Toddler death suspect out on bond; appears in court after missing three hearings

KYMA on August 26, 2025

Karina Bazarte

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – The father accused of leaving his toddler unattended in a vehicle resulting in the child’s death in El Centro is now out on bond.

The father of the two-year-old victim, Jose Hernandez, posted a $35,000 bond on Saturday and is now out of custody.

Hernandez, 37, made his first court appearance after missing three court hearings due to medical reasons.

During the arraignment, the Imperial County District Attorney’s Office suggested the suspect should wear a GPS due to his connections to another country, but that was denied by the judge.

The DA also requested a criminal protective order for another child of Hernandez.

“The people were asking for a criminal protective order because we wanted to ensure not only the integrity of the investigation but to protect the other minor who is still under his care,” said Jessica Moreno with the D.A.’s Office.

The judged denied that order.

Although Hernandez is out on bond, he must follow some conditions.

“He has to report to the probation department twice a week in person, he cannot leave the state of California without prior approval from the court, and he has to abide by the conditions of a good order,” said Moreno.

Hernandez is currently facing charges of involuntary manslaughter and child abuse resulting in death. The D.A. has also added a special allegation of causing great bodily injury.

We spoke to Hernandez and his attorney and they said they won’t be commenting at this time.

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Imperial County races to get ready for Special Election

KYMA on August 26, 2025

Adrik Vargas

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA, KECY) – Imperial County officials say they’re racing against the clock to prepare for California’s November Special Election.

On the ballot is Proposition 50, which asks voters to decide on new congressional maps that could redraw districts and potentially create five Democratic pickup seats.

This election will also be the last time voters use traditional neighborhood polling places, with a switch to vote centers scheduled for June 2026.

Registrar of Voters Linsey Dale warns the short timeline is creating significant hurdles saying, “It really puts the entire state under a very tight time crunch.”

She also warns voters saying, “There may be fewer polling locations, and the voter information guide could arrive after ballots are mailed, so it’s more important than ever to double-check where to vote.”

Californians can view the proposed congressional maps on the California State Assembly’s website and Imperial County residents can check their polling locations through the county elections website.

Imperial County will switch to the new vote center model starting with the June 2026 election.

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Firefighters battle brush fire near Dome Valley

KYMA on August 26, 2025

Abraham Retana

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) – Fire crews battled a brush fire near Dome Valley, east of the City of Yuma, Monday.

The Wellton Fire Department says the fire was located on the River Bottom near Avenue 16 E, between County Fifth and Sixth streets near the Dome Valley raceway.

According to the initial emergency call, the cause of the fire was from lightning.

Fire crews remained in the area until the fire is fully contained.

 

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Judge to hear motion arguments for man accused of killing a Hermann police officer

KMIZ on August 26, 2025

Jazsmin Halliburton

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Steelville man who is accused of killing a Hermann police officer is set to be in front of a judge for a motion hearing Tuesday afternoon, after his defense filed a motion to strike the state’s intent to seek the death penalty.

Kenneth Simpson is accused of killing Sergeant Mason Griffith and injuring officer Adam Sullentrup by shooting them on March 12, 2023, at a Casey’s in Hermann. 

Simpson is charged with first-degree murder, two counts of armed-criminal action, first-degree assault, two counts of unlawful gun possession, unlawful possession of an illegal weapon, possession of a controlled substance and resisting arrest.

The state of Missouri filed a notice of intent to seek the death penalty against Simpson in September 2023. Simpson’s lawyers filed a motion to strike the state’s death penalty and disqualify the Attorney General’s office from the case earlier this month.

According to online court documents, the prosecution gave three reasons why the defense’s arguments in its opposition motion against the death penalty and the Attorney General’s Office should be denied.

In the state’s response to the motion, its first reason is that the motion is moot because Attorney General Andrew Bailey had announced his resignation to take a position as FBI co-deputy director.

The prosecution also argues that the disqualification of the entire Attorney General’s Office is not warranted because there is no conflict of interest. The state also argues that Simpson’s request to strike the death penalty motion made no mention of a Missouri law that would justify his argument.

The state argues Simpson’s request to dismiss the death penalty is not based on any misconduct by the Attorney General, but political ads made by a third party.

Simpson’s jury trial is set to begin January and a jury will be pooled from Greene County.

