Idaho Falls couple makes a splash with year-round swim lessons

KIFI on September 16, 2025

Ariel Jensen

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Summer is almost over, but splashing in fun and learning water safety will go on.

A local couple has brought a year-round British swim lesson program to Idaho Falls. 

“Water safety doesn’t stop. You might find yourself at a hotel pool or even in the wintertime around water. And so it’s just something that we progressively want to work on, kids becoming safer. And yeah, like summer is going to be here before you know it. And so wouldn’t it be great if they were confident before we even get those nice in 90-degree days again?” said Kyla Dnaos, Deck ambassador.

Kyla and her husband Joshua Dnaos are local school teachers who wanted to bring the education of swimming to Idaho. 

Kyla says drowning is one of the leading causes of death among children. 

They want to make sure everyone has the tools needed to be safe near water.

“Many of us like to go ice fishing or cross-country skiing or snowshoeing. Sometimes we’re not sure if there’s water under us, if we’re crossing a creek or even possibly a pond or a lake. And swim skills always need to be in there. It’s almost like having a car seat in your vehicle. They’re skills that we need to have in the back of our mind to ensure that we’re safe no matter what the situation is,” said Joshua Dnaos, Aquatics Manager.

The British swim program started in London and made its way to America. Ironically, all the London swim programs are now in the U.S.

For more information on how to join, check out this link here.

Click here to follow the original article.

New study shows how to reduce aphid infestations in lettuce

KYMA on September 16, 2025

Eduardo Morales

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A recent study by a University of Arizona assistant professor and extension specialist Ali T. Mohammed shares how to reduce aphid infestation in lettuce.

He suggests managing irrigation nitrogen can significantly lower aphid infestations in lettuce.

Aphids are small bugs that suck the sap out of plants.

Mohammed explains why aphids are typically attracted to lettuce.

“For the ambient conditions of the crop, it would be a good environment for the aphid to be there,” Mohammed says.

This research is important for Arizona’s two-billion dollar lettuce industry.

Click here to follow the original article.

ABC-7 at 4: El Paso Teen Crowned 2026 Teen United World

KVIA on September 16, 2025

Nichole Gomez

El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV) — Amaya Galberth, a student at Parkland High School, has captured international attention after being crowned Teen United World 2026. Representing Teen Texas United World, Amaya earned the title during the competition.

The multi-day event judged contestants in a range of categories, including a submitted photo, a personal interview, an activewear walk, an evening gown presentation, and an on-stage question. As a Teen United World ambassador, Amaya will serve as a global representative, representing Texas and the United States while advancing her mission of leadership and service.

For the first time, the 2026 Texas United World pageant will be held in El Paso on February 15 at the Starlight Event Center. Registration is open for young women across Texas to apply.

Click here to follow the original article.

ABC-7 at 4: Haunted House to open at Wet N’ Wild Waterworld

KVIA on September 16, 2025

Nichole Gomez

El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV) — Wet N’ Wild Waterworld is opening its first-ever Haunted Scaregrounds this fall. The event will feature activities, roaming scare actors, specialty food items, and an all-new haunted house. The Haunted Scaregrounds opens on October 3 and will be open select nights through November 1. Tickets are on sale now, starting at $ 9.99 + tax when purchased online in advance at https://wetnwildwaterworld.com/.

Click here to follow the original article.

Columbia Housing Authority Kinney Point project nearly complete, as housing waitlist hits 800 households

KMIZ on September 16, 2025

Erika McGuire

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Housing Authority’s Kinney Point project, which will provide low-income housing, is nearing completion as about 800 households remain on the agency’s waitlist, according to CHA.

Ten of the 34 units being built are already completed and occupied, while the remaining units are expected to be filled by the end of November, according to Columbia Housing Authority CEO Randy Cole.

The number of those on the waitlist can be deceiving, Cole said, because the Section 8 waitlist has been closed for nearly six months, so CHA has not been accepting new applications. When all of the waitlist are opens, there are about 1,200-1,4000 households or close to 3,000 people, he said. Cole said about 80% of people on the waitlist are considered homeless.

