Many career opportunities available at Valley Wide Employment Expo

KESQ on September 17, 2025

Peter Daut

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – The Valley Wide Employment Expo is on Wednesday, featuring dozens of employers looking to fill a wide variety of jobs.

This is the event’s 30th year, which will be held at Fantasy Springs Casino Special Events Center in Indio beginning at 9:00 a.m.

About a thousand job seekers will have the chance to network, attend informative workshops, and discover employment opportunities.

Registration is not required, but highly recommended.

Riverside County Department of Social Services Regional Manager Maribel Vicera says of the event, “I think it’s a really important thing to be able to meet all the different demographics that we have in the Valley, and especially the employers. It’s a common ground here with the Expo, and we have entry-level positions all the way to management.”

News Channel 3’s Peter Daut spoke in depth with Vicera about what kinds of jobs are available and what job seekers should expect at the Expo.

News Channel 3 is a participating sponsor. For more information on the Employment Expo, visit  DesertJobExpo.com.

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Felony murder and DUI charges filed in September 5 crash on Highway 246

KEYT on September 17, 2025

Caleb Nguyen

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEY-T) – Santa Barbara County District Attorney John Savrnoch announced DUI and felony murder charges against Jesus Moises Martinez Chavira for his role in a fatal September 5 crash.

The 46-year-old drove under the influence of alcohol after a crash on Highway 246 on the date above, and his bail is set at $2 million, according to the Santa Barbara County District Attorney’s Office.

The California Highway Patrol is investigating the case, and a preliminary hearing is set for Dec. 1 later this year, according to the SBCDAO.

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Ventura City Council votes 6-1 to maintain the street closure known as Main Street Moves

KEYT on September 17, 2025

Tracy Lehr

VENTURA, Calif. (KEYT) The debate over opening or keeping Main Street closed in Ventura heated up during a marathon meeting on Tuesday night.

Out of nearly 80 speakers, only one public speaker spoke in favor of the city reopening Main Street to cars.

At least 74 urged the city council to vote to keep it open to human beings and the community including Ventura resident and State Assemblymember Steve Bennett.

 “My stance is we should definitely keep it, the potential if we really work is for this to be bringing us to a whole other level,” said Bennett.

People shook their hands in the air as a way of quietly clapping.

The city named the closure, that began during the pandemic Main Street Moves.

There is a giant photo op heart at the heart of it by the intersection of Main and California below city hall.

After a hours of public comments and debate the council voted 6-1 to maintain the street closure and provide feedback on the Draft Vision Plan.

The people who stayed for the duration of the meeting erupted in applause.

Community members also saw renderings for the first time of what the closure could look like.

The RRM Design Group is behind those plans.

Councilmember Jim Duran was the only no vote and walked out after the vote to take a break.

Duran shared concerns about the lawsuits and threat of lawsuits that may take months to play out. He had hoped to see it reopen by November 3.

Deputy Mayor Doug Halter and Councilmember Liz Campos were the first to rave about Main Street Moves and the people who turned out to voice their support.

The Ventura City Council Meeting was moved to the Ventura College Wright Event Center due to construction in their council chambers.

The space allowed more people to watch the meeting.

The issue had been the last item on the council agenda but it was moved up due to the public interest.

Supporters of Main Street Moves took part in a Street Fair on Sunday and urged people to attend.

Happy Place Eatery provided plenty of pizza outside on the lawn where the overflow watched the meeting on a laptop.

Ventura is facing lawsuits over the closure from two groups including one called Open Main Street.

They want to be compensated for losses that they believe are linked to the closure.

Other business owners told the council they benefit from the closure.

Aaron Duncan, who owns Fluid State on the corner of Fir and Main, said business has been booming.

“And we have seen the influence of Main Street Moves has had on our business, our business is up considerably since 2019.”

Sky Sunner, who owns Happy Place Eatery got emotional each time he spoke about the closure.

“I have a business right down on Main Street called Happy Place Eatery and we are in full support of Main Street Moves of what is has done to our community as a local I love it, as a family man I love it, my son loves it wife loves it,” said Sunner.

