Daniella Lake
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (KESQ) – Bath & Body Works at The River in Rancho Mirage is closing on February 21st. Despite the upcoming close, remaining business owners are still optimistic about customers flowing into The River.
Stay with News Channel 3 with more on Bath & Body Works’ closure.
Seth Ratliff
BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — The Idaho Majority Club (IMC), a Meridian-based conservative political action committee, has announced that Donald Trump Jr. will headline the upcoming IMC America 250 dinner in the state’s capital.
The event is set to take place on February 23, 2026, at the Boise Centre. Doors are scheduled to open at 6:00 p.m. for an evening centered on the upcoming “America 250” milestone.
For more information, click HERE.
Par Kermani
UPDATE:
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Idaho State Captain Chris Weadick reported that slick and ice-covered roadways were the cause of the delays.
Officials noted that while some roads may not appear heavily covered in snow, a layer of ice is creating hazardous driving environments.
“We haven’t had snow-covered roadways for many weeks, and it can kind of catch the drivers off guard because they’re wanting to drive as if it’s summertime conditions.” said Weadick
To ensure public safety, the Idaho State Police recommend the following tips for winter driving:
Reduce Speed: Drivers should slow down significantly to account for decreased traction.
Increase Following Distance: Motorists are advised to open up the space between their vehicle and the one in front of them to allow for longer braking times.
Wear Seatbelts: Police emphasize that seatbelts remain a primary defense in the event of a slide-off or collision.
Drive for Conditions: Be aware that “black ice” or light dustings of snow can be just as dangerous as heavy accumulation.
UPDATE:
PALISADES, Idaho (KIFI) — A crash involving two semi-trucks has paralyzed traffic on US-26 near the Palisades Reservoir today. While the accident caused significant delays, ISP has confirmed that no one was injured in the crash.
Courtesy Idaho State Police
According to Idaho State Police Captain Chris Weadick, the crash took place at mile marker 398 around 11:08 AM on Wednesday. Despite the size of the vehicles involved, the impact resulted only in minor property damage.
Captain Weadick reports that crews with ITD have chained up the first of the two semis to remove it. The highway remains at a standstill as crews work to clear the wreckage. First responders are directing travelers to use alternate routes and drive with caution.
ORIGINAL:
PALISADES, Idaho (KIFI) — A crash involving multiple semi-trucks has brought traffic along US-26 near the Palisades Reservoir to a screeching halt. According to the Idaho Transportation Department, the crash occurred at mile marker 398 blocking all lanes of travel.
First responders are directing travelers to use alternate routes and drive with caution. Its not clear at this time how many vehicles were involved or any potential injuries.
This is a developing story. Local News 8 will provide an update as more information becomes available.
Alison Patton
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Gov. Mike Kehoe has promised $7.5 million to pay for students to attend classes outside their school districts, if the state legislature can pass an open enrollment bill.
“Again, open enrollment is not about weakening public education, it’s about strengthening it,” Kehoe said in his State of the State Address in January. “Because when families have choices, schools are pushed to innovate, improve, and respond to the needs of the students they serve.”
Two bills in each chamber would make open enrollment between districts possible, but the bills differ on how many transfer students can be accepted.
State Rep. Brad Pollitt (R-Sedalia) is sponsoring House Bill 2604, which would allow schools to cap transfer students at 5% of the previous school year’s student enrollment. If passed, Pollitt’s bill would take effect July 1, 2027.
Pollitt’s bill hasn’t been assigned to a House committee.
State Sen. Curtis Trent’s (R-Greene County) bill, Senate Bill 971, would start all schools on a 3% cap of the previous year’s enrollment. If a school hits its transfer student total after the first year, it can bump the cap to 4%. Schools would be able to bump the cap again by 1% if it hits the transfer student total. However, 5% is the highest cap the bill would allow.
Trent’s bill would take effect July 1, 2028, if it can pass both chambers. It was passed out of the Senate education committee on Tuesday.
This is the sixth year the General Assembly has tried to pass an open-enrollment bill.
