Hundreds of guests stranded overnight after Palm Springs Aerial Tramway stoppage

KESQ on January 5, 2026

Shay Lawson

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ)  – Hundreds of visitors were stranded overnight at the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway after an unexpected stoppage Friday evening forced operations to halt for hours, according to tramway officials.

News Channel 3 first reported on the Tramway’s technical issues last week.

Greg Purdy, VP of Marketing & Public Affairs, said the stoppage happened around 8 p.m. on January 2.

“Operations were suspended and the six passengers waiting to board (to go up) were provided refunds,” Purdy said. “At that time, 568 guests were already at the Mountain Station.”

Per Tramway stoppage procedures, boarding tokens were distributed so guests would not have to stand in line.

“Also, per stoppage procedures, complimentary beverages were provided within the first hour and complimentary food was provided within the second hour,” Purdy said. “Blankets and children’s coloring books were also provided.”

Still, some visitors reached out to News Channel 3 describing a confusing and stressful night with little communication.

Amanda Ferrise said she and her family boarded the 7 p.m. tram.

When they were ready to leave, she said they were told the wait to descend would be less than an hour. Instead, they remained at the Mountain Station until nearly 3 a.m.

“There was no broad announcement of what was happening or how long it would be or anything to that effect,” Ferrise said. “We started seeing people getting comfortable, children laying on the floor.”

Purdy said that at approximately 12:30 a.m., the system was deemed safe to operate at a reduced speed.

“Patrons began being transported to the Valley Station with the final tram car departing at 4:30 a.m.,” Purdy said. “Refunds were offered by calling the marketing office. The Tramway remained closed on January 3 while the Tram Systems team continued to investigate and make all necessary repairs. After extensive testing, normal operations resumed at 8:00 a.m. on January 4.”

Ferrise said the process of getting down was chaotic, with crowding and confusion as groups were called.

“We were supposed to go by letter groups, but there was no enforcement of lines,” Ferrise said. “People started pushing their way through”

She added the ride down was closer to 30 to 45 minutes.

Purdy apologized for the delay and emphasized safety as their top priority.

“We regret the long delay in returning to the Valley Station that night and hope our visitors understand that safety is always the overriding concern with tramway operations,” Purdy said.

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Local food bank to receive 40,000 pounds of food from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

KYMA on January 4, 2026

Jalen Fong

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Yuma Community Food Bank will receive 40,000 pounds of food from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

A full semi-truck of food from the church will arrive on January 6.

The truck will contain over 40,000 pounds of shelf-stable goods, including flour, peanut butter, pasta, canned vegetables, oats, beans, hot cocoa and meat.

Over the next year, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will send out 250 semi-trucks of food to all 50 states to celebrate the birth of our country.

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Winter System continues to create rain and snow mixtures across the region

KIFI on January 4, 2026

Danielle Mullenix

Rain and wintry mixes remain in the forecast for Sunday, especially toward the East later in the afternoon and into the evening. The upcoming first complete work and school week of 2026 will also be wet on and off, but temperatures will begin to cool back down. Some snow will start reaching the valley floors by this Sunday evening after 5 pm, with light accumulations around the Snake River Plain.

Bands of moisture continue to move across our area from the south and west, but a cold front will follow them in the upcoming days. The central mountains and Magic Valley saw a larger storm band earlier this morning, and it has broken up as it crosses into western Wyoming.

The majority of this wintry band will be embedded in the higher elevations, resulting in heavy precipitation in places like Island Park and the Jackson area. The day will be mostly cloudy, with highs near 44°. South-southwest winds will be noticeable, gusting up to 25 mph.

Sunday night stays unsettled, with rain likely before late evening and overnight lows dipping to around 34 degrees.

By Monday, colder air begins to mix in as the current storm system moves further into Wyoming, increasing the chance of rain and snow, particularly after late morning. While precipitation chances drop to 30%, little to no snow accumulation is expected. Highs will remain above average, in the lower 40s, with mostly cloudy skies.

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Newly-relocated Tiffany’s Diner seeing comfort food success in St. Joseph

News-Press NOW on January 4, 2026

Patrick Holleron

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) — A local eatery originally based in Gower, Missouri, is finding success and looking ahead to 2026 after making the move to St. Joseph in December.

Tiffany’s Diner, which is owned and managed by Tiffany Parker, offers a menu filled with homemade and comfort food items for breakfast and dinner such as tenderloins, Reubens, biscuits and gravy and breakfast burritos, among others.

Tiffany’s Diner is shown at 1329 S. Belt Hwy in St. Joseph.

The move to St. Joseph marks the next step in the restaurant’s trajectory since starting out as a food truck years ago and growing to a storefront.

“I opened the restaurant in Gower where we stayed for the past couple of years,” Parker said. “I decided I wanted to move up here to be closer to my husband who runs a repair shop and to have more opportunities in a bigger town.”

