be done by May 2026.

Phase 1A of the project involves rehabbing the city’s sewerage collection system, the release says.

“The city expects the project to reduce water inflow and infiltration within the city’s collection system, which will assist with future wastewater treatment upgrades and extend the system’s life and efficiency,” the release says.

The release says $1.3 million of the project comes from a 20-year, low-interest loan, while $1.8 million comes from the DNR’s Clean Water State Revolving Fund. The release says the DNR’s funding is expected to save the city more than $1.8 million in principal and $580,00 in interest.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man with “homicidal ideations” was arrested after he allegedly bit and hit a Jefferson City police officer on Friday.

Jerrix Durham, 33, of Jefferson City, was charged in Cole County with third-degree assault of a special victim, misdemeanor fourth-degree assault and felony resisting arrest. He is being held at the Cole County Jail without bond. An arraignment was held on Monday and Durham applied for a public defender.

A counsel status hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Cole County Courthouse.

The probable cause statement says police were called at 11:43 a.m. Friday to the 2000 block of Alpine Court for a wellness check. The person who called police claimed Durham had “homicidal ideations” and is known to have a gun, the statement says.

Durham allegedly made threats to police and ignored commands from officers after they arrived, the statement says. While police tried to detain him, he allegedly bit one of the officers, court documents say. The officer hit the victim in his face multiple times “in attempt to gain compliance,” to no avail, court documents say. Durham then allegedly tried to grab the officer’s gun, court documents say.

Police used a stun gun three times, which did not work, and Durham continued to ignore orders from officers, the statement says. Durham and two officers fell down an embankment during a struggle and an officer used pepper spray “which did not appear to be effective,” court documents say.

One of the officers used a stun gun one more time, which worked and police were able to arrest Durham, the statement says. The assaulted officer was treated at an area hospital and released, the statement says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man accused of killing a Columbia man after setting him on fire over the summer was indicted by a Boone County grand jury on Friday.

Brandon Butchkoski, 47, of Columbia is charged with first-degree arson resulting in death, second-degree felony murder, first-degree arson and drug possession. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. An arraignment is scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday, Nov. 10.

He is accused of setting a porch on fire on June 15 in the 1500 block of Paris Road and killing Donovan Baylis, 31. Baylis died from his injuries on July 14. 

Butchkoski is also accused of setting a house on fire  in the same area of Paris Road on June 29.

He pleaded guilty in August to misdemeanor drug possession and was fined $100. Butchkoski is also facing an illegal gun possession charge in another case. He has a hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday in that case.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man who is accused of shooting and killing a Stephens College student last month in downtown Columbia was indicted by a grand jury on Friday.

Misael Covarrubias, 23, is charged in Boone County with second-degree murder, three counts of armed criminal action, two counts of first-degree assault and a single count of unlawful use of a weapon in the shooting death of Aiyanna Williams. 

He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. An arraignment is scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday, Nov. 10.

Covarrubias allegedly told police that he is from Florida but had been living in Columbia for about five months, court documents in previous reporting say.

He is accused of firing 11 shots at 1:42 a.m. on Sept. 27 and hitting three people.

Police initially said Covarrubias was involved in an argument and began firing, though none of the people hit by gunfire were involved in the exchange.

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Marie Moyer

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Callaway County has sued three property owners for alleged violation of the county’s floodplain rules.

The county commission sued T&T Pallet and Farmer Companies, or Farmer Holding Inc., as well as one residential homeowner.

According to court documents, Callaway County is included in FEMA’s National Flood Plain Insurance Program that provides flood insurance to property owners, renters and businesses. Due to the properties not complying with county floodplain ordinances, FEMA gave the county until Nov. 29, 2025 to bring the properties into compliance.

In court documents, “Callaway County has been informed that all property owners of Callaway County must be in compliance with the Callaway County Floodplain Ordinance, or else Callaway County, in its entirety, will be removed from the NFIP.”