Kehoe also stated in his State of the State Address that public schools will not receive any additional state funding for the next school year, and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is tasked with updating the base formula for public school funding.
The Missouri National Education Association opposes the Senate bill.
“The Association believes that public school choice plans with state funding may harm students and our public schools unless essential criteria are in place for implementing, monitoring, and evaluating their effectiveness,” MNEA’s legislative update reads.
“Our goal is to ensure that every student has access to a great public school,” Mark Jones, MNEA public affairs director, said. “Unfortunately, the open enrollment bill doesn’t meet the criteria.”
Jones said the policy could make open enrollment an option for only some families they have to find their own transportation to the new district.
“What we think will happen is that you’ll have two groups of students, one that have access to the potential to go to the new district and others that don’t,” Jones said. “We’d rather put efforts into ensuring that every public school is a great place that welcomes students and meets their needs.”
The Missouri State Teachers Association also opposes the policy because of potential financial impacts and strains on school districts.
MSTA Policy Director Matt Michelson said open enrollment could cause some school districts to condense, as students leave their districts for another, and it could overwhelm well-performing districts.
Both bills would allow state funding to follow the students who leave, essentially adding students to the count of the new school district.
“For some districts, having an extra student could mean substantial state dollars in addition to what they’re getting, and for other districts, it’d be a very minimal amount,” Michelson said.
Michelson said the state estimated the program would cost about $80 million back when the policy was introduced for the very first time.
“We are now in what is probably going to end up being substantially similar bill to the one from a few years back,” he said. “How did the program go from being $80 million to $7 million without any real kind of substantial changes?”
The Missouri Charter Public School Association supports open enrollment, as long as it includes charter schools, which both bills do.
“At the end of the day, Missouri families are really seeking the best public school fit for them,” executive director Noah Devine said.
He said there are some challenges that the legislature will have to work through, like how funding will work once the state updates the public school funding formula and what happens when a student transfers to a school district that has a different levy or wealth disparity.
“I don’t know the right answer or where it’s going to land,” Devine said. “I’ve seen different iterations over the years, but it’s a worthy problem to work through, but I think we can do it.”
Garrett Hottle
INDIO, Calif. (KESQ) Two of the Coachella Valley’s most iconic events kick off February 12, bringing tens of thousands of visitors and a major economic boost to the region.
The Riverside County Fair & National Date Festival runs February 12 through March 1 at the Riverside County Fairgrounds in Indio.
The 13-day event traces its roots back to 1921 and celebrates the region’s date palm harvest — an industry that still produces the majority of the nation’s dates. Organizers say this year’s fair will include fan favorites like monster trucks, rodeo events, agricultural exhibits, concerts, and new attractions inside the fairgrounds.
More information and tickets are available at www.datefest.org.
At the same time, Modernism Week runs February 12–22 across Palm Springs and surrounding cities. The 11-day festival highlights midcentury modern architecture, art, and design with more than 450 events scheduled. According to organizers, last year’s festival drew 115,000 attendees and generated more than $62 million in economic impact for the area.
This year’s event includes keynote speakers, architectural home tours, film premieres, and the first-ever World Monuments Fund/Knoll Modernism Prize ceremony held outside New York City.
Tickets and event details are available at www.modernismweek.com.
News Channel 3 will have expanded coverage tonight, including how local small businesses are preparing for the influx of visitors.
Tracy Lehr
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – When Stellan Skarsgård arrived at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival he went straight to his fans.
Skarsgård is the first Best Supporting Academy Award nominee in an International film.
The Norwegian family drama “Sentimental Value” cast also includes Elle Fanning, who like Skarsgård plays a movie star.
On Tuesday night, Sentimental Value director Joachim Trier, who is nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay Oscar, received one of the Outstanding Directors Awards from the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
Actor Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, who earned a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for the film, was also in town on Super Bowl Sunday to receive a Virtuosos Award.
Skarsgård described the film as his best work and said he recently visited Santa Barbara for a screening.
He seemed thrilled that his colleagues were honored by the festival, too.
Local movie stars Bo Derek and John Corbett arrived early to see his tribute, too.
