Dream on hold, but not broken: Rodeo star fights back after near-fatal fall

KIFI on November 21, 2025

Ariel Jensen

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — A local barrel racing star has been hospitalized after being thrown from her horse at a charity event in South Jordan, Utah. 

Anita Ellis was training a colt when she was thrown off and landed headfirst onto concrete. She was sent to the Intermountain Medical Clinic, where she was unconscious and unresponsive for three days.

Two days ago, on November 18th, she was released from the ICU. Her husband, Brandon Eliss, says Anita qualified for the National Finals Rodeo(NFR) for the first time this year. 

“Trauma, fighting through setbacks, she is a fighter, said Brandon Ellis, “She has had this dream of the NFR her whole life. She is a fighter, and if God willing, if there are miracles, she’ll be on the horse. But if that doesn’t happen this year, I know she’ll fight for it and be back next year.”

When Anita is able to talk again, they look forward to telling her story of survival.

The family has set up a GoFundMe page to help with Anita’s road to recovery. As of November 20, the fundraiser has gathered over $4,000 in donations. For more information, click HERE.

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Mexican authorities in Juárez continue finding migrants in stash houses

KVIA on November 21, 2025

Heriberto Perez Lara

JUÁREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) — The Juárez Municipal Police Department (SSPM) and the Chihuahua State Police Department (SSPE) have reported multiple rescues of migrants found confined in stash houses, with alleged smugglers arrested in recent weeks.

SSPE Chihuahua arrested three alleged smugglers and rescued 17 migrants from a stash house on Tuesday, and SSPM Juárez arrested four alleged smugglers and rescued six migrants on the same day.

“We receive information about houses being used to hold migrants captive, and thanks to this, in most cases, we have managed to free people who were being held against their will,” said SSPM Juárez spokesman, Adrián Sánchez.

According to Sánchez, anonymous tips and 911 calls from Juárez residents are how they’ve located these stash houses.

SSPM Juárez reports a significant drop in migrants arriving at the border since the start of the Trump administration in January of this year, but they have still rescued over 100 migrants held in stash houses so far this year.

“Once they reach the border, that is when they are being held in stash houses, supposedly waiting to be crossed. That’s when the situation changes — instead of crossing them, they start demanding money from the relatives of these people, not to cross them but to set them free,” Sánchez added.

Both SSPM Juárez and SSPE Chihuahua have also found children, family members of the alleged smugglers, cash, drugs, and even firearms at these stash houses.

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Bend woman pulled over, arrested on Highway 26, accused of trafficking drugs from Portland to Central Oregon

KTVZ on November 21, 2025

Barney Lerten

MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — A Bend woman was pulled over on U.S. Highway 26 near Madras and arrested Wednesday night after a K-9’s alert and a search of her vehicle turned up fentanyl, methamphetamine and cocaine, drug agents said.

The Central Oregon Drug Enforcement Team had determined during a short-term investigation that Sunshine Wright, 48, was trafficking drugs from the Portland area into Central Oregon, Lt. Mike Landolt said.

A Jefferson County sheriff’s deputy stopped Wright’s SUV, a blue 2005 Ford Focus, around 10 p.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Highway 26 and Cherry Lane, due to multiple speeding violations “and the reasonable suspicion that drugs were being transported in the vehicle,” Landolt said in a news release Thursday.

Officers deployed drug-detection K-9 Keira, who alerted to the odor of illegal drugs in the car, Landolt said.

CODE Team detectives were granted a search warrant for the vehicle, where detectives found about 80 grams of fentanyl, 80 grams of methamphetamine and more than 10 grams of cocaine in the area of the front seats, Landolt said. They also found other items “consistent with the distribution of illegal narcotics,” he added.

Wright was arrested n drug possession and delivery charges and booked into the Jefferson County Jail.

Court records show she was arraigned Thursday afternoon on four felony drug delivery and possession charges. Judge Wade Whiting set bail at $100,000 pending her return to court Nov. 28 for arraignment on an expected formal grand jury indictment.

