Columbia’s Office of Violence Prevention looks to offer bus liaison contract to nonprofit

KMIZ on November 20, 2025

Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia’s leader of the Office of Violence Prevention D’Markus Thomas-Brown is hoping to offer a contract aimed at deescalating situations on public transit in the city to a nonprofit organization.

According to Thomas-Brown, his office plans to award the $99,840 contract to Powerhouse Community Development. The office was considering two liaisons for public transit in the city, after receiving reports of fights, threats and drunk passengers on city buses.

Thomas-Brown said his office had been having discussions about the issue since May.

The liaisons are trained in deescalation and would work toward offering peer support, life coaching and have an understanding of the services individuals can go to if they’re in need of help. Thomas-Brown said he sees the liaisons helping those who are riding the bus to help keep them safe, as well as bus drivers.

“Also being an intermediary for the bus driver so that the bus driver can focus on driving,” Thomas-Brown said. “They didn’t sign up to be the driver and a social worker or a driver in a deescalation element or helping people transition to services.”

Thomas-Brown said his office did not want to hire within its own office, but rather partner with a community based organization that had the ability to hire and offer the appropriate services. He hopes that organization can be Powerhouse.

“They had the training that was requested, the HEAT (Habilitation, Empowerment, Accountability and Therapy) training, certified peer specialist deescalation training, trauma-informed and mental health specialized training, being able to walk into a situation that’s not going to escalate but actually meet the person where they’re at when it comes to transit,” Thomas-Brown said.

The liaisons will be on six routes, according to Thomas-Brown.

Devon Harmon — a Columbia resident who rides the bus frequently to and from work — said he’s witnessed arguing and commotion on buses. He thinks the liaisons could be a positive thing, if they work toward engaging with passengers.

“I think it would be beneficial if it was more interaction, like people having conversations about things…there’s nothing wrong with talking to somebody that you’ve never met before.”

The Columbia City Council still has to approve the funding. The council will have their first read of the item during its Dec. 1 meeting, according to Thomas-Brown.

Office of Violence Prevention requests $1.8 million from DOJ

Thomas-Brown’s office is asking the Department of Justice for $1.8 million to help build out some of its collaborative efforts.

Thomas-Brown said he applied for the grant earlier this month, though it isn’t clear when the city will know if it’s been awarded the money. The office is looking to hire three new people with the funding, if approved, according to Thomas-Brown.

Those hires would include a community violence coordinator, as well as two community outreach supervisors. Thomas-Brown said the move would also include sending those hired to conferences to further their learning and engagement into community violence intervention initiatives.

The community violence coordinator would be tasked with being a collaborative partner with community-based organizations. Thomas-Brown said they would work toward filling gaps and also work closely with NOCAP groups in the community.

“That person will also help be an extension to community-based organizations, or those who want to start programs that are really in that space of where there are gaps for programming and lend the support of the Office of Violence Prevention,” Thomas-Brown said.

The two community outreach supervisors’ duties would include building street outreach and responses and help community-based organizations that don’t have the time or resources to build a rapid response team. Thomas-Brown said he intends to have one person focused on adults, while the other’s focus would shift toward youth in the community.

The two would also work toward building partnership with the city’s Project Management Office, which helps with data collection.

“We also have funding to partner with a liaison for the police department. We want an individual who’s able to be that intermediary between the Office of Violence Prevention and the police department, especially when we’re talking about focused deterrence,” Thomas-Brown said. “The desire in my eyes is, and it’ll be worked out with (Police Chief Jill Schlude) is that they could be housed in the police department as a delegated liaison to some of the community initiatives we’re doing.”

Thomas-Brown said in accepting the position, it was always his vision to expand the office. He says a one-person office is unsustainable and a “dying” office that isn’t able to implement everything that’s needed.

“So, that will give me the ability to be more out front, hand holding with different establishments and looking at the place of where we can give further funding into our CBOS and things like that to be able to actually look at strategy and vision and moving us forward in the intervention prevention space,” Thomas-Brown said.

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Beaumont Unified School District gets grant of nearly $350,000 for emergency radio system

KESQ on November 20, 2025

KESQ News Team

BEAUMONT, Calif. (KESQ) – Beaumont USD is nearly finished rolling out its new emergency radio operations system after being awarded a $348,464 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice in 2024. 

