Category: kmiz-local-news

Nia Hinson

CAMDEN COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Lake Ozark man was seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash in Camden County on Sunday evening.

According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, a 56-year-old Osage Beach woman was driving an SUV on Bagnell Dam Boulevard around 6:30 p.m, when she swerved to avoid a stopped vehicle in the road. The women’s vehicle then crashed into a 2020 Ford F-550, which was stationary in the center turn lane, the report says.

Two passengers in the truck– a 21-year-old Lake Of the Ozarks man– and a 43-year-old Sullivan, Missouri man were injured in the crash. The 21-year-old suffered serious injuries and was taken to Lake Regional Hospital. The 43-year-old’s injuries are minor.

The woman suffered moderate injuries and was taken to Lake Regional Hospital, according to the report.

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Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Willie’s/Fieldhouse bar in downtown Columbia held its annual staff training on Sunday with SAFE Bar Network on how to recognize and de-escalate situations that could potentially turn dangerous.

“We focus on skills to recognize uncomfortable and unsafe behavior, interrupt in a way that’s effective and de-escalate and then provide each other support,” SAFE Bar Network Executive Director Haleigh Harrold said.

The national organization works closely with Willie’s/Fieldhouse to train bar staff twice a year. Willies is the only downtown bar that receives training through the SAFE Bar Network.

The training came three weeks after a deadly downtown shooting killed Stephens College student Aiyanna Williams and injured two others. Since then, University of Missouri and city leaders have been cracking down on crime downtown.

Willie’s/Fieldhouse server Shelby Truitt said reducing crime in Columbia starts inside the bar, and includes being mindful of overconsumption of alcohol.

“Having people leave here with a better state of mind, I feel like will help the streets in general because who knows if it’s a college student that’s starting a mess or if it is someone just on the streets,” Truitt said.

Harrold showed Willie’s/Fieldhouse team members how to de-escalate situations that could become dangerous.

She said the de-escalation tools team members learned, can potentially reduce crime in the city.

“It’s absolutely possible if folks are working on de-escalation and being mindful not to over serve that we can reduce more intense forms of violence that might happen outside of the venue,” Harrold said.

Willie’s/Fieldhouse Manager Myles Robinson said he worries about his staff and customers and wants to make sure everyone makes it home safely at the end of the night.

“Pretty much anything that we can do to make sure that people are coming in the venue, leaving the venue safe and having a good time while here, without scaring them or being for real, like ‘hey, just walk with somebody’,” Robinson said.

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Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Millions of Americans could lose access to essential food assistance in November as the federal shutdown drags on. That number includes more than 700,000 Missourians.

The USDA Food and Nutrition Service has directed state agencies to pause the distribution of November SNAP benefits, which are fully funded by the federal government. However, the Missouri Department of Social Services said it will continue to accept and process new SNAP applications, reported changes and mid-certifications as normal, according to its website.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the food stamp program will run out in two weeks.

“So you’re talking about millions and millions of vulnerable families, of hungry families that are not going to have access to these programs because of this shutdown,” Rollins said in a CNN report.

SNAP, the nation’s largest anti-hunger program, has a contingency fund of roughly $6 billion, short of the $8 billion needed to cover November benefits. The USDA’s shutdown plan states that multi-year contingency funds are available to help provide benefits during a funding lapse.

According to Missouri Department of Social Service, Missouri households receive $1.7 billion in food assistance annually, with an average of 717,668 monthly recipients.

About 35% of Columbia residents live in low-income households. This group includes many working individuals whose earnings are above the poverty line but still not enough to cover basic needs, leaving them reliant on social services for support.

Many are also college students.

About 14% of Columbia residents live in extreme poverty, meaning their household income is less than half of the federal poverty line, according to a 2021 report from the City of Columbia.

Cheryl Landry, a Columbia resident of 15 years, said the shutdown is already affecting her. Landry is on several federal government assistance programs.