Simpson will be in front of Judge Craig Hellmann at 3 p.m. in the Franklin County Courthouse.

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Palm Springs International Airport hosts annual job fair

KESQ on August 26, 2025

Allie Anthony

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — The Palm Springs International Airport hosted its fifth annual job fair today, offering on-the-spot interviews and immediate hires for a variety of open positions.

The job fair ran from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Palm Springs Convention Center.

With the busy travel season approaching, more than a dozen airport employers are hiring for over 200 positions. Roles include transportation security officers, ramp agents, customer service representatives, bartenders, servers, retail associates, taxi drivers and utility workers.

Applicants are encouraged to bring multiple copies of their resume, dress professionally and arrive early.

If you can’t make it to the job fair, you can find listings here.

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Some — but not all — street dips removed from Jerry Murphy Road in Pueblo but controversy continues

KRDO on August 26, 2025

Scott Harrison

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) — People who drive or live along Jerry Murphy Road on the city’s northeast side have noticed that street “dips” at two adjacent intersections were lowered recently, but not for the reasons they hoped for.

As KRDO 13’s “The Road Warrior” reported in February, the dips at several intersections along the road were built before current construction standards; they are designed to help drainage flow into storm drain inlets which are several blocks apart.

However, the dips are very bumpy for vehicles to drive over and often cause vehicles to scrape their undersides on the pavement.

Neighbors believe that the dips also pose a safety concern because drivers traveling too fast have lost control, hitting the dips and crashing into parked vehicles, yards, and even houses.

Derrick Camus and Debbye Duran-Camus said that they had a close call with a drunk driver.

“It came through here, took out the side of our house here, and I was sleeping in that bedroom — and the wall that it came in was about that far from my sleeping head,” Debbye recalled. “So, this is a dangerous area.

Concerned neighbors and drivers want all of the dips removed, but the city lowered them only at the Glenmore Road and Taos Road intersections.

That change, the city explained, was made as part of a requirement to meet federal disability standards for pedestrians crossing the intersection.

Concrete slabs known as cross pans had cracked along the dips, and repairs increased safety for pedestrians, as well as improving drainage.

The city also installed new curbs, gutters, and sidewalks around the intersections for added safety.

The dips are near Haaff Elementary School, and many students and parents walk through the area to get to and from school.

Drivers should be aware that the lowered dips don’t make the street entirely flat, so drivers should proceed cautiously over them.

The Road Warrior noticed that many drivers are doing exactly that because they’re accustomed to it.

However, the city stated that the most effective solution to reduce crashes caused by the remaining dips is for drivers to slow down.

“We weren’t going in there to put it in for traffic concerns or anything like that,” said Chuck Roy, the city’s acting public works director. “This was really just for walkability and for getting the water across the road.”

Some residents didn’t know the reason for the lowered dips until they saw The Road Warrior’s live coverage on Tuesday morning.

“Thank you for your piece on the Jerry Murphy dips,” Gayle Rovertson wrote in an email to The Road Warrior. It answered several questions I had. But what about the bad cracks and potholes on Jerry Murphy?”

The city plans to repave Jerry Murphy next year, at the earliest.

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QUESTION OF THE DAY: Do you plan to attend any Mizzou football home games?

KMIZ on August 26, 2025

Matthew Sanders

Mizzou kicks off its football season this week with a Thursday night home matchup against Central Arkansas.

Tigers fans are already in anticipation of another season, hoping to see their team with 10 games for yet another year. But things aren’t all rainbows in Tiger country — some students say the new process for getting tickets is a downgrade.

Meanwhile, the price to attend a game is rising. Available tickets for the Sept. 20 game against South Carolina are well north of $100 apiece.

Do you plan to attend a game this season? Let us know by voting in the poll.

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Nordstrom caught on video being burglarized by group

CNN on August 26, 2025


WBBM

By Sara Tenenbaum, Jermont Terry

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    CHICAGO (WBBM) — A brazen crew was caught running out of the Nordstrom right off the Magnificent Mile with designer goods.

The crew is accused of stealing more than $100,000 in high-end purses from the Nordstrom store.

Police said they were called to the store at 55 E. Grand Ave. at about 6:55 p.m. Sunday. When they arrived, witnesses told them a group of about 10 people had gotten out of three cars and forced their way into the store.

