Category: kmiz-local-news

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Boone County Commission on Thursday unanimously approved a “sunset” date for its proposed public safety sales tax that will appear on the November ballot.

If approved, Proposition L – which is a proposed 3/8-cent sales tax that will be used to build a new jail – will expire Dec. 31, 2042.

Sheriff Dwayne Carey has previously said the current jail is outdated for inmate needs and Boone County housing hundreds of inmates in out-of-county facilities.

According to prior reporting, it cost over $2.5 million in 2025 to house inmates. It cost around $499,000 for housing in 2022. From January to March this year, it cost around $1.12 million to house detainees out-of-county.

The sales tax proposal has been met with opposition.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Stover man is begin held at Morgan County Jail on a $100,000 bond after authorities claim he made an explosive that “could hurt a lot of people.”

Matthew Harris, 26, was charged on Wednesday with unlawful possession of an illegal weapon. No prosecutor was available within the first 48 hours of the case, causing an arraignment to be scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday, court filings show.

The probable cause statement says the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office received an anonymous tip at 10:11 p.m. Tuesday stating that Harris had made threats on his Facebook page and posted photographs of a homemade bomb, claiming it could hurt a lot of people. He also allegedly made threats to shoot anyone who arrived at his property, court documents allege.

The statement says deputies arrived at Harris’ residence just after midnight on Wednesday and Harris surrendered himself. The bomb and a gun were in the home, with the bomb being found in the sink, the statement says.

It was allegedly made with fireworks, additional powder and bullets, the statement says. Harris allegedly admitted to making the posts on Facebook, court documents say.  

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Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The City of Columbia held the first of six public forums Thursday night to explain how police and fire leaders would use a proposed 1% public safety sales tax that will appear on the city’s August ballot.

Leaders from both departments plan to visit each city ward throughout the month to answer residents questions about the proposal.

If approved by voters, the tax is expected to generate an estimated $38 million annually. The revenue would be dedicated exclusively to public safety, including hiring additional police officers and firefighters, purchasing equipment and vehicles, and improving public safety facilities.

The city released a proposed eight-year spending plan outlining how those funds would be invested.

The largest project in the proposed plan is a new over $35 million police headquarters.

the city plans to convert a city-owned building on Lemone Industrial Boulevard into a new police headquarters.

Police Chief Jill Schlude said the former IBM building offers a cost-effective alternative to constructing an entirely new facility.

“Fortunately, we have an alternative, which is to use an existing building the city already owns, which is the IBM building, not too far from us on Lemone, and the cost estimate for that project is somewhere between $36 and $40 million,” Schlude said.

According to the city, the current police headquarters was built in 1933 and no longer meets the department’s operational needs.

Replacing the headquarters has been under consideration for years. Schlude said the city completed a facility assessment in 2012, which estimated building a new downtown headquarters would cost about $60 million. She said that price would be significantly higher today.

Instead, city leaders said renovating an existing city-owned building could save taxpayers millions while still providing the space the department needs.

“The building is in fantastic shape, and we’ve already looked at changes we could make that would meet our needs. It actually checks all the boxes that we have,” Schlude said.

The proposed facility would provide the department with significantly more space and would also house the Columbia Police Academy.

Schlude said maintaining a police presence downtown would remain a priority, even if the department relocates its headquarters to the city’s south side.

If the headquarters moves to the former IBM building, Schlude said the current downtown facility would be repurposed as the Central City District station, allowing officers to continue serving the area.

“We wouldn’t abandon downtown,” Schlude said. “We would still have a patrol presence down there for those beat officers.”

Construction is expected to begin in 2027, with the facility scheduled to open in 2029.

The city has previously invested in expanding public safety infrastructure. In 2021, funding from the 2015-25 Capital Improvement Sales Tax helped pay for the construction of the Molly Thomas Bowden Neighborhood Policing Center, which the city said provides additional public safety resources on Columbia’s north side.

Schlude said the department has identified additional improvements that could be made to the current downtown facility if voters approve the sales tax.

She said the building’s second floor has remained unfinished since it was constructed and could finally be completed using revenue from the proposed tax.

“The second floor was never completed. It’s roughed in, but there’s nothing up there right now,” Schlude said. “We would also be looking at how we could finish that space and utilize it.”

The department had originally planned to use the downtown building to house larger specialty vehicles, including the command post and SWAT vehicle. However, Schlude said those vehicles would instead be moved to the proposed south-side headquarters if the sales tax is approved.

She said the future of the current headquarters ultimately depends on voters’ decision in August.

The proposal also includes several fire station projects. In 2027, the city plans to renovate Fire Station No. 4 for an estimated $6 million, followed by a $6 million renovation of Fire Station No. 6 in 2028.

