Former American Falls mayor speaks about resignation and new appointment for city leader

KIFI on July 8, 2025

Sam Ross

AMERICAN FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)– Rebekah Sorensen stepped down as mayor of American Falls last week after serving five years as the city’s leader; she has appointed City Council President Gilbert Hofmeister as the new mayor.

Sorensen said she is resigning to move out of American Falls and build a home in the county with her family, but she said she is thankful for her time as mayor and for those who helped her navigate leadership through the COVID-19 pandemic and the following years.

“It’s been really cool for me to go through the community and be involved with different organizations or departments and get things done and get my hands dirty and try to fix problems,” said Sorensen. “It’s been an amazing five years, and I’m incredibly grateful to the supporters, for those that have concerns or criticisms and the changes we could make, to all of the employees––I’m nothing but grateful.”

Sorensen was appointed mayor following the retirement of former mayor Marc Beitia in 2020. Sorensen said some of her crowning achievements as mayor include strengthening cohesion between city employees and departments and advancing a $35 million area-wide water line replacement project.

Sorensen also said Mayor Hofmeister is “the man for the job”. Hofmeister, an American Falls native with nearly 12 years of city council experience, said he’s looking forward to his term as appointed mayor and plans to run for mayor during elections this fall.

“It’s an honor and a privilege,” said Hofmeister. “I was born and raised in American Falls… my family’s here, we farm here; I just love to be able to help the community in any way I can.”

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Calexico man found guilty of selling methamphetamine

KYMA on July 8, 2025

Dillon Fuhrman

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – The jury found a Calexico man guilty of selling methamphetamine last Thursday.

According to the Imperial County District Attorney’s Office, the man, Carlos Correa, was arrested in March of 2021.

The D.A.’s Office says Correa was in a parking lot, located in the area of Third Street and Paulin Avenue in Calexico, “hiding prepackaged bindles in his car while standing next to it.”

However, the D.A.’s Office says a Calexico police officer conducted an investigation after he believed he saw someone attempting to buy methamphetamine from Correa.

Following this, officers found the bindles and over $15,000 in cash, which led to Correa’s arrest.

Correa will be sentenced on August 11.

7.7.25 Press Release People v. Carlos CorreaDownload

7.7.25 Press Release for Carlos Correa – SpanishDownload

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New SRO funding bolsters student safety for District 25 and 20 Other Idaho school districts

KIFI on July 8, 2025

Seth Ratliff

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — Nearly two dozen districts, including Pocatello-Chubbuck School District 25, are receiving new grant funding to boost student safety with School Resource Officers (SROs).

Thanks to the Idaho Legislature and the Millennium Fund, 21 local education agencies (LEAs) across the state will benefit. 12 of these LEAs are getting their first-ever SROs, with funding secured for three years.

“This funding means that additional districts and charters will receive resources to support a position that brings valuable peace of mind to parents, staff and students,” said Superintendent of Public Instruction Debbie Critchfield. “Whether our SROs are reinforcing security efforts, being another positive role model or serving as a trusted adult for students, their presence benefits our school communities in so many positive ways.”

Districts applying for the funding demonstrated a strong commitment to collaboration, providing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with their local law enforcement agency and a letter of intent outlining the SRO’s qualifications and training.

The awarded districts and charters are:

Alturas Academy
Boise Independent School District

Cassia County School District
Canyon Owyhee School Service Agency (COSSA)

Council School District
Emmett Independent School District

Gem Prep: Meridian
Gooding School District

Hagerman Joint School District
Hayden Canyon Charter School

Heritage Community Charter School
Highland Joint School District

Kimberly School District
Kootenai Joint School District

Lewiston Independent School District
Marsing School District

New Plymouth School District
Payette Joint School District

Pocatello-Chubbuck School District
Thomas Jefferson Charter School

Weiser School District
 

To receive funding, applicants were asked to provide an MOU created between the district and their local law enforcement agency, as well as a letter of intent stating potential applicants’ qualifications and training for the position.

