Columbia Public Schools is considering a 420-million-dollar facilities plan covering the next decade. The district’s Long-Range Facilities Planning Committee met Tuesday to develop a master plan for 2027 through 2037, with the top priority being critical building systems, including roofs, heating and air conditioning, plumbing and electrical work. Benton Elementary received the district’s lowest facility…
Columbia police have closed their investigation into an August fall from the rooftop at Harpo’s Bar and Grill, finding no evidence to support criminal charges. Twenty-two-year-old Corbin Rodenberg fell on August 23rd and suffered critical injuries. Police say witness statements and video footage indicate the fall was accidental, with no evidence anyone pushed him or…
The 3rd Annual Empowering Our Community Anti-Human Trafficking Conference will be held tomorrow at the Stoney Creek Inn in Columbia. The conference brings together prosecutors, law enforcement, victim advocates, healthcare and mental health professionals, social workers, service providers, and other frontline professionals for a day focused on recognizing and responding to human trafficking.
No one was hurt after a vehicle caught fire Sunday morning in a shuttle parking lot at Columbia Regional Airport. The vehicle’s owner, Carolyn Smith, says she noticed smoke around 6:15 a.m. and discovered a fire in the engine after opening the hood. The Southern Boone County Fire Protection District extinguished the fire, which caused…
Boone County has seen about 5,400 ballots cast since no-excuse absentee voting began. County Clerk’s say about 370 people voted Sunday at Frederick Douglass High School. Friday saw the highest turnout so far, with more than one-thousand ballots cast. Voters are deciding several issues, including Amendment 8, which would change the process for removing elected…
People looking for work in Columbia will have a chance to meet employers at a community job fair tomorrow. Love Columbia is hosting the event from ten to 11:30 Tuesday morning at 1209 East Walnut Street. Participating employers include the Boone County Fire Protection District, the City of Columbia, Columbia Public Schools, Emery Sapp and…
University of Missouri researchers have received a 2.77-million-dollar grant to study how the immune system responds to respiratory viruses. The funding from the National Institutes of Health will support research over the next four years. Emma Teixeiro, a professor at the MU School of Medicine, and her lab will examine immune-cell activity in the lungs….
Columbia and Boone County could purchase a new government-run animal shelter for nearly one million dollars. The Columbia City Council is scheduled to consider the purchase Monday evening. The proposal calls for Boone County to contribute 400-thousand dollars, with the city paying 595-thousand for the former Columbia Animal Hospital on Boone Industrial Drive. The new…
Columbia is considering a 2.1-million-dollar roundabout at East Green Meadows Road and East Nifong Boulevard. City Public Works officials say the project is intended to improve traffic flow and reduce crashes on the city’s south side. An open house was held Thursday to show residents the proposal. The project would be funded through the city’s…
Columbia is receiving more than 16-million dollars in federal funding to modernize the Columbia Terminal Railroad. U.S. Representative Mark Alford announced the 16-point-2-million-dollar grant Thursday. The project will upgrade tracks, improve safety and introduce autonomous rail technology. The 20.8-million-dollar project includes new railroad ties, charging stations and improvements at crossings along the 21-mile route between…
The Boone County Sheriff’s Office is asking county leaders for 1.9 million dollars to pay for housing detainees in other county jails. Sheriff Dwayne Carey says the department has run out of money for out-of-county housing as the Boone County Jail continues to face overcrowding. Carey says the department saw about 600 additional bookings after…
A 32-year-old Kansas City man is facing several felony charges after authorities say he stabbed a man in the Prathersville area of Boone County Wednesday night. Cody Bass is charged with second-degree assault, two counts of armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon. Court documents say Bass allegedly threatened to kill a man…
Boone County deputies arrested a 40-year-old Columbia man yesterday on drug trafficking charges. Clayton Worstell alerted deputies that he had drugs and a gun in his residence. Deputies then found two grams of fentanyl and a shotgun with no serial number. They also found a digital scale, materials for packaging drugs for sale, and syringes….
The City of Columbia will celebrate the completion of a 31-million-dollar upgrade to its McBaine Water Treatment Plant on October 26. The project restores the plant’s capacity to treat 32 million gallons of water per day and replaces aging equipment to improve water quality and efficiency. Originally, the project’s budget increased by 10 million dollars…
Two Central Methodist University football players are facing assault charges after allegedly fighting a teammate over being late to practice. Twenty-year-old Kamarrion Ferguson and 22-year-old Michael Hourel were charged with third-degree assault Monday, according to court documents. Police say the fight involved a team rule requiring players who arrive late to practice to fight a…
