Category: kmiz-local-news

Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

University of Missouri System President Mun Choi met with Gov. Mike Kehoe on Tuesday to discuss public safety in the city, but some area leaders were absent.

“I was disappointed, not just that I wasn’t there, that’s not a big deal, but that my police chief wasn’t there,” Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe said.  

Choi started asking city leaders to crack down on crime after a Stephens College student was shot and killed in late September.

Columbia crime has gone up by nearly 50% since 2024, but crime against persons is up by 2.4%, according to the Columbia Police Department’s Crime Trends Dashboard.

Buffalo claims the crime data is high because of there’s more CPD officers patrolling and charging people. She said the eight people hired since June are a part of why there are so many charges.

University spokesperson Christopher Ave cited the CPD dashboard in an email to ABC 17 News on Wednesday, saying the Columbia rise in crime is “unacceptable.” In that same email, Ave said city leaders need to step up and do something about it.

Buffaloe said the city and university have a good working relationship.

“I think seeing that a meeting happened where the police department was not invited does not show that this is a two-way street,” Buffaloe said. “I would just like to hope going forward that we will see our police chief or at least command staff involved in the conversations.”

Other city leaders were not invited to meet with the governor.

“I appreciate the concern about crime in Columbia, but these conversations need to include the folks with ‘boots on the ground,'” Ward 6 Councilwoman Betsy Peters wrote in an email to ABC 17. “Chief (Jill) Schlude and Sheriff (Dwayne) Carey should have been there along with the city and county reps as this effort needs continued support in terms of funding and staffing.”

“I’m disappointed that we were left out since we will be the ones responsible for implementing the solution(s),” Ward 5 Councilman Don Waterman also sent in an email.

CPD said they did not receive information for the meeting.

Spokesperson for the governor Gabby Picard said the Missouri State High Patrol and the Missouri Department of Public Safety joined Choi in the meeting.

Columbia’s overall crime is up by about 50% from last year, according to CPD’s dashboard which includes crimes like bad checks and wire fraud.

The ABC 17 News team narrowed the search in the dashboard to crimes against persons–which sorts out nonviolent crimes like bad checks or impersonation, and only includes assault, sexual assault, fondling, rape, human trafficking, incest, intimidation, manslaughter, murder and sodomy.

Last year, there were 82 reported crimes in this category, and 84 this year, according to the dashboard.

Crimes against society are just over 140% up from last year. This category includes weapons, prostitution, drugs and pornography offenses. There were 29 offenses this year compared to 12 last year, with six weapon offenses.

Buffaloe said this category has seen the biggest increase since last year because law enforcement is charging more people for crimes like public urination and jaywalking.

The last category CPD uses is crime against property, which includes vandalism, car theft, larceny and fraud. This category is down 2.2% from last year, with 132 offenses this year compared to 135 last year.

Data reported to the Missouri State Highway Patrol within CPD’s jurisdiction for property and violent crimes shows a decline. Violent crime consists of murder (consisting of murder and non-negligent manslaughter), robbery, aggravated assault and rape.

Through November, MSHP data shows violent crime is down in the city by about 5% from the same point last year (424 in 2025 compared to 444 in 2024). The same data set shows burglary is down by 40% through November (244 in 2025 compared to 411 at the same point in 2024), while motor vehicle thefts are down 53%, fraud is down 4%, arson declined from 29 reported instances in 2024 to 11 this year and larceny is down roughly 11%.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Western District Court of Appeals rewrote ballot language Thursday for a measure that seeks to repeal a constitutional amendment that enshrined a right to abortion last fall, finding the language submitted by the state’s top election official needed more work.

The woman who first brought the lawsuit, Anna Fitz-James, appealed a lower court’s decision certifying Secretary of State Denny Hoskins’ Amendment 3 language for the ballot. She claimed that the ballot measure included multiple subjects and that the language did not accurately describe what would happen if the amendment were approved.

The legislature approved HJR 73 to put the amendment on the ballot.

The court found that the measure does not violate the Missouri Constitution’s requirement that ballot measures deal with just one subject. However, it found that none of the ballot statements had sufficiently explained the measure, which would repeal and replace language voters inserted into the Missouri Constitution in November 2024.

An example of the insufficient ballot language is the lack of a mention that it would repeal the amendment approved in November 2024, the judges concluded. The language as submitted is “likely to confuse voters,” the decision states.

Amemdent 3 decisionDownload

The court also said Hoskins’ language should have included that the amendment would restrict abortions for rape and incest to no more than 12 weeks after conception.

