Teens and vets team up to dive, explore and preserve

CNN Newsource on October 24, 2025

By Robert Boyd

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    PINELLAS COUNTY, Florida (WFTS) — Tampa Bay is known as one of the best dive spots in the country, and a couple of nonprofit groups are using that to build bonds that could last a lifetime.

John Borders is a U.S. Army veteran wounded while on active duty, while Rosalyn Fletcher is a 15-year-old high school student just starting to plan her future. This month, diving brought them together.

It’s all part of a partnership between Scubanauts and the Combat Wounded Veteran Challenge.

“Scubanauts International is a scientific diving organization for teenagers, we do a lot of research, we do a lot of coral restoration,” said COO Katie Cooper.

“I’ve always been interested in the marine sciences ever since I was little,” said Fletcher.

“It kind of helps to reduce a whole lot of that stress just going underneath the water, listening to my bubbles, and it kind of lets all my cares just wash away for a while,” said Borders.

Cooper is leading the latest expedition. She is taking John and Roselyn on a trip to the Circle of Heroes.

Located about 10 miles off the coast of Dunedin, 40 feet below the surface, is a series of statues representing all the different branches of our Armed Forces.

“We’ve got 13 life-sized statues, we have a diverse representation from all of the major American conflicts, from World War I, up to the global war on terror,” said Borders.

The statues were placed on the bottom of the gulf back in 2019, which means they are in need of a little maintenance.

“Since then, there has been a lot of growth on them, algae, sponges, other invertebrates, so it obscures the plaque, so it’s hard to tell what they are,” said Cooper.

Armed with scrub brushes, Katie, John and Roselyn dove in and got to work.

“It’s important for me to do my part, cleaning off the algae and the statues, and just make sure it’s remembered with Veterans Day coming up,” said Fletcher.

“We tend to be relying on the kids to make sure that we are doing things correctly when it comes to any of the coral restoration stuff that we are doing,” said Borders.

“It’s a really great feeling to have young people and veterans together cleaning up these statues, it’s a really meaningful site, a really meaningful partnership, and it’s just a great way to come together as a community,” said Cooper.

Scubanauts Annual Fundraising Gala will be held Nov. 8 at Zoo Tampa. For more information, go to scubanautsintl.org

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Gila Ridge High School Girls Volleyball Team donates more than $2,000 to Bridget’s Gift

KYMA on October 24, 2025

Joaquin Hight

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The girls brought in a check for $2,062 and gave it to Wendy McKay of Bridget’s Gift just before their home game.

Gila Ridge Booster Club President Joely Beck explains how important this donation is for the girls on the team.

“Skill and athleticism can go a long way. But to become a good human, you really have to have compassion and empathy. So they have really encouraged the girls to get involved with the community,” Beck shared.

The team was proud to make such a donation for a great cause.

Bridget’s Gift will be hosting their 13th Annual Western Dance and BBQ event this Saturday, October 25, at the Cocopah Casino, located on South Avenue B in Somerton.

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Murder suspect in custody after overnight manhunt

KIFI on October 24, 2025

News Team

UPDATE: The manhunt for a murder suspect is over.

16-year-old bobby g. Jackson is in custody in Pocatello around 2:30 am Friday morning.

Police say there is no further danger to the public regarding this incident.

Original post:

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — Blackfoot Police are investigating a homicide and are asking the public for help locating a suspect.

Officers responded to reports of a deceased individual on the south end of Blackfoot on October 23rd.

At this time, the death is being investigated as a homicide.

Investigators say they have identified a possible suspect connection and are searching for 16-year-old Bobby G. Jackson.

Jackson was last seen wearing blue Levi’s, a light plaid jacket, cowboy boots, and a dark t-shirt. Authorities warn Jackson is considered extremely dangerous and may be armed.

It is currently unknown whether Jackson is traveling on foot or in a vehicle. Jackson was last seen near the intersection of Highway 91 and Riverton Road at approximately 12:30 p.m.

