LU Board of Curators passes 2026 budget

KMIZ on June 12, 2025

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Lincoln University Board of Curators on Thursday morning approved the school’s budget for fiscal year 2026.

A document from the board states that the general fund budget is $43,196,623 and the auxiliary fund budget is $6,973,471.

The budget includes $2.3 million to finish a salary study “with individual adjustments capped at 11% for faculty, 5.5% for staff, or a 2.5% COLA increase for employees not affected by the salary equity study.”

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ABC-7 at 4: The pride pool party celebration to be held in Downtown El Paso 

KVIA on June 12, 2025

Nichole Gomez

El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV)—This weekend, an event celebrating love, unity, and community will take place. Jon Tapia will tell us all about the Pride pool party celebration. 

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Spectrum offers reward of up to $25K after fiber lines cut in Palm Springs

KESQ on June 12, 2025

Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Spectrum is offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information on a vandalism incident in the Palm Springs area this week.

According to the company, individuals intentionally cut its fiber lines on Wednesday in the southeast area of Palm Springs, causing a service outage for some customers and businesses in the area.

Service was restored within a few hours.

“These acts of vandalism appear to be attempts to locate and steal copper. While it’s important to note that our fiber lines do NOT contain copper, they are still being targeted and damaged,” reads a Spectrum news release.

Spectrum officials said they are working with the Palm Springs Police Department and are offering a reward for information that leads to an arrest.

Anyone with information on this act of vandalism can contact Spectrum at 833-404-8477 or reach out to local law enforcement.

Spectrum statement:

Criminal acts of network vandalism have become an issue affecting the entire telecommunications industry, not just Spectrum, largely due to the increase in the price of precious metals. These acts of vandalism are not only a crime, but also affect our customers, local businesses and potentially emergency services. Spectrum’s fiber lines do not include any copper.

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Woman faces DUI charges after destructive Rexburg hit-and-run

KIFI on June 12, 2025

News Team

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) — A woman is in custody facing DUI charges after allegedly causing significant property damage and fleeing the scene of a hit-and-run crash on Tuesday, June 10, 2025.

Rexburg Police responded to the incident on North 2nd East, where security video and evidence at the scene revealed a chaotic path of destruction. According to a Rexburg Police Facebook post, the suspect vehicle reportedly drove “into a private field, ran over a small tree, narrowly missed a power pole, went airborne into an embankment, and then got back on the road.”

Officers found the suspect’s vehicle, which had obvious front-end damage and grass protruding from it, several blocks away in a parking lot. The driver, who has not been identified, was found unconscious and unresponsive, with the car still in drive. Police reportedly strategically blocked the vehicle to prevent her from escaping or losing control of the vehicle before safely waking the driver.

As she woke up, the woman’s car reportedly lurched forward, striking a patrol car. Fortunately, the police vehicle reportedly sustained only minor damage thanks to the car bumper.

The officers observed multiple signs of drug impairment, including slow responses, constricted pupils, and difficulty with motor skills. After a precautionary hospital visit, police say she was booked into the Madison County Jail on charges of drug DUI.

Rexburg Police emphasized the importance of public safety and acknowledged the difficulties of drug addiction, stating in their post, “We understand that there is more to every story, often with very difficult issues involving addiction, substance abuse, and other hard topics. However, we also recognize the importance in getting dangerous drivers like this off the street to protect the public.”

The department urged all drivers to remain vigilant and report any suspected impaired drivers to 911.

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International tennis player Daniel Blinov trains in the Coachella Valley to reach his dream

KESQ on June 12, 2025

Kenji Ito

CATHEDRAL CITY, Calif. (KESQ) Here at the Rozpedski Performance Tennis Academy, they have a special player, Daniel Blinov, and he couldn’t be more grateful to call the valley his home, which has helped him achieve his dream.

“Being here, being in the middle of such a hotbed of tennis is honestly incredible, and I could not wish to be in a better place than this right now,” Blinov said.

This place means more to Daniel than you may think. Being in the valley, facing the desert’s conditions, it’s built him to be ready and face any challenge that comes his way.

“The intensity of the workouts, of the practices, the fact that we go 5 to 6 hours a day, it’s, it’s perfect for me,” Blinov said. “But at the end of the day, it’s about the player. It’s about whether you’re willing to put the work in.”

He has put in the work, which has not gone unnoticed by his coach.

“For him to in two weeks blossom into almost a full-grown big-time tennis player is unbelievable,” owner/director of the Rozpedski Tennis Academy Marcin Rozpedski said.

Coming off winning the Newport Beach 25K wildcard tournament, it’s his determination that makes him the champion he is today.