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New stop signs installed in Thermal area to improve traffic safety

KESQ on November 21, 2025

City News Service

THERMAL, Calif. (KESQ) – Stop signs were installed on Airport Boulevard in the Thermal area to improve traffic safety near Coachella Valley High School, it was announced today.

Although there were already stop signs at the intersection on both sides of Calhoun Street, new ones were installed because “Traffic didn’t stop on Airport Boulevard,” especially with the road used for school drop off and pick up, officials said.

The Riverside County Transportation Department installed them last month, making the intersection a four-way stop.   

Albert Keck II, president of Hadley Date Farms, pushed for the project and worked with the county’s transportation department and Fourth District Riverside County Board of Supervisors Manuel Perez.

“I am very grateful and delighted that the county put the stop signs in. This is a busy intersection and, twice a day, it makes it very tenuous to et across the intersection. Something needed to be done about it and I am grateful for Supervisor Perez for staying on it and not letting it go,” Keck said.   

Coachella Valley Unified School District Superintendent Frances Esparza said, “We are deeply grateful for this important safety enhancement for our students, families and staff.”  

“This is a major safety improvement for students and parents, as well as a safety and logistical improvement for the region’s agricultural industry,” Perez said.

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Potential 2 high-school model changes MSHSAA Classification landscape for SJSD

News-Press NOW on November 21, 2025

News-Press NOW

By Chris Roush News Director

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — While Central High School is already in the highest Missouri State High School Activities Association classification for most sports, the move to a two high-school model will drastically change Benton’s classification.

If the St. Joseph School District’s Board of Education moves forward to vote and approve Plan 4BR—Benton and Central—on Monday, the sports and activities classifications will be significantly different.

District officials estimate that Central will house 1,914 students and Benton will have 1,070 students in the Plan 4BR plan. 

It’s very early in the enrollment process, but by taking 75% of each projected high school population, a rough estimate can be provided for 9th-11th-grade enrollment. 

For Benton, the rough estimate is 803 students in 9th-11th grades. As for Central, the projected 9th-11th enrollment is 1,436.

When it comes to Benton, here are the projected classifications for each sport using 2025-2026 fall enrollment breaks and 2024-2025 spring and winter breaks from MSHSAA:

Benton:

Football- Large Class 4

Cross Country- Mid-sized Class 4

Girls Golf- Mid-sized Class 3

Boys Soccer- Mid-sized Class 3

Softball- Large Class 4

Girls Tennis- Large Class 1

Volleyball- Large Class 4

Basketball- Mid-sized Class 5

Boys Wrestling- Mid-sized Class 3

Girls Wrestling- Large Class 1

Baseball- Mid-sized Class 5

Boys Golf- Mid-sized Class 4

Girls Soccer- Small Class 3

Boys Tennis- Small Class 2

Track and Field- Large Class 4

Boys Volleyball- Class 1

Music Activities- Large Class 4

Scholar Bowl- Large Class 5

Speech & Debate- Large Class 1

Theatre- Large Class 1

At Central, the Indians are already in the majority of the largest classes across high school sports and activities. With this projection of 1,436 students in 9th-11th grade, Central will definitely be one of the largest schools in each class.

Central:

Football- Large Class 6

Cross Country- Large Class 5

Girls Golf- Large Class 4

Boys Soccer- Large Class 4

Softball- Large Class 5

Swimming- Mid-Sized Class 2

Girls Tennis- Large Class 3

Volleyball- Large Class 5

Basketball- Large Class 6

Boys Wrestling- Large Class 4

Girls Wrestling- Large Class 2

Baseball- Large Class 6

Boys Golf- Large Class 5

Girls Soccer- Large Class 4

Boys Tennis- Large Class 3

Track and Field- Large Class 5

Boys Volleyball- Large Class 1

Music Activities- Large Class 5

Scholar Bowl- Large Class 6

Speech and Debate- Large Class 2

Theatre- Large Class 1

The SJSD School Board is scheduled to vote on Monday, Nov. 24, during its regular board meeting at 5:30 p.m.

