California Date Commission details Coachella Valley harvesting, health benefits of dates

KESQ on October 8, 2025

Kendall Flynn

THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) – It’s National California Date Month and the California Date Commission is making sure locals understand just how beneficial dates can be for their health. 

Officials say they are a heart-healthy, diabetes friendly super fruit packed with fiber, essential vitamins and minerals. They also say dates are a natural and healthy alternative to refined sugars or artificial sweeteners. 

Stay with News Channel 3 to hear from officials on how dates could impact your health, and to see how they are grown in the Coachella Valley. 

Click here to follow the original article.

Florida man charged with starting 2025 Palisades Fire that devastated Los Angeles

KESQ on October 8, 2025

Garrett Hottle

LOS ANGELES (KESQ) – A 29-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the devastating Palisades Fire that swept through Los Angeles in January 2025, claiming twelve lives and destroying thousands of homes and structures.

Federal authorities identified the suspect as Jonathan Rinderknecht, a former resident of Pacific Palisades who had relocated to Florida after the fire.

Rinderknecht was taken into custody near his Florida home on charges of destruction of property by means of fire, a federal felony that carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and could result in up to twenty years in prison if convicted.

The Palisades Fire initially ignited on January 7, following heavy winds which brought an underground blaze—known as the Lachman Fire, reported on New Year’s Day—to the surface. Investigators believe Rinderknecht started the original fire in the hillside above Pacific Palisades after working as an Uber driver on New Year’s Eve. Evidence gathered from his digital devices included an image he generated on ChatGPT depicting a city engulfed in flames, which investigators say supported the charges.

The Palisades Fire was among the most destructive in Los Angeles history, burning more than 23,000 acres and leveling over 6,800 structures, including numerous homes around Pacific Palisades and Malibu.

The tragedy forced tens of thousands of residents to flee, and the aftermath left a deep scar on the community. Authorities and officials hope Rinderknecht’s arrest and upcoming federal court appearance bring a measure of justice to the victims and affected families.

Law enforcement officials cited digital evidence, eyewitness accounts of Rinderknecht being agitated on New Year’s Eve, and his subsequent actions to support the arrest. He allegedly attempted to contact a former friend and took videos near the Skull Rock trail before the fire erupted. Prosecutors also allege he made false statements to authorities after relocating to Florida.

Jonathan Rinderknecht is set to appear in federal court in Orlando as the investigation continues to uncover further details about the cause and full scope of both the Palisades and related fires in the region.

Click here to follow the original article.

Idaho Falls/Bonneville County ECC launches AI to answer non-emergency calls

KIFI on October 8, 2025

News Release

The following is a news release from the Idaho Falls Police Department:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Bonneville County & Idaho Falls Emergency Communications Center (ECC) has launched the use of Aurelian, an AI-powered voice assistant that answers and triages non-emergency calls. This system is designed to reduce the burden of non-emergency calls, allowing our Emergency Communications Officers to devote their full attention to genuine emergencies.

In Bonneville County, 911 calls and calls to the non-emergency dispatch number (208-529-1200) are all answered by the same team of Emergency Communications Officers (ECOs). This team handles all incoming calls and dispatches for all first responder agencies in Bonneville County, including Idaho Falls Police, Idaho Falls Fire, Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, the Bonneville County Fire District, Ucon Fire, Ucon Police, and the Swan Valley Fire Department. Over the last five years, the Bonneville County & Idaho Falls ECC has averaged 211,000 calls into the center and dispatched 115,000 incidents to first responders each year.

Despite what many may think, this enormous responsibility is handled by a relatively small team of dedicated Emergency Communications Officers, commonly called dispatchers. Across the profession, many emergency communications centers struggle with staffing, turnover, and fatigue. ECOs often move from call to call, with little to no downtime between those calls. During busy times, callers may have to wait, call back, or be placed on hold while ECOs handle higher-priority 911 and emergency calls.

The addition of Aurelian, and the AI calltaker referred to as “AI Annie”, is intended to assist this team of dedicated professionals and to continue to provide excellent service to our community.

