St. Joseph City Council honors award, proclaims religious freedom, passes major votes

News-Press NOW on January 5, 2026

TaMya Bracy

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — The St. Joseph City Council presented a special award, announced a proclaimation and discussed other major city funding plans during its first 2026 meeting.

The meeting started with Steve Kendall receiving the Key to the City award. The mayor also proclaimed Jan. 16 as Religious Freedom Day, a recognition of the fundamental rights of all citizens to freely practice and express their faith.

On Monday’s agenda, Councilmembers voted on an ordinance that prohibits parking on the north side of Olive Street from Sixth Street to Eighth Street and the south side of Pacific Street from 33rd Street to Belt Highway.

City Council approved the allocation of over $221,000 that would go toward three local social service agencies.

Over $401,000 of the city’s Community Development Block Grant funds will go toward social service agencies. Funds will be allocated to Community Missions, Social Welfare Board’s Dental Program, YWCA, along with ten other social services agencies.

The council approved the preliminary plat of a major subdivision entitled “Venetian Falls” as requested by Ventura Homes, LLC, located on South Lenard Road and West of University Ave.

Councilmembers also approved an ordinance to authorize a payment agreement with Triumph Foods for almost $67,000 to execute a work order with HDR Engineering, Inc., for the industrial evaluation at the Water Protection Facility.

The ordinance comes as Triumph Foods looks to evaluate the City’s wastewater treatment train to determine the load ability for now and in the future, in an effort to see if any improvements need to be made.

Two bills were introduced for first reading and will be discussed in future city council meetings.

An amendment of almost $62,000 to the Capital Projects Fund could mean a cosmetic upgrade at the St. Joseph Aquatic Park.

The lump sum contract with MVP Painting LLC will provide the park with a fresh coat of paint, due to the park’s age and exposure to the elements.

Bids were received from both MVP and Mongan Painting, LLC. The St. Joseph Parks and Recreation Department recommended MVP be awarded the agreement, as they were the lowest and best bidder.

The second bill for first reading would appropriate a salary increase to the St. Joseph Fire Department.

A contract between the city and the International Association of Firefighters, Local #77 would amend the General Fund, Fire Department and the Public Safety Tax Fund.

A total of $200,000 could be appropriated from the General Fund for salary increases.

The next city council meeting will be on Tuesday, Jan. 20.

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GoFundMe for young girl injured at Boise Potato Drop surpasses $26,000

KIFI on January 5, 2026

News Team

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — Donations are rapidly pouring in for the family of a young girl who was seriously injured during the annual Boise Potato Drop New Year’s celebration. Isabella “Bella” was attending the event with her family when an explosion occurred during the fireworks display, shattering the windows of the nearby AT&T building.

A piece of glass struck the child in the face. Bella was immediately rushed to St. Luke’s Children’s Hospital in Boise, where she underwent a three-hour surgery including a skin graft.

Bella’s extended family has put together a GoFundMe to help her parents cope with the unexpected medical bill as she begins the road to recovery. As of Monday, January 5th, the GoFundMe has already raised over $26K in donations.

In an update to the fundraiser, Bella’s father, Richard Ratto, expressed the family’s deep gratitude to the Idaho community, sharing that Bella is now recovering at home.

“Being able to tuck her into her own bed and let her rest in the comfort and safety of home is something we will never take for granted,” wrote Ratto. “Our feelings are overcome by the actions of our neighbors, strangers, emergency, and medical professionals. Your outpouring of love, prayers, messages, and continued support demonstrates the character that defines the community we were raised in. Your support for Bella has lifted an enormous weight from our shoulders and has allowed us to focus on being present with our daughter.”

For more information on the GoFundMe or to donate, click HERE.

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Volunteers Sought for Annual Santa Barbara Rose Pruning 

KEYT on January 5, 2026

John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) –  One of the most visited and photographed areas of Santa Barbara is getting the annual special care that makes it a favorite spot in the city.

The City of Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department will host its Annual Rose Pruning Day on January 10 starting at 9 a.m. at the Mission Historical Park.  

It’s a tradition each January.

Volunteers are invited out to learn about rose pruning from experts including Santa Barbara Rose Society member and resident rosarian Dan Bifano, in the famous A.C. Postel Memorial Rose Garden.

The department needs 150 volunteers to complete the project.

There are more than 1,500 rose bushes in the park. 

After this work, mulching and feeding will take place next month.  

Volunteers are welcome to drop in at any time during the three-hour event.

