News Team
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office is looking for the owner of a horse found wandering near 17th S. and 35th W. earlier this week.
The horse was found on November 4th. Deputies are working with the brand inspector; however, the information tied to the brands is reportedly incorrect.
BCSO is directing the owner to contact police dispatch at 208-529-1200.
Kendall Flynn
LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) – It’s almost Veteran’s Day and locals are helping honor those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, including students at La Quinta High School.
Students in the high school Culinary Academy are preparing and serving meals to 150 local veterans and active duty public servants for a “Feed the Heroes Lunch.”
Stay with News Channel 3 to hear from attendees and students about the importance of the lunch ahead of Veteran’s Day.
Jarrod Zinn
LOMPOC, Calif. (KEYT) – Word is reaching us of new sightings in the multi-state search for Melodee Buzzard, missing now from her Vandenberg Village home for more than 3-weeks.
The mystery surrounding the 9-year-old’s disappearance has captured national attention.
Investigators say they’re focusing on stops the Buzzards made during a three-day road trip.
We’re hearing about new leads being pursued along the route Melodee and her mother, Ashlee, took last month across multiple states.
Surveillance images show Melodee and Ashlee wearing wigs the day they rented a white Chevy Malibu.
“It’s a crazy situation and horrible,” says Abbigail Harris, who lives in Junction, Utah. “And the little girl should be found.”
Investigators determined the three day trip took them as far away as Nebraska.
“Why are you changing your license plate?” asks Rilee Pinneo, who lives in Green River, Utah. “But then you come back and you’re not willing to talk about it or your daughter or anything.”
Employees at a gas station in Green River, Utah say Santa Barbara county sheriff’s investigators asked for video surveillance footage that falls right within the timeline and roadmap.
“We are the oasis in the middle of nowhere. Right? You’re coming from so far either way,” says Pinneo. “It’s just super like, suspicious, like. Why are you making her wear wigs? Why are you wearing wigs?”
And in Garfield county, Utah, an employee at another gas station says she saw Ashlee leave with an unidentified woman with purple hair.
“There’s a lot of nature, a lot of woods around here,” says Harris. “So it’s like if this is where she was the day before she got home. Who knows? You know, anything could happen.”
Santa Barbara county sheriff’s investigators and the FBI are asking for the public’s help in locating Melodee.
The Santa Barbara county D.A.’s office is also assisting in the investigation.
If you have seen Melodee or have any information, you can call the Sheriff’s Criminal Investigations Division (805) 681-4150.
Those wishing to remain anonymous can provide information through the tip line at (805) 681-4171 or online at https://www.sbsheriff.org/home/anonymous-tip/.
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John Palminteri
CARPINTERIA, Calif. (KEYT) – There could be some more high density housing in some areas of the South Coast, including around Carpinteria.
Some locations mapped out for the changes are controversial.
The California Coastal Commission is discussing the Santa Barbara County plan to rezone locations on Bailard Ave., Via Real and Foothill.
It’s about 31 acres in total.
The Carpinteria City Council is concerned about the impacts on parking, traffic, population and city services with the additional homes and the needs linked to those sites.
The Commission is meeting in Sacramento.
Public comments are being take via Zoom to speak to the commissioners prior to the discussion and vote.
(More details, video and photos will be added here later today.)
KTVZ
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Realms Middle School and Realms High School, which share a leased building in northeast Bend, will relocate to other sites owned by Bend-La Pine Schools after the end of the current school year, the school district announced Thursday.
The district said, “The decision follows a thorough review of school district resources and facility costs, and a determination that it is no longer financially viable to continue leasing space for the schools beyond the current school year.”
Here’s the rest of the announcement:
Realms High School, with 104 students, will merge with Bend Tech Academy (BTA), the district’s other choice-option high school, located at 1291 NE 5th Street. BTA has 135 students.
“By merging both schools under one roof, we have the opportunity to provide more robust and sustainable academic opportunities, drawing on the best of both schools,” Superintendent Steven Cook said.
