The Great Elephant Migration marches into Jackson

KIFI on June 3, 2025

Maggie Moore

Jackson, WYOMING (KIFI) – The National Museum of Wildlife Art has a new exhibit for the month of June. 32 life size elephant sculptures built by indigenous artists in India are here as part of The Great Elephant Migration.

The Great Elephant Migration started their journey across the United States in 2024 in Rhode Island, moving around the United States before ending their journey in Los Angeles next month.

Aubrey Baker, the exhibition manager, says the elephants’ migration across the United States is to “share their coexistence message with the world while amplifying indigenous knowledge.”

About half of the herd arrived in Jackson back in May, but it took a long time for the herd to get here. The Great Elephant Migration reached out to the National Museum of Wildlife Art back in 2024.

Madison Webb Stanko, the chief marketing officer for the museum, said “our curatorial team, our board and our staff were extremely excited about this opportunity. The elephant’s message of coexistence is one that really resonates with our mission and our vision.”

Each elephant is sculpted in India out of an invasive weed called Lantana Camara. Which means that with each elephant sculpted, more of the Asian Elephants’ habitat is restored. Each sculpture is modeled after a real elephant that lives in the Nilgiri Hills of India.

While elephants may not be native to Wyoming, the museum felt like the exhibit’s message of coexistence was just as important in Jackson.

“The message of coexistence is one that is extremely relevant to the Jackson Hole and Greater Yellowstone ecosystem, because every day we are interacting with elk, bison, grizzlies, all the way down to grouse and marmots. It is a smorgasbord of wildlife, and so that message of coexistence really hits home,” Webb Stanko said.

After the herd has made all of its stops around the U.S., each elephant will be sold to raise money for conservation non-profits.

“It’s a better way to think about coexisting, to live among wildlife, and to share space,” Baker said.

The Great Elephant Migration will be in Jackson until June 20, and there will be a farewell event for the exhibit on June 22.

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Blue Alert canceled as suspect in Lee’s Summit shooting is taken into custody

KMIZ on June 3, 2025

Madison Stuerman

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Blue Alert issued after a Lee’s Summit police officer was shot on Sunday has been canceled.

According to a social media post from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the alert was canceled at 8 a.m. on Tuesday after Thomas Tolbert, 27, was taken into custody.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation said Tolbert was arrested in Ellis, Kansas, on Tuesday.

KBI said in a social media post that they received information that he might be in a hotel room in Ellis. Officers from the Hays Police Department, along with Ellis County Sheriff’s Office deputies and KBI agents took him into custody around 4:50 a.m. at the hotel room.

The original alert was issued on Monday after a police officer in Lee’s Summit was allegedly shot by Tolbert after a chase. Tolbert escaped the area in a vehicle that was found in Grandview.

Ellis Police said in a release that a witness reported they were asked by another person to drive Tolbert from Kansas City to Colorado, not knowing they were connected to the Blue Alert. Witnesses said he gave them a fake name and started acting suspicious. The witness told them that while stopped at the hotel for the night, they saw the Blue Alert and contacted police.

Ellis police requested activation of the Hays Police Department’s Special Situation Response Team. Adjacent hotel rooms were evacuated.

Tolbert was taken into custody after a brief struggle and tased.

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Cañon City water main relocation project pauses for summer after three unsuccessful attempts

KRDO on June 3, 2025

Scott Harrison

CAÑON CITY, Colo. (KRDO) — The east end of East Main Street is clear of construction machinery and “Road Closed” signs for the first time since a project to relocate a natural gas line started late last year.

Unfortunately for neighbors and traffic, that doesn’t mean the project is finished.

Crews reopened the affected stretch last week after failing three times to relocate the eight-inch gas pipeline owned by Atmos Energy; Miller Pipeline is the contractor for the project.

Obstacles have included striking an underground water main and being unable to insert the pipe 20 feet under a Union Pacific Railroad track, as well as the location of a future stormwater channel for the town.

“We’ll be back working with the gas company later this year to figure out when they’ll get their relocation in,” said Leo Evans, the town’s public works director. “And then, we have to do our storm sewer work yet this fall, in November. So, (East Main Street) will be reopened for a good couple of months.”

Contributing to the delay is that irrigation water is flowing through a channel in the area and won’t be shut off until harvest season this fall, as crews try to figure out another strategy.

It means that closed streets, traffic detours, and disruptions to around a dozen homes and several businesses will return — and no one knows for how long.

The manager of a nearby convenience store said that her business was down 25% during construction, and the manager of a dry cleaning business next door said that business was down 80%.

KRDO 13’s The Road Warrior will continue to follow the progress of this project.

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California Highway Patrol seeking new recruits to serve the Coachella Valley

KESQ on June 3, 2025

Allie Anthony

The California Highway Patrol is recruiting for officers, dispatchers and inspection specialists.

The California Highway Patrol office in Indio primarily serves the Coachella Valley, but their reach extends beyond—patrolling Interstate 10, State Routes 62, 86, and 177, along with unincorporated areas in between.

