Sex offender gets gun charge during child porn investigation

KMIZ on May 2, 2025

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A registered sex offender in Morgan County was charged with illegal gun possession while authorities were investigating a child pornography case.

William Ernest Conn, 85, of Rocky Mount, was released from the Morgan County Jail at 10:30 p.m. Thursday. A court date has not been set.

The probable cause statement says local law enforcement was assigned a cyber tip on March 26 from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children for an image of child porn that was uploaded to Bing on Dec. 24.

The IP address linked to the user was leased by Conn at his Morgan County residence, the statement says.

While law enforcement searched Conn’s residence on Thursday, they found a rifle. Conn is a convicted felon and is not allowed to have a gun. Law enforcement seized several electronic devices from Conn’s residence while executing the search warrant.

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‘RELISH THE MOMENT’: Experience the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile in Colorado Springs

KRDO on May 2, 2025

Celeste Springer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – People living in Colorado Springs can soon catch up with the Wienermobile.

“Relish the moment,” read promotional material for the hot dog on wheels.

Visit Colorado Springs says the event is for one day only– Saturday, May 3. Tickets should be purchased in advance.

This is not just an up-close encounter with the Wienermobile, but an immersive lunch tour featuring a selection of gourmet hot dogs.

The 2-hour walking tour starts in downtown Colorado Springs, and a guide will take guests to several locations for tastings. Beer and cider are included at the first stop, according to Visit Colorado Springs.

Finally, the tour will end at the iconic Wienermobile where guests can get Instagram photos to their heart’s content.

Tickets are $68 for adults and $58 for kids. You can purchase those here.

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Coroner rules death accidental in golf cart crash that killed John Elway’s agent

KESQ on May 2, 2025

Jesus Reyes

Story Update 05/09/2025: LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) The Riverside County Sheriff’s Coroner Bureau has released the cause of death for Jeff Sperbeck, longtime agent of NFL legend John Elway.

According to the Coroner’s report, the cause of death is “blunt head trauma,” and the manner of death is “accident,” and the mode of death (how the injury occurred) is “passenger fell from golf cart.”

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office reports the investigation into the incident remains open and ongoing.

Earlier story – 05/02/2025:

LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) – Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco said there doesn’t appear to be signs of any criminal activity in the golf cart accident that killed Jeff Sperbeck, longtime agent of NFL legend John Elway, in La Quinta over the weekend.

The accident happened Saturday afternoon at the 53200 block of Humboldt Boulevard, inside the Madison Club. Sperbeck was rushed to Desert Regional Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead early Tuesday morning.

Elway was reportedly driving the golf cart at the time of the accident, witnesses told News Channel 3 Sports Director Blake Arthur.

Bianco shared a statement with News Channel 3’s Karen Devine on Friday:

“While the investigation is not yet completed, there is nothing we have learned to indicate this is anything other than a tragic accident.”

UPDATE: La Quinta Death Investigation The investigation is ongoing and has not been completed, but at this point, there is nothing to indicate that this is anything more than a tragic accident.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office pic.twitter.com/z8oATNrNXI

— Riverside County Sheriff (@RSO) May 2, 2025

Bianco expanded on the investigation in an interview with the Denver Post on Friday, where he stated that medical personnel at the scene did not find evidence that Elway was inebriated at the time of the accident. There were no specific details as to how medical personnel reached that conclusion.

Bianco added that the Sheriff’s Office is reviewing surveillance footage and witness testimony.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office did not respond to the scene as Bianco told the Denver Post that first responders didn’t immediately flag RSO for any sort of investigatation. The agency confirmed to News Channe 3 that they were made aware of the accident on Monday then launched their investigation.

TMZ reports that Elway was seen at a party two hours before the accident.

Elway has hired Denver-based attorney, Harvey Steinberg, according to multiple reports Friday. Steinberg issued a statement on behalf of his client.

“This has been a terrible time for everyone involved and our hearts continue to go out to the Sperbeck family. As John grieves this unimaginable loss, we appreciate the efforts of the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. The investigation has confirmed what we already knew: this was a tragic accident and sometimes things happen in life that we will never comprehend.”

Stay with News Channel 3 for any updates on the investigation.

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Employees say severance packages at risk for hundreds laid off from Klamath County Jeld-Wen facility

KTVZ on May 2, 2025

Harley Coldiron

(Update: Adding video)

CHILOQUIN, Ore. (KTVZ) — Jeld-Wen has announced that its Chiloquin Doors plant is closing permanently and the 128 people who work there are losing their jobs.

