Police warn of impersonation scam in Sunriver

KTVZ on March 8, 2026

Tracee Tuesday

SUNRIVER, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Sunriver Police Department is warning residents about a scam involving a man impersonating the chief of police and attempting to collect personal or sensitive information.

According to police, several community members have reported receiving calls, messages, or emails from someone claiming to be the Sunriver Police Chief. In each case, the impersonator asked for details such as Social Security numbers, banking information, or passwords.

Officials emphasize this is a scam. The department said it will never contact residents to request personal or financial information.

Anyone who receives suspicious communication claiming to be from law enforcement is urged not to respond, hang up immediately, and report the incident to their local police department.

Authorities add that scammers often try to pressure victims by creating a sense of urgency or authority. Residents are encouraged to verify the source before sharing information and to warn others about the scam to help protect the community.

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Pueblo widow calls for safety changes on North Vassar after husband killed in car crash

KRDO on March 8, 2026

Mina Ramirez

PUEBLO, Colo. (KRDO) — After 75 years of marriage, Priscilla Portillos is now navigating life without the man she spent nearly her entire life beside.

Courtesy of: Michelle Law

Ted Portillos was struck and killed near Northern Avenue and Vassar Avenue last year. Now, his family says the crash may have been preventable and is urging city and state leaders to make improvements along the road.

Video obtained by KRDO13 shows the moments leading up to the crash.

Portillos’ family said he was on his way to his beloved Eagles Club that day when the collision happened.

His wife, Priscilla Portillos, said the driver approached quickly and struck Ted’s vehicle.

“That man that ran into him was coming to him fast,” she said. “When he struck his car, he didn’t stop.”

Shortly after the crash, the family received a phone call no one ever wants to get.

“We got the phone call that he was in the hospital,” said Ted’s daughter, Cheryl Portillos. “They told us we needed to come quickly… that he was passing.”

Ted and Priscilla Portillos first met when she was 17, and he was 20. Their love story would span 75 years of marriage.

Family members describe Ted as someone who was always smiling and quick to joke with people he met.

“He was always smiling. He was always joking with people,” Cheryl said. “When people would pass by, he’d ask them, ‘Are you married?’”

They say he was also the type of person who would always lend a helping hand and never met a stranger.

Now, even in his death, his family says they are continuing the push for road safety improvements Ted had long advocated for.

The family says the stretch of Northern Avenue where the crash happened connects directly to a state highway while also running through residential neighborhoods, creating a complex jurisdiction between the city and state.

Because of that, they believe both agencies need to work together to improve safety along the road.

Through an online petition, the family is calling for the speed limit to be lowered by 20 miles per hour or for additional safety measures, such as better street lighting.

“It could have been avoided if they would have listened to us,” Priscilla said. “It feels like there’s a big empty space in my life.”

The petition asks city and state leaders to work together to make the area safer for drivers and residents.

Courtesy of: Michelle Law

Learn more about Ted Portillos’s petition here.

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Mermaid Month Swims into Ventura Harbor

KEYT on March 8, 2026

Tracy Lehr

VENTURA, Calif. (KEYT) It is Mermaid Month in the Ventura Harbor.

Visitors enjoyed steal drums, a ukulele jam and pirate ship concert spread through the harbor.

Little mermaids lined up to have their picture taken with a mermaid.

They also lined up to get their faces painted at a number of locations.

The lawn area included a bubble show and an aerial studio performance.

Families came dressed to have fun.

“We love mermaids we come here every year it is like one of my our favorite they have a lot of amazing stuff here,” said Brittaney Martinelli of Simi Valley.

Her daughter Skyla swam with a mermaid in the pool at Ventura Dive and Sport .

The next Mermaid Month event will take place on March 21, between noon and 3 p.m.

For more mermaid month information visit https://www.venturaharborvillage.com

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“A Small Family Business” is full of laughs at the Garvin Theatre

KEYT on March 8, 2026

Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) “A Small Family Business” opened this week at the Garvin Theatre on the Santa Barbara City College campus.

The opening scenes had audience members laughing out loud.

“A Small Family Business” is directed by Katie Laris.

The social satire was written by prolific playwright Alan Ayckbourn.

It centers around a furniture company and corporate shenanigans.

