Oregon senators Merkley and Wyden plan to skip State of the Union to host virtual town hall

KTVZ on February 19, 2026

KTVZ – News Team

WASHINGTON. — U.S. Senators. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley will not attend the State of the Union address on Feb. 24, choosing instead to host a virtual town hall for Oregonians. The live online event will focus on protecting the U.S. Constitution and addressing federal policy concerns.

The town hall, co-hosted with the organization People’s Town Hall, will give residents the opportunity to ask questions and share viewpoints. The senators announced the move as a way to resist what they described as assaults on the Bill of Rights while engaging directly with their constituents.

The virtual town hall is scheduled to start at 2:30 p.m. PT and will be broadcast live on YouTube. Oregonians who wish to participate can submit questions to the senators in advance through an online portal.

Senator Wyden explained his decision by citing concerns over the economy and legal issues. He also mentioned the current administration’s handling of the investigation into Jeffrey Epstein.

“Sitting through Donald Trump’s unhinged ramblings about his unconstitutional schemes does nothing to help Oregonians justifiably concerned about his attacks on the economy and the law as well as his desperate diversions from the Epstein investigation,” Wyden said. He added that he prefers to hear “the truth” from his constituents during the alternative event.

Senator Merkley criticized the impact of the administration’s policies on working-class families. He stated that the boycott of the national address is a move to prioritize direct connection with his home state.

“After a year in office, Trump has made America poorer and sicker,” Merkley said. “He ran for president promising to help working people, but in office he’s only helped the rich and powerful. Trump is putting up red tape for families and rolling out the red carpet for billionaires. Every day of the week, I’ll choose to boycott the wannabe dictator and connect with Oregonians.”

The event is being held in collaboration with People’s Town Hall, an organization formed by the founders of the Town Hall Project. Nathan Williams, a representative of People’s Town Hall, described the partnership as a way to ensure elected officials remain accountable to their constituents.
“Direct dialogue with our leaders is a cornerstone of our democracy and it’s never been more important for our elected representatives to listen to the people they work for: their constituents,” Williams said.

This virtual format follows the senators’ established practice of regular engagement with Oregon residents. Both Wyden and Merkley conduct at least one town hall in each of the state’s 36 counties every year.

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Cabazon community recovering after heavy wind damage

KESQ on February 19, 2026

Athena Jreij

CABAZON, Calif. (KESQ) – A community in Cabazon is recovering after strong winds destroyed some of their property earlier this week.

Much of the damage is concentrated on Esperanza Ave, off Main Street in Cabazon, where News Channel 3 assessed downed trees, power lines, road signs and even trailers and manufactured homes toppled over.

Gregory Latham, a longtime Cabazon resident, said he’s seen extreme weather in the area but was surprised by the damage.

“A few times it had been so bad, the wind blew diesel trailers over that were on my property, and it had ripped big trees out of the ground. One time there was a river of water four feet deep in front of my place … My buddy’s roof ripped off and he had to pay several thousand dollars to get it repaired,” Latham said.

While Riverside County crews were spotted in the area, Latham says he wishes more proactive measures were taken.

News Channel 3 reached out to the county who said in a statement:

“In advance of the storm, the Emergency Management Department participated in coordination calls with the National Weather Service. Our duty officers have been monitoring for impacts from the storms, and we have had some localized reports of minor impacts such as down power lines, damaged road signs, and trees that were either knocked over or lost branches. There have been a couple structures that were damaged. So far, no residents have requested services from the American Red Cross. Storm events, such as this are a reminder, that residents should be prepared for extreme weather. Simple things like having an emergency kit and an emergency plan are vital. It’s also extremely important to slow down while driving in rain or snow, be alert for damaged traffic, signs or traffic lights that are not operating and to always remember that flooded roadways can be extremely dangerous and the water can be dangerous and may hide damage to the roadway. For prepared this information residence can go to RivCo ready.org and we encourage everyone to sign up for the Alert RivCo emergency alerting system through our website.”

The county is asking residents to report damage in the area to 951-955-6899. 

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75-Year-Old Custer County Man Sentenced to 20 Years for Possession of Child Pornography

KIFI on February 19, 2026

Seth Ratliff

CUSTER COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — A 75-year-old Custer County man will spend up to two decades in prison after being caught in the act of viewing child pornography. On February 10th, 2026, William Don Lindburg was sentenced following a multi-agency investigation led by the Idaho Attorney General’s Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Unit.

Investigation Background

The investigation into Lindburg began in March 2025 after the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children sent a “CyberTip” to local law enforcement, flagging a piece of child sex abuse material later linked to Lindburg’s IP address.

