Aidan Mahaney brings ‘Championship DNA’ to Gauchos

KEYT on July 17, 2025

Mike Klan

UC SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – Aidan Mahaney has played in three straight NCAA Tournaments and he plans to keep that streak going for his final season in college at UCSB.

The Gauchos will be his third college program for the 6’3 senior guard.

Mahaney was a standout at his first college stop at Saint Mary’s.

He played two seasons for the Gaels where he collected such honors as First Team All-WCC, a Lou Henson All-American, NABC First Team All-District, WCC All -Tournament Team, and WCC All-Freshman Team.

Last year he played at national powerhouse Connecticut where he played in 34 games, averaging around 12.5 minutes per game.

Mahaney scored in double-figures six times including a season-high 15 points against Providence.

“I take a lot of pride in my leadership,” began Mahaney. “I feel like I come from 2 really big time programs so to come in here and bring in some of that championship DNA that I feel like I have accumulated over my first 3 years in college is big. You know kind of being a vet here, one of the only guys on the team to ever make it to the tournament and obviously that is our goal this year so really just trying to impose my knowledge and my will to win on these guys right now.”

UCSB head coach Joe Pasternack added, “He was all conference for two years in the WCC, had a great experience learning at UConn didn’t get to play as much as he wanted to but I think he is really, really hungry for his last season of college basketball.”

The Gauchos are finishing up the second of an eight-week summer practice session.

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Local Representatives Torres and Ruiz condemn DHS for blocking Congressional oversight of detention centers

KESQ on July 17, 2025

Cynthia White

WASHINGTON, DC (KESQ) – On Wednesday, U.S. Representatives Norma J. Torres (CA-35) and Dr. Raul Ruiz (CA-25) sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem condemning DHS for unlawfully obstructing their efforts to visit immigration detention facilities operated by DHS and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

In the letter sent to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, the lawmakers highlighted violations of federal law, specifically Section 527(a) of the Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024, which prohibits DHS from denying Members of Congress access to detention facilities or making changes to alter what is observed during visits.

“For weeks, my office has been emailing DHS to schedule a visit, only to be met with shifting policies and ever-changing excuses for why Democratic Members of Congress can’t enter facilities,” said Congresswoman Torres. 

Congressman Ruiz added, “As Members of Congress, we visited the Adelanto ICE facility to ensure residents in our districts are not being subjected to inhumane conditions. The Department of Homeland Security’s sudden policy change requiring advance notice is unacceptable, unlawful, and clearly designed to block transparency and accountability,”

The lawmakers are demanding written assurances by Friday, July 18, 2025 that DHS will:

Cease all unlawful restrictions and partisan discrimination;

Fully comply with federal law regarding congressional access to facilities; and

Provide equal and prompt access to all Members of Congress regardless of party affiliation.

Read the full letter here.

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Red Cross evacuation shelter in Madras empty for a second day as Cram Fire evacuations continue to expand

KTVZ on July 17, 2025

Triton Notary

MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ)– Despite the size of the Cram fire the Red Cross tells KTVZ news no one has used their shelter in Madras for the last 2 days. Even though the shelter was empty outside of the volunteers, representatives from the Red Cross tell us they’re eager to help anyone who shows up. 

Morgan Schmidt, from Red Cross told KTVZ news “We’re here and we’re here to help for as long as help might be needed. The Red Cross is here to offer shelter to anybody who has been impacted by the fire, as well as their pets. We always want to make sure people know they can shelter with us even if they have animals.”

Besides shelter, the Red Cross offers meals, water, and comfort in this blistering heat. The Red Cross shelter for those affected by the Cram Fire is located at the Jefferson County Middle School.

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Potential large-chain grocery store strike along the Central Coast if negotiations are not met

KION on July 17, 2025

Jeanette Bent

CENTRAL COAST, Calif. (KION-TV) — UPDATE 4:14 p.m. July 24, 2025

Safeway has released the following statement to KION News about the impending strikes:

We remain committed to productive, good-faith negotiations with the UFCW locals in Northern California. We have scheduled bargaining sessions this week and continue to work with a federal mediator. While we are disappointed that the Unions have indicated the possibility of a strike at some of our stores, we fully respect our associates’ right to engage in collective bargaining.

We are working diligently to balance the needs of our associates and customers, maintain our position as a trusted choice in the market by delivering consistent value, and ensure the long-term sustainability of our business in a highly competitive grocery industry. We are hopeful a resolution will be reached soon, as we have in other parts of the country through successful collaboration with our union partners to secure agreements that recognize and reward our dedicated associates while supporting the company’s ongoing growth.