California has declared 70 disasters in just the last five years according to USAFacts.org, with the City of Beaumont having experienced its own share of emergencies. The new communications system connects all District campuses ranging from Calimesa, Banning, and Beaumont in the event of a crisis, such as a major earthquake. 

“In the event of an emergency, cellphones can become overloaded, sometimes making it impossible to place a call. Our emergency radios allow us to immediately communicate with school sites without needing to rely on cell towers. It’s also faster. Click a button and we’re immediately talking to every school,” explains Serenity Junge, Beaumont USD Risk and Safety Director who submitted the grant. 

Beaumont USD Risk and Safety Technician Albert Nolasco was instrumental in doing a lot of the leg-work for the radio system once the grant was awarded. “This project took months of work and still continues. We worked with Motorola to conduct heat studies, installed radio repeaters on rooftops, distributed radios, and conducted the first Districtwide test of the radios during the 2025 Great California Shakeout.” The Great California Shakeout is an annual, statewide drill involving millions of participants in preparation for an earthquake. 

Each school has a minimum of three Motorola XPR 3500 radios, with enhanced safety features including 28-hours of battery life, instant push-to-talk communications, and the ability to remotely activate a radio if an employee is unresponsive.  

In addition to the emergency radio system, the District maintains around 700 emergency supply containers, which includes high-calorie meal replacement bars, clean-drinking water pouches, mylar thermal blankets, battery-free flashlights, first-aid pouches, and C-A-T® tourniquets. 

“When kids are in our care, we put enormous thought into their safety. I encourage every household to also make a plan and build an emergency kit,” explains Junge. Only 25% of households in the Inland Empire say they’re prepared for a natural disaster according to a report by the Public Policy Institute of California. 

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Old Spanish Days Announces Leadership for Fiesta 2026

KEYT on November 20, 2025

Alissa Orozco

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Leadership for Fiesta 2026 has been solidified for yet another year of celebrating Santa Barbara’s community, heritage, and history.

As announced today by Old Spanish Days, festivities will be spearheaded by El Presidente 2026 Colin Hayward – an active member of the board since 2018 who officially received the board chairman’s gavel at Fiesta’s Annual Meeting back in October.

Hayward has over 10 years of involvement in Fiesta’s El Desfile Histórico, as both a parade marshal and a member of the Parade Committee. He also served as Chair for the Safety & Security and Parade Marshals committees in 2021, and been a member of the committees for Fiesta Pequeña and Horseman’s Rendezvous.

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“I feel a deep sense of anticipation and hope as we look to the year ahead. It is a time filled with fresh possibilities for growth, creativity, and meaningful connections. With the dedication of our Board of Directors, the support of our volunteers, the passion of the dance community, and the generosity of our sponsors and neighbors, we will come together to celebrate our heritage while lighting the way toward an inspiring future,” reads a statement from Hayward.

Other members of leadership will include: Tony Miller as El Primer Vicepresidente, Casie Kilgore as La Segunda Vicepresidenta, Christopher Gusman will served as El Secretario, David Bolton as El Tesorero, and Division Chiefs: Elva Cosio (Celebrations), Missy Robledo Pulido (Dance and Entertainment), David Bolton (External Relations and History), Sean Malis (Mercados), and Sarah Brewer (Pageantry).

“I extend my heartfelt congratulations to our El Presidente 2026 Colin Hayward, and to the newly elected Board of Directors. I look forward to supporting them in every way I can as I continue to serve on the board as a Past President Director,” reads a statement from El Presidente 2025 Fritz Olenberger.

Fiesta 2026 is scheduled to take place from August 5th – 9th, 2026.

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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Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office seeks community donations for 25th annual ‘Shop with a Cop’ program

KTVZ on November 20, 2025

KTVZ

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office is asking the community to help reach its $50,000 fundraising goal for the 25th Annual Shop with a Cop program. With just a few weeks to go before the event, $18,000 has been raised so far — and community support is critical to making this year’s program a success.

Shop with a Cop is a long-standing tradition that pairs local law enforcement officers with children in need of a special holiday shopping experience. Kids are nominated through local schools and community organizations, and together with law enforcement, they shop for warm clothing, school supplies, basic necessities, and a few holiday gifts. The program is entirely funded by donations—no tax dollars are used.