Right now, the CHP is actively looking for individuals between the ages of 20 and 35 who meet the qualifications to join the team.

As a CHP officer, you’ll receive competitive pay, full medical benefits, and a defined benefits retirement plan. More than just a job, it’s a career committed to public safety, law enforcement, and making a real impact on California’s roadways.

The department stays ahead with up-to-date training and modern technology, ensuring officers are always prepared to serve.

If you’re driven, community-focused, and ready to take on a meaningful role, you can explore the many career opportunities CHP has to offer here.

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Socorro ISD earns National Certificate for STEM Excellence

KVIA on June 3, 2025

Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The Socorro Independent School District became the third school district in the nation to receive a National Certificate for STEM Excellence. It also became the first in West Texas to hold the certificate.

Socorro ISD says the NCSE-D recognizes districts’ commitment to continually improving district-wide systems and robust STEM education programs that support educators and students.

The district’s interim superintendent James Vasquez said it’s honored to have its hard work and dedication validated.

“It’s a rigorous coursework that they have to go through in order to receive, the certification,” Vasquez said. “The hours that they put in can go towards a master’s degree.”

Socorro ISD said its STEM district certification process started Aug. 15, 2022, and was completed on April 13, 2025.

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Man accused of shooting in downtown Columbia to begin jury trial Tuesday

KMIZ on June 3, 2025

Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A jury trial is set to begin inside the Boone County Courthouse on Tuesday morning for a man charged in connection with a shooting in downtown Columbia last summer.

Charlie Sneed, 41, was charged with shooting at or from a vehicle at a person, building, or car, first-degree assault and armed criminal action. 

In August 2024, a Columbia police officer was near South Seventh Street when the officer heard a single gunshot, according to a probable cause statement. The officer found a car stopped on East Broadway and conducted a traffic stop.

Two passengers in the stopped car said they had been shot at, and a witness said they saw Sneed crouched down near a stairwell holding a handgun. The witness pointed at Sneed near the East Broadway and Ninth Street intersection, identifying him as the gunman to the officer, the statement says. The officer identified Sneed by his Colorado driver’s license photo.

Sneed allegedly asked for a lighter and began speaking with the victims. Sneed allegedly touched one of the victims and began saying slurs and curses at them. Sneed and one of the victims exchanged words. Both victims saw Sneed lift his shirt to display the handle of a handgun in his front pant pocket, according to court documents.

The victims began to drive away when they heard a single gunshot and saw Sneed crouched down near a brick structure, according to police. The probable cause statement says the victims saw Sneed pointing the gun at them and they could see the barrel of the gun.

When Sneed was brought to the Columbia Police Department, officers noticed Sneed’s front pocket was turned inside out and there was gunshot residue in his hands.

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Roadside Fires Often the First to Start in the Early Days of Fire Season

KEYT on June 3, 2025

John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. – As we head into high fire season, some of the early fire ignite along the roadside.

It’s a common pattern where vehicles are not only creating a drying effect, but they are also linked to some of the causes.

That could include sparks from dragging chains from a vehicle involved in towing. It could also be from hot particles from a bad catalytic converter in the exhaust system.

As a fire specialist told your News Channel recently, some of the early grasses are turning brown and the grass that came up after the March-April showers are next to go through that cycle. Together it is creating a dangerous fire condition.

Mark vonTillow is a Wildland Specialist with the City of Santa Barbara.

He says, “you can look around now it’s pretty green. But if you go to the other side of the mountains it is turning. When the fuel moisture peaks and starts to come down that’s when things dry out and turn brown. That creates conditions where fires can start quickly and spread in winds.”

At times in the past, in addition to vehicle sources, there may be some issues with passing trains that have also been linked to fires but those have become more rare.

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Desert Hot Springs Women’s Club awards scholarships to 22 local students

KESQ on June 3, 2025

Cynthia White

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The achievements of 22 local students were celebrated by the Desert Hot Springs Women’s Club Monday evening at their 2025-26 Scholarship Awards Night.

The Desert Hot Springs Women’s Club provides thousands of dollars in scholarships each year to support students in the DHS area. This year, the scholarships totaled more than $26,000, with each student being awarded between $500 and $2,000 to help them in their academic pursuits.

Local student Stephanie Cesena, who is currently a student at UC San Diego, said, “I feel like the importance of this award is more than I can even express. “It has impacted my academic role in so many ways, and I’m so grateful that I can come back to the desert. I go to UC San Diego and I just feel such a a joy knowing that I come from the valley when I’m in such a big city.” 

In addition to ice cream sundaes, the scholarship recipients also received certificates recognizing their success from area elected officials. 

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Local Group Calling for Hostage Release Reacts to Boulder Attack

KEYT on June 3, 2025

Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Since Hamas took hostages on Oct. 7 2023, people of all faiths have been doing what they can to keep the situation in the minds of people around the world.