For the time being, Cole said CHA has been fully utilizing all of its voucher resources and has been connecting people to landlords and the landlords have been helpful in participating.

Cole said CHA stops taking applications when the wait is close to two years. The waitlist likely won’t reopen until mid to late next year, with the elderly and disabled moving up the waitlist more quickly with a wait of six months or less.

“Right now we have about 750 units, but Kinney Point will add 34 more units, and then our new Park Avenue project, we’re going to add nine units, so we’ll have 43 more,” Cole said. “We’ll be approaching getting close to 800, by the time we’re done with all of our redevelopment projects in 2027,”

The Kinney Point Project is located on Garth and Sexton Road in central Columbia, costing a total of $13 million.

“We got $2 million from the city and home, ARPA funds and then we also got about $1.3 million from the Veterans United Foundation,” Cole said. “Then we got about $5 million in tax credits from this, state and then an additional $3 million in funds for the Missouri Department of Economic Development.”

CHA broke ground on the project last summer, which will also include a resource center for residents on site. The center will have social service staff on site to help connect residents to basic needs to programing and employment or referral to other provides. It will also offer space for nonprofits. There will be units serving between one-and-four bedrooms.

The monthly rent for the Kinney Point units depends on the number of bedrooms in each unit.

“It varies from around $700-to-$1,200,” Cole said. “But also each of the units has a voucher tied to it. so how much people pay is dependent upon their income, so if someone is elderly and disabled and has zero income they may pay zero in rent. If they’ve got gainful employment and they’re working, they’ll pay the max rent and they’ll pay the rent.”

CHA has other projects in the works including, Providence Walkway and Blind Baron and will offer 50 units. Those projects are expected to break ground next year and will be completely sometime in 2027.

Work to upgrade the Park Avenue Apartments has begun, with the first phase of the project expected to be completed early next year. The second phase is scheduled for completion in 2027.

Click here to follow the original article.

Train safety awareness week highlights dangerous trends

KMIZ on September 16, 2025

Haley Swaino

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Conversations about train safety are happening across the nation for “See Tracks? Think Train” Week from Sept. 15-21. It’s an annual campaign organized by nonprofit Operation Lifesaver Inc. that aims to raise awareness for railroad safety and prevent tragedies.

One person was injured Monday after a mail truck was hit by a train in Audrain County, according to previous reporting. The vehicle was totaled after it entered the crossing and was hit by a 1979 GM GP40-3 Canadian Pacific Kansas City Train.

Operation Lifesaver Inc. partners with railroads, law enforcement, and transportation agencies across North America for ‘See Tracks? Think Train’ Week, its website says.

In 2024, there were 930 deaths and 6,556 injuries on railroads in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

“Missouri’s just like the rest of the states in the nation, more than half of the crashes that we have, for instance, we have at railroad crossings, occur at those crossings that are equipped with flashing lights and gates,” Missouri Operation Lifesaver Inc. Executive Director Tim Hull said.

On average, a person is hit by a train every three hours, according to data from Operation Lifesaver. More than 60% of those incidents happen at crossings that have lights and/or gates. The week focuses on reminding people of the risks of trespassing or not maintaining a safe distance from railroad crossings.

“Anytime you’re on the railroad tracks at a location that’s not designated as a railroad crossing for a vehicle or a pedestrian crossing, it’s trespassing,” Hull said. “It’s very dangerous. It’s also illegal.”

In Missouri, there were 20 deaths and 75 injuries on railroads in 2024. That is the second highest amount of railroad-related deaths reported in the last ten years in the Show-Me State, with the highest being 22 in 2022.

A Centralia man died when a Norfolk Southern train struck his vehicle in 2022, according to previous reporting. Hull said trespassing incidents have surpassed crossing incidents in the last 10 years.