“This program is about meeting real needs and showing families that their community cares,” said Jason Carr, Public Information Officer for the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office. “We’re asking individuals, businesses, and organizations to help us reach our $50,000 goal so we can serve as many children as possible this holiday season.”

Recent contributions include $2,000 from the Elks BPOE RV’ers Club and $1,500 from the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office Posse, both of whom recently visited the Sheriff’s Office to present their donations in person. Shopping will take place on December 2nd at the Redmond Walmart, and on December 3rd and 4th at the Bend Walmart. 

Want to make a difference? Here’s how you can donate:

Online: https://sheriff.deschutes.org/community/programs/shop-with-a-cop/

By Check: Payable to: Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office – Shop with a CopMail to: 63333 Hwy 20, Bend, OR 97703

In Person: Drop off your donation at the Sheriff’s Office on Hwy 20. Please label it “Shop with a Cop.”

Donations Accepted Year-Round:

Although Shop with a Cop occurs in December, donations are welcome throughout the year. Every dollar helps provide essentials and holiday joy to children and families in Deschutes County. The Sheriff’s Office would greatly appreciate your help making the 25th Anniversary of Shop with a Cop the most impactful yet. Your support can brighten a child’s holiday and make a lasting difference.

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300 Ballots Untallied: Elmore County orders full hand count

KIFI on November 20, 2025

News Team

ELMORE COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — Elmore County election officials have ordered a countywide hand count of all November election ballots after an audit confirmed that approximately 300 physical ballots were not included in the final election results.

The move comes after a team from the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office confirmed a discrepancy between the number of physical ballots cast and the initial count.

Idaho Secretary of State Phil McGrane announced the issue on Monday, November 17, stating that the county clerk’s office had informed his team of the approximately 300 uncounted ballots.

On Tuesday morning, officials from the Secretary of State’s Office conducted an audit confirming the error.

Elmore County Clerk Shelley Essl acknowledged the lapse and immediately ordered a full countywide hand count. The count is scheduled to begin on Monday morning, November 24.

“This should never have happened,” said Elmore County Clerk Shelley Essl. “I am committed to ensuring that all votes are counted. I appreciate the Secretary of State’s office working with us throughout this difficult situation.”

Clerk Essl has requested that the hand count be conducted by the Idaho Secretary of State’s Office to ensure a complete and independent review.

To ensure transparency and integrity, officials from the Elmore County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office and the Idaho Attorney General’s Office will be present to observe the entire process. In addition, the ballots will remain in the custody of the Sheriff’s Office throughout the duration of the count.

“Our primary concern is to ensure that the will of the voters is reflected in the final results and that Idahoans can be confident every vote counts,” Secretary McGrane added. “Voters deserve clear, accurate results, and we’re taking immediate action to make sure that happens. There is no evidence of foul play, and the discrepancy appears to be the result of a procedural error. Once the count is complete, we will continue our investigation to determine the root cause and implement safeguards to prevent this from happening in the future.”

The new count of ballots will take place on Monday, November 24, beginning at 8:30 am at the Elk’s Lodge, 325 S. 3rd W. St., Mountain Home, Idaho.

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Moniteau County man charged with first-degree child molestation

KMIZ on November 20, 2025

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man from California, Missouri, was charged in two separate cases on Wednesday.

Addison Dunafon was charged with first-degree child molestation in one case and tampering with a victim in a felony prosecution in another.

A no-bond warrant was issued in the child molestation case. He was also charged earlier this year in Moniteau County with tampering with a motor vehicle and he has a hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 16 in that case.

The probable cause statement in the tampering with a victim case says Dunafon called the victim in the car theft case and told them to not show up to court and drop the charges. He allegedly called the victim from the jail and law enforcement reviewed a recording of the phone call.

The child molestation case court document says law enforcement was contacted on Sept. 26 about a sexual assault involving a child that occurred between June through August 2024. The victim told law enforcement details about the alleged assault on Oct. 1.

Dunafon was allegedly asked about the assault on Oct. 3 while he was detained in the jail and he denied the allegations, court documents say.

He was also charged earlier this year with misdemeanor second-degree harassment and misdemeanor resisting arrest.

