The Historic Presidio neighborhood in Santa Barbara could be getting more attention

John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) –  There could be some improvements and branding to one specific historic neighborhood in Santa Barbara.

An online survey has just been completed for the Presidio neighborhood.

The results will be evaluated for possible changes to promote the area and enhance it image.

This is a nine square block area bordered by State street, Ortega street,  Garden street and Carrillo street.

Within that is the El Presidio State Park, Old Chinatown, several historic homes and adobes and some of the cities original buildings.

There have been maps and limited promotion in the past.

This latest effort could integrate it more directly with the overall downtown experience.

Click here to follow the original article.

Body of missing Minnesota man found in Jackson Lake

News Release

The following is a news release from the National Park Service, Grand Teton:

JACKSON, Wyo. (KIFI) — On Sunday, September 7, 2025, nonprofit search and recovery organization Bruce’s Legacy located a body believed to be Wesley Dopkins in Jackson Lake. On Monday, September 8, Bruce’s Legacy successfully recovered the remains. Dopkins, of St. Paul, MN, has been missing since June 15, 2024.

Bruce’s Legacy, known for its specialized sonar technology, joined the search effort last fall before returning last week. Their expertise, experience and advanced equipment enabled them to successfully locate the remains within the search area, at a depth of about 420 feet.

Dopkins was last seen paddling a foldable Oru kayak across Jackson Lake and was not wearing a life jacket. Shortly after his disappearance, his kayak, paddle, and dry bag were discovered floating off Moose Island near Leeks Marina. At that time, National Park Service rangers conducted an extensive interagency search, using boats, ground teams, dog teams and the Teton County Search and Rescue helicopter.

The National Park Service is deeply grateful for Bruce’s Legacy, whose dedication and unique capabilities made this highly technical mission possible.

Positive identification will be made by the Teton County Coroner’s Office. However, based on the characteristics of the remains and the location where they were recovered, they are believed to be those of Dopkins.

The NPS reminds all visitors that wearing a properly fitted life jacket is the most important step you can take to stay safe on the water. Even experienced paddlers and swimmers are at risk without one.

Click here to follow the original article.

Vote on zoning changes to allowing housing delayed to carve out Central Business District

Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif.-(KEYT)-The Santa Barbara City Council heard staff recommendations about adaptive reuse.

The issue has to do with a housing amendment to municipal codes that would incentivize adaptive reuse projects without delay.

Santa Barbara City Council Members questioned the inclusionary requirements of 10 percent for workforce priced units.

Councilmembers voted 5-2 on a motion to send the ordinance back to staff to reduce the string on Central Business District by carved it out of the main ordinance.

Wendy Santamaria and Kristen Sneddon voted no.

They both appeared ready to vote on the staff recommendation rather than sending it back for changes.

Staff also recommended reconsidering a 1200 square foot average maximum.

The adoption is intended to pave the way to building above retail and office space and in place of vacant space.

Public speakers had a chance to share their thoughts before the city council voted on whether to amend the municipal code pertaining to adaptive reuse projects.

The change citywide would have added an inclusionary requirement for decades to come.

One speaker said there is a lack of three bedroom units and thought the wording of the ordinance would hinder developers.

Ben Romo, who represents the Yardi developers, urged the city to remove the 10 percent below market or inclusionary unit requirements.

Romo was not alone.

Other critics said renovation are expensive and financial barriers to seeing a return on investments could drive developers away.

But other speakers and a couple of councilmembers said they support the ordinance and the conversion of nonresidential units to housing to increase workforce housing downtown.

Many speakers said they prefer helping residents rather than weekenders.

Robin Elander of the Downtown Organization supports the draft, but is not in favor of the 90 year requirements that may hinder interest.

She called it well intentioned, but in need of changes to make is easier for development.

Developers would rather not have average unit size caps.

The recommended staff proposal as is waves some reviews and current zoning requirements.

It does not require the current maximum density, setbacks or parking requirements.

Mayor Rowse said after tabling the adoption that he favor requiring parking space.

The city will await the staff’s changes before moving forward.