More focus on life-saving calls

By offloading routine, repetitive, non-urgent calls (e.g., noise complaints, road hazards, general inquiries), dispatchers can concentrate on urgent, life-saving emergency calls and complex calls that require a live ECO.

Before Aurelian, Emergency Communications Officers spent a great deal of time answering calls that should have been placed to other county or city entities like police records, utilities, the courts, and others. With AI Annie now in place, rather than tying up an ECO with those calls and transfers, AI Annie can transfer callers to the right place, and ECOs can focus on emergency calls.

Better caller experience, with instant response

Before adding AI Annie, non-emergency callers had to wait for an available ECO to answer their call. During busy times or when multiple 911 calls were coming in, callers may have had to wait, call back, or be placed on hold mid-call for ECOs to handle emergency calls. Because there’s zero hold time or competition with emergency calls, callers get immediate engagement and resolution when possible. AI Annie can also text callers links to online reporting and other common online resources. AI Annie is also available in Spanish. A Language Line has been used for many years and continues to be used by ECOs for many other languages.

To get the most accurate assistance from AI Annie, callers should speak in a normal tone of voice and at their usual speed—there is no need to talk louder or slower. Callers should provide two or three sentences explaining the reason for their call, just like if they were speaking to a live person. For example, “I need to get a copy of a police report from the Idaho Falls Police Department,” will provide a better result than one-word answers like “Report” or requests to speak to a live person.

Over the last several weeks, AI Annie has been integrated and trained for the ECC and is now answering all calls to the non-emergency dispatch number (208-529-1200). While AI Annie is clearly identifiable as an AI tool, there’s no “press 1 for …” menu, only a conversational interface designed to feel natural. AI Annie will ask follow-up questions, clarify information, and guide the caller through the process,

All AI-handled calls are recorded and generate logs, transcripts, and summaries that can be audited or checked for accuracy or issues. All calls handled by AI Annie are reviewed by ECOs for accuracy, then dispatched to first responders. AI Annie is also trained to monitor for sounds and situations that indicate the call should be transferred immediately and seamlessly to a live ECO.

All 911 calls will continue to be answered by live Emergency Communications Officers.

Since the start of the rollout in early September, AI Annie has had a success rate of 94%, a number that increases as the system continues to be trained and refined. The center has also seen a 62% reduction in the rate of non-emergency calls, meaning that 62% of calls to the non-emergency line were able to be handled entirely by AI Annie. The remaining 38% of calls have been transferred to ECOs.

As the center continues to use and fine-tune the Aurelian system, the Bonneville County and Idaho Falls Emergency Communications Center expects to see a measurable drop in dispatcher workload from non-emergency calls, faster response to critical 911 calls, enhanced staff well-being, and a more sustainable work environment, along with high caller satisfaction with prompt, clear, and accurate responses.

Addressing common AI concerns

Is this replacing human dispatchers?

No. Aurelian is designed to assist, not replace. It absorbs non-critical load so that dispatchers can do what they’re trained to do: handle emergency calls. This team already runs incredibly lean, and there is no expectation that AI Annie would replace ECOs.

What about errors or false negatives?

Aurelian continuously monitors conversations and can escalate to a live dispatcher if anything appears potentially urgent. All calls, even those handled autonomously, leave an audit trail for oversight.

Is caller privacy safe?

Callers’ data is handled under strict policies, and Aurelian does not mine or share customer data. Information provided from calls handled by AI Annie is handled the same a

Click here to follow the original article.

4-H program celebrates National 4-H Week

News-Press NOW on October 8, 2025

Alec Pascuzzi

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The national youth development organization 4-H is celebrating National 4-H Week.

The organization is dedicated to providing youth with mentorship, leadership opportunities and skills to prepare them for successful careers.

National 4-H week is meant to highlight the positive impact that the organization has on youth across the country.

“National 4-H week is so special to us because it’s an opportunity for us to showcase everything that 4-H is meant to be. Anywhere from developing life skills, with youth to developing their leadership and even, giving back to the community as those are our main focus of 4-H,” said Laura Evans, field specialist in 4-H youth development.  

For more information on how to volunteer or get involved with 4-H, visit 4H.missouri.edu.

Click here to follow the original article.

