St. Joseph’s transitional tiny homes to open next month

News-Press NOW on June 17, 2025

Jenna Wilson

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Units have been renovated and in just a few short weeks, tiny homes will be available to assist the unhoused across St.Joseph.

“We have four of the ten units completely done,” said Angi Duty, Community Services Director with Community Action Partnership. “We’ve finally started the application process, working with individuals who qualify and we’ll be able to start moving people in by early July.”

The site at 2101 South Eighth Street will offer ten transitional housing units for individuals living under 200% of the federal poverty guidelines.

Officials say applicants should have some form of income to help ensure they can successfully transition into permanent housing.

“We’re kind of looking at their situation, their past housing, age has been a factor, veterans, involvement with other case management and once they get moved in, they’ll be meeting with our caseworker every week to work on whatever barriers are keeping them from permanent housing.”

Tenants will be able to stay in the homes for up to 12 months, which city officials believe is enough time to become financially stable.

“With homelessness, if you don’t have a place to sleep at night, it’s hard to get past those barriers and that’s what we’re hoping to fix,” Duty said. “So we’re really excited to get it up and running.”

The housing development will feature exterior security cameras and is set to begin welcoming residents in early July, officials confirmed.

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Woman who drove UTV in fatal crash charged with DWI

KMIZ on June 17, 2025

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A woman who drove a UTV in a crash that killed her husband in Maries County last month has been charged with a felony.

Mary Dearlove, 61, of Rolla, was charged on Tuesday with driving while intoxicated – causing the death of another person, misdemeanor reckless driving and an infraction of failing to wear a seatbelt. A criminal summons was issued on Tuesday and a court date has been scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 12.

The probable cause statement says that troopers arrived on May 12 while Dearlove was on a stretcher and her husband, Donald Dearlove, had “an apparent fatal wound to his head” in the vehicles. He was 61.

A preliminary breath test indicated that Mary Dearlove’s blood alcohol level was .153, nearly twice the legal limit to drive, the statement says. A trooper wrote that she also appeared to be drunk.

She allegedly admitted to drinking at a bar in Viehy, Missouri. The crash occurred in the 17000 block of County Road 522 in Maries County.

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IVHD and UC San Diego Health reach new agreement

KYMA on June 17, 2025

Abraham Retana

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – A new agreement is working on bringing better healthcare to the Imperial Valley.

The Imperial Valley Healthcare District (IVHD) made a five-year agreement with the University of California San Diego Health to develop programs for Pioneers Memorial Hospital and El Centro Regional Medical Center (ECMRC).

“Which focuses in the strategic planning portion of what we are doing, how we are going to deliver that care in the community, increase services and all the things we talked about that UCSD brings to the table, they are going to help us with that process,” said Chris Bjornberg, CEO of IVHD.

ECRMC CEO Pablo Velez says it’ll help improve the services they provide.

“This is going to help us build the infrastructure to provide better services for our community. So our patients don’t have to leave the Imperial Valley and get the necessary care they need here,” Velez shared.

The agreement will bring three key benefits to the Imperial Valley: Increase specialized healthcare, improve healthcare access and enhance operational stability.

“We can increase our quality, they have the blueprint ready for that and we can take advantage of that relationship with them to try to take those things integrate them here in the Imperial Valley and increase quality here for the Imperial Valley residents,” Bjornberg explained.

The collaboration begins on July 1 and it will end in July of 2030.

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Drowning Prevention Week spreads water safety awareness

KESQ on June 17, 2025

Haley Meberg

SAN BERNADINO COUNTY, Calif. (KESQ)- This week the valley gears up for drowning prevention week with hopes of spreading awareness about this silent but dangerous killer. Drowning can occur in as little as 30 seconds and can affect even the strongest of swimmers silently and quickly making it important to learn the preventative measures to combat this. 

The ABC’s of drowning help set guidelines to prevent this kind of tragedy: Adult supervision, Barriers and Classes. The Drowning Prevention Foundation shows that drowning is the leading cause of injury-related deaths for children under the age of five and can be preventable with the supervision of a responsible, attentive adult actively watching children as they are in the water. 

The installation and maintenance of barriers such as isolation fencing with self-latching gates, pool covers, door alarms, and nets can also help prevent these incidents from being able to take place from the start. 

