Nichole Gomez
El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV)- El Paso Pro-Musica is presenting a special Holiday Concert, “Mark O’Connor’s ‘An Appalachian Christmas,’ with Maggie O’Connor. The performance will take place Monday, December 15, at 7:30 p.m. at UTEP’s Fox Fine Arts Recital Hall. Tickets are available at eppm.org. Tickets will also be available at the door. All Student Tickets are $5.00.
Carter Ostermiller
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — The St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce said Monday, Dec. 15, is the last day for shoppers to collect tickets for its annual Shop St. Joseph holiday program.
The shopping program began on Nov. 12, and has a grand prize worth $10,000 and a $2,500 Shop Small Business Bonus given to a person who has shopped at a locally-owned small business with less than 10 full-time employees.
Other local shoppers will be given the opportunity to win second-chance prizes from participating merchants.
Participants must be 18 years of age or older to participate with proof of age, social security number, home address and place of employment (if applicable) to claim their prize. Winners are responsible for any applicable taxes.
Purchases are not necessary to receive a ticket. One ticket per day can be earned for visiting any participating merchants and one additional ticket for every 10 dollar increment on a purchase.
A maximum of 100 tickets may be issued per transaction.
“People think about the winner being whoever wins the $10,000. Really, the winner is the local economy. That’s our goal,” said Kristi Bailey, the director of communications and marketing at the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce.
The prize drawing will be announced on KQ2, and winners will have 24 hours to claim their prizes. Only one number will be drawn for secondary prizes.
To learn about participating merchants and other information, visit the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce.
TaMya Bracy
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — Retailers, large and small, have noticed a difference in consumer habits, specifically toward vintage items.
Amy Heath, owner of The Lucky Tiger, a small boutique that sells vintage items, said her holiday sales have been much better than last year.
“People are more interested in buying recycled things, vintage things, that have been things that aren’t being made that are new, and they’re seeing the quality and vintage clothing and accessories and things like that,” Heath said.
Heath also said she’s noticed a difference in customers’ shopping habits.
“Everyone seems to have a little bit more money around the holidays. The sales have kicked up, and people are buying different things,” she said.
Heath said this holiday season, she is not carrying many new items because she didn’t know what to expect this holiday season.
“Usually I’ll have new t-shirts and socks and, you know, gift items that are just traditional Christmas things, and I’ve just cut back on that because it’s a gamble. You never know. And if you don’t sell it, you know, you either up the clearance on it or get rid of it.”
Heath said it’s incredibly important to shop locally.
“I spend money locally. As a business owner, I think it’s really important to have a relationship with your community and then it kind of spreads the word,” she said. “They come back in here, and a lot of local businesses share everyone else’s posts on social media and it’s kind of like a big family in town with local businesses.”
Heath said getting out and visiting small businesses you’ve never been to will help this holiday season.
“When people come and visit our town, they’re not interested in going out to The North Shoppes, maybe to get something that they know that they’re going to get,” she said. “People want to see that our Downtown people want to see our architecture. They want to see the little shops that…that make us, us, the museums and whatnot.”
Heath said Downtown shops have a lot more to offer to shoppers than a computer does.
“I mean, let’s face it, what else are you going to do except for go out and get that holiday feeling shopping,” she said. “Go look at the Christmas lights. There’s a Christmas bar downtown where it’s all decorated up for Christmas.”
Heath said Downtown St. Joseph is growing, and it’s something the community should be positive about.
News-Press NOW
By: Darren Doyle
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — Local entertainer Elisabeth Wykert is kicking off her Holiday Spectacular at Ol’ MacDonalds Farm Saturday.
For anyone who hasn’t seen her TikTok videos or even her last Holiday special at the Missouri Theater, Wykert said fans won’t want to miss Saturday’s show.
“(People coming can expect), everything joy and jolly. Okay, we live in a world that’s just all sad and depression. Statistically, this time of year is the most depressing time of the year, so I’m here to relieve that in whatever way possible,” Wykert shared. “Let go of your worries. It’s dinner and the show. So you don’t even got to cook, you know, bring those people who are visiting. Bring them here. I’ll feed them. I’ll make them laugh.”