“… The exclusion of the twelve-week time restriction in HJR 73’s summary statement could inaccurately insinuate to voters that abortion access would be more expansive in cases of rape and incest than actually permitted under HJR 73.”

The court ruled that language that explains a ban on gender-affirming care for minors should describe these treatments as being “for the purpose of gender transitions” instead of “sex-change procedures.”

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Arson charges were unsealed Wednesday against a Mexico, Missouri, man more than two months after a fire that caused significant damage to a home.

Mexico police arrested Kent D. Erwin on Wednesday afternoon on warrants for second-degree arson, a felony, and third-degree arson, a misdemeanor. He was in Audrain County Jail custody on Wednesday with no bond.

Police say they arrested Erwin without incident.

Officers determined the Sept. 27 fire in the 700 block of Union Street was purposely set because the resident was not home when the fire broke out, and the house didn’t have working utilities, according to a probable cause statement. Police say they were aware of issues between Erwin and the resident leading up to the fire.

The blaze caused significant damage to the house and heat damage to a neighboring house.

Erwin told police a few days later that he left Mexico before the time of the fire, but officers saw burns on his right hand, the statement says. Erwin reportedly told police he had fallen off a bicycle.

Witnesses said Erwin was near the house that night, drunk, and video confirmed he was in the area, according to the statement.

Investigators say Erwin’s medical records show he was treated for first- and second-degree burns on his right arm and hand a few days after the fire.

Audrain County Prosecuting Attorney Jacob Shellabarger successfully asked a judge to seal the case until Erwin’s arrest. Erwin’s warrant says he was jailed without bond because he is a danger to the victim or community.

An initial hearing was set for Thursday morning.

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Gabrielle Teiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man was arrested in Callaway County on Wednesday afternoon, following a standoff with the Callaway County Sheriff’s Office.

According to an email from the Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to the 4400 block of Samantha Road outside Millersburg to arrest Antonio Watson on warrants out of Randolph County for failing to register as a sex offender and third-degree domestic assault.

Upon arrival, deputies learned Watson was inside a trailer and refused to come out, according to the email. A BearCat was called to the scene

The agency said negotiators attempted to speak with Watson multiple times over 45 minutes.

Around 3:25 p.m., Watson agreed to come out of the trailer; however, he failed to follow the deputies’ orders to come out with his hands up and to comply with demands.

After deputies tried to get Watson to follow directions, they used a “less-lethal impact weapon,” and Watson was taken into custody, according to the email.

The email states Watson is currently housed in the Callaway County Jail on the two Randolph County charges, along with additional probable cause charges of resisting arrest for a felony, failure to register as a sex offender and unlawful possession of drugs.

He is being held on a $30,000 bond.

As of 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, formal charges were not available.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

With extreme cold temperatures across Mid-Missouri on Thursday morning, warming centers will be available, as there is potential risk of hypothermia.

Thursday is an ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather Alert Day, as arctic air and light winds combine to create wind chills near zero. Highs reach the low 20s under partly cloudy skies.

Hypothermia can happen in frigid temperatures; however, it can also occur during cool temperatures above 40 degrees. There are multiple warning signs that you may be suffering from hypothermia, such as:

Shivering

Exhaustion

Confusion

Fumbling hands

Memory loss

Slurred speech

Drowsiness

If someone is experiencing the symptoms, it is important to immediately get to a warm place, cover them with extra blankets and seek medical help as soon as possible.

There are several warming centers throughout Mid-Missouri where people can go to get away from the frigid cold temperatures.

Warming centers available in Columbia include:

Columbia Public Library

City Hall

The Salvation Army Harbor House on North Ann Street

Salvation Army on West Ash Street

The Arc

Columbia Boone County Health Department

Jefferson City options include:

The Salvation Army on Jefferson Street

Clark Senior Center

The Missouri Regional Library

Other warming center locations across Missouri can be found here.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An entertainment district at the Lake of the Ozarks that is expected to open next year will receive additional funding from the state’s Property Assessed Clean Energy program.

Oasis at Lakeport in Osage Beach –which will be located at Highway 54 and Jeffries Road, adjacent to the Grand Glaize Bridge – will receive $65 million in PACE financing, according to information from the state’s energy department.

Information from MoEnergy says the resort is the largest PACE project so far. Energy efficiency upgrades are expected to save $91 million over the course of 20 years.

The development in total is expected to cost $495 million, nearly $200 million more than the initial total reported in 2023. The project includes a 402-room Marriott hotel and conference center, parking garage, an indoor waterpark and outdoor amusement park.