“I’ve always been focused on what comes next because, of course, sometimes you can feel like you’re facing overwhelming odds, but at the end of the day, it’s just about whether you can keep going or not,” Blinov said.

With all the tools that Daniel possesses, his coaches realized that his dream will soon become a reality in playing professional tennis.

“He’s got a great potential,” owner/director of the Rozpedski Tennis Academy Rozpedski said. “He’s got a big game. He walks on the court and he’s got a big statue about him, big footwork, big game. He hits an incredibly heavy ball, so all those things are a huge potential for him to become a professional tennis player.

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Palm Springs Public Library opens temporary location during $30M renovation

KESQ on June 12, 2025

Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The Palm Springs Public Library will relocate its services to a temporary location within the city later this year, as it moves forward with a $30 million-plus renovation project, officials said today.   

The Palm Springs City Council approved a three-year lease agreement Wednesday with Rimrock LLC that will use a 6,000-square-foot building as its short-term location starting the first week of August.   

The facility will be held at Rimrock Plaza, 4721 E. Palm Canyon Drive, on the corner of Gene Autry Trail.

“We’re excited about it; it’s a great space, ” said Library Manager Julie Warren.

The library, located at 300 S. Sunrise Way, will be open until July 19, which coincides with the end of its summer reading program, and it will be closed for up to 36 months for renovations.

Officials said the plaza will retain all essential services, including the use of public computers, baby and toddler story times, teen S.T.E.A.M. events, passport acceptance services and all of its digital media services.   

Library staff will expand adult programs at other libraries within the city, including Welwood Murray Library, at 100 S. Palm Canyon Drive.   

According to the project timeline, construction will be expected to conclude in February 2027.

More information about the project can be obtained by calling the library at 760-322-7323.

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Fire Chief: Property owner mowing grass hit a rock, sparking fire NE of Madras that prompted evacuations

KTVZ on June 12, 2025

Isabella Warren

(Update: Adding new live video, fire’s cause)

MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — Crews working in brisk winds quickly tackled and stopped the spread of a brushfire northeast of Madras Thursday afternoon that Jefferson County Fire Chief Jeff Blake told KTVZ News was sparked by a property owner who was mowing and struck a rock.

Jefferson County sheriff’s deputies earlier said Incident 267 was reported on private property shortly after 3 p.m., quickly leading to a Level 3 Go Now evacuation for Zone NE 8 and a Level 2 BE SET alert for zones NE 6 and NE 4, areas north of the Deer Ridge state prison.

But around 4 p.m. came word that Zone NE 8 had been downgraded to Level 2 Be Set to Evacuate, where Zone NE 6 remained. Zone NE 4 had been removed and is no longer in an evacuation zone. Those two remaining zones were dropped to Level 1 Be Ready to Evacuate before 4:30 p.m.

The sheriff’s office had this update at 5:17 p.m.: “Roads are now open and there are currently no more zones in an evacuation level. Our team couldn’t have done it without Jefferson County Fire & EMS so thank you so much for your hard work and dedication to the county! 🔥“

Evacuation map from Frontier 911; Level 3 GO NOW zone in red, Level 2 GET SET in yellow, Level 1 GET READY in green; all have now been dropped

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Southeastern Colorado counties awarded nearly a million dollars to combat opioid crisis

KRDO on June 12, 2025

Mackenzie Stafford

SOUTHEASTERN COLORADO (KRDO) – Drug overdose deaths have steadily increased in Pueblo County over the past few years, and while this data only goes up to 2022, KRDO13 spoke with southeastern Colorado officials who say they’re now seeing more polydrug use than ever, which is when people are taking multiple drugs.

But they say they’re also preventing more deaths with educational and prevention programs.

In a press conference on Thursday, officials from numerous southeastern Colorado communities gathered to speak about how these programs have changed lives.

They point to rehabilitation centers and proactive education that they say are helping southeastern counties in a time when it’s needed most.  

“Las Animas County holds the highest overdose death rates in the state, with 61.7 per 100,000 residents, and Huerfano County is not far behind. These figures are not just state statistics. They represent real people,” said Kim Gonzales, Executive Director of Las Animas County and Huerfano County Health.

They say people are benefiting from the $4 million sent to the region in the past three years, and the additional million now coming from the state opioid abatement council. 

“We are also excited to announce that the statewide Colorado Opioid Abatement Council has awarded [the Southeast Colorado Opioid Region 19] SECOR $500,000 for the Fort Lion Infrastructure and Resiliency Project and 495,000 for the Lamar Facility Extension. This was a competitive grant process, and we are honored to have received the funding on behalf of our partners in the region,” shared Rob Oquist, Otero County Commissioner.

