With Thanksgiving less than a week away, the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri says more people than ever before are struggling. Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri president Lindsay Lopez says everything costs more today, adding that hunger is real and is prevalent in our community. She joined us live on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri”, telling listeners that anyone struggling who needs food should visit their new food bank market on Columbia’s Business Loop, which opened November 1. It’s near Firestone. Ms. Lopez says the food bank market served 350 families on opening day:
(LISTEN): Columbia lawmaker to file semi-automatic and fully automatic gun legislation in January
A well-known Missouri House Democrat intends to pre-file legislation again in December that would prohibit the selling or purchasing of semi-automatic and fully automatic firearms by anyone under the age of 20.
State Rep. David Tyson Smith, an attorney who serves on the House Judiciary Committee, joined us live in-studio on 939 the Eagle’s “Wake Up Mid-Missouri.”
“If you look at some of these tragic shootings whether it be the Uvalde massacre, there was a shooting in Buffalo, New York and even close to home in St. Louis, it was a teenager who went out and lawfully bought an AR-15, several boxes of ammo and then went out and murdered people. I don’t think teenagers need to be doing that. You have to be 21 to buy a handgun, right. So why can a teenager go out and buy an AK-47,” Smith tells listeners.
Representative Smith’s House Bill 208 was referred to the Missouri House Emerging Issues Committee on May 12, which was the 2023 session’s final day in Jefferson City. The bill never received a hearing in the House.
Meantime, Smith says the transgender issue is being used as a “wedge” issue by Republicans in Jefferson City. He says more than 40 percent of his constituents are Republicans.
“They’re not talking about this. People care about roads. You know, there was talk that they’re (MoDOT) going to close exit 128 and a lot of people got upset because that affects a lot of the businesses on the Business Loop,” says Smith.
Representative Smith tells listeners he would like to see the Missouri Legislature focus less on transgender issues and more on issues like transportation, education, election integrity and criminal justice reform. You can hear the full “Wake Up Mid-Missouri” interview with Representative Smith here.
Two additional suspects charged in connection with Sunday’s Plush Lounge murder; Simpson still being sought
Boone County prosecutors have filed charges against two additional suspects for Sunday morning’s deadly shooting at Plush Lounge on Columbia’s Business Loop.
41-year-old Justin Lamarr Simpson is charged with second degree murder, unlawful possession of a firearm and two other felonies. 28-year-old Samuel Moss is charged with armed criminal action, unlawful possession of a firearm and another felony. Simpson has not been captured at this time.
Simpson and Moss are both convicted felons and are not allowed to possess firearms. Online court records show Simpson’s last known address is at an apartment complex on Columbia’s Clark lane.
939 the Eagle News has obtained the Columbia Police Department’s probable cause statement on both suspects, which notes CPD obtained video footage from Plush Lounge to help identify Simpson and Moss. A witness at the scene says she saw Simpson shooting from the doorway of Plush Lounge. Another witness helped identify the suspect wearing an orange cap at the scene as Sam Moss, who was captured Wednesday at Douglass park. Court documents say cartridges in Moss’ gun allegedly match the brand of cartridge casings found at the scene.
33-year-old Kimo Spivey is also charged with murder for the incident, which court documents say began as a verbal confrontation. Four others were wounded in the Plush Lounge incident, including Spivey.
Mizzou North’s demolition continues in Columbia; restoration expected to be done by 2024
Major demolition continues this morning at Mizzou North on Columbia’s Business Loop.
UM System spokesman Christian Basi says demolition began in mid-March and is expected to be done by December. The scene is surrounded by a chain link fence, with heavy construction equipment and dumpsters inside the demolition zone. Mr. Basi says restoration of the site will follow the demolition and should be done sometime before the summer of 2024. Mr. Basi says there are currently no specific plans for the property, at this time.
UM System President Dr. Mun Choi told 939 the Eagle in January that the empty building has asbestos issues and was not suitable for occupancy. President Choi says the reason Mizzou moved out of the building is because it wasn’t suitable for continued long-term occupancy.
The UM Board of Curators approved the $10-million demolition plan in September. That building used to be the Ellis Fischel Cancer Center. The back of Mizzou North is visible from I-70 in Columbia, near the Providence road exit.
Court documents: Weekend Columbia homicide began as verbal confrontation
A Columbia murder suspect remains jailed without bond this morning, charged with killing a 26-year-old man early Sunday morning on the Business Loop. The Columbia Police Department’s two-page probable cause statement says the deadly shooting happened at about 2:15 am Sunday at Plush Lounge on the Business Loop.
Court documents quote a witness, who says she saw 33-year-old Kimo Spivey shoot and kill Melvin Hooker III. Court documents say it started with a verbal confrontation, and the probable cause statement indicates that Spivey and Hooker knew each other. Hooker was pronounced dead at the scene, about ten minutes after the shooting.
Boone County prosecutor Roger Johnson has charged Spivey with second degree murder, armed criminal action, unlawful use of a weapon and unlawful possession of a firearm. Spivey appeared in court for his initial arraignment via video on Tuesday afternoon. CPD’s probable cause statement says Spivey has been arrested previously for assault on law enforcement and felony resisting arrest.
Spivey has at least six previous convictions, according to court documents. Because he’s a convicted felon, he should not have been able to possess a gun.
CPD’s probable cause statement says Spivey is “known to be armed and dangerous.” Spivey was also shot during the incident and was treated at University Hospital for a gunshot wound, before being arrested.
Three others were wounded at the scene, according to Columbia Police. The redacted probable cause statement doesn’t appear to mention the other three victims.