Category: kmiz-local-news

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia City Council approved a nearly $9.4 million budget amendment on Monday that incorporates funding for several projects.

The meeting agenda shows the city is looking to appropriate $9,398,731.56 in funds. Meeting documents show $3.5 million will be appropriated from electric retained earnings to replace a transformer for the Columbia Energy Center.

Meeting documents say the current transformer is 25 years old and is starting to fail. That transformer is responsible for keeping 50% of the CEC operational, meeting documents say.

Another $2,038,726, will be appropriated from the “internal designated loan fund balance” to fund HVAC and indoor lighting improvements at the Armory downtown, documents show.

The Columbia Police Department is requesting to appropriate $100,000 from Federal Asset Forfeiture Funding for a rebranding initiative, which includes new uniforms, for the department’s 200th anniversary, according to meeting documents.

The city is also appropriating $910,000 in supplemental funding for the new passenger boarding bridge at Columbia Regional Airport. That project was announced in April and new city documents say the city expects a 95% reimbursement from the FAA.

A request is also being made to appropriate $100,000 from Ramp Maintenance & Repair project to fund elevator upgrades at the Tenth and Cherry parking garage. An upgrade is scheduled for the Eighth and Cherry garage in fiscal year 2027. The city’s website shows the project is facing a nearly $79,000 deficit.

Additionally, $117,106.87 will be appropriated from then Eighth and Cherry Energy Efficiency project for more electric charging stations.

Click here to follow the original article.

Mitchell Kaminski

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Jefferson City Council advanced a proposal Monday that would change how vacant council seats are filled, but not before changing some of its original language. 

Under the original proposal, the mayor would publicly announce a vacancy after it occurs. Council members and the mayor would then be allowed to submit one nominee each, accompanied by a resume. Each nomination would require a second from another council member.

Residents would an opportunity to submit questions or comments to their council representative before nominees appear before the council at a subsequent meeting. The council would then vote on a replacement, and the selected candidate would be sworn in during the same meeting.

The proposal comes after two council resignations this past year. Third Ward Councilman Derek Thomas’ resignation takes effect Tuesday after he announced in April that he would step down because of family medical issues that require him to move out of Missouri.

Thomas’ departure follows the resignation of former Second Ward Councilman Aaron Mealy in March. The council later appointed Cody Holt to fill that seat. However, the process of replacing Mealy sparked debate among council members, with several expressing frustration over what they described as an outdated and confusing appointment process.

Before Monday’s meeting, Ward 4 Councilman Chris Lueckel told ABC 17 News that Thomas’ seat would likely remain vacant for several weeks. However, he said council members expected to have a clearer timeline for filling the vacancy after discussing the proposed ordinance during the next City Administration Committee meeting.

The proposal was introduced on Monday and is intended to address those concerns by creating a more clear and streamlined process for future vacancies.

“There was some discussion by the council that they weren’t happy with the process that was in the code, and we showed them various options, and this is the option that was selected,” Attorney for the city Nathan Nickolaus said.

Ward 1 Councilman Jeff Ahlers said the original language had already been discussed extensively during a previous city administration committee meeting.  He added that committee members spent more than an hour discussing four different options before unanimously recommending the proposal to the full council.

However, Ward 2 Councilman Mike Lester proposed an amendment that would require at least two weeks to pass between a council member’s resignation and the nomination process, giving residents more time to weigh in on potential candidates.

Part of his amendment also included removing the mayor from the nomination process. Under Lester’s proposal, only council members representing a specific ward would be allowed to nominate candidates.

“The mayor’s nominee may have more influence on the outcome,” Lester argued during the meeting. “Is this what the council wants? It may look good now but not so good when another mayor less favorable to your point of view is in office.”

Nickolaus pushed back on that argument, noting the mayor is considered part of the council under the local government structure and that previous versions of the ordinance also allowed the mayor to make nominations.

After a lengthy discussion, Lester’s amendment was approved on a 6-4 vote.  The measure still requires a second reading and final approval before taking effect.

Click here to follow the original article.

Matthew Sanders

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Cole County judge ruled Monday in favor of the state, rejecting claims that a ballot issue to eliminate Missouri’s income tax violated the state constitution.

Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh ruled against the plaintiff, Jill Owens, on all four counts and declared the judgment final after Gov. Mike Kehoe decided last week to put the measure on the August primary election ballot. Other ballot issues were certified last week.

Limbaugh heard arguments Friday from lawyers for the plaintiff and the state, including top election official Secretary of State Denny Hoskins.

Owens, in a lawsuit filed after the General Assembly approved the ballot measure in April, claimed the ballot measure dealt with too many subjects and that the ballot language was improperly written. Limbaugh denied each claim.

“All other pending claims for relief, requests, and motions, are hereby denied,” Limbaugh wrote in the 10-page decision.

Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway, whose office represented Hoskins and the state, called the ruling a “win” for voters.

INCOME TAX JUDGEMENTDownload

“Liberal activists brought this lawsuit to block Missourians from voting on whether to eliminate the state income tax,” Hanaway said in a news release. “Judge Limbaugh rightly rejected that challenge. We are proud to continue fighting for the right of voters to decide the future of tax policy in our state. Missourians will have their say this August.”

The measure, if approved by voters in August, would phase out the state’s income tax and allow for the expansion of sales tax.

Owens’ lawyer Chuck Hatfield vowed to appeal.

This decision will be appealed immediately because Amendment 5 is not only deceptive, it unconstitutionally covers too many subjects and should have no place on the ballot,” Hatfield said in a statement sent to ABC 17 News. “Lawmakers failed to tell voters the truth about Amendment 5 – it would mean the largest expansion of sales taxes in Missouri history, while giving lawmakers a license to ignore current constitutional taxpayer protections, including the citizens’ right to vote on big tax increases.”