Residents are urged to lock their doors and remain vigilant. Residents are also encouraged not to approach him and to contact 911 immediately if they see him.

If you have any information, call the Bingham County Emergency Communication Center non-emergency line at 208-785-1234 and report the sighting to dispatch. 

No further details regarding the deceased individual or the homicide investigation will be released at this time, as the investigation remains active and ongoing.

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Moniteau County man faces 29 child porn charges

KMIZ on October 24, 2025

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man from California, Missouri, who is facing felony charges in two counties has now been charged in Moniteau County with 29 counts of possessing child pornography.

Ernest Blair Jr., 21, was served a warrant on Thursday, according to court records. He was previously charged in Miller County with first-degree making a terroristic threat after he allegedly called in a gun threat last year to Eldon High School after a student asked him. A hearing in that case is scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 5 at the Miller County Courthouse.

Blair was also charged earlier this year in Moniteau County with second-degree statutory rape. The probable cause statement in that case says Blair knew the victim was 15 years old and that the two were “trying to conceive a child.”

Multiple probable cause statements say law enforcement became aware of the “relationship” Blair had with the child on April 10. Law enforcement spoke with the victim on April 22 and she allegedly gave details of repeated assaults, the statement says.

Law enforcement arrested Blair on April 29 and he was charged with statutory rape the same day. Deputies obtained a search warrant to see Blair’s phone and the Missouri Digital Forensic Center gave a report months later indicating several images and videos of child porn were stored on the phone, the statement says.

A hearing in the statutory rape case is scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18 at the Moniteau County Courthouse. A hearing has not been scheduled in his most-recent case.

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Oregonians urged to volunteer to help low-income families receive millions in unclaimed tax benefits

KTVZ on October 24, 2025

KTVZ

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon and the Internal Revenue Service are once again recruiting people to assist in the free preparation of taxes as part of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) or Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs.

Here’s Thursday’s news release about the need, and how you can help:

“Oregon needs more VITA sites and volunteers. For low- and moderate-income families, claiming the tax credits available to them can be a starting point on the path to stronger financial security. But too often those tax credits go unclaimed,” said Codi Trudell, Oregon’s Taxpayer Advocate. “The cost and complexity of filing a tax return is a hurdle for too many people. By volunteering to help them file their returns and claim their credits, Oregonians can make a difference for people in their local community.”

The IRS estimates that one in five Oregon taxpayers eligible to claim the federal Earned Income Tax Credit are not doing so. One Oregon organization estimates that the unclaimed credits have totaled nearly $100 million in recent years.

Including free tax help offered by AARP, so far in 2025, free tax assistance has been made available to nearly 38,000 taxpayers at 108 sites across the state. That’s up from 104 sites and 33,000 taxpayers at this point in 2024. Every year, however, the sites are forced to turn away people who need assistance due to a shortage of volunteers.

In addition to the need for volunteers, the IRS is also seeking organizations to sponsor VITA and TCE clinics.

The VITA and TCE programs train volunteers to help low- to moderate-income families prepare their tax returns. Across the country, thousands of people volunteer each year and prepare millions of tax returns at thousands of tax sites nationwide.

Volunteers are assigned to work with a sponsoring organization, first to receive training and then to begin volunteering at a location in the community. Training is offered both online and in the classroom. Tax sites are generally open nights and weekends, and the hours are flexible.

Additional information is available on the IRS website. Interested persons can submit an inquiry now using the VITA/TCE Volunteer and Partner Sign Up moving them one step closer to becoming a VITA or TCE tax volunteer and giving back to their community. The IRS will share information about those interested in volunteering with sponsoring organizations for follow-up contact.

Organizations with an interest in partnering with the IRS to sponsor or host a free tax preparation site in Oregon can also complete and submit the VITA/TCE Volunteer and Partner Sign Up form.

To find a VITA site near them, Oregonians can use the IRS Site Locator tool or check the DOR’s Free Tax Help map with VITA sites marked in blue.

