FestForums shines a light on Musicians and Festivals

KEYT on February 16, 2026

Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) It’s not everyday fans see Rock & Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Jeff “Skunk” Baxter at the Soho Restaurant & Music Club or emerging talent Hunter Hawkins perform with the legendary Kenny Loggins.

The music showcase followed the opening night awards ceremony at the 9th FestForums in Santa Barbara.

Kevin Lyman, who is marking the 30th anniversary of the Vans Warped Tour, was recognized.

“Look how many people come up for a few days to exchange ideas and that is what it is all about,” said Lyman.

The honorees also included winemaker Fred Brander, who’s wine is a popular part of countless food and wine festivals.

Festforums included more than 100 speakers during panel discussions at the Mar Monte Hotel.

“Anything that can give artists the whole business a kick-in-the-butt is a welcome phenom, it is hard enough for people to figure out this business,” said Baxter.

Laurie Kirby has produced FestForums from the start and brings all kinds of festival folks together.

“They learn from each other, we have vendors that can help them elevate their festivals,” said Kirby.

American Poet Stephen Kalinich helped open one some of program with his poetry.

Festforums also gave a spotlight to women in the industry with a women’s panel entitled “Breaking Barriers:Women in the Festival Industry.

The packed panel included Helen Gover, who created the All My Relations Celebration, marketing leader Olga Rodriguez Santini of OCHOMASDIEZ, Tobi Olanihun of WOW! / COnnect & TEPS, Lisa Oldie of Sundance Film Festival and Abbey Londer of Netflix is a Joke Fest.

 “We are giving a platform to share their experiences and really highlight their stories,” said marketing director and speaker Phoebe Choi.

Media Coordinator Natalie Vo was taking it all in.

“I Love festivals, it is just a place where people can escape from the problems of the world and just socialize,” said Vo.

Panels covered everything from the State of the Industry to the Impact of AI.

Three-time Oscar winner Scott Ross, who now operated Digital Domain, sees the yin and yang of AI.

“AI is a paradox, so on one hand it is an incredible tool and on the other hand it is the fate of the entire human race,” said Ross.

EJ Encarlarde of Festival Productions, Inc. in New Orleans helps up and coming festival founders.

“There is so much to learn from the leadership perspective, to the producer perspective,” said Encalarde.

Attendees also had a chance to check out business that cater to festivals and even a Puppy Palooza. 

A couple of puppies were adopted.

Many people plan to return for more Industry inspiration next year .

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One person hospitalized in La Quinta house fire

KESQ on February 16, 2026

Athena Jreij

LA QUINTA, Calif. (KESQ) – One person was sent to the hospital with minor injuries after a fire broke out at a home on the 45000 block of Debbie Drive in La Quinta.

Officials responded to the fire at 7:38 p.m. to find smoke coming from the front door of the house.

The fire was contained shortly after.

One person was transported to a nearby hospital for minor injuries.

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Pianist Gil Rosas, almost 90, performs benefit for the Center for Successful Aging

KEYT on February 16, 2026

Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) Pianist Gil Rosas performed an encore show full of romantic songs on the day after Valentine’s Day.

Fans filled the Marjorie Luke Theatre to enjoy Rosas show called “Everything’s Coming up Rosas!.” 

The produced by Rod Lathim also included classical favorites.

Rosas turns 90 on February 24, so the performance was like a birthday celebration.

He is at home behind a grand piano and said learning Chopin keeps his skills sharp.

Rosas was just 17 when he become one of the first staff members at KEYT-TV in the early 1950s.

He played on live broadcasts and has made a living playing piano ever since.

The concert served as a fundraiser for the Center on Successful Aging.

Gary Linker, who has a doctorate in clinical psychology, is the clinical director of the nonprofit.

“We work with low income seniors who have a variety of needs with several programs,” said Linker, ” senior pier counseling, we have a help line, we have a program to assist people in their homes and we have our successful aging newspaper.”

The motto of the Center for Successful Aging is “Ending Loneliness, Building Community.”

“The center offers a program to combat loneliness and isolation called the successful aging club. This club is open to anyone 55 years of age and older who wishes to participate in educational social and recreational programs. The fee is $60 per year and the next event will be at the end of March where a physician will be talking about the physical, nutritional emotional and lifestyle characteristics that make for a successful life,” said Linker.