Season ticket holders will recognize some familiar faces in the cast.

Anikka Abbott plays “Poppy.”

“The best thing about this show is that every character has a huge arch from the beginning to the end so you get to seetheir deterioration throughout and it is unexpected the way it goes,” said Abbott.

Paul Canter plays Poppy’s husband Jack McCracken.

“It is hilarious and the arch of my character is so far, he starts with so much integrity that he has a long way to fall and that just makes all the funnier,” said Canter.

The Theatre Group at the Santa Barbara City College is presenting the show.

” A Small Family Business” has a matinee at 2 p.m. on Sunday and runs through March 21.

For ticket information visit https://www.theatregroupsbcc.com

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Anchors Aweigh: Central Oregon honors submariners with SS Redside commissioning

KTVZ on March 8, 2026

Spencer Sacks

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Central Oregon submarine veterans commissioned the SS Redside at Riverbend Park on Saturday, marking the beginning of a new memorial dedicated to post-World War II service members. The model represents the Sturgeon-class submarines, a vessel type known as the workhorse of the Cold War.

The commissioning is part of a multi-year effort by the Central Oregon United States Submarine Veterans to create a lasting memorial for Oregon submariners. For many veterans in attendance, the Sturgeon-class, or 637-class, was the first type of submarine they served on during their military careers.

Approximately 60 people attended the ceremony, including 30 veterans and members of the public who stopped at the park to participate. The gathering allowed former service members to share stories and connect with other submariners who were not previously aware of the local organization.

Rick Neault serves as the base commander of the Central Oregon United States Submarine Veterans. He expressed satisfaction with the completion of the model after several years of effort by the group.

“It was, you know, really it’s kind of rewarding,” Neault said. “It just feels good to be able to create something and, just have it turn out better than we had expected.”

Retired Lt. Cmdr. Thomas Keane of the U.S. Navy helped build the model and has a personal history with the original vessel. He first boarded the submarine more than 50 years ago.

“I was part of the team and I was actually was actually my first submarine was the U.S.S Sturgeon and I would have board her in January 1969,” Keane said.

Anne Graham, a retired submariner and builder of the SS Redside, said the project is necessary to recognize the loss of life within the submarine community.

“We honor that submarine veterans who’ve died in the service,” Graham said. “There’s a lot of them. And we think it’s time to have a memorial to that service.”

Michael Lewis is a retired U.S. Submarine Force captain and Mountain View High School graduate who attended the park ceremony. Lewis, a 30-year submariner, noted the significance of the model for all generations of the force.

“Well, it’s very special because this represents all the submarine force, past and present,” Lewis said. “And it’s an honor of the shipmates that have gone before those that perished in their service of duty and all that.”

The event included a formal christening by Ileene Davis, who sponsored the vessel. Davis is the Bremerton base commander of the U.S. Submarine Veterans.

“I mean, not every day someone gets to do that,” Davis said. “So I mean it. It’s the great women, you know, the first ladies that got a chance to do those.”

The Central Oregon Submarine Veterans intend to use the SS Redside model as the first step in their broader plan to establish a permanent memorial. The project will continue to focus on honoring Oregon submarine veterans who served from the end of World War II to the present day.

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Dixon woman facing murder charges following deadly shooting Friday

KMIZ on March 8, 2026

Nia Hinson

PULASKI COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Dixon woman is facing murder charges for her alleged involvement in a deadly shooting on Friday.

According to a social media post from the Pulaski County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to Highway 28 near Dixon for a report of shots fired. Deputies found Steven L. Chapman, 66, of Dixon with a gunshot wound to the face. He was pronounced dead on scene, the post says.

Lea Ann Barba, 42, of Dixon, Missouri, was then taken into custody in connection with the shooting.

The post states Barba was charged with second-degree murder, although online court records were not available.

Barba is being held at the Pulaski County Jail on a $500,000 bond, according to the post. She was not listed on the jail roster as of Saturday night.

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Overtime thrillers and playoff basketball highlights from across Southern Colorado

KRDO on March 8, 2026

Bradley Davis

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – Watch playoff high school basketball highlights from Friday and Saturday. There are two videos attached to this article. Saturday’s highlights are in the first video, while Friday’s