Salton Sea: Toxic Reality

KESQ on September 15, 2025

Angela Chen

SALTON CITY, Calif. (KESQ) – An alarming report about toxic emissions at the Salton Sea. Many of you have experienced that rotten egg smell.    

Now, reports of more severe medical issues than previously thought from those living in the area.  

This as data proves pollution is worse than what’s being recorded.

“When we speak with the community, we find that they always talk about, obviously, this rotten egg smell that we have kind of known to associate with the Salton Sea. But they also speak about episodes of asthma or having nausea or severe headaches whenever they smell this,” said Alejandra Lopez, Community Scientist & author of UCLA Salton Sea brief.

News Channel 3’s Angela Chen has what you need to know in a special in-depth report.

Click here to check out Angela Chen’s award-winning series on the Salton Sea

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Non-Profit “Solvang Danish Days Foundation” Announces 2025 Danish Days Grand Marshals: Brenda and Mark Anderson

KEYT on September 15, 2025

News Channel 3-12

Below is a press release from The Solvang Danish Days Foundation regarding the announcement of the 2025 Danish Grand Marshals, Brenda and Mark Anderson

SOLVANG, Calif. – The Solvang Danish Days Foundation is pleased to announce the 2025 Solvang Danish Days Grand Marshals, Brenda and Mark Anderson. The Andersons will preside over this year’s Danish Days weekend, Friday through Sunday, September 19 through 21.

Solvang Danish Days celebrates 88 returns in 2025, and Brenda Anderson’s family has been involved in the event since its 1936 beginnings, when the first Solvang Danish Days festival emerged in honor of the village’s 25th anniversary.

Brenda and Mark Anderson both have Scandinavian roots. Brenda’s great-grandfather on her grandmother’s side, Niels Peter Nielsen, known to Brenda as “Bedstefar,” was born in Fyn, Denmark. He emigrated to the United States in the late 1890s, settling in Iowa, where he met and married Brenda’s “Bedstemor” (great-grandmother), Marie Kristene Grau, in 1906. Grau’s parents were also from Denmark, as were Brenda’s great-grandparents on her grandfather’s side, who moved to the U.S. from the Jutland region of Denmark.

Grau and Nielsen moved to Askov, Minnesota, where they purchased property to start a farm. Upon their arrival in Askov, Brenda’s Bedstefar noticed there were many mailboxes with the last name “Nielsen,” so they decided to add “Nedegaard” to their surname. Together, the couple raised ten children, six daughters and four sons. All were baptized in Askov, and belonged to the Askov Lutheran Church. It was important to Brenda’s Bedstemor that all of the children learn the Danish language and Danish traditions.

In the late 1920s, seven of the children began migrating to Solvang due to its strong Danish community, all in search of work. Ivo (Martin) Jacobsen, Mabel (Hans) Petersen (Brenda’s grandparents), Irene (Aage) Madsen, Margaret (Sigurd) Lunde, Jack (Arla) Nedegaard, Lucille (Vic) Wulff, and Cora (Leland) Vandecar. Each and every one of them spent years participating in Danish Days, either setting up the festival, baking or serving Aebleskiver.

Once in California, Brenda’s grandmother, Mabel Nedegaard (Petersen), met and married her grandfather, Hans Petersen, in 1935, and together, they ran the local laundromat in “downtown” Solvang – just left of the current novelty shop located at 1604 Copenhagen Drive. In 1936, Brenda’s father, Howard Petersen, was born in Solvang. Howard Petersen graduated from Grand View College and returned to Solvang, where he met and married Brenda’s mother, Linda Petersen, who had moved to Solvang from Luck, Wisconsin, after graduating high school.

Brenda’s father was stationed at Air Force Bases in Fairbanks, Alaska, and Great Falls, Montana, and upon completing his military duties, he returned to Solvang to work as a mechanic until 1962, when he and his wife opened their own (Shell) gas station, formerly located on the corner of Mission Drive and Atterdag Road, where the Fredensborg Square commercial building stands today. Brenda’s father served in Solvang’s Volunteer Fire Department for 13 years before becoming Fire Chief, a title he held for 25 years.

Mark’s parents, Arlin and Lorraine Anderson, met and married in Minot, North Dakota. Mark was the oldest of seven children who were born in North Dakota and moved to Santa Maria, California, in 1964, eventually settling in Los Olivos in 1975. Mark’s Scandinavian roots stretch back to his great-grandparents on both his father’s and mother’s sides, who migrated from Norway.