“I’m a senior citizen, I’m a cancer patient and by cutting all these personnel, especially the CDC and the Department of Health, they’re taking away hope from cancer patients,” Landry said.

Landry said on top of the added stress, the cut to SNAP is worrisome to think about.

“I literally won’t be able to live if I lose my SNAP benefits,” Landry. “They don’t care they’re billionaires and from the look of them, they’re not missing a meal.”

For now, Landry said she plans to rely on food she has stored in her pantry and freezer, which should last about a month and a half, before turning to her church and family for help.

Another Columbia resident, Jekheisia Cole, said the shutdown has put a strain on her household as well.

“Financially, it’s affecting us. Organizations that can normally help are unable to help, so that affects us. My mother is disabled, so a lot of the places that normally help aren’t given the help,” Cole said. “So, it’s harder on everyone because I look out for her and as a result, the state, or normally the government will look out for her but there’s nobody to do that now so it’ a little harder.”

Feeding Missouri’s spokesperson Kim Buckman previously told ABC 17 News that families would start to feel disruptions

“The concern is, if it stretches into November, when the USDA can’t obligate new funds, that’s when families could start to feel the disruptions. That’s when food banks will start to see more demand and overflow,” Buckman said.

According to the City of Columbia’s 2025 fiscal year budget report, there are 2,131 families in poverty in the city, 3,068 in Boone County and 131,020 families in the state.

Jennifer Shedosky, a Columbia resident who works in the medical field, said she is already seeing patients worry about their future.

“I see a lot of people being confused about their health care and not having a place to go. Many workers are unable to answer the question of people that have issues that need to be dealt with today,” Shedosky said.

She added that the potential loss of food assistance could be devastating.

“I think that’s horrific,” Shedosky said. “There’s people struggling hard enough as it is. We’ve barely made it out of COVID and now we’ve got all of this hitting us, and I think it’s a lot of broken promises on the part of our government leaving people suffering.”

According to the Department of Social Services, the USDA will continue to share updates with Missouri as new information emerges.

Meanwhile, residents are simply hoping the shutdown ends soon.

“My hope is that Trump gets off his high horse and treats us like we’re humans instead of you know a number. We’re humans, we’re not numbers,” Cole said.

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Haley Swaino

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

One person was hospitalized with serious injuries after a single-vehicle crash in Boone County on Saturday, according to Boone County Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Gale Blomenkamp.

It happened shortly before 3:30 p.m. on northbound Highway 63, just north of the 763 on-ramp.

Courtesy: Nikki B

Boone County Joint Communications sent a notification at 3:31 p.m. that said one lane of Highway 63 was closed due to a crash. Drivers were asked to choose a different route.

All lanes were reopened for normal traffic by 3:52 p.m., according to another BCJC notification.

Blomenkamp said the driver was taken to University Hospital.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is reminding drivers that October ranks as a high-activity month for deer, and vehicles should be cautious on the road, especially during dawn and dusk.

The MSHP reported 2,951 deer-related crashes last year, resulting in four deaths and 420 injuries. On Monday, an Eldon man was seriously hurt in Cole County after hitting a deer and crashing his motorcycle.

Statewide deer numbers appear to be declining. According to the Missouri Department of Conservation, hunters harvested around 327,000 deer in 2023 compared to about 276,000 in the 2024 season, an over 15% drop.

This year, deer harvest numbers have remained generally average in Mid-Missouri, with several counties bringing in around 100-200 deer. Other counties like Callaway, Morgan and Camden have hunted more than 300 deer. The Missouri Department of Natural Resources also planned a managed deer hunt in Rock Bridge Memorial State Park and the Gans Creek Wild Area for November due to signs of overpopulation.

The MSHP reports that the majority of deer crashes happen between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. Deer are also most active in October and November due to mating season.

Drivers are reminded to stay aware of deer in both rural and urban areas, with the MSHP reporting that around a fifth of last year’s deer crashes happened in urban areas. To help avoid a crash, drivers should not swerve around deer to reduce the chances of losing control. It’s also recommended to keep a safe following distance in case the vehicle ahead stops suddenly for a deer.

