New California Law Targets Reading Struggles Before They Start

KEYT on October 7, 2025

Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Learning to read can be tough.

But a new California law aims to help children before they struggle.

“We are the 41st state to adopt a reading risk screener this is a universal screener it’s quick… it’s a way of checking in with the kids and flagging any students who show signs of being at risk for reading difficulties,” said parent and teacher Natalie Wilkes at Monte Vista School.

Starting in the 2025–26 school year, all kindergarten through second-grade students will be screened for early signs of reading difficulties.

“As a parent I was reassured … I like knowing our state is also concerned about students who need early intervention,” said Wilkes.

“It really holds people accountable in terms of people really looking at students and whether they’re struggling, and identifying where their needs might be,” said curriculum and instruction TOSA Allison Heiduk of Hope School District.

School administrators hope this new law will help close the reading gap for all kids.

“I’m hopeful in that just again it gives us more information identifies ways in which we could support our students,” said Heiduk.

Students will be tested in their primary language, and parents will receive results within 45 days.

The screenings can flag traits linked to dyslexia, though they do not diagnose the condition.

Districts are also required to follow up with targeted literacy instruction, tutoring, or further evaluation for students found at risk.

“It’s another valuable data point that we will have as teachers to help us understand our students in our classroom and to give them the support that they need,” said Wilkes.

Teachers hope early support and responsive teaching will build confidence — one reader at a time.

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Billing issues lead to Jefferson County Fire & EMS budget crisis as fire chief announces resignation

KTVZ on October 7, 2025

Claire Elmer

(Update: adding video, adding interview with departing Fire Chief Jeff Blake)

MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — Jefferson County Fire and EMS is grappling with a severe financial shortfall that has forced deep spending cuts, the temporary relocation of its headquarters, and the upcoming departure of Fire Chief Jeff Blake.

What began as a successful merger of the county’s fire and ambulance services has now spiraled into a budget crisis, draining reserves and straining operations.

Blake says the funding gap is not a result of overspending, but of missing revenue and slow reimbursements — problems that began after the former EMS district was dissolved.

“When we merged EMS and fire together, the merger went really, really well,” Blake explained Tuesday to KTVZ News. “But from the time the dissolution happened, we weren’t able to bill for any revenue from Medicare, Medicaid, or any insurance companies.”

Without that billing capability, the district has been surviving on its reserve funds.

Even when payments do come in, they amount to only about a third of what the district bills. In response, Blake says the agency has cut $1.5-1.6 million from its budget while simultaneously seeing a 15 to 20 percent increase in call volume.

One of the latest cost-saving measures is temporarily relocating the headquarters to the old EMS station on Culver Highway during construction on its fire station. The move is expected to reduce expenses by hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Despite the budget cuts, Blake emphasizes that service levels for residents remain strong. However, the strain of managing the crisis has weighed heavily on leadership. By mutual agreement with the district’s board, Blake will step down as chief on Nov. 29.

“It’s really hard,” he said. “I am passionate about the fire service and about this community. I don’t want to be any sort of barrier for the success of this organization moving forward. It’s bittersweet — some days I think I made the right decision, other days it’s a little difficult.”

The district’s board is now reviewing options to stabilize funding and ensure that Jefferson County’s fire and medical services can meet demand. As he prepares to leave, Blake says he hopes residents will continue to back the agency and its first responders through the challenges ahead.

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Indio police host National Night Out at Center Stage

KESQ on October 7, 2025

City News Service

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) – Indio police hosted National Night Out at Center Stage in the downtown area today as part of an effort to strengthen relations with the community.

The event began at 6 p.m. Tuesday at 82881 Miles Ave.   

“This is a night for America to stand together to promote awareness, safety, and neighborhood unity. National Night Out showcases the vital importance of police-community partnerships and citizen involvement in out fight to build a safer nation,” National Project Coordinator Matt Peskin said in a statement.   

It featured more than 40 community partner booths, including other law enforcement agencies, police said. Officers, in partnership with the California Highway Patrol Cannabis Tax Fund Grant Program, will distribute promotional items that state “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Drive High, Get a DUI.”  

National Night Out, sponsored by the National Association of Town Watch, aims to “heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, generate support for and participation in local anti-crime efforts and strengthen neighborhood spirit,” the department said.

Stay with News Channel 3 at 10 and 11 p.m. for the full report.

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San Luis, Arizona vice mayor arrested for unlawful flight

KYMA on October 7, 2025

Abraham Retana

UPDATE (12:39 PM): Tadeo de la Hoya was in court Tuesday where he is facing one count of unlawful flights.

He pleaded not guilty and will be released from jail sometime later on Tuesday. However, no bond was set.

De la Hoya will be back in court on Thursday.

SAN LUIS, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) says the San Luis, Arizona vice mayor was arrested Monday for fleeing from law enforcement.

According to YCSO, Tadeo de la Hoya was booked for felony unlawful flight following an incident which happened last month. We’re still working on confirm the exact details of that incident.

De la Hoya is still in custody as of Tuesday morning. No word on when he will be seen by a judge.

KYMA will keep you updated on this developing story.

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Palm Springs treatments start by Valley mosquito, vector control after West Nile virus discovery

KESQ on October 7, 2025

Kendall Flynn

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Mosquitoes collected from a routine surveillance trap in the City of Palm Springs have tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV), according to Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District.

The sample discovery was taken near the intersections of South Camino Real and East La Verne Way. This is the first WNV-positive mosquito sample reported in Palm Springs this year and the 11th in the Coachella Valley.

