Through coaching rise, Tomlin left mark on Hampton Roads

CNN Newsource on January 14, 2026

By Marc Davis

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    NORFOLK, Virginia (WTKR) — Mike Tomlin’s accomplishments are well-documented.

In his 19 years as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, he never suffered a losing season. Tomlin led the franchise to a Super Bowl win, 13 playoff appearances and eight AFC North titles.

Tuesday, news of his resignation quickly hit Hampton Roads, including his alma mater, William & Mary, where head coach Mike London digested the news with the rest of the football world.

“You know a person, as I know Mike, and you know what he’s meant to the NFL, football and the development of men that you’re like, ‘really?,'” said London of his reaction upon hearing the news.

Tomlin got his football start in the 757. He was born in Hampton, grew up in Newport News, graduated from Denbigh High School and played his college football as a wide receiver for the Tribe. London was an assistant coach during Tomlin’s playing days at William & Mary and says that energy fans see on the sidelines is the same he brought as a player.

“Intense, would get after it,” London described his former player. “If you’re standing around a pile or something like that and you’re supposed to get blocked, you’re going to get blocked. If you’re involved in a play, then you’d better go to the echo of the whistle.”

Tommy Reamon Jr., like Tomlin, grew up in Newport News. He got the chance to work for the Steelers during the 2014 offseason.

“I saw him up close and personal,” Reamon recalled. “It was the green light. I could go into all the meetings and I really witnessed the guy that we beloved on TV up close and personal.”

During his time in Pittsburgh, the sideline leader gave him plenty of pointers. Some of the advice he still uses today.

“He said ‘Tommy, in this profession, you need to be politely aggressive,'” Reamon remembered. “That means you need to be aggressive enough to let people know that you are serious and that you want this job, but you want to be polite. You don’t want to come off annoying and just kind of bothersome.”

Even as he rose through the coaching ranks, from college to NFL assistant to the Steelers’ head whistle, he never forgot from where he came. He continued to leave his mark on the Tribe, his city and those coming behind him.

“Different people at the university would reach out to him to get him involved in different initiatives and that’s the kind of guy that he is in his interactions with this place, William & Mary” London noted.

“He’s a hard-working guy,” added Reamon. “He was the youngest head coach to take a job in the NFL and I followed his coaching tree, hoping to be like him one day. I’ve had a stint coaching and I looked at his resume and I tried to follow it.”

Neither London nor Reamon know what’s next for Tomlin, but no matter what he does or where he ends up, his entire community will be behind him cheering him on.

“When you want to see what an NFL coach looks like from A to Z, he’s kind of been that model,” London said. “As the opportunities may present themselves for him, he’ll continue to keep being successful.

ESPN is reporting that Tomlin will not coach anywhere in 2026. He departs the sidelines with a career record of 201-126-2.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Colorado Springs City Councilor walks out during MLK Jr Day proclamation after ICE comments

KRDO on January 14, 2026

Michael Logerwell

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – It could be the first time ever a Colorado Springs City Councilor walked out during a discussion over a proclamation.

The City Council is home to a lot of spirited discussion, but that typically doesn’t happen when proclamations are on the table; the council doesn’t even take a vote on them.

On Tuesday, a proclamation surrounding Martin Luther King Jr. Day was too much for one member to handle when conversations turned to ICE.

During the public comment portion of the discussion pertaining to the proclamation, local religious leaders who spoke evoked strong parallels from Dr. King’s work decades ago to current events.

“In this moment of our nation’s history, I’m compelled to state this truth. The violent, authoritarian actions of immigration and customs enforcement, including the murder of Colorado Springs, his own Renee Nicole Good, is a stain on the fabric of history,” said Rev. Candace Wood. Other religious colleagues echoed that sentiment.

But then it was the council’s turn to speak.

“I want to say that I fully support ICE in their activities,” said Dave Donelson, pushing back hard.

“I find what was said here offensive, and I didn’t even like sitting here listening to it,” said Donelson, leaving before a pre-planned photo-op.

KRDO13 reached out to Donelson to further clarify the reason behind his walkout. He pointed back to something he said during the meeting, “I won’t sit at the dais and let ‘faith leaders’ lie about the good Americans who are trying to enforce our immigration laws. We either have a border and enforce our immigration laws, or we are done as a nation”.

After the photo-op, Councilor Donelson returned to his post for the rest of the meeting.

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Stormwater project to close part of South Rock Quarry Road at end of month

KMIZ on January 14, 2026

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An underground stormwater project will require the City of Columbia to close a portion of South Rock Quarry Road at the end of the month.

A Tuesday press release from the city says the road will close between its intersection with East Nifong Boulevard and Telluride Lane to replace a failed stormwater pipe beginning at 7 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20.

Work is expected to be completed by 7 a.m. Monday, Feb. 2.