Along with Wykert’s comedy and entertainment, she’ll be joined by Kansas City area comedian Andrea Caspari Spears. Attendees may recognize Spears by her involvement with the Bored Teachers comedy tour.
Wykert’s Holiday show will also feature a three-course meal, served at 6:15 p.m.
The Dinner Comedy Holiday Spectacular is expected to last from 7 to 9 p.m. at Ol ‘MacDonald’s Farm, located at 15603 County Road in Andrew County.
Patrick Holleron
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — Fans of the hometown St. Joseph Goats can circle their calendars as the second season of Arena League Football in St. Joseph officially begins to take shape.
The St. Joseph Goats released their official 8-game 2026 regular season schedule this week with opening day set to kick off on Friday, May 29, against the Arkansas Diamonds at Bank OZK Arena in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
All contests will take place at 7:05 p.m.
The Goat’s home opener is scheduled for Saturday, June 6, against the Ozark Lunkers at Civic Arena.
St. Joseph Goats Full 2026 Schedule:
Week 1: St. Joseph Goats at Arkansas Diamonds, Friday, May 29, at Bank OZK Arena, Hot Springs, Arkansas
Week 2: Ozark Lunkers vs. St. Joseph Goats, Saturday, June 6, at Civic Arena, St. Joseph, Missouri
Week 3: St. Joseph Goats at Iowa Woo, Saturday, June 13, at the Hippodrome, Waterloo, Iowa
Week 4: Grand Island vs. St. Joseph Goats, Saturday, June 20, at Civic Arena, St. Joseph, Missouri
Week 5: Eau Claire Axemen vs. St. Joseph Goats, Saturday, June 27, Civic Arena, St. Joseph, Missouri
Week 6: Bye Week
Week 7: Iowa Woo vs. St. Joseph Goats, Saturday, July 11, 2026, Civic Arena, St. Joseph, Missouri,
Week 8: St. Joseph Goats at Grand Island, Saturday, July 18, 2026, Heartland Events Center, Grand Island, Nebraska
Week 9: St. Joseph Goats at Eau Claire Axemen, Saturday, July 27, 2026, Sonnentag Center, Eau Claire, Wisconsin
The Goats will face off against several new expansion teams this year in Memphis, Tennessee, Grand Island, Nebraska and Monroe, Louisiana.
In addition to the team’s schedule release, Goats wide receiver and Mizzou Tigers alumni D’ionte ‘Boo’ Smith will sign autographs this Saturday, Dec. 13, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. inside the East Hills Shopping Center located at 3702 Frederick Ave.
For more information on the Goats visit their Facebook page.
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Parking fines in Jefferson City could soon cost residents a lot more money.
The Jefferson City Council will introduce a bill on Monday that could significantly raise the fines associated with parking around the city.
Most notably, a fine for parking at a metered whose time is expired could rise by $19, according to the council packet. The current fine is $6 and it would be $25, if passed. Information from the council packet indicates the change would take effect immediately, if it is passed.
Parking violation fines would be changed to $25 across the board. Other notable increases includes blocking a driveway and parking in a no-parking zone increasing from $17, parking at an expired 10-hour meter results in a fine, first offense of overtime metered parking is raised from $8, while a second offense is raised from $14 and a third offense is decreased from $29.
Failing to pay parking garage fees is raised from $15, while a residential permit parking violation goes up from $18.
The council packet says the city has collected $112,149 in parking fines in 2025 and $88,108.75 in 2024
A full list of fines can be viewed in the graphic below.
A change in parking fines suggested by the Jefferson City Council. [Courtesy Jefferson City]
Seth Ratliff
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Two methamphetamine dealers in separate Eastern Idaho cases were each sentenced to five years in federal prison for drug distribution, U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced today.
Tamrik Paul Day, 27, of Spokane, Washington, and Jessie Kim Mitchell, 64, of Pingree, Idaho, both received the 60-month sentence from U.S. Chief District Judge David C. Nye. The cases were investigated by the multi-agency BADGES Task Force.
Case Details: Tamrik Day
Day was sentenced for distributing a total of 82 grams of methamphetamine through the mail in early 2024.