Roughly 1,500 construction jobs are expected to be created along with 500 full-time jobs once it is complete, the state claims.

The amusement park and parking garage are expected to be open by Labor Day 2026, according to Todd Schneider from SkyView Partners. The resort and water park will open in late 2027, he said.

Lakeport Resort & Oasis Amusement ParkDownload

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

State Rep. Jeff Vernetti (R-Camdenton) announced his reelection bid in the Missouri House of Representatives in a Wednesday press release.

Vernetti first won his seat last year. State representatives serve two-year terms. The release says focuses of his campaign include “accessibility and constituent service.”

He owns LOZ Sports Training and Vernetti’s Italian Grocer and has “co-founded or co-owned several major enterprises in the region, including Ballparks National,” the release says. He is also described as a real estate developer.

“When I ran for office in 2024, I believed the Lake area was being overlooked and that we needed a true voice in Jefferson City,” Vernetti said in the release. “I am proud to be that voice. I have been guided every step of the way by my faith, my family, and the shared values of our community. Those principles helped drive significant victories for our region in my first term.”

He was born in St. Louis and graduated from Lafayette High School, the release says. He has a bachelor of science degree in mass communications from Southeast Missouri State, according to the release.

The release says he has also served on the boards of Central Ozarks Medical Center, the Lake West Chamber of Commerce and the Lake of the Ozarks Regional Economic Development Council. He is a member of the Camdenton Rotary Club, Osage Beach Elks Club and Calvary Chapel Lake of the Ozarks, according to the release.

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Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Just two months into the 2026 fiscal year, Columbia has already nearly exhausted its utility assistance funds.

So far, the city has spent $580,000 of its $600,000 for the year, prompting the Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services to request an additional $200,000 from reserves.

According to a City Council memo, PHHS says the extra funding would keep the program running through December, noting that average nightly lows of about 24 degrees make utility assistance an essential safeguard for vulnerable residents’ health and safety.

The memo also pointed to several economic pressures driving the need for additional funding, with the recent federal shutdown and the pause on SNAP benefits cited as the biggest factors. With colder months approaching, officials say extra resources are needed to prevent service disruptions for households already under financial strain.

“What we’re noticing is this is also a national trend we’re seeing, I believe, about 6 million or so households are about to actually go to collections due to overdue utility bills. So we are obviously part of that national statistic here in  Columbia,” PHHS spokesman Austin Krohn said. “It is surprising that we kind of went through that as quickly as we did this early in the fiscal year. But we are working with the city council and the city manager’s office to kind of remedy that situation.” 

The last time the city found itself in a similar situation was during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Things are getting more expensive for everyone.  So that is the leading cause is affordability,” Krohn said. 

Krohn added that the situation is fluid. 

“We’re really going to just try to get this extra money and see where we’re at at that time again,” Krohn said. “We’re certainly going to have to just ride out the situation and see where it takes us.” 

The Utility Assistance Program helps residents pay their electric and water bills, but only certain households qualify. According to the City of Columbia, the program is limited to seniors, people with disabilities and families with children 18 or younger.

Household income must be at or below 200% of the federal poverty level. Applicants are chosen through a monthly lottery and, if selected, receive funding from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30. Assistance is available once per year, with applications accepted from Sept. 1 through Aug. 31.

The amount of help varies by utility provider. City of Columbia electric customers receive $900 annually, while water, sewer and trash accounts are eligible for $600. Boone Electric, Ameren and other public utility district customers can each receive $200 per year.

“We are here to provide that service, that utility assistance service, and we just had an extra volume of people that needed the service or applied for the service. So it’s not like we’re spending the money willy-nilly. It is going to people that need the service,” Krohn said. “Obviously, people can feel how they’re going to feel but I would refrain from just saying we’re burning through the money like that.”

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Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Steve Tubbesing sits in his office on Brown Station Road in Columbia roughly four months after he and his family experienced what he called a “nightmare” with a newly found mindset.

Tubbesing is the grandfather to 11-and 8-year-old children who attend Jefferson Middle School and Ridgeway Elementary. Two days into the school year, his family experienced horror and uncertainty when the two were dropped off at a bus stop about 16 miles away from their actual bus stop.

“I mean that day that happened, she (the bus driver) didn’t run the whole route. She only ran half the route and she still had half a school bus full of kids when she took off for Hallsville,” Tubbesing said.

Months later, that bus driver no longer drives the school bus his granddaughters ride on, and Tubbesing no longer fears sending his family away.

“He shows up on time in the mornings and drops them off right where he’s supposed to in the evenings,” Tubbesing said. “It’s a big relief because we know where they’re going and when they’re going.”

