Category: kmiz-local-news

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

 The City of Columbia has scheduled several town halls to discuss a public safety sales tax measure that will be on the Aug. 4 ballot.

City Councilmembers and representatives from the Columbia Fire and Police departments will be present to ask questions about the proposed 1% tax.

Previous reporting says city leaders estimate the tax would generate about $38 million annually and dedicate that revenue solely to police and fire operations, including staffing, equipment and facility improvements.

The dates and locations, according to a Columbia Police Department press release, are:

7-8 p.m. Thursday, July 9 at the Sports Fieldhouse, 4251 Philips Farm Road

9-10 a.m. Friday, July 10 at the Molly Bowden Neighborhood Policing Center, 1204 International Drive

1-2 p.m. Monday, July 13 at the American Legion Building, 3669 Legion Lane

Noon-1 p.m. Wednesday, July 15 at the Thornbrook Clubhouse, 4300 Thornbrook Terrace

6-7 p.m. Thursday, July 16 at the Columbia/Boone County Public Health Department, 1005 W. Worley St.

10-11 a.m. Friday, July 17 at Daniel Boone Regional Library, 100 W. Broadway

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Melissa Houston

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (Kmiz)

The annual Salute to America Fourth of July Celebration began Thursday at the Missouri Capitol, and organizers and emergency personnel are implementing extra safety measures to address the heat advisory in effect through the holiday weekend.

The festival will include events for multiple days for the first time since 2022. Organizers said the extra days are to celebrate the 250th anniversary. The event runs through Saturday.

Friday’s event takes places at the Capital Region Ampitheater. Gates open at 5:30 p.m., and features a concert and a hot-air balloon glow

On Saturday, the event will begin at 11 a.m. around Capitol grounds and the parade will be moved to 6 p.m. to help participants avoid the heat. Road closures will begin at 5 a.m. on July 4 in the downtown area and will be reopened at 2 a.m. July 5, according to a press release from the Jefferson City Police Department.

Event manager Taylor Wolz said the event is expecting 13,000-15,000 attendees for the entire weekend, and they are preparing to accommodate all of the guests in regards to the heat.

“We are really taking the health and safety of everybody attending the celebration into consideration,” Wolz said.

To manage the high temperatures, the festival will provide two water refill stations, two cooling stations, large misting fans, shaded rest areas, and an air-conditioned bus for travel. The Capitol will also be open to the public this year for indoor cooling spaces.

“We have the Capitol open this year,” Wolz said. “So people will be able to go inside, see all the things that the Capitol has to offer, and cool down a little bit” 

For those who want to stay out of the heat, the event will be live-streaming the parade. Salute to America is working with first responder teams to make sure the area is filled with emergency personnel ready to help with heat related illnesses and any other medical incidents.

“We have EMS, JCPD, and several other of our law enforcement and safety individuals that are going to be onsite to help make sure that everybody finds what they need,” Wolz said.

Cole County EMS Chief Eric Hoy said more than 60 first responders from EMS, fire and police departments will be spread out and onsite.

“We have prepared pretty extensively with our public safety partners,” Hoy said. “And we do expect to have a very large footprint at the event.”

They will have static treatment areas set up and their specialized Alternate Support Apparatus Vehicle to help them maneuver through crowds to respond and transport people to treatment centers or, if needed, directly to the hospital.

“It is going to be significantly hot outside and spending any amount of time outside will, you know, create a higher hazard for for heat stress and heat injury,” Hoy said.

Both organizers and EMS personnel urge attendees to stay hydrated and not hesitate to ask for help from any personnel or volunteers of the organization.

“Just hydrating in and of itself is not going to be significant enough to take care of you in these sorts of temperatures,” Hoy said. “We really want folks to, you know, seek shelter, shade, cool off, take moments out of the sun and then continue to enjoy their holiday.”

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Russellville woman has been charged with four felonies after authorities claim she fraudulently obtained $13,414 in SNAP benefits during a six-year period.

Jenyfer Todd was charged Thursday in Cole County with stealing more than $750, two counts of falsifying false documents and one count of unlawfully receiving public assistance. A $5,000 warrant was issued on Thursday. She was not listed on the Cole County Jail roster on Thursday evening.

The probable cause statement says Todd submitted six SNAP applications from July 2018-March 2024. The statement says Todd did not state on her applications that she lived with the father of her children, nor did she declare his income.

Court documents also alleged she declared one of her children was a household member when the youth was in state custody for about six months.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man who was accused of selling drugs to an undercover cop near Hickman High School in 2022 has been booked into the Boone County Jail.

Trey Stewart, 24, of Columbia, was charged in 2025 with selling drugs in a protected location. He was booked into the jail on Wednesday afternoon.

