Local salon to honor veterans on Valentine’s Day
The United States Exercise Tiger Foundation is set to break a personal record Saturday at the group’s 5th annual Valentine’s for Veterans event.
Continue ReadingBoone
Parents share concerns over 45% tuition hike at Columbia child care center for children with disabilities
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Parents are raising concerns after the United Way’s United Cerebral Palsy Heartland approved a 45% tuition increase at its Columbia Child Development Center over the next two years. According to a letter from UCP Heartland shared to ABC 17 News by a parent, who wishes to stay anonymous to avoid impacts to
Continue Reading
Columbia utility board recommends Vawter School Road route for new electric transmission line
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) – A Columbia citizen utility board recommended the city consider building a high-voltage electric transmission line through the southern part of the city. The Water and Light Advisory Board made the decision at its Wednesday meeting. The board wants the Columbia City Council to consider a route across Nifong Boulevard, Vawter School
Continue Reading
Columbia discusses funding for new southside electrical line
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The City of Columbia will decide which route it will take for a new high voltage electrical line across south Columbia. Columbia Water and Light has proposed two pathways: One that runs along West Nifong Boulevard, Vawter School Road and Scott Boulevard. The second runs from Grindstone Parkway to the Hinkson Creek
Continue Reading
Local court officials explain process of determining bond 1 day after woman charged with murder saw bond reduced to $50k
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A woman charged with felony murder is still listed on the Boone County Jail roster on Friday evening, a day after she was given a bond. Alexis Baumann, 18, of Hallsville, saw her bond reduced to $50,000 on Thursday and is eligible for home detention. She is charged with first-degree robbery, two
Continue Reading
Boone Health food service worker saves choking man
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Boone Health Food Service Supervisor Marian Zellner-Evers performed the Heimlich maneuver to save a choking man this week. Zellner-Evers said she was in the cafeteria working at the register when she noticed a man sitting at a table gesturing for help. “I just turned around and I’m like are you ok? he’s
Continue Reading
MoDOT picks contractor for Improve I-70 portion from Boonville to Rocheport
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A contractor for the fifth portion of the Improve I-70 Project has been approved, according to a Thursday press release from the Missouri Department of Transportation. Columbia-based Capital Paving and Construction was awarded the contract, the release says. It will cost roughly $104 million to add a third lane in each direction
Continue Reading
Family behind billboards promoting ‘safe online exchanges’ tells son’s story, says to look for ‘red flags’
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Parents of a Virginia man killed in a 2018 online sale meet up turned shooting say they were moved to put up billboards promoting ‘safe online exchanges’ after a Columbia man was killed in a similar way. Michael and Diane Grey tell ABC 17 News that they knew they needed to take
Continue Reading
Columbia Fire Department now carries EpiPens as calls climb for youth experiencing anaphylactic shock
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A small tool now being used by the Columbia Fire Department could be the key to saving lives. CFD began carrying EpiPens in January, a decision that had been about a year in the making. According to CFD Chief Brian Schaeffer, every fire apparatus is stocked with at least one EpiPen and
Continue Reading
Casa Maria’s owner found not guilty of arson, has hearing later this month in second case
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A woman who was accused of arson in Dunklin County was found not guilty of the charge. Crystal Umfress, who owned Casa Maria’s in Columbia, was found not guilty of her second-degree arson charge, her attorney Russell Oliver told ABC 17 News on Tuesday night. She was accused of hiring Kerry Raymond
Continue Reading
Operations back to normal after power outage at Columbia Regional Airport
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A power outage in southern Boone County halted operations at Columbia Regional Airport for about an hour on Tuesday. The airport shared on Facebook at 12:30 p.m. Tuesday that a power outage is affecting services. The online flight status information shared on the airport’s website was down due to the outage. Airport
Continue Reading
AG Hanaway finds agreement with former client Grain Belt over document demand
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway reached a deal with her former client, Grain Belt Expres,s in the company’s lawsuit over the state’s demand for documents. Hanaway was the lead counsel for Grain Belt when she worked at law firm Husch Blackwell. She left that job when she was appointed attorney general
Continue Reading
Columbia man gets 30-year prison sentence for murder
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Columbia man was sentenced to 30 years in state prison Friday after he pleaded guilty to a Christmas 2023 murder. Jeffrey E. Skaggs pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and child endangerment before Judge Brouck Jacobs. Jacbos sentenced Skaggs to 30 years in prison for murder and seven years for child endangerment.
Continue Reading
No injuries in Boone County fire Sunday
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) No one was injured following a fire in East Boone County early Sunday morning. Boone County Fire Protection District Assistant Chief Gale Blomenkamp confirmed with ABC 17 News that crews were called to the 5800 block of Hawk Road at around 3:40 a.m. for a fire in a non-dwelling structure. Crews found
Continue Reading
Jury finds Boone County daycare operator not guilty in baby’s death
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A Boone County jury on Friday found a home daycare operator not guilty of negligence that caused a baby’s death. The jury went into deliberation around 1 p.m. and came back about two hours later with its not guilty verdict. Sarah Brown faced three to 10 years in prison. Brown had been
Continue Reading
Violent 2019 led to increased local, federal cooperation in Columbia
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) Within the first month of 2026, Columbia has seen six shootings, two deadly. Minors were involved in at least two of those incidents. Columbia Police Department officers on Thursday found two victims, one with life-threatening gunshot wounds and one with minor injuries, after a north Columbia shooting. Officers investigated three locations: the
Continue Reading
Boone County daycare owner takes the stand in Day 3 of Boone County baby death trial
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) The unlicensed Boone County daycare owner took the stand in her own defense Thursday in the manslaughter trial against her. Brown is charged with first-degree involuntary manslaughter for her alleged role after Ayla Gibson died in her care on May 25, 2023. Brown detailed her experience in childcare noting she had been
Continue Reading
No injuries reported in Boone County fire; cause under investigation
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) No one was injured after a fire on Wednesday damaged a Boone County home and garage, according to the Boone County Fire Protection District. A garage caught fire in the 7500 block of South Hill Creek Road in Boone County, just south of Columbia. The cause is under investigation and the homeowner
Continue Reading
Garage catches fire at Boone County home, road closed off
BOONE COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ) A garage of a home caught fire on Wednesday in the 7500 block of South Hill Creek Road in Boone County, just south of Columbia. Dispatch logs show the Boone County Fire Protection District was called at 4:36 p.m. An ABC 17 News photographer saw six firetrucks and 10 response vehicles
Continue Reading
Columbia juvenile pleads guilty to assault charges in 2024 shooting, sentenced to 8 years in prison
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) A 17-year-old pleaded guilty to a pair of felony counts on Tuesday in relation to a 2024 shooting at a Columbia apartment complex. Ja’Mez Thompson-Bey, of Columbia, pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree assault and was sentenced to eight years in prison. He was previously charged with two counts of first-degree assault,
Continue Reading