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Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

EDITOR’S NOTE: The street where the fire occurred has been corrected.

A home in north Columbia was damaged after reports of it being struck by lightning on Saturday afternoon.

According to Fire Marshal Chris Gilstrap, firefighters were called to a home on Smiley Lane for a fire. Several people in the area reported seeing lightning, followed by smoke coming from the home, Gilstrap said.

“A preliminary investigation leads to a lightning strike that caused a fire,” Gilstrap said.

Assistant Fire ChiefLester Shewmake said the fire was brought under control within eight minutes.

No one was home during the time and no injuries were reported, Gilstrap said.

An ABC 17 News reporter saw damage to the roof of the home.

Columbia fire marshals are continuing an origin and cause investigation, according to Shewmake.

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Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

“No Kings” protests took place across the United States on Saturday in opposition of President Donald Trump, including in Columbia.

Chants of “no fear, no hate, no ICE in our state!” were heard in the morning, as hundreds of protesters gathered at the Boone County Courthouse Plaza.

This marked the second such protest in Columbia, with the first taking place in June.

Carmel Skrable was holding a sign that said “We want America back,” while sitting on the columns near the courthouse.

“Growing up in America, you had so many freedoms that I’ve taken for granted,” Skrable said. “Now, I’m starting to question those freedoms.”

Skrable said arrests made by Immigration and Customs Enforcement that “snatch people off the street,” as well as inflation and insurance rates potentially going up is where her frustration lies.

“I’m here because I want America back the way I remember it,” Skrable said.

Owen Ramsingh’s wife and his best friend, Robert Olson, were at the protest to raise awareness about his story and raise money for legal fees.

ICE detained Ramsingh in September after he came back from the Netherlands, where he was born. ICE cites drug charges on his record from his youth for his arrest. Ramsingh has held a green card since 1986, and he is now being held in El Paso, Texas.

Robert Olson said the organizers of the protest invited them to set up a booth.

“It’s a story that people around here can actively help with,” Olson said. “It’s a cause that they can have influence on right away.”

Protesters also marched through city streets, chanting and waving their signs. One protester even traveled four hours to join her friends in the march.

“There’s a lot of things about this administration that I don’t agree with,” Tori Willis said. “ICE is a huge part of it. I think they’re treating people inhumanely, immoral.”

Willis’ sign said “They blame immigrants, so you won’t blame billionaires.”

Willis said the sign points out that politicians are using immigrants as a distraction from other issues.

“All the corrupt mess and all the villainization of these communities, you know, they’re pointing us away from the Epstein files, they’re pointing us away from the things they’re trying to do underneath,” Willis said.

No counter-protests were seen.

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Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Patients are asked to put on a loose-fitting short-sleeved shirt and grab their insurance card before heading to MU Health Care’s drive-thru vaccine clinic at the South Providence Medical Park in Columbia on Saturday. The afternoon clinic is MU Health Care’s first drive-thru vaccination event of the season.

In 2024, Missouri faced one of the toughest cold and flu seasons to date, peaking at a little under 20,000 flu cases, the highest numbers seen in the past decade. The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reported 67 influenza cases in the state the week of Oct. 5, 2025, with 41 cases reported in Boone County.

Flu shots will be available for those 6 months and older Saturday. Following new CDC guidelines, COVID-19 shots will only be available for high-risk and vulnerable groups, meaning adults 65 and older or adults with a self-attested qualifying condition. Patients who claim they have a qualifying condition must sign a consent form before receiving a COVID shot.

MU Health Care Dr. Laura Morris adds that patients without qualifying conditions should still talk with their doctor or grab a doctor’s note and head to a local pharmacy to get a COVID booster

“If you’ve been vaccinated, you are very much less likely, sometimes as much as 50%, even up to 80 or 90% less likely to end up dying from the disease, or in those serious health care situations,” Morris said.

