Category: kmiz-local-news

Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Multiple organizations in Columbia said they are expecting an increase in demand this Thanksgiving.

Powerhouse Community Development Corporation told ABC 17 News on Saturday, during a frozen turkey giveaway, that there’s been an increase in need because of the delay in SNAP benefits.

Powerhouse teamed up with the Fifth Street Christian Church to serve people in need of Thanksgiving meals, and the organizations were prepared to serve 800 people.

An ABC 17 News reporter was at the church about 45 minutes after the doors were opened. Pastor Katina Colon said at that time, about 100 people were served.

Colon said she’s been seeing a lot more phone calls, emails and even text messages from people who are dealing with food insecurity, and the church helps out in any way it can.

Colon said rising prices is one reason why more people need help.

“Food insecurity has been a little rough on families, and we just want to provide,” Colon said. “As it gets closer to the holidays and Christmas, it gets harder on the families. They want to not only have a meal, they want to also pay their light bills and water bills.”

Sophia Smith, founder of Sophia’s Helping Hands, said she’s also expecting an increase in need from families who were affected by the SNAP benefits pause and from the homeless population.

Smith said she’s also seen an increase in the homeless population since last year–when she started giving out free meals.

Smith said housing requirements and stipulations, like high credit scores and income minimums, could be a factor.

“We’re not just talking about single homeless people in our community. We’re talking about families that has been displaced and are at threat of still being homeless,” Smith said.

Smith said her organization is making sure people facing homelessness feel like they’re a part of the community.

“We wanted to be that place to have the doors open to offer a holiday meal, to let them feel that they are welcomed, they are loved,” Smith said.

Smith said she will have meals for Christmas and New Year’s, and she’s also collecting coats and blankets for the homeless.

These organizations in and around Columbia opened their doors and offered people in need hot, free meals for Thanksgiving.

Powerhouse Community Development Corporation, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Fifth Street Christian Church in Columbia

Sophia’s Helping Hand 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 705 Big Bear Boulevard, Columbia

The Salvation Army Harbor House, noon to 1 p.m. at 602 N. Ann St., Columbia

Salvation Army Center for Hope lunch 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. dinner at 927 Jefferson St., Jefferson City

Zion Lutheran Church 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 1075 Urbandale Drive, Moberly

Beagle’s Food Truck starting at 11 a.m. in the U.S. Cellular parking lot, 206 N Western, Mexico

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Madison Stuerman

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A North Carolina man wanted for his involvement in ATM “jackpotting” thefts in Pennsylvania was arrested in Columbia.

Columbia Police arrested Antoni Garcia-Cordoba, 42, on Wednesday.

In a release, police said multiple police departments from other states informed detectives that Garcia-Cordoba was a suspect in recent ATM thefts.

Pennsylvania State Police told CPD that he had stopped in Columbia.

He was found by detectives and arrested at a short-term rental, according to police. A search warrant was served on the home where detectives said they found evidence.

Garcia-Cordoba is being held at the Boone County Jail on an out-of-state warrant from Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania court records show that a case was filed against Garcia-Cordoba yesterday on two counts of Corrupt Organization – Employee and Theft by Unlawful Taking – Immovable Property from Sept. 30.

A spokesperson for the Columbia Police Department was not able to provide information about the alleged thefts.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Branson woman suffered serious injuries after a crash in Cooper County Thursday morning.

Missouri State Highway Patrol reports the crash happened on Route 135 at Lang Road at 2 a.m. Thursday.

Troopers said a 40-year-old Branson woman was driving when she went off the road and hit an embankment.

The car went airborne and threw the woman from the car, according to the report.

The woman was transported to University Hospital by Cooper County EMS.

She was not reported to be wearing a seatbelt.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Rotary Club of Columbia fried hundreds of turkeys as it hosted its annual Thanksgiving Day Turkey Fry on Thursday at the Knights of Columbus.

The Thanksgiving Day Turkey Fry is in its sixth year at the Rotary Club and is a tradition that supports local service projects. The Rotary Club is frying a record-tying 405 turkeys.

275 of those were purchased by community members for their dinners. Another 130 turkeys will be donated to the Boys & Girls Club, Columbia Fire Department, Flourish Initiative, Powerhouse CDC, Salvation Army Harbor House, St. Francis House, Voluntary Action Center, and Welcome Home. 

The volunteers with the Rotary Club began at 3 a.m. Thursday to fry the 15 to 20-pound turkeys.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Jefferson City Parks and Recreation Department has opened the bidding for repairs and painting for the Ellis Porter Riverside Pool. 

All bids must meet requirements from the city, including multiple repair and painting projects, to give the public pool a new look.

Bids can be submitted electronically or in person, and the contract will be given to the lowest bid, that meets all requirements.

 Bids must be submitted no later than 1:30 p.m. Dec. 11, according to the bid invitation.  

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The City of Fulton announced in a Wednesday press release that it is partnering with Callaway County Special Services to create an Inclusive Park Project.

The release says the project will include accessible play structures, sensory-friendly elements and other features. Information on the city’s website says it will be built at Carver Park.