The diner has seen business steadily increase as word-of-mouth spreads and more customers become aware of their location at 1329 S. Belt Highway, next to Dollar General. The restaurant officially re-opened on Dec. 2.

“We’ve being way busier here than before. The beginning was kind of hard because people don’t initially understand what you’re doing,” Parker said. “And the wait was a little longer than I was used to. But it’s getting faster and faster. The more customers we keep serving, the more will get our system system down.”

Tiffany’s Diner is open Tuesday through Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is located on 1329 S. Belt Hwy.

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Both St. Joseph GameStop locations to close

News-Press NOW on January 4, 2026

News-Press NOW

By Darren Doyle:

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (KQTV) — Flyers posted at the entrances to both St. Joseph GameStop locations announce that they will close on Jan. 8.

Both St. Joseph GameStop locations will have their last full day of business on January 7, according to employee posts on social media.

The flyers posted on the doors of both locations at the Shoppes at North Village and at 3302 South Belt Highway stated that reservations made with GameStop are being transferred to a Kansas City location. Customers can pick these up at the store located at 8602 North Boardwalk Ave, Suite 32, in Kansas City, Missouri.

Customers are encouraged to take a picture of the sign at closing locations to receive a 20% Trade-In Bonus on Games and Accessories from January 11 to January 31 of this year.

The reason for closure was not explicitly stated on the flier; however, in March 2025, CNN announced that the company planned to close additional locations.

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Finding balance: Central Oregonians share their New Year resolutions

KTVZ on January 4, 2026

Claire Elmer

(Update: adding comments from Bend locals, Fox Business, video)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — When the calendar turns to a new year, many people take time to refocus on what matters most — from finances and fitness to family and personal growth. Across Central Oregon, those goals are looking particularly reflective in 2026.

For countless citizens throughout the country, money tops the list. With the effects of inflation still squeezing budgets, many are hoping to spend smarter and save more in the year ahead.

“Many of the people I spoke with say they’re concerned about the cost of everyday items,” said Fox Business correspondent Kelly Saberi. “It’s not just something that they’re thinking about going into the new year, but something they’ve had to think about every day.”

Although inflation has eased slightly in recent months, household expenses remain a challenge. A Fox News poll found 44% of respondents believe they’re falling behind financially — a frustration that’s becoming a powerful motivator for 2026 resolutions.

Some Chicago-area consumers shared simple, practical goals:

“Just getting a set amount to save each week.”

“Not spending money on frivolous things, like buying coffee every day.”

“We are thinking about investing more money.”

Here at home, locals say their focus is broader — balancing financial planning with mental and physical well-being. In true Central Oregon fashion, for many, that involves the great outdoors.

“One of my New Year’s resolutions was to just stay more active and be outside more,” said Kinley Pesenti, a Bend resident.

Another local, Monique Lecomte, said she’s returning to a long-time passion. “I used to be a big runner, and I’m getting back into running. This is Bend, and all the trails are a perfect place to do that.”

Experts say success often means keeping goals flexible and realistic. Halina Kowalski, owner and founder of Gather Sauna House in Bend, uses a single word to guide her year.

“I’ve been doing a word for the year — something that represents multiple layers of what I’m working toward,” Kowalski said. “There are multiple ways I can accomplish that, so you’re still left with a sense of accomplishment.”

Whether it’s saving more, stressing less, or simply slowing down, 2026 is about progress — not perfection.

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Multiple Vehicle Crash delays traffic near Victor

KIFI on January 4, 2026

News Team

VICTOR, Idaho – (KIFI) Idaho state police is investigating a multi-vehicle crash that shut down a highway in Teton county for hours Saturday morning.

The crash happened just after 11 a.m. on State Highway 31 near mile marker 15, outside victor.

Investigators say a car traveling south was driving too fast for winter conditions and attempted to pass another vehicle.

That move triggered a collision involving six other vehicles, including suvs, pickup trucks, and a van.

State police say drivers involved ranged in age from their mid-20s to early 50s and were from Idaho, Wyoming, Washington, Utah, and peru.

All drivers were wearing seatbelts and no one was taken to the hospital.

Idaho State Police say the crash remains under investigation and are reminding drivers to slow down and use caution during winter driving conditions.

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Cal Poly loses at Long Beach State

KEYT on January 4, 2026

Mike Klan

LONG BEACH STATE, Calif. (KEYT). Sophomore guard Hamad Mousa finished with a team leading 19 points and junior guard Jake Davis (above) enjoyed a career high 15 Saturday evening, but the Cal Poly men’s basketball program sustained a 74-68 setback at Long Beach State. 

Mousa also grabbed a team high eight rebounds for Cal Poly (6-10, 2-2), which led just once (by a single point) and was kept to a 33.9 (19-for-56) percent field goal mark. Meanwhile, Long Beach State (5-10, 1-2) – which led by as much as 25 points in the second half before Cal Poly cut the gap to 11 with four minutes to go – finished with a 50.0 (29-for-58) percent mark. 