In late May, law enforcement obtained search warrants for Lindburg’s home, vehicles, and digital devices. According to court documents, investigators found Lindburg actively viewing the material on his computer at the moment they entered. Lindburg reportedly admitted to officers that they would find “thousands of images” on his devices.

The search confirmed a massive collection of files, many depicting the sexual abuse of children as young as two years old.

Sentencing Details

Initially charged with 10 counts of Possession of Child Sexually Exploitative Material, Lindburg later agreed to plead guilty on two counts in November 2025.

Judge Simpson sentenced to a total unified sentence of twenty years in prison with four years fixed and sixteen years indeterminate. In accordance with Idaho law, Lindburg will also be required to register as a sex offender.

Following the sentencing, Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador praised the collaboration between Deputy Attorneys General Monn, Gourley, and Young, as well as the local and specialized investigators on the case.

“Protecting Idaho families is the driving mission of this office in everything we do,” said Labrador. “Their dedication ensures that those who are caught exploiting children in Idaho are prosecuted and put behind bars.”

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Kitchen fire sparks $20K in damages; Firefighters issue safety warning

KIFI on February 19, 2026

Seth Ratliff

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — A local family is safe this morning after a kitchen fire broke out in their duplex on Wednesday night, Feb. 18. While the blaze caused significant smoke damage, the quick response of the Idaho Falls Fire Department prevented the flames from spreading to the rest of the home.

In the wake of the fire, IFFD is reminding residents to use caution when cooking, keep flammable materials away from heat sources, and ensure working smoke alarms are installed on every level of the home.

The Fire

Just before 8 PM, IFFD crews were called to a structure fire on Reynard Lane. Upon arrival at the two-story duplex, firefighters found the family had already safely evacuated.

The fire originated in a gas oven and began to climb up the wall behind the appliance. Intermountain Gas arrived on the scene to shut off the gas service while firefighters moved quickly to contain the blaze, successfully stopping the spread before it spread beyond a small area around the stove.

While the fire itself was confined to the kitchen area, the smoke, which spread throughout the home, caused an estimated $20,000 in damage to the main floor.

IFFD says there were no injuries to occupants or firefighters.

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State budget writers invoke recession concerns amid cuts, sparking disagreements

KIFI on February 19, 2026

Sean Dolan

Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on February 19, 2026

By: Sean Dolan

BOISE, Idaho — A Republican lawmaker is criticizing Idaho’s top budget writers after they claimed on television that 26 states are in a recession — a figure they could not immediately source as legislators debate spending cuts and whether to tap the state’s rainy day fund.

The co-chairs of the Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee made their stance clear in a roundtable discussion last week on Idaho Reports, but one data point they shared didn’t sit well with a representative from Shelley.

Co-chairs Sen. Scott Grow and Rep. Josh Tanner, both R-Eagle, said the Idaho economy is strong and growing. But other states are in recessions and Idaho is not immune. They say they want to cut the budget now in order to align ongoing expenses with ongoing revenues, and stay away from using budget stabilization funds that are set aside for a rainy day. They want to save that fund for when, or if, Idaho faces a recession.

“We are not in a recession,” Grow said on Idaho Reports. “Idaho is one of the top economies in the nation. There’s 26 states that are in a recession. We will have a recession, we just don’t know when. So we’re reluctant to use money that’s set aside for reserves for the rainy day when it’s not raining.”

Tanner said in the segment that there are a lot of uncertainties and he wants to put cuts in place now to improve the budget picture.

“I think going after a stabilization fund when you’re actually not in a recession is probably the most irresponsible thing you can actually do because we are going to go into recession at some point in time,” Tanner said. “Idaho is not immune from a recession.”

Sen. Scott Grow, left, and Rep. Josh Tanner, both R-Eagle, listen to testimony at a JFAC meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2026. (Sean Dolan/EdNews)

Rep. Ben Fuhriman, R-Shelley, told EdNews he was appalled when he heard Grow say 26 states are in a recession. He issued a press release earlier this week disputing the co-chairs’ claims. 

In a Tuesday interview, Fuhriman said the two co-chairs are trying to push a narrative in order to justify deep cuts that are unnecessary and non-surgical. Fuhriman is in favor of using the rainy day fund to stabilize the state budget. 

“I truly believe it’s irresponsible for the two leaders of the budget committee to go on television and tell the state and the world that half — over half — of the country is in recession without any kind of justification at all,” Fuhriman said. “It’s fear mongering, and it’s just irresponsible.”

EdNews called Grow and Tanner in a joint interview Tuesday to ask for a source for the claim that 26 states are in a recession.

“The site that I went to said 26 states were considered in a recession,” Tanner said.