Contact the Center at 805-898-8080 for more information or visit, https://cbbsb.org

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UPDATE: One employee transported to hospital, 300 guests evacuated due to fire at Indian Wells hotel

KESQ on February 16, 2026

Athena Jreij

UPDATE as of 11 p.m. – Officials say 160 rooms and more than 300 guests have been evacuated from the Grand Hyatt Indian Wells Resort and Villas.

Additionally, one employee was transported to the hospital for minor injuries.

Fire crews are working with the city and hotel to find accommodations for guests.

Officials say there could be widespread water damage from hotel sprinklers.

This is a developing story, stick with News Channel 3 for updates.

INDIAN WELLS, Calif. (KESQ) – Cal Fire units are responding to a commercial fire at a hotel on the 44000 block of Indian Wells Lane in Indian Wells.

According to the post on X, smoke was reported on the 5th floor of a hotel, inside an electrical room shortly before 8 p.m.

No injuries have been reported.

News Channel 3 is sending a crew to the scene, stay tuned for any updates.

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Weekend one of Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival draws big crowds

KESQ on February 16, 2026

Timothy Foster

INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) — Weekend one of the Riverside County Fair and National Date Festival got off to a strong start, with opening day attendance nearly triple that of last year.

Raffi Frinsley, marketing manager for the fair, said the first three days brought exceptionally large crowds, reflecting growing excitement around the event. She noted that the increase is a result of new attractions, expanded entertainment, and strong community support.

This year’s fair introduced the Oasis Tiki Lounge, a central area where guests can relax, and a National Date Festival museum that showcases decades of memorabilia and celebrates more than 100 years of festival history.

Entertainment remains a major draw, with live music, Polynesian fire dancers, and motorcycle stunt shows adding to the lively atmosphere. Many visitors come to relive traditions, including rides, food, and family experiences that have made the festival a staple in the Coachella Valley for generations.

Longtime attendees continue to return each year, enjoying both the rides and the fair’s wide range of food options, from funnel cakes and cinnamon rolls to tacos and boba. Families from across the valley see the festival as a perfect opportunity to spend quality time together while enjoying the fair’s attractions.

With strong turnout in weekend one, organizers anticipate continued momentum through the remainder of the festival, which runs through next weekend in Indio.

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One dead after house fire in Pulaski County early Sunday

KMIZ on February 16, 2026

Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A person rescued from a fire early Sunday in Richland has died.

The Tri-County Fire Protection District posted the update Monday on its Facebook page. The district says it won’t release details about the victim out of respect for privacy.

According to an earlier post, crews were called to the 400 block of North Pine Street in Richland in Pulaski County around 4:30 a.m. Sunday. The callers told the dispatcher that a home was on fire and that someone inside of the home was injured, the post says.

Crews found heavy fire coming from the front side of the home upon arrival.

The victim was treated on scene and transported to a local hospital. They were listed in critical condition as of Sunday morning, the post says.

The district later wrote that it found out about the death that evening.

The fire was brought under control around 5:30 a.m. and the scene was cleared around 8:45 a.m.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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UPDATE: Unborn child killed in Desert Hot Springs crash

KESQ on February 16, 2026

Timothy Foster

UPDATE 2/15/26 9:40 p.m.

California Highway Patrol is now identifying the person killed in the crash as the unborn child of a pregnant woman involved in the collision.

Officials say the pregnant woman was transported to a hospital where the fetus was pronounced dead.

This is a developing story. Stick with News Channel 3 for the latest.

Update 2/15/26 7:48 p.m.

The California Highway Patrol is now reporting the crash as a fatality.

Original Report:

DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Two people were hospitalized in serious condition following a head-on collision Sunday evening at the intersection of North Indian Canyon Drive and Pierson Boulevard.

The crash occurred around 4:56 p.m. when a white Honda and a gray Lexus collided.

Emergency responders quickly arrived at the scene, and all lanes were reopened by 6:18 p.m.

Authorities say drugs and alcohol are not suspected to be factors in the crash.

Officials continue to investigate the cause of the collision, stay with News Channel 3 for further developments.

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Two critically injured after plane crash in Camarillo

KEYT on February 16, 2026

Caleb Nguyen

CAMARILLO, Calif. (KEYT) – Ventura County Fire, Oxnard Fire and Ventura County Sheriff’s Office helped two people in critical condition after a plane crash in Camarillo just after 6:00 p.m. Sunday.

Fire crews helped the two people from the plane after it crashed into a drainage near the area of Carmen Drive and Lucero Street, according to the VCFD.