Throughout this process, our focus remains on providing exceptional service to our customers and fostering a positive, supportive work environment for our associates across the communities we serve.

Original Article from July 16

The United Food and Commercial Workers Local 5 (UFCW5) confirmed to KION Wednesday that if the demands they’ve laid out to Safeway, Inc. (parent company of Albertsons) are not met, workers along the Central Coast may strike.

“This absolutely includes striking along the Central Coast,” one local UFCW5 representative said.

According to UFCW5, approximately 25,000 Safeway members are potentially getting ready to strike, depending on how negotiations between the union and company went during Wednesday’s meeting.

Since the meeting on Wednesday with a federal mediator, the two sides say they could not agree.

The union is now saying that another meeting is set for July 23, but a strike will be called if there’s no contract by midnight on July 25.

The union says they are asking for Safeway to honor their workers and dedication as well as the business success, saying that in December 2023, the company paid $4 billion in dividends to shareholders because of its strong profits.

Now, UFCSW is asking for a “reasonable contract” that includes pension and wage security that matches the high cost of living in this area.

In a statement, Safeway told KTVU: “We remain committed to engaging in good-faith discussions to reach a new agreement with UFCW locals. We are hopeful a resolution will be reached soon. We value our associates and the critical role they play in our success. We have put forward a strong offer that includes meaningful wage increases, continued investment in secure healthcare coverage, and the long-term stability of the pension plan, reflecting both the dedication of our associates and the real economic conditions facing our industry.”

The union said that after surveying members about a potential strike, 95% stated that they wanted to strike over “multiple unfair labor practices.”

The two institutions have been in negotiations over the past five months, with the official contract ending in April 2025.

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Show Us Your Garden: La Pine flowers, a stream and a pond, and an old fashioned hand pump water feature highlight this week

KTVZ on July 17, 2025

John Carroll

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — This week, our gardens highlight several different ways you can express yourself through your garden. A garden filled with a variety of plants and flowers in the La Pine area that has thrived even with the harsh heat this summer. A cool pond and stream combo nicknamed “Tranquility” and an old-fashioned hand-crank water pump is the centerpiece for another lovely display.

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New Soledad Chief of Police Patrick Valenzuela sworn in Wednesday evening

KION on July 17, 2025

Sergio Berrueta

SOLEDAD, Calif. (KION-TV) — The City of Soledad officially appointed Patrick G. Valenzuela as its new Chief of Police Wednesday evening ahead of its special council meeting.

“We are thrilled to welcome Chief Patrick Valenzuela to Soledad,” said City Manager Megan Hunter. “His extensive experience, commitment to community safety, and leadership in law enforcement make him the perfect fit for this role.”

Valenzuela is from the Glendale Police Department in Arizona where he served since 1996. He also served in the U.S. Air Force Reserve as well as the U.S. Navy.

Before this, Valenzuela earned a Master’s degree in Leadership from Grand Canyon University as well as a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Kaplan University.

“My promise to you is strong leadership and steadfast support as we work to uphold the highest standards of law enforcement,” said Valenzuela. “To our community, my pledge is simple: we will be visible, we will be responsive, and we will work tirelessly alongside you to address our challenges and celebrate our success.”

Soledad asks for public opinion for the next police chief via survey

SOLEDAD, Calif. (KION-TV) — The selection process for the next Soledad Police Chief may lie in the hands of community members with a new community survey.

Those living in Soledad can take the survey to give their say on what they hope to see in the next chief.

Longtime Soledad Police Chief Damon Wasson retired after serving 17 years at the Soledad Police Department, a part of his 36 years in law enforcement.

The five-question survey includes questions such as what skills are critical for the role, what leadership they should possess, and how the Chief should engage with the community.

It is available online in English and Spanish along with physical copies at City Hall. The survey will end on April 4th.

Soledad Deputy Chief Fred Lombardi is the interim chief as the city determines its pick for the role.

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Power restored in Howard County

KMIZ on July 17, 2025

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Power is restored after storms rolled through Howard County Wednesday night.

The Association of Missouri Electric Cooperatives outage map on Wednesday night showed 216 Howard Electric customers without power, while 50 Co-Mo Cooperative customers in Cooper County had no power and 28 Boone Electric Co-op customers with no power in Randolph County.

Ameren’s outage map showed that 164 of its Howard County customers had no power while 21 customers in Cooper County did not have power.

A flash flood warning was issued for Cooper, Howard and Saline counties until midnight.