At the time, people were clearly on the sidewalk. Yet that didn’t stop the theft crew, who were caught on camera jumping into vehicles right outside the Nordstrom store.

In a viral video, people looked on recording the brazen act as the burglary crew rushed out of the store after ripping off dozens of designer purses.

By the time Chicago police responded, the thieves were long gone — but the impact of their actions is long-lasting.

Investigators said organized retail theft is big money unto itself — a $1 billion industry. Last month, CBS News Chicago reported on how the Cook County State’s Attorney’s office was at the helm of a nationwide crackdown, which netted 500,000 arrests — all of people stealing from stores and selling the goods at a much cheaper cost.

“These are professional thieves,” Assistant State’s Attorney David Williams of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Regional Organized Crime Task Force said in July. “These are people who do pre-surveillance on stores, know store policies.”

The thieves also know what workers can and cannot do. In the Nordstrom theft, the crew encountered security — but was still able to get away.

When Cook County State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke was sworn into office, she made retail theft a felony for anything $300 or more. This was a rollback of former Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx’s policy, in which retail theft was not a felony unless it was $1,000 or more.

Earlier this month, the Cook County Sheriff’s office arrested a trio accused of stealing $10,000 worth of merchandise from Lululemon stores in the city and suburbs.

Examining Chicago police numbers in the Near North (18th) District, which encompasses the Mag Mile, there have so far been 1,107 felony thefts — down just 3% compared with the same time period last year when there were 1,146.

Citywide, felony theft is down 16%.

As for the crew that hit up the Nordstrom store, they remained on the run Monday night.

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A community meeting was held Monday night in Sisters to update concerned citizens on the Flat Fire, as more difficulties or problematic weather events may occur this week 

KTVZ on August 26, 2025

Tracee Tuesday

SISTERS, Ore. {KTVZ} — A community meeting was held Monday night at the Sisters High School auditorium, where fire and law enforcement officials updated the public on the Flat Fire. 

The Oregon State Fire Marshal said their mission is to protect people, structures, and firefighting personnel – in that exact order.  

As of this report, 827 homes have been saved; 4 homes have been lost; 10 structures such as sheds and chicken coops have also been lost – however, fire personnel say that number may go up.   

In the last four days, 425 gallons of retardant have been used to fight the Flat Fire.   

With fire containment at only 7%, residents affected by the fire remain nervous. 

“We’re above Whychus Creek, over the creek, and the fire came up to our back deck just about, and all around us, and our neighbors, so yes, very much affected,” said Whychus Creek Resident, Wendy Birnbaum. 

Fire personnel said their biggest concerns are embers.   

“It’s really those embers that move a quarter of a mile, half a mile beyond the fire with the wind that start other fires. So that’s what you got to think of is like, where can embers get into and start a new fire, before the flames come through,” said Gert Zoutendijk of the Oregon State Fire Marshal. 

Oregon Senator Anthony Broadman praised the High Desert community.  

“I think the takeaway lesson is Central Oregon. We have a way of coming together and getting ready for the fires that we know are coming up.” 

The Oregon State Fire Marshal’s said, if the fire continues toward Sisters, many homes and structures will be threatened.  

This week, fire crews say they will be dealing with critical fire weather conditions including thunderstorms and erratic winds. 

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Coachella Valley Unified School District to get fiscal analysis and management assistance from the state

KESQ on August 26, 2025

Cynthia White

THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) – Just months after sweeping layoffs aimed at fixing a multi-million dollar budget shortfall, the Coachella Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) announced on Monday that it has entered into a contract with the state’s Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT).

FCMAT acts as California’s independent analyst focusing on helping schools and districts across the state identify and fix budget and operational management challenges.

In a statement, district officials say the analysis through FCMAT has been made available to the district for free due to the advocacy and support of Senator Steve Padilla (D-San Diego).

Officials add, “This support enables CVUSD to focus resources on student learning while also ensuring access to the tools necessary to preserve fiscal health. CVUSD anticipates sharing an update on financial improvements in mid to late October and remains committed to responsible stewardship of public funds, transparency in decision-making, and the success of every student it serves.”

The move allows the district to avoid spending more money on consultants as it works to get its financial picture in order.

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