ABC-7 at 4: Jazz Exchange Announces 2025 Summer Workshop
Nichole Gomez
El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV)—The Jazz Exchange announced the 2025 Summer Workshop on June 16–28, 2025, at Pebble Hills High School in El Paso, Texas.
Missouri Senate backs aid for tornado victims and Kansas City Chiefs and Royals
Associated Press
By DAVID A. LIEB
Associated Press
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri senators on Thursday approved a plan to provide over $100 million in aid for tornado-ravaged St. Louis and authorized hundreds of millions of dollars worth of incentives to try to persuade the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals to continue playing in Missouri in new or improved stadiums.
Lawmakers are acting with urgency in a special session because the professional sports teams face an end of June deadline to accept a competing offer from Kansas while residents in St. Louis are struggling to recover from May storms that caused an estimated $1.6 billion of damage.
The aid measures advanced in a series of early morning votes only after Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe struck a deal with some holdouts that included more disaster relief money and the potential for property tax breaks for some homeowners facing rising tax bills. The package also contains funding for building projects around the state, including $50 million for a nuclear research reactor used for cancer treatments at the University of Missouri.
Though House approval is still needed, the Senate vote marked a major hurdle, because the stadium incentives stalled there last month. Tornadoes struck St. Louis and other parts of Missouri on May 16, a day after lawmakers wrapped up work in their regular session.
In addition to the $100 million for St. Louis disaster relief, the package authorizes $25 million for emergency housing assistance and a $5,000 income tax deduction to offset insurance policy deductibles for people in any area included in a request for a presidential disaster declaration.
Kehoe said the plan would “help those in crisis, while also making smart decisions that secure opportunity for the future.â€
The future of the Chiefs and Royals has been up in the air for a while.
The teams currently play professional football and baseball in side-by-side stadiums in eastern Kansas City in Jackson County, Missouri, under leases that run until January 2031.
Jackson County voters last year turned down a sales tax extension that would have helped finance a $2 billion ballpark district for the Royals in downtown Kansas City and an $800 million renovation of the Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium.
That prompted Kansas lawmakers last year to authorize bonds for up to 70% of the cost of new stadiums in their state.
Missouri’s counterproposal would authorize bonds for up to 50% of the cost of stadium projects while also providing up to $50 million of tax credits to go with unspecified support from local governments.
While testifying Tuesday to a Senate committee, Chiefs lobbyist Rich AuBuchon described the Missouri offer as “legitimate†and “competitive.†If the Chiefs stay in Missouri, he said they likely would begin a $1.15 billion plan to renovate Arrowhead Stadium and upgrade the team’s practice facilities in either 2027 or 2028. It would take three years to complete.
AuBuchon pointed to other recent publicly financed stadium projects in Baltimore, New Orleans, Nashville and Buffalo, New York.
“Throughout the country states are funding stadiums. They are a big economic development. They are a big business,” AuBuchon said.
However, many economists contend public funding for stadiums isn’t worth it, because sports tend to divert discretionary spending away from other forms of entertainment rather than generate new income.
“What the teams are doing is playing Kansas and Missouri against each other,†said Patrick Tuohey, senior fellow at the Show-Me Institute, a free-market think tank whose St. Louis headquarters got hit by the tornado.
“When cities and states do this, they hollow out their tax base for the benefit of wealthy billionaire team owners … they lose the ability to provide public safety, basic services,†Tuohey said.
Royals lobbyist Jewell Patek said that even with the state incentives, a planned stadium district likely would need voter approval for local tax incentives in either Jackson or Clay counties, which couldn’t happen until later this year.
He made no guarantee the Royals would pick Missouri over Kansas, but Patek added: “We love the community, we love the state … we think this is a step in the right direction for the state of Missouri.â€
One hospitalized after overnight crash in Desert Hot Springs
Julia Castro
DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – One person was hospitalized early Wednesday following a serious two-car crash at the intersection of Mountain View Road and Dillon Road in Desert Hot Springs.
The California Highway Patrol confirmed a white Nissan Rogue was traveling southbound on Mountain View Road around 3 a.m. when the driver ran a red light and broadsided a red Nissan Altima headed eastbound on Dillon Road. The impact caused the Altima to roll and land on its roof.