No special experience is required, as pruning demonstrations will be provided by Santa Barbara Rose Society member and resident rosarian Dan Bifano.

The Santa Barbara Parks and Recreation Department says: Volunteers are asked to bring their own gloves and tools, including hand pruners, loppers, and small handsaws, but a limited supply will be available. Parks and Recreation staff will be onsite to help sharpen and sanitize tools before pruning begins. Sturdy clothes, including long sleeves and pants, and sun protection are recommended.

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YFD responds to vehicle in Colorado River

KYMA on January 5, 2026

Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma Fire Department (YFD) has provided more information regarding the truck that drove off a bridge and landed into the Colorado River Friday.

According to a press release, the crash happened on the Fourth Avenue Bridge, in the area of S. Fourth Avenue, at around 7:00 p.m.

Upon arrival, YFD says crews found a full-sized pickup truck partially submerged in the river and had significant damage, and says a man driving the truck may have gotten out of the vehicle and left the area.

Courtesy: Yuma Fire Department

Courtesy: Yuma Fire Department

However, due to low visibility, water hazards and other factors, YFD says they requested assistance from agencies such as the Yuma Police Department, U.S. Border Patrol and the California Highway Patrol.

During the search, YFD says the man was found approximately 100 yards downstream and partially submerged, prompting their Special Operations team to deploy a rescue boat and jet ski to rescue the man.

After being rescued, YFD says the man was taken to the wetlands ramp, but was then taken to Onvida Health to be treated, and says the man’s condition is not known.

The investigation is ongoing.

001 Vehicle in Colorado RiverDownload

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Juárez family frequently helps dozens of homeless people on the border

KVIA on January 5, 2026

Heriberto Perez Lara

JUÁREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) — The Díaz Jurado family in Juárez has been helping the homeless population for over two years, saying they will keep doing it until they can’t.

Now the family is asking anyone willing to help them to continue providing them with food and clothing.

They often cook dozens of meals and give them away on the streets of Juárez, saying that one of their sons started this tradition and expects to continue it for years.

ABC-7 spoke with Joiser Díaz, the father of the Díaz Jurado family, to learn about the frequency of their assistance to people across the border and to encourage anyone willing to donate winter clothes or food to contact them.

If you are interested in donating to support the Díaz Jurado family, you can contact them at the following numbers: +52 (656) 317-7447 or +52 (656) 285-1213.

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Keller Williams Realty Yuma to host real estate training

KYMA on January 5, 2026

Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Keller Williams Realty Yuma is hosting a real estate training event next week.

The event, titled “Triple Your Business and Love Your Life,” is taking place Wednesday, January 14, at The Kress, located in Downtown Yuma, from 9:00 a.m. to noon.

According to Keller Williams, the event is designed for real estate professionals and business professionals to help them achieve actionable strategies for “business growth, leadership, leverage, and long-term success—while maintaining balance and fulfillment.”

In addition, Jason Abrams, Head of Industry and Learning for Keller Williams International and host of the MREA Podcast, is serving as the event’s special guest.

Registration is now open, and it costs $25. To register for the event, click here.

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California woman searches for family with ties to Colorado to return treasured personal mementos

KRDO on January 5, 2026

Celeste Springer

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) — When Juanita Parra’s daughter bought her duplex in Porterville, California, it came with something that wasn’t described in the real estate listing.

Courtesy: Juanita Parra

Inside the home was an unassuming box filled with documents from the last century. The package featured several deeply personal momentos: a baby book, marriage documents, service awards, family photos, and other cherished memories.

Courtesy: Juanita Parra

Parra believes the family may be from the Pueblo, Colorado area. The box included a diploma from Southern Colorado State College for James Robert Lockard, Jr. It also included an award from the Pueblo Jaycees. Based on the documents in the box, Lockard graduated from college in 1967 and would be 81 years old today.

Courtesy: Juanita Parra

Documents also reference another name, Ralph A. Walls. Parra said documents from Pearl Harbor were also in the box.

“My son and I started going through it, and I’m like, ‘No, we can’t throw this out,'” said Parra.

While it’s unclear if Lockard’s family is still in Southern Colorado, Parra says that she just wants to get the word out in hopes that someone might have information. Given the sentimental value of the items, if their rightful familial owners are located, she said she will ship the items.

Courtesy: Juanita Parra

If these items belong to you or a deceased member of your family, you can reach out to us at news@krdo.com, and we will connect you with Parra.