News Channel 3 brought you the first WNV discovery of the year in the North Shore community in May. Now the latest discovery is prompting the City of Palm Springs to alert its residents. With recent rain, the mosquitoes are more likely to be around, especially near still water.

Now the Coachella Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District is working to treat areas in Palm Springs, including hot spots for breeding and at residents homes. The district’s Public Information Manager Robert Gaona said it’s a process of killing the mosquito larva before it reaches adulthood for maximum mitigation.

“Each mosquito will lay, 300 eggs,” Gaona said. “So, it is best to treat them when they’re in water to prevent them from becoming adults. It’s much easier and more effective to get rid of them before they’re flying around their communities.”

From storm drains throughout the city alone, thousands of mosquito larva swim near the surface. Vector control takes a sample to determine the breed of mosquito before deciding what method of treatment they need to use. It is often an oil-based treatment sprayed on the surface to inhibit the larva from reaching it.

Mosquito larva sample taken on the corner of E Tachevah Drive and N Avenida Caballeros.

Jonathan Herrera, vector control technician two, said the treatments are efficient until it rains. The storms wash away the original oil treatment, forcing them to consistently return to the area. He said with the rain also comes more mosquitoes around still water.

“It all depends especially with the rain events that we are scheduled to have this coming up Thursday and Friday,” Herrera said. “Unfortunately, that’s just the nature of the beast. But in the meantime, you could always…remove any stagnant water, also use repellent.” 

Stay with News Channel 3 to hear from officials on what treatment looks like and what residents need to know.

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Buchanan County Prosecutor Office and SJSD collaborate to combat student absenteeism

News-Press NOW on October 7, 2025

TaMya Bracy

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — The Buchanan County Prosecutor’s Office and St. Joseph School District are partnering together to address student absenteeism.

Absenteeism has increased since the pandemic and remains a serious problem in the state, including in St. Joseph.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, Missouri’s chronic absenteeism was at 21% during the 2022-23 school year.

SJSD’s Annual Report Card on the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) also states it saw a 78.2% total proportional attendance rate during the 2023-2024 school year.

Statewide annual school “report cards” through DESE are released for the prior school year at the end of November.

Missouri law requires parents and guardians of children to ensure their children attend school regularly. A conviction for violation of that law can result in a jail sentence of 15 days and/or a fine of upto $750.

Dr. Ashly McGinnis, SJSD superintendent said that the district focus is on supporting studentsand families before legal action becomes necessary.

“We know that when students are in school consistently, they are more likely to succeed academically,”McGinnis said. “This partnership with the Prosecutor’s Office is about accountability, but it’s also aboutsupport. We want to work alongside families to remove barriers, encourage attendance, and give everychild the best chance to succeed,” she said.

News-Press NOW will update this article.

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WATCH: Tigers take questions ahead of home matchup vs. Alabama

KMIZ on October 7, 2025

Matthew Sanders

The No. 14 Missouri Tigers are getting ready for their biggest test yet.

The Tigers host the Alabama Crimson Tide on Faurot Field on Saturday. It’s the last in a string of home games to open the season. Alabama is ranked No. 8 after beating Vanderbilt last week.

Watch the news conference in the player.

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Health Department to install needle depository at Community Missions

News-Press NOW on October 7, 2025

Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Community Missions will be receiving new equipment from the St. Joseph Health Department.

At a previous City Council meeting, a location and maintenance agreement to install a secure needle depository box was announced between Community Missions and the Health Department.

The purpose of the box is lower health hazards and risks associated from needles by having a safe disposal container for all needles and sharp objects. 

“The idea (behind) implementing the safe disposal program is to reduce the public health hazard and really the blight that it causes when sharps are improperly disposed of,” Assistant Health Director Kendra Bundy said. “If you add a receptacle, maybe people will use it if it’s available to them.”

The hope is the implementation of the depository box at Community Missions will be the first of more to come around St. Joseph.

“We’re really hoping that this has a good, positive impact in the community and it’s well received,” Bundy said. “We’re definitely going to try it out and see how it goes. If it is successful in that location, we will look at placing additional units throughout the city to better serve the community in different areas.”

For additional questions visit the St. Joseph Health Departments website.

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Idaho Fish and Game seeks tips: Poached deer carcass found wasted in Southeast Idaho

KIFI on October 7, 2025

News Release

The following is a news release from Idaho Fish and Game:

EASTERN IDAHO (KIFI) — Idaho Fish and Game is seeking information regarding a white-tailed deer buck that was illegally shot and left to waste in Game Management Unit 68A in southeast Idaho sometime between Sept. 20 and Sept. 23.

The only hunts available for deer in Unit 68A are controlled archery-only hunts from Aug. 30 – Dec. 19. The buck was illegally shot with a rifle, and only the head was removed, leaving the rest of the carcass to waste. 

A member of the public found the deer on the banks of the Snake River between Blackfoot and Firth, about a half-mile south of East River Road. It is possible the deer was shot by someone from a boat on the Snake River or was dumped into the river after it was killed.

Anyone with information that may be helpful in this case is encouraged to call Senior Conservation Officer Sawyer Livesey at 208-617-0244, the Citizens Against Poaching hotline at 1-800-632-5999, or report online at idfg.idaho.gov/poacher. People providing information can remain anonymous, and information leading to charges may be eligible for a reward.

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TACO TUESDAY: It’s National Taco Day!

KTVZ on October 7, 2025

KTVZ – News Team

(KTVZ) Tuesday, October 7th marks National Taco Day!

National Taco Day used to be celebrated on October 4th but was adjusted so that it would always fall on the first Tuesday in October.

Many restaurants, like Taco Bell, are celebrating with taco specials.

Are you celebrating the occasion?

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