Tanner said he saw the figure on a national website but couldn’t immediately provide a link.

“I’d have to go back to try to find which ones that — there were multiple that when I originally was looking as we were starting the session and going through this,” Tanner said.

The “current ones” are saying 22 states are in a recession, he said.

“So it changed from 26 to 22 since the start of the session,” Grow added.

Rep. Ben Fuhriman, R-Shelley, on Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, at the Statehouse. (Sean Dolan/EdNews)

EdNews found late-2025 reports citing Moody’s economist Mark Zandi, who posted that 22-23 states were “in or at high risk of recession,” based on his assessment of state-level data. 

Fuhriman, a financial planner, said he searched for a source for Grow’s claim that 26 states are in a recession.

Fuhriman thinks the co-chairs might have misunderstood a recent report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia. The bank releases a monthly “state coincident index,” which uses an algorithm to reveal a state’s economic growth. If the number increases, the state’s economy is growing. The most recent report, released Jan. 30, shows the index increased in 41 states over the past three months and decreased in nine states. It also shows an overall increase for the U.S. economy.

Tanner told EdNews that he did not use that report for his claim that 26 states are in a recession.

“There aren’t 26 states that are in a recession,” Fuhriman said. “In fact, there aren’t any states that are in recession right now.”

The National Bureau of Economic Research, which officially determines U.S. recessions, has not declared one since the short COVID-era downturn in 2020. According to its website, expansions are periods between a trough and a peak and recessions are periods between a peak and a trough.

Fuhriman is concerned that Grow and Tanner are speaking as though a recession in Idaho is inevitable, while also saying the state shouldn’t use stabilization funds because Idaho is not in a recession. Budget cuts could create a self-fulfilling prophecy, he said.

In addition to broad cuts to statewide agencies, the Legislature is considering:

$20 million in cuts to the Idaho Launch grant program

$10 million in cuts to the Idaho Digital Learning Alliance

$23 million in proposed cuts to virtual schools, such as Idaho Home Learning Academy

Cuts to higher education and to career and technical education programs. 

“If you keep these cuts up … you’re going to cause a recession,” Fuhriman said.

When EdNews relayed that message to Grow, he laughed.

“Well, I hope that our economy is certainly stronger than having to depend on the state of Idaho spending to prop up the economy,” Grow said. “No, when the economy is still growing and we’re doing well, we don’t want to use one-time money to fill an ongoing problem.”

Using stabilization funds could risk the state’s AAA credit rating, Tanner said, adding the proposed budget cuts are “very small dollar amounts.”

“A lot of people that are in both the House and the Senate that are not on JFAC,” he said. “They don’t understand all of what’s going on. They just hear things and they will blame it on the Legislature.”

Fuhriman thinks the Legislature should do it “the Idaho way” and go line by line to cut out waste, then fill the gaps with emergency funds.

“We’re in a cluster of emergencies,” Fuhriman said. “The transmission broke, the roof is leaking, the fridge broke, and we have to fix all those things at once. And that’s exactly why you have an emergency fund.”

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Bend Police arrest sex abuse suspect, seek any additional victims in ongoing case

KTVZ on February 19, 2026

KTVZ – News Team

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Bend Police said Thursday they have arrested a convicted sex offender and are seeking any additional victims.

Bend resident Erick Nazario Aguirre, 31, who has worked at a number of fast food restaurants in Bend, was arrested on suspicion of second-degree sexual abuse, sexual misconduct and contributing to the sexual delinquency of a minor.  

Read the full press release from the Bend Police Department below, including all charges against the suspect.

On Thursday, Feb. 12, Bend Police detectives arrested 31-year-old Bend resident Erick Nazario Aguirre on suspicion of second-degree sexual abuse, sexual misconduct and contributing to the sexual delinquency of a minor.  

Nazario Aguirre’s most recent arrest stemmed from an ongoing sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl. Nazario Aguirre was first arrested on suspicion of the same offenses involving the same minor in September 2025.  

In 2018, Nazario Aguirre was arrested on suspicion of luring a minor for sexual conduct, as well as online corruption of a child in the first and second degrees. He was ultimately charged with 10 counts of luring a minor, pleaded guilty to three counts and served 90 days in the county jail. That case also involved underage girls. In the years between cases, Nazario Aguirre has worked in a variety of fast-food restaurants throughout Bend.  

Bend Police detectives believe Nazario Aguirre may have victimized additional minors between his 2018 arrest and today. If you have information to share, please contact nonemergency dispatch at 541-693-6911.  

