SJSD encourages families to complete student enrollment

News-Press NOW on July 30, 2025

News-Press NOW

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The St. Joseph School District has opened enrollment for all new and returning students, and asks families to complete enrollment by Friday, Aug. 1.

“Timely enrollment is essential to helping our schools prepare for a successful year. When families complete the enrollment process by August 1, it allows us to build accurate class schedules, assign teachers, and ensure transportation and services are in place for every student on day one,” said Stacia Studer, SJSD’s assistant superintendent of academics and education services. “We want every student to start the year ready to learn, and on-time enrollment helps make that possible.”

SJSD stated that completing enrollment by the Aug. 1 deadline ensures that bus transportation will be available on the first day of school and that class schedules and teacher assignments will be ready by Wednesday, Aug. 6.

Families can enroll or update their students’ information by visiting sjsd.info/enroll. Proof of residency must be uploaded to complete the process.

Accepted proof of residency documents include:

A utility or mortgage bill in your name, dated within the last 30 days

A lease agreement in your name, covering the current date

A letter from DFS or Social Services in your name, dated within the last 30 days

In a new effort for the 2025-2026 school year, the SJSD said that all middle and high school students planning to participate in athletics must be registered in FinalForms before tryouts.

Parents of athletes can go to sjsd-mo.finalforms.com.

The SJSD Enrollment Center can answer questions and assist. The Center can be reached at (816) 671-4115.

Families with children who will be age three or older before Aug. 1 and need enrollment help or language support are encouraged to visit the Enrollment Center in person at 1415 N. 26th St.

SJSD also said, new students and incoming kindergarten, 8th grade and 12th grade students must have their state-required immunizations completed to attend the first day of school on Tuesday, Aug. 19.

Applications for Free and Reduced Lunch are available at sjsd.info/meals.

Students who attend Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) schools don’t need to apply. CEP schools include:

Carden Park

Coleman

Edison

Hosea

Hyde

Lafayette

Lake Early Learning Center

Lindbergh

Parkway

Pershing

Pickett

Robidoux

Skaith

Spring Garden

Truman

Webster

Additionally, school supply lists for students going into Kindergarten through 6th grades can be found at sjsd.info/BTS.

Missouri’s Tax-Free Weekend will take place Friday, Aug. 1, through Sunday, Aug. 3.

Another date SJSD wants parents to keep in mind is Back-to-School Night on Thursday, Aug. 14.

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Imperial County and supervisor facing lawsuit

KYMA on July 30, 2025

Abraham Retana

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – Imperial County, along with one of the county supervisors, are part of a lawsuit.

A former clerk of the board filed the lawsuit, accusing the supervisor of workplace misconduct, sexual harassment, and wrongful termination.

A 25-page lawsuit, filed on June 27 in the Imperial County Superior Court, outlines disturbing allegations from Blanca Acosta, a former longtime employee of the county clerk of the board’s office.

She claims she endured sexual harassment, a hostile work environment, retaliation, and wrongful termination, all allegedly involving supervisor Jesus Eduardo Escobar.

Acosta’s lawsuit details what she describes as repeated unwanted sexual advances by supervisor Escobar, starting as far back as 2022.

She alleges Escobar forcibly kissed her and made sexually inappropriate comments while they were alone in his office.

She claims she didn’t report the incidents initially out of fear for her job, telling only a colleague.

Later, she says the inappropriate behavior escalated and continued even after she made internal complaints to county officials.

According to the suit, county officials, including the CEO and Human Resources director, were informed of the misconduct but took no formal disciplinary action against Escobar.

Instead, Acosta was placed on administrative leave and eventually terminated without cause in April of 2025.

Acosta is seeking compensation for emotional distress, legal fees and punitive damages.

Her attorney, Manuel Eorrales Jr., also filed a formal complaint with California’s civil rights department.