He said it makes everyone in his family happy and customers happy.

Some people believe the debate pits businesses owners against property owners who consider land more valuable when located on open streets.

But Mark Hartley, who has invested and improved a number of properties downtown for decades seemed to have a change of heart.

“They are gathering together and they are making a statement and so I am really hoping that the city, if they will keep this closed, will put in the investment to make it better, make it safe, make it more beautiful,” said Hartley.

It could be like the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, Colorado.

A number of speakers mentioned similarities to Santa Barbara’s closure that is now permanent.

They recommended the city follow Santa Barbara’s plan when it comes to providing ways for people who need better access to get around.

Unlike Santa Barbara, the six blocks of Main Street Moves do not allow members of the public to ride bikes through the area.

Councilmembers asked the staff to continue to help the Majestic Ventura Theater’s with parking because the closure barricades block the concert venue’s ten space lot.

The staff also told the council that a new Oak Street parking structure will provide 391 spots.

The council directed staff to wait on requiring new and improved parklets until the lawsuit are resolved.

For more information visit https://cityofventura.ca.gov

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Solo hiker hospitalized after bear encounter near Yellowstone Lake

KIFI on September 17, 2025

News Team

YELLOWSTONE (KIFI) — A 29-year-old solo hiker is recovering at a local hospital after a bear attack on the Turbid Lake Trail in Yellowstone National Park. The incident, which happened Tuesday afternoon, marks the first bear-related injury in the park this year.

The man, who has not been identified, was reportedly hiking alone in the Pelican Valley Bear Management Area when he encountered the bear. According to a statement from the National Park Service (NPS), the hiker deployed bear spray as the animal made contact. Despite this, the hiker suffered significant but non-life-threatening injuries to his chest and left arm.

Park medics responded and assisted the hiker out of the backcountry. He was then transported by ambulance to the Lake Medical Clinic before being flown to a nearby hospital for further care.

This is the first time a bear has injured a person in Yellowstone since a grizzly injured a solo hiker in May 2021 on the Beaver Ponds Trail near Mammoth Hot Springs.

The hiker initially believed the bear to be a black bear. However, due to the location and the animal’s described behavior and size, park officials suspect it may have been a grizzly bear, according to the release. Bear management staff are reportedly attempting to confirm the species through DNA analysis.

The Turbid Lake Trail has been closed to the public until further notice while park staff conduct sweeps to ensure no other hikers are in the area.

In its official release, Yellowstone National Park emphasized that because the encounter was a “defensive reaction by the bear during a surprise encounter,” no management action will be taken against the animal. This is a common policy when a bear’s actions are deemed a natural response to being startled.

Stay Safe, Stay Bear Aware

Park officials are using this incident to remind visitors to be “Bear Aware” when in the park. They provided the following essential safety tips:

Carry bear spray and know how to use it.

Hike in groups of three or more people.

Make noise to avoid surprising a bear, especially in areas with low visibility.

Stay alert and watch for fresh signs of bear activity, such as tracks or scat.

Maintain a distance of at least 100 yards (91 meters) from bears at all times.

Do not run from a bear.

Avoid hiking at dawn, dusk, or at night, as this is when grizzlies are most active.

The incident remains under investigation, and no further details have been released at this time.

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U.S. Postal Service is holding hiring events for Bend-area delivery positions

KTVZ on September 17, 2025

KTVZ

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The U.S. Postal Service is looking for candidates to provide delivery services along designated routes in suburban and rural areas on weekdays, weekends, and holidays, indoors and outdoors to families across their communities. 

Here’s the full USPS announcement:

Those who attend these hiring events will find a wealth of information on USPS employment within the Bend Sort & Delivery Center (S&DC) and friendly staff to help interested patrons navigate the hiring process,” said Janella Herron, USPS Communications Specialist. 

Career employees can earn premium long-term benefits that complement good pay. Some of the benefits include: 

Multiple health and life insurance choicesPension benefits and a Thrift Savings Plan program, similar to a 401(k)Vacation time and sick leave

Current positions:

City Carrier Assistant (CCA)Rural Carrier Assistant (RCA)Starting salary for RCA is $20.85/hr.Starting salary for CCA is $20.73/hr.Both paid bi-weekly. 

