Mike Klan
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. –
CIF-Central Section quarterfinals:
Division 1:
St. Joseph 2, Redwood 1 (SJ at Buchanan on Friday in semifinal)
Division 2:
Ridgeview 2, Lompoc 0
Washington Union 5, Arroyo Grande 1
Kingsburg 4, Paso Robles 3
Division 3:
Morro Bay 10, Mission Oak 3 (MB hosts Hoover Friday in semifinal)
Division 4:
Pioneer Valley 1, Reedley 0 (PV hosts Wasco on Friday in semifinal)
Tracy Lehr
SANTA BARBARA, Calif.-The California Highway Patrol CHP said maximum enforcement runs Friday at 6p.m. until Monday at midnight.
CHP spokesperson Jonathan Gutierrez said in the wake of recent fatal accidents it is worth reminding people to do everything they can to make it a safe weekend on busy road.
Chris Olvera, the AAA Santa Barbara and Lompoc Branch Manager, said about Memorial Day weekend travel is expected to be up at least 3 percent.
It appears more people are choosing to taking road trips rather than fly to destinations with new Real ID requirements.
Now is the time make sure your car, and RV are in good condition.
Olvera said people are welcome to stop by the newly remodeled office on State Street in Santa Barbara.
The branch is one of the third in AAA history in California.
This week is already part of the national “Click It or Ticket” campaign nationwide.
The California Highway Patrol said smart choices also include driving sober and staying alert.
They recommend designating a driver whenever one may be needed or find alternative transportation.
The CHP tracks accidents over the holiday period and wants people to get to and from their holiday safely.
More than half the people killed in car accidents last Memorial Day weekend in the CHP’s patrol area were not wearing seat belts.
They don’t mind reminding people or even nagging if it saves lives.
Drivers are likely to see buckle up messaging on freeway signs.
Sandie Wilkes is looking forward to a road trip to Lake Nacimiento.
She said her kids and grandchildren aren’t going on this trip, but always offers them good advice.
For more information visit https://www.chp.ca.gov
And for American Automobile Association information visit https://ace.aaa.com
Tyler Cunnington
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Questions are mounting about a Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) wastewater infrastructure project after some claim the utility financed the near-$400 million project using ratepayer dollars rather than requiring the developer who stands to benefit most to cover the cost.
Mailed flyers, TV commercials and websites have been created by the development group behind the Karman Line Annexation, pushing voters to say ‘Yes’ to the vote happening in a special election on June 19 that will decide whether the land annexation moves forward. That land is located between Banning Lewis Ranch and Schriever Space Force Base out east.
They argue that Norwood Development Group, who owns not just Banning Lewis Ranch but a majority of the developable land in Colorado Springs, is sticking CSU ratepayers with a $400 million bill by having the utility pay for the wastewater plant instead of paying for it themselves.
The project in question is the East Wastewater System Expansion (EWSE), which would connect mostly undeveloped eastern Colorado Springs to CSU’s central infrastructure using large pipes and pumps to send wastewater to the Las Vegas Street treatment facility, which has capacity for more volume.
The city says without an expansive project such as this one, the city’s wastewater services could face an overload by 2028.
A video provided by Colorado Springs Utilities shows the infrastructure mapped out.
The project is just one of several costly large-scale endeavors by CSU after a multi-billion dollar budget was approved by the Colorado Springs City Council in November of 2024 for the next five years. KRDO13 Investigates previously reported the rate increases would raise utility bills for families by an average of nearly $1,000 per year by 2030.
In light of the concerns raised in the flyers and other mediums, former State Senator and current practicing attorney Bob Gardner drafted a seven-page letter to Colorado Springs City Council, requesting that the utility explain why the agreement was made to use ratepayer dollars as a loan, instead of having the developer group finance it.
Subsequently, on Wednesday, CSU held a press conference to outline all aspects of the EWSE.
The controversy stems from a 1988 development agreement between CSU and Banning Lewis Ranch, when the land was first annexed into the city. That agreement was amended in 2018, which stipulated that CSU would bear the responsibility of constructing core wastewater infrastructure off-site from Banning Lewis Ranch, while the developer would be responsible for all on-site infrastructure that connects to those central pipes.
Gardner believes that the city violated the development agreement, as well as the city code when making the decision to undertake the financing of the EWSE.