Overall, education is the best preventative measure when trying to go against the issue of drowning that the state of California faces throughout the summer months where 48% of all drowning cases take place. 

Operation Splash is a program run by Desert Recreational Center from a grant through Kaiser Permanente that provides free swim lessons for children from low-income neighborhoods to help spread the knowledge of lifesaving water skills. This program has reached more than 300,000 youths in Southern California and plans to continue educating these children on water safety. This paired with education of pool rules, safe behavior around water and CPR courses to prepare individuals for emergencies helps everyone be proactive and prevent drowning.

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Woman charged with murder in Holts Summit shooting to have trial in Boone County

KMIZ on June 17, 2025

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A woman who is charged with murder in a fatal shooting at a Holts Summit apartment complex in April will have her trial in Boone County.

Heather Smith, 37, of Holts Summit, was charged with three counts of unlawful use of a weapon, a count of first-degree of endangering the welfare of a child, second-degree felony murder and armed criminal action.

A hearing on Monday determined the trial will be held in Boone County. A hearing is set for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 19.

Smith is accused of killing Kara Dills, 37. Court documents in previous reporting say the shooting started with an argument between Smith and Dills at Hunter Lane Apartments. The documents cite nine witnesses to the shooting.

Video surveillance allegedly showed Smith threatening witnesses with a pistol before the shooting. One witness allegedly tried to disarm her after she pointed the gun at several people, but was not successful.

Dills allegedly got a gun and pistol-whipped Smith on the forehead, documents say. The gun went off, grazing a man later identified as Thomas Jones, 71, on his head, according to the probable cause statement. After Dills lowered her gun and started to walk away, Smith shot her in the stomach, the statement says. She later died.

Jones was later charged with fourth-degree assault for failure to listen to deputies. He has a hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday, July 18.

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GoFundMe created for Yuma man injured in head-on crash

KYMA on June 17, 2025

Andrea Turisk

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – A Yuma man is fighting to recover after a head-on crash leaves him with serious injuries.

The crash happened hear near Avenue A and West 20th Place. Louie Torres’ family describes him as the kind of person who would give you the shirt off his back. Now after the crash it’s put them in a tough spot.

Torres, a proud Marine Corps Veteran was seriously injured in a head-on crash and was then airlifted to a Phoenix hospital. Since then, he’s been on the road to recovery.

Rita Lagunas, a family friend says, “Louie still has a big hall to walk. He is gonna need a lot of physical therapy so that’s gonna be awhile for him. Financially, it’s impacting all of them. His parents,  his mother, and his sisters having to travel back and forth.”

Torres’ sisters are making long trips to Phoenix every week. Taking turns to make sure he’s never alone. One sister drives from Yuma nearly three hours each way. The other makes the journey from Boulder Creek, more than four hours on the road. Together, they travel to be by Torres’ side at least three days a week.

“On their days off, they’re able to come out here. One brings the mother out here with her. You know it’s hard to see him because he was a very active person being out there with his son. Helping his mother outside the home so emotionally that is a lot for them to see him unable to do things for himself.” says Lagunas

The crash has been especially hard for Torres’ son, whose used to having his dad by his side for everyday moments and spontaneous adventures. 

“It’s hard because like I said Louie would pick him up after school. ‘Let’s go get a burger.’ ‘Let’s go here.’ Spontaneously, ‘Let’s got to San Diego.’ ‘Let’s go to the beach.’ You know, things like that so the boy really does miss his dad,” says Lagunas.

If you’d like to support Torres’ family during this difficult time, they’ve set up a go fund me to help with travel expenses and medical bills.

The GoFundMe has a goal of $4,000 with $775 raised so far. If anyone wants to donate to the GoFundMe, click here.

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Inside the Border Patrol Horse Unit patrolling the desert near El Paso

KVIA on June 17, 2025

Heriberto Perez

SANTA TERESA, New Mexico (KVIA) — U.S. Border Patrol’s Horse Patrol Unit was the first one that ever existed in the agency’s history; they were called mounted watchmen.

The unit saw its beginning back in 1904 in efforts to prevent illegal crossings and the Mounted Guards first operated out of El Paso, Texas.

Border Patrol’s Horse Unit at the Santa Teresa station currently houses a total of 21 horses, making it one of the largest units in the nation.

