Patricia Martellotti
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Several new animals have arrived at the Santa Barbara Zoo this month.
Ruby the red panda arrived in Santa Barbara in May from Seneca Park Zoo in New York
Her birthday is June 27, 2024.
Tamur the Amur Leopard also arrived at the zoo this month. The new cat is a rare Amur leopard.
He is 5 years old and has access to the public and private areas of his enclosure.
Isabella Warren
(Update: Adding video, details)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Following KTVZ News’ coverage of Senate Bill 992, which would allow grocery and convenience stores with bottle returns to refuse returns during nighttime hours, homeless advocates have reached out to share their side of the dangers.
Homeless in the city of Bend are using the state’s ten-cent bottle and can deposit system as a form of employment.
“I can’t think of a better group of people to work with. And they really need the help. It’s a hand up, not a hand out. Choice, not charity,” said Justin Gottlieb, who is the creator of the organization We-Can and was formerly homeless.
His organization’s business model gives those still on the street a chance at a paying job, by doing daily deposits.
“Instead of trying to buck the system or break the $35 a day rule, I decided to pay folks who had their $35 limit, who maybe couldn’t collect $35 in cans, and pay them $0.40 on the dollar. “
Supporters of the bill argued that the later deposits have opened up areas to open-air drug markets and brought more homeless people to the area.
Business owners near Bend’s only BottleDrop say the homeless can be dangerous, especially at night.
Oregon Spirit Distillery owner Brad Irwin told us, “It does attract people who hang out or loiter, and generate income. And it does have a negative public perception, and it does have genuine safety concerns.”
But Gottlieb and other canners hope to prevent that with their canning group
Roger, who helps Gottlieb, said, “When you get close to the end of the month, you look forward to this guy showing up with his bottles. You can take in a bag and get $8, and then, guess what? You’ve got enough money to go in there and get a sandwich over at Safeway or something. “
It hasn’t come without pushback, though. We’ve reported over the years that Bend residents have been complaining about strangers going through their recycling bins to get cans and bottles.
Back in 2020, Bend Police Communications Manager Sheila Miller told us, “If it is garbage or recycling that is in a recycling bin that’s going to be picked up by the company that contracts with city or county services, that is not public property. It is not lost or found property. That is the property of either the property owner or the company that is contracted to collect that property.”
Chris Fortune
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Missouri Western rewarded a recent graduate with the opportunity to own and operate a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory.
Every year, Craig School of Business graduates compete for a business ownership opportunity through the Center for Franchise Development.
Taten Piepergerdes was announced as the winner at Friday’s ceremony. He will operate a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in Corpus Christi, Texas.
“I think my life has kind of been like pointing towards this direction at getting something, especially south,” he said. “I love Hispanic culture, and that’s big there.”
Piepergerdes prepared a 50-page business plan that he presented in the fall in the preliminary round of the process. After a business internship, he returned with a polished plan to show in the final presentation.
“A lot of times they will put some of their other responsibilities on hold because this really is such a unique opportunity,” Pam Klaus, Missouri Western Director for the Center of Franchise Development, said. “It’s a once in a lifetime type of deal to be able to own a business right out of college.”
Klaus said competitors heard from seven alumni franchisees at a celebratory dinner on Thursday night.
“The growth they’ve seen in just a few years is really phenomenal,” she said. “They actually gave some advice to these young people, so it really does launch that career in ways that is really unmatched.”
Piepergerdes said he is grateful for the Center for Franchise Development program’s leaders and everyone that dedicated their time and effort to prepare him for the moment.
“My whole life has kind of oriented me to this position,” he said. “So it’s a combination of bits and pieces from my entire life that has led me to this opportunity.”
Patrick Holleron
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Bluffwoods Renaissance is kicking off on Saturday, May 31, with sword fights, food and medieval games for people to enjoy.
This year’s festival will be themed around two kings waging war, making anyone in attendance have to pick a side.
“The support that the saint joseph’s community has gave us is amazing,” cast director Dave Edwards said. “We have a lot of sponsors from the area. A lot of our vendors are from that area. We have a lot of promo stuff in town and out of town, people are so nice. They come up and said, ‘we never thought we would get to have this in our town’. And that really makes us happy and we’re pretty excited about that.”
The festival will start on Saturday, May 31, at Castle Bridge Event Center at 8403 B US Highway.
Mike Klan
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. –
CIF-Central Section Baseball:
Division 1: Centennial 9, St. Joseph 8
Division 3: Fowler 10, Morro Bay 1
CIF-Central Section Softball:
Division 3: Madera 12, Pioneer Valley 6
Division 5: Orcutt Academy 3, Dos Palos 0
Olivia Vara
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The U.S. Department of Labor will pause operations at contractor-operated Job Corps centers, including the David Carrasco Job Corps Center in El Paso, by June 30, 2025.
This decision comes as the program faces significant budget deficits, with operating costs averaging over $80,000 per student annually.
Despite this investment, graduates earn approximately $16,695 per year on average, raising concerns about job placement success and program effectiveness.
The average graduation rate stands at only 38.6%, indicating challenges in meeting educational goals.
Local organizations are stepping in to provide alternative training options, crucial for youths facing homelessness and job insecurity.
According to the press release, the department’s decision aligns with the President’s 2026 budget proposal, reflecting the Administration’s commitment to ensure federal workforce investments deliver meaningful results for both students and taxpayers.
Around 25,000 students are currently enrolled in the Job Corps program.
News Release
The following is a news release from the City of Pocatello:
POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI)—The City of Pocatello invites community members to an upcoming open house to learn more about the North Portneuf Crossing Project, a major infrastructure effort aimed at improving safety, mobility, and connectivity in the area.
