Category: kmiz-local-news

Jazsmin Halliburton

Starting at 7 p.m. Friday, Interstate 70 between Range Line St. and the U.S. 63 Connector in Columbia will be down to one lane heading east until 6 a.m. Monday. All exit and on ramps will remain open during the lane closure.

According to the Missouri Department of Transportation, this closure will allow crews to safely build the new eastbound lanes near the Paris Road Bridge.

Improve I-70 Statewide Director Eric Kopinski told ABC 17 News that MoDoT had this work scheduled and has been trying to find a perfect time to do this project in the area.

“There never is a good time to close a lane on I-70, especially during the day,” said Kopinski. He said that MoDoT wanted to avoid doing this project on weekends when there’s a Mizzou football game and this was the best time due to the team having a bye week.

“We know there’s still going to be a lot of traffic going eastbound I-70. This was the best weekend that would least impact as many as possible,” said Kopinski.

Kopinski asks drivers to slow down, as speeding is their biggest challenge. He says that speeding occurs either when entering or exiting the work zone throughout the state.

“There isn’t one location that we’re seeing the most speeding occur, but we are having some really severe crashes that are taking place, and again, that’s statewide,” said Kopinski

This lane closure is part of the Improve I-70 project to make the interstate three lanes in each direction from Kansas City to St. Louis.

Drivers are asked to be patient with the work being done across the state. “Our message is keep trying to hang in there with us,” Kopinski said. “When this is all said and done, it’s going to be a game changer for Mid-Missouri, for the entire state. So we’re asking everyone to hang in there with us.”

MoDoT says drivers should expect delays and find an alternate route throughout the weekend.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The total number of fans ejected from Mizzou home games this football season is up to 63.

The Tigers are on bye this week and host Alabama on Oct. 11. All of Missouri’s games have been at home this season, and there were 31 total ejections heading into MU’s game against South Carolina on Sept. 20.

There were fewer ejections this year during the South Carolina game than there were in 2023, the last time the Tigers hosted the Gamecocks. There were 21 fans thrown out of the stadium on Sept. 20, far below 2023’s 41.

Seventeen of the ejections at this year’s game were alcohol-related, according to ejection cards. Seven of those were for sneaking in booze, while eight just had “alcohol” as a reason and three were thrown out for “intoxication.”

Two people were thrown out for vaping, one person was tossed for “pushing/shoving,” and another person was accused of urinating in public. The ejection card for the latter reason claims a man was “urinating on wall of medic room outside of security office.”

The annual homecoming game was held against UMass on Sept. 27 and saw 11 people thrown out of the stadium. Nine of those were alcohol-related, with four just listing “alcohol” as the reason, three were for intoxication/vomiting, one for minor in possession and one for sneaking in booze.

One person was thrown out for attempted theft, while another was accused of throwing something at the field.

The total ejections of fans by game this year are:

Aug. 28 vs. Central Arkansas – 4

Sept. 6 vs. Kansas – 24

Sept. 13 vs. Louisiana-Lafayette – 3

Sept. 20 vs. South Carolina – 21

Sept. 27 vs. UMass– 11

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

No injuries were reported after an electrical fire occurred Thursday evening at Town and Country Lanes off of North Providence Road in Columbia.

Columbia Fire Department Capt. Wayne Cummins said at the scene that a fire started on the “insulation of the electrical lines going into” the building.

Firefighters went up to the roof to extinguish the fire, Cummins said. He said at around 7:20 p.m. that first responders were waiting for Columbia Water and Light to turn off electricity to the building.

The bowling alley is expected to be closed for the rest of the evening.

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Euphenie Andre

OSAGE BEACH, Mo. (KMIZ)

Osage Beach’s Board of Alderman on Thursday evening discussed the city’s panhandling ordinance.

The discussion comes months after a homeless couple filed a federal lawsuit against the city. Thursday’s meeting lasted about an hour-and-a-half, but discussion on the panhandling ordinance was brief because city leaders could not comment extensively on the ongoing litigation.

At 5:30 p.m., council members gathered to consider repealing the ordinance.

In January, Jackie and Brittany Pugh filed a lawsuit against the city, claiming they did not violate the panhandling ordinance after an Osage Beach officer allegedly stopped them from begging for money last year.

The city now plans to remove the existing ordinance completely.

“Our lawyer is out today, but he did let us know that the ordinance currently on file was written a long time ago. There’s a fine line between First Amendment rights and public safety. How close people are to the road, obstructing vehicles, and so on,” Mayor Michael Harmison said.

Because of these challenges, city leaders decided it would be more effective to start fresh rather than try to revise the old ordinance.

“The current policy has been on the books for a long time. Rather than try to rewrite it, it was best to remove it entirely and start drafting a new ordinance that better fits today’s society,” Harmison said.

Harmison said the city does not have a homeless problem, and the decision to rewrite the ordinance is focused on public safety, not targeting homeless individuals.

“We certainly don’t want to infringe on people’s First Amendment rights,” he said. “But if multiple people are obstructing traffic or being aggressive, that’s something that needs to be addressed.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Jefferson City man has been charged after authorities claim he shot at two people on May 9 in Boonville.

Fernando Townshend was charged on Thursday in Cooper County with first-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon and armed criminal action. Janiya Rucker, of Jefferson City, was charged with being an accessory to each crime. Warrants were issued for both people on Thursday and $100,000 bonds were set. Neither were listed on the Cooper County Jail’s online roster on Thursday evening.

Townshend is accused of firing a gun at an 18 year old and 22 year old around 3 p.m. that day near the intersection of Rankin Mill Lane and Main Street. The shooting occurred after school in the area let out, so traffic was relevant in the area, the probable cause statement says.