“I personally never owned horses, I never had horses and never grew up with horses, so border patrol was one of those things that I grew up seeing on the border, because I’m from the border town,” said Horse Patrol Wrangler Ricardo Merjil. “I would see them on the border, and I was always so envious and jealous as a kid.”

Agent Merjil has been with the Border Patrol for nearly two decades and with the horse patrol for about six years, which, according to him, have been the best years of his career.

“The border patrol allowed me, they gave me the opportunity to do this for a living, and not a lot of people really get to do this. Me, myself being a city boy, I can’t ever say how appreciative I am for this opportunity,” said Horse Patrol Wrangler Merjil.

In an era where the Border Patrol, along with other federal agencies, has all sorts of technology and resources to secure the southern border, ABC-7 asked about the importance this unit still has.

Watch the full special report, Thursday on ABC-7 at 10.

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El Pasoan in Ruidoso overcomes wildfires: 1 year anniversary of South Fork

KVIA on June 17, 2025

Paul Cicala

RUIDOSO, NM (KVIA) — One year ago today, hundreds of homes and buildings could be seen smoldering after the South Fork Fire began its path of destruction.

ABC-7 anchor Paul Cicala spent several days covering the devastation caused by those fires, and is in Ruidoso today to report live in the 4, 5 & 6 p.m. newscasts & as the popular tourist town continues its recovery.

 It’s a celebration of recovery for Ruidoso residents today, including El Paso native and Eastwood High grad James Rupley.

“It’s just, hmmm.. it’s really tough,” proclaimed James Rupley as he tried to contain his emotions just over a year ago after the South Fork Fire swept through Ruidoso.

The El Paso native also co-owns “Downshift Brewery” and lost thousands of dollars because of the wildfire and its effects on tourism, yet, he remained open to help first responders and others in town to help for wildfire cleanup and recovery.

“Literally worked from 4 in the morning to 9 at night every single day,” said Rupley.

 Now, customers are returning steadily to Ruidoso.

“You don’t really call it a comeback. The re-building and just kind of getting back to a normal type of life. It’s slow, but, you just have to work every day. You can’t stop,” said Rupley, who also told ABC-7’s Paul Cicala:”The first time we put on the Octoberfest at the end of September, and that was the first time that we felt like we are going to be okay, because so many people, came out, it was such a good atmosphere.”

ABC-7’S Paul Cicala will air this story, and several others on ABC-7 at 4, 5, 6 and 10 p.m. from Ruidoso, NM during the one-year anniversary of the start of the wildfires.

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New Details: Highway 33 stabbing suspect charged with aggravated battery & kidnapping

KIFI on June 17, 2025

News Team

MADISON COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — The Madison County Sheriff’s Office has released new details regarding Sunday’s stabbing incident along Highway 33, leading to the arrest of Daytona “Tony” Travis, 34, of Rexburg.

According to the Sheriff’s Office, their deputies, along with the Rexburg Police and Madison Fire Department, were called to the intersection of 6000 West and Highway 33, where they found a 34-year-old woman who had reportedly been stabbed. Her injuries were determined to be non-life-threatening, and she was transported to Madison Health for treatment. She has since been discharged.

Law enforcement identified 34-year-old Travis as a person of interest and issued a warrant for his arrest. He was caught by Idaho Falls Police along 16th Street in Idaho Falls on the following morning.

Travis has been charged with Aggravated Battery and Second-Degree Kidnapping. His bond has been set at $500,000.

In a statement released via a Facebook post, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office expressed gratitude for the collaborative effort: “The Madison County Sheriff’s Office extends sincere appreciation to the Idaho Falls Police Department, Rexburg Police Department, and members of the public for their cooperation and assistance in this matter.”

All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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Life sentence upheld for man found guilty of triple murder in 2002

KMIZ on June 17, 2025

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man who was sentenced to life in prison more than 20 years ago for a triple murder had his sentence reaffirmed on Monday.

Deandra Buchanan, 51, was found guilty by a jury in 2002 on three counts of first-degree murder. He was initially sentenced to death but was resentenced to life in prison without parole in 2003. Buchanan was not present for the resentencing hearing.

The defense wanted a new hearing where a judge sentences him to life in prison without parole, allowing them to enter a new appeal. The prosecution argued that the challenge was not timely, and the previous judgment was final.

Judge Jeff Harris denied the defense’s motion for a resentencing on Monday.

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