According to court records, Day distributed the substance between January 30 and February 15, 2024, to two individuals who paid using a mobile peer-to-peer financial platform. Day pleaded guilty to the charges in September 2024. Following his prison term, Judge Nye ordered him to serve four years of supervised release.
Case Details: Jessie Mitchell
In a separate, unrelated case, Mitchell was sentenced after selling over 150 grams of methamphetamine on three occasions in November 2024.
Court records indicate Mitchell was previously convicted of delivery of a controlled substance in Bingham County in 1995.
U.S. Chief District Judge David C. Nye also ordered Mitchell to serve 5 years of supervised release following his prison sentence. Mitchell pleaded guilty to the charge in June 2025.
In his release, U.S. Attorney Davis specifically commended the Idaho State Police for leading the investigation on behalf of the BADGES Task Force, along with the Pocatello Police Department, the Idaho State Police, the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office, and the Chubbuck Police Department.
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
A Sedalia man has been charged after he was accused of stabbing a man in his stomach on Wednesday.
Samuel Storer, 43 was charged on Thursday in Pettis County with first-degree assault and armed criminal action. He is being held at the Pettis County Jail on a $25,000 bond. A court date has not been scheduled.
A deputy wrote in the probable cause statement that law enforcement was called at 10:49 p.m. that night and found the victim with a stab wound in his stomach. The victim claimed he knocked on the door of a trailer and Storer stabbed him, the statement says.
The victim then punched out a window on the door after Storer closed it, the statement says.
The victim was flown to University Hospital. A witness at the scene allegedly corroborated the victim’s story, the statement says.
Storer allegedly told deputies that the victim and witness came to the residence multiple times throughout the day and Storer told them to leave multiple times, the statement says. Storer claimed the victim first broke the window of the door and tried to force his way in, which led to Storer punching and stabbing the victim, the statement says.
Kendall Flynn
PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – The LGBTQ community is voicing strong opposition to a proposal introduced by Palm Desert Mayor Pro Tem Joe Pradetto.
During a Palm Desert City Council meeting on Thursday, Pradetto proposed that the city stop recognizing Pride Month. The proposal would include no longer displaying a Pride banner at City Hall.
Two other council members supported revisiting the city’s policy.
Pradetto said he does not believe it is necessary for the city to highlight one community over another, arguing that doing so can create division rather than unity.
The City of Palm Desert sent us this statement saying:
“At last night’s meeting, Mayor Pro Tem Pradetto made a formal request for Council discussion regarding Resolution 24-038 and a potential update to Resolution 2018-09. That request was approved for future agenda placement, but no action has been taken at this time.
As of now, the earliest this item would return to Council is the second meeting in January, though it may be February. It’s anticipated that any initial discussion would take place in a study session format, allowing space for a full and thoughtful dialogue among Councilmembers before any decisions are considered.
The scope of potential changes, if any, will be determined through that public process.”
News Channel 3 is working to hold city leaders accountable and is seeking additional comment from city officials regarding the proposal.
Community reaction and more details on the proposal will be featured tonight on News Channel 3 at 6 p.m.
John Palminteri
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Many people who are in need this holiday season, especially those who are without housing, were able to pick up some vital essentials to stay warm today.
The Seventh Annual Public Defender’s Warm Clothing drive started several weeks ago with donations from throughout the county. Friday was the distribution day.
It took place on the lawn at the Santa Barbara County Courthouse and also at the court on Cook Street in Santa Maria. Everyone showing up was able to get warm clothing including jackets and caps, a sleeping bag, new shoes, socks and essentials.
Among those in the line was Christina Patino, who is living in a local shelter.
“It is amazing. It is such a blessing, these people are helping us to dress warm. It gets really cold at night. All these warm clothes are so nice. I feel blessed,” she said.
Nearby, Charles Papke said, “I got a sleeping bag and jackets and we got some food and some shoes. Some really cool mukluks.”
This year the effort included the non-profit Adam’s Angels, which also does weekly outreach efforts and food distribution for those who are unhoused or living on the edge.
They helped to collect donations to buy some of the clothing and essentials in addition to what was donated by the general public. Everyone attending was able to get one warm weather or another clothing item in each category, including a pair of shoes if they had the right size from the donations.
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