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Two-day art expedition offered in anticipation of City Hall and Missouri Theater centennial

News-Press NOW on January 5, 2026

Cameron Montemayor

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A local civic group is inviting residents to take part in a special two-day trip across the region to explore the legacy of a historic local artist integral to the creation of City Hall and the Missouri Theater.

In anticipation of the 100th anniversary of City Hall and the Missouri Theater in 2027, the Centennial Celebration Series committee and Friends of the Missouri Theater are organizing a unique two-day trip in April to explore art and architecture in Missouri and Kansas.

Residents who sign up for the trip will explore a number of historic sites and structures tied to the legacy of Waylande Gregory, a prolific artist and art-deco sculptor in the 1930s known for designing key elements for City Hall and the Missouri Theater.

Notable stops include the Mariana Kistler Beach Museum in Manhattan, Kansas, as well as the historic Hotel President in Kansas City and its Aztec Room designed by Gregory in 1926. The location appeared in the 1990 film “Mr. & Mrs. Bridge” starring Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.

Participants will get the chance to travel and explore Strong Hall in Lawrence, Kansas, including a trip through the Flint Hills on the way to Alma, Kansas. The trip includes dining at places like Jack Stack BBQ in the Crossroads Art District and lunch at the historic 1887 Brandt House in Alma, Kansas, a historic limestone hotel renovated in 2024.

The two-day trip will concludes with a tour of the 1885 Columbian Theater, the Oz Museum, and dinner at Barleycorn’s Downtown Deli in Wamego, Kansas.

The trip costs $150 and covers transportation, three meals, snacks, and admission fees. Due to limited space, interested participants are encouraged to make a reservation by Jan. 30, 2026.

Hotel accommodation is not provided and must be booked separately by calling the Oread Hotel in Lawrence, Kansas, at 785-843-1200. Trip participants should ask for a room with the Waylande Gregory group. For a trip brochure, call 816-390-6733.

For more information, email CelebrationSeries2027@gmail.com or phone Committee Chair, Lori McAlister at 402-802-2099.

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New year brings Redmond’s first marijuana dispensary; second coming soon

KTVZ on January 5, 2026

KTVZ

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Redmond’s first-ever marijuana dispensary has opened its doors.

Oregrown is a well-known dispensary with over a decade of history and five locations across Oregon. Its latest location is in Redmond. Recently, the city changed its municipal code to allow up to three dispensaries, after voters approved agreed to lift a ban in November 2024.

The second is coming soon. The Flower Room is set to open later this year on Northwest 4th Street.

For now, Oregrown has set up shop just off Highway 97. The space it occupies was formerly a temporary library and once an antique store. Oregrown invested a lot of money in remodeling the location they moved into. It added required ventilation, which eliminates the smell of weed from the area. Oregrown has also added security upgrades to the building.

When KTVZ visited on Monday, customers told us they were glad they didn’t have to make the trip to Bend anymore.

Staff said edibles and pre-rolled joints were fairly popular in Redmond, and they are already seeing people from Madras and Prineville visiting.

In an interview with Oregrown General Manager Dusty Newman, he said the new location was a big success.

“Oh, it’s been great.” said Newman. “I think people have been waiting a really long time for this. Like, we’ve been here (in Central Oregon) almost 11 years, and I know that (Redmond) has been something we’ve been interested in the whole time. It’s exciting to see it actually come to fruition.”

Like any new business, it’s added more jobs to the economy, but the city also benefits from the marijuana tax revenue.

Expanding into a new area always brings in business from nearby locations. Oregrown is looking at Crook and Jefferson counties and hoping they will show interest.

Earlier article:

REDMOND, Ore. (Jan. 5th 2026-KTVZ) — Oregrown Redmond — the city’s first licensed marijuana retailer — celebrated its grand opening over the weekend, becoming the first dispensary to operate within Redmond city limits after voters chose to overturn the city’s years-long ban on cannabis businesses. The shop offers a range of cannabis flower, edibles, concentrates, and topicals. A second approved retailer, The Flower Room, is also set to open sometime this year at 2245 Northwest Fourth Street.​

Through voter-approved measures in late 2024 and follow-up legislative actions in 2025, marijuana dispensaries were officially given the green light to operate in Redmond, ending a prohibition that had forced local users to travel to Bend or Madras to buy legal cannabis. Measure 9-177, approved by voters, specifically allowed marijuana retailers within city limits, while a companion measure set the local tax rate on cannabis sales.​

The decision followed years of debate at Redmond City Council meetings and public workshops, where supporters argued legal dispensaries would keep tax dollars in town and provide regulated access for medical and recreational users, while opponents raised concerns about youth access, public safety and the city’s image.​