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Maryville Fire Department looking for volunteers

News-Press NOW on November 20, 2025

News-Press NOW

By: Zac Scott

MARYVILLE, Mo. (KQTV) — The Maryville Fire Department is looking for new members for its volunteer unit.

The department is trying to increase its volunteer roster to 30 firefighters. Volunteers would be given a pager to be called in to assist with fires, along with two trainings each month taking place on the first and third Monday. 

Maryville Fire Chief Jace Pine said he’s looking for enough volunteers for the unit who will be needed in every community.

“You know these 10 people might be at work, doing something they can’t leave work, or might be out of town,” said Chief Pine. “The community truly needs that response. They truly need people to give up their time to serve.”

Pine said any community will accept new volunteer firefighters and won’t turn away help. Anyone interested in joining the unit can visit the Maryville Fire Department’s website.

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Savannah High School Meats Science Team places Top 10 at nationals

News-Press NOW on November 20, 2025

TaMya Bracy

SAVANNAH, Mo. (KQTV) — The Savannah High School Meats Science Team placed fourth in the National Future Farmers of America (FFA) Convention in Indianapolis, Indiana.

This comes after the team won first place at the State FFA Career Development Events (CDE). The team consists of four girls, Mackenzie Schmutzler, Reagan Rodgers, Addison Neiderhouse and Kaylea Farrell.

FFA Advisor and Savannah High School Teacher, Jeff Baumann, said going into the week of nationals, the objective was for the girls to prepare while also enjoying their time.

“We spent almost our…I would say, our entire time, our job was to have fun, enjoy the week, enjoy the…Enjoy the opportunity to represent their state as the as their state meats winning team,” he said. “But this team, they wanted to be as prepared as possible.”

Baumann said the girls woke up in high spirits on competition day.

“They weren’t nervous. They, you know, they were prepared, they were ready to go, and they had a good mindset. So we knew going into it that there was definitely an opportunity to succeed,” he said.

Baumann expressed how he felt about the girl winning nationals.

“I was excited for the girls. I was extremely happy and, you know, just proud to be a part of that, proud to be a part of that event for those girls in their lifetime, something that they will never forget and that I won’t either,” he said.

Rodgers spoke about the team’s overall experience at nationals.

“It was definitely exciting and nerve-wracking all at the same time. We went up a couple of days before and got to work out at the University of Illinois, so that was really helpful,” Rodgers said.

Rodgers said it was even nerve-racking as they headed to the stage for the award ceremony.

“As it went on, it was just like grateful that we had the ability to do what we did. I think that was most of it,” Rodgers said. “I think it’s like just not knowing what to expect and all that to a challenge.”

Schmutzler said the team wasn’t aware they would place top four before going on stage.

“We didn’t know what place we got. Same with individual (awards). We didn’t know what place you got out of those. So we were all so excited. I liked how they did that. So like, we still had anticipation when we got on stage,” Schmutzler said.

Rodgers expressed gratitude for being on the team.

“Just like our team, this year has been so great. Being a freshman, I was really grateful for, like, the level of commitment of my teammates, but I couldn’t think of a better way to start my high school career than with the team,” she said.

Baumann said the girls have done great service for the Savannah FFA chapter.

“They’ve represented our community at a national level, which I think is awesome for them,” said Baumann. “They are super proud to do that…They are again, they are a team that has school pride and school spirit, so they’re happy to do it only for themselves, but for their for their own other FFA students, for their advisors, for their for their name on the back of the jacket.”

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MIAA Volleyball Championships kick off Thursday at Civic Arena with No. 2 Griffons eyeing deep run

News-Press NOW on November 20, 2025

Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Some of the top Division II volleyball teams in the country are set to clash in St. Joseph for the right to be called the MIAA Tournament Champion this week. 

St. Joseph Civic Arena will play host to the 2025 MIAA Volleyball Championships this Thursday with the No. 2-seeded hometown Griffons kicking off the tournament against No. 7 Pittsburg State at noon. 

This marks the fourth consecutive year that St. Joseph will host the MIAA Volleyball Championships at Civic Arena.

No. 2 Missouri Western vs. No. 7 Pittsburg State | Noon, Thursday

The Griffons enter the postseason as the No. 2 seed after finishing the regular season with a 21-6 record. Prior to the tournament they were on 12-game winning streak before falling to Nebraska Kearney in the last game of the regular season.