Realms Middle School, with 140 students, will relocate to Buckingham Elementary School at 62560 Hamby Road.
With an enrollment of 305, Buckingham has room to house both schools, like the district’s Westside Village and Three Rivers K-8 schools. Realms Middle will occupy its own portion of Buckingham, separate from elementary classrooms.
The school district currently is adding a new cafeteria/multi-purpose room and kitchen onto Buckingham, with construction expected to be completed next summer. This expansion will provide a spacious, bright cafeteria that will double as a venue for school activities and community events.
Realms operates in a former warehouse at 20730 Brinson Blvd. Realms High has been there since 2018, joined in 2022 by Realms Middle. The building also houses District safety and custodial offices. At the conclusion of this school year, all of these programs and functions will relocate to District-owned facilities with appropriate space.
Jillian Fortner
(Update: adding video, comments from Bend Mayor Kebler, Redmond City Councilor Osborne, state Senator Broadman)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Local and state leaders say wildfire seasons are lasting longer across Central Oregon, and the threat is only growing.
On Thursday, officials met in Bend to discuss how to better protect homes and communities from increasingly severe fire seasons.
Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler reflected on how much conditions have changed.
“When I grew up, I can’t remember a time where there was enough smoke that I couldn’t play outside for days at a time,” Kebler said.
Leaders pointed to the more than 23,000-acre Flat Fire near Sisters as a reminder of how fast wildfires can spread into nearby neighborhoods. Kebler said cooperation among agencies helped keep that fire from spreading even further.
“It was an incredible collaboration effort between the state to fight the fire, but also really good work on mitigation,” Kebler said.
Officials also highlighted the future CORE3 Emergency Training Center in Redmond as a key step in strengthening local response to disasters.
“CORE3 is a very exciting initiative that really is a symbol of Central Oregon coming together and working to be resilient in natural disasters,” said Oregon Sen. Anthony Broadman.
Redmond City Councilor Kathryn Osborne said the facility will help train first responders and the next generation of public safety professionals.
“It’s going to allow us to have training locally for our police and our fire,” Osborne said. “It also acts as a way to train our future workforce.”
While CORE3 focuses on coordination and training, Osborne said preparedness must also start at home.
“Make sure you have a plan,” if a fire occurs while children are in school or home and parents haven’t gotten back yet,” Osborne said. “That’s something we saw during the Euston Fire.”
Oregon is receiving more than $28 million in federal funding for six wildfire prevention projects statewide.
Leaders say consistent funding and long-term policy support remain critical as fire risks rise.
Kebler said, “We need policies to reflect the reality that climate change is real, it’s here, and it’s something we all need to work together to fight.”
Here’s a news release sent out after the discussion by the event organizers, the Climate Action Campaign:
As the 2025 wildfire season ends, leaders are calling for immediate federal action to address climate change and reduce fire risk before the next season begins. The Flat Fire near Sisters—along with other recent wildfires in the region—illustrates the escalating danger to Oregon’s forests, homes, and communities as longer fire seasons and extreme weather intensify.
With climate change adding to the frequency and strength of wildfires and related flooding, the issue is becoming an increasing threat to Deschutes County and areas across the state and nation.
Speakers highlighted how federal funding cuts to the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management are hampering efforts to prevent and fight fires, and how proposals to roll back key federal climate policies, such as the EPA’s Endangerment Finding, would worsen wildfire risk by accelerating climate change.
Mayor Melanie Kebler, City of Bend, spoke on the urgent need for federal policies that address the climate crisis driving wildfire risk.
“Every year, we’re seeing fires start earlier, burn longer, and come closer to where people live and work. Bend is doing our part—investing in prevention and preparedness—but we can’t adapt to climate change alone,” said Mayor Kebler. “Federal and state leaders must protect the programs and climate policies that address the root causes of these disasters and help communities like ours build long-term resilience.”
Sen. Anthony Broadman, Oregon State Senate (District 27), addressed the need for strong partnership and sustained investment in wildfire prevention.