“Stellan Scarsgård- I’m a huge fan and I love the movie “Sentimental Value,” don’t miss it and it is just so wonderful that we have this right in our own community.”
Corbett is a academy voter and said they have been watching 3 films a night.
They have also been enjoying the SBIFF>
“It is so cool to just watch everybody here and you know Roger Durling is a good friend of ours, and he invites us every year, so we try to come and show our support,” said Corbett.
Josh Brolin also walked the red carpet. He was on hand to present Skargård with the Montecito Award.
“Sentimental Value” is streaming, but Scarsgård recommends seeing it on the big screen.
One of the fans who waited to see Skarsgard arrive said she loved the movie.
“Sentimental Value”might be my favorite movie of the year,” said Julia Riskin, ” it is such a beautiful story and made me think of my own relationship with my own family,” said Riskin.
Your News Channel will have more SBIFF tributes throughout the week.
For more information visit https://sbiff.org
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News Team
TETON COUNTY, Wyo. (KIFI) — First responders are on the scene of an overturned semi along US-89/26 from Alpine to Jackson, Wyoming.
The Alpine Wyoming Fire Department responded to the crash sometime before 6:30 AM on Wednesday.
While the road remains open, the Teton County Sheriff’s Office is directing drivers to slow down and move over for first responders at work.
Megan Lavin
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Idaho recently received a D grade for its policies on cell phone use in schools from a coalition that includes the Becca Schmill Foundation, Institute for Families & Technology, Smartphone Free Childhood United States, and The Anxious Generation.
So, Local News 8 anchor Megan Lavin spoke with administrators, teachers, and students in District 91 about what’s working — and what still needs improvement.
District Leaders Say the Policy Is Working Locally
District 91 Superintendent Karla La’Orange says the grade came as a surprise, especially after recent state action.
“I was surprised because last year the legislature passed a bill that required all [Idaho] schools to limit cell phone access and use during instructional hours.”
Despite the statewide grade, La’Orange says she’s seen clear benefits since phones were restricted.
“We have more students checking books out of the library and reading, which I always think is a good thing.”
“Teachers have reported that students are more focused during class, and they’ve also reported students are talking to each other more and that they’re interacting socially.”
La’Orange says part of the challenge is that the grade reflects the entire state.
“The grade is for the entire state. So I think what we want to do is in our district, exceed that grade and know that we’re implementing it at a higher level.”
Inside Skyline High School: Early Challenges, Positive Results
Skyline High School Principal Josh Newell says the first year of the phone restriction came with growing pains.
“All in all, it’s been great. Honestly, you know, it was rough at first. Kids to make adjustments like that sometimes is really hard.”
Still, he says the impact in classrooms has been overwhelmingly positive.
“Many of our teachers have reported, you know, a much higher level of engagement within classes. And, you know, that engagement piece is huge.”
At Skyline, phones are still allowed before school, during lunch, and after school–which is a big part of why Idaho scored lower, since the coalition recommends the phones be away from bell to bell.
Newell believes the change may even be affecting academic performance.
“We’ve had some uptick in our ISAT scores. And, you know, we’re hoping that that’s going to keep going up.”
Students Say Enforcement Isn’t Always Consistent
Skyline student Emily Orchard says this is her first year with cell phone rules — and she’s noticed both progress and loopholes.
“A bit of both. People are definitely getting smarter at hiding it… But I have also seen so many kids that… set it in their backpack and leave it in their backpack.”
She says enforcement can vary from classroom to classroom.
“I’ve seen some teachers give a warning five, six times before they finally take the phone… teachers are definitely enforcing it. But depending on what class it is, and depending on the student will depend on if they actually enforce the rule.”
Teachers Say the Benefits Outweigh the Work
Drama teacher Sue Parrett says most students have adjusted over time.
“I believe at the beginning of the year, we were taking a lot more phones away than we are currently, as students have become, you know, as they have adjusted to the policy.”
She says the policy has reduced distractions and social conflict.
“There is less social drama… You also had problems of just sitting and scrolling instead of doing their work when they had access to their phones. So I feel like the benefits far outweigh any sort of enforcement that it takes with any school policy.”
