Matthew Sanders
For more than 80 years, the prison on Alcatraz Island has been mostly a museum.
But President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he wants to reopen the prison on the island. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that he was directing officials to research reopening the prison to house America’s most violent criminals.
Do you think Alcatraz should be reopened? Let us know by voting in the poll.
Tracee Tuesday
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The High Desert boasts some of the darkest night skies in the continental United States.
However, increasing light pollution emanating from developed areas, threatens the health of both nocturnal wildlife and humans.
One community is taking the lead in protecting Central Oregon’s dark skies – the City of Sisters.
Tuesday evening, at McMenamins in Bend, I attended the “Natural History Pub – How Sisters is Protecting Central Oregon’s Dark Skies.”
The event, hosted by the High Desert Museum, celebrated the city of Sisters, as it’s passed an outdoor lighting ordinance and established itself as a Dark Sky International community.
The presentation discussed the many splendid planets, stars and galaxies you can clearly see in the dark skies.
What exactly makes Central Oregon cities like Sisters so recognized as a Dark Sky community and so perfect for taking in the vibrancy of the universe?
“There are a couple of factors. One is the elevation. Two is, the transparency of the sky is based on the low humidity,” said Dark Skies board member Christopher Hill.
Hill added: “And three, because of that, some of the communities are so small, the actual light dome is much smaller than when you have a larger city, like on the west side of Oregon, around Portland and Eugene. And so therefore, the skies here (are) that much more transparent for being able to see the Milky Way and the stars.”
As Sisters continues its five-year plan to ensure all outdoor lighting meets Dark Sky standards, the city stands as a shining example of how communities can unite to protect the natural beauty of the night sky.
For more information on Sisters’ Dark Sky designation and upcoming stargazing events, visit the city’s official website or Dark Sky International.
Tracy Lehr
SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. — Cachuma Lake is busy, even on a Monday.
Visitors aren’t just camping, fishing, and boating, they’re also checking out the water level.
Mary Lee Knecht, regional chief with the Bureau of Reclamation, said the reservoir’s elevation is currently 744.62 feet. It’s at 87 percent capacity, holding 167,985 acre-feet of water.
People who have seen the lake at extreme lows say they’re loving the current view.
Matt Eaton, a Solvang resident, spent his May 5 birthday on the water with friends.
“We went out this morning on a boat and toured the whole lake,” Eaton said. “You can see some of the historic water levels that were a little bit higher at one point, but we were right below that high water mark, and it was beautiful.”
Blake Dolton stopped by the lake on his way back from wine tasting in the Santa Ynez Valley. He said he immediately called friends to tell them about the view.
The county has spent millions on improvements and plans to open an updated RV park once PG&E connects power to the site.
Officials are also forming an ad hoc committee, made up of Supervisors Steve Lavagnino and Joan Hartmann, to consider allowing swimming at the reservoir. The idea was discussed during the April 1 Board of Supervisors meeting.
Dustin Farnum, owner of Hook’d Bar and Grill, said he supports allowing swimming to make the lake more family friendly.
But some anglers, including Karl Stansell of North Carolina, expressed concerns that allowing swimming could lead to other water sports, like waterskiing. The former Coast Guard member also warned about the risk of contaminated mussels that may come from boats used on other lakes.
Supervisors Lavagnino and Hartmann are expected to revisit the issue in a year, along with the possibility of lowering RV hookup fees for local residents.
The current RV fees recently increased from $50 to $85 per night during the off-season, and from $55 to $95 during peak season.
Peak season also coincides with fire season.
Santa Barbara County Fire spokesperson Scott Safechuck said the department is pleased to see the lake level so high. He added that the recent rain and improved water levels will be helpful as high fire season begins next month.
Still, Safechuck reminded residents that the county remains in a drought and urged property owners to clear defensible space around their homes by June 1.
Mike Klan
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Four awards were handed out at the next to last Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table luncheon for the school year.
San Marcos High School senior swimmer Sierra Tallman is the Female Athlete of the Week while Royals tennis player Carter Cotich is the Male Athlete of the Week.
Tallman broke a 45-year old San Marcos record in winning the 100-yard breaststroke at the Channel League Finals. Her time of 1:04.49 broke the 1980 record set by Anne Tweedy who went on and swam on the U.S. National Team.
Tallman also set a new Channel League Championship meet record in the 200 IM with a winning time of 2:02.93 as the Royals won the league title.
