Reliability Test for Amateur Radio Operators Set in Case of a Major Emergency

KEYT on June 26, 2025

John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – This weekend, a set-up of antennas will be laid out in a focused area of Chase Palm Park for 24 hours to test the amateur radio system that could be extremely valuable in Santa Barbara County in an emergency.

The emergency communications work will involve veterans, new operators and youth. It’s called a ‘Field Day.’

Amateur Radio Club Board Member Warren Myers said, “it gives all amateur radio operators a chance to practice the art, to set up their stations, make sure they work.”

Operators say the equipment and technology goes back more than 100 years and modernization makes it a valuable communication device in modern times.

Cell phone towers are not as reliable as the public may think and they can go out in some situations involving fires, debris flows and earthquakes

It would affect the internet and phone calls.

Each year, the Santa Barbara Amateur Radio Club (SBARC) makes sure its equipment is working and can communicate outside the area, but also within the disaster zone. Emergency officials have been assisted many times by the clubs staff.

The Amateur Radio Field Day, with involve radio users in North America and locally it will be a two-day event June 28–29 at Chase Palm Park. This is the 92nd year for the event. It is open to the public.

“If the county, fire, police, emergency responders need it, which thankfully doesn’t happen very often. So we have that capability,” said Myers. There are backup batteries and sites that will be functional in a disaster.

This year there will also be a special radio station on State Street downtown as part of the 1925 earthquake reenactment.

At the Chase Palm Park Field Day site, SBARC will operate three High Frequency (HF) stations, powered entirely by emergency generators. The public is encouraged to drop by, ask questions, and learn how these stations connect with others across the globe — entirely off-grid. Licensed amateur radio operators are invited to operate under the club’s call sign, within the privileges of their license.

Local scouts will be on hand to assist and fulfill requirements for their Radio Merit Badge. With hands-on demonstrations and real-world communication scenarios, Field Day is an introduction to the world of radio for all ages.

The club also has a new site on TV hill at 400. feet to help with communications. “We now have coverage of not only the whole Central Coast , Camarillo to Goleta, but also over the mountain pass.  And to Santa Ynez, Buellton and, even as far as Santa Maria,” said Myers.

The lease on the former site nearby with the city was not renewed because of a large water storage project taking place.

More information can be found at: : www.sbarc.org

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UMKC provides updates on new schools to be built in St. Joseph

News-Press NOW on June 26, 2025

Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Among the topics discussed at the University of Missouri’s Board of Curators meeting, different aspects regarding the new UMKC School of Dentistry and School of Medicine buildings were shared.

Curators unanimously approved the UMKC School of Dentistry project to move forward.

The university building was previously announced with a target date set for FY 2026.

While this is still the plan, the University is awaiting additional funds for capital renovations from the state and federal government, as well as philanthropic entities.

“A lot of people in the community have embraced our students,” UMKC chancellor and president Mauli Agrawal said. “Some of us (are) doing the same here. I’m hearing people (receiving) take it home thanksgiving dinners. The community itself has wrapped its arms around this program. That’s made everything (easier) from financing to the students feeling at home here.”

As for the School of Medicine, a ribbon cutting for the new building will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 20, at the building’s site on Faraon Street, across from Mosaic Life Care’s Campus.

One overall message that was echoed by all the board members in anticipation of the new school buildings’ arrival is that they can serve as a template for all the schools around Northwest Missouri.

“We’re not only a university for people who live in Columbia, Missouri, or the University of Missouri,” University of Missouri Board of Curators Chair Todd Graves said. “And we’re bringing many programs and opportunities for people across the state. No one’s benefited more than Northwest Missouri, but certainly other areas have benefited a great deal as well.” 

The School of Dentistry’s expansion into St. Joseph is set to positively impact the dentist and dental hygiene practitioner shortages in rural Missouri communities.

Currently, the UMKC School of Dentistry is Missouri’s only public dental school and provides 63% of the state’s dentists, according to a UMKC press release.

The School of Medicine is looking to continue to grow, with plans to expand its program by enrolling 20 students per year into the four-year program.

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Palm Springs bombing accomplice jumped to his death in prison, federal sources tell TMZ

KESQ on June 26, 2025

Jesus Reyes

LOS ANGELES (KESQ) – The man suspected of helping in the Palm Springs bombing jumped to his death in prison, TMZ reports, citing federal sources.