Courtesy of Allen Mealey
Courtesy of Allen Mealey
Photos shared with News Channel 3 by a viewer show fire crews and CHP officers actively working the scene. CAL FIRE says the male driver of the Altima suffered a head injury, had to be cut from the vehicle, and was transported to Desert Regional Medical Center for treatment.
The female driver of the Rogue was not injured, according to officials. CHP said drugs or alcohol are not suspected as factors in the crash.
Stay with News Channel 3 for updates as this story develops.
See St. Joseph: festivals, fairs and performances
Kendra Simpson
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Whether looking for a performance, a fine art experience or to grab a few beers with friends, St. Joseph has it all at home. News-Press NOW’s Kendra Simpson planned out everyone’s weekend activities in this week’s edition of See St. Joseph.
Kicking off the weekend with plies, grapevines, step ball changes and a tap dance or two with the Dance Arts Center 40 and Fabulous recital.
For four decades, the dance arts center has taught thousands of students the art and joy of dancing. The weekend of dance begins at 6:30 p.m. on Friday with the senior showcase, DAC-PAC competition revue, VIP dance and adult tap performances. The performances will continue starting at 10 a.m. Saturday with beginners and dancers at levels four to seven. There will be performances at 10 a.m., 2 and 6 p.m. on Saturday. To purchase tickets to any of the performances, visit the group’s website at thedanceartscenter.com.
Dozens of breweries, hundreds of different beers, multiple food trucks and good times with friends and family. St. Joseph residents can only find all of this at one place: Ales West 2025.
The 7th annual Ales West promises to be bigger than ever, making it one of the largest beer festivals in the Midwest. Not only do you get to enjoy great beer and delicious food from vendors, but all profits made through the festival support local charities that benefit the St. Joseph community. General admission opens at noon on Saturday in Coleman Hawkins Park. To purchase general or VIP tickets, visit eventbrite.com.
We’ve had a performance, we’ve had a festival, so let’s wrap up the weekend with a fair. The Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art is hosting its annual Art Fair.
Whether you’re an art lover, collector or just looking for a fun day out, the Art Fair is the perfect way to connect with local talent and enjoy the vibrant arts scene of northwest Missouri. Here, visitors will have the opportunity to view original artwork from regional artists, watch live musical performances, eat delicious food and enjoy interactive crafts for all ages. This celebration of creativity goes from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday at the Albrecht-Kemper Museum of Art.
Tune in to News-Press NOW every Thursday for more See St. Joseph.
El Paso County begins process of replacing remaining timber bridges from the mid-1900s
Scott Harrison
EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — The county has nine wooden bridges, also called timber bridges, that are at least 75 years old but remain in use.
A timber bridge on McClelland Road, just north of US 24 and slightly west of Calhan, will be the first of that group to be demolished and replaced.
The county is scheduled to start the project on June 16, which will close that section of the road for up to six weeks.
Officials inspected the bridges last year after the sudden closing and replacement of a timber bridge on Ramah Road West, several miles to the northeast, following an inspection that found evidence of rotting underneath.
The subsequent inspections determined that the bridges remain safe to drive on and that there were no significant or critical levels of deterioration.
County officials, however, want to replace those bridges before they become problems gradually.
Because the timber bridges are on gravel roads in sparsely populated rural areas, they don’t require as much construction as traditional bridges; the county replaced the Ramah Road West bridge with a low-water crossing and will take a similar approach with the McClelland Road bridge.
“We are going to replace it with a culvert,” said Amy Dahlberg, a county engineer. “We looked at various options. We compared a traditional bridge design with a culvert design. We found that if we did an in-house culvert design, we could more than fulfill the needs for a long-term replacement, and we could save costs.”
The projected replacement cost for the bridge is less than $100,000, she explained — millions less than other types of bridges. — and allows the county to have more money available to replace the others.
Jessica Riccardelli is the nearest resident to the bridge and said that she wasn’t aware of the upcoming replacement project.
“We drive it every day or every other day,” she said. “The condition, when we drive over it, makes noises. We always wonder if it’s going to crack or anything can happen. But it’s a good bridge. We’ve lived out here four years and never had an issue until we learned about this.”