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CVAG begins construction on Palm Springs CV Link pathway

KESQ on July 8, 2025

Haley Meberg

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The Coachella Valley Association of Governments (CVAG) has begun construction on the CV Link pathway in the Palm Springs area. 

The CV Link pathway is set to begin construction from the Palm Springs Visitor Center and run to the Whitewater River Stormwater Channel Levee.

Construction on this project is set to begin on July 7th and will continue through late September 2025. 

Teams are expected to be out working from 6:00am- 5:00pm. Residents should expect northbound lane closures on Highway 111 with traffic flaggers on site as well as sidewalk closures along Highway 111 from Tramview Road to the Whitewater River Stormwater Channel   throughout construction times. 

The CV Link pathway is a structure that was first instituted in the Coachella Valley in 2018 with a path that stretches 2.3 miles from Ramon Road in Cathedral City to Vista Chino in Palm Springs. 

Construction for this phase of the link was set into motion following a vote from officials that allocated $15 million to complete the final stages. 

The end goal for this project is to be a 40-mile pathway that stretches throughout the Coachella Valley and provides a safe area to walk, run, bike or use low-speed electric vehicles. 

CVAG reports this project will provide significant environmental and public health benefits as well as economic benefits that will affect generations of residents and visitors of the Coachella Valley.

It was said that every effort to minimize disturbance to the community will be made. CVAG emphasizes that due to the dynamic nature of construction all dates and times are subject to change in light of unforeseen operational factors and inclement weather. 

Officials advise that drivers use alternative routes and expect potential delays throughout the construction project and thank the community for their patience as they work to improve the Coachella Valley’s transportation network. 

For more information you can contact the project hotline at 1-833-4CV-LINK (428-5465) or visit coachellavalleylink.com 

Stay with News Channel 3 for more updates on this project.

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Imperial County workers prepare to protest Board of Supervisors meeting

KYMA on July 8, 2025

Marcos Icahuate

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – A strike involving more than 1,000 Imperial County workers could happen as early as this week.

The Teamsters Union Local 542 says they will be protesting at the Imperial County Board of Supervisors meeting on July 8.

The union is demanding a 10% salary increase over two years.

The union says they’ll know if they’re going on strike by Wednesday night.

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Calipatria event to help seniors learn technological skills

KYMA on July 8, 2025

Marcos Icahuate

CALIPATRIA, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – An event is planned to help seniors learn technological skills.

Imperial Valley Business Resource Center (IVBRC) is holding the event at the Calipatria Latin American Club on July 10 at 10 a.m.

“We’re excited to offer this opportunity for seniors to enhance their digital literacy and connect with the resources they need to thrive in the digital world,” said Alma Silva, Chief Operating Officer at Imperial Valley Business Resource Center. “This initiative, supported by partners like AT&T Foundation, Southern Border Broadband Consortium (SBBC), California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) and IVEDC is an important step in empowering our local seniors and helping them navigate today’s technology-driven society.”

The event is free but RSVP is required.

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Families of two Yuma women killed in Colorado crash sue tour company and driver’s estate

KYMA on July 8, 2025

Andrea Turisk

(KYMA, KECY/CBS) – The families of two Yuma women killed in a Jeep crash in Colorado are suing the tour company and the estate of the Jeep’s driver.

CBS News Colorado says the lawsuit claims the driver, 72-year-old Don Fehd, was a last-minute replacement driver who likely drank alcohol the night before or the morning of the crash.

The crash killed 28-year-old Diana Robles and her aunt, 60-year-old Ofelia Perez, both from Yuma. It happened in September of 2022.

The wrongful death case is being heard by a Denver federal court judge, and the two sides have been given a year to exchange evidence in the case.

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Former MU coach Gary Pinkel arrested, accused of DWI, MSHP report shows

KMIZ on July 8, 2025

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Former Mizzou football coach Gary Pinkel has been accused again of driving while intoxicated.

A Missouri State Highway Patrol report shows that Pinkel, 73, was arrested at 11:46 p.m. Monday in Camden County.

The arrest report says he was brought to the Camden County jail and was released. He was accused of a single count of DWI, the report says. He was not listed on the Camden County Jail 48-hour release roster. Charges have not yet appeared on Casenet.