Daniel Park, 32, of Kent, Washington, was pronounced dead Tuesday morning after being found unresponsive at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Los Angeles, the Department of Justice announced.

According to TMZ, Park “stepped up on a table on an upper tier of the facility and jumped … plummeting to the ground floor.”

Authorities have not officially released the cause of death.

Park was accused of helping supply the explosive materials used in the May 17 attack on American Reproductive Centers in Palm Springs. Federal officials labeled it an act of domestic terrorism.

In new video obtained by ABC News, dash cam footage also shows Park was stopped and ticketed by the California Highway Patrol in February for speeding in Joshua Tree.

Authorities believe this lines up with their suspected timeline, that Park had visited Guy Edward Bartkus’s Twentynine Palms home in January and February to plan the attack.

He was arrested as he returned to the United States from Poland, from which he was deported. Authorities said he “left the United States to go to Europe” days after the bombing.

Park was charged with providing and attempting to provide material support to a terrorist.

The primary suspect in the bombing, Guy Edward Bartkus, 25, of Twentynine Palms, was found dead at the scene. Authorities say Park and Bartkus shared anti-natalist extremist views — a belief system opposing human reproduction — and that Park had been posting such content online since at least 2016.

According to U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles Bill Essayli, Park shipped about 180 pounds of ammonium nitrate, which is “commonly used to construct homemade bombs,” from Seattle to Bartkus’ home in Twentynine Palms and also arranged for another shipment of an additional 90 pounds.

Three days before Park arrived at Bartkus’ house, records from an AI chat app show that Bartkus researched how to make powerful explosions using ammonium nitrate and fuel, federal prosecutors said.

FBI Assistant Director in Charge in Los Angeles, Akil Davis, said Park was also in possession of an “explosive recipe” similar to the device used in the deadly 1995 Oklahoma City federal city bombing.

Essayli said Park “shared Bartkus’ extremist beliefs” and he visited Bartkus’s home in Twentynine Palms for about two weeks in late January and early February, “spending time together running experiments in Bartkus’ garage, where the FBI recovered large quantities of chemical precursors and laboratory equipment after the bombing.”

Bartkus’ garage in Twentynine Palms

During the explosion, at least five people were injured, and the blast caused major damage to the clinic as well as 40 other properties, with at least 8 buildings deemed unsafe to occupy. The bombing caused approximately $12 million in damages. 

Thousands of embryos and eggs stored inside the facility were saved due to the quick response of emergency crews.

Officials said local law enforcement had not previously flagged either suspect. Evidence recovered from a phone at the scene showed Bartkus pacing outside the car for over 30 minutes before the explosion and speaking into the phone moments before detonation.

The investigation remains ongoing, and federal officials are asking the public to come forward with any information by calling 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any new developments on this investigation.

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Gaea Edde Powell charged with eight felonies for election law violations over two election cycles

KEYT on June 26, 2025

Andrew Gillies

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, Calif. – Charges of voter registration fraud, filing a false declaration of candidacy, fraudulent voting, failure to file campaign finance reports, and perjury have been filed against Gaea Edde Powell for her actions during the 2022 and 2024 election cycle.

According to the criminal complaint filed on June 24, 2025, Powell allegedly registered to vote at an address in Arroyo Grande where she did not live on July 12, 2022.

Powell was actually living in a rural area outside of the city limits noted the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office in a press release Thursday.

After that alleged voter registration fraud, a violation of Elections Code section 18100(a), Powell is alleged to have also committed the following crimes during the same 2022 election cycle: falsely declaring under penalty of perjury the location of her home address, submitting false nomination paperwork, failing to file campaign finance reports, and voting in an election she was not legally entitled to vote detailed the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office.

The criminal complaint further alleged that during the 2024 election cycle, Powell voted in an election where she was not legally entitled to vote in March, falsely declared under penalty of perjury the location of her home address, submitted false nomination paperwork, and voted in an election where she was not legally entitled to vote again but this time in November of the same year.

Eight of Powell’s nine charged counts are felony offenses added the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office.