We reached out to County Supervisor Escobar, and Imperial County for comment on the lawsuit, but as of now, no official statement has been released.

We also reached out to the defense attorneys, but they haven’t responded.

We’ll continue to follow this story and provide you with the latest details as they become available.

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New proposed rules for mobile food vendors

KYMA on July 30, 2025

Madeline Murray

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – New changes for mobile food vendors could be coming to Yuma County.

The community raised concerns about food trucks in residential areas and the noise disturbances caused by their loud equipment.

Jonathan Lines, Vice Chairman of the Yuma County Board of Supervisors, says “There’s been concerns on a state level for a while regarding some of the regulations surrounding food trucks.”

The Board of Supervisors reviewed a proposal that would change the county zoning ordinance on mobile food vendors.

The proposal included where and when food trucks can operate.

Some of the provisions presented were limiting vendors to 96 consecutive hours on any single private property, as well as banning the use of noise-making machines, like generators, between 10:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m.

“Primarily food safety, secondarily, kind of, is it a good fit for the area, is it in a residential area, and if so then it requires approval from the board of supervisors,” says Lines.

A local food vendor, Mauro Alfaro, says the noise they make is not on purpose.

“From the residential point of view as a resident, if there is a noise outside my house, could be annoying, could be annoying hearing the noise all day, but as a businessman, those are things you need. It’s not because you want to be making noise,” says Alfaro.

A full discussion with the board of supervisors will be happening in the next few weeks to satisfy as many people as they can and still provide safety for the community.

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Local physician shares tips for a healthy and successful school year

KYMA on July 30, 2025

Manoah Tuiasosopo

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – As students head back to school, so do the germs, and doctors are urging families to be proactive in keeping their children healthy.

Crowded classrooms and sharing supplies make it easy for viruses like the flu, RSV, and the common cold to spread.

Dr. Kristina Diaz, the President of Onvida Health Medical Group, says, “Kids like to share everything; water bottles, lollipops, candies, and their lunches. Just chat with your child about the importance that you’re not putting things in places where you’re exchanging saliva.”

She says the best defense starts with the basics like regularly washing hands with soap and water, especially before meals and after using the bathroom.

“That’s the quickest way we can transfer bacteria into our bodies. The other way, if you’re going to touch your face really try to wash your hands or use the hand sanitizer, of course be careful not to get the hand sanitizer in your eyes,” Dr. Diaz adds. 

She also recommends parents remind their kids to cough or sneeze in their elbows and that not sharing is also caring, some simple steps that can stop germs in their tracks.

“Best advice I can give parents as we return to school is really to encourage your kid to do all the things we already know, but they just need those reminders. If we all collectively can do that, it’ll decrease the amount of cooties that end up at the schools that we have to continue to fight for several months actually once they start getting shared,” Dr. Diaz explained. 

Doctors also recommend to keep your child at home if they’re feeling sick and to not underestimate the power of rest and a healthy diet, both can boost the immune system and help kids stay well through the school year.

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Tsunami Advisory extended for Central Coast and Bay Area

KION on July 30, 2025

Sergio Berrueta

(CNN/KION-TV) — The Tsunami Advisory in place across a large portion of California, including the Central Coast, has been extended.

The advisory is now scheduled to end at 1:30 pm, however has been extended multiple times since it was initially put in place on Tuesday night.

The National Weather Service reports wave heights of 1.5 feet at 4:24 a.m. in Monterey and 1.2 feet at around 2:24 a.m. in San Francisco.

Point Reyes saw 2.6 feet waves at around 4:23 a.m. according to the NWS.

The National Weather Service says the dangers at the moment are for anyone at local beaches, harbors or marinas.

People are advised not to go to the coast to watch the tsunami and listen to instructions from emergency officials.

The Tsunami Advisory comes after an 8.8 magnitude earthquake struck near eastern Russia on Tuesday.