Click here to follow the original article.

Sutton Parker

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Regional Airport on Monday launched its new shuttle service for the new 700-space south parking lot as the airport continues to see growth.

The lot opened at 4 a.m. Monday with a shuttle taking the first group of passengers to the main terminal. The shuttle is set run in 10-minute intervals. A ride from the lot to the main terminal took roughly three minutes when ABC 17 News used the service.  

Airport Manager Mike Parks said officials are still trying to get an accurate time estimate.

“We are really trying to get an average on how long does it take to pick the passenger up, move the luggage, and then we will make adjustments to that in the future,” Parks said.

Officials said prior to the opening of the lot ,the airport faced the challenge of having more passengers than parking spaces. The airport had a record-number of passengers in March. COU added routes to Charlotte, North Carolina, last month and flights are expected to start heading to Orlando, Florida, on Wednesday and Destin, Florida on Friday.

Allegiant Airlines employee Alexis Barnes took the shuttle for the first time Monday. She said that she just started at the airport and was late on her first day after having to circle the parking lots to find parking.

“It is nice that it is convenient. I don’t have to search for parking and I can make it up to the airport on time.” Barnes said.

Parks said the airport is currently evaluating the need for the number of shuttles running at one time. He also claims the start of the shuttle service makes the airport a lot safer.

“People are not getting out of their vehicles and walking down airport drive,” Parks said

“Right now we are operating one shuttle. In the future to maybe if there is peak demand to where we would need a second, we would utilize our current staff to jump in,” he said.

The airport has two employees – one full-time, one part-time – operating the shuttle, as well as employees from the Columbia Public Works department who are also licensed to operate the shuttle in order to ensure they are able to operate the route throughout the day.

Click here to follow the original article.

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Monday was the first day of summer school for Columbia Public Schools, and a press release from a district spokeswoman says more than 9,400 students are attending class.

The release says that figure represents more than half of the district’ regular school year enrollment.

Students in kindergarten through eighth grade can enter a variety of programs “that includes enrichment and advancement opportunities for students,” the release says. The two largest programs are Summer Sunsations for K-8 students and credit advancement for high school students. Driver’s education is included among the high school courses.

The summer session runs through June 26. Bus routes are available to K-8 students who live more than a mile from their “home school” and high school students who live more than two miles away.

More information can be found on the summer school page on CPS’ website.

Click here to follow the original article.

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man who was arrested last week in Jefferson City in connection with an April 26 shots-fired scene at a Waffle House on the north side of Columbia has been charged with two felonies.

D’Monte Lee, 19, of Jefferson City, was charged on Monday in Boone County with unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action. He is being held at the Cole County Jail. A court date has not been scheduled.

Damonte Jones, of Jefferson City, received the same charges last week. He is not currently listed on a jail roster.

The probable cause statement says the men were at the Waffle House on Vandiver Drive at 2:53 a.m.

Lee allegedly got out of a Ford, stood between two vehicles, pulled out a gun and shot at a vehicle on Range Line Street, police wrote that they saw from video in the area. Police wrote a second man also fired shots at the vehicle.  

A witness allegedly identified Jones as the second shooter while Jefferson City police investigated another case on April 30 that allegedly involved Jones pointing a gun at someone, the statement says. Police wrote that there was a National Integrated Ballistic Information Network match for Jones’ gun and shell casings found at the scene.

Click here to follow the original article.

Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Moberly man was charged last week with first-degree assault, shooting from a vehicle and armed criminal action after he allegedly fired shots during a road rage incident in a Home Depot parking lot.

Columbia Police reported Robert Neese Jr.’s arrest Friday, in concert with Moberly officers. Charges were filed Thursday, but the case remained sealed until Monday.

Neese, 49, allegedly followed another person into the parking lot of the Home Depot in Columbia on Tuesday and fired a shot from his Kia Sorento.

Police say the victim provided video evidence from a dashboard camera, and a muzzle flash was visible in the recording, followed by a loud bang, according to a probable cause statement.

Investigators also identified Neese by a neck tattoo that was visible on the dashcam video.

Neese remained in the Randolph County Jail on Monday with no bond.

Click here to follow the original article.

Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A southeast Columbia road was closed for about an hour Monday morning after a bomb threat was made against a hotel.

Columbia Police officers were sent to a reported bomb threat at the Courtyard by Marriott on Lemone Industrial Drive at about 10 a.m., Columbia Police Department spokesmanBrian McNeil said. Police cleared the scene a little over an hour later after finding no explosives.

The threat and response led to the hotel’s evacuation, and part of Lemone Industrial Boulevard was closed.

Click here to follow the original article.

Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Jefferson City man is dead after a crash in Cole County Sunday evening.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, a 46-year-old man was driving a 2015 Jeep Wrangler on Route CC south of South Fox Moor Court just after 4:30 p.m. in Cole County. The man traveled off the road, overcorrected and then overturned. He was thrown from the Jeep and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The man was not wearing a seat belt.

This is Troop F’s 8th traffic death in May and 25th in 2026.

Click here to follow the original article.

Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

EDITOR’S NOTE: A Columbia firefighter’s rank has been corrected.

Emergency crews in Columbia rescued two people from a car that was stuck in water Monday after early morning storms.

Columbia Fire crews responded to a car trapped in flooded waters on Creasy Springs. Columbia Fire Department Battalion Chief Roger Mertensmeyer told ABC 17 News crews on scene that two people were stuck, but there were no injuries. A rescue boat was not needed, and the rescue took less than five minutes.

Mertensmeyer said he wanted to remind the public to be careful and turn around, don’t drown.

Boone County Joint Communication sent an alert at 4:50 a.m. that Creasy Springs near Bear Creek was flooded.

Click here to follow the original article.