“On May 1, 2025, JELD-WEN announced it will stop operations at its Chiloquin Doors plant and move production to other existing JELD-WEN facilities. The transition will begin immediately,” Manager of External Communications Katie Lykins told KTVZ News on Friday.

Multiple employees who wished to remain anonymous shared with KTVZ News that the company had informed workers they would be fired and lose their severance if media interviews were conducted.

KTVZ News learned more than a hundred employees will be impacted, and several have told us they don’t know why they are losing their jobs.

The Chiloquin factory, located two hours south of Bend, makes custom doors and frames. It’s been one of the few sources of good-paying jobs in Klamath County.

When KTVZ news arrived at the facility Tuesday morning to get answers on why the plant was shutting down, we were immediately told to leave and were kicked off the property.

According to multiple employees who wished to remain anonymous, the company warned employees they would lose their severance package if they spoke to the media.

KTVZ News could not confirm this information. 

Oregon is an at-will state, meaning employers can terminate employees at any time unless the decision is based on discrimination or illegal reasons.  

“We value the contributions of our employees and have provided those affected with a competitive separation package and outplacement services to help provide a smooth transition,” the company said.

“While decisions that impact people are never easy, we make them only after careful consideration and with the understanding that our actions today are necessary to position JELD-WEN for long-term success,” the statement from Lykins concluded.

Lykins would also not comment on how well the facility was doing financially. The company released its 20-25 first-quarter results, showing major losses in revenue.

The required closure notice sent to Chiloquin Mayor Julie Bettles and a state workforce official indicated over 100 production workers are expected to have their last day of work on June 30, with 14 production and management staying on until Dec. 1.

Jeld-Wen started in Klamath Falls over 60 years ago, but moved its headquarters to North Carolina a decade ago. Jeld-Wen operates facilities in 14 countries in North America and Europe and employs approximately 16,000 people.

In the meantime, employment organizations are working to find jobs for the people who will be impacted by the closure.

Here’s the plant closure notice:

WARN 9218 Jeld-Wen – Chiloquin FacilityDownload

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Department of Education to resume loan payback for borrowers

News-Press NOW on May 2, 2025

Kirsten Stokes

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The U.S Department of Education will officially resume collecting defaulted federal student loans on Monday, May 5, marking the end of a three-year pause, which began during the COVID-19 pandemic.

For thousands of Missourians, and particularly residents of St. Joseph, this could mean renewed pressure from loan services, especially for those whose loans are currently in default.

However, for St. Joseph resident Lorna Davis, the deadline will be of no concern as she believes its starts with making smart decision before taking loans.

“It’s a matter of catching it beforehand and deciding if you want to go to a four year school and if you’re actually going to stick with it,” Davis said. “If there is any way to avoid them, I think that’s best.”

The pause, which began in March 2020, offered temporary relief to more than 40 million borrowers, halting interest accrual and collections on defaulted loans. But starting this month, collections on federally held student loans in default are restarting, with garnishments of wages, tax refunds and Social Security benefits once again on the table. 

In an April interview with Fox Business, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon urged Americans to act swiftly. “It’s very simple, we’ve announced that by May 5, you must start to repay your loan,†McMahon said. “This is not meant to cause hardship. There are several different payment plans available.†

What This Means for St. Joseph Residents 

According to the most recent data from the Department of Education, Buchanan County has a significant number of residents with student debt, and many of those loans are currently in default. Local borrowers who have fallen behind could now face renewed garnishments or negative credit reporting if they do not act quickly. 

For St. Joseph resident Beth Crumpler, the return to repayment is daunting. “Right now I haven’t been navigating them because I haven’t had to pay with the forbearance going on,â€Crumpler said. “But I’m just going to have to work probably until the day I die. I’ll just be working to pay what I have to pay.”

The Fresh Start initiative, a temporary program from the Department of Education, allows borrowers in default to return to good standing and avoid collections. Borrowers can: 

Remove the default status from their loans, re-enter regular repayment plans, restore eligibility for federal financial aid, and prevent wage or benefit garnishment. 

Borrowers must act soon, as Fresh Start is not automatic. To enroll, visit myeddebt.ed.gov or contact your loan servicer. 