The plane did not hit any buildings in the area and firefighters remained on scene to help monitor the situation, according to the VCFD.

The VCFD also mentioned notifications being made to the FAA.

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Friends of former Cole County farmland owner consider next steps after land was auctioned off

KMIZ on February 16, 2026

Alison Patton

COLE COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The friends of Lawrence Renn Junior, who owned 178 acres of land and wanted to turn it into a county park, are considering the next steps after the land was sold in an auction.

Hawthorn Bank is the trustee of the Renn Trust, which included the farmland, and what Renn’s friends claim to be worth millions of dollars. The bank is also trying to figure out what to do with the trust money and the $2.2 million from the recently sold farmland.

The trust language requires the bank to donate the money to a charitable organization or use it for college scholarships.

“We are getting closer to knowing the full value of the assets in the trust following the sale.  We are working on a plan to distribute funds for college scholarships. Announcements will be coming over the next few months,” Hawthorn Bank’s Jill Dobbs told ABC 17 News over email.

Friends close to Renn are asking the bank to use it to maintain already existing parks.

The trust originally intended for the land to be turned into a memorial park and offered the land to Cole County, with the condition of creating and maintaining the park, which county commissioners declined.

A group of Renn’s friends sued the bank and county to try and stop the auction from happening, but Cole County Judge Joseph Shetler dismissed the case because the group didn’t have legal standing to file the lawsuit.

Now, the group and the bank are trying to figure out what happens next.

Attorney for the group, Dave Bandre, told ABC 17 News that one idea is to put some of the money toward already existing parks in Renn’s name.

“One suggestion has been to see if, per the terms of the Trust, Hawthorn Bank will direct the Trust to donate some or all of the proceeds of the sale to a charitable organization which can fund parks in the late Mr. Renn’s name in some of the small municipalities in Cole county,” Bandre told ABC 17 News on Tuesday.

Mark Knapp, a friend of Renn’s and a beneficiary of the trust, said Bandre presented the idea to the bank. The group met with their attorney Wednesday, where Bandre relayed how the bank took it.

“I’m not saying that can’t happen, but it sounds like he [Bandre] talked to the bank’s attorney and you know, I don’t mean to be rude, but basically the bank was giving us all the finger, you know what I mean? Is kind of how Dave said it,” Knapp said.

Tony Porter, another friend of Renn, said the bank didn’t say no, but it didn’t seem like they were “keen on the idea.”

There’s one more route the group can take: get the attorney general involved.

In Shetler’s decision, he ruled that only Attorney General Catherine Hanaway and her office have legal standing to challenge the bank on how it’s handling the trust.

“Our Office did receive a consumer complaint on this issue, which is still under review. There is no pending legal action from the Missouri Attorney General’s Office on this matter,” a spokesperson for the attorney general told ABC 17 News via email on Wednesday.

However, the attorney general won’t be able to return the land, Bandre said in an email.

“The AG has the ability to protect the interests of the ‘public’ when a charitable trust is involved. My clients (and others) have reached out to the AG to complain that Hawthorn did not do what they were obligated to do as Trustee of Mr. Renn’s Trust,” Bandre said in an email on Wednesday.

A three-person advisory committee was supposed to be formed to guide the Cole County Commissioners on park development, management and maintenance, according to the trust language. The committee was never formed.

Knapp said the committee could have acted to keep the bank accountable with the trust funds, and without the committee, the attorney general will have to step in to make sure the bank isn’t misusing the funds.

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Unseasonably warm weather brings fire danger to start the week

KRDO on February 16, 2026

Luke Victor

Tonight: Quiet conditions expected tonight. Temperatures will fall into the 30s for most—a jacket will be needed out the door in the morning.

Monday: Another warm day on tap, in fact, it’ll be even warmer than Sunday. We’ll see a bit of a breeze develop in the afternoon, with winds up to 25 mph. This will lead to fire danger on Monday afternoon. Be fire aware and safe throughout the day!

Tuesday: It is going to be a big day of active weather across Colorado: heavy mountain snow, with dry and very windy conditions along and east of I-25. This will lead to significant fire danger on Tuesday afternoon. Winds will be out of the west from 45-60 mph. 

The rest of the week: We’ll be much cooler on Wednesday through the weekend. Snow will continue in the high country most of the week, too, bringing much needed powder to the mountains. I-25 and points east should not expect significant snow at this time.

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