A Santa Barbara group that goes by the name “Run For Their Lives,” is like the Boulder group targeted at the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder Colorado on Sunday.

Both are chapters of the grassroots organization known as R4TL.

“There are 230 groups worldwide that meet every week to walk 18 minutes in solidarity with the hostages and their families, it has been 605 days the hostages have been held in tunnels,” said Elissa Jacobson, who co-founded the Santa Barbara chapter.

The time of the walks or runs is significant.

In Hebrew the number 18 or “chai” (‘n) means “life.”

They peacefully meet on Sundays and name the names of the hostages and carry a banner reminding people of what happened.

The Santa Barbara chapter was called and asked to cancel Sunday’s walk after chapters started hearing about the violence in Colorado.

“Since day 100 we have met every Sunday week without fail, not all of us turn up every week, but the walk happens every week, which has been really wonderful this is the first time, we had to ground the walk,” said Jacobson.

What happened in Colorado weighs heavily on their minds.

“Right now we are regrouping and deciding the changes we may or may not make and learning more about what happened and what we will do going forward,” said Jacobson.

Like the Boulder group, they wear red shirts and have the same rituals.

It was started by a runner and is a reminder of the people who tried to run and escape Hamas on the day of the deadly attack.

In addition to walking every Sunday, they read One Tiny Seed and name the hostages and sing Hatikvah and Sholom Alechem.

Members of the local chapter come from all over the county, including Santa Ynez.

Their actions are shared on social media.

Journalist and group member Amy Katz makes sure photos and videos are taken and sent to the families in Israel to show they care.

“This group is not a protest group,” said Katz, “they are a prayer group, an interfaith prayer group, and so, it is just insane that somebody would target people who are praying for the hostages and families who have been suffering.”

“It is not a demonstration, it is not a protest, we are not shouting, we are quietly walking in solidarity,” said Jacobson.

All of the chapters are considering how to move forward.

“We welcome discussion, people stop up all the time and ask what we are doing and why and we often engage in conversation about the conflict.”

They learned on Monday that the man accused of carrying out the incendiary attack against Jewish community members in Boulder faces 16 counts of attempted murder and Federal hate crime charges.

The man, who not a citizen of U.S., has been identified as 45 year old Mohammad Soliman.

He also faces Federal hate crime charges.

Soliman told police he made the flame throwers because he couldn’t buy a gun.

One of the 12 victims is a holocaust survivor, two remain hospitalized.

One is in critical condition.

Jacobson and Katz said they don’t want to miss another Sunday gathering, but they may change the time and location due to concerns over safety.

“We are deeply concerned about how we can continue to do these prayers for the hostage, but do it safely,” said Katz.

For more information visit https://run4live.org

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Neighbors push back against proposed Jefferson City subdivision over traffic concerns

KMIZ on June 3, 2025

Nia Hinson

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Some residents of a southwest Jefferson City neighborhood are worried a proposed construction project will cause traffic congestion in the area.

The city is proposing building the “Walnut Hills Subdivision” off of Route C near Liverpool Drive and Rock Ridge Road. The Jefferson City Council approved the PUD plan, giving the Planning and Zoning Commission more time to meet with engineers and look into a traffic study.

According to Project Engineer for the Jefferson City Regional Economic Partnership, Paul Samson, 230 homes of all sizes and styles would be built within the subdivision.

Vicki Scott said she and her husband moved into the neighborhood off of Route C in 2022, hoping for a quiet and secluded neighborhood. Scott said her husband submitted a letter to the city, voicing the couple’s opposition to the proposed changes and said it’s enough to make them consider moving.

“A lot of the people who have been here for a long time are retirees like we are and you know quiet and peace is a big deal,” Scott said. “We’ll have traffic constantly in the morning, going to work in the evening, picking up the kids and taking them places.”

Elizabeth Casey said she and her husband are worried the cost of living might increase with the creation of the new subdivision.

Casey said the two also have concerns about possible tax increases and how the new development could impact children in the area.

“There’s a tremendous amount of kids because we’ve got Thomas Jefferson Learning Center and Lawson right up the road and so we have traffic from people getting off work and traffic for dropping kids off here at their bus stops,” Casey said. “I’m just worried it’s going to be too chaotic and kids are not going to look for traffic.”

According to documents submitted to the city, the proposed subdivision would consist of 7 new named streets and street extensions of Leeds Drive and Southampton Drive. Two street connections to Rock Ridge Road and one street connection to Missouri Route C are also proposed.

Documents also state the addition is expected to create greater than 100 peak hour trips. During Monday night’s meeting, the city said a traffic study will be completed before it is brought back to the city council.

Samson said the city has been working to create houses that are under the $300,00 price range, adding there is a dire need for more housing of all sizes and styles within the city.

 “We’ve been working on bringing housing to Jefferson City for many years, you know our local employers are in dire need of workforce to grow and expand their operations,” Samson said.

A public hearing will be held on Monday, June 16 and construction could begin as soon as early 2026, if approved.

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