At Wednesday night’s meeting, four board members said they plan to vote for Plan 4BR. Those members include Ronda Chesney, Jennifer Kerns, Kim Miller and Tom Richmond.

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Local canal run club will host a giving run donation for food and clothes

KYMA on November 21, 2025

Eduardo Morales

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Canal Run Club Yuma is hosting a giving run on Saturday morning at the Ocean to Ocean Bridge.

They will be accepting donations for clothes, shoes, hygiene products, and blankets to give to the Crossroads Mission.

The club will also be asking for non-perishable food items to donate to the Yuma Community Food Bank.

“It’s just good for the community and inspires other people to do the same,” said Run Club member Nathan Roldan.

Yzabel Salazar, another club member, shares why they are collecting donations.

“A lot of people or individuals, families, you know, it’s a time of struggle and loneliness, and we think it’s good to be able to give back and make them feel seen, valued, and heard as well,” Salazar says.

Roldan agrees, saying he just wants to help out those who need it during this holiday season.

“I think it’s more important because there are a lot of people who can’t afford food, and also clothing, too. So I think it’s just good for us to donate and give back to them,” said Roldan.

The donations will be taken on Saturday at 6:30 a.m., before the run starts and right after it ends.

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Andrew County community members show support among food scarcity issues 

News-Press NOW on November 21, 2025

News-Press NOW

By: Darren Doyle

ANDREW COUNTY, Mo. (KQTV) — With food scarcity on the rise for low-income families amid the effects of the Government shutdown, community pride is beaming as groups in the Andrew County area provide support for their citizens. 

A small building on the outskirts of Savannah serves as a home for a place that receives help from multiple area churches and is often a lifeline for those in need in the Andrew County Community. When the Government began its last shutdown, Pantry Director Earlene Deaton said their services saw 15 new clients sign up in October.

Deaton shared, the increase is a 200% jump from the usual month-to-month sign-ups. Currently, their ministries assist around 162 families, which can equal 454 individuals. 

Deaton said needs, such as certain meats, peanut butter and other items, are important now more than ever. Along with food, the ministries also provide clothes and other household items to Andrew County residents who qualify. 

“(Many don’t know Andrew County has a food pantry), maybe that’s the flip side of the bad in this snap situation and the government shut down, people have become more aware of our situation,” said Deaton. “We have gotten quite a few more donations than from people we have never heard of before, and there are some very, very generous people in the community.” 

One act of kindness came from a Savannah business, the Bunker Club. According to Andrew County Ministries, the popular golf bar and club spot on the square became a drop-off point for donations.

Deaton said Kodi Moore, a Bunker Club co-owner, dropped off around 330 pounds of food at the Ministerie’s pantry Thursday.

“The community that we do live in, which is a very giving community, has been very obvious the last few months,” Deaton shared. “We wouldn’t have enough to give out if we didn’t have those people and those churches. “

For Moore, a longtime Savannah resident, the Bunker Club is about giving back to the community that’s already given so much to them.

“That’s always been the drive of the Bunker Club, or the vision. Born and raised in Savannah, that was always kind of our hope to give back to our community,” Moore said. “(It’s) always been our dream as our wish for our legacy, to leave it better than the way we found it, and just in little ways like this, is just to leave our mark.”

The Andrew County Ministries Food Pantry is open from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Mondays, 10:00 a.m. to noon and 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Tuesdays, 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Wednesdays, and 10:00 a.m. to noon on Fridays. 

The pantry can be found at 14375 County Road 367 in Savannah, Missouri, and can be reached at 816-432-8245 for donation opportunities or assistance. 

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“Jagged Little Pill” Tackles Tough Topics Through Music and Theatre

KEYT on November 20, 2025

Alissa Orozco

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The cast of Jagged Little Pill is ready to take the stage for a second weekend of performances inspired by Alanis Morissette’s award-winning album.

