Category: kmiz-local-news

Alison Patton

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri Secretary of State Denny Hoskins has until Aug. 4 to certify or reject the referendum petition to put the 2025 Congressional map on the November ballot.

In a statement to ABC 17 News, Hoskins said the 2025 map is the “law of the land.”

“I am still verifying and certifying the signatures of the referendum and will have that work completed by the August 4 constitutional deadline. I am also continuing to research the constitutionality of a referendum on a congressional redistricting map,” Hoskins wrote in an email.

The group backing the referendum, People Not Politicians, claim they already have enough signatures.

“We are over 6,000 signatures more than what is needed in all six congressional districts, so we’re just waiting for Denny Hoskins to do his job,” PNP executive director Richard von Glahn said.

If Hoskins certifies the referendum, then it goes in front of voters on the November ballot, but certifying the referendum means that Missouri’s current congressional districts go back to the 2022 map, which could raise questions about whether the August election was held legally.

“What that means legally, we don’t know yet,” Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon said. “So, that will be something played out in court if that happens.”

If it isn’t certified — which is what von Glahn said that’s what he’s preparing for — then PNP will take Hoskins’ decision back to court.

“If he issues a certificate of insufficiency and we challenge that, that is supposed to go to the top of the docket in Cole County,” von Glahn said.

Lawmakers passed the 2025 congressional map during a special session for redistricting, and it has been challenged multiple times in court. Missouri courts have upheld the map, and the state’s legal team has stalled court cases, trying to drag it out.

Although von Glahn said he is confident a Cole County judge will be swift in carrying out a decision if PNP takes Hoskins to court between the August and November elections, there could be delays.

“Now, whether or not there are nefarious actors who seek delay and instead of resolution, I’m quite certain there will be,” von Glahn said.

He also said PNP will know next steps once Hoskins makes a decision.

Lennon said the last day to add anything to the November ballot is Sept. 8.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Temporary changes are coming to Jefferson City’s bus system next week because of staffing shortages, according to a Wednesday press release from the city.

The green and gold routes will alternate service throughout the day, as will the blue and red routes, according to the release.

The release says the city is asking for passengers to plan ahead and be aware “that buses will not operate on their normal frequency during this service modification.”

The release did not give an estimate for how long this schedule will be in place. The changes are set to begin Monday.

The full schedule can be found below.

Copy of Alternating Routes 2026Download

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Jessica Hafner

The ABC 17 Stormtrack Weather Team has issued a Weather Alert Day for Tuesday as dangerous heat lingers one last day.

A Heat Advisory replaces the Heat Warning for areas that may still feel a 100-105 degree heat index on Tuesday.

The upper-level ridge, or “heat dome,” is sliding west. As this happens, it makes it more likely for us to catch disturbances traversing the dome’s edge. This brings a chance for showers and clouds today that may limit heat in the north and west. Additionally, a cold front is slipping in from the northeast, although this won’t correct our airmass until Wednesday.

Lower humidity is forecast for Wednesday and Thursday.

Remember to stay hydrated with plenty of water and electrolyte drinks if you do have to spend longer periods of time outside. In these conditions, all age groups can experience heat-related illnesses and heat exhaustion. Take breaks indoors and make sure your pets have a cool place to rest, along with plenty of water. Limit their walks to around dawn or dusk to keep them safe in these conditions.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Eight new cases of cyclosporiasis were reported in Boone County on Wednesday, according to a spokesman from the Columbia/Boone County Public Health and Human Services.

Total cases in Boone County now sits at 53, a jump from 45 on Tuesday. Cole County’s health department reported seven total cases on Wednesday.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services has reported 216 cases in the state this week.

The University of Missouri said last week that it has pulled iceberg lettuce from its dining halls in response to a recall.

Walmart had removed four bagged lettuce brands from its shelves in 27 states, according to previous reporting.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A former teacher who was accused of child sex crimes was found not guilty, the Saline County prosecutor told ABC 17 News on Wednesday.

Justin Hendricks, of Marshall, was charged in 2024 with first-degree sexual abuse and second-degree child molestation, among other charges. He was acquitted of all seven charges, according to his attorney and the prosecutor.  

Authorities accused Hendricks of abusing two youth over multiple years, court documents from previous reporting show.

Previous reporting shows Hendricks had denied the allegations when he was confronted by law enforcement.

Hendricks had previously worked as a high school social studies teacher in the Carrollton R-7 School District during the 2018-19 and 2019-20 school year, previous reporting shows. The charges were not related to the school, the district told ABC 17 News in 2024.

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Ellyse Edwards

COLUMBIA, Mo (KMIZ)

The Cooper County Fair is moving forward without carnival rides this year after its contracted ride company, Amusement Associates, shut down unexpectedly and did not return the fair’s $5,000 deposit.

Cooper County Fair Board President Bryan Larm said the board hired Amusement Associates in January after meeting with the company at a fairs and festivals event. The Cooper County board then paid a $5,000 deposit for carnival rides.

“We made the $5,000 deposit. Everything was golden,” Larm said. “Then last week, we got an email and it said he was going to cease business for insurance purposes.”