Murphy Road to the north, and North Ellicott Highway to the east, are the detours for the project; Riccardelli said it will take ten minutes to get around it.
The story behind the sixth-annual Cripple Creek Bed Races
Bradley Davis
CRIPPLE CREEK, Colo. (KRDO) – The Old Homestead House Museum will host its sixth-annual Pearl DeVere Bed Races Saturday at 12 p.m.
Board members said they were inspired by the Emma Crawford Coffin Races in Manitou Springs. The event honors Pearl DeVere, Cripple Creek’s most famous madame. She was an 1800s millionaire socialite who owned the Old Homestead House.
Board members said DeVere called it a “parlour house”, but it could be more accurately described as a brothel. They said it cost $250 to stay the night in the 1800s, or over $9000 in today’s money.
Board member Kirstie Crawford said they wanted to do a fun fundraiser to help maintain the museum. It’s fitting, considering her daughter is named Emma Crawford (no relation). She said they chose a bed instead of a coffin due to the unique nature of DeVere’s 1800s homestead hotel.
You need three people to race. Two “Johns” push the bed, and one “Madame” rides on the bed. It’s a short out-and-back route, with a slight uphill on the way back. One John rides with the Madame on the way out. At the turnaround point, the Johns switch places, so choose your role carefully!
The Old Homestead House Museum has beds to rent out, or you can make your own. You can design your moving bed on wheels however you like, as long as it’s not motorized or pedal-powered.
You can contact the event organizers if you are interested in participating or sign up Saturday morning starting at 10:30 a.m. The race kicks off at 12 p.m. with a shotgun start. There will also be a cornhole tournament and a beer garden.
QUESTION OF THE DAY: Should a special counsel investigate the Biden White House?
Matthew Sanders
President Donald Trump has long talked about his predecessor’s reported mental decline, posing questions about who was making decisions in the White House during Joe Biden’s term in office.
On Wednesday, Trump turned those questions into an investigation. Trump signed a memo directing an investigation into the actions of the Biden White House and the former president’s use of an autopen.
Biden’s advisers have denied any coordinated effort to conceal from the public his deteriorating condition during the final years of his presidency. Biden has insisted he made all of his own decisions.
Do you think an investigation is warranted? Let us know by voting in the poll.
Joint Legislative Audit Committee approves Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez’s request to consider audit of CVUSD
Cynthia White
INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Local Republican State Assemblyman Jeff Gonzalez announced Wednesday the Joint Legislative Audit Committee has approved his request to consider an audit of the Coachella Valley Unified School District.
“This has to do with right and wrong. And wrong is taking place and we want answers!” Gonzalez said.
The announcement comes in the wake of the district’s announcement of its now $60 million budget deficit, which News Channel 3 has been following since it was uncovered.
The district is laying off hundreds of staff members in an effort to balance its budget, with Assemblyman Gonzalez saying local communities deserve answers.
“What do you hope a state audit will accomplish?” News Channel 3’s Peter Daut asked Gonzalez.
“Transparency,” The Assemblyman answered. “An audit of financials, shouldn’t be a controversial issue if there’s nothing to hide.”
CUSD Superintendent Dr. Frances Esparza has attributed the deficit to the end of federal COVID relief funds, lower-than-expected state funding, and cost-of-living adjustments as contributing factors.
“This may be something that really doesn’t have to do with our finances. Unfortunately, I have to say that because but that’s really what I feel,” Esparza said.
“What do you mean by that?” Peter Daut asked.
Esparza answered, “I feel like this is more political. A political stunt to grab some attention.”
Peter followed up, asking, “But if the district has nothing to hide, why not support an audit by the state for full transparency?”
“We’re not saying no to it. We’re not saying no to it, but at what point does the Assemblyman have a conversation with the district, have a conversation with the board ‘Hey I’m concerned,'” Esparza said.
“So you’re saying Assemblyman Gonzalez has never reached out to the district or contacted anyone there about his concerns?” Peter asked.
“No. Never,” Esparza said.
Gonzalez said this is not a political stunt.
“They are tone deaf because the community has been asking for answers. You’re firing 300 people. I don’t need a question-and-answer session to tell me that. You’re doing that. We need answers, and we need them today! This is not a political stunt,” Gonzalez said.