Callaway County’s representative Travis Elliott adds that the deadline is not a hard date. However, the County plans for a restraining order on the properties from the judge to help make some progress.

“That is the main reason why the county is taking this additional step, because of the requirements that property owners comply with the floodplain ordinance of the county, which is overseen by SEMA and delegated that authority from FEMA,” said Callaway County’s representative Travis Elliott said.

First Street found that Callaway County is at moderate risk for flooding, with over 2,800 or around 11% of properties at risk over the next 30 years.

According to court documents, T&T Pallet’s pallets post a hazard if lost in a flood, and the county ordered the property owners to either remove the pallets or tie them down and secure them. T&T Pallet was contacted five times by the National Floodplain Insurance Program and county officials, but the company did not respond.

Petition for Declaratory Judgment, Temporary Restraining Order, Preliminary Injunction and Permanent InjunctionDownload

The county was able to get in contact with Farmer Holding, which was asked to submit plans to obtain the proper permits. However, the company was allegedly unable to provide documentation that it followed through.

Farmer Holding declined to comment for this story.

Petition for Declaratory Judgment, Temporary Restraining Order, Preliminary Injunction and Permanent Injunction (1)Download

The homeowner was found in violation of county ordinances due to a manufactured home being in a flood hazard area. The homeowners were asked to submit the appropriate permits and certificates but did not follow through.

“The issues are pretty straightforward,” Elliott said. “The counties had a flood plain ordinance in effect for a very long time, and the county has attempted to communicate with these property owners, and so I think that it’s pretty straightforward as far as what the requirements are.”

The judge has not ruled yet on the county’s restraining order.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 19-year-old Columbia man has been charged with three felonies in connection with a reported armed robbery in east Columbia.

Prosecutors charged Jordan Hunt on Monday with first-degree robbery, unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action. He remained in the Boone County Jail on Monday afternoon on no bond.

A probable cause statement says Hunt and an unnamed minor robbed the victim at gunpoint while riding in a car at about 1 p.m. Friday. The robbery happened while the vehicle was parked in front of 605 Talon Road, the statement says.

The victim said Hunt asked to see his pistol, and he agreed. The minor took the gun and pointed it at the victim while Hunt pulled out his own gun and trained it on the victim, the statement says. The victim then got out of Hunt’s vehicle, according to the statement.

The victim has known Hunt for years and identified him to the police, the statement says. Hunt and the minor were arrested at Hunt’s mother’s home, the statement says. Police say they found the victim’s stolen gun in a bathroom at the home.

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Matthew Sanders

Editor’s note: The lede of this story was corrected to reflect the crash occurred in 2024.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An 18-year-old man from Macon pleaded guilty Monday to four counts, including manslaughter, in a 2024 crash in southern Columbia.

Ty Frey pleaded guilty in Boone County before Judge Ben Miller to first-degree involuntary manslaughter, careless and imprudent driving, drunken driving and being an intoxicated minor. Sentencing is set for Jan. 5, 2026.

According to the Columbia Police Department, Killian Walker, 18, of Macon, was killed when the car he was in crashed around 2 a.m. Oct. 4, 2024, in the 800 block of West Old Plank Road. Frey, who was driving, and two other passengers suffered minor injuries.

Police said Frey drove off the road and hit a tree.

Court documents state that police found an empty 750 mL bottle of Hennessy in the car. Police said a breath test showed Frey’s blood alcohol was 0.070%.

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Matthew Sanders

Venezuela has become a big target for the Trump administration.

The American military has been building its presence in the area for weeks. Images of deadly strikes of alleged drug boats — and the possible legal implications of those strikes — have been seen around the world.

President Donald Trump is speaking publicly about strikes on drug infrastructure in Venezuelan territory.

The Trump administration says these deadly strikes are necessary to stop drugs from killing Americans. Critics say the strikes aren’t really effective and might be responsible for the deaths of innocent people.

Do you think the U.S. should ramp up its activity in Venezuela? Let us know by voting in the poll.

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