Road closure and detour signs will be posted.  

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Bynum applauds House passage of funding bill with nearly $1 million for Bend to replace aging water pipes

KTVZ on January 14, 2026

Barney Lerten

WASHINGTON (KTVZ) — The U.S. House on Tuesday approved a funding package that includes over $6 million for Fifth District water infrastructure projects in Rep. Janelle Bynum’s home district, including nearly $1 million to replace aging water pipes in Bend.

A City of Bend representative provided KTVZ News with this background from the grant application that detailed city plans for the funds, which still need Senate passage:

“Replacing galvanized pipes along Georgia Avenue will ensure clean drinking water continues to flow to the 21 homes that are connected to this part of the city’s water system.”

“Replacing these pipes will also improve redundancy of the water system, where identified pipes are 100 times more likely to break than the standard ductile iron pipes the city now uses, per internal analysis. This project will also ensure the adjacent hydrants connected to these pipes meet fire flow requirements.”

“The Bend City Council has expressed goals of water conservation and ensuring housing and other critical infrastructure can withstand wildfires. The proposed project will make meaningful steps towards water conservation through a reduction in wasteful pipe leakages and will ensure this part of our community is further protected from the devastating effects of wildfires.”

“This funding will save taxpayers money in the long run, as it will enhance the safety, efficiency, and quality of life for residents in adjacent neighborhoods and the community broadly.”

“Locating and repairing leaky or broken pipes is expensive and time-consuming. By proactively replacing the pipes with the highest chance of breaking, the city will mitigate future costly repairs and reduce water waste, in the meantime.”

“The city will measure performance in several ways, with a primary emphasis on the system’s ability to maintain fire flow pressure requirements, drinking water quality over time, and a reduction in water outages in this neighborhood due to damaged water infrastructure.”

“The funding requested will be used to purchase 1,250 feet of 8-inch ductile iron pipe, for an estimated cost of $933,400. The remaining $58,850 in requested funds will be used to support a portion of the design updates for the pipes.”

“This project compliments our broader effort to replace broken galvanized pipes throughout the city, but it is separate from that general work.”

Here’s the congresswoman’s news release on the funding package:

Bynum Advances Over $6 Million for Projects in Oregon’s Fifth District

Washington, DC – Today, Rep. Janelle Bynum (OR-05) voted to advance a package that contains over $6 million in federal funding for water infrastructure projects across Oregon’s Fifth Congressional District.

In July, Congresswoman Bynum fought on behalf of her constituents for over $14 million in Community Project Funding requests to be included in the draft Fiscal Year 2026 government funding bills. Today, funding for six of those projects was included in the Interior and Environment Funding Package that passed the House. This legislation will now go to the Senate, and if passed, to the President for final signature.

“Access to clean drinking water isn’t just essential to keep our communities healthy – it also unlocks more affordable housing and faster, cleaner public transit. That’s why I fought to secure this $6 million for water infrastructure projects in CD5,” said Rep. Bynum. “From Molalla, to Bend, to Halsey, to Oregon City, this money will help grow our economy and improve the lives of Oregonians across the district. I’m committed to bringing real money back home that will make a real difference, and to getting the rest of our projects across the finish line and fully funded.” 

The passage of this legislation would bring the full amount of money Congresswoman Bynum has secured for Oregon’s Fifth Congressional District through Community Project Funding to $8,075,250.

The projects receiving funding include:

$992,250 for Neighborhood Drinking Water Protection ProgramRecipient Name: City of BendProject Purpose: This project would replace fragile galvanized pipes in Bend to protect drinking water quality and improve water system redundancy. This project will also ensure nearby hydrants can meet fire flow requirements.

$700,000 for Halsey Municipal Water Well and Water Treatment ProjectRecipient Name: City of HalseyProject Purpose: This project would finish construction of a new drinking water well in the City of Halsey.

$1,092,000 for Molalla Water Intake ProjectRecipient Name: City of MolallaProject Purpose: This project would design and construct a new water intake structure on the Molalla River, the sole-source of Molalla’s water rights.

$1,092,000 for Oregon City Water Transmission Main, Phase 3Recipient Name: City of Oregon CityProject Purpose: This project would complete the final phase of Oregon City’s Water Transmission Main construction, enhancing the city’s water system reliability. By upgrading undersized pipes, these transmission main improvements will resolve inefficiencies, ensuring better performance and responsiveness during high-demand water usage seasons.

$1,092,000 for North Santiam Sewer ProjectRecipient Name: Marion CountyProject Purpose: Funds would help construct the Mill City Water Pollution Control Facility, also referred to as the Mill City – Gates Wastewater Treatment Plant, which will serve the cities of Mill City and Gates – two cities still recovering from devastation of the 2020 wildfires.