Oregrown’s role in Central Oregon’s cannabis market

Oregrown is a Bend-based cannabis company that has grown into a regional brand, with multiple Oregon retail locations and a product lineup that includes flower, edibles, vapes and topicals sourced from Central Oregon farms. Industry reports have noted that cannabis excise taxes generate millions in revenue annually for the region, with funds supporting public safety, criminal justice, public health and community programs.​

Bringing Oregrown to Redmond means local customers no longer have to drive out of town for legal cannabis, a convenience advocates say was long overdue after the state legalized recreational marijuana in 2014.​

Ongoing debate over cannabis in Redmond

Even as the first dispensary opens, marijuana remains a sensitive political topic in Redmond. City leaders and candidates have continued to discuss land-use rules, zoning for dispensaries, and how cannabis fits into Redmond’s broader economic and community identity.​

Supporters point to state regulation, local control over where shops can locate, and the potential for new tax revenue; critics worry about the normalization of marijuana use and whether enforcement resources will be strained.

As Oregrown starts serving customers and The Flower Room prepares to open later this year, Redmond will begin to see how legal cannabis businesses actually operate in the community — and how residents respond.

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Santa Maria honors late community icon Jim Glines with memorial sign

KEYT on January 5, 2026

Dave Alley

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – The City of Santa Maria honored community icon Jim Glines with the unveiling of a new memorial sign Monday morning.

Glines, who died last February at the age of 82, was a well-known Santa Maria Valley businessman, philanthropist and civic leader.

The new sign is located on Miller Street, between Santa Maria Way and Highway 135, near Community Bank of Santa Maria, which he co-founded back in 2001.

“Santa Maria Way was Bank of Santa Maria’s headquarters, and it’s where Jim first came to work as a community banker,” said Janet Silveria, Community Bank of Santa Maria President/CEO. “Literally for 40 years, this is the building that he provided all this support for the community out of. This is where he held his his desk, his council, his all the wonderful things that he did for the community all started right here on Santa Maria Way in this building.”

On Monday, with many Glines family members and friends in attendance, along with other Santa Maria community leaders, the new sign was officially dedicated the City of Santa Maria Recreation & Parks Department.

“It’s really cool and very unexpected,” said John Glines, Jim Glines’s son. “This is one of his very favorite spots in the entire Santa Maria Valley and just having this section of road named after him, where everybody pulling into and out of the bank can see is is really special, and it’s cool seeing the range of our community that has come out to support this and and know that he had an impact on all of them.”

Known by many as “Mr. Santa Maria,” Glines familiar face and friends to many across the region, through his immense community service efforts, his successful business ventures and award-winning auctioneering.

Raised on a cattle ranch in the Cuyama Valley, Glines attended grammar and high school in Santa Maria. He later graduated from Cal Poly with a Bachelor’s Degree in Farm Management, and added a Graduate Degree in Banking from the University of Colorado.

During his lifetime, there have been few, if any, individuals in the Santa Maria Valley who have given back to the community more than Glines, who was a constant presence at hundreds of charitable events through the years.

“What an important man he was and what an impact he had,” said Santa Maria Mayor Alice Patino. “He loved the city so much. I hope that people remember when they see (the sign), that they will remember Jim Glines, and that they will be able to tell their kids and their grandkids who Jim Glines was and what he did in the City of Santa Maria, 

Glines was a member of the Santa Maria Elks Lodge #1538 for more than 50 years and was past chairman of the Santa Maria Elks Rodeo Queen Contest. 

He also served as Elks Rodeo Queen Chairman or Co-Chairman for 20 years and was named as the Santa Maria Elks Lodge “Citizen of the Year” in 2008.

Glines was also a board member of Los Rancheros Visitadores, was appointed to the Santa Barbara County Fair Board of Directors in 1990 by then-California Governor George Deukmejian, and was later elected President of the Board.

In 2001, Glines co-founded Community Bank of Santa Maria and served as President and Chief Executive Officer for many years before becoming the bank’s Chairman of the Board, which he held until the time of his death.

Glines also appeared on countless television commercials for Community Bank of Santa Maria, many times riding a horse, befitting his lifelong equine passion.

As an auctioneer, Glines built a reputation as one of the finest in the business.

A graduate of the World Champion College of Auctioneering in Bakersfield, Glines was a former member of the Board of Directors of the California State Auctioneers Association and was named California State Champion Auctioneer in 2001.

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