They are also waiting results of a study about in leui fees that allow developers to pay a fee per square foot if they don’t meet inclusionary housing requirements.

Councilmember Meagan Harmon considered it a victory. She wants to vote on something that won’t need changes down the road.

She said she believes they are closer to paving the way to revitalize downtown.

For more information from the city visit https://SantaBararaCa.gov

Your News Channel will have more on this vote tonight on the news.

Click here to follow the original article.

Traffic shift on I-70 at Little Cedar Creek to begin Thursday

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A traffic shift has been scheduled on Interstate 70 at Little Cedar Creek, east of Columbia, according to a Tuesday press release from the Missouri Department of Transportation.

The release says MoDOT crews will begin shifting both lanes onto different pavement on Thursday evening and will be fully shifted Friday night. This will occur around mile marker 135.

Crews will be extending a large culvert at Little Cedar Creek. The adjusted traffic pattern is expected to last through February, the release says.

Click here to follow the original article.

HEALTHY COLORADO: What are the rules for those who want a COVID vaccine in Colorado?

KRDO News

STATEWIDE, Colo. (KRDO) — COVID vaccines have once again been making headlines, with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issuing new guidance. The guidance requires most of the population to consult with a doctor before getting a vaccine.

But Colorado officials have recently acted against that guidance, allowing pharmacists to let Coloradans get the vaccine without a prescription.

Still, some viewers have reached out with confusion and questions on the new policies.

“You do not need a prescription to get a COVID vaccine,” said hospitalist and medical director, Dr. Neha Sharma. “In the state of Colorado, if you are 6 months and older, you can get the COVID vaccine or a booster without a prescription.”

The regulatory shift at the federal level was the result of a change of thinking, shifting towards the thought that annual vaccinations should only focus on high-risk groups. It also questioned the vaccine’s benefit to people who are low-risk of medical complications following a COVID diagnosis.

“Most medical authorities disagree. They’re warning that this will hinder public health and also strain vaccine equity and accessibility,” said Dr. Sharma.

Medical experts still advise you to talk to your doctor if you have questions or concerns.

“It’s data-driven. It’s science-based. So you can make your own independent decisions if you want to, yes. Based on data and science, we can, but you know we rely on the CDC and medical bodies to make our decisions,” said Dr. Sharma.

Click here to follow the original article.

Oxnard man pleads guilty to murder and other violent crimes

Caleb Nguyen

VENTURA, Calif. – Jacob Saldivar of Oxnard, 23, pled guilty to 12 felonies Monday, including murdering Charles Barber in 2019, according to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.

Saldivar committed several crimes before murdering Barber, including seven counts of robbery, two counts of residential burglary, sodomy of a person under 18 and unlawful sexual intercourse, according to the VCDAO.

Saldviar also admitted to using a deadly weapon to murder Barber and cause great bodily harm to another person over 70 during one of these robberies as a special allegation, according to the VCDAO.

Saldivar committed these violent crimes in Ventura from April to June of 2019, beginning when he was 16, according to the VCDAO.

Saldivar became angry and attacked Barber with a knife at a parking lot inside of an apartment complex, fatally stabbing Barber multiple times, including a wound to Barber’s brain, according to the VCDAO.

Barber’s murder came during a time when he carried out robberies, assaults and burglaries, often targeting young victims walking from school or the market and elderly victims, according to the VCDAO.

Saldivar stole phones, money and jewelry from younger victims, using a knife or physical violence that often resulted in hospital visits, according to the VCDAO.

Saldivar’s elderly victims included knocking an 82-year-old man unconscious, causing a concussion, a broken jaw and lasting memory issues, according to the VCDAO.

He also robbed a 75-year-old man in a Home Depot parking lot, yanking at a necklace from the man’s neck which had his dead wife’s wedding ring, according to the VCDAO.

Saldivar also burglarized an apartment complex and a private residence where he stole electronics, keys and valuables, according to the VCDAO.

Saldivar, just days after murding Barber, lured two underaged girls to a motel with another mean, gave one of them Xanax and engaged in unlawful sex acts on June 27, 2019, according to the VCDAO.

Police later arrested Saldivar that day after he took selfies with a gun and pounded on a motel door, according to the VCDAO.