Some of the programs that have been implemented that the group says have been successful are stigma reduction, distributing naloxone (better known as Narcan) to help reverse overdoses, and disbursing testing kits. 

Another program targeting youth education is the Southern Colorado Youth Go (SoCoYoGo) App for teens in Pueblo. SoCoYoGo aims to encourage healthy behaviors and reward teens for avoiding the use of drugs by participating in other social activities.

To learn more about SECOR or to find resources if you’re struggling with substance use disorder, click here.

The Colorado Behavioral Health Administration did not have more recent overdose data readily available; however, they provided resources to the number of people who received substance use disorder care under a BHA-funded or overseen program.

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The Raven’s Challenge is taking place all week in Fort Carson

KRDO on June 12, 2025

Karla Sosa

FORT CARSON, Colo. (KRDO) — Federal agents came to El Paso County to help local law enforcement train for the worst-case scenario. It’s all part of the Raven’s Challenge, a large-scale explosives training exercise that lasts for an entire week and allows law enforcement to confront real scenarios. 

The Raven’s Challenge was created with the goal of military and law enforcement agencies working together in case of an emergency that could involve severe threats to the public. 

Army veteran Brad Simmons is the project lead and said that currently, there are 11 states that are training in Fort Carson. The exercise is funded by the Army and led by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

“For example, ten years ago, we looked at an unmanned aircraft coming in and being used in as a drop munition threat. So we researched that and we developed the emerging threat scenario for our unmanned aircraft,” said Simmons. “So we we really trying to engage in and provide this exercise to as many departments and agencies, and military departments as possible.” 

Simmons said all of the scenarios they’re training for are from incidents they’ve come across. 

“And we look at that to see what potentially could be a threat that is developing in the United States that these bomb technicians may, may encounter in the future. Just to make them a little bit sharper, a little bit more prepared for that threat,” said Simmons.

The last Raven’s Challenge of the year will be at Camp Dawson in West Virgina.

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St. Joseph residents respond to Kehoe’s Executive Order on National Guard enforcement

News-Press NOW on June 12, 2025

Kirsten Stokes

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — On Thursday, Governor Mike Kehoe signed Executive Order 25-25 authorizing the Missouri National Guard to assist state and local law enforcement in response to rising concerns about public safety and border security.

Ex-National Guard, Ron Carpenter said the decision may be excessive, but law and order must be made appropriately.

“National Guard may be a little aggressive, but we need to get on top of it and stay on top of it. Try to tamp down permanently. Wishfully.”

When asked about the correct way to protest in circumstances like these, Carpenter said it’s important to recognize what situations are worth protesting for and making sure that it doesn’t jeopardize your own well-being.

In the Press release, the governor cited escalating criminal activity, including drug trafficking and human smuggling along Missouri’s southern and eastern corridors, as the primary motivation behind the action.

“The safety of Missouri families comes first,†Kehoe said in a press statement. “This executive order ensures that every available state resource is being used to combat threats to our communities and support those on the front lines.â€

With a passion for voices to be heard, it took resident Kimm Fromm-Foster to find the right words for the decision made by the governor. Citing overall, the need for these situations to be the perfect recipe for more unrest and emotions to run high.

“As Americans have the right to protest,” Fromm-Foster said. “Of course, they need to be peaceful, but my concern is that they will be aggravated so that people will react with emotion and our Constitution allows us to have free speech and the right to protest. The governor is infringing on our civil rights and it’s wrong.”

While residents reflect on the decision made by the governor, some will be participating in the “No Kings” protest in St. Joseph.

In a press release sent to News-Press NOW, over 1,800 “No Kings” rallies will take place across the country on Saturday, June 14, where over one million people are expected to participate.

Organizers have said the rallies will be peaceful.

“We are coming together to stand against the increasing authoritarian excesses and graft and corruption of Trump and his allies in Congress. They’ve fired federal workers (260,000 out of 2.3 million or 12% so far) and defunded our libraries, museums, the arts, scholarship programs for minorities, public broadcasting, foreign aid, agricultural commodities for food banks, green energy, diversity programs, science-based research grants and cut safety programs like Medicaid and SNAP. All this to give tax cuts to the billionaires and add trillions to our national debt,” said Dr. Nancy Zeliff, who will be helping coordinate both northwest Missouri “No Kings” events.”

In St. Joseph, the “No Kings” Rally will take place from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and rally goers will bring signs and flags and meet on the public sidewalks at the intersection of the Belt Highway and Frederick Boulevard. More details can be found at https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/789018/.

In Maryville, the rally will take place from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the sidewalk in front of the Courthouse. Rally goers will bring signs and flags. More information can be found at https://www.mobilize.us/nokings/event/788656/.

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