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Tucson gun shop owner defends helping FBI in Guthrie case

CNN Newsource on February 19, 2026

By Denelle Veselik , Pat Parris

Click here for updates on this story

    TUCSON, Arizona (KGUN) — A Tucson gun shop owner is defending helping the FBI in the Guthrie case.

Phillip Martin, Co-Owner and Manager of Armor Bearer Arms, says an FBI agent visited his gun shop on the Southside last week.

He’s now having to defend helping the FBI in the Nancy Guthrie abduction, after facing criticism over privacy concerns.

An FBI agent recently came to his gun shop with a list of possible suspects.

Martin says the agent gave him a list of names and asked if anyone on the list had been a recent customer of his.

“Well, to be honest, the FBI got no information from me. We gave no information. We provided no documents, we provided no names, less than 20 people were given to us,” Martin said. “And just said, hey, have any of these people been into your shop in the last year? I checked. I said no, slided them the paperwork back, and told them have a good day. No information was provided.”

After checking to verify the person was indeed an FBI agent, he says he looked at the list and checked.

After checking, he says none of those names had bought a gun from him.

Martin says working with the FBI was the right thing to do.

“I think it’s ridiculous that a lot of these quote-unquote patriotic Americans think that it was un-American for me to assist in a kidnapping case, ” Martin said. “Because if they if it was their mother or their daughter. I’m sure that they would want that gun shop owner to help.”

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Oro Valley flower shop sees surge in sales as community supports Nancy Guthrie search

CNN Newsource on February 19, 2026

By Marc Monroy

Click here for updates on this story

    ORO VALLEY, Arizona (KGUN) — A flower shop in Oro Valley has become an unexpected hub of community support as neighbors rally around the search for missing Nancy Guthrie.

Casas Adobes Flower Shop, located about 10 minutes from Guthrie’s house, is experiencing a surge in sales as people from across the area purchase flowers to show their solidarity with the family.

For the past two weeks, the shop has seen a steady stream of community members dropping off flowers as a gesture of hope and support during the ongoing search efforts.

Shop owner Matt Biggs said he’s grateful to help serve the community during this difficult time.

Related: 88-Crime reward in Guthrie search increased after anonymous donation

“We’ve seen some definite support from the community – reaching out in efforts to generate some hope through some flower deliveries, things like that,” Biggs said.

The outpouring of support has included neighbors of all ages, with even young children participating in the flower deliveries to show their care for the Guthrie family.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KGUN’s editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Tucson airman and spouse indicted in alleged multi‑million‑dollar fraud

CNN Newsource on February 19, 2026

By Don Davis

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    TUCSON, Arizona (KGUN) — A federal grand jury has returned a 12‑count indictment accusing U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Richard Stefon Ramroop, 35, and his spouse, Manuel George Madrid, 32, both of Tucson, of a years‑long scheme to defraud the Department of Defense of millions of dollars and use the proceeds to finance a lavish lifestyle, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Arizona said Thursday.

The indictment alleges the scheme ran from January 2022 through about December 2025. Prosecutors say Ramroop, who worked in the pharmacy at Davis‑Monthan Air Force Base, used his position to buy thousands of medical devices with taxpayer funds and then diverted those devices for resale. Court records show bank accounts controlled by Ramroop and Madrid received more than $11 million in proceeds from resale of medical test strips and devices while the orders placed with government funds cost the Department of Defense more than $3 million.

According to the indictment, the couple used alleged fraud proceeds to purchase high‑end real estate and vehicles. Prosecutors say purchases included a million‑dollar home in Tucson bought in February 2024, a 2024 Porsche Cayenne SUV for $141,443.34 and a BMW i7 SUV (pictured above) for $195,397.59. Officials say those vehicles and others were seized during a Jan. 15, 2026, search warrant execution.

“The defendants allegedly stole millions in taxpayer dollars from the U.S. Department of Defense to bankroll a lavish lifestyle, diverting critical resources away from their intended purpose,” U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine said in a statement announcing the indictment. He added that the U.S. Attorney’s Office and law‑enforcement partners will hold anyone who “profits illegally at the expense of the American people” accountable.

Ramroop and Madrid are charged with Conspiracy to Commit Theft of Government Property, Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud, Wire Fraud and Money Laundering. Convictions on the counts carry maximum penalties ranging from up to five years for theft of government property to up to 20 years for wire fraud and up to 10 years for money laundering. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tucson is handling the prosecution.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

Snowdrifts close University Boulevard in Rexburg

KIFI on February 19, 2026

Curtis Jackson

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) – Rexburg Police have closed University Boulevard between 5th West and 7th South due to drifting snow.

They posted in a social media post that plows are working to get the road open and officers are detouring traffic.

It’s unknown when the road will reopen.

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