Rob Namnoum
The Colorado Springs District Eleven hockey team will play Steamboat Springs in the Class 4A semifinals on Saturday at Robson Arena. A win would put the Bookworms in the state championship game.
David Pace
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Idaho’s public universities are tapping into a powerful Lemhi supercomputer in a unique partnership with Idaho National Laboratory.
“It gives us a really big advantage to have access to these really big supercomputers,” said Idaho State University’s Michael Ennis, a high performance computing research solutions architect. “Just compared to what we had at ISU before we had this partnership with INL in the Falcon system, I’d say it’s probably increased our computing power by at least ten times.”
INL’s Collaborative Computing Center in Idaho Falls currently hosts five supercomputer systems – including a brand-new Teton supercomputer that has been in operation for nine days.
“The Lemhi supercomputer is exciting because it’s operated by the Idaho universities for the benefit of Idaho education,” said Battelle Energy Alliance’s Senior Advisor for Scientific Computing Eric Whiting.
Students and professors can access the supercomputer remotely from across Idaho. Around 400 accounts are currently active, researchers said.
“The Lemhi Computer was initially deployed in 2018,” Whiting said. “The laboratory used it for several years. We got a lot of really good use out of it, and then as we purchased more machines – newer machines – we made this machine available to universities.”
Representatives from Idaho State University, Boise State University, and University of Idaho also staff the machine on location.
“We have university staff that work with us in the building. We learn from them. They learn from us,” Whiting explained.
Idaho State University projects include GIS systems, wildfire analysis with NASA and pharmacy research.
“We have researchers that are working on the supercomputer to do things from analyzing medical imaging using AI to look for tumors,” said University of Idaho’s High Performance Computing Systems Administrator Joe Leister. “We have researchers doing bioinformatics, gene sequencing, researchers that are doing work with astrophysics and looking at black holes hitting each other, as well as researchers down here in Idaho Falls that are working with INL on nuclear systems and different fuels.”
The Lemhi system is an upgrade from the previous Falcon supercomputer that was ranked the 97th fastest computer in the world in 2014, but is now being replaced.
Boise State University PhD candidate Bourgeois Gadjagboui shared how the supercomputers have accelerated his computational chemistry research – training an AI model on a large database of organic molecules.
“I have been allocated 100 terabytes to store my data and also to run thousands of molecules,” Gadjagboui said. “Without Lemhi, I’m not sure I would be able to complete my research in a short time period.”
The Lemhi supercomputer contains eight racks that boast 94.5 terrabytes of memory, 20,160 cores and 504 nodes. It originally cost $5 million.
“Universities do two things. We train students, and we do research,” Boise State University’s Manager of Research Computing Jim Beck said. “Supercomputers sit really at the center of both of those things.”
The collaboration with INL places Idaho’s three public universities in an elite cadre of colleges that offer world-class supercomputer access to their students.
The Lemhi Supercomputer offers 94.5 terabytes of memory to Idaho’s universities in partnership with Idaho National Laboratory.
Mike Klan
WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif. (KEYT) – USC-bound senior Charlotte Raisin scored a game-high 6 goals to lead San Marcos past #1 seed Oaks Christian 11-10 in a CIF Division 1 SoCal Regional semifinal.
The #5 seed Royals will play #2 Mater Dei for the SoCal Girls Water Polo Division 1 Championship on Saturday at Long Beach City College at 2 p.m. The Monarchs edged Newport Harbor 9-7 in the other semifinal.
San Marcos built up a 7-3 lead over the home Lions at halftime behind four first half goals from Raisin.
Oaks Christian scored 4 unanswered goals in the third quarter to tie it at 7 before the Royals closed the quarter with 2 more goals from Raisin to lead 9-7.
Lions star and Stanford-bound Mia Fabros scored from outside to cut the deficit to 9-8 with 5:14 remaining.
Next possession the Royals went back up by two goals as junior Lily Bordofsky had a beautiful outside shot that snuck in the near post and it was 10-8 Royals with 4:49 to play. Bordofsky had 2 goals in the game.
Maryam Maamoun scored with 3:11 left and Lyra Gavazzi tied it at 10 with 2:35 remaining.
The Royals came down the pool and grabbed the lead right back. Michigan-bound senior Sophie Yonker took a pass from Shea Estabrook and Yonker delivered what proved to be the game-winning goal with 2:02 left on the clock. Yonker finished with 2 goals.
The Lions had a chance to tie in the closing seconds but could not convert a 6-on-5 advantage as their shot sailed wide over the goal. Royals goalkeeper Bethany King, a Harvard-commit, had 9 blocks in the game.
Oaks Christian ends their season at 22-7 and back-to-back CIF-Southern Section Open Division champions.