Powell will be scheduled for an arraignment on her filed charges after she surrenders to the court, files a bond, or is booked on the criminal complaint by law enforcement shared the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office.

This case is being prosecuted by the Public Integrity Unit of the San Luis Obispo County District Attorney’s Office.

“The integrity of our electoral system depends on all participants following the law, and my office will not tolerate attempts to undermine that integrity through fraudulent conduct,” said San Luis Obispo County District Attorney Dan Dow. “Ms. Powell’s alleged actions over multiple election cycles represent a serious breach of the public trust, and these charges demonstrate our commitment to holding accountable anyone who attempts to manipulate our elections processes. We will always dutifully follow the evidence wherever it leads to ensure that the community can trust that there will be accountability without any political bias or motivation.”

San Luis Obispo County Clerk-Recorder Elaina Cano issued the following statement Thursday regarding the charges against Powell, “Election security and integrity are of the utmost importance. My office will always support law enforcement efforts to ensure that any allegation of fraudulent activity is investigated and handled promptly and appropriately.”

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Bison dies in Yellowstone’s Grand Prismatic Spring

KIFI on June 26, 2025

Noah Farley

YELLOWSTONE (KIFI) — On Saturday, June 21, Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park became the site of a truly “heartbreaking” event. Tourists watched, stunned, as a bison stumbled and fell into the scalding 160-degree water.

Yellowstone tourist, Louise Howard, said on Facebook she saw the bison take a few steps into a shallow part of the pool, then it turned around and quickly got out. Then, after standing still for a moment, the bison turned back to the spring and stepped into a deeper area, making it impossible for the bison to get back out, no matter how hard it tried.

Another tourist, Katie Hirtzel, says she unexpectedly saw the bison around 12 hours later with her family. She says while it was shocking to see, it was amazing to witness “this rare part of the circle of life.”

Tonight at 5 on Local News 8, you can hear from Hirtzel and learn more about the experience.

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“It’s just time:” Ammon Mayor Sean Coletti announces he won’t seek re-election in 2026

KIFI on June 26, 2025

News Team

AMMON, Idaho (KIFI) — The city of Ammon will have a new mayor in 2026. In a social media post, Sean Coletti announced he will not be seeking re-election, saying, “It’s just time.”

Coletti says he’s not going anywhere and still has goals for the community, but wants to pursue them in other ways.

Without giving a name, he also wrote he’s grateful to know there’s an “amazing individual” who’s planning on running for mayor. Coletti’s last day in office will be December 31.

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Local strongman set to compete at the 2025 Santa Monica Classic

KYMA on June 26, 2025

Manoah Tuiasosopo

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Yuma is home to Arizona’s Strongest Man and this weekend, he’s getting ready to test his might.

We spoke with Kelly Howell about his preparation and mindset ahead of this year’s Santa Monica Classic.

The 6’1, 260 pound strongman has been flying past his competitors at numerous local and regional powerlifting competitions.

Howell says, “My last three competitions went really well. I won all three of them. So, I’m sitting good, feeling good, and feeling strong. So, I’ve got some good momentum going into the weekend.”

He’s getting ready to compete against some of the strongest men in the world this weekend in Santa Monica.

Howell says he’s ready to put Yuma and Arizona on the map.

“They’re guys from Sweden, Chile, the Philippines, and all kinds of different places. So, it’s going to be a really good time to represent Arizona. I’m going to be competing against guys well into 350 lbs. – 360 lbs. but we’ll give them a run for their money.”

Deadlifts, log presses, and frame carries are just a few of the events he’ll be competing in.

Howell, who holds the state record for the circus dumbbell press, shares what he does leading up to a competition like this.

“During this prep, we’re deadlifting well over 750 lbs., we’re loading 400 lbs. sandbags, all kinds of just fun, heavy stuff. When it’s 110 degrees and there’s stuff to be lifted, you’ve got to do it outside, no big deal,” he explains.

He thanks his team and the community for the support and is ready to make them proud.

“It’s awesome! There’s a lot of people out there rooting for me. I can’t wait to go out there and show them what I’m capable of. Without their support, I definitely wouldn’t be here,” Howell shares.

Howell is a former United States Marine and also the manager at the Complex Gym in Yuma.

He says he has his sights aimed at the 2026 Arnold Strongman Classic next February in Ohio and hopes to crack the top five.