Brenda’s first Solvang Danish Days experience was at the age of five, when her parents enrolled her in Viggo Tarnow’s gymnastics class. His classes performed every Danish Days on both Saturday and Sunday, and Brenda participated in this until her freshman year of high school. Brenda and her family also folk-danced with the Solvang Danish Family Folk Dancers, led by Andrew and Thora Mae Andersen, from the late 1960s until 1979.

In 1978, Brenda was chosen to be Danish Maid, of which she mused, “It was such an honor, and has turned out to be one of the highlights of my life.”

After high school, Mark, along with his best friend, Glen Jacobsen, started to participate in Danish Days by picking up and delivering the picnic tables that line Copenhagen Drive for the weekend’s Aebleskiver Breakfasts. The duo moved on to co-produce the Danish Days breakfasts for many years, making memories along the sugar-dusted way. Mark continued to help with setting up and breaking down the Breakfast infrastructure, and currently helps in the Breakfasts’ baking area.

Brenda’s and Mark’s sons, Jonathan and Justin, “always looked forward to Danish Days.” The children’s experiences began when they were big enough to put milk on the tables for breakfast, and now they both help with the set-up and tear-down of the festival’s booths, stages, and breakfast equipment. During the Breakfast hours, Jonathan is on quality control and delivery of Aebleskiver from the pans to the distribution tables, while Justin helps with logistics, so supplies and equipment get from one place to another when needed. Brenda’s brother, Kevin Petersen, has spent the last 43 years making sure the event’s bakers and cooks stay hydrated. Her brother-in-law, Peter Bandel, oversees the refrigeration van and delivers products when and where needed.

Brenda’s nieces, Kayla (2021 Danish Maid) and Krystal, help bake, and in recent years her daughter-in-law, Caitlin, and Caitlin’s mother, Susan, have also joined as part of the baking crew.

Brenda added, “It’s been a family tradition and a family holiday we hope continues for many years to come.”

After graduating from Allan Hancock College, Brenda briefly worked for a local CPA firm, then joined her family’s business, Petersen’s Service & Towing, until the business was sold in 2003. She has since been working in property management for RPL Management, based in Buellton.

Mark has recently retired, after working in the construction industry for 40 years. The couple now enjoys camping trips, getting together with family and friends, and watching their grandkids.

Brenda’s and Mark’s sons, Jonathan (wife Caitlin, and children Tatum and Olive), is an Engineer with Santa Barbara County Fire Department, and Justin (wife Maria, and daughter Keira), works for a private family in Montecito.

“It was truly an honor and such a rewarding experience to serve on the Danish Days Foundation Board alongside my father, Howard Petersen, as a founding member, and eventually, as a co-chair with Max Hanberg,” said 2025 Danish Days Grand Marshal, Brenda Anderson. “During my 27 years on the Board, I had the pleasure of assisting in the selection of each of the Danish Maids. This also included arranging for their dresses to be made and taking them around to the local Danish organizations to introduce them, talk about their Danish lineage in Solvang, their duties as Danish Maid, as well as selling ‘Win a Trip to Denmark’ tickets to help support the Foundation.”

Parading through Solvang with the 2025 Danish Days Grand Marshals will be the 2025 Danish Maid, Addie Madrid, the Solvang Village Band atop the Carlsberg Beer Wagon, a bevy of floats, equestrians, Village Dancers and more. The Danish Days Parade line-up starts at 1:30 PM on Saturday, September 20, on First Street near Molle Way. The parade begins by turning east on Copenhagen Drive, then north on Alisal Road, west on Mission Drive, south on Atterdag Road, east on Copenhagen, south on Second Street, and finishes through Molle Way (running behind Solvang Festival Theater) back to First Street. Participation in the Solvang Danish Days Parade is free and Parade applications are available at www.solvangdanishdays.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/DDS-Parade-app-2025.pdf.

Brenda continued, “We are forever grateful to have this honor of representing the Foundation as the Grand Marshals for 2025. We realize how important it is to stay committed so that Danish Days continues for many years to come. To the board and all of the hardworking volunteers, a huge THANK YOU! MANGE TAK!”