The Royals improve to 28-7 and win or lose on Saturday, the game marks the final one for Chuckie Roth as head coach of the girls program.
Mitchell Kaminski
BOONE COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)
Two horses rescued from a muddy lagoon near Harrisburg on Wednesday night are recovering after being treated by veterinarians.
A friend of the horses’ owners said the animals were at the vet until about 3 a.m. to ensure they made it through the night. They are being treated with antibiotics to clear up any potential infections after getting stuck in a lagoon that was being drained.
The Boone County Fire Protection District responded to the 8400 block of Gray Road around 7:17 p.m. after the owners discovered the horses trapped in mud earlier in the day.
“This stuff here was like soup, so it was very, very sloppy,” Boone County Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Clint Walker said. “We got dispatched at 7:17, arrived shortly after, and found two horses buried in mud up over their back, the only thing sticking out was their heads.”
Eighteen firefighters responded to the scene, with about half trained in large animal rescue through an optional 40-hour course offered by the department. Rescuing two animals at once added to the challenge.
“The multiple animals and being trapped at the same time, that added a different layer of complexity,” Lt. Joey Rimel said. “More often than not for the large animals, it’s often they’re stuck in mud or high water or ice or something like that. So that’s kind of our bread and butter rescue and that we deal with.”
Assistant Chief Norm Hinkle said large animal rescues fluctuate throughout the year, but tend to increase when weather conditions change.
“It definitely does fluctuate. We get at least a couple a year, it seems like; especially when the weather changes things like this, when it’s starting to thaw out,” he said. “We have those issues with the ice we had a couple of weeks ago, the cattle that fell through the ice.”
So far this year, the district has responded to three large animal incidents, two involving cattle and Wednesday night’s rescue involving the horses.
“There’s always some complexity to it when you’re dealing with agricultural and farm animals as far as getting to them, accessibility, you know, the mud, the muck, getting through fences, cows and horses get into places. Sometimes it’s hard for us to get into, especially access or with equipment and that type of thing,” Hinkle said.
The department offers a 40-hour large animal rescue course to its members each year.
“That course is something we’ve been doing for quite a long time, and it’s a bridge course that brings in fire personnel and it’s mainly the optional pieces for our members. Specifically, they have the option to sign up. We usually get ten or 15 a year that go to that class, which is pretty good. But then we fill the other half of that with the veterinarian school,” Rimel said.
Hinkle told ABC 17 News that only rescuers who have completed the large animal rescue course are allowed to make contact with the animals because they are trained to respond appropriately and properly apply straps and harnesses. Other responders without the specialized training assist with what Hinkle described as “mostly muscle,” using the basic rope techniques they received during standard firefighter training.
The district partners with the University of Missouri College of Veterinary Medicine for large animal rescues. Veterinarians were on scene Wednesday night to sedate the horses before crews pulled them from the mud.
Rob Namnoum
“Make sure we’re locked in and focused. Understand the job. Have some fun today”
Pueblo County always has fun because, “We’re a bunch of idiots, so we’re going to go and mess around,” says Lowry Kirkland.
The Hornets have messed around and now they will play the top seed in the class five playoffs in Palisade. “I mean, we look at it as were equal to him, you know, I mean seedings whatever seeding is just a seed. It’s a number,” says Kirkland. County head coach Blake Cesar adds, “We’re supposed to be there, we belong at the top of the states.”
“You seniors. And there’s a lot of you this is your your last opportunity. This is your last guaranteed game. Right? Let’s go make the best of the experience.”
An experience they won’t forget, “You know, we’ve we’ve all grown up together and we use we all used to play together and it’s just like we want to keep going. You know what I mean,?” says Luca Tucci.
One of the nine seniors Kirkland adds, “I mean, it means a lot because we’ve been one put it together for the last four years. You’ve got nine of us that are playing hard, playing together.”
“And you know it’s going to be a team bonding experience. You go six hours across the mountain, let’s go play the one seed. It’s going to be something you remember the rest of life, whether you know how it goes, but we’re going to win,” says Cesar.
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Missouri State Sen. Rick Brattin (R-Cass County) in a Thursday press release announced his intent to run for the newly drawn 5th District for the U.S. House.
Brattin was first elected to the Missouri Senate in 2020. Brattin refers to himself as a conservative and looks to support President Donald Trump.
“I am running because I believe in America — in her founding principles, her constitutional freedoms, and the opportunity she provides for every family willing to work hard and live responsibly. I will not stand by while Washington Democrats continue to obstruct, divide, and erode the values and liberties that have made our nation exceptional. President Trump needs strong conservatives in Congress — not career politicians who seek compromise for its own sake, but leaders who will stand firm and advance the America First agenda,” Brattin said in the release.