$1,092,000 for Clarifier Replacement ProjectRecipient Name: Oak Lodge Water Services AuthorityProject Purpose: The clarifier replacement project would replace the secondary clarifiers 1 & 2 at the Oak Lodge Water Services wastewater treatment plant, which are approximately 35 years old.

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Fulton mom accused of putting meth in her child’s backpack

KMIZ on January 14, 2026

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Fulton mom has been charged with a felony and a misdemeanor after she allegedly put methamphetamine in her child’s backpack on Monday.

Alexus Peppers-Wright, 28, was charged on Tuesday in Callaway County with first-degree endangering the welfare of a child and misdemeanor illegally possessing drug paraphernalia. She is being held at the Callaway County Jail on a $45,000 bond. A court date has not been scheduled.

The probable cause statement says police were called to Bush Elementary in Fulton at 12:40 p.m. Monday about possible drugs being found in a child’s backpack. The student allegedly told someone – described as a witness – that “mom accidentally put these in my backpack and I don’t know what to do with them they have drugs in them,” the statement says.

Three people described as witnesses found a “zipper pouch” that had two syringes and a substance that tested positive as methamphetamine, the statement says.

Peppers-Wright showed up to the school at 2:48 p.m. and allegedly claimed to have known what was in the backpack, but claimed drugs in the bag belonged to a friend, the statement says. The zipper bag had “Property of Lexi” written on the side with a black Sharpie, the statement says.

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Plea hearing delayed for truck driver facing manslaughter charges in deadly Highway 20 crash

KTVZ on January 14, 2026

Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A Deschutes County judge agreed Tuesday to postpone plea entry by a truck driver facing manslaughter charges after a newlywed couple crashed into his jackknifed rig on Highway 20 east of Bend and were killed.

It’s the second delay in entry of plea by Rajinder Kumar, 32, who faces two counts of first-degree manslaughter and three counts of recklessly endangering another person.

The Nov. 24 crash about 50 miles east of Bend killed driver William Micah Carter 25, and passenger Jennifer Lower Carter, 24.

Defense attorney Andrew Ince Jr. asked Circuit Judge Wells Ashby to reset the plea hearing for about six weeks out. Ashby agreed, but did not schedule it immediately. Instead, he told Kumar and others the date and time would be set by the end of the day.

Court records later Tuesday showed the plea hearing is now set for Feb. 25.

Kumar remains held on $500,000 and is the subject of a federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrest detainer, accused of being in the country illegally.

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Sedalia man charged with 2 counts of manslaughter in September crash, accused of looking at phone during crash

KMIZ on January 14, 2026

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Sedalia man has been charged with manslaughter in Morgan County in relation to a Sept. 16 crash that killed two people.

Ruvim Izotia was charged on Monday with two counts of first-degree involuntary manslaughter, two counts of driving while using a phone, one count of second-degree assault and three misdemeanors: Driving while using an electronic device, following another vehicle too closely and speeding.

A warrant for his arrest was issued on Monday and a $100,000 bond was set.   

The probable cause statement claims Izotia caused the crash with his Mercedes. Previous reporting shows an 18-year-old Sedalia man allegedly rear-ended a 2013 Mercedes-Benz Class S a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt driven by a 48-year-old Cole Camp woman. The crash occurred on Highway 50 near Old Highway 50.

The hit pushed the Chevrolet into the oncoming lane, which caused another crash into a 2012 Mazda 3 – driven by a 38-year-old Russellville man, the report says.

The Russellville man was pronounced dead at the scene, while a 45-year-old Versailles man who was a passenger was pronounced dead at a hospital.

A Missouri State Highway Patrol Trooper requested data from each vehicle, which allegedly showed the Chevrolet slow down from 57 miles per hour to 28 miles per hour, and then speed up again by 25 miles per hour after it was hit, the statement says.

Information from Life360 allegedly indicated there were 19 “distracted driving events” involving Izotia’s phone during the 21-minute trip, the statement says.

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The H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation announces leadership changes 

KESQ on January 14, 2026

KESQ News Team

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) — The H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation announced leadership changes that reinforce continuity, long-term stewardship, and its commitment to philanthropy across the Coachella Valley and beyond.

The non-profit announced that through the process of a thoughtful succession plan, Michael B. Rover is now President and CEO of the Berger Foundation. Christopher M. McGuire remains Chairman of the Board.

Michael B. Rover

The Foundation’s executive committee consists of McGuire, Rover, Vice President of Charitable Programs Catharine N. Reed and Vice President of Finance Joseph K. Glassett.

Nor Berger and his wife Fran, established the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation as a private family foundation in 1961. Through the vision of successive presidents, McGuire and Ronald M. Auen, the Foundation has grown multiple times over with a diverse portfolio of investments, enabling sustained charitable impact throughout Southern California, the United States and internationally. The Foundation does not procure contributions from individuals and businesses and does not accept unsolicited grant requests. About 80 percent of the Foundation’s giving is concentrated in the Coachella Valley, where the Foundation has been based since 1996.