Career expo invites youth to explore CAL FIRE careers as the department looks to grow

KESQ on October 8, 2025

Gavin Nguyen

INDIO, Calif. – CAL FIRE is looking to bolster its ranks as the threat of wildfires in California continues to grow.

To do so, a collaborative effort between CAL FIRE and the Riverside County Office of Education (RCOE) to show hundreds of high school seniors possible careers in firefighting is being made in Indio.

The career expo comes on the heels of Governor Gavin Newsom’s veto of Assembly Bill 1309, which could have raised the salaries for CAL FIRE employees.

The bill would have mandated CAL FIRE pay its employees within 15% of the average salary of 20 local fire departments across the state. 

News Channel 3 is asking officials the tough questions on hiring, careers, and wages within firefighting as they look to draw more hires. Stay with us for the latest. 

Click here to follow the original article.

Arenas District bars launch fundraiser to fill Palm Springs Pride shortfall

KESQ on October 8, 2025

Luis Avila

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – In a show of unity, bars in the Arenas District have launched the “Skip the Line” fundraiser to support Greater Palm Springs Pride amid a $350,000 budget shortfall. The new initiative allows customers to purchase all-access passes that grant priority entry at participating bars, with 100% of proceeds going directly to Pride programming. The move comes as many LGBTQ+ organizations nationwide are facing financial cutbacks, with some cities canceling Pride events altogether.

Spearheaded by local businesses including Chill Bar, Hunter’s, Blackbook, and others, the campaign demonstrates the power of grassroots community support.

Greater Palm Springs Pride President Ron deHarte praised the partnership, calling it a lifeline for the organization.

To purchase a pass, visit https://bit.ly/arenasskip

Stay with News Channel 3 for more..

Click here to follow the original article.

Having trouble calling City of Idaho Falls? Their phone system is down right now

KIFI on October 8, 2025

Curtis Jackson

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Phone lines are down for the City of Idaho Falls on Wednesday morning. According to the city’s Facebook post, crews are working to restore phone service.

In the meantime, they say you can reach departments by email.

The phone line issues does not affect emergency lines, such as 911 or the non-emergency line at (208) 529-1200.

It’s unknown how long the phone line will be down for the city departments.

Click here to follow the original article.

Bonneville County Deputies nab local man following early morning truck theft, foot chase

KIFI on October 8, 2025

Seth Ratliff

IONA, Idaho (KIFI) — A Bonneville County man is facing multiple felony and misdemeanor charges after he allegedly stole a pickup truck and a boat, then led deputies on a brief chase on foot early Tuesday morning near Iona.

According to the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO), the incident began around 6 a.m. when deputies were dispatched to a residence on Helios Lane near Iona. BCSO says a man, later identified as 29-year-old Dylan Lutz, allegedly entered the home but fled on foot after being confronted by a resident. Lutz abandoned his vehicle, which law enforcement later discovered.

Minutes after deputies arrived on Helios Lane, a nearby resident reported that their pickup truck and boat had been stolen.

Deputies reportedly contacted the truck’s owner, who stated the vehicle had been taken just a few minutes after he had gone out to start it to warm up. While speaking with the owner, they spotted the stolen pickup driving away from the area toward Foothill Road.

A BCSO deputy was able to position their patrol car behind the stolen vehicle and attempted a traffic stop. However, the suspect failed to yield and continued driving away.

The brief pursuit ended a short distance later on North Foothill Road, where Lutz pulled over and fled the vehicle on foot. Deputies quickly caught the suspect after a short foot chase.

Lutz was identified as the same man who had entered the residence on Helios Lane. During a subsequent search, deputies seized a small amount of Methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. He was later booked into the Bonneville County Jail on Felony charges for Grand Theft and Possession of Methamphetamine, along with Misdemeanor charges for eluding an Officer, Resisting Arrest, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Unlawful Entry. 

Click here to follow the original article.

Health Department program aims to help pregnant women quit tobacco

News-Press NOW on October 8, 2025

Carter Ostermiller

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Baby & Me Tobacco Free (BMTF) program provided by the St. Joseph Health Department aims to help future and postpartum mothers fight tobacco addiction.