Held to a 5-for-17 shooting start, Cal Poly trailed 23-17 seven-and-a-half minutes before the break. The Mustangs though received a pair of free throws from freshman forward Ali Assran before Davis knocked down his second three-pointer of the night to cut the gap to one. 

Cal Poly, however, kept without a field goal the remainder of the half as Long Beach State – shooting 53.3 (16-for-30) percent in the opening period – took a 38-26 lead into the locker room. 

Davis opened the second half with another three-pointer to break Cal Poly’s drought, but Long Beach State countered with a 13-6 run out of the break to stretch the advantage to 51-32 with 15 minutes to play. 

Cal Poly still faced a 65-41 deficit with nine-and-a-half remaining before reeling off a 16-3 run to close within 11 points. Long Beach State, however, scored on its next two possessions to maintain a double-digit advantage.

Cal Poly Noteworthy (at Long Beach State)

Saturday’s matchup was played inside Long Beach State’s auxiliary facility – The Gold Mine – after rain in Southern California forced the closure of the LBS Financial Credit Union Pyramid. 

Up Next: Cal Poly stays on the road, visiting CSUN on Thursday, Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. on ESPN+. 

With Saturday’s setback, Cal Poly sits in a three-way tie for fourth place in the Big West standings alongside UC Santa Barbara and CSUN. 

Now a double-digit scorer in all 15 appearances, Hamad Mousa kept hold of the Big West lead at 20.9 points per game. 

(Article by Cal Poly Athletics)

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Struggling Gauchos lose again

KEYT on January 4, 2026

Mike Klan

NORTHRIDGE, Calif. (KEYT) – UCSB got another late wake-up call and lost for the fourth time in the past five games.

The Gauchos were down 14-0 at Cal State Northridge to start the game and lost 74-65 to fall to 2-2 in the Big West and 9-6 overall.

Slow starts recently against Utah Valley, Green Bay and Cal State Fullerton have led to Gauchos losses.

UCSB had a poor shooting game against the Matadors making only 21 of 61 shots including just 6-for-30 from three-point distance.

Aidan Mahaney was 1-for-13, Zion Sensley was 2-for-10 and Colin Smith made just 1 of his six field goal attempts.

The Gauchos are just 2-4 without point guard Miro Little who has missed the last six games with a foot injury. He is close to returning to the lineup.

UCSB had 38 turnovers on their 0-2 road trip with freshman CJ Shaw committing 14 of those playing out of position at point guard. Shaw did lead UCSB with 20 points at CSUN.

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Gauchos bounce back with home win versus CSUN

KEYT on January 4, 2026

Mike Klan

UC SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The UC Santa Barbara Women’s Basketball team fought CSUN Saturday for their second home game of the week. The Gauchos won 88-70 to make themselves 3-1 in conference play and establish a 12-game win streak over CSUN.

(Gauchos have won 10 of their last 11 games. Entenza Design).

FROM HEAD COACH RENEE JIMENEZ”We really try to stay not outcome focused but process focused, and like are we getting better game to game? We even break the game into like five minute segments,” Jimenez said. “We really try to keep them process focused instead of having them check the scoreboard and the end result. It’s kind of the approach we’ve taken this year which I think has worked really well for this group.”

HOW IT HAPPENEDOlivia Bradley got to work quickly, driving in a layup for the first basket of the game. The Matadors returned with a three, but Bradley went right back to the basket for another layup. She went on to procure an 11-point first quarter.

The teams initially struggled over the lead, but Santa Barbara secured it for themselves at 16-13. They then went on a ten-point scoring run from which the Matadors would never recover. The Gauchos achieved their highest-scoring differential during the first, making 13 more points than CSUN and wrapping the half at 26-13.

The Gauchos maintained their drastic lead through the second, finishing the quarter 16 points ahead at 47-31. Zoe Borter put up ten of the Gauchos’ 21 points.

The Gauchos finished the third quarter 23 points ahead of the Matadors, running them down 75-52. Santa Barbara made 28 points overall – their highest tally of the game.

The game finished 88-70 after the Matadors put on their best quarter of the game. The Gauchos sustained their healthy lead, however, and gave themselves another win.

Santa Barbara shot 57% from the field and five Gauchos scored double digits. Skylar Burke matched her season-high 15 points and Bradley made over 10 points for the 10th time this season.

Chauncey Andersen was back in action, going three for five and grabbing five rebounds. Jessica Grant went four for five in threes and surpassed 200 career three-pointers, while Bojana Radnjic had a career-high three rebounds

UP NEXTThe Gauchos will hit the road next week, visiting UC Davis on Jan. 8 at 6:00 p.m.

(Article by UCSB Athletics)

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