Category: kmiz-local-news

Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

President Donald Trump addressed the nation Tuesday night in the annual State of the Union Address, and the ABC 17 News team is fact-checking and adding context to some of the economic claims he made.

“In one year, we have lifted 2.4 million Americans, a record, off of food stamps,” Trump said in his address to a joint session of Congress, which the full transcript can be found on CNN.

According to the USDA, 2.6 million Americans were lifted from the program between November 2024-2025. That includes more than 27,000 Missourians who exited the program in the same timeframe.

These numbers follow the Big Beautiful Bill Act, which made work requirements for people who are 65 years old or older; parents or guardians with children who are 14 years old or older; homeless individuals; veterans; and young people who aged out of foster care, according to the USDA.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities’ chief economist Gbenga Ajilore told ABC 17 News that individuals were kicked out of the SNAP program.

“These people are still struggling to put food on the table,” Ajilore said.

Trump also cited lower grocery bills since taking office.

“The cost of chicken, butter, fruit, hotels, automobiles, rent is lower today than when I took office, by a lot. And even beef, which was very high, is starting to come down significantly,” Trump said during the speech.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall consumer food prices have gone up 2.9% from January 2025 to January 2026, with most categories of food rising except for dairy products, which decreased by 0.3%.

The USDA released a report based on the Consumer Price Index that details how certain food industries are pricing products.

Poultry prices decreased by 0.1% from December 2025 to January 2026, but it was still 1.6% higher in January 2026 than in January 2025. Poultry is expected to become pricier this year, with the USDA predicting a 0.1% increase in price.

Eggs have seen a significant price decrease of around 5%, largely because the Bird Flu ravaged flocks last year, and chickens are recovering from the disease. Beef prices have decreased by 0.9% from December 2025 to January, but 2026 prices are 15% higher than the same period last year, and that number is expected to increase by about 5.5% this year, as predicted by the USDA.

Even though Trump has claimed to lower prices since being in office, Ajilore said affordability hasn’t improved.

“Look at some of the data, prices overall are still going back up,” he said.

Ajilore also claims tariffs are driving prices up, another topic that Trump is invested in.

“I believe the tariffs, paid for by foreign countries, will, like in the past, substantially replace the modern-day system of income tax, taking a great financial burden off the people that I love,” Trump said during the nationally televised speech.

The U.S. Supreme Court struck down Trump’s tariffs last week, and he has since pledged to work around the courts to keep the policy up, according to CNN.

Missouri State University economics professor David Mitchell said replacing income tax with tariff revenue could work in theory, but Trump would need to impose high tariffs to make up the income tax revenue. High tariffs could also stop consumers from buying.

“It’s the exact same thing with the tax on cigarettes,” Mitchell said. “You want to raise income by taxing cigarettes, so you raise the tax on cigarettes, but if that dissuades people from smoking, then you don’t get any of the tax revenue at the lower rate or the higher rate. So it actually is possible that your tax revenue goes down.”

Ajilore said it’s not possible for tariffs to replace income tax.

“To get rid of income taxes altogether, replace them with tariff revenue is going to be very difficult, and it’s going to be regressive. That’s going to fall on low- and middle-income families,” Ajilore said.

Charles Zug, a political science professor at the University of Missouri, said the speech was typical for politicians.

“Presidents and States of the Union to do it to sort of trumpet, to extract as much positive value out of what’s going on as possible, while diminishing the negatives as much as possible,”  Zug said.

While the president’s party faces a long-standing statistic that the incumbent party does poorly in the midterm elections, Zug said the president’s speech isn’t expected to sway voters going into November.

“One way of thinking about it is that the State of the Union Address doesn’t really matter that much because people don’t seem to be persuaded that much,” Zug said. “There’s not that much room in which to persuade large margins of unconvinced voters one way or the other.”

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Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The City of Columbia has not had communication with the attorney general’s office regarding an investigation into the city’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies in months, according to a city spokesperson.

Former Attorney General Andrew Bailey launched the investigation into the city’s practices in July 2025. A press release from Bailey’s office stated at the time that the investigation would focus on “decision-making in city programs, hiring and funding,” according to previous reporting.

Bailey had submitted a request for public records and electronic communication for terms related to DEI from the city from March 1-July 1 2025. The city had been given three days to submit those records or report a delay, previous reporting says.

According to City of Columbia Spokeswoman Sydney Olsen, the city released responsive records in August 2025 to the attorney general’s office. However, Olsen said the city has not received any communications from the office in response to those records.

“The City cooperated fully in releasing records requested by the Attorney General’s Office which prove that the City is not utilizing demographics such as race in practices such as hiring, firing or admittance to participate in programs. The City’s work is centered around ensuring that everyone has equal access to jobs and programs, no matter their race or beliefs,” Olsen wrote via text.

A release from Bailey’s office at the time also stated that Bailey had received “multiple reports” from Columbia residents alleging discrimination in city programs.

Gov. Mike Kehoe appointed Catherine Hanaway as the state’s new attorney general in August 2025, after Bailey accepted a job as FBI co-deputy director.