Recruitment Office Location:

Bend Sort & Delivery Center2300 NE Fourth StreetBend, OR 97701 

Time:

11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. 

Date:

September 18September 25October 2 

As part of its 10-year plan, Delivering for America, the United States Postal Service is focused on building a more stable and empowered workforce.   

The Postal Service offers a comprehensive benefits package, which includes medical, dental, and vision, as well as the ability to accrue vacation and sick leave; see online job announcements for full details. 

Each position requires examination requirements, depending on the position, review job announcements for full details.  

At the time of appointment, applicants must have a valid driver’s license from the state in which they live.  

Applicants must also demonstrate and maintain a safe driving record. Applicants selected under this qualification standard must successfully complete the required Vehicle Familiarization and Safe Operation training, including demonstration of the ability to safely drive a vehicle of the type used on the job. 

Qualified applicants must successfully pass a pre-employment drug screening to meet the U.S. Postal Service’s requirement to be drug-free. Applicants must also be a U.S. citizen or have permanent resident alien status.

For additional information on how to apply for positions, visit us online at How to Apply for a Postal Service Jobs. 

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Nearly 300 hoarded dogs rescued from horrid conditions in Mexico; Bend’s Street Dog Hero bringing 10 to Oregon

KTVZ on September 17, 2025

KTVZ

(Update: Adding video)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — In a heartbreaking case of animal hoarding, 298 dogs were recently confiscated from a property in Ensenada, Mexico, where they were found living in unimaginable conditions.

Most of the dogs were crammed into tiny metal cages, trapped in complete darkness, suffering from malnutrition, untreated injuries, and severe neglect. The scale and severity of the abuse are truly shocking. 

In response, Street Dog Hero, a Central Oregon-based nonprofit dedicated to rescuing dogs in need, is stepping up to help. In just two weeks, the organization will welcome 10 of the rescued dogs to Oregon, where they will receive critical medical care and begin the journey toward finding loving homes. 

“Rescue is tough everywhere right now,” says Marianna Cox, Founder of Street Dog Hero. “But we couldn’t turn our backs on these dogs. They’ve already gone through so much, and they deserve a second chance.” 

Kelli Delperdang of Street Dog Hero told KTVZ News, “The dogs will be coming to Central Oregon (maybe a few will go to Portland).”

“We have reached out to the Humane Society of Central Oregon as well, offering to take in dogs from their recent hoarding case,” she added, “so once the court order is lifted, we can hopefully take in some of those dogs as well, to be able to help locally as well as internationally.” 

Here’s the rest of Street Dog Hero’s news release:

Street Dog Hero’s mission extends beyond international borders. Just last week, nearly 50 dogs were rescued from a hoarding case in Central Oregon, and Street Dog Hero has reached out to the Humane Society of Central Oregon to offer assistance once a court order is lifted. 

“These heartbreaking hoarding situations happen far more often than people realize,” adds Marianne Cox. “Each of these dogs deserves safety, care, and the chance to live a happy life. That’s what we’re here to provide.” 

To support their efforts, Street Dog Hero is inviting the community to participate in their biggest fundraiser of the year — the 6th Annual Heroes on the Run, a 5K, 10K, and Kids’ Mini-Run event. Funds raised will directly support rescues like the Ensenada case, helping provide veterinary care, shelter, transport, and adoption services. 

Heroes on the Run 2025 

• When: Sunday, September 28th. 9am-2pm 

• Where: Riverbend Park 

• Register at: https://bit.ly/45jOmbk 

• Use code HERO25 for 20% OFF all registrations 

Your participation makes a lifesaving difference. Proceeds will help dogs recover from abuse, find loving homes, and ensure no dog is left behind — no matter where they come from. 

Together, we can give these innocent animals the future they deserve. 