Larm said the company gave the fair about one week’s notice. He said Amusement Associates told the board it could no longer afford the insurance costs required to remain in business.

The late notice left the fair board scrambling to find another company before the fair began. Larm said the Cooper County Fair was one of four fairs affected by the same company.

Larm confirmed the fair did not get its deposit back.

“So, yeah, we did lose $5,000,” Larm said.

The board has discussed taking the company to court, but Larm said no final decision has been made. Board members are speaking with attorneys about whether pursuing the money would be worth the cost.

“We can’t spend $10,000 to make $5,000 either,” Larm said. “We’re in discussions with some lawyers, trying to get some ideas of what we should do and how far we should take it.”

The fair normally sells $25 wristbands for carnival rides. Larm did not provide an estimate for how much additional revenue the fair could lose without those sales.

“I don’t want to say a number because I could be totally off, but we have a very strong community and a very supportive community,” Larm said.

The board contacted other carnival companies after learning Amusement Associates would not attend. Larm said one company from Oklahoma considered coming, but could not make the trip work because of travel costs and other commitments.

That company is expected to send the fair a bid for next year.

Larm said finding carnival companies has become increasingly difficult for smaller county fairs because there are fewer companies available and many are already booked.

The board added other activities in place of the missing carnival rides, including miniature golf, a dunk tank, pony rides and other games.

Larm said the fair still has nightly entertainment, miniature golf, a dunk tank, pony rides, games and animals in the barns.

“Come see us. We’ve got lots of entertainment,” Larm said. “There’s something for everybody every night.”

The fair board is also reviewing its contracts as it plans for future events.

“We’re definitely looking more into our contracts and making sure that they are legit,” Larm said. “We want a little more knowledge about them to make sure all our I’s are dotted and our T’s are crossed.”

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Lucas Geisler

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) –

Boone County firefighters put out a trailer fire Wednesday afternoon east of Columbia that damaged at least two homes.

Boone County Fire Protection District assistant chief Chuck Doss told ABC 17 News that a trailer caught fire near two homes in the 7400 block of Suncrest Court.

Joey Rimel with the Boone County Fire District says that units were dispatched around 11:40 a.m. due to multiple reports of a trailer fire.

Eight trucks carrying 16 firefighters got to the scene and found the trailer in flames, with damage to two adjacent homes. One home’s garage was damaged and the vinyl siding was melted on the other.

Boone County Fire Protection District reports no injuries.

There will be an investigation to identify the cause of the fire, which might be a lithium-ion battery, says Rimel. “So it sounds like, what was in the trailer was lithium-ion batteries that he was using for his RC airplanes. With it being hot and then being under power, there’s a possibility that that could have been a contributor to the cause”

The fire was contained and put out around 12:35 p.m.

With a hotter climate, Boone County Fire Protection District says to be home or near your lithium-ion batteries while charging and follow manufacturer specifications to avoid fire.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Springfield, Missouri, man was pronounced dead early Wednesday after getting into the Lake of the Ozarks and never coming back up.

The 25-year-old man got into the water from a boat near the 21-mile mark at Ledges Cove in Camden County, according to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report. Divers recovered his body, and the man was pronounced dead a little after 6 a.m.

He was not wearing a life vest, according to the report.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Montgomery County man needed surgery to repair his liver, colon, stomach and bladder after a Tuesday morning shooting, according to court documents.

Roger Fischer of Jonesburg was charged Wednesday with first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon and two counts of armed criminal action after allegedly shooting a man during an argument. A no-bond warrant was issued for his arrest.

Fischer told investigators that he had asked the victim about “a hole in his garage door,” and that the victim began walking toward his car in “a fighting stance,” the statement says. Fischer reportedly told officers that he shot the victim several times from his car because he feared for his life.

The victim is described as a 60-year-old man, and the statement said he was shot multiple times in the torso. It wasn’t clear what condition he was in on Wednesday morning.

In the probable cause statement, Jonesburg Police Officer Ron McBride wrote that he believed Fischer drove to the victim’s residence ready for a fight “and was fully aware of his actions.” Fischer used a .22-caliber pistol in the shooting.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man convicted of causing the West Quincy levee to fail in the Great Flood of 1993 is set to have a parole hearing Wednesday after 33 years in prison.

James Scott was found guilty of causing the levee to fail and was sentenced to 20 years to life in prison for “causing a catastrophe.” Scott is the only person in the state ever to be convicted of that crime and to serve time for it. The Great Flood of 1993 was categorized as one of the worst floods in United States history.

Scott will be in front of the Parole Board Wednesday in the Cole County Courthouse.

In a 2018 interview with ABC 17 News, Scott maintained his innocence. Scott said, “I can’t sit here and prove to you that I did not break the West Quincy Levee. Yet, they never proved at my trial that I did. Because I did not break the West Quincy Levee.”

When Scott was asked what he would say to then Governor Mike Parson, he said, “You know I’m ready to go home. You know, I’m not the same person I was 25 years ago. I’ve done everything possible since I’ve been locked up to, uh, better my situation to make me a better person.”

It could take several days for the parole board to make a decision.

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