The preliminary 2025 Solvang Danish Days event weekend schedule is available on-line, at www.solvangdanishdays.org. Aebleskiver Breakfast tickets are available for advance, on-line purchase, here: https://solvang-danish-days-2025.eventbrite.com.

More information about Solvang Danish Days, including the event’s history and complete contact information, is also available at www.solvangdanishdays.org. Solvang Danish Days is on Facebook and Instagram at facebook.com/SolvangDanishDays and @DanishDays.

Solvang Danish Days 2025 is sponsored in part by the City of Solvang, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians, Visit the Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Barbara County Office of Arts and Culture, County of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Bowl, Rio Vista Chevrolet, Danish Folk Costumes, Montecito Bank & Trust, Santa Ynez Valley Cottage Hospital, CoastHills Credit Union, Mechanics Bank, the Red Viking Restaurant and Olsen’s Danish Village Bakery, Sun Coast Rentals, Waste Management, and Nielsen Building Materials. Additional sponsors will be announced during the event weekend.

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Two Montana residents sentenced for drug trafficking conspiracy

KIFI on September 15, 2025

News Team

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — A Montana man and woman have been sentenced to federal prison for their roles in a conspiracy to distribute large quantities of methamphetamine and fentanyl. Acting U.S. Attorney Justin Whatcott announced the sentencing of Carson Lee Maynard, 49, of Livingston, and Amy Marie Tillman, 43, of Lewiston.

Maynard was sentenced to 15 years (180 months) in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. Tillman received a sentence of nearly six years (70 months), followed by three years of supervised release. Both were also ordered to forfeit a residence in Livingston that was used in their drug operation.

According to court documents, the investigation began when an Idaho State Police trooper stopped a vehicle carrying Maynard and Tillman for a window tint violation. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of five pounds of methamphetamine and 3,000 fentanyl pills hidden inside a spare tire in the trunk.

Maynard and Tillman were returning to Montana from trips to New Mexico and Las Vegas, where they had acquired the drugs. They admitted to law enforcement that they planned to sell the narcotics upon their return to Montana. Maynard had a prior federal conviction for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in the District of Montana.

Both defendants pleaded guilty to the charges in May 2025. Senior U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill presided over the case.

U.S. Attorney Whatcott praised the collaborative efforts of the U.S. Marshals Service, the Idaho State Police, the Missouri River Drug Task Force-HIDTA (Montana), and the Montana Highway Patrol for their work on the case. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Zoie Laggis prosecuted the case.

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Central Missouri Honor Flight’s last ride held Monday

KMIZ on September 15, 2025

Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia welcomed home 70 area veterans Monday night after a day trip to Washington D.C.

Central Missouri Honor Flight’s embarked on its final flight Monday morning, a trip that gave veterans the opportunity to see memorials in Washington D.C. years after their service. 69 Vietnam veterans were on board the flight, as well as one Korean war veteran.

One of those veterans was Steve Achenbach, who served in the Vietnam War in 1970 and 1971, working in the air force as an aircraft mechanic.

“I had a wonderful day and then boy, to come in here like this, when we come off the bus and there’s 50 plus motorcycles and then be followed by state police and they stopped every car on every intersection, it was great,” Achenbach said.

Honor Flight asked the public to attend the veteran’s arrival Monday night at the Columbia Courtyard by Marriott, located at 3301 Lemone Industrial Dr. Hundreds of family members and first responders flocked to the area, holding American flags in their hands and posters.

Veterans arrived in buses around 9:30, escorted by around 50 motorcycles and were greeted by community members and several first responders.

Achenbach said the day was jam-packed, consisting of veterans getting to view the Vietnam wall, Korean War and World War II Memorial. He said he viewed the day as a chance for veterans to receive the respect they’ve earned.

He was influenced to go on the trip by his friend, Gregory Kam who attended flight 68.

Kam surprised four of his friends on Monday, greeting them at the Courtyard when they arrived. After his experience, he said he knew it was something other veterans should experience.

“You never forget it, never forget it at all. It’s a nice way to honor those who serve for you,” Kam said. “When I was in service going home every year, dressed in uniform, going to the airport, there was no Hi, nothing. It was like we weren’t there so this is good closure.”

Patricia Grimes and Michelle Wamble were one of the many family members who greeted their family member at the hotel on Monday. The two stood alongside 9 of their other family members.