Columbia Public Schools switched bus companies to DS Bus Lines heading into this school year, a switch from Student Transportation of America. At the beginning of the school year, parents claimed they were experiencing delays and wait times with the new company. The district had asked parents to be patient at the time, while the company worked through changes with the new company.

The new bus line also offers safety features, including giving parents the opportunity to track their child’s bus in real time using the app “Beacon Connect Family App,” as well as cameras inside and outside the buses.

District spokeswoman Michelle Baumstark told ABC 17 News via email on Wednesday the app launched for parents in September. Since then, 1,530 people have downloaded it, according to Baumstark.

An email with instructions on how to use the app was sent to families with children who ride buses and wish to use it. The app doesn’t allow people to track any bus around town, but rather has a radius around the student’s bus stop and alerts people when the bus enters that zone.

Baumstark claims buses have been running well and CPS is having a good year.

“The buses are brand new, we have a new transportation provider, and we have regular routes staffed.  DS is always looking to build its driver pool to allow for more flexibility when drivers need to be absent and to take on more field trip and travel charters,” Baumstark wrote.

While some are seeing improvements in routes and experiencing fewer delays, some like Jordan Jones– the mother to a seventh grader at Bethel Street Center– are still dealing with headaches. Jones said she experiences delays, usually in the morning roughly once a month.

The latest incident was on Monday, when Jones says her son was never picked up for school. Jones said she and her son waited at his bus stop, which is scheduled to pick him up at 6:59 a.m., and the two were outside waiting around 6:45 a.m. She called the bus company around 7:15 a.m. and was told the bus came around 11 minutes early that morning, which she says never happened.

Jones said she received a notification around 6:50 a.m. that the bus was in their range, but it never came to their house.

“I’ve not been very pleased, they’re not very reliable,” Jones said. “I don’t know if it’s frustrating because they have to come all the way down the street and you know, actually do do curbside drop-off but I don’t care. It’s a safety issue for my son. He has curbside pickup and drop-off for a reason.”

Jones said her mother, who happened to be in town that day ended up taking her son to school hours later after the bus never showed, forcing him to miss a couple of hours of school.

Jones says she thinks on paper the app is a good idea, but still sees flaws. For instance, she said she believes the app should send notifications regardless of whether or not the app is open on a person’s phone.

“It’s kind of nice because in the afternoon it (the bus) doesn’t always drop-off at the same time, so it’s kind of nice to be able to not have to sit outside for half an hour and wait for the bus to get there,” Jones said. “It’s nice to be able to see when the bus is almost there and just head outside then but again, you have to have the app open.”

Jones said moving forward, she’d like to see the buses become more reliable and be at her house when they’re supposed to be and communicate/ fix mistakes on their end when they occur.

“Situations like Monday when the bus did not come back for my son, that’s not OK,” Jones said.

Tubbesing wasn’t aware of the new app and said he chooses to utilize “Find my iPhone” after August’s incident, saying his 8-year-old now has an iPhone for tracking purposes. The app experienced a few glitches on Wednesday while he signed up, but he still said he finds it to be helpful, in theory.

“I feel better about it because then I know exactly where the bus is at,” Tubbesing said. “The other day the roads were bad so we picked the kids up from school early ourselves but I’m sure the buses were running late that day because of traffic and bad roads and everything, so yeah, I feel good about it.”

ABC 17 News reached out to DS Bus Lines.

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Haley Swaino

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Two massive data center projects are moving forward in Montgomery County — one as part of Amazon’s data center campus.

The Montgomery County Commission received an administrative review confirming land approval for the proposed data canters near the Interstate 70 and Highway 19 interchange.

Project Green is by Kansas City’ real estate company NorthPoint Development, LLC. Steve Etcher with the Greater Montgomery County Economic Development Council said Amazon wants to build a data center just north of I-70, between New Florence and High Hill.

Project Green would cover about 1,000 acres. Plans include four initial buildings, with 13 more to be built in a second phase. Power would come from Ameren under its new “large load tariff” model. Water would come from the Montgomery County Public District.

The other project is by a New York-based company called Spade Property Owner, LLC. Project Spade would cover about 780 acres, according to documents. Plans include three large primary buildings — each with more than a million square feet under its roof.

A security guard station, visitor center with parking, a pump house and water filtration building are also in the plans.

Building permits have not yet been secured, according to the Montgomery County Commission. The next step in the development process will be the purchase of the land.

A town hall is set for 6:30 p.m. Monday at Montgomery City Elementary.

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