“I don’t know if it was worth it to have the loans but college prepared me for my job absolutely,” Crumpler said.

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Chamois man accused of stealing, deceptive business practices in Audrain County

KMIZ on May 2, 2025

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Chamois man was charged with a pair of felonies after he allegedly took money for work he did not complete.

Curtis McCarty was charged on Friday in Audrain County with stealing more than $750 and committing deceptive business practices. A criminal summons was issued for McCarty on Friday. An initial court appearance is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 27.   

The probable cause statement says McCarty was already being investigated in a possible elderly exploitation incident when information about this case was found. The victim allegedly contracted McCarty in August 2023 to construct an “outbuilding” on an already existing concrete foundation, the statement says.

The victim allegedly paid $8,000 to McCarty for materials and additional costs were expected after work was complete, the statement says. The work was still not completed by Feb. 5, 2025, and McCarty supposedly was dodging small claims court appearances for similar cases, court documents say.

Court documents say he has failure-to-appear warrants in associated cases.

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Problem Solvers: La Pine-area man charged with animal abuse as Humane Society cares for victim dog, 2 companions

KTVZ on May 2, 2025

Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A La Pine-area man was formally charged Friday with aggravated animal abuse for hitting his dog with a shovel as photos of his three seized dogs were shared with KTVZ’s Problem Solvers.

The victim dog, Hooch, and John Coe Richardson’s other two dogs, Evie and Paco, were seized Wednesday when Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies arrested Richardson in the La Pine Post Office parking lot.

KTVZ’s Problem Solvers broke the story on our 11:00 p.m. Tuesday newscast after a neighbor’s video of the alleged beating went viral on social media, prompting numerous calls for action.

Court records show Richardson was granted conditional release from the Bend jail on Friday as he was charged with first-degree aggravated animal abuse, a Class C felony, and second-degree animal abuse, a Class B misdemeanor. He’s scheduled to be arraigned on the charges on May 20.

The charging document alleges Richardson “did unlawfully and knowingly torture an animal,” and injured Hooch “by use of force.”

The standard conditional release form signed by Richardson did not address issues regarding animal possession.

District Attorney Steve Gunnels told KTVZ News, “He was released by the jail based on release criteria that they are required to follow. We will ask the judge to address release conditions when he comes to court on May 20, which will be the first time in this case that he will be in front of a judge.”

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Palm Springs to pay nearly $1M in Plaza Theatre patio use settlement

KESQ on May 2, 2025

Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Palm Springs reached a settlement with Grit Development that includes a $1 million payment related to a patio issue delaying the multi-million-dollar Plaza Theatre renovation project.

The settlement stems from patio space at the restaurant Kalura Trattoria, located next to the theater. The city was set to acquire the property through eminent domain as was required to get the Plaza Theatre renovation project up to state code for people to safely enter and exit the theater.

The owners of the restaurant strongly opposed the move, telling News Channel 3’s Luis Avila in November that the process has been unfair and will impact their business. In February, Palm Springs reached a $500,000 settlement agreement with the owners of Kalura.

Grit Development, the owners of the property, filed a lawsuit over the issue in December, as well as a cross-complaint against the city in November. On Friday, Palm Springs announced a settlement agreement with Grit Development, where the city will pay $986,500 as well as work on a new replacement patio within the portion of a public sidewalk in front of Kalura.

Palm Springs — Grit Plaza Theatre Stipulation (FINAL)(VW Signature)-c1 (002)-c1Download

Statement from City of Palm Springs:

“The City of Palm Springs is pleased to have reached a positive resolution with Grit Development regarding access rights to the historic Plaza Theatre. From the beginning, the City’s focus has been on ensuring public safety while preserving one of Palm Springs’ most iconic cultural landmarks. With the resolution of issues surrounding the patio and easement, the City is looking forward to finishing the project and restoring the Theatre to its original glory.

When the Plaza Theatre reopens this fall, it will once again host world-class performers and contribute significantly to the vitality of our downtown. The restored Theatre will serve as a cornerstone to the City’s Downtown Revitalization, delivering millions of dollars in economic impact and enriching Palm Springs’ vibrant arts and culture scene. 

We thank Grit Development for their collaboration and ongoing investment in our community. Together, we look forward to a revitalized Plaza Theatre that will benefit residents, visitors, and future generations.”