Esparza shared a message to the community on the issue.
“What I want the community to know is I don’t think some of our politicians understand school finance or school districts, and it would be best for them to come and ask to sit down with us to ask those questions of us. But we’re not hiding anything. We’re not afraid of a state audit,” Esparza said.
Gonzalez told News Channel 3 he is willing to sit down and have a conversation with Esparza or a district representative.
“I’d love to have that conversation when they come up here for the audit,” Gonzalez said.
The Joint Legislative Audit Committee hearing is scheduled for June 18 in Sacramento, where legislators will formally review the audit request and next steps.
Stay with News Channel 3 for any new developments.
COID wants to remind you, canals are not for recreating
Tracee Tuesday
BEND, Ore. [KTVZ] — As summer temperatures soar, many residents seek relief from local waterways. However, officials are issuing a stern warning: keep yourself and your pets out of the irrigation canals.
KTVZ News witnessed what appeared to be two people encouraging their dogs to jump in the irrigation canal and retrieve what they’d thrown in. Looks fun! It’s also prohibited and illegal. Why?
According to law enforcement, pets are not allowed off leash except for private property where you have prior approval and specific dog parks. What about swimming in canals?
Jon Skidmore, Deputy Managing Director said:
“So, canals are not a recreational facility. We’re a utility provider, and really, it’s not a good idea for anybody, any pet, to try to use the canals, recreationally. We do have debris racks up against various pipes that the canals will flow into. We don’t want anybody getting trapped up against them. It’s a utility. It’s not a recreational waterway. If you want to go swim, go find a pool. Maybe go to one of the safe areas on the river and take a swim, but please don’t do it in the canals.”
Central Oregon Irrigation District’s system consists of two main canals which run north, through Bend, Redmond and Terrebonne; and east, through Bend, Alfalfa and Powell Butte. Both canals divert water from the Deschutes River.
KTVZ News headed over to the Bend Park and Recreation District and spoke to Community Engagement Director Julie Brown, who says if you want an area for you and your pet to recreate, they can help with that.
“We are incredibly fortunate to have the trail system that we have. We’re also incredibly lucky to have the Deschutes River running right through the middle of our community. So, you know, we facilitate access to the water for people and dogs at many locations. Right here at River Bend Park, we have an off-leash dog swimming opportunity.”
Dog owner and Bend resident Mark Drummond said he loves taking advantage of these spaces and also says to keep your pet safe, follow the leash laws.
“Dogs should always be on leash unless it’s explicitly an off-leash park. Bend and the surrounding area does pretty carefully post rules around these things.”
If you’re in Bend, there are plenty of spaces for your dog to relax.
“We have nine off leash areas and they’re distributed across the community. So, you can go on to our website if you’re not familiar with where all of those are located,” said Brown.
As for swimming or throwing objects into canals, here’s what Sheila Miller, from the Bend Police Department, said:
“People and pets are not allowed to swim in the canals. I think the important thing to remember is these canals are on private property. They (the canals) are owned by the irrigation districts and the trails have an easement that allow the public to use them. But we have to think about these canals and these trails as private property that we’ve been invited to, to be a part of, and so if you do something like swim in the canals, first of all, it’s super dangerous. But if you do that and the irrigation district catches you, you could be trespassed from that property.”
Miller also emphasized that these canals serve a critical role in our community’s infrastructure.
To be clear: Irrigation canals are located on private property, and only some have recreation easements that allow public use, within safety and other guidelines the landowners can and do set. Other canals, however, have no recreation easement allowing public access, so they are private property without permission for public use.
Let’s all do our part to stay safe and respect these guidelines.
Free help for homebuyers: Coachella Valley workshops start Thursday
Joel Killam
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – First-time homebuyers in the Coachella Valley can get free expert guidance this June, thanks to a series of workshops hosted by Lift to Rise in partnership with Secure Choice Lending.
The one-time sessions are designed to help prospective buyers understand the homebuying process, offering tools, tips and resources to take the next step toward homeownership.
Workshops will be held in Palm Springs, La Quinta, Desert Hot Springs, Indio and Coachella. Space is limited, and early registration is encouraged.
For more information or to register click here.