He grew up in Greenwood, graduated from Lee’s Summit High School and served in the Marine Corps, the release says. He served in the Missouri House for four terms from 2010-18 and was the Deputy Majority Whip. He also was a co-founder of the Conservative Caucus, the release says. He also served as the Cass County auditor.
Athena Jreij
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (KESQ) – After a 62-year-old woman was hit and killed earlier this week at Highway 111 and Frank Sinatra Drive, some residents are raising concerns about the intersection’s safety.
News Channel 3 dug deeper into the story and found a string of recent deaths and major injury accidents at the roadway.
On January 1, 2025, a 76-year-old cyclist was hit and killed by a car. The Riverside Sheriff’s Office say there was also a major injury traffic collision involving a pedestrian last year. Officials say 2023 saw a fatal crash, along with a 2022 major injury crash. In 2019, a 26-year-old Indio man was also killed while crossing the road.
Rancho Mirage doesn’t have a CV Link pathway through the city, meaning cyclists have to use Highway 111 and jump back on the route in Palm Desert. With only 2 out of the 4 crosswalks paved and no bike lanes through the intersection, News Channel 3 reached out to Rancho Mirage officials for more information.
Residents in the area agree fast cars and a lot of pedestrians can make conditions scary.
“It’s part of just, you know, the road traffic, a lot of traffic. People definitely do drive fast down this road, and, I think a lot of tourists who aren’t familiar with the area,” Eddie Franz Jr., of Rancho Mirage said.
City officials told News Channel in a statement that investigators often found pedestrians to be at fault in certain situations.
“In the 2019 incident, the pedestrian was walking in the roadway outside of the marked crosswalk and was determined to be at fault. In last year’s collision involving a bicyclist, investigators found that the cyclist entered the intersection against a red light. The driver was not cited. In the most recent incident, the pedestrian was crossing Highway 111 east of the marked crosswalk in an area where signage clearly prohibits crossing. That investigation remains ongoing.”
Officials went on to say,
“Highway 111 is a major arterial roadway, and the City continues to strongly encourage all pedestrians and cyclists to use the designated crosswalks and traffic control features provided, and to exercise caution when crossing. While these incidents are tragic, the findings to date do not indicate a pattern related to roadway design or traffic operations at this intersection that would warrant changes to traffic patterns at this time.
We continuously monitor traffic data and safety trends along Highway 111, and if conditions indicate a need for additional measures, we would evaluate those accordingly.”
Stick with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage on the road’s safety.
Ryan Shiner
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Columbia Regional Airport in 2025 had its biggest year in the airport’s history for passengers traveled, according to a Thursday press release from the airport.
The release says the airport had 242,167 passengers in 2025, a 17% from the year prior. Since 2024, the airport has announced more flights to Chicago and Dallas, as well as new flights to Charlotte and Florida. It will also get 600 new parking spaces soon.
“2025 was a defining year for Columbia Regional Airport,” airport manager Michael Parks said in the release. “The community’s support has fueled this growth, and we’re proud to offer more choices, stronger connectivity and an even better travel experience for Mid-Missouri to destinations around the world.”
The release says 300,000 total seats are scheduled to depart from the airport in 2026.
Jesus Reyes
PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – The Palm Desert Aquatic Center’s lap pool reopening has been pushed back due to issues with equipment manufacturing and delivery timelines, officials announced.
City officials said the lap pool, which was originally scheduled to open in February, is now expected to reopen in early-to-mid April.
All major equipment — including three new heaters — have been delivered. Construction in the equipment room is expected to be completed by mid-to-late March, followed by system startup and inspection by the Riverside County Health Department.
For the recreation amenities, replacement pumps and motors for the splash pad and water slides were ordered in early February. Updated manufacturer shipping timelines now place delivery in late April, with installation and operational readiness anticipated in May.
According to the facility’s website, recreational swimming is scheduled to return in June 2026.
Phased Reopening Plan:• Lap Pool: Target reopening early-to-mid April• Recreation Pool: Open in April as needed based on demand• Splash Pad & Water Slides: Expected to open in May following equipment installation
This phased approach ensures reliable operations and helps prevent temporary closures due to aging equipment, city officials said.
The lap pool has been closed since September due to issues with the facility’s filtration system. The facility was fully closed in November to allow for a major renovation project.
For regular updates on the pump room construction project, visit engagepalmdesert.com/pool.
Jesus Reyes
MECCA, Calif. (KESQ) – Four hikers in a group of eight were rescued today of possible dehydration near the Ladder Canyon Trail near the community of Mecca.
The rescue was reported shortly before 3:30 p.m. Thursday east of Mecca, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The agency stated that a helicopter hoisted the four individuals out of the area.
It was unclear if any injuries were reported.
A hiker was rescued on the same trail last week after a medical emergency.
