Columbia Missouri

Columbia, Missouri, leaders are shared their plans for increasing safety downtown following the shooting of a Stephens College student Saturday.

After a weekend shooting killed a Stephens College student, University of Missouri President Mun Choi sent a letter to state and county leaders criticizing policies that he says "attract criminals to the region." However, Choi could not cite any specifics, and police numbers contradict his claims.

Starting in late 2026, Missouri drivers will no longer leave car dealerships with a temporary tag, and buyers will have to pay sales tax at the time of purchase.

A federal judge ruled Friday that University of Missouri System President Mun Choi violated students' freedom of speech when he barred the group Mizzou Students for Justice in Palestine from taking part in the Homecoming parade. The judge ruled Choi excluded the group because of its views on Israel and Palestine.

Boone County residents questioned Republican Rep. Mark Alford about his vote for Medicaid cuts in the "Big Beautiful Bill," Trump's deployment of the National Guard, and other GOP priorities.

Missouri has banned medical gender-affirming care for youth and some adults since 2023. But other forms of gender-affirming care is happening in the state — including haircuts, facial waxing and photography — and advocates say it's saving lives.

Andrew Bailey said the investigation was prompted by reports from Columbia residents alleging racial discrimination. His office requested public records about the use of terms like “racial equity toolkit,” “racial equity lens” and “equity” in city operations.

Scientists in the Columbia, Missouri, lab have studied the relationship between animals, toxic chemicals and ecosystems since the 1960s. Today, research of PFAS, invasive and endangered species and other environmental risks could end if this part of the U.S. Department of Interior is defunded.

A new research project at the University of Missouri is looking to make streets less dangerous for everyone through lidar technology. The state recorded a historic high for pedestrian deaths last year.

In-clinic abortion care has returned to Columbia after a long hiatus. KBIA’s Rebecca Smith takes us on a tour behind the scenes of central Missouri's Planned Parenthood health clinic.

Missouri Rep. Mark Alford said the U.S. Small Business Administration should relocate its regional office to Columbia. While Kansas City is not actually a "sanctuary city," Mayor Quinton Lucas has expressed support for the city's growing population of immigrants and refugees.

Abortions became available in Columbia once again this week. The procedure has been inaccessible to those living in mid-Missouri since the last abortion was performed at the Columbia Planned Parenthood clinic in 2018.