An outage was also reported in Columbia at 10:01 p.m. near the intersection of Pershing Road and West Broadway that impacted 56 customers.

Check back for updates.

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Freed Veteran says he got caught between protesters and ICE agents on his way to work

KEYT on July 17, 2025

Tracy Lehr

CAMARILLO, Calif. – On July 10th, a disabled Army veteran and security guard said he got caught in the middle of protesters and ICE agents at Glass House Farms on his way to work in Camarillo.

Aerial video shows George Retes arriving in his white car at the state licensed cannabis farm.

“Every single officer was giving me different commands, as you can see in the video, some are telling me to reverse and some are trying to rip my door open, some are banging on my windshield,” said Retes.

The 25-year-old Ventura resident and father of two, said he was sprayed with tear gas and pepper spray, also known as ‘OC’ in the military.

“They broke the window and they just dragged me out of the vehicle and then it took two officers to kneel on my back, one on my neck, and arrest me, even though my hands were behind my back.”

Retes works as a security guard for Securitas Security Services USA and was headed to work at Glass House Farms around 2:30 p.m. Thursday when he noticed the commotion.

He said he had turned ICE agents away from the farm before and wasn’t aware they had returned in force that day.

“I found out there was a barricade of ICE agents blocking anyone from driving up or down the street and so that is when I was met with that.”

He said he tried to explain that he is a U.S. citizen who was born in Ventura.

He attended Buena High and Vista Continuation High School before joining the Army at the age of 18.

“They just asked me what I was doing, they asked if I was a citizen and I told them ‘yes’ I told them everything; I was a citizen, I worked there, they didn’t care, they never told me my charges then they sent me away, they sent me to a place in downtown LA without even telling me what I was arrested for, they booked us I was there for three days and yeah in the facility, I can’t say much, I was put on suicide watch,” said Retes.

He said he was distraught over missing his daughter’s third birthday and not being able to contact his family or an attorney.

He said he was not allowed to wash the spray off his hands and body while in custody, despite complaining about the pain.

His hands burned, especially on the first night and still burn a bit now when he touches his eyes.

Retes said he was initially in custody with Cal State University Professor Jonathan Carvello, 37, who was arrested during the protest and released on bond following a court appearance on Monday.

When Retes was released on Sunday he was told charges had been dropped.

A memorial made of flowers and candles is growing outside the farm’s Laguna Road entrance for longtime farm worker Jaime Alanis Garcia, 56, who reportedly fell while being chased and died from his injuries.

Retes said he didn’t know him personally but is upset by what happened at his place of work.

“There is no reason to chase people through fields, there is no reason to have five people on one person, just everything they are doing is wrong, especially the way they are going about it, no one deserves to be treated the way they treat people.”

The Department of Homeland Security detained 361 people at Glass House Farms in Camarillo and Carpinteria.

At least 10 of them are described as teens, as young as 14, who were found at Glass House Farms in Carpinteria July 10.

The company has denied employing underage youth but could not be reached for comment.

Retes now plans to file a lawsuit and said he didn’t want to get into the specifics of his ordeal.

“It was a lot,” said Retes following a Zoom call with a number of journalists.

Retes chose not to comment on whether he voted for President Trump.

“It doesn’t matter the color of your skin, it doesn’t matter if you voted left or if you voted right, black brown, green, no one deserves to be treated this way,” said Retes, “it shouldn’t have happened, I hope this never happens to anyone ever again, no one deserves this.”

Retes said has not been able to return to work and is not sure if he will go back to the farm.

He said his car door is damaged and dented and still smells like the spray used on the crowd.

United Farm Workers helped him share his story and also shared a GoFundMe.

The message in the GoFundMe is as follows:

“My name is George Retes. I’m a 25-year-old U.S. Army veteran, a U.S. citizen, and I work as a security guard at Glass House Farms in Camarillo, California.

On July 10th, I was wrongfully detained by ICE agents while simply trying to report to work. I was pepper-sprayed, tear-gassed, had my car window smashed, and was dragged out of my vehicle at gunpoint — all while I was nonviolent, and doing nothing wrong.

I clearly identified myself as a U.S. citizen and an employee of the farm, yet federal agents ignored me, yelled conflicting orders, and then violently detained me. I was held in custody for three days without any charges, without a phone call, and without access to legal help. I was never told why I was arrested. I never received care to clean myself despite being covered in tear gas and OC spray for days.

This is not how any person should be treated — especially not a veteran who served this country with honor. I didn’t break any law. I was just trying to go to work.