Parrett says consistency across staff is critical.
“100% buy in from the faculty is important in order to enforce that.”
Coalition Recommendations
Lina Nealon, Director of Strategic Partnerships and Report Card Project Lead from the Institute for Families and Technology, recommends: “Today, Idaho’s current law simply requires that schools have a policy in place, but does not offer any additional guidance or information about what those policies must include. The result is wide variations in the types of policies implemented throughout the state, leading to inconsistent and inequitable student outcomes.”
The coalition gave state grades by “calculating and reviewing each state’s phone-free schools law or executive order passed in 2024 or 2025 against the six criteria outlined in the Model Bill. Point values were assigned to each criterion based on how imperative that criterion is to supporting the best possible outcomes. More information on the grading is available at phonefreeschoolsreport.org.“
The coalition recommends “states can improve their grade by enacting a phone-free schools law or executive order that more closely aligns with the criteria in the Model Bill—especially by adopting bell-to-bell policies with secure, inaccessible storage.”
Looking Ahead
La’Orange says the failing grade serves as an important reminder to keep evaluating the policy and listening to feedback from the school community.
“This interview made me realize it’s time to pull students back together and talk to them and find out what’s working and what’s not, and see what we can do to strengthen that, but also from our teachers and parents perspectives too. I think those are conversations we need to have so we can continue to grow and make sure that we’re helping our students limit their cell phone use for their own mental health and well-being.”
And if you’d like to see Idaho’s report card for yourself, you can see it in full here.
Jalen Fong
YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – As if dating wasn’t difficult enough already! Cryptocurrency scams target people on popular dating sites and apps, such as Tinder. Don’t let your quest for love blind you to red flags.
How the scam works
You “swipe right” on an attractive man or woman on a dating app, and the app instantly matches you with them.
After starting up a conversation, the alleged mate quickly takes the conversation off the platform and to a texting app, such as WhatsApp or WeChat.
Once on the texting app, the scammer starts talking about how they have a family member who is a successful cryptocurrency investor.
This person has inside trading information that could make you rich! Your new love interest encourages you to take advantage of this “exclusive opportunity.”
All you need to do is deposit money in a cryptocurrency trading platform. But once you make a deposit, the money is gone forever.
Or, you may be asked to pay large fees or meet certain minimum balance requirements to withdraw funds. Your new “love” blocks you on all platforms and stops replying to your messages.
In a recent BBB Scam Tracker report, a consumer shared that they met the scammer on Tinder and talked on WhatsApp.
After gaining the consumer’s trust, the scammer introduced them to investing in gold via dcmmarkets.com in addition to Coinbase.
The consumer reported that when trying to withdraw funds after the investments took place, the app’s customer service told the consumer they must pay 20% in fees.
“The fraudulent platform investment opportunity is often designed to appear legitimate and usually produces artificial gains to keep me engaged in the platform, and I started depositing more funds. However, when I felt he was pushy for more funds, he offered to deposit 30,000.00 and added it to my account in the OTC. That is why I believed him, but I told him to stop when he asked for more. I wanted my money back and could never withdraw my funds from the site. The customer service said I had to deposit 20% more to a different account for hefty fees. Before withdrawing my funds, he asked me about his money and threatened to sue me,” the consumer said.
In another BBB Scam Tracker report, the consumer stated meeting the scammer on Tinder and continued their relationship on WhatsApp.
The scammer introduced the consumer to forex trading where initial small investments yielded returns, leading to larger deposits totaling over $84,000. When attempting to withdraw funds, the site demanded $60,213 in taxes.
Partial payments were made, but further funds were requested. The site became inaccessible, but customer service on WhatsApp remains active. The consumer suspects the entire operation, including Raymond, is a scam.
One victim also reported to BBB Scam Tracker that after talking to a woman on Tinder, she persuaded him to invest on a fake trading cryptocurrency platform.
When he tried to withdraw his money, the funds were automatically reversed back into his account. The feature was allegedly a “system security” to help prevent money laundering.