ABC 17 News made a records request to the attorney general’s office for the complaints it received. Records showed the first complaint was made on June 18, followed by a second the next day.

The first complaint questions whether or not the city legally used funding for a minority scholarship program through the CoMo Cooks Commercial Kitchen. According to The Loop’s website, two scholarships were being offered to applicants through funding from the City of Columbia.

The resident pointed out the part of the application stating, these scholarships are available for individuals in historically excluded groups interested in starting a food based business.”

The second resident wrote to Bailey claiming that the City of Columbia and Mayor Barbara Buffaloe had “fully adopted the Biden administration DEI policy.” The resident also added the city hired a DEI manager to “implement the policy and ideology throughout city government.”

The city hired D’Andre Thompson as its first diversity, equity and inclusion officer in 2023. The city had said at the time that Thompson would lead “the development and implementation of DEI initiatives that help support the City’s Strategic Plan.”

The city also voted in June 2025 against striking DEI-related language from the city’s mission and vision statements. The vote meant that the city would keep its vision statement as, “Columbia is the best place for everyone to live, work, learn and play,” and its mission statement to say, “To serve the public equitably through democratic, transparent and efficient government.”

The city also voted to keep its definition of “equity” the same, reading “we will ensure all residents have fair access to services, opportunities, and resources regardless of their background, neighborhood, income, or identity.” The vote came after President Donald Trump signed an executive order that targeted the language used, alleging it promotes discrimination.

City leaders at the time interpreted Trump’s executive order as meaning it could impact funding to municipalities. The resident also pointed the city’s decision in their note to Bailey.

Bailey also told ABC 17 News at the time he launched the investigation that DEI practices outside of quotas also violated the law, and pointed out the city’s plan to adopt a racial equity tool kit.

Bailey had also threatened to sue the city and get in contact with the White House if the city was found in violation of DEI compliance.

ABC 17 News reached out to Attorney General Hanaway’s Office and Thompson, who was not available on Wednesday for an interview.

Bailey dei recordsDownload

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Josie Anglin

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The KFC on Clark Lane in Columbia has passed its most-recent health inspection.

Last week, the fast food restaurant had repeat violations for having pots and pans that were soiled and not being cleaned correctly. The Columbia-Boone County Health Department went back Tuesday and determined there were no more violations. The inspection report said KFC was fined $110.

Glenn’s Cafe on South Eighth Street in downtown Columbia is also facing a fine by the Columbia-Boone County Health Department for not properly cleaning an ice machine.

The health department first saw the violation during a routine inspection on Wednesday, Feb. 18 –and it had not been fixed at Tuesday’s reinspection. Another inspection is scheduled for Monday.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

No injuries were reported by officials after a vehicle caught fire Wednesday near a Sunrise Beach restaurant, according to a social media post from the Sunrise Beach Fire Protection District.

Crews were called at 10:10 a.m. to Pappa’s Pit Stop on Highway 5 and found “a vehicle in close proximity to structures with the fuel tank ruptured,” the post says.

The post says the back of the vehicle was damaged and the owner’s belongings were salvaged.

Crews were on scene for about 40 minutes, the post says.  

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The city clerk of a Callaway County town has resigned.

John Joyce put in for his resignation on Feb. 6 and his last day as city clerk was Friday.

First Ward Alderwoman Katie Lawrence was named the acting city clerk.

The city declined to provide Joyce’s resignation letter. City attorney Nathan Nickolaus told ABC 17 News in an email the letter is a closed record “as it is part of his personnel file.”

Check back for updates.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An Indianapolis man was charged Wednesday in western Missouri’s Lafayette County after a chase that ended with a crash on Interstate 70 in Cooper County.

Sawnen Wah, 18, was charged with second-degree assault on a special victim, aggravated fleeing a stop, first-degree vehicle tampering and driving without a license, a misdemeanor.

Wah was driving a Honda Civic that had been reported stolen out of Nebraska during the chase and crash, which brought traffic to a standstill in western Cooper County on Tuesday afternoon. Wah had driven away from a state trooper who tried to stop him at Oak Grove, according to a probable cause statement.

The chase reached high speeds, with Wah going nearly 100 mph after spike strips had deflated his driver’s side tires, the statement says. Wah almost lost control several times, troopers claim.

An Odessa police officer’s hand was injured by a spike strip as Wah drove through it, the statement says..

Wah lost control after hitting another spike strip near the Blackwater exit. The car rolled, and Wah was thrown from the vehicle. He was taken to University Hospital to be treated for his injuries, then taken to the Lafayette County Jail after his release late Tuesday, the statement says.

The crash stopped traffic temporarily in both directions.

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Marie Moyer

EDITOR’S NOTE: AI was used in background research for this article.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Lincoln University student-athlete accused of stabbing her boyfriend to death had her initial court appearance moved to Friday morning.

Denita Jackson, a senior sprinter for the school, is accused of killing 23-year-old Kevaughn Goldson, also a senior sprinter, during an argument on Monday.