Specifically, he cited City statute 7.4.303.B.2, which states:
“Electric, Gas, Water, Wastewater, and Stormwater Systems: The subdivider shall pay for the design, installation, and construction of all the required electric, gas, water, wastewater, and stormwater systems necessary to serve the development in compliance with this UDC, this Code, the most recent version of the Colorado Springs Utilities Gas, Electric, Water and Wastewater Line Extension and Service Standard, the Engineering Criteria, and the rules and regulations of Colorado Springs Utilities and the Stormwater Enterprise.”
He also cited CSU’s 2023 Wastewater Line Extension & Service Standards, which require developers to cover all costs for system extensions, with the option to seek cost recovery from future users through a 20-year agreement.
However, CSU says that the utility has always reserved the right to serve as a developer for certain projects.
“We followed all of our processes, existing utilities, rules and regulations that have been in place for decades that give us the authority to evaluate large wastewater projects and act as the developer when it’s in the best interest of the community,” explained the utility’s CFO, Tristan Gearhart.
Gearhart says that it was the most cost-effective course of action, and the EWSE would enable development to begin eastward within the city instead of stunting it any longer, since wastewater infrastructure is required before any kind of development can take place.
“I believe that what we have decided on here is ultimately the best solution from both an operational and a financial standpoint for all of our customers,” Gearhart added.
CSU says that in 2019, the utility identified seven different plans for achieving eastward expansion of wastewater infrastructure, and ultimately arrived at a scenario to use the Las Vegas Street water treatment plant.
As a result, the $396 million dollar project was determined the best course of action, especially considering they’d be able to recoup the costs of the EWSE through Advanced Recovery Costs, which are essentially fees passed onto homeowners or other customers through one-time fees from the developer.
The utility says existing properties in the area – like homes, the Colorado Springs Airport, and CSU’s Horizon Campus – would pay those fees once the pipelines are in service, while future developments, including more homes in Banning Lewis or the Karman Line project, would also share those costs.
CSU says they fully intend on recouping all 100% of that $396 million through the recovery fees, which could be anywhere from $750 for residential single-family units to as high as $3,900, depending on how much a property uses and relies upon the EWSE.
Gearhart says this method of financing a project is in no way atypical for CSU.
“It has been smaller infrastructure, typically not to that same $396 million level. But the advanced recovery agreements and recovery agreements have been used for many, many years at the utilities as a way for development to pay for the infrastructure that they will specifically use,” Gearhart said.
Conversely, the utility says if they were to build an entire wastewater treatment plant instead, the ratepayers would bear the entire cost of that project, since it is not eligible to have advanced recovery costs. A project of that magnitude would cost upwards of $600 million, according to CSU, slamming ratepayers much harder.
CSU explained that by 2030, through their increased rates, utility customers will pay $365 specifically towards the EWSE.
Yet, when KRDO13 Investigates asked if or when ratepayers would be repaid, as their funds served as a loan for the utility, Gearhart stated it could be decades, and that ratepayers would not get a direct credit but rather would see “less rate pressure moving forward.”
So far, roughly $6 million has already been recouped, according to Gearhart.
During the presentation on Wednesday, the Karman Line Annexation was mentioned multiple times as developable piece of land that would greatly benefit from the EWSE.
KRDO13 Investigates asked the ownership of Karman Line for comment, in light of their campaigning efforts scrutinizing Norwood and CSU. The group sent this statement over text:
“CSU did hold project update meetings with the Home Builders Association, of which some in our development group are members. Nobody on our team was part of discussions about Norwood Development Group’s obligation to finance the project, nor did we have any input on how the wastewater expansion project would be built.”
“The founders of Karman Line support the expansion of wastewater services in Colorado Springs and acknowledge our project will benefit from the creation of the eastern wastewater system. However, we believe development should pay its own way and are committed to paying for all the legal obligations required by our annexation agreement, City Code, and CSU Standards, including the extension of wastewater services to our property and do not seek to shift those costs to ratepayers.”
The ESWE was not up for an approval or a vote on Wednesday; instead, the presentation was made to the utilities board and city council to clear the air amidst the swirling questions and accusations.
Construction is set to begin in mid-2026 with the goal of completion by 2030. CSU says there will be certain lines and infrastructure online and active before 2030, but that will be determined later during construction.
Seth Ratliff
POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — A Local News 8 investigation into the Pocatello Police shooting of Victor Perez has uncovered significant new details surrounding the shooting of the disabled teen.