Rucker allegedly admitted to law enforcement that she sped away in the vehicle with Townshend inside it, the statement says. She was allegedly seen by witnesses running outside the vehicle and a gun was found in the area she was seen, the statement says.

Rucker allegedly claimed Townshend tried to throw away the gun, but it did not go far, so she “must have” went outside the car to throw the gun further, the statement says. Rucker allegedly did not remember that part of the story occurring, but told law enforcement she must have done that since Townshend is paralyzed from another shooting and is not able to get himself out of a vehicle, court documents claim.

No injuries were reported.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Fulton man on Thursday was sentenced to serve 17-and-half years in federal prison on Wednesday for producing child pornography, according to a press release from the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Robert Wayne Stuart, 37, was arrested in September 2023 for multiple investigations surrounding child pornography and child exploitation.

He was charged with six counts of possessing child porn in Callaway County and the child exploitation charge occurred in Moniteau County, according to previous reporting.

The cases were eventually moved to federal court.

Fulton Man Sentenced to 17.5 Years in Federal Prison for Production of Child Pornography.@MSHPTrooperF@MSHPTrooperGHQ pic.twitter.com/HRTkRUyTbP

— MSHP DDCC (@MSHPTrooperDDCC) October 2, 2025

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Jefferson City man was charged with five felonies after he allegedly gave a 12-year-old girl marijuana edibles and pointed a pellet gun at her head.

Novy Lairmore, 18, was charged in Cole County with giving a controlled substance to a child, giving marijuana to a child and three counts of first-degree endangering the welfare of a child. He is being held at the Cole County Jail without bond.

The probable cause statement says the victim’s mother brought the victim to the Jefferson City Police Department on Sept. 30, claiming Lairmore gave the girl drugs and pointed a gun at her head.

Lairmore is accused of giving the victim weed and Xanax on Sept. 1. The victim took a drug test and tested positive for marijuana, the statement says.

Lairmore also allegedly pointed a pellet gun at the victim’s head on Aug. 4, the statement says. Lairmore allegedly admitted to pointing the gun at the victim and claimed the gun also had a blue laser, court documents say.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A portion of the Madison Street Parking Garage in downtown Jefferson City has been restricted following an inspection, according to a Thursday press release from the city.

The release says the inspection “identified severe deterioration to decking, ramps, and supporting columns, creating safety concerns.”

The release says:

Ramps going up and down are closed.

All staircases are blocked off.

The Capitol Avenue entrance level remains open.

The alley entrance/exit on that level remains open.

Upper and lower levels are closed and inaccessible.

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Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources is not satisfied with the revised stormwater management plan the City of Columbia submitted in August to reduce waste from homeless encampments entering public waters.

In a letter Thursday to Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe and Boone County Commissioner Kip Kendrick, the department set a Nov. 15 deadline for the city to submit new draft ordinance language or regulations. The agency cited a “lack of urgency to act on the part of the city and county” in addressing human health and environmental concerns.

City Utilities spokesman Jason West had told ABC 17 News in a message that the department received the letter Thursday.

This letter comes as the city, county and the University of Missouri are trying to renew a joint-operating permit. The permit is issued under an EPA program aimed at preventing contaminants, such as sewage and chemicals, from polluting local water sources. The DNR said in a May 30 letter that it needed more information and clarity from the city.

The DNR wrote Columbia and Boone County’s existing stormwater and stream ordinances are “overly broad and do not address the prohibition of non-stormwater discharges from encampment activities, nor do they set appropriate protections around streams within the city and county.”

According to the DNR, Hinkson Creek, Grindstone Creek and Hominy Branch contain E. coli from human waste from homeless encampments near the streams, posing significant risks to Columbia’s water quality and public health.

The agency requested “tangible actions” from the city on Feb. 28 and met with city and county leaders on July 21 and Sept. 26 to discuss proactive measures to keep solid waste from polluting local streams.

DNR Columbia stormwater update 10-2Download

Columbia, Boone County, and the University of Missouri outlined a coordinated plan in August to address illegal encampments and prevent waste from entering local waterways. The plan emphasizes compliance with city and county stormwater regulations, the Missouri Clean Water Law and federal pollution laws, while tracking complaints and cleanup efforts.

Under the plan, the city’s Office of Neighborhood Services investigates complaints and oversees cleanups, while the Columbia Police Department helps enforce trespassing laws and connects individuals to social services. City crews prioritize removals in floodplains and along streams, with private property owners expected to comply or face enforcement.

Boone County monitors complaints through an online platform, issues notices to property owners and coordinates with the sheriff’s office for public property removals. The county also tracks cleanup efforts for annual reporting. On campus, MU police enforce trespassing rules and campus facilities handle cleanup, with camping generally restricted except in designated areas or with permits.

SWMP_2025_DRAFT_8-26-2025Download

The plan was not deemed satisfactory by the DNR. In the letter, the department added it provided examples of stream protection measures used in San Jose, California, and Bozeman, Montana, as examples. However, the department said in its letter that the city and county ignored those suggestions.

The DNR warned that future investigations finding human waste near streams in violation of the Missouri Clean Water Law could lead to penalties, potentially affecting the city and county’s eligibility for state and federal grants.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

No injuries were reported after a combine caught fire Wednesday evening in Randolph County, according to a social media post from the Eastern Randolph County Fire Protection District.

The post says Eastern District firefighters assisted the Northeast R-4 Rural Fire Protection District. The Westran Fire Protection District wrote in a separate post that it also responded with two tankers and five personnel.

“With heavy fire conditions and the amount of fuel, we had to apply foam to bring the fire under control. Our hearts go out to the farmer to this devastating loss during harvest time,” the Westran Fire Protection District wrote.

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