Fire Station No. 2 is slated for renovations in 2029. The long-term plan also includes building two new fire stations, one in 2032 and another in 2035, at an estimated cost of $8 million each.

Thursday’s meeting is set for 7 p.m. at the Columbia Sports FieldHouse.

Check back for updates.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man who is accused of stealing $1.28 million from the Isle of Capri Casino earlier this year has pleaded guilty in a separate case in Illinois.

Hollis Vanleer Jr., 20, of Bloomington, Illinois, pleaded guilty on Thursday in McLean County to stealing a vehicle. He was sentenced to three years in prison. He was given credit for time served.

Vanleer is charged in Cooper County with first-degree robbery, armed criminal action and first-degree assault in the March 25 armed robbery of the Isle of Capri Casino in Boonville. Benjamin Charles, 21, is charged with first-degree robbery, armed criminal action and tampering with evidence. He is being held at the Cooper County Jail.

The pair, who were carrying guns when they entered the casino, allegedly took about $1.28 million from the main money drawer and that a patron had tackled one of the men, previous reporting from court documents shows. Vanleer hit the patron before the pair got away in a Ford Taurus, court documents in previous reporting say.

The Ford was later abandoned in Howard County. Law enforcement found a receipt in the vehicle and were able to determine a card used in the purchase belonged to Charles, who was also determined to be an employee at the casino, the statement says.

Vanleer was on the run until he was detained on June 24 in Bloomington, Illinois.

Check back for updates.

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Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An Eldon Police Department detective arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated in February and charged Thursday remains on the job, the city’s police chief says.

Luke M. Gatlin, 46, was pulled over on Feb. 14 in Osage Beach for driving without headlights, and a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper smelled liquor on his breath, according to a probable cause statement.

Gatlin failed a field sobriety test and allegedly admitted to the trooper that he “shouldn’t have drove.” His blood alcohol registered .193 on a breath test, according to the statement. The trooper took Gatlin to the Lake Ozark Police Department.

Gatlin’s initial hearing is set for Sept. 16.

Eldon Police Chief Brian Kidwell said Gatlin has not been fired or resigned. Kidwell would not say whether Gatlin had been disciplined, citing privacy around personnel records.

Kidwell said the city would make an ultimate decision when the case has concluded.

City Administrator Mandy Asbury said Gatlin has worked with the police department since March 2015.

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Melissa Houston

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Jefferson City’s Public Works and Planning Committee met on July 9 to discuss research on safety requirements for shelters, including those that house homeless individuals, and to create a draft of the ordinance.

According to the Department of Planning and Protective Services’ memorandum, officials want to find out more about:

Occupancy limits

Hours of operation

Security and safety requirements

Definitions of types of shelters

Staffing levels

Neighborhood involvement requirements

The memo states it was necessary to do further research because current shelters have no safety regulations. The memo also says staff reviewed other cities’ processes and building codes and concluded they would need more time to update and clarify Jefferson City’s ordinance.

Planning and Protective Services Director Dave Helmick said city staff wants to be prepared with a clear outline of what a shelter would look like.

“The Planning Protective Services Department’s working on is to put those definitions into our building code so that when we have someone that comes forward and wants to do a shelter of some sort, there is a clear guideline, a minimum life safety, as well as the definitions of what type of structures they are,” Helmick said.

Jefferson City Mayor Ron Fitzwater agreed there needs to be guidelines in place for when permanent shelters start to open.

“If [the] council is going to start looking at some of these facilities, we probably, probably ought to have guidelines in place to at least to guide council on what’s doable, what’s not doable,” Fitzwater said.

Housing the Community President Scott Johnston noticed the memo came not too long after the group’s petition to give Room at the Inn a permanent home.

“I guess just because of the attention paid recently to our effort on Adam Street, they realized that the city is lacking specific ordinances and regulations related to shelters,” Johnston said.

The building Room at the Inn is hoping to purchase is located at 107 Adams St. But the building must be rezoned first. The City Council will meet to vote on the final rezoning on Aug. 3.

Jefferson City Mayor Ron Fitzwater said the council wants to reach out and get input from groups that have experience with homeless shelters.

“I think the better job we do up front in crafting ordinances, the better it is for the community,” Fitzwater said. “So yeah, we want to reach out to established groups that have experience and get their feedback.”

Fitzwater said the city has been looking for a solution to security issues involving the homeless population, and this ordinance has pushed city leaders to look further into the situation.

“In the meantime, that gives us time to take that homeless task force report and really dig into it and see which pieces, you know, maybe council wants to implement,” Fitzwater said.

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Sutton Parker

COLUMBIA Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri Realtors Association hosted a “Protect Your Power: Vote No” rally in Columbia on Thursday.

The rally is in opposition to Amendments 4 and 5 that will be on the Aug. 4 ballot. Amendment 4 would increase the required number of votes needed for a citizen petition to pass. While Amendment 5 seeks to eliminate Missouri’s income tax and expand sales taxes.