About Street Dog Hero 

For over 8 years, Street Dog Hero has been fulfilling its mission of helping end animal overpopulation by spaying and neutering owned and street dogs and cats around the world. To date, the organization has provided more than 11,495 free or reduced-rate spay/neuter and other wellness services to animals in Mexico, Jamaica, as well as locally. They have also rescued over 3,936 dogs from more than a dozen countries like Mexico, South Korea, China, India, Bahamas, Afghanistan, Armenia and right here in the United States and have found them forever homes. Street Dog Hero is making lasting positive changes in the lives of animals and their humans, working towards a world where all dogs are healthy, safe, cared for, and wanted. Through this work, SDH makes a lasting impact on owned and street dogs and cats and the families that surround them. To learn more about SDH, foster, adopt, volunteer, and donate, go to www.streetdoghero.org.  

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Columbia’s $14.3M settlement gives budget breathing room, but challenges remain

KMIZ on September 17, 2025

Mitchell Kaminski

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A $14.3 million settlement with internet provider Brightspeed helped give the City of Columbia more flexibility in its 2026 fiscal budget.

However, tough decisions remain over how to keep the budget balanced in the future. Brightspeed, which was previously CenturyLink, was sued by Columbia and Joplin in 2014 over unpaid license taxes and fees, according to court documents.

City officials said the dispute centered on fees tied to internet and streaming services that use the city’s right-of-ways, a significant source of revenue. Columbia argued that Brightspeed had not been paying its fair share, ultimately leading to the $14.3 million settlement.

“This lawsuit started two mayors ago. So this has been something that has been in conversation since 2014,” Columbia Mayor Barbra Buffaloe told ABC 17 News. “When I came on, you get a quick briefing as an elected official of the current litigation that is happening at the city. But you know, some of it is kind of far off and you don’t know if it’s ever going to be settled.” 

The lawsuit was scheduled for a trial last summer, but the judge dismissed the case in July because of the settlement. Records obtained by ABC 17 News show that the settlement was reached on July 16, while the city was still in the process of shaping its budget. 

“We didn’t actually get some money until later on in the budget process,” Columbia’s Director of Finance Matthew Lue said. “We’ve known about the lawsuit for a few years now, but we did not expect that we would receive a payment this soon.  So basically what it did was it was buy us some time to figure out  what we can do within the general fund  to assess the revenue situation, because  especially sales tax  with this  fiscal year, sales tax is flat, if not down slightly.”

The budget, which was approved by the City Council on Monday, sits at around $608 million. 

However, the general fund, which covers daily operations such as roads, police and fire, sits in the red with revenue expected to be around $132 million and expenses expected to be around $135 million.

“It’s definitely something the city is monitoring moving forward. But I think the influence in cash kind of helped us along and helped us to be okay with this for the short term,” Lue said. 

The deficit comes after expected tax revenue fell by around 3% last year. Because of this, the city dipped into its available cash reserves.

“If you look at our reserves, we have a requirement ourselves that we follow. We have at least 20% of our annual expenses that need to be held in reserves,” Buffaloe said. “We have over $20 million over what we need of that 20% in our reserves. And so when you look at it, I think it’s more of that we’re trying to make sure that we’re not having too much in savings and that we’re  spending the money on what it is our community wants.” 

The decision to dip into reserves happened before the city received the settlement money, because ensuring that city employees received raises was a priority for the council.  

“Before we knew about the settlement coming in, we were having some tough conversations from council to our city manager and administration. Because when we were looking at our forecasted revenues for fiscal year 26, when we were looking at what it was looking like in the spring, it did not look good. It looked kind of a plateau with what we were seeing, and yet we knew that expenses were increasing,” Buffaloe said. “We also knew that we had made a promise to our city employees that we would continue doing cost-of-living adjustments. Those cost-of-living adjustments have really helped us out because we’ve had like record numbers in recruitment and retention for police officers, public works employees, and others.  And so we knew we had to continue delivering on that promise.” 

City Manager De’Carlon Seewood had tasked every department with making cuts from everything from travel to training services, though the budget remained tight. The money from the settlement went into the reserve fund and will help cover costs from the general fund. It also helped ease the burden of covering cost-of-living adjustments for city employees. 

While the settlement helped, Buffaloe said the cost-of-living adjustments still would have happened without it. 