What happened to me wasn’t just a mistake — it was a violation of my civil rights. It was excessive force. And it was a failure of justice. I’m speaking out not just for myself, but for every person who could’ve ended up in my place that day.

I’m calling for a full investigation into the actions of ICE and other agencies involved in this operation. I want the agents who ignored protocol and used force against me to be held accountable. And I want the public to know the truth: this raid didn’t just target immigrants. It hurt Americans too.

I will not stay silent.

I served this country, and now I’m demanding it do right by me.”

Your News Channel will continue to follow the lawsuit when it is filed.

The Latest Breaking News, Weather Alerts, Sports and More Anytime On Our Mobile Apps. Keep Up With the Latest Articles by Signing Up for the News Channel 3-12 Newsletter.

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Water pipeline project causes lane closures, local business disrupted

KESQ on July 17, 2025

Shay Lawson

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – A water pipeline project in Palm Desert has sparked frustration among local business owners.

Joel Ontiveros, Harv’s Car Wash owner, said he was blindsided by construction.

“I’ve been doing business here for over 20 years,” Ontiveros said. “I’ve never had something like this happen where you get no notice of something that’s going to affect you tremendously.”

News Channel 3 took these concerns to the city and the Coachella Valley Water District (CVWD), who’s leading the Nonpotable Water Pipeline Project.

“We understand that construction can be disruptive,” Lorraine Garcia, CVWD Communication Manager/Public Information Officer, said. “We are making progress quickly, and we are notifying customers as we move onto Cook Street soon. We are also collaborating with the City of Palm Desert on the outreach.”

The project is installing non-potable water lines along Cook Street between Hovely Lane East and the Whitewater Wash.

“The project spans approximately 1 mile, extending from Sheryl Avenue to Riviera Drive, near the Marriott,” Garcia said. “We appreciate everyone’s patience during this significant project for the residents of the Coachella Valley.”

In the full statement, CVWD said the pipeline work is part of a long-term water sustainability effort that will help provide recycled water for irrigation instead of using groundwater.

The Coachella Valley Water District has been working on our Nonpotable Water Pipeline Project over the past few years. We have installed several miles of pipelines in various areas throughout the valley, enabling us to deliver recycled water to them. We are currently expanding our delivery capacity at our Wastewater Reclamation Plant on the Cook Street segment to serve our customers.

This is significant in providing an alternative water source to large-scale customers to use for irrigation instead of our precious groundwater, which is the valley’s primary source of drinking water. It is also part of CVWD’s long-term water supply strategy to ensure a water supply for current and future customers.

However, we understand that construction can be disruptive. We are making progress quickly, and we are notifying customers as we move onto Cook Street soon. We are also collaborating with the City of Palm Desert on the outreach.

The project spans approximately 1 mile, extending from Sheryl Avenue to Riviera Drive, near the Marriott.  We appreciate everyone’s patience during this significant project for the residents of the Coachella Valley. The project is estimated to be completed before the end of August.  

— Lorraine Garcia, Communication Manager/Public Information Officer

The City of Palm Desert said it has a limited role in the project, which they said falls under CVWD’s management.

“The City of Palm Desert’s role has been limited to approving CVWD’s required encroachment permits and reviewing traffic control plans to help ensure public safety during construction,” Ryland Penta, Community Relations Supervisor said. “The City of Palm Desert values its business community and understands the challenges that come with construction-related impacts. We are committed to advocating for our local businesses and maintaining open communication with CVWD to ensure project impacts are minimized wherever possible and that their concerns are addressed.”

He said the city has not been provided a list of specific businesses contacted.

Garcia said the project is expected to be completed before the end of August.

For a list of the city’s street projects, use this link.

Stay with News Channel 3 for updates on this developing story.

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Suspect killed in officer involved shooting in Beaumont Monday

KESQ on July 17, 2025

Haley Meberg

BEAUMONT, Calif (KESQ) – A suspect was killed in an officer-involved shooting while police were serving a search warrant Monday afternoon in Beaumont.

The shooting happened Monday just before 4 p.m. on the 800 block of West 4th Street.

According to the San Bernardino Police Department, an officer from its Auto Theft Task Force served a search warrant with assistance from the Beaumont Police Department. When task force members arrived, they encountered a suspect with a firearm.

Details on what led to the shooting were not released.

After the shooting, officers immediately performed lifesaving aid, however, the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. 

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department in coordination with the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office, is currently conducting the investigation and urges anyone with information about the case to contact Master Investigator David Sandoval at (760)770-2236. 

Stay with News Channel 3 for more updates.

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