One of the revelations learned from police reports indicates that several members of the Pocatello Police Department were aware of Victor’s disabilities before the April 5th shooting. Our investigation also reveals police had been called to the property on previous occasions to intervene in the 17-year-old’s violent outbursts.
Local News 8 requested the incident reports shortly after the shooting, after receiving a tip from an anonymous source familiar with law enforcement that Pocatello PD had interactions with Perez and his family in the past.
The first recorded interaction between officers and the Perez family occurred on December 2nd, 2024. According to the report filed by Officer T. Anderson, police were called to the Perez home after Victor had pinned his mother to the ground by her hair. Officers were able to de-escalate the situation, convincing Victor to release his mother and subsequently placing him in handcuffs.
Officer Anderson’s report notes that Victor’s mother, speaking in Spanish, informed him that Victor was “mentally disabled and suddenly became violent.”
She also disclosed Victor’s history of violent outbursts, including an incident just weeks before in Chicago, Illinois, where he had strangled her. Victor’s mother ultimately chose not to press charges in this case.
On February 25 of this year, less than two months before the shooting, police were called to the home once again. This time, Victor’s grandfather, Luis Armando Alicea, told Officer Forburger of the Pocatello Police Department that the family was struggling to control the teen. Officer Forburger observed that Victor appeared to be non-verbal autistic and, according to the family, he had been acting out at school. . According to the police report, the family told Officer Forsburger they’d had trouble obtaining Victor’s medication, and they blamed that for Victor’s aggressive behavior.
During the February incident, Victor’s mother asked police to take her son to the hospital for evaluation, but Officer Forburger stated they couldn’t without legal grounds for action. However, the police did forward the report to Child Protective Services, advising them to visit the home and conduct an evaluation.
While much of the information in these reports remains redacted, the available details raise critical questions: Were the responding officers on April 5th aware of, or informed of, Victor’s condition? And if so, why not? And how will these newly uncovered details impact the ongoing investigation into their use of force?
Local News 8 reached out to the Pocatello Police regarding these questions. City spokesperson Marlise Irby indicated that the police department would be unable to answer the questions due to the ongoing litigation and investigation by the Idaho Critical Incident Task Force.
In past press conferences, city officials did release the 911 call to dispatch, indicating what the responding officers were aware of at the time. According to the call transcript, dispatch was told that the incident was taking place in the backyard of a home near a shop on 658 North Main. Perez’s name and address were not mentioned.
The documents also suggest that Victor’s family had been struggling to manage his behavior for some time. This, in turn, prompts another important question: Why didn’t they seek outside help or resources to address these ongoing challenges?
We’ll continue to follow this developing story and bring you the latest information as it becomes available.
The individual police reports have been included below:
Andrew Gillies
This article has been updated to include additional information from a Thursday morning booking log from Santa Barbara Sheriff and a response from the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office.
MONTECITO, Calif. – A suspect was taken into custody Wednesday evening after violently attacking a woman inside a Montecito estate and barricading himself from deputies during a major law enforcement response that shut down parts of Channel Drive.
According to the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to an “unknown type problem” around 4:31 p.m. on May 21st at a private residence of Beanie Babies’s creator, Ty Warner, in the 1000 block of Fairway Road. The initial report was of a possible home invasion or vehicle theft in progress.
When deputies arrived, they found a woman outside the residence suffering from severe injuries sustained in an assault. She was transported by ambulance to a nearby hospital. Deputies soon learned the male suspect was still inside the home, but it was unclear whether any other occupants remained or if anyone was being held hostage.
Law enforcement quickly established a perimeter, rerouting traffic away from Channel Drive near the bird refuge and the roundabout at Los Patos Way and Cabrillo Boulevard. Units from the California Highway Patrol, the Santa Barbara Police Department, and Santa Barbara County’s South Coast Patrol responded. A sheriff’s helicopter circled overhead, and the Sheriff’s Special Enforcement Team arrived with two BearCat armored rescue vehicles.
Deputies entered the residence to check for additional victims and confirmed that all other occupants had safely escaped. They found the suspect barricaded in an upstairs restroom. A crisis-trained Co-Response Team deputy attempted to negotiate with the man.
Instead of surrendering, the suspect tried to escape by climbing out of a second-story bathroom window. He jumped to the ground, where deputies and a Sheriff’s K9 apprehended him.