Tsunami warning in effect for northern edge of California

The National Tsunami Warning Center has upgraded a tsunami advisory to a tsunami warning for the Northern California coast from Cape Mendocino to the Oregon/California border, including Crescent City.

Waves of 2 to 5 feet are possible in the warning area, with the first waves expected to arrive around 11:50 p.m. PT Tuesday.

The rest of the California coast remains under a tsunami advisory with lower wave heights expected, generally under 1 foot, but strong currents and dangerous coastal conditions are still likely.

Crescent City is particularly vulnerable – it was devastated in 1964 when a tsunami generated by a 9.2-magnitude Alaska earthquake killed at least 10 people and caused millions in damage.

The California Office of Emergency Services said it is working closely with the National Tsunami Warning Center, the National Weather Service, and local emergency managers to assess the impacts.”

“Residents in coastal areas are urged to stay alert, follow instructions from local officials, and monitor trusted sources for the latest information,” the office said in a statement.

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Community responds to heat crisis in Imperial Valley

KYMA on July 30, 2025

Adrik Vargas

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – As temperatures rise and resources run low, nonprofits in Imperial County are stepping in to support those most vulnerable to the summer heat.

This week, the Salud Sin Fronteras Coalition gathered in El Centro to hand out hygiene and hydration supplies to unhoused and at-risk community members.

The outreach is led by Access to Thrive, The Becoming Project, Our Roots Multicultural Center, and Comite Civico del Valle.

“More shoulders make for lighter loads, and that’s how we approach everything here,” said William Cooper with The Becoming Project. “The more of us who get involved, the further our reach.”

Organizers say they’re adapting based on what people in the community actually ask for.

“One comment was, do you guys have deodorant? We didn’t bring deodorant this time, but it’s definitely something we’ll be adding to the list,” said Ashley Contreras, Executive Director of Access to Thrive.

Volunteers shared some of what they’re providing, including toothbrushes, bandanas, sanitary pads, and informational pamphlets.

“So we start off by handing them this, a toothbrush, information about heat resilience and illness prevention, sanitary pads if needed, and a bandana,” one volunteer explained.

But it’s not just about supplies. Organizers say education is just as important, especially when it comes to preventing heat-related illness.

“You can experience heat exhaustion or heat stroke even within the home, just by having symptoms, depending on the indoor heat,” said one coalition member.

The Salud Sin Fronteras Coalition says this is just the beginning of their emergency response efforts.

“This is our first time out here and it’s not going to be perfect, but we will be consistent,” said one organizer. “We’re gonna be in different places in the Valley, and it’ll get more and more specific to meet the needs of the Valley.”

To learn how you can help or get involved, you can reach out directly to the organizations taking part in this effort:

https://ccvhealth.org

https://www.facebook.com/p/Our-Roots-Multicultural-Center-100064731427108

https://accesstothrive.org

https://www.becomingprojectinc.org

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El Centro City Council approves hospital transfer

KYMA on July 30, 2025

Karina Bazarte

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – The El Centro City Council formally voted to approve an affiliation and transfer agreement with the Imperial Valley Healthcare District.

The vote happened Monday night in a special city council meeting.

One local, Isabel Solis, is in favor of the merger of the two hospitals, saying it will help save lives.

“As an educator, I am starting my 32nd year as a teacher. I have seen so many children who had to be airlifted or have to travel all the way outside of our community to get services so the hope hopefully is that when we unite these hospitals there will be pediatric services for our children,” said Solis.

The terms were set on March 11. The council was ready for the transfer on July, first but it was postponed as they were still finalizing the legal documents.

“Delays were necessary to make sure the due diligence was completed. It’s unfortunate, but we are here today…to move forward with a much stronger healthcare distinct for the whole county,” said Robert Sawyer, El Centro City Manager.

We reached out to the healthcare district for an interview, but they provided a statement instead.

“The Imperial Valley Healthcare District lays the foundation for a united, integrated healthcare system and improved, more sustainable, and expanded health services for the residents of the Imperial Valley.