Cotich captured the Channel League Singles Championship as he completed league season undefeated and did not lose a set.
He will now lead the Royals tennis team into the CIF-SS Division 3 playoffs.
Nicole Buist received the Phil Womble Ethics in Sports Award for Santa Barbara High School.
The junior led the Dons to a CIF-SS tennis title in the fall and she also is on the track & field team.
She is a great teammate and displays tremendous sportsmanship.
The Westmont College Scholar-Athlete of the Year is women’s basketball player Sage Kramer.
The junior averaged over 17 points per game and she has never received less than an A in any of her classes at Westmont.
Barney Lerten
(Update: Adding video)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Another long-time staple of Bend’s dining scene closed down abruptly on Monday, as 900 Wall, a popular spot that opened downtown 16 years ago, closed its doors and apparently informed its employees of the sudden closure the very same day.
KTVZ News had reached out earlier Monday afternoon after an email from an employee said the restaurant had “just closed. … Just got the message from the other 30 minutes ago.” But the phone call and email brought no reply, nor did a visit.
A few hours later, the official word came in a Facebook announcement, accompanied by a photo of … a brick wall:
“We served our last order of fried green beans Sunday evening,” the owners wrote. “We did all we could to continue to provide a living for employees, a sense of community for our guests and a platform for all of the local farmers and producers we’ve worked with for the past 17 years.”
“We are not alone in our struggle this winter and spring, so if you value locally owned restaurants, now is the time to support the wonderful community we have grown with here. We’re grateful we had the opportunity to be a part of so many memories in our community.
And the comments from surprised fans came fast:
Dozens quickly weighed in on Reddit’s Bend subreddit, with opinions (as always) all over the map, other than that the place always seemed very busy at its prominent location at the corner of NW Wall Street and Minnesota Avenue.
“RIP to the best happy hour in town,” said one, while another called the food “unfortunately pretty forgettable.”
Others wondered if the upswing in food cart popularity is why sit-down restaurants – not just the so-called “fast casual” of now-closed Shari’s and the like – are struggling.
Maxwell Glenn
SEASIDE, Calif. (KION) – Cal State Monterey Bay Baseball made history, becoming the first team since the 1970s to win four-straight CCAA titles.
The Otters clinched the title with a 13-3 win over San Francisco State in the final game of the regular season.
Prior to the game, Cal State Monterey Bay honored 28 seniors and it was those same seniors who led the charge.
Max Farfan propelled the offense, driving in five runs off three hits. Farfan’s senior day was highlighted by a three-run home run in the fifth inning to give CSUMB a 9-1 lead.
Senior Dominic Felice extended the lead only an inning earlier, launching another three-run shot.
Javier Felix, Jaden Sheppard, and KW Quilici each logged multi-hit games on their senior day. Felix drove in a pair of runs, while Sheppard and Quilici each drove in one run apiece.
On the mound, another upperclassman led the way, as Mitchell Torres earned his fifth win of the season. Torres threw six complete innings, allowing six hits and two earned runs. During that stretch, he struck out three Gators.
The Otters forced a three-way tie for the top spot in the CCAA after a 5-3 win to open their final homestand against San Francisco State. By the series finale, CSUMB walked away with another conference title and the top seed in the CCAA Baseball Tournament.
The Otters’ first game of the tournament is set for 11 a.m. on Thursday, May 8 in Los Angeles.
Andrew J. Polk
EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The company behind the amphitheater set to be built in northeast El Paso is showing off new designs for the site – and the opportunity to own part of it.
Venu Holding Corporation is the company that made the recently-expanded 380 agreement public-private partnership with the City of El Paso, growing the footprint of the project site to 20 acres where Cohen Stadium once was. And according to Venu, once completed the amphitheater will host year-round programming – with 60 to 70 musical performances across all 12 months.
“Well, we wouldn’t be in selected markets that we didn’t know that we could fully program,” said Robert Mudd, senior vice president of Market Expansion and Construction with Venu. “And if you look at what’s happening nationwide, live music is exploding and artists love the these outdoor capacities. And so, you know, the advantage that we have is with the roof, with the wind walls, with the heat, we’re not just dependent upon sunny days with no rain to be able to to have our acts go.”
Mudd says that features of the new design incorporate heating and cooling along with wind mitigation to keep the facility comfortable regardless of the weather at any point during the year.
“We’re going to be able to program it almost as if it was in an enclosed facility,” Mudd said. “But in fact, it’s open air. You obviously have the mountain range that will sit just over the backdrop of it. So it’s a beautiful backdrop for what’s going to be a great evening to go see a show.”