“My district includes Sisters, which was threatened by the Flat Fire this summer. That was a stark reminder that every season puts Central Oregon communities at risk,” said Sen. Broadman. “The state Legislature made important progress in 2025 to fund prevention and management, but there’s more work to do. We need consistent, long-term support from our federal partners to match the sheer scale of the challenge ahead.”
Ben Gordon, Executive Director of Central Oregon LandWatch, emphasized the importance of partnership and sustained federal support.
“We’re working hand in hand with federal, state, and local partners to reduce wildfire risk and protect Central Oregon’s natural spaces,” said Gordon. “But recent federal cuts and agency layoffs are making that critical work much harder. We stand with Oregon’s congressional delegation and in-state partners in urging the federal government to reverse course and fulfill its responsibility to invest in prevention before it’s too late.”
Bob Madden, Former Operations Chief, Bend Fire & Rescue, spoke to the increased danger of fire in recent years.
“Over my many years in this profession, I’ve seen fire behavior become more extreme due the hotter temperatures and drier fuels that climate change is contributing to,” said Madden. “What this leads to, especially in our forests west of the Cascades, are frequent and larger west side fires that are difficult to contain, due to the heavy timber fuels and steep terrain. On top of that, toxic smoke from a fire in a specific area can impact the entire Northwest.”
Speakers emphasized that Oregon cannot confront climate change and escalating wildfire threats on its own. They urged federal leaders to restore funding and defend climate protections so communities like Bend, Redmond, and Sisters have the tools they need to prevent future disasters and protect families before the next fire season begins.
Video of the event will be available here on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@centraloregonlandwatch8405
Garrett Hottle
PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The Federal Aviation Administration is set to cut flight volume at 40 U.S. airports. Palm Springs International Airport is not one of those airports; however, it does have flights to some of the destinations on the list.
The cuts are the result of the ongoing federal government shutdown, which has led to staffing issues among air-traffic controllers. The controllers are considered essential workers who are instructed to continue working despite the closure, and not receiving paychecks.
Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy said the cuts are set to start Friday if the shutdown continues.
“I anticipate there will be additional disruptions,” Duffy said during a Washington, D.C., news conference Wednesday afternoon. “There will be frustration. We are working with the airlines. They’re going to work with passengers. But in the end, our sole role is to make sure that we keep this airspace as safe as possible.”
PSP spokesperson Jake Ingrassia wrote in a statement that travelers are encouraged to contact their airline directly for the most up-to-date flight information.
You can also check for updates on PSP’s Flight Status page.
Check Out: Here’s what to do if your flight is canceled or delayed
According to the air-travel tracking website FlightAware, 19 flights originating at LAX have already been canceled on Friday, along with 17 incoming flights, as of early Thursday afternoon. By comparison, only four outbound and four inbound flight cancellations were reported at LAX on Thursday.
At Ontario, two outbound and two incoming flights on Friday had already been canceled by Thursday afternoon, compared to none on Thursday.
In San Diego, seven inbound Friday flights had already been canceled as of Thursday, along with nine inbound flights. That compared to only one each on Thursday.
News Channel 3’s Garrett Hottle will have more on the issue. Watch his report starting at 4 p.m.