Significant improvements are planned for the intersection of North Kraft Road and North Main Extension, including the installation of a traffic signal, extension of Foothill Boulevard, and numerous enhancements for pedestrians, cyclists, and public transit users.
Project highlights include:
Traffic signal installation at North Kraft Road and North Main Extension
Extension of Foothill Boulevard to Kraft Road and cul-de-sac at the end of Gathe Drive
Bicycle and pedestrian improvements
A paved trail on the north side of the Portneuf River with a pedestrian bridge over Pocatello Creek
A new Pocatello Regional Transit bus stop
Stormwater system upgrades
New medians, sidewalks, and crosswalks
Planning for a paved trail at the Pacific Steel & Recycling trailhead
The City of Pocatello was awarded a competitive $7,750,000 U.S. Department of Transportation grant to support these major safety and infrastructure improvements. The open house is part of phase I of the project which will complete environmental work and preliminary design plans. Community input gathered during this phase will help shape the final plans before the project moves into the design-build stage.
Open House information:
Date: June 10, 2025
Time: 4:00 – 6:00 PM
Location: Water Department Main Office, 1889 N. Arthur Ave, Pocatello, ID 83204
Residents are encouraged to attend, ask questions, and provide feedback on the project. For more information, visit: north-portneuf-crossing-pocatello.hub.arcgis.com/.
Julia Castro
WHITEWATER, Calif. (KESQ) – Firefighters responded Tuesday morning to a serious two-vehicle crash on westbound Interstate 10 near Haugen-Lehmann Way in Whitewater.
The collision was reported at 8:03 a.m. and involved major damage, impacting the center divider.
According to Cal Fire, one person was trapped inside a vehicle and had to be extricated by crews. That individual sustained moderate injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Drivers in the area experienced delays as emergency responders worked to clear the scene.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
Stay with News Channel 3 for any updates.
Lucas Geisler
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Columbia Fire Department is asking for 12 new firefighter positions as part of its budget next year.
The request from CFD to the city manager’s office calls for 12 new Firefighter I/II positions at a total cost of $1.1 million. Chief Brian Schaeffer told ABC 17 News he feels the department needs 48 new firefighters to staff CFD to the proper level for the city.
Schaeffer said he wants the department to be able to staff each vehicle with four firefighters. Right now, most vehicles are staffed with three people. Having four allows each unit to deploy two teams of two at each call for tasks like searches and rescues, and bring them in line with National Fire Protection Association standards for staffing.
FY 26 Fire Cover Sheet 5-27Download
“We can rescue people faster, we can suppress fires faster, we can cut and extricate people from vehicles faster,” Schaeffer said. “Everything works in a four-person complement and that’s where we’d like to get to.”
The request for greater public safety staffing also extends to the police department. Columbia Police Chief Jill Schlude requested 51 new sworn police officers in fiscal 2026. Schlude said she does not expect to get 51 new officers in one budget but requested the number to publicly state what she and command staff think the department needs to be fully staffed for a city of Columbia’s size and population.
Columbia Professional Firefighters Union president Zachary Privette said he was supportive of adding more firefighters to get to the NFPA standards. CFD can handle four-person crews as long as no one is off work.
“The 12 that he’s requesting right now is going to get us to where we can get four people assigned every day with three-person minimums,” Privette said. “But in order to get us to that four-person minimum, that means every truck in the city has four people on it, we’re going to need closer to 48 or 50 people.”
City departments are in the midst of requests to the city manager’s office for the fiscal 2026 budget. Each request comes with a list of ongoing costs and “new decision items,” or new jobs and equipment the department would like in the next year. The requests are either pared down or incorporated fully into the city manager’s proposed budget for the city council. The fiscal year starts on Oct. 1.
Including the new decision items, the fire department is requesting a $35.1 million budget, which is $3.7 million more than the current fiscal year’s.
Schaeffer’s first listed non-personnel item is $70,000 to help supply and stock the new Fire Station 10 on the east side of Columbia. All staff hires have been made for that station, and he expects the building in the El Chaparral neighborhood to be ready by the start of 2026. It will serve the growing neighborhoods on the east side of town, including Old Hawthorne and The Brooks.
The department is also requesting a one-time spend of $25,100 for new boating equipment. Schaeffer said CFD is close to wrapping up a “facilitated learning analysis” of the water rescue that killed Assistant Boone County Fire Protection District Chief Matt Tobben. Schaeffer said that the process has revealed some needs CFD has for boats and boating equipment.
“We’ll be needing equipment, training and additional policy work in anticipation of [the analysis],” Schaeffer said. “We know that we have two old boats that have been identified years ago, in dire need of repair. And so we’re anticipating that coming out of the facilitated learning analysis and preparing ourselves for that purchase.”
City manager De’Carlon Seewood said he expected to roll out the proposed budget in July.
Nichole Gomez
El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV)-If you are planning a Texas road trip, TX dot has all the information you might need to make your trip the best it can be. Jennifer Wright joins us with helpful tips.
Closures: ( courtesy of Tx Dot El Paso)
-10 Widening West
Saturday, May 31, through Monday, June 2
4 a.m. to 5 a.m. (49HR closure)
I-10 East at Redd Exit Ramp closed
Montana Widening Project
Tuesday, June 10 & Wednesday, June 11
Nightly, 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Eastbound Montana Frontage Road full closure between George Dieter Drive and Saul Kleinfeld Drive
Crews will be pouring CRCP. Only local traffic will be allowed to go through.
Thursday, June 12 & Monday, June 16
Nightly, 8 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Eastbound Montana Frontage Road full closure between Saul Kleinfeld Drive and Joe Battle Boulevard