Pinkel previously pleaded guilty to misdemeanor DWI in 2011 in Boone County. He was sentenced to two years of probation and completed the sentence.

ABC 17 News has reached out to the Camden County Sheriff’s Office and Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Pinkel served as MU’s head coach from 2001-15.

Pinkel’s lawyer, Bogdan Susan, said in a statement that Pinkel will not make any statements regarding the case, but he plans on pleading not guilty.

Check back for updates.

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Funding freeze to affect Missouri’s after-school programs

KMIZ on July 8, 2025

Keriana Gamboa

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Local after-school organizations are raising alarms about the Education Department’s plan to withhold nearly $7 billion in funds for the next fiscal year.

Those funds include money for programs such as the Boys and Girls Club.

If the funding is not released, Boys and Girls Clubs across the country could face widespread consequences, including summer camp closures, staff layoffs and the potential permanent shutdown of hundreds of locations in the coming weeks, the organization says.

“Our Club remains fully committed to providing the same impactful and critical services that our youth and families count on every day. We will not stop doing whatever it takes to build great futures for all youth in our community,” The Boys and Girls Clubs of Columbia and Jefferson City said in an online post.

Program leaders are urging the public to contact their members of Congress and ask them to push the Office of Management and Budget and the Department of Education to release these funds immediately.

The Boys and Girls Club has posted a website that puts users in contact with U.S. senators immediately upon filling out the form.

The Department of Education’s decision this week to withhold $6.8 billion in federal K-12 funding for next year has sparked widespread concern among state education officials, school administrators and advocacy groups.

The funding loss will affect programs such as after-school activities, enrichment opportunities and language-learning services.

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education says those federal grants provide $64.3 million in funding to local education agencies and select state-level programs.

“DESE will continue to monitor the status of these grant programs and provide updates when they become available,” a department spokesperson said.

The Department of Education announced on Tuesday that several major federal education grants are still under review and have not yet been approved. Because of this delay, states have not received official notices or funding amounts for the upcoming year.

Programs affected serve nearly 1.4 million children and families nationwide. Among those, more than 220,000 are youth who attend one of 926 Boys and Girls Club sites.

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Change of Command for Space Launch Delta 30 at Vandenberg Space Force Base

KEYT on July 8, 2025

Jarrod Zinn

LOMPOC, Calif. – There’s new leadership at Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Space Launch Delta 30 has a new commanding officer as of this morning.

A ceremony bid a formal farewell to Colonel Mark Shoemaker, as he passed the flag to Colonel James T. Horne III.

Space Launch Delta 30 hosted their change of command ceremony at Vandenberg Space Force Base’s outdoor parade grounds Tuesday morning.

“I told you from this very stage two years ago that I would take this responsibility with great pride and with great humility,” said Col. Mark A. Shoemaker, who is retiring from Space Launch Delta 30’s command position. “I worked hard to hold true to that from day one until today.”

Colonel Shoemaker is retiring after 28 years of service.

After delivering a speech, he passed the flag to Colonel Horne, who is no stranger to Vandenberg.

“We’re just super excited to be back on the Central Coast,” says Col. James T. Horne III, Space Launch Delta 30’s new commander. “It’s it definitely holds a special place in my and my family’s heart.”

Promoted to Colonel in June of 2021, Horne spent the last two years as Senior Material Leader at Space Systems Command, Patrick Space Force Base, Florida.

“This is our third stay at Vandenberg,” says Col. Horne. “First, I was in training for nuclear missiles, and then second time here I was the squadron commander for the 30th Range Management Squadron from 2015 to 2017. And now back.”

Colonel Horne’s service record speaks for itself,

and his colleagues welcome him warmly and confidently into his new leadership position.

“My family and I are just super excited to be back and to work with everyone, to continue the mission of this great base in this community,” says Col. Horne.

Col. Horne looks forward to the various community partnerships ahead, as he will oversee Vandenberg’s plans to greatly increase the number of launches at the base.

We’ll certainly be hearing more from Col. Horne in the months ahead as he steps into his new role as commander of Space Launch Delta 30.

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