List of Airports’ flight capacity reduction:
1 ANC Anchorage International
2 ATL Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
3 BOS Boston Logan International
4 BWI Baltimore/Washington International
5 CLT Charlotte Douglas International
6 CVG Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International
7 DAL Dallas Love
8 DCA Ronald Reagan Washington National
9 DEN Denver International
10 DFW Dallas/Fort Worth International
11 DTW Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County
12 EWR Newark Liberty International
13 FLL Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International
14 HNL Honolulu International
15 HOU Houston Hobby
16 IAD Washington Dulles International
17 IAH George Bush Houston Intercontinental
18 IND Indianapolis International
19 JFK New York John F Kennedy International
20 LAS Las Vegas McCarran International
21 LAX Los Angeles International
22 LGA New York LaGuardia
23 MCO Orlando International
24 MDW Chicago Midway
25 MEM Memphis International
26 MIA Miami International
27 MSP Minneapolis/St Paul International
28 OAK Oakland International
29 ONT Ontario International
30 ORD Chicago O`Hare International
31 PDX Portland International
32 PHL Philadelphia International
33 PHX Phoenix Sky Harbor International
34 SAN San Diego International
35 SDF Louisville International
36 SEA Seattle/Tacoma International
37 SFO San Francisco International
38 SLC Salt Lake City International
39 TEB Teterboro
40 TPA Tampa International
Dave Alley
SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – A much-anticipated new Chick-fil-A restaurant on North Broadway in Santa Maria opened Thursday morning.
Beginning at 6:30 a.m., customers were able to be among the first to check out the second Chick-fil-A to open in the city.
“We are super excited to be open up here,” said Owner/Operator Joey Hickox. “It’s a great location.”
Located just off Highway 101 at the busy intersection of North Broadway and North Preisker Lane, there has been concerns about the potential impact the new restaurant may have on traffic in the area.
“It’s certainly one of our most impacted intersections in the city,” said Brett Fulgoni, Santa Maria Public Works Director. “This is a pinch point for us in Santa Maria. A lot of the entire north area of town comes through here, so we look for every way we can to try to improve this intersection.”
Since the restaurant was approved by the city last year, several stakeholders have been developing a plan to help lessen potential traffic impacts.
“We’ve worked very closely with the City of Santa Maria, Santa Maria Police Department, with our neighbors here at Wendy’s and the Hampton Inn,” said Hickox. “We eally think we have the best plan possible to help mitigate any kind of traffic issues. We understand it’s going to be a challenge and this is day one, but we think we’ve got a good plan.”
In the months leading up to the opening of the restaurant, road work has taken place on North Broadway and North Preisker Lane to improve the flow of traffic.
“The developer and Chick-Fil-A have worked with the city, and we’ve also worked with Caltrans to add a right hand turn lane for drivers who are exiting Highway 101 on Broadway southbound,” said Fulgoni. “There’s a new extended right hand turn lane, along with the green light for those right hand turns.”
In addition, Fulgoni explained additional changes are also coming to Preisker Lane at the Broadway stoplight.
“Right now, you’ve got a dedicated left lane and a left, through and right,” said Fulgoni. “So there’s there’s overall three lanes of traffic on the roadway. We’ll be re striping this next week and there’s going to be four lanes, on the road, so there’ll be two dedicated left lanes and then a dedicated through and right. We’re also going to end up adding a bike lane off the road on the west side of the roadway.”
Fulgoni estimated striping on the roadway is expected to be finished next week, but could be impacted by the weather.
“We do have some weather coming next week,” said Fulgoni. “It’s all weather dependent, so fingers crossed we can get it in, if not as soon as possible, within the next week or two.”
Looking ahead, Fulgoni also mentioned the nearby Highway 101/Broadway interchange is also slated for a major upgrade.
“There is a new interchange planned at Highway 101 and 135 (Broadway) and there will be some further improvements made to this intersection as a result of that interchange improvement,” said Fulgoni. “This area is the top major infrastructure priority for the city. The 101/135 (Broadway) project is something that we’re working with Caltrans, SB CAG, we’re dedicating Measure A funding and we’re dedicating developer impact fee dollars to it. We’re going to be ready for construction in about 2030.”
While there have been road improvements made, with several more still to come, Hickox also explained other methods have been developed to help boost mobility through the property.
“It’s going to be a little interesting at first,” said Hickox. “I just hope and pray that our customers are patient with us and our neighbors are patient with us as we as we navigate this. This parking lot is a little bit different (from Hickox’ other Chick-fil-A on Betteravia Road). We’ve got signs all over the place and we actually have lots of team members that are going to be working outside that will help direct traffic and direct people around.”