“It was just amazing,” Grimes said. “My grandpa was in the Vietnam War so they didn’t get something like this and so it feels nice that after this many years, we can kind of repair that and give him back some of what he didn’t get before.”

Wamble became visibly emotional after reuniting with her father, crying as the two embraced.

“It’s a big healing process and I hope this has healed him. I don’t see my dad cry very often but I seen him in tears tonight so that’s awesome. I think he’s begun to heal,” Wamble said. “

Spokesperson for the group Shelley Becker told ABC 17 News via text message Monday afternoon that the buses were expected to arrive in Columbia around 10 p.m.

According to Becker, hundreds of motorcyclist were planning to stage at the Firefighters Memorial in Kingdom City ahead of the veterans’ arrival. Greeting and crowd announcements were also expected to be conducted when the buses arrived at the 174 mile-marker on Interstate 70 near Hermann and the buses slowed down near Kingdom City as they were escorted, Becker said.

“Tonight is all about these 70 veterans who have waited a long time to get closure,” Becker said.

Since launching flights in 2009, Central Missouri Honor Flight has taken nearly 5,600 veterans on flights to the nation’s capital.

Organizers told ABC 17 News on Sunday that a lack of applicants, as well as rising costs played a role in the organization deciding to stop the flights.

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BYU-Idaho’s 25th year marked by record enrollment

KIFI on September 15, 2025

News Team

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) — Brigham Young University-Idaho is celebrating a record-breaking fall semester with an overall enrollment of 25,000 students. This milestone includes more than 6,500 new students, with roughly 5,500 of those being first-time freshmen.

The record numbers come as the university marks 25 years since President Gordon B. Hinckley of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced that Ricks College would become BYU-Idaho.

“BYU-Idaho’s mission is to develop disciples of Jesus Christ who are leaders in their homes, the Church, and their communities,” said Alvin F. Meredith III, president of BYU-Idaho in a release announcing the record-breaking semester. “Students are drawn to the university because they find an education here that is both spiritually strengthening and academically rigorous.”

The total enrollment figure accounts for both on-campus students and those participating in concurrent enrollment programs.

“We are thrilled to see so many students choose BYU-Idaho to begin pursuing their degrees and, ultimately, their careers,” said Rob Garrett, the university’s chief of staff and executive strategy and planning vice president. “Their decision to come here demonstrates confidence in the kind of learning environment and community they will find.”

Garrett added that the university is committed to supporting students’ academic, spiritual, and personal growth as they prepare for “meaningful jobs.”

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TEA addresses educator social media posts on Charlie Kirk’s death

KVIA on September 15, 2025

Olivia Vara

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — The Texas Education Agency (TEA) released a letter addressing social media content from some public school educators related to the assassination of Charlie Kirk.

The agency states that these posts do no reflect the vast majority of Texas teachers who work with millions of students.

TEA says it will refer documentation of misconduct to its Educator Investigations Division for review.

The letter says these posts could violate the Educators’ Code of Ethics and will be examined for sanctionable conduct.

The letter adds that while free speech is a right, it does not “give carte blanche authority to celebrate or sow violence against those that share differing beliefs and perspectives.”

The statement from the TEA urges educators to report additional instances through TEA’s Misconduct Reporting Portal.

Texas AFT responded by condemning the online harassment campaigns aimed at Texas educators and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting teachers’ professional integrity.

In their statement, the union emphasized that teachers’ professional conduct must be judged by state ethics standards, not by partisan online campaigns.

Texas AFT says administrators need to uphold due-process protections while evaluating any educator conduct tied to social media posts.

Texas State Board of Education Member Gustavo Reveles also issues a statement on social media today in response to the TEA.

Reveles wrote on social media, in part, “I urge the Commissioner to redirect the Texas Education Agency’s energy and resources towards addressing the large backlog of open investigations into educator misconduct that already existed, rather than threatening the certification of teachers for expressing their views in a private setting.”

KVIA reached out to the Texas Education Agency for a response but has not yet heard back.

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University of Missouri kicks off annual homecoming blood Drive

KMIZ on September 15, 2025

Sam Roe

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Monday marked the was the first day of the annual University of Missouri homecoming blood drive, the largest student-run blood drive in the nation.

The drive will run daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. each day through Thursday at the MU Rec Center. Organizers hope for 5,000 units of blood to be donated.

“We can help up to three people with your blood donation,” Ann Vastmans, spokesperson for the American Red Cross said.