The Missouri Realtors Association argues Amendment 5 would allow politicians to bypass critical tax protections—including the Hancock Amendment, which guarantees voters a say on major tax hikes.

The group helped pass those original tax protections back in 2010 and 2016. They warn if this new amendment passes, those safeguards could be ignored, potentially opening the door to new taxes on buying and selling homes.

Derek Schriewer, with the association, expressed concern over the legislative actions.

“So the legislature is simultaneously seeking to inhibit our ability to utilize initiative petition, which Missouri Realtors has used to benefit Missourians across the state,” he said

Matthew Becker, treasurer-elect for Missouri Realtors, says the purpose of the rally was to spread the word.

“So the purpose of this meeting today is to get the message out to our membership, to get them excited about the upcoming election,” he said

When it comes to the opposition of Amendment 4, Becker said that if approved by voters, it would shift voting power.

“So, Amendment 4 is taking away the power of one person, one vote and that is what we have stood on for the last 118 years. And it puts more value on your zip code than it actually does on your vote,” he said.

When asked about the group’s opposition to Amendment 5, he said the group believes it would put too much power into lawmakers’ hands.

“Amendment 5 is just clear-cut. it is a blank check to our legislature over the next five years. there is no way we should allow them to make the decisions they want to make over the next five years with how they tax and what they tax,” he adds.

Republican Rep. John Martin, who represents parts of Boone County, said he completely disagrees.

“It is not a blank check because, No. 1, it has to be balanced. And so it’s not just a tax on everything. I think it’s a good way to, instead of taxing what people, you know, taxing what they’re here with their earnings, put it more of a personal choice, more of a consumption tax, which is more of a fair tax,” he said.

On Amendment 4, Martian says a higher voting threshold is necessary to protect the state’s constitution.

“I very much support Amendment 4, because it will be protecting our constitution. Amendment 4 does not change the ability of people to petition and sign petitions; it is just that we need a much higher threshold to change such a foundational document as our Constitution,” he said.

Martin also added Gov. Mike Kehoe has stated if approved by voters, there would be no taxation on real estate.

Records show Missouri Realtors just put $1 million toward Missourians for Fair Governance, its committee opposing Amendment 4.

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Matthew Sanders

The City of Columbia has been in talks for months with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources over the renewal of a permit that allows it to discharge stormwater.

In any urban environment, stormwater will be polluted with organic and inorganic chemicals from a variety of sources. But some state officials have zeroed in on one cause — homeless camps.

Now the city council is considering an ordinance to ban waste from camps and other outdoor activities from going into streams, which would give officials another enforcement mechanism against homeless camps in the city limits.

Do you think the camps are a significant contributor to water pollution? Let us know by voting in the poll.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man was charged with two felonies after he allegedly tried to set fire to an occupied camper on Monday night in Hartsburg.

Michael Briggs, 55, of Hartsburg, was charged in Boone County on Tuesday with knowingly burning or exploding and resisting arrest. He is being held at the Boone County Jail on a $10,000 bond. An initial court appearance was held on Wednesday.

The probable cause statement says Briggs used a woman’s phone to call True North of Columbia on Monday night and claimed he was going to kill the victim at the victim’s residence. Briggs allegedly reiterated to the woman that he was going to kill the victim.

Deputies were called around 9:50 p.m. to South First Street in Hartsburg and saw a fire near a camper in a backyard, the statement says. The deputy noted in the statement that he heard a male voice screaming. Briggs allegedly lit a cabinet outside the camper on fire, the statement says.

Briggs allegedly held a gas can and a lighter and continued to pour gas on the fire as the deputy told him to put the can down, court documents say.

Briggs allegedly emptied the can before approaching the deputy with his hands behind his back, the statement says. The deputy wrote that Briggs tried to get away while the deputy put handcuffs on him.

The victim told law enforcement that Briggs had “threatened to burn her stuff in the past,” court documents say.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Wednesday marked two years since the death of Boone County Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Matthew Tobben.

BCFPD honored Tobben on Wednesday by lowering its flags at half-staff.

“We honor his memory and remain committed to carrying forward the values he exemplified throughout his career,” BCFPD Fire Chief Doug Westhoff said in a press release. “We will never forget Assistant Chief Matt Tobben or the sacrifice he made in the line of duty.”

Tobben, 42, died during a water rescue on July 8, 2024, when his boat lost power and capsized near Bear Creek.

Columbia firefighter Derek Abbott and the two people rescued were thrown into the water and emerged, but Tobben never resurfaced. An autopsy determined Tobben drowned.

Tobben served with BCFPD, Missouri Task Force 1 and the Union Fire Protection District during his 19-year career.

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