Ventura County prosecutors argued and succeeded in transferring Saldivar’s case to adult court due to the violent nature of his crimes, according to the VCDAO.

Saldivar is scheduled for sentencing on Oct. 7 this year and remains in custody without bail. He is expected to be sentenced to 33 years to life in state prison under the following charges:

Charges pled to:

PC 187(a) – Murder

PC 211 – Second-degree robbery (7 counts)

PC 286(b)(1) – Sodomy of person under 18

PC 261.5(c) – Unlawful sexual intercourse

PC 459 – First-degree residential burglary (2 counts)

Special allegations admitted:

PC 12022(b)(1) – Use of a deadly weapon (knife)

PC 368(b)(2)(B) – Great bodily injury to elder over the age of 70

Click here to follow the original article.

Mudslide reported on Bayhorse Road south of Challis amidst Custer County flash flood warning

News Team

CHALLIS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Custer County Sheriff’s Office is reporting a mudslide on Bayhorse Road, about 1 mile from the Bayhorse Townsite south of Challis.

Preliminary details are limited, but the National Weather Service is forecasting heavy rains along with a flash flood warning in place until around 7 PM tonight.

This is a developing story. Local News 8 will update this story as we learn more information.

Click here to follow the original article.

Health Alert: Bat found in Lemhi County tests positive for rabies

News Release

The following is a news release from Eastern Idaho Public Health:

LEMHI COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — EIPH has confirmed that a bat found in Lemhi County has tested positive for rabies. Rabies is a fatal viral illness in humans and other animals. Household pets and other animals can be exposed to the virus by playing with sick bats that can no longer fly normally.

While most bats are harmless and do not carry rabies, they are the only animal in Idaho that is a natural reservoir for the virus. Vaccination against rabies for humans and animals is important to protect against illness.

Ken Anderson, Epidemiologist at Eastern Idaho Public Health (EIPH) states, “It is important if you have been bitten, scratched, or have come in close contact with a bat to contact your health care provider immediately. Rabies is fatal once symptoms appear, but it can be prevented almost 100% of the time when the rabies vaccine and other medical therapies are administered soon after the exposure occurs.”

To protect yourself and your pets, EIPH offers the following tips:

Do not touch a bat with your bare hands. If you have contact with a bat or wake up to find a bat in your house, seek medical advice immediately. Collect the bat in a plastic bag without touching it, wash your hands thoroughly, and call your local public health office for possible testing. Any bat found in a home should be tested for rabies if there is any suspicion that exposure to a person or pet might have occurred. The teeth of a bat are very small, and it is possible to be bitten while sleeping without feeling it.

Because household pets and other animals can be exposed to the virus through contact with sick bats, it is important to make sure that animals (dogs, cats, horses, etc.) are up to date on vaccinations against rabies. If your household pet brings a dead bat home, collect it in a plastic bag without touching it, wash your hands thoroughly, and call your local public health office for possible testing. Also, contact your veterinarian to make sure your animal’s rabies vaccinations are up-to-date.

Parents should teach their children to avoid bats, never bring them to school for show-and-tell, and to let an adult know if they find one.

Bat-proof your home by plugging all holes in siding and maintaining tight-fitting screens on windows. Bats can enter through holes the size of a quarter.

Call EIPH epidemiologists at (208) 533-3152 to determine whether testing the bat for rabies is indicated. If it is determined that you or your pet may be at risk of exposure to rabies, testing of the bat is a free service.

For information about bat proofing your home, visit the CDC Rabies page.

Click here to follow the original article.

Madison County lifts burn ban, urges continued caution under drought conditions

News Team

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) — Effective immediately, the Madison County Fire Department, in partnership with the Board of County Commissioners of Madison County, has cancelled the temporary open fire ban. The temporary ban began on August 1.

“Madison Fire Department thanks our community members for their efforts to prevent wildfire. The community was very responsive to the burn restrictions issued earlier this summer,” said Chief Corey Child. “Our community members worked diligently to prevent ignition and report any fire in a timely manner. Their efforts directly impacted the amount and size of fire in Madison County.”