Mudd expects that following the updated agreement with the city Venu will close on the property this week. Construction is then expected to take about 14 months, with the 12,500 seat amphitheater estimated to open late next year. Once opened, the company’s focus will be on bringing top-20 musical talent and performances to audiences there.
“If you look at what we’re doing in Colorado Springs and what we have slated for our other locations and in Tulsa and Texas,” Mudd said, “through our programing partnerships and our direct provision of booking talent – the folks that you listen to on the radio every day are going to be playing at the Sunset Amphitheater. So we’re really excited about that.”
The company is now selling their Luxe FireSuites, which can be purchased and will receive tickets to all live music events at the amphitheater. The pricing for that starts at $298,500 for a 4-person suite, up to $597,000 for an 8-person one.
“The idea is – people might like to have a fire pit in their backyard and invite friends and family over,” Mudd said. “And, you know, whether it’s to have some good food or beverage and listen to music. We took that concept, which, you know, is a gathering point for for backyards all over the United States. And we said, look, we’re going to put this into an amphitheater so people feel like they’re sitting in their backyard.”
Venu has previously sold their Luxe FireSuites at their other locations in Colorado and Oklahoma. Lifetime memberships will also be available to the Aikman Club premium suites.
“We’ve got table service to the fire pit suites. And you’re able to put your feet up on it, you’re able to set your plate on it. We’ve got an enhanced food menu. And those fire pit suites will be purchased by folks that invest in the project. And so, it’s been a very, very well-received and successful piece of our business as we’ve expanded across the U.S.”
There will be 228 Luxe FireSuites available, ranging from 4 to eight seats each, and 175 memberships to the Aikman Club. The company says people with enough cash to buy them will also be investing on the amphitheater – and can see a return on the investment.
Noah Farley
ISLAND PARK, Idaho (KIFI) — Following the crash that killed seven on Highway 20 last Thursday, several people in the Idaho Falls area are expressing feelings that the roads near the site of the accident are dangerous.
They say the speed limits are a part of the issue. There are at least five areas where the speed limit changes from 65 or 70 miles an hour to 45.
Some locals feel the speed limits should be lowered and made consistent. They think the current situation makes people impatient and drive less carefully.
“If they were to slow down and have a nighttime speed limit of 55, and then maybe a daytime speed limit of 65, I think we could save animals.” said Island Park Preservation Coalition Chairman Ken Watts. “I think we could save people.”
The Idaho Transportation Department has expressed plans to widen the sections of Highway 20 going through Island Park and turn it into a four-land highway.
However, many Island Park residents do not agree with this plan, citing the potential costs to build it and how a wider highway would affect the environment.
Watts also feels ITD has not been listening enough to locals’ ideas.
“Listen to the people of Fremont County and what solutions they would like to have and and back away from this idea of the four lane freeway,” Watts said.
To increase safety on the road, Watts suggested adding more rumble strips on the sides of the road, cutting down more trees to improve visibility, and creating wider shoulders so people can pull over.
Lynsey Harris
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Bend-La Pine Education Foundation is making a difference in local classrooms, and you can help make it happen for students, teachers and staff.
Lynsey Harris sat down with Lisa May and Ann Westerhoff to find out about their various programs and a fun upcoming fundraiser – Trivia Night on Wednesday, May 14th at Silver Moon Brewing.
Phillip Willis
BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI)—Early voting is now open in Bingham County for the May 20th Election. On the ballot are an Ambulance District levy, a bond to build a new high school in the Shelley School District, and to choose new trustee members for the North Bingham County Library District Trustee, among other things.
Early voting goes from May 5 to May 16. The Bingham County Elections Office is open between 9:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. On May 16, the hours will be extended to 5:00 p.m.
Voters in Bingham County are encouraged to contact the district offices, clerks, or even the candidates themselves to get information about the propositions on the ballot.
To vote early:
If Registered
Go to the Bingham County Elections office
Bring Photo ID
If Unregistered
Go to the Bingham County Elections office
Bring Photo ID
Bring Proof of Residence
An absentee ballot request form must be filled out by May 9 at 5:00 p.m. Absentee ballot request forms can be completed online or at the Bingham County Elections Office. These ballots must be received by the county clerk by 8:00 p.m. on May 20.
For details about your polling location or a look at a sample ballot, you can visit voteidaho.gov.