He said Missouri has had eight trespassing incidents this year, seven of which were deadly. At crossings, only three injuries have been reported and no deaths.

He said raising awareness about the dangers of trespassing on railroad tracks is important.

“A fully loaded 12 million pound locomotive freight train at 55 miles per hour, once they go into emergency braking, it’s going to take more than a mile to come to a complete stop,” Hull said.

And often times, conductors and train operators do not see people until they are getting very close.

He said people have been spotted on the tracks for many reason.

“They go out and ride their ATVs or UTVs along the railroad tracks,” Hull said. “We’ve had some incidents involving photographers, TV crews making movies. Another thing that we’ve seen the past several years is the use of the railroad and the railroad tracks as an avenue of suicide.”

Hull said one of the biggest things to remember is that “any time is train time.” Steer clear of lingering on railroad tracks regardless of hearing or seeing one coming or not, and always look both ways before crossing.

Click here to follow the original article.

Driver airlifted to EIRMC following fiery Teton Pass crash

KIFI on September 16, 2025

Seth Ratliff

JACKSON, Wyoming (KIFI) — A hauler truck driver was hospitalized early Tuesday morning after their vehicle veered off Wyoming Highway 22 on the Teton Pass.

The incident occurred around 12:03 a.m. According to Jackson Hole Fire/EMS, the truck left the roadway and came to rest on the edge of a steep embankment, approximately 100 feet below the roadway.

When Jackson Hole Fire/EMS arrived at the scene, they found the vehicle fully engulfed in flames. The truck had been hauling three cars, including an electric vehicle, which can create “unique fire hazards when damaged,” says fire crews. Fearing the fire would spread into the surrounding brush and trees, firefighters worked quickly to contain the blaze.

Meanwhile, sheriff’s deputies located the driver on a steep slope. Jackson Hole Fire/EMS medics immediately began treating the individual, and a search and rescue team then used a wheeled litter carrier and ropes to carefully lower the driver to the Parallel Trail below.

From there, the driver was transported to a nearby parking lot, where an Air Idaho Rescue helicopter was waiting. The driver was airlifted to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center for further treatment.

In the wake of the incident, a Teton Interagency Fire wildland engine was dispatched to check for hot spots, and Jackson Hole Fire/EMS continued to assist with debris removal and fire suppression efforts throughout the day. The cause of the crash remains under investigation by the Wyoming Highway Patrol.

Click here to follow the original article.

Deschutes Historical Museum is set to launch a new escape room experience, based on real local history

KTVZ on September 16, 2025

KTVZ

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The Deschutes Historical Museum has just announced an escape room experience based on real local history. Your team of up to six players works together to find clues, solve puzzles and escape The Curse of the Curate’s Collection.

Playing the part of Research Interns, participants assist historian A.R. Chive in locating the missing collection before your rivals do. Oh, and times-a-ticking … you only have 60 minutes on the clock, so every moment is crucial to your escape!

The Story:

In 1909, the Bend Bulletin announced that Rev. J. Anthony Mitchell, local curate and acquirer of antiquities, was “collecting towards a museum” for the community of Bend. After his death in 1911, Mitchell’s relics and curios were frequently exhibited around town, eventually finding a permanent home at the Deschutes Public Library.

However, in 1969, the few remaining items in the collection mysteriously disappeared from a small, locked room in the library’s basement. The only remnants of the once-noted collection, purchased by the public and the city of Bend in 1912 to form a city museum, were never found.

Until now!

The Curse of the Curate’s Collection escape room program will kick off on October 10 and 11, with additional dates throughout the month of October. Tickets go on sale October 1 at deschuteshistory.org.

A fundraiser and membership drive, Escape the Museum is sold as an adventure for six people. Escape the Museum costs $180 for non-members, $150 for members. As a bonus, each non-member purchase receives one free household membership.

Grab your friends, form a team, and get ready to find out the location of Father Mitchell’s collection.

Tickets and more information at deschuteshistory.org or by calling 541-389-1813.