“Callaway County Special Services is proud to partner with the City of Fulton,” Executive Director Mike Lederle said in the release, “to expand inclusive play opportunities for all children and families. Our Inclusive Parks Initiative reinforces a simple but powerful belief: every child deserves to belong, to explore, and to play without barriers. By integrating accessible and sensory-inclusive features, we are creating spaces that meet a wide range of needs and invite every family to participate fully. Together, we are building a community that reflects our shared values of accessibility, inclusion, and dignity for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.”

Similar projects have occurred in Holts Summit and Columbia.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man who was accused of sexually abusing a child at a Moberly restaurant earlier this year was found guilty by a Randolph County jury on Friday.

Hector Marcos-Perez, 33, was found guilty of second-degree child molestation of a youth who is younger than 12 years old. He will be sentenced at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9. He is being held at the Randolph County Jail.

His address is listed as Moberly in court records, though a prior press release from the Moberly Police Department describes him as a Mexican national and jail records describe him as residing in the country illegally.

Previous reporting indicates the assault occurred Jan. 2 in the bathroom of a restaurant in the 100 block of Wightman Street.

Video footage allegedly showed the victim enter the bathroom of the establishment and Marcos-Perez entering about a minute later, court documents in previous reporting say.

The victim was seen on video running from the bathroom door about 8 minutes later, along with Marcos-Perez, the probable statement says.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 46-year-old man died in a shooting in north Columbia on Wednesday.

Officers were called to a home on Triple Crown Drive a little after 5:30 p.m. About eight police cars were at the scene, many with their flashing lights on, when an ABC 17 News reporter arrived. Crime scene tape was up around a house.

Edward Brown Jr., of Columbia, died from injuries he suffered in the shooting, police wrote in a Wednesday evening social media post. A 15-year-old was arrested at the scene.

Columbia Police Department spokesman Colin Imhoff said at the scene earlier in the evening that all people allegedly involved with the shooting are in custody.

A crime scene investigation van arrived on the scene around 8:20 p.m.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A woman has sued the Otterville School District and its superintendent, claiming that her First Amendment rights were violated after she was banned from athletic events in the district.

The lawsuit – which was filed in the Western District Court of Missouri on Tuesday – says Teni Northern was banned from her grandchildren’s games after she sent a message on Facebook to a junior high and high school volleyball coach about her coaching.

Superintendent Dan Kruse allegedly sent Northern an email that reprimanded her behavior and Kruse claimed there was a “parent meeting” about the coach and “that she was trying to be helpful,” according to details from the lawsuit. The Facebook message to the coach was sent on Sept. 15 and Kruse responded to Northern on Sept. 17, court documents say.

Northern allegedly met with Athletic Director Kate Wittman and Kruse on Sept. 23 and was banned from attending high school volleyball games, according to the lawsuit. She was still allowed to attend junior high games. Wittman allegedly said the district could not bar her from attending away games, Kruse allegedly asked other school administrators to enforce the ban, according to the lawsuit.  

The lawsuit claims junior high and high school volleyball games are often held the same day at the same location. Northern allegedly “was not supposed to be on the varsity side,” during a pair of Sept. 25 away games, according to the petition. Kruse allegedly allowed Northern to stay for the varsity game, but Northern had to stand next to the superintendent during the game, court documents say.

Northern allegedly made a “general” post on social media that led to her getting banned from junior high games, the petition says. Northern allegedly tried to appeal the decision to the Board of Education on Oct. 15, but Kruse’s decision was upheld, the petition says.

She was then sent an email — which was shown in court documents – that banned her from sporting events for the rest of the school year. A subsequent email sent a corrected suspension until Jan. 1, 2026.

“On September 17, 2025, we held a meeting to discuss your inappropriate and disrespectful communications with Otterville coaching staff, including over social media and involving students. I reminded you that we had previous conversations last year about this same type of issue, reiterating that your negative communications would not be tolerated and requesting again for you to speak to the coaching staff in a respectful manner,” the email from Kruse shown in court documents says.

“After our meeting, you again communicated with the coaching staff in a disrespectful manner. We met a second time and I advised that you were suspended from attending high school volleyball games. Subsequently, you attended three more volleyball games – once lying to District staff, falsely telling them that I had given you permission to attend the game, and once dressing and sitting in the opposing teams section so you would not be recognized.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man has been charged with a child sex crime after authorities say he messaged someone who posed as a minor and asked them to meet for sex.

Torrey Guerra, 48, was charged with child enticement and misdemeanor illegal possession of drug paraphernalia. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond. An initial court appearance was held Wednesday.

The probable cause statement says a Boone County deputy posed as a 16-year-old girl on a website that “advertises adult escorts,” and received a text message from Guerra at 9:07 a.m. Tuesday. Guerra alleged stated he was OK with the decoy’s age when the account said they were 16, the statement says.

Guerra exchanged images with the decoy and allegedly offered them drugs, according to court documents.

Guerra made plans to pick up the decoy and sat outside a residence in a Google Fiber truck about two hours after the first text message was sent, the statement says. He was then arrested and allegedly admitted to knowing that he was trying to meet a youth, court documents say.

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