VITA sites at 15 locations in Oregon receive funding from the Oregon Department of Human Services Tax Infrastructure Grant Program. Those interested in volunteering at one of these sites should contact the organizations below in December.

Beaverton, Eugene, Gresham, Portland: 

CASH Oregon

503-461-7388

volunteer@cashoregon.org

Bend, Redmond: 

Latino Community Association

541-382-4366

info@latinocommunityassociation.org

Bend, Corvallis, Eugene:

Oregon State University

541-737-3371

vita@oregonstate.edu

Coos Bay, Roseburg:

Moneywise Oregon

541-670-5054

dan@moneywiseoregon.org

Medford:

United Way Jackson County

541-864-5092

office@unitedwayofjacksoncounty.org

Ontario, Portland:

Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization

 971-331-9811

elizabethz@irco.org

Woodburn:

Centro de Servicios Para Campesinos

503-902-0367

debbiec@centrodspc.org

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Registrar’s office demonstrates new Auto Signature Verification tool ahead of special election

KESQ on October 24, 2025

Athena Jreij

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) – The Riverside County Registrar of Voters held a demonstration for its auto signature verification tool, or ‘ASV’ ahead of the November 4th special election.

The new tool implements software in the Registrar’s sorting machines that compare voter signatures on a ballot to those in their voter profile, completing the verification process in just seconds.

“The process that we’ve been using without this technology is simply turning around ballots to take an image of the signature so we can compare it manually against our voter registration system,” Registrar of Voters Art Tinoco said.

Once put into the sorting machine, ballots are photographed by cameras reading signatures and comparing them to those on voter’s registration files. Those ballots are then sorted into ‘MSV’ and ‘ASV’ buckets. ‘MSV’, or manual signature verification buckets indicate the ballot did not pass the test and need another check by an employee.

The sorters scan ballots for at least a 45% confidence rate. Ballots below that rating are automatically put into the manual verification pile.

“We are looking for similarities not differences, So, we are looking for the similarities in the loops or looking at the similarities and just the way the signature is laid out. There is also an option in our election management system to look at past records, which we can also use, which is registration records that are saved on file,” Tinoco said.

While the technology is new to Riverside County, it’s already being used in San Diego and San Bernardino.

Once fully implemented, the Registrar estimates ‘ASV’ could cut back on their staffing by more than half.

“We do hire about 1,000 temporary employees, but for this process on this campus we’re hiring about 400,” Tinoco said.

Since the program is being piloted, all mail-in ballots that run through ‘ASV’ will be manually verified by employees after.

Officials estimate if the pilot goes well, it could be fully implemented by June 2, 2026 for the state gubernatorial primary.

Riverside County residents can see the process up close for themselves by attending an election observer tour. For more information, visit: https://rivco.org/news/election-observer-tours.

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Let’s Talk Weather: Lava Ridge Elementary School

KTVZ on October 24, 2025

John Carroll

John Carroll took the weather on the road today and spoke to the 3rd grade class at Lava Ridge Elementary School. The students were well prepared with several questions about the weather and were very well behaved.

John read from his children’s book, The Adventure of Robbie the Raindrop, about the water cycle. They also learned how to forecast the weather by looking for clues in the sky, becoming weather deputies.

John and Shannon enjoy going to elementary schools “talk weather” so I you want them to come to your school, send them an email. weather@ktvz.com

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“Jonny and the Baptists” Tackles Grief and Loss Through British Humor

KEYT on October 24, 2025

Mina Wahab

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) —The play “Jonny and the Baptists” is about two friends trying to overcome trauma. It showcases Paddy Gervers and his friendship with Jonny Donahoe, a creative partner he’s known since childhood. Gervers says the play is based on his experience losing his mother decades ago. He says it’s a mixture of storytelling, standup, and songs, tackling heavy themes using British humor. “There is no one else who I rip on harder than Johnny. And he does. And that’s what makes the show work, because I think otherwise we wouldn’t be able to talk about it, particularly on stage,” said “Jonny and the Baptists” actor Paddy Gervers. “People I know who’ve lost someone can’t even think about them ever again because it’s too painful. And I understand that. But they’ve also lost so much more because they can’t remember the wonder of that person,” said “Jonny and the Baptists” actor Jonny Donahoe.