Creating one united, integrated healthcare system provides a foundation for improved, sustainable, and expanded health services for our residents.”

We also reached out to the El Centro City Council for comment, but we are still waiting to hear back.

  

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CDOT to reduce speed limit on Mesa Ridge Parkway (Highway 16) in Fountain starting Monday

KRDO on July 30, 2025

Scott Harrison

FOUNTAIN, Colo. (KRDO) — Concern about traffic backups at two intersections along the congested Mesa Ridge Parkway (State Highway 16) corridor on the north side of town has led authorities to lower the 55 mph speed limit to improve safety.

Beginning Monday, the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) will permanently reduce the limit to 45 mph and decrease it to 35 mph at the intersection of Mesa Ridge and Syracuse Street, in front of Mesa Ridge High School.

During the past several months, viewers have contacted KRDO 13’s The Road Warrior about the crash risk from traffic backing up at the school as parents drop off and pick up kids, and about similar backups to the east at Fountain Mesa Road as drivers try to turn into the Lowe’s Home Improvement store.

Pepper Whittlef, CDOT program manager, said that the agency decided to change the speed limit after conducting a speed and crash study in the area earlier this year.

“We had 161 total crashes over five years,” she said. “Three of those were fatal crashes. Our top three accidents were rear-end, fixed-object, and sideswipes at the intersection of Syracuse and Colorado 16. 74 intersection-related crashes there.”

To help drivers adjust to the lowered speed limit, Fountain Police will conduct traffic enforcement in the area.

“We’ll also be installing, for the school year, some school speed flashers,” Whittlef explained. “That is for the times of the day when the high school and the middle school (James Madison Charter Academy) are releasing kids.”

She added that traffic to and from a new King Soopers grocery opening on Wednesday morning, on the south side of the Mesa Ridge/Syracuse intersection, is less of a concern because the developer paid for signal upgrades and street improvements there.

The lowered speed limit covers three miles of the parkway, between Interstate 25 and Powers Boulevard (State Highway 21).

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BREAKING: One man dead in Chihuahuita stabbing

KVIA on July 30, 2025

Carter Diggs

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso Police have confirmed one man is dead after a stabbing at the 200 block of East 9th Avenue in the Chihuahuita area, which is near the Paso del Norte International Bridge.

Reports of an assault in progress first came in around 8:30 p.m. of July 29. Officers say they arrived and found a 46-year-old man who had been stabbed. He was taken to the hospital, where he later died.

Crimes Against Persons is currently investigating the scene for more information. A public information officer told ABC-7 officials believe this was an isolated incident and there is no current danger to the public.

We will continue to update this article as we learn more information.

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Another talented Shaw arrives at UCSB

KEYT on July 30, 2025

Mike Klan

UC SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Brian Shaw is the best basketball player to ever come out of UCSB.

Freshman C.J. Shaw is not related to the former NBA player but he certainly has the talent to make a nice impact for the Gauchos as a true freshman.

The 6’4 guard was named the Gatorade Boys Basketball Player of the Year in Nevada after another terrific season at Mojave High School in Las Vegas.

He averaged 21.6 points with more than 5 rebounds and 5 assists per game.

Shaw is a two-way player as he averaged almost 4 steals per game on defense.

But all of that is in the past according to Shaw.

“Obviously high school stuff is left in high school, so college starting a new career,” stated Shaw.

“For a college athlete you have to be able to shoot the ball, play defense and be able to push the ball up any position you are playing. Hard work and defense, defense is a big thing in college.”

UCSB head coach Joe Pasternack likes what he sees so far from his top 100 ESPN recruit.

“C.J. was the Gatorade Player of the Year,” began Pasternack. “I mean he is one of the big surprises for us, he has been doing an unbelievable job.”

The Gauchos are just about at the midway point of their eight-week summer practice session.

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