Missouri Western is led by junior Anna Weberg and Emma Salker. Weberg is ranked third in the conference in digs (5.13 digs per set) while Stalker is ranked fifth in blocks (1.17 blocks per set).

For the Gorillas, this marks their return to the MIAA tournament for the first time since 2022. This past season they finished 13-14 as the No. 7 seed and lead the conference in total blocks (298) with an average of 3.07 blocks per set.

Spearheading their postseason return are seniors Anna Dean and Josie McCroskey. Among the conference stat leaders, Dean ranks first in blocks (1.55 blocks per set) and McCroskey is fourth in digs (5.08 digs per set).

The Griffons have defeated the Gorillas in the last six consecutive meetings. The last time the Gorillas defeated the Griffons was Oct. 14, 2022 in St. Joseph.

No. 3 Washburn vs. No. 6 Central Missouri | 2:30 p.m. Thursday

The Ichabods and Mules face off for just the second time this season, where the Ichabods completed a sweep.

At 24-3, Washburn comes into the tournament riding a 3-game win streak, with 2 of the 3 games coming against other ranked tournament participants in No. 8 Fort Hays and No. 5 University of Central Oklahoma.

Of all participating teams they rank first in nearly every team statistics except opponent blocks (2nd), blocks (4th), opponent service aces (7th) and digs (9th).

On the Mules side, they finished the year at 20-7 while also carrying over a 3-game win streak. They are led by redshirt senior Grace Winkelmann who ranks second in digs per game (5.36).

No. 1 Nebraska-Kearney vs. No. 8 Fort Hays State | 5 p.m. Thursday

The second contest of the day will be a rematch from last years quarterfinals, a match that saw the Lopers sweep the Tigers in three sets.

As the No. 1 seed, the Lopers enter the tournament with the a conference-best record of 26-3 and are riding a two-game win streak.

As a team, Nebraska Kearney is highly ranked in many statistical categories, including hitting percentage (2nd), assists (2nd), opponent assists (5th), kills (2nd), blocks (2nd), opponent service aces (1st), digs (4th), and opponent digs (5th).

Graduate student Peyton Niffs leads all players in the conference in assists (11.39 assists per set).

The Tigers enter with a 16-12 record and are coming off a win in their regular season finale over Northwest Missouri State. Fort Hays ranks second in opponent service aces (0.96).

No. 4 Central Oklahoma vs. No. 5 Emporia State, 7:30 p.m. Thursday

Central Oklahoma comes into the tournament at 26-4 facing off against Emporia State (21-6) in a rematch of last years MIAA quarterfinals, a one sided affair that Central Oklahoma won 3-0.

If Thursday’s rematch unfolds the way their most recent matchup went, fans will be in for a back-and-forth affair. The Bronchos narrowly defeated the Hornets in five sets during the second-to-last game of the regular season Nov. 13.

The Bronchos lead all teams in the conference in digs with an average of 19.86 digs per match. Their team leaders include Kaitlyn Parrott (1st in digs), Kamryn Glover (1st in aces) and Sydney Huck (1st in kills).

For Emporia State senior Boglarka Rady is fifth in digs per game. As a team the Hornets rank third in opponent assists (10.40) and 4th in opponent hitting percentage (0.163).

The St. Joseph Civic Arena is pictured on Wednesday in preparation for the MIAA Volleyball Tournament in Downtown St. Joseph.

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Injury single-vehicle crash slows traffic on Highway 20 near Sisters

KTVZ on November 19, 2025

Barney Lerten

(Update: Adding video)

SISTERS, Ore. (KTVZ) — A single-vehicle injury crash occurred Wednesday afternoon and slowed traffic on U.S. Highway 20 just east of Sisters.

Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies, Sisters-Camp Sherman firefighters and others responded to the crash, which was reported around 2:15 p.m. near milepost 1 on Highway 20.

DCSO Public Information Officer Jason Carr told KTVZ News a westbound van had left the road and struck a tree. Carr confirmed a LifeFlight helicopter landed at the scene around 2:45 p.m.

The Oregon Department of Transportation advised motorists on TripCheck that they should prepare to slow or move over for worker safety.

KTVZ News will have updates as we receive more information.

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