The show takes place Thursday at 7:00 pm and Saturday at 7:30 pm at the Center Stage Theater.   All proceeds go to helping non-profit New Beginnings.

The Latest Breaking News, Weather Alerts, Sports and More Anytime On Our Mobile Apps. Keep Up With the Latest Articles by Signing Up for the News Channel 3-12 Newsletter.

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‘Ridiculous’: Local ranchers react to President’s beef plan

KRDO on October 24, 2025

Mackenzie Stafford

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Local cattle ranchers are calling out a move from the White House as U.S. beef prices continue to rise.

Farmers blame higher prices on extreme weather and other factors depleting the number of cattle.

So, to counteract the costs, President Trump says he has plans to import more beef from Argentina, buying up to four times the usual amount. He says it will bring the cost of beef down. 

But some ranchers claim this is not fair to American ranchers. At Ranch Foods Direct in Colorado Springs, the owner tells KRDO13 the cost of beef is not that high; he points to the people selling it. He says he thinks the plan raised by President Trump doesn’t make any sense.

“My initial reaction was, that’s — that’s ridiculous,” shared Mike Callicrate, “Why would we bring foreign beef in to further replace, you know, domestic producers?”

He explained how they operate at Ranch Foods Direct.

“We raise the livestock. We slaughter our cattle right on site in Saint Francis, Kansas, so they don’t get on a long truck ride. And then we bring the carcasses to Colorado Springs to this facility on Town Center Drive, where they’re processed, and packaged into the various meat cuts and made retail ready,” explained Ranch Foods Direct owner Mike Callicrate.

He says this model of cutting out the middleman works. But as the majority of cattle ranchers struggle to make ends meet, he says we need to support our domestic ranchers instead of bringing in product from Argentina. 

“We don’t need Argentina to be kind of like the U.S. with big meat packers and processors standing in the middle, just picking everybody’s pockets. We need to leave them alone, let them feed themselves, and we need to feed ourselves. We’ve made such a big mistake over the last at least 40 years by not enforcing the antitrust laws that would have prevented the monopolies from forming those that have taken advantage of producers and consumers, both producers and consumers in the United States,” said Callicrate.

The owner of Ranch Foods Direct says this would hurt both local ranchers and farmers in Argentina. On the other hand, President Trump says that more beef will help to lower the costs for consumers.

“We’re going to do something very quickly and easily on beef to get it down. The ranchers understand that they’re so happy for what I’ve done. I saved them,” said President Trump.

In the meantime, the Trump Administration says billions in farmer assistance programs will continue and that a bigger bailout package is being discussed. 

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Bend Park and Recreation District wins three statewide awards, including innovation honor for Miller’s Landing

KTVZ on October 24, 2025

Silas Moreau

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Bend Park and Recreation District has received three statewide awards from the Oregon Recreation and Park Association, recognizing excellence in innovation, heroism, and leadership in community recreation.

The district’s Miller’s Landing Renovation Project earned the 2025 ORPA Innovation Award, celebrating its accessibility upgrades that make river recreation safer and more inclusive.

The renovated park now features new entry and exit points for boaters and paddlers, with an emphasis on mobility access to better serve users with different levels of mobility, the organization said Thursday.

Alongside the innovation accolade, BPRD was also honored with the Life Saving Award. The distinction recognizes individuals or teams who demonstrate exceptional response during emergencies or training situations.

The district earned this award for its quick and effective actions during two real-life medical emergencies at the Larkspur Community Center, where staff intervened to save lives through their training and rapid response.

Rounding out the honors, Shannon Gilman, BPRD’s Aquatics Supervisor, was named 2025 Aquatics Professional of the Year. Over her nearly 30-year career, Gilman has mentored generations of lifeguards and swim instructors, shaping the safety culture across Bend’s aquatic facilities and leading countless community members to confidence in the water.

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