The suspect has been identified as 43-year-old Russell Maxwell Phay, a resident of Nevada. He was booked at the Santa Barbara County Main Jail on multiple felony charges, including burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, battery causing serious bodily injury, and kidnapping. He also faces a misdemeanor charge for obstruction.
Photo: Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office
A Thursday morning booking log shows Phay is being held on a first degree attempted murder charge, and his bail is now set at $1,000,000.
Investigators say there is no indication the victim and suspect knew each other.
News Channel reporter Tracy Lehr reported live from the scene, describing dozens of law enforcement vehicles—many unmarked—surrounding the estate, which is located across from the Music Academy of the West and near the property of Beanie Babies billionaire Ty Warner.
Several residents and bystanders were prevented from returning to their homes. Sylvia Cruz, who was trying to meet her daughter nearby, said, “I got off from my job and started hearing the police and ambulances. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but it was scary for me.”
Cary Jones and his wife were walking their dog nearby when the incident escalated. “We were on a walk when we saw a couple of highway patrolmen with automatic rifles,” he said. Their car was later blocked in by law enforcement vehicles. One of the unmarked units had to be towed due to a dead battery.
According to the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s Office, a report about criminal threats made over the phone by a Russell Maxwall Phay against a couple in the Arroyo Grande area was taken on May 22, 2024.
The couple did not know Phay, but investigating detectives believed he was living in Nevada or San Francisco at the time after he could not be reached added the San Luis Obispo County Sheriff’s in response to Your News Channel inquiries Thursday.
Reports from Siskiyou County show Phay was booked into their jail in 2017 and 2019 for battery and assault.
The investigation into this incident remains ongoing and authorities say more details will be released as they become available.
Barney Lerten
SISTERS, Ore. (KTVZ) — A 29-year-old Sisters man was arrested in a guns-drawn traffic stop Wednesday morning on assault, hit-and-run and other charges, accused of hitting a pedestrian on a sidewalk and a short time later brandishing a knife during an argument.
Around 10:50 a.m., Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies responded to a reported hit and run involving a vehicle vs. a pedestrian in the area of West Hood Avenue and Highway 20 West in Sisters, Lt. Chad Davis said.
Deschutes County 911 dispatchers advised a gold-colored sedan had driven up onto the sidewalk at this location in the oncoming lane and struck a pedestrian. Several citizens witnessed the vehicle strike the pedestrian and later provided statements to deputies.
The car was seen leaving the area, heading west on Highway 20, Davis said. Deputies responding to the scene evaluated the pedestrian and began to search for the suspect vehicle.
The pedestrian, a 35-year-old Sisters man, had minor injuries and refused treatment from medics with the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District, Davis said. He received minor scrapes and abrasions from being struck by the driver’s side mirror of the suspect vehicle and was able to walk away from the scene.
At 10:56 a.m., a separate 911 call was received from the Mainline Station at 1001 Rail Way, where there was a reported dispute involving a man who was brandishing a knife.
Prior to a nearby deputy arriving at Mainline Station, the man with the knife was seen leaving in a gold-colored sedan, Davis said.
Deputies were able to locate the gold sedan near the original hit-and-run scene, where they performed a high-risk vehicle stop.
The suspect complied and was taken into custody without incident, Davis said. He was lodged at the Deschutes County Jail in Bend on charges of second-degree assault, failure to perform the duties of a driver involving injury, unlawful use of a weapon, menacing, reckless driving, reckless endangering and second-degree disorderly conduct.
Davis said the investigation determined that after the driver struck the man with his vehicle, he drove to Mainline Station, where he got into a separate argument with a 46-year-old Sisters man.
The suspect is accused of brandishing a folding knife at the other man during the verbal confrontation.
Staff at Mainline Station called 911 to report the dispute. Eventually, the suspect drove away from Mainline, heading east on Highway 20, where he was stopped by deputies and taken into custody.
Davis said neither of the victims had any prior affiliation with the man.
KTVZ News policy is not to name arrested individuals until and unless formal charges are filed.
The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office was assisted in the incident by officers from the Black Butte Ranch Police Department and medics from the Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire Protection District.
KESQ News Team
INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – In Washington D.C., some proposed changes to the way SNAP benefits are delivered is raising concerns at FIND Food Bank in Indio.
SNAP is the government’s supplemental nutrition assistance program, known as CalFresh here in California. Lawmakers are looking at shifting SNPAP’s administrative and benefits to the states.
The change could cost California up to $4 billion a year and impact up to 150,000 people who depend on FIND for food.