The probable cause statement claims police were investigating Stewart in connection with an overdose case in 2022.

On May 5, 2022, he allegedly sold seven fentanyl pills to an undercover detective about 130 feet from the Hickman High School tennis courts, the statement says.

He also is accused of violating his probation in an assault and stealing cases and is charged in separate cases with misdemeanor stealing, driving while revoked and misdemeanor speeding. An arraignment was held on Thursday afternoon.

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Sutton Parker

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The City of Columbia on Saturday will host its 74th annual Fourth of July Fire in the Sky celebration at Stephens Lake Park.

The event is set to start at 6:30 p.m., with a fireworks show taking place around 9:15 p.m.

Moira Theis, Recreation Specialist with Columbia Parks and Recreation, said the event has something for everyone.

“We have everything from kids’ activities to inflatables to a whole bunch of food trucks to a whole bunch of live entertainment at all times,” she said.

When it comes to event safety, officials say they are partnering closely with local emergency services to coordinate plans for the event. Theis says one of the biggest concerns she has heard is hesitation about large crowds.

“Yeah. So the biggest thing I hear a lot is that people are hesitant about crowds. All of our eyes, full-time staff here, are trained in crowd management,” she said.

To handle the summer heat, officials say they are working closely with medical partners to keep everyone safe.

“On site, we will have several partners with EMS from Boone and from Mizzou, as well as our First Aid station right at the front staffed with people to cool you down, as well as the hydration station here this year,” she said.

When it comes to the safety plans regarding the fireworks show, officials say safety measures are locked in as crews prepare to fire off 757 fireworks Saturday.

“We have a contracted company that we work with for our fireworks. They are very well equipped with backups and backup backups to make sure the fireworks run smoothly,” Theis said.

Crews will rope off a designated area near the launch site to keep the public at a safe distance.

“When fireworks are shot off, the shells smoke, things like that, we don’t want anybody to be hurt by those,” she said.

The Columbia Fire Department said they have been working with the fireworks vendor to ensure that everything is up to code. Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer said the department will have resources around the event.

“We have several fire department resources scattered throughout the course and throughout the event to make sure that if we do have an emergency, they’re within five minutes or less of a response,” he said.

Schaeffer added if you want to enjoy fireworks this holiday weekend, leaving it to the experts is the best way to go.

“This is going to be the safest event for people to actually view fireworks,” he said. “And we have professionals throughout the event that are actually doing the work and making sure that everything is to code and that everything is safe.”

If you plan on attending the event, officials say that parking will be available on the west side of the park in the Boone Hospital parking lot and the Columbia Police Department will provide traffic assistance. 

Go COMO Transit will also have free service from all six Columbia parking garages. The shuttle service will start running at 5-11 p.m.

East Walnut Street will be closed to non-residential traffic that evening. Residents of East Walnut Street do not need a pass to access the road, an earlier press release from the city says.

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Euphenie Andre

BUTLER, Mo. (KMIZ)

A preliminary report from the National Transportation Safety Board is providing new details about the plane crash that killed 12 people near Butler, Missouri, last month.

According to the report, the aircraft was preparing for its third skydiving flight of the day when it crashed shortly after takeoff.

Around 7:30 a.m., the airport’s operations manager collected a fuel sample while the pilot completed a pre-flight inspection. The report said no issues were identified during those checks. Before takeoff, the pilot also reviewed wind speeds and wind direction at various altitudes.

Between 9:20-10:32 a.m., the pilot successfully completed two skydiving flights, transporting a total of 19 parachutists without incident, per the report. Just before 11 a.m., the airplane was refueled with 60 gallons of fuel. At approximately 11:25 a.m., the aircraft departed on its third flight of the day.

According to the preliminary report, security camera footage shows the airplane making a slight left turn shortly after takeoff. The aircraft continued turning left until it crashed into a grass field. The impact sparked a fire.

Investigators examined the wreckage and reported finding no evidence of a mechanical failure involving the engine or its major components.

The NTSB also noted the plane was not required to be equipped with either a cockpit voice recorder or a flight data recorder. According to the airplane’s Pilot’s Operating Handbook, the aircraft had a maximum allowable takeoff weight of 7,500 pounds.

Investigators also learned the pilot routinely used a small personal clipboard to record passenger load information and fuel calculations. However, that clipboard was not found in the wreckage.

The report said the airport’s operations manager told investigators the pilot was in his second consecutive season flying skydiving operations out of Butler Memorial Airport. The manager described the pilot as safety-oriented and conservative in his decision-making.