While the burn restrictions have been lifted, fire officials ask that residents remember the area is still experiencing drought conditions. MCFD encourages the public to recreate safely and responsibly with fire. For more information, click HERE.

Click here to follow the original article.

Local businesses join FIND Food Bank for Action Hunger Awareness Month

HernĂ¡n Quintas

Coachella Valley businesses are joining the movement to end hunger. Telemundo 15 anchor Hernan Quintas spoke with Katie Finn, owner of Desert Wine Shop in La Quinta, who shared her personal story on why this campaign is crucial to our community.

Finn is no stranger to serving up some of the best wine found in the desert, but now she is uncorking a special promotion to help stamp out hunger.

“We are putting together some three-bottle promotional gift packs for Find Food Bank for Hunger Action Awareness Month. These are different price points, different bottles that I’ve put together and curated for great hostess,” Finn said

Finn is no stranger to the FIND Food Bank. For the last five years, the unique wine shop has been supporting this campaign to end hunger.

“We appreciate the local support of businesses like Katie at the wine shop to step up to the plate, so to speak, to be able to say, while you’re doing your normal course of activities in La Quinta or other cities in the valley, and you have an opportunity to also support fine food bank, please do that, especially during Hunger Action Month,” said La Quinta Mayor Linda Evans.

And even though Katie never experienced food insecurity herself, her mom as an educator here in the Coachella Valley, saw the need directly. 

“When my mother became a school teacher in Palm Springs, she became aware that a lot of times the lunch provided breakfast or lunch was the only meal that these kids would ever get, and so she stocked a utility cabinet full of snacks that she would buy in bulk, and realizing that, you know, you can’t do you can’t learn if you’re hungry, you can’t Focus, you can’t concentrate,” Finn said.

Debbie Espinoza, President/CEO of the FIND Food Bank, added, “So it’s not just the kids. We’re looking at a community-wide effort to make sure that the kids and their families are taken care of, as well as our fixed-income seniors. They may be coming in from the summertime, where they were in higher need, but they still are in need during the time of school. They’re very active. They have to take tests. They have to make sure that they can do well in school, and it takes healthy and nutritious food that they have regular access to at all times in order to be able to do that.”

“I think my mother would be very proud that we’re supporting the fine food bank and helping people not be food insecure,” Finn said.

Both FIND and the City of La Quinta are grateful to all local businesses for their support and extend an invitation. Hunger Action Month campaign runs throughout the month of September, and it is not too late for other businesses to join in. 

“FIND Food Bank, which is the Regional Food Bank that serves our area, wants to thank all of the cities and all of the businesses, like desert wine shop, like the city of La Quinta, for lighting up orange, for creating really beautiful packages where people can both support local business as well as supporting local ending hunger initiatives, so that everybody is taken care of here in our community,” Espinoza said.

Evans added, “So any challenge to these city officials that are listening or watching other cities, please make sure that you get behind FIND Food Bank, so many of our residents, collectively, are getting services from FIND and we need to get that path out of poverty, and by helping food insecurity, we can do that together.”

List of local businesses participating:1)Desert Wine Shop in La Quinta    •    Selling special 3 bottle wine packs where 100% of the proceeds will be donated to FIND    •    Promo runs from 9/1-9/302) Nutrishop in Indio     •    donating 10% of sales from the store on Monday 9/8/253) Handel’s Ice Cream (3 locations)    •    donating 20% of sales from all 3 locations in Indio, La Quinta and Palm Desert Thursday 10/2/254) Grill-A-Burger in Palm Desert    •    Monthlong milk shake campaign 9/1-9/30, portion of each milkshake sold will be donated to FIND in addition to a second promo below    •    20% of Sales from Tuesday 9/30/25 donated to FIND5) La Fe Wine Bar in Palm Desert    •    wine event (date TBC) check out our website for updates on the wine event6) Burgers & Beer in La Quinta and Rancho Mirage    •    more details coming soon

And to be clear, it’s not just businesses that can be part of this campaign; you too can be a part of the Hunger Action Month.  

Details can be found on findfoodbank.org/events

Click here to follow the original article.