For it’s 15th anniversary season, Out of the Box Theatre Company is putting on a production of Jagged Little Pill, “an original story about pain, healing, and empowerment.” Centered around normal-looking All-American family who struggles with communication – the musical teaches audiences about perseverance, and the love that keeps families together.

Director Samantha Eve and cast member Will Muse previewed the show on Your Morning News ahead of this weekend’s performances.

For the first time in the Santa Barbara area, Jagged Little Pill was brought to life at Center Stage Theater at Paseo Nuevo.

“The cast has about 18 people, I believe, which is a pretty big cast. It’s a lot of different talented people to work with,” said Muse. “It honestly feels like even more than that because we have so many other people even off the stage helping us out like our choreographer, our intimacy coordinator, our ASL interpreter, so it’s been a lot of different people involved in putting this whole thing together. And it’s been a really amazing time so far.” 

Jagged Little Pill was Alanis Morissette’s third studio album, but the first to be released worldwide. The album confronts truth about addiction, identity, trauma, and pain – topics many unfortunately relate to.

“I found Alanis Morissette probably at about 14, which I think is a really good time for an angsty teenage girl to find Alanis Morissette. Nobody gets that music like a middle schooler,” said Eve.

You can purchase your ticket to Jagged Little Pill here, with performances happening all weekend starting at 8:00pm.

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PBS series inspires St. Joseph Daughters of American Revolution to highlight ancestors

News-Press NOW on November 20, 2025

Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A local nonprofit will be sharing the stories of its Revolutionary War ancestors in tandem with a new PBS documentary series on the American Revolution.

The history of the Revolutionary War will be on full display as part of a 6-part, 12-hour documentary series on PBS directed by Ken Burns, Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt, titled “The American Revolution.”

The series tells the story of the thirteen American colonies uniting in rebellion to win an eight-year war to secure their independence, following dozens of Revolutionary War era figures from a wide variety of backgrounds along the way.

DAR members of the St. Joseph Chapter descend from Revolutionary War Patriots like those highlighted in the documentary. To be a member of DAR, a person must be able to trace their lineage back to a man or woman who contributed to securing American independence.

In celebration of the series, local DAR members are sharing stories of their Revolutionary War ancestors at monthly chapter meetings moving forward. Members hope the documentary will inspire those in St. Joseph and surrounding communities to find their own personal connection to a patriot of the American Revolution.

The series is set to conclude Friday, Nov. 21, however, all episodes are now available to stream for free on PBS.

Founded in 1890, The Daughters of the American Revolution remains one of the largest and well-established patriotic women’s service organizations in the country, with more than 190,000 members in nearly 3,000 chapters, including 100-plus members in St. Joseph.

Local DAR members promote historic preservation, education and patriotism via commemorative events, while also offering scholarships, educational initiatives, and service to veterans, among other community service-based efforts.

To learn more about uncovering a genealogical connection to a Revolutionary War Patriot, reach out to the St. Joseph DAR Chapter by email at cadgynger@gmail.com.

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Workers at Columbia Starbucks location join nationwide strike

KMIZ on November 20, 2025

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Workers at a Columbia Starbucks location on Thursday joined a nationwide strike.

Around 11 employees were seen outside the location on Vandiver Drive on Thursday morning chanting and holding signs.

A press release from Starbucks Workers United – the union that represents the employees — says around 2,000 union baristas around the country went on strike after the two sides did not come to an agreement on a contract.

SBWU named the strike the “Red Cup Rebellion.” Demands from the union include “better staffing, higher pay, and resolution of hundreds of unfair labor practice charges,” according to the release. The company refuted the claims in a Thursday evening press release, stating “When the union is ready to return to the bargaining table, we’re ready to talk.”

The Vandiver Drive store is one of two union locations in Columbia, with the other being near the intersection at Nifong Boulevard and Buttonwood Drive. The Vandiver location joined the union in September, while the Nifong location became Columbia’s first unionized store in July.

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