The Plaza Theatre is one of Palm Springs’ oldest and most iconic venues, and it is currently being restored in a multi-million-dollar project. It is set to open in December.

For more on the Plaza Theatre, visit: palmspringsplazatheatre.com and savetheplazatheatreps.com

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Sedalia opens applications to replace former councilman who is under investigation

KMIZ on May 2, 2025

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The City of Sedalia has announced that it is taking applications for its open Ward 1 City Council seat.

Tom Oldham stepped down from his position last week after “serious allegations” were brought against him, the City of Sedalia wrote in a social media post. The city did not elaborate on the allegations in the post or in communications with ABC 17 News.

Pettis County Sheriff Brad Anders told ABC 17 News in emails that his office is investigating Oldham. The criminal investigation includes the possible sexual harassment of a youth. Oldham was recently reelected to his seat in the April 8 race.

The city had stated last week that it would follow state statutes, allowing the mayor to make an appointment to the council, with council approval. The city wrote in a post that this process is “going beyond state requirements.”

“We want this process to reflect the values of our city—honesty, inclusion, and public service,” Mayor Andrew Dawson was quoted in the post. “If you live in the First Ward and care about where we’re headed, I encourage you to apply. Your voice matters, and your perspective could help shape Sedalia’s future.”

The post says first ward residents “who’s interested in local government and community improvement is encouraged to apply.”

Applications are available online on the city’s website or can be picked up at the City Clerk’s Office. Completed application to the City Clerk’s Office at jmyers@sedalia.com.

Applicants who are moving to the next phase will be interviewed in-person in the council chambers, the post says. Interviews will be streamed online and will be available for later viewings, the post says.

Dawson will pick a candidate for approval afterwards. However, “if no clear fit emerges, the process will remain open until the right person steps forward,” the post says. A timeline for the process was not stated in the post.

“At this time, there’s no fixed deadline for the appointment. Our priority is not speed, it’s making sure we find the right person to represent Ward 1. The process will remain open as long as needed to ensure thoughtful review, community involvement, and a candidate who truly reflects the values of the ward,” city spokesperson Jessica Hoffman wrote in a Friday afternoon email to ABC 17 News.

First_Ward_Council_Application_2025Download

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Problem Solvers: Homeless in the Pines, encampments growing in the woods of La Pine

KTVZ on May 2, 2025

Isabella Warren

LA PINE, Ore. (KTVZ)– Just outside the city limits of La Pine, in the dense forest that surrounds the community, you won’t find wild animals enjoying their habitat. Instead, homeless camps.

Deputies with the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office showed the Problem Solvers first-hand the camps set up right outside of town.

“This is a camp where the guy’s been in jail for some time. All this was left out here. We have firewood. We have structures that have been built, all these forest products,” Lieutenant Joshua Spano said while driving through a camp.

But during our interview, he arrived at a new trailer, “This is a brand-new trailer addition here. It wasn’t here a week ago. This isn’t supposed to be happening.”

Lieutenant Spano patrols this part of the county and says he’s counted six new camps set up within three days.

All six arrived from Bend’s largest encampment off China Hat Road. That land belongs to the federal government, and the U.S. Forest Service closed the area Thursday for wildfire mitigation, a problem La Pine residents know all too well.

“It’s a struggle, for real,” said David, who moved from Colorado to La Pine and now lives in the forest.

He tells the Problem Solvers that the small community of La Pine just doesn’t have the services to help the growing population, and with people being forced out of camps along China Hat Road, the challenge is going to grow. 

“The only resource that I necessarily use is St. Vincent de Paul, and that’s just for food,” he said.

The camps are just a short walk from new housing developments where people, young and old, are looking to call home. A dream that many people in the camps feel is far out of reach.

As the deputies continue their patrol, they are reminded that wildfire season is quickly approaching. Evacuation tape could be seen in camps following the Jack Pine Fire.

Viral video KTVZ News shared last June shows what appears to be an encampment on fire, the same day the nearly 4,000-acre Darlene 3 Fire ignited, forcing hundreds to evacuate, including those living in the city of La Pine.

The fire was human-caused, officials said, but the specific cause of that fire still hasn’t been determined.

Solutions are continuing to be discussed as wildfire season quickly approaches and the city of La Pine braces.

A cleanup with Deschutes County jail inmates is scheduled for May 10, part of the efforts of the Newberry Regional Partnership aimed at providing solutions to homelessness and wildfire risk.

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