The victim was then told the account needed to have a minimum balance of $3,000 before he could withdraw funds. After trying several times, the victim was unable to recoup his money.
Protect yourself from this scam
Never send money or personal information to someone you’ve never met in person. If they continue to pressure you to invest on a crypto trading platform, research the investment platform first.
Communicate on the dating app. If a love interest appears to be in a hurry to get off the dating app to an unsecure chat app, that is a red flag.
Ask specific questions about details given in a profile. A scammer may stumble over remembering details or making a story fit.
Research the dating profile. Many scammers steal photos from the web to use in their profiles. Conduct a reverse image lookup using a website like tineye.com or images.google.com to see if the photos on a profile are stolen from somewhere else. Search online for a profile name, email, or phone number to see what adds up and what doesn’t. Report what you find to the dating app.
Be wary of fast-moving relationships. Scammers often rush to build trust and move the conversation off dating platforms to private channels like WhatsApp or email.
Verify investment opportunities. Research any trading platform or investment opportunity independently. Look for reviews, warnings, and whether the platform is registered with financial regulatory authorities.
For more information
Learn about money mule scams on the Federal Bureau of Investigations website. Also, read about a romance scam that tricked victims into sending CARES Act money.
If you’ve been the victim of a scam, please report it to BBB Scam Tracker. Your report can help others to stay alert and avoid similar scams.
Check out BBB’s cryptocurrency tips and learn how to protect yourself from cryptocurrency scams. Read BBB’s tip on choosing a dating service.
Kelsey Merison
WASHINGTON, D.C. (KTVZ) — Oregon Senator Ron Wyden and Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer introduced legislation Tuesday to prevent President Donald Trump from receiving financial benefits from a $10 billion lawsuit against the federal government. The ‘Stop Presidential Embezzlement Act’ targets any settlement resulting from the president’s legal action against the IRS and Treasury Department.
In an interview with NBC News Anchor Tom Llamas, the President addressed the controversy saying, “You can’t leak documents. And any money that I win, I’ll give it to charity, 100% to charities, charities that will be approved by government or whatever. I have another lawsuit with the United States. I sued because they broke into Mar-a-Lago.”
The bill follows a lawsuit President Trump filed late last month regarding the leak of his tax returns by an outside contractor several years ago. The proposed legislation would impose a 100% tax on any settlement a president, vice president, cabinet member or member of Congress receives from the government as a result of a lawsuit filed while in office.
Senate Finance Committee Ranking Member Ron Wyden criticized the president’s lawsuit as a significant conflict of interest. Sen. Wyden described the legal action as an attempt to divert taxpayer funds for personal gain.
“Saying that Trump’s lawsuit against his own government creates a conflict of interest does not begin to describe the depth of corruption behind what he’s doing,” Sen. Wyden said. “At a time when so many American families are struggling to get by, it’s a shameful abuse of office for Trump to put himself in line to pocket billions of taxpayer dollars.”
Wyden also questioned President Trump’s public statements regarding the potential donation of settlement funds. He expressed skepticism about whether the president would follow through on such a commitment.
“The only reason Trump is talking about donating this money is because even he realizes what he’s doing is indefensible with the public and given that he’s a lifelong cheat and conman, there’s no reason to trust he’d even follow through with the donation anyway,” Sen. Wyden said.
Democratic Leader Schumer joined Wyden in sponsoring the measure and accused President Trump of prioritizing personal wealth over the needs of American families. Senator Schumer pledged that Senate Democrats would work to block the potential payout.
“Trump’s greed knows no bounds,” Sen. Schumer said. “As American families struggle to make ends meet or put food on the table, Trump tries to enrich himself at the expense of American taxpayers.”
Schumer further characterized the lawsuit as an attempt to extract billions of dollars from the public.
“Suing your own government to extract billions from taxpayers is corruption, plain and simple,” Sen. Schumer said. “Senate Democrats will fight to stop Trump from turning the presidency into a personal piggy bank.”
The proposal is also cosponsored by Senator Ben Ray Lujan and Senator Peter Welch. The legislative text was made available following the formal introduction of the bill on Tuesday.