The stabbing marks the third homicide investigation in Jefferson City since Jan. 1, a spike that local officials described as unusual for the community.

“We had drug dealing, so we would have policemen there, but we have never had a homicide in this street,” neighbor Carolyn Saucier. “In all those years, I felt safe in the evenings, I felt safe at night here, and I still feel safe, but I feel just it’s just weird to know that that happened four doors down.”

Saucier adds that the home where the scene occurred had a history of housing Lincoln University Track students. She called the attack “tragic.”

“It changes the neighborhood in a way, everybody knows what happened in that house,” Saucier said, I think the impact on us is just beginning, and think about the impact on Lincoln University, the track team.

According to court documents, Jackson told police she believed Goldson was having an affair with one of her roommates.

The night of the attack, Jackson had left for work late Sunday but returned home from work early Monday morning and found Goldson and a witness in the bed after using a hairclip to unlock a roommate’s door.

Jackson allegedly jumped onto the bed and grabbed Goldson by his shirt. She told investigators that Goldson kicked her in the stomach and started to choke her. Jackson then grabbed a knife from under the witness’s bed and stabbed Goldson in the back and chest, according to court documents.

After the incident, Jackson called 911 to report the stabbing. Goldson was taken by helicopter to University Hospital, where he died during surgery.

Criminal defense attorney T.J. Kirsch reviewed the case’s probably cause statement filed by Jefferson City Police to give his legal perspective on the attack.

Kirsch said it is too early in the case to predict how the defense and the state plan to take on the suit. Jackson could potentially claim self-defense however, her allegedly initiating the fight may harm the argument.

“There has to be evidence that the person reasonably believed deadly force was necessary to prevent serious physical injury, death or the commission of a forcible felony,” Kirsch said. “Somebody who is an initial aggressor, they can still claim self-defense if they made their intentions clear to retreat or to try to end the conflict.”

Kirsch adds that the decision would also be up to a jury.

Past histories of domestic issues may also be brought to court if the judge allows the evidence.

Jackson is being held in the Cole County jail without bond. Her arraignment is at 10 a.m.

ABC 17 News reached out to Lincoln University and the school’s athletic department but did not hear back.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An Osage County shooting that killed a man nearly two weeks ago happened during an argument over an extramarital affair, according to a probable cause statement.

Clayton E. Johnson of Bland was charged Wednesday with first-degree involuntary manslaughter and armed criminal action in the Feb. 13 shooting that led to the death of 45-year-old Jarrod Compton. Compton was pronounced dead a few days later.

Deputies found Compton shot outside a mobile home on County Road 703, southeast of Linn. He was flown to a hospital in critical condition. A probable cause statement says Compton had been shot in the head.

Compton had been part of an argument over his alleged affair with the Johnson’s “paramour,” the statement says.

Osage County Sheriff Michael Bonham tells ABC 17 News that Compton’s wife wanted to confront Johnson’s girlfriend who Compton was allegedly having his affair with.

“The wife that was coming to confront also was married at one time to the suspect [Johnson],” Bohnam said.

Compton was taunting Johnson to come out of the residence, lifting his shirt to show Johnson that he didn’t have a gun, according to the statement.

Compton slipped going up the steps to the home’s front door and was shot when he got back up, witnesses, including a 13-year-old boy, allegedly told investigators.

“He lost his balance and his knee banged the door and apparently it wasn’t much after that that there was a shot fired,” Bonham said.

The boy also told investigators that Johnson had threatened to “shoot the victim between the eyes,” the statement says.

The boy told investigators that Compton did not try to open the door before being shot, the statement says. Johnson did not act in self-defense because the door to the residence was locked and Compton didn’t try to get inside, according to the statement.

Johnson was arrested at about 9 a.m. Wednesday, according to a release from Osage County Sheriff Michael Bonham.

No hearings have been set. Johnson was in the Osage County Jail on Wednesday on a $150,000 bond.

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Jazsmin Halliburton

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Disability rights advocates are set to hold a rally at the Capitol in Jefferson City Wednesday for the 25th annual Disability Rights Legislative Day.

In the Capitol rotunda at 11 a.m., advocates will celebrate the 25th annual event and speak on the progress that has been made over the past 25 years. According to a press release, advocacy will be centered around disability rights and the inclusion of people with disabilities in all aspects of community life and work.

Elected officials are set to speak at the rally, along with several self-advocates with disabilities, sharing their stories to educate legislators on issues that matter to them most.

This rally comes as Governor Mike Kehoe is suggesting $80.7 million in cuts to in-home care for the 2027 fiscal year budget.

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Josie Anglin

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services wants hotels to be inspected earlier due to the FIFA World Cup.

A notice from the Health Department said annual lodging inspections are typically done by Aug. 31. The FIFA World Cup will be playing games in Kansas City throughout June and July. The health department said finishing these inspections by May 31 will give hotels time to correct issues before the event.

On Tuesday, the Cole County Commission passed changes to its lodging ordinance. The county will now charge hotels for inspections, starting with $125 for smaller hotels and will get more expensive for larger hotels.

That new rule will go into effect on April 1.

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