“So if the state isn’t able to pick up the $3.1 to $4 billion dollars that would become the state’s responsibility as opposed to what’s been funded by federal then they’re going to have to make choices on whether or not we have to shrink the program– people could lose benefits. They could lose dollars. The people who really need it are going to be sacrificing at this point,” said Debbie Espinosa, FIND Food Bank CEO.
Espinosa says is worried that California can’t absorb the increased SNAP costs. She’s reaching out to our local, state and federal elected representatives– urging them to protect cal-fresh benefits– and those who might lose access to what she calls an essential food program…
Mike Klan
FULLERTON, Calif. – No. 4 seed Hawai’i capitalized on a pivotal fifth inning, scoring three runs to secure a 6-2 victory over No. 5 seed UC Santa Barbara at Goodwin Field on the campus of Cal State Fullerton.
UC Santa Barbara ends their season at 36-18.
The Rainbow Warriors (34-19) secured the win with homers in the fifth and seventh innings, scoring three and two runs respectively. Down by a run, Ben Zeigler-Namoa took a fastball over the center field wall for a three-run bomb and gave Hawai’i a 4-2 lead.
Matthew Miura then hit a two-run shot in the seventh inning for insurance and to account for the final score of the game.
The Warriors feature several standout players, including Zeigler-Namoa with two hits, three RBIs, and a home run. Miura made a registered two runs, two RBIs, and a home run. On the mound, starter Cooper Walls, The Big West Freshman Pitcher of the Year, went 4.0 innings, giving up two runs. Cory Ronan (3-2) earned the win after giving up no runs in 2.1 innings. Isaiah Magdaleno earned the save with 2.2 innings of scoreless work, striking out three batters while allowing no hits.
LeTrey McCollum stood out for the Gauchos with three hits in five at-bats and scored a run. Isaac Kim contributed offensively with two hits in four at-bats and drove in one run.
(Most of this article courtesy of Big West).
Mike Klan
GOLETA, Calif. – A furious rally came up just short as Dos Pueblos lost a wild CIF-Southern Section Division 4 quarterfinal game 12-9 to Harvard-Westlake.
The Chargers were down 10-2 after a grand slam in the top of the fourth inning by Ainsley Nutting, her second home run of the game.
DP got within 11-9 in the bottom of the sixth inning on a solo home run by Vereniki Maniadi.
(Freshman Vereniki Maniadi connects for a sixth-inning home run. Entenza Design).
Later in the inning Anastasia Brunner launched a deep shot to center with a runner on second but Stanford-commit Kale’a Tindal made a sensational catch to rob a home run and preserve the lead.
The Wolverines added one more run in the 7th.
A young Dos Pueblos squad ends the season at 14-15.
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Another man has been charged in a child sex crime case in Morgan County.
Jack Chick, 19, of Eldon, was charged on Wednesday with three counts of patronizing a sexual performance by a child and one count of fourth-degree child molestation. He was detained on May 14, but was released at the scene. A warrant was issued on Wednesday and a $50,000 bond was set.
Last week, Matthew Bell, 24, of Rocky Mount, was charged with four counts of sexually exploiting a minor, five counts of child porn possession and four counts of second-degree sodomy.
He is being held at the Morgan County Jail on a $250,000 bond. He appeared in court on Tuesday and pleaded not guilty. A bond appearance hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, June 3.
Marie Bell, 50, of Rocky Mount, was charged with first-degree endangering the welfare of a child. She is being held at the Morgan County Jail on a $50,000 bond. She appeared in court on Tuesday and also pleaded not guilty. She has a hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday.
The new probable cause statement alleges that Chick admitted to multiple people — including law enforcement — of participating in a sexual assault of a child with another man and also watched one of the assaults occur. He also allegedly routinely messaged children as young as 13 on the social media application Discord, the statement says.
Court documents in previous reporting say while law enforcement was at the Bell’s residence, Marie Bell allegedly claimed that Matt Bell and a girl were “in a relationship.”
The youth and Matthew Bell allegedly gave conflicting statements about their living situation before Bell admitted to having sex with the child, the statement says. Bell allegedly repeatedly told deputies that it was “consensual.”
Bell also had child porn saved from the youth on his SnapChat account and showed it to law enforcement, the statement says.
Chick also allegedly told law enforcement that he wanted to obtain legal guardianship of the youth to continue more sexual encounters, the statement says.