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Westlake Ace Hardware donates dozens of fans to Salvation Army

News-Press NOW on June 26, 2025

Kendra Simpson

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Across the United States, some people are struggling to beat the record-breaking heat waves, but in St. Joseph, Westlake Ace Hardware has donated dozens of box fans to the Salvation Army to ensure residents stay cool this summer.

“We are so blessed, we thank the community,” Social Services Director for the Salvation Army, Emily Bravo, said. “This is going to give a lot of our community members the opportunity to stay safe and cool this summer.”

While St. Joseph is still in the early summer months, average temperatures are settling in the upper-80s, leaving those without access to air conditioning to face dangerous heat.

Westlake Ace Hardware has worked with the Salvation Army since 2012 to provide box fans to low-income families, seniors and others in need.

“Ace Hardware, in general, has raised over $1 million annually for this drive,” General Manager of Westlake Ace Hardware, Mark Sidwell, said. “It kind of goes along with our core values of, you know, helping the community and doing what we can when we can to help anything in need, and right now it’s the heat.”

Westlake Ace, its employees and customers worked together to raise $1,020 in a recent register round-up campaign, raising enough money to purchase 62 box fans, which were donated to the Salvation Army and will be distributed to individuals and families in need throughout the area.

“We appreciate each one of them,” Bravo said. “Even if it was a few cents rounded up, every penny matters.”

Sidwell said the community has been just as enthusiastic about giving back as Westlake Ace and the Salvation Army are.

“We get a lot of good comments from the customers coming in and, you know, with the heat and everything, it makes them feel good to be able to help the community out where needed,” he said.

While the box fan drive is over for the season, community members can still help the Salvation Army provide for those in need by calling the non-profit at 816-232-5824 or visiting their St. Joseph location at 602 Messanie St.

Due to the extreme heat, the organization is currently asking for donations of sunscreen and bottled water.

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FIND Food Bank and Amazon partner to fight food insecurity

KESQ on June 26, 2025

Luis Avila

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – A special delivery for families facing hunger. FIND Food Bank, in partnership with Amazon, stepping up to fight food insecurity in the Coachella Valley.

Amazon delivering a $25,000 check that will provide 100,000 meals to local residents. Amazon employees also delivered food collected from sites across Southern California and volunteered to help sort and distribute supplies.

Debbie Espinosa, FIND Food Bank president and CEO, says these donations come at a critical time.

“During the summer months, all of the kids in the Coachella Valley are out of school and we have over 86 percent of our children in our valley qualifying for reduced lunch… Our tourism is down, our growing season is nonexistent in 120 degree weather, our utility bills skyrocket in the summertime.”

Debbie Espinosa, FIND Food Bank president & CEO

For Amazon, it’s not only about giving back but cementing their role within the community.

“From supporting DAP Health, the Center, to the Chase, to One Future Coachella Valley, to the Boys and Girls club of Cathedral City, this is our home, we want to be thriving in our home with colleagues and neighbors… As we grow here in this area, we’re going to only increase what we do to give back.”

David Ambroz, Amazon community engagement

Bringing not just food to people’s doorsteps, but a side of hope.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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Local businesses discuss impacts of completed Palm Springs flood map construction

KESQ on June 26, 2025

Kendall Flynn

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Areas of Palm Springs, like the Backstreet Art District and Safari Mobile Home Park saw significant flooding in 2017, prompting Riverside County to make some changes.

Now businesses and homeowners could see flood insurance savings because of the map revisions. The Federal Emergency Management Agency approved a Letter of Map Revision removing 514 structures and approximately 102 acres from the area, which was previously designated as high risk for flooding.

The project called the Palm Springs Line 41 storm drain is a $16 million dollar construction plan for underground storm drain and large flood basin.

For businesses and homeowners, the project helped what could’ve been another detrimental storm with Hurricane Hilary. In summer 2023, construction was 90% complete as the hurricane approached, the Flood Control District authorized emergency work making the project functional.

Now, the updated flood map by FEMA goes into effect July 18, and businesses and homeowners have the opportunity to possibly no longer need flood insurance.

Stay with News Channel 3 to hear from businesses in the new flood map area on the constructions impact.

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