“We were just not going to be as healthy of our reserves without it,” Buffaloe said. “But it did, thankfully, give us a little bit more time to figure this out.” 

According to Lue, the city had an initial deficit of around $3.5 million but was able to get that down to $2.7 million. 

“It just made it a little bit more manageable for staff knowing that we have around $20 million over the required reserve that we could balance the budget with,” Lue said. 

Lue said that the three biggest-council priorities for the budget were public safety, personnel and housing, with one of the biggest challenges being trying to make the expenses match the revenue as much as possible. However, Lue did not rule out deficit spending in next year’s budget. 

“Because of ongoing spending, we would be looking to most likely deficit spend again next year in the general fund only. So that is going to cause us to have to take a deep look at current and existing revenues and then maybe something different in the future,” Lue said. 

As of now, Buffaloe said the city is not looking at tax hikes to help generate more revenue. 

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“I want our kids to choose to stay here” Gov. Brad Little addresses economic concerns, education and more

KIFI on September 17, 2025

Maile Sipraseuth

IDAHO FALLS, IDAHO (KIFI) — Governor Brad Little addresses Idaho’s job market, education, energy, and plans for the future of Idaho during “Lunch With The Governor” hosted by The Greater Idaho Falls Chamber of Commerce. The Governor also voiced his sympathy for the recent death of Charlie Kirk.

“Increasing personal income is the most important thing, because that means our kids are going to have the income they need to make a better life for themselves or for their families. And so we shouldn’t get away from that,” Gov. Little said.

Gov. Little also addressed the importance of education and Idaho’s job market.

“There’s a certain group of our children that are always going to have the opportunity to go into higher education, but it has gotten, over time, less affordable,” Gov. Little said.

Gov. Little also believes that the future of Idaho is in nuclear energy.

“I am pretty optimistic that some of the advances that this country has in nuclear energy is going to be fabricated right here (in Idaho),” Gov. Little said.

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See the text messages that prosecutors say Charlie Kirk shooting suspect exchanged with his roommate

KIFI on September 17, 2025

CNN Newsource

By Matt Stiles and Gillian Roberts, CNN

(CNN) — Charlie Kirk’s suspected killer, Tyler Robinson, allegedly texted his roommate the day of the shooting and discussed his rifle, possible motive and other details on the planning surrounding the event, according to charging documents released by Utah County officials on Tuesday.

Robinson’s roommate told police about a note left by Robinson under the keyboard, which read, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.” Police say they found a photo of the note.

In the court filing, prosecutors described the roommate as “a biological male who was involved in a romantic relationship with Robinson.” Robinson’s roommate provided their text messages to police, according to the documents.

The roommate was alerted to the note by a text from Robinson, which led to the following exchange, and which CNN transcribed from the charging documents:

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Bracero Worker History Week observed in Monterey County

KION on September 16, 2025

Sandra Iveth Santos

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION-TV) — During Bracero Worker History Week, Monterey County paid tribute to a worker who survived the 1963 tragedy in Chualar.

On Tuesday, 84-year-old Isidro Hernández Tovar was presented with an award for his work. Tovar currently lives in Tapachula near Los Angeles.

In an interview with historian Jose Sánchez, Tovar recalled that on September 17, 1963 he was riding on that bus. He was one of the youngest farm workers at barely 18 years old.

Tovar says that at least three of his fellow workers, originally from Zapotlanejo, Jalisco, were also on the truck.

The Chualar tragedy claimed 32 lives and left 25 others injured. Several of the injured were admitted to a hospital in the Monterey area, according to testimonies and medical records from that time.

Some of the survivors who Sánchez interviewed, spoke about their experiences while under the care of nurses.

In his most recent collection, Sánchez published a new compilation highlighting the surviving farmhands and their memories during the moment they regained consciousness, many of them learning about the tragedy that had taken the lives of their coworkers for the first time.

Tovar also remembered how he survived serious injuries, spending one month in the hospital.

He still carries with him the memory of that time in his life, a part of local history in Monterey County.

This is a developing story, we will have more details.

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