Saturday’s event will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

MU Health Care is offering several Flu and COVID vaccination events in October:

Oct. 20 at the Fayette Family Medicine Clinic from 4-6 p.m.

Oct. 21 at the Keene St. Family Medicine Clinic from 5-7 p.m.

Oct. 23 at the Ashland Family Medicine Clinic from 4:30-6:45 p.m.

Oct. 25 at the South Providence Medical Park from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

Oct. 25 at the Boonville Family Medicine Clinic from 9-11 a.m.

Oct. 30 at the Missouri Orthopedic Institute from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A silver advisory issued on Friday night for an 84-year-old man who went missing at a gravel road southeast of Cairo has been canceled, according to a release from the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office.

Carl J. Garrison was found safely after he went missing at 3 p.m. Friday, according to an updated advisory.

Previous information indicated he stopped his truck on a gravel road, his significant other got out of the vehicle and he drove off.

The vehicle was described as a white 2023 Ford F150 with Missouri plates reading “6FJH04.” The vehicle was last seen on an unknown gravel road that is southeast of Cairo.

This Ford F-150 was driven by a missing man. [Courtesy Randolph County Sheriff’s Office]

Garrison is described as an 84-year-old white man who is 5-feet, 8-inches tall, weighs 200 pounds and has blue eyes.

The advisory said he has “possible cognitive impairment and hearing impairment.”

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Mitchell Kaminski

​​COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

​​The Missouri Department of Transportation and law enforcement officials are urging drivers to slow down and stay alert in work zones along Interstate 70, where construction, traffic congestion, and recent crashes have raised safety concerns in Boone and Callaway counties.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol Troop F crash reports, 39 crashes involving 82 vehicles have occurred along I-70 between Jan. 1-Sept. 30. Troop F covers much of Mid-Missouri. MoDOT told ABC 17 News in September that eight semitrucks have overturned in work zones.

Despite the wrecks, MoDOT reports no work-zone deaths in the first two quarters of 2025. Boone County Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Gale Blomenkamp said his crews have responded to more than half-a-dozen crashes in I-70 work zones in eastern Boone County during the past two months.

Construction and delays

MoDOT’s Central District has 12 active construction areas along I-70 in Boone and Callaway counties, with multiple pavement and bridge projects expected to cause delays through 2027.

On the westbound side, work zones include pavement projects near the Highway 54 interchange in Callaway County, Route J, Route M and the Highway 63 connector in Boone County. A long-term bridge reconstruction project between the Highway 54 west ramp and Route M in Callaway County is expected to last through February 2026.

For eastbound travelers, similar construction is underway between Highway 54, Route J and Route Z interchanges, as well as bridge work near Route HH in Callaway County. Several projects will continue into late 2027.

MoDOT officials said the $2.8 billion Improve I-70 Project remains on schedule for completion in December 2030. Nearly 500 people are currently working across the corridor, and MoDOT engineers report several “close calls” in recent months as crews and heavy machinery operate beside moving traffic.

Recent crashes and traffic impacts

Recent incidents have underscored the hazards in the corridor.

Sept. 13: A car overturned near mile-marker 140 in Callaway County, shutting down part of westbound I-70 for nearly an hour. Traffic backed up for miles, and a wide-load vehicle later became stuck after avoiding construction warning signs.

Oct. 4: A multi-vehicle crash near Boonville closed both directions of I-70 around mile-marker 91. At least one vehicle caught fire, and troopers reported heavy smoke and damaged vehicles blocking the highway. No injuries were reported, but the incident kept lanes closed for several hours.

MSHP and MoDOT say they are working closely to identify crash hot spots and increase patrols to curb aggressive driving in construction zones.

With football season underway, MoDOT has been issuing weekly traffic updates ahead of University of Missouri home games, when I-70 traffic volumes typically spike. Officials also remind drivers that fines double in work zones when workers are present.

MoDOT encourages motorists to check traveler information maps and plan for extra travel time through Boone and Callaway counties as construction continues.

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