Click here to follow the original article.

City maps out $1.5M upgrades to Fairview Golf Course after clearing hurdles

News-Press NOW on September 16, 2025

Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — St. Joseph Parks and Recreation is setting the stage for long-awaited improvements to Fairview Golf Course after years of obstacles for one of the earliest scheduled parks tax projects.

Contractors with TranSystems are currently mapping out a 3D model of the 102-year-old golf course in preparation for $1.5 million in improvements planned through the 2021 parks sales tax.

The project will see as many as three ponds dredged, along with renovations to pedestrian/cart bridges and upgrades to its sprinkler system to support long-term functionality, aesthetics and efficient water management.

“They’re shooting from a lot of elevations, so we can get a good, detailed map of the system through here. Part of that also is they’re doing a hydraulic study of not only what’s on the course but including the watershed that runs through here,” said Jeff Atkins, director of St. Joseph Parks and Recreation.

A watershed is a large geographic area where all surface and groundwater drains to a common outlet.

Located on more than 200 acres, Fairview Golf Course is one of the oldest in Northwest Missouri and the only city-owned course in town. It’s also dealt with ongoing challenges with heavily silted ponds and irrigation due to stormwater runoff that enters the course from the north.

“You can imagine during a storm event how much dirt, silt gets flushed through the system. And it’s running pretty good until it gets here to the golf course,” Atkins said.

The city had planned to spend about $1.25 million to address the situation in 2022 before new flood maps were released by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, delaying the project.

Delays were further compounded when an outflow structure for one pond began to fail, impacting its ability to retain water properly and necessitating repairs in accordance with the U.S. Corps of Engineers, a multi-year process.

“With the repairs to our outflow structure. We’ve been able to reinforce that these were truly ponds and not wetland areas,” Atkins said. “We have now returned to the pond setting, so it’s just been a long, drawn-out process that we’re going through here.”

The course was initially one of the first in line for renovation after voters approved the parks sales tax in 2021.

Now, Kansas City-based company TranSystems has been contracted by the city to carry out an array of design services in advance of dredging and bridge work, including 3D modeling, a hydraulic analysis and assisting with environmental permitting with the Corps.

“That will let us know what levels of water we could expect to be coming through the course on a normal day… if we have a quarter inch of rain or one inch rain… that will help us determine how to properly size our ponds,” he said.

He said the ultimate goal is to design the ponds so they can retain water that can be used for the course’s irrigation system, reducing its dependence on city water.

“One of the ponds up at the north end of the course will be designed as kind of a silt collection pond. Hopefully most of that debris and silt will be caught where it’s easy for us to come in once or maybe twice a year and clean it out instead of having to possibly affect the entire pond system,” he said.

Until the official size of the ponds and depth of dredging is determined during the design process, the department will have to wait to confirm the scope of bridge renovations.

A completion date for the project has yet to be determined.

“We’re anxious to get through the planning stage and actually start seeing boots on the ground out here and start moving some dirt and get these ponds taken care of,” he said. “I know the golfers. They’ve been extremely patient with us over the last two or three years.”

Click here to follow the original article.

Soda Springs Geyser roars to life after three-month repair

KIFI on September 16, 2025

News Team

SODA SPRINGS, Idaho (KIFI) — After three months of silence, the famous Soda Springs Geyser is once again erupting. A mechanical failure had sidelined the world-famous man-made geyser, a popular attraction for both residents and visitors.

The geyser, which typically erupts every hour on the hour, stopped working on April 29 due to a pump problem. City officials announced on June 3rd that the issue was more serious than initially thought, requiring a complete replacement of the geyser’s mechanical and valve systems.

According to city staff, the past three months involved a concentrated effort to source and secure the necessary parts for the rebuild. The work culminated in a full replacement of the geyser’s controls.

To celebrate the successful completion of the repairs, the City of Soda Springs held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday, marking the geyser’s official return to service.

Click here to follow the original article.