“A trauma patient may need more units of blood. And somebody who gets elective surgeries needs blood. People that are fighting sickle cell, that are fighting cancer. Pregnant women that are going through labor. There are so many different ways that your blood can be used to have a positive impact on someone’s life.”

This year, the blood drive is partnering with the “Peanuts” franchise in celebration of its 75th anniversary. Those who donate blood will receive a free Snoopy t-shirt as well as other various merchandise.

The Red Cross brings in employees from across the state of Missouri for this drive.

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IFPC files tort claim against Boise School District over restroom encounter

KIFI on September 15, 2025

News Team

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — The Idaho Family Policy Center (IFPC) has filed a notice of tort claim against the Boise School District, alleging that a high school student was traumatized after encountering a biological male in a girls’ restroom. The claim asserts that the school district’s actions violated Senate Bill 1100, or Idaho’s Common Sense Law, which requires separated restrooms in public schools based on biological sex.

According to a press release from the IFPC, a female student at Boise High School twice encountered a biological male in an adjacent bathroom stall during the 2024-2025 school year. During the second encounter, the girl believes the individual was masturbating. The IFPC states that school officials later told the family the individual had “explicit” permission to use the girls’ restroom under a “gender support plan.”

IFPC argues that the girl suffered anxiety and other psychological harm as a result of the experience, leading her parents to remove her from Boise High School and enroll her elsewhere.

“We will hold Boise High School accountable for the psychological and emotional harm that its actions caused this teenage girl, who was understandably traumatized by the experience,” said Kevin Shupperd, a senior litigating attorney for the IFPC Legal Center. “Students cannot excel academically if they don’t feel safe at school. No girl should be forced to share school restrooms with biological males—full stop.”

The notice of tort claim states that the Boise School District breached its duty of care under Idaho law by failing to maintain sex-separated restrooms. Under the Idaho Tort Claims Act, the school district now has 90 days to respond before a lawsuit can be filed.

Senate Bill 1100, officially titled the “Protecting the Privacy and Safety of Students in Schools” act, requires public schools to maintain separate bathrooms, locker rooms, showers, and overnight accommodations based on biological sex.

The law has been the subject of legal challenges. In a significant development, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit unanimously upheld the law in a March 2025 ruling.

“Senate Bill 1100 was adopted by supermajorities in both chambers of our state legislature—and it’s past time for school districts to follow the law,” said Blaine Conzatti, president of the Idaho Family Policy Center.

Shupperd added in the release, “We also trust that this serves as a warning to other public school districts across the State of Idaho. It’s time to stop flaunting Idaho law and neglecting the safety of your students.”

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One woman dead in two-vehicle crash on State Route 86 in Imperial County

KYMA on September 15, 2025

Dillon Fuhrman

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is investigating a two-vehicle crash which left one woman dead.

According to a press release, the crash happened before 8:00 a.m. Saturday in the area of State Route (SR) 86 and Hoskins Road.

CHP says a 58-year-old man, who was driving a 2009 Dodge Caliber, and a 31-year-old woman, who was driving a 2020 Jeep Gladiator, were both driving southbound on SR 86, south of Hoskins Road, in the second lane when the Jeep approached the rear end of the Dodge.

For reasons unknown, CHP says the front end of the Jeep crashed into the rear end of Dodge, causing both drivers to lose control of their respective vehicles.

CHP says the crash caused the Jeep to overturn before “coming to rest on its wheels” in the second lane of northbound SR 86.

While the driver of the Dodge suffered minor injuries, CHP says the passengers were not injured. However, the driver of the Jeep was pronounced dead at the scene.

CHP says the Imperial County Coroner’s Office responded and took the body, and says while airbags were deployed in the Jeep, airbags were not deployed in the Dodge.

However, everyone else was wearing their seatbelts at the time of the crash.

REAR END FATAL CRASH ON SR 86 SOUTH OF HOSKINS 288CDownload

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Smoke reports turned out to be steam near the Moss Landing battery storage facility

KION on September 15, 2025

Jeanette Bent

MOSS LANDING, Calif. (KION-TV) — An eye witnessed told KION that smoke was seen near the Moss Landing battery storage facility on Monday.

North County Fire confirmed that the reported smoke turned out to be steam from a nearby cogeneration gas plant and that the battery storage facility is not on fire.

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