Women must attend four individualized prenatal counseling sessions, each lasting 30 to 45 minutes.

“It’s a conversation between us. We talk about what their triggers might be, where they smoke the most, things like that,” said Kay Smith, a Health Educator at the Health Department. “Then we go through different ways to help them stop that,” said Smith.

By their third visit, patients must quit smoking and stay tobacco-free during their pregnancy.

Women will attend six-monthly postpartum counseling maintenance sessions and must test tobacco-free during their visits.

BMTF will also offer monetary incentives for program dedication, such as gift card awards.

For example, participants will receive a $50 gift card to purchase items in the baby department after completing the third and fourth prenatal visits and all six postpartum visits, provided they test tobacco-free.

Smith urges pregnant women who smoke to consider the program to not only help the baby, but also themselves.

Smoking while pregnant can lead to health defects and even death for the baby.

To sign up for the counseling program, visit the St. Joseph, Missouri website’s Baby and Me Tobacco Free (BMTF) and call or email the St. Joseph Health Department.

Click here to follow the original article.

Mid-Missouri food banks prepare for increased demand amid government shutdown

KMIZ on October 8, 2025

Haley Swaino

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

As the government shutdown enters its second week, food banks across the country are preparing for increased demand.

One Washington, D.C., food bank estimated roughly 75,000 federal workers are living paycheck-to-paycheck. And in the event of furloughs, if the shutdown extends for an extended period, affected households may need assistance.

Most federal employees work outside of the Washington metropolitan area — 57,100 federal employees were working in Missouri as of January, according to the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center.

Food banks in the Show-Me State are preparing for possible increased need.

“We want to do our due diligence and plan for the worst,” Katie Adkins, a spokesperson at the Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri, said.

Food insecurity is already at the highest level in nearly a decade, according to Adkins.

“At the same time, we are serving a lot of people,” Adkins said. “We are seeing that need is continuing. We haven’t seen a lull, and now we have the holiday season right around the corner. And that often brings some additional challenges because people are thinking about how they’re going to put food on the table for Thanksgiving.”

While need has stayed relatively consistent at The Food Bank through the shutdown’s first week, Adkins said they’re expecting to see more people seeking help if it extends to a point of delayed paychecks or benefits.

“Many people in our community are one last paycheck away from from needing some help,” Adkins said. “And we’re rapidly approaching a first missed paycheck with the government shutdown.”

Military members are in danger of missing a paycheck on Oct. 15, if the shutdown drags on.

ABC 17 News reached out to Armed Services YMCA in Fort Leonard Wood to see how it’s preparing.

“With nearly 25 percent of junior enlisted military already experiencing food insecurity, the need is always urgent. We’ve seen a significant increase in our food pantry distributions and needs. The ASYMCA is working to expand our distribution across our many branches to ensure military families have reliable access to food and resources during this difficult time,” an ASYCMA spokesperson said in an statement.

The shutdown could also disrupt key programs such as SNAP, according to previous reporting.

“We are prepared for some new folks, especially people who may never have had to come to a pantry or soup kitchen, coming to visit for the first time.”” Adkins said.

In fiscal year 2022, 603,930 people in 296,276 households received SNAP benefits in Missouri, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“Right now, food is expensive, transportation is expensive. And so we’re working with more limited resources than we have in the past,” Adkins said.

The shutdown comes as there’s already a strain on food banks. Adkins said The Food Bank has seen donations decline over the last few years.

“Manufacturers are just becoming very good at estimating what supply and demand is going to look like for them,” Adkins said. “We have known that that’s a challenge that we faced, we have continued to increase our retail rescue efforts.”

The Food Bank works with retailers across all 32 counties it serves to rescue items that may be nearing the end of their usable life.

“They’re good items,” Adkins said. “Typically, they’re the more nutritious items because they’re perishable. But those retailers, those stores, can’t get them out quickly enough. We serve around 100,000 people every single month, so we’re able to move them very quickly.”

Adkins said The Food Bank continues to look for new sources for rescue retail.

People needing support can visit The Food Bank for Central & Northeast Missouri’s website.

Click here to follow the original article.