Upon Mr. Berger’s death, Auen served as President and Chairman of the Board from 1988 to 2019. Auen became responsible for the formation, guidance, and measured expansion of the Foundation. He handpicked members of the Foundation leadership, including McGuire and Rover. 

An entrepreneur with an MBA from the University of Southern California, McGuire was appointed to the board of directors and accepted the position of Vice President of Programs in 1991. He took the helm as President and Chairman of the Board in 2019. Throughout his tenure, McGuire has provided executive leadership and oversight for a range of programs and services and has initiated new philanthropic endeavors. As Chairman of the Board, he will continue to serve on the executive committee, providing continuity and strategic guidance.

“It has been an honor to carry on the legacy of Ron Auen and Mr. Berger,” said McGuire. “Mike Rover has the experience, perspective, and values needed to guide the Berger Foundation forward. I’m proud to hand leadership to someone so deeply committed to the Foundation’s mission and our community.”

Born and raised in the Coachella Valley, Rover has served on the Foundation’s Board since 2005 and began providing legal counsel for its business and real estate interests in 2012 before joining the Foundation full-time in 2020. A key contributor to strategic planning, he brings deep expertise in large, complex real estate transactions, negotiations, and asset management in support of long-term charitable impact.

Prior to joining the Foundation’s executive team, Rover founded and led Rover Armstrong, a private law practice focused on real estate, business, and construction law. He holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of San Diego and a Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. Rover is licensed in California as an attorney, contractor and real estate broker.

“It’s a privilege to step into this role. The Foundation’s mission remains the same as when Mr. and Mrs. Berger founded the charitable organization: to help people help themselves,” said Rover, President and CEO of the Berger Foundation. “With the resources entrusted to the Foundation, our board of directors, the executive team, and our staff are committed to thoughtful stewardship that will maximize our charitable impact and strengthen our community for generations.”

The H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as an independent charitable organization that operates for the purposes of philanthropic endeavors and grantmaking to nonprofit organizations. For more information about the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation, visit www.hnberger.org.

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New Leader for Santa Barbara Supervisors Sees Unique Housing Solution

KEYT on January 14, 2026

John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors will be led by Bob Nelson – a North County Supervisor from Orcutt who has a list of goals ready to go for 2026, including one to deal with housing costs.

In taking over the main seat and the gavel, Nelson says he realizes there are straining days on the general public with concerns over what is happening on the federal level, but he says the county needs to focus on issues that impact day to day lives.

With housing being a top priority he wants to see more effort in finding newer housing options that will make the home buying dream more of a reality. That includes homes that are made of materials with lower overall costs if such a process can be found.

Nelson said, “I do think we can be smarter and use smaller lots and smaller houses and find a product that is affordable, so young people can buy actual homes in Santa Barbara County.”

It would be similar, but a more forward plan than some past options. “For years we had mobile home parks but we have moved away from that. I think that might be something we look at in the future not as a ‘for rent’ product like we had in the past, but for a ‘for sale’ product.”

Nelson says the Olympics will be taking place in Southern California and he hopes the county can benefit from tourism and events relating to the games and the international visitors.

He also hopes to have county meetings with more efficiency on getting to decisions.

This is the second time Nelson has served as the Board Chair.

He replaces Laura Capps who handed over the gavel and remains in her post as the Second District Supervisor and is currently running for reelection.

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Second trial day for man accused of triple murder in 1994

KVIA on January 14, 2026

Heriberto Perez Lara

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Today was the second day of the capital murder trial for Atruro Ortega Garcia, the man accused of stabbing and killing a family of three in East El Paso in 1994.

As ABC-7 has reported, Dante Santoni, 3, his mother, Connie Villa, 28, and Villa’s longtime partner and Dante’s father, Francisco Santoni, 59, were found stabbed to death on Aug. 11, 1994, in their East El Paso home.

The District Attorney’s Office called two witnesses to the stand today: an El Paso Police Department detective who translated Ortega Garcia’s 2022 interrogation and an El Paso County chief medical examiner.

During the interrogation, Ortega Garcia said he couldn’t give any names or information to detectives because he and his family had been threatened in the U.S. and in Mexico.

At some point, Ortega Garcia told EPPD detectives that “he was innocent and that he was going to fight for him,” adding that he had the answer to the murder case but was afraid of retaliation and of telling the truth to detectives because he knew who committed the murder.

This afternoon, both the prosecution and the defense rested their cases, and the trial is set to continue with closing arguments tomorrow at 8:30 a.m.

ABC-7 previously had in-depth coverage of this case. You can watch and listen to the full Borderland Crimes Podcast here.

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