Hickox is hopeful the new restaurant will experience similar customer numbers compared to his other Chick-fil-A at the Enos Ranch Shopping Center.
That restaurant opened in 2018 and averages about 2,000 daily, something Hickox is hopeful at Highway 101/Broadway location.
“It’d be nice if we could get that up here,” said Hickox. “We’re anticipating it to be busy, but we’ll see.
The new Chick-fil-A will be open Monday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., and will offer customers service through dine-in, drive-thru, carry-out, catering and its Mobile Thru app. options.
The drive-thru will remain open until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday evenings.
“We’re very excited to be here,” said Hickox. “Santa Maria, you’ve been so warm and welcoming to us for the last seven and a half years. We’re just super excited to bring it to the north side of town now and look forward to serving you here!”
News-Press NOW
By: Darren Doyle
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — Despite new coaching staffs for both basketball programs, Missouri Western State University’s Athletics continued its annual tradition of Play Unified Day.
Play Unified Day was co-hosted by Special Olympics Missouri, which brought together athletes from diverse backgrounds at MWSU Fieldhouse in the Looney Complex for a night of basketball drills, games, and fun. The night concluded with pizza, and every camper received a commemorative t-shirt.
The idea to continue this positive impact on the community was straightforward, according to Ryan Menley, senior associate athletic director of external relations for MoWest Athletics.
“(Play Unified) has been one of the things that a lot of our student athletes look forward to, and a lot of our Special Olympians do too,” Menley said. “Obviously, a staff regime change. But I think that’s what’s really cool, is something that Coach Hood started back in 2021 continues to this day with a bunch of new coaches, because they recognize the importance and the fun of it too”.
Familiar faces in Tom Smith court are rare; however, returning Senior Meredith Rieker was able to communicate to her new teammates and coaches how much Play Unified means to the community.
“(This is) so much bigger than basketball. I mean, this is what we do, and we came to college for this, but outside of the court, and like we come to play, but there’s so much more to who we are as people,” Rieker shared. “Who we are as a team, who our coaches are. This is why we’re here for basketball, but it goes so far beyond that.”
Learning about this tradition was crucial for Brooks McKowen, who is entering his first year as head coach of the Griffons Men’s Basketball team.
McKowen was happy to get to know his team better in this unique environment as they welcomed individuals from the community.
“I think that’s one of the coolest parts about this, too, is our men’s team and women’s team are doing it together, and they’re performing it together. So I get to know some of the women’s players better than I did before, and our guys will get to know them,” McKowen said. “It’s just a collaboration of everybody here at Missouri Western Athletics and Special Olympics coming together to make a great event.”
For more information on MoWest Athletics, click here.
News Team
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Next weekend, Reed’s Dairy is inviting the Idaho Falls community to celebrate a momentous occasion: the grand reopening of their newly rebuilt production and pasteurizing facility. This celebration marks a significant comeback following the devastating fire nearly two years ago that reduced the structure, built from the family’s original milk barn, to a charred husk of its former self.
In the difficult months since the fire, the Reed family demonstrated incredible resilience. They continued serving customers by outsourcing the processing of dairy products while spearheading the construction of their state-of-the-art replacement facility.
The reopening will be marked with a special two-day celebration:
Ceremonial Ribbon-Cutting: Friday, November 14th, starting at 2:00 PM.
Public Tours: Friday (3 PM – 6 PM) and Saturday, November 15th (9 AM – 12 PM).
“We are thrilled to reopen our doors and share our story with the community,” said Alan Reed, President of Reed’s Dairy. “Recovering from the fire was a challenging journey, and this celebration is truly a community celebration and honors the hard work, dedication, and support of our team and neighbors who made it possible.”
The ceremonial ribbon-cutting is an open invitation to the public. Community members are strongly encouraged to bring their own scissors to join in cutting the ribbon and literally share in the celebration of this milestone.
To guarantee a spot and ensure you don’t miss out on this behind-the-scenes experience, click HERE.