The NTSB’s investigation remains ongoing. The preliminary report does not determine the cause of the crash. A final report, which will include the agency’s findings on the probable cause of the accident and any contributing factors, is expected at a later date.

Report_CEN26FA224_203171_7_2_2026 6_28_54 PMDownload

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The list of canceled or delayed Fourth of July fireworks shows involving AM Pyrotechnics continues to grow.

The Mexico Noon Lions announced that its show this weekend that was supposed to be put on by the Buffalo, Missouri, company has been canceled. The Lions club confirmed to ABC 17 News in a message that AM Pyrotechnics was the company that was hired.

“Unfortunately, the Mexico Noon Lions Fireworks Show has to be cancelled. We received notice from the company we have been using for years that they have filed Chapter 11 Bankruptcy and will not be able to follow through with our contract,” a social media post from the Lions clubs says. The post was reshared by the Mexico Area Chamber of Commerce.

Noon Lions Treasurer Susan Paden told ABC 17 News that the group learned of the cancelation late Wednesday. It is not known yet if the group will be refunded. Paden said the first check for the event was sent to AM Pyrotechnics in January.

Several fireworks displays involving the company have been either canceled or rescheduled.

Lake Valley Golf Club in Camdenton wrote on its Facebook page on Wednesday afternoon that AM Pyrotechnics told the club “us they are unable to fulfill their obligation to provide this year’s display. With only days remaining before July 4, and with the display already prepaid, Lake Valley is unfortunately unable to secure another fireworks show in time.”

The City of Osage Beach announced on Tuesday that it would delay its Independence Day celebration to July 11 after AM Pyrotechnics “stopped communicating despite multiple efforts to reach them by phone, email, and text.”

KY3 reported on Monday that a Fourth of July fireworks show in Mountain Home, Arkansas, was affected after the same company stopped communicating with Mountain Home’s chamber of commerce.

The company told ABC 17 News in a statement on Wednesday that it had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

“The company is also operating under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, which is a legal process intended to preserve operations, protect creditors, and allow the business to complete as much work as possible,” a statement sent to ABC 17 News in an email says. “We have continued using available resources to support operations, maintain required insurance and licensing, pay crews, secure fireworks, and complete the displays we are able to perform safely and professionally.”

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Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 27-year-old man was arrested Wednesday evening in connection with a shooting on West Bethany Drive last month. The Boone County Prosecutor’s Office filed charges Thursday morning.

Deangelo Hughes, 27, is being held Thursday in the Boone County Jail, and was charged with two counts of assault, five counts of armed criminal action and three counts of unlawful use of a weapon for shooting into a home.

Capt. Brian Leer with the Boone County Sheriff’s Office said Hughes was pulled over near Providence Road and Mick Deaver Drive and initially refused to exit the vehicle.

Hughes is accused of shooting into a home in the 4300 block of West Bethany Drive, southwest of Columbia. Leer said three people were in the building, and although no one was hurt, a person was in a bed when it was shot.

Hughes was jailed without bond.

According to court documents, a video shows Hughes arguing and captures him yelling, “You want to play? Come play!” He then fires 12 shots at an unspecified number of people.

Bullet holes were found in a bedroom, one in a bed frame, according to the document. Another bullet hole was found in a TV.

Hughes then drove off, and license plate readers show him leaving the county, according to the document.

A court date hasn’t been set for Hughes.

Bri Gafford said she was in her apartment when the police knocked on her door after Hughes allegedly shot at the house a couple of units down. She said the neighborhood is usually quiet.

“I know it [the neighborhood] kind of has a reputation and a name. I’ve lived here for four years, and this is probably one of the crazier things that’s happened over here. So it just makes you hope that that won’t escalate into anything else,” Gafford said.

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Matthew Sanders

The heat wave keeps going, and it won’t stop before Independence Day.

Much of Mid-Missouri remains under an excessive heat warning that ends late Friday. Even so, highs are expected to be in the 90s for the Fourth of July.

This kind of heat isn’t unusual for early July in Missouri, but it’s still uncomfortable.

Is the heat changing your Independence Day plans? Let us know by voting in the poll.

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Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A fire that occurred Sunday at the Lake of the Ozarks was caused by a recreation fire that reignited, according to a press release from Rocky Mount Fire Protection District Chief Jonathan Trail.

The dock fire – which resulted in two boats and two jet skies being a total loss – was described as a “previous recreational fire that was not fully extinguished and reignited.”

Trail wrote in an email to ABC 17 News that investigators were able to review video footage that showed the fire rekindle.

No injuries were reported in the fire.

Liam Hazen, of the Department of Natural Resources, said the owner “attributed the fire to a fire pit that was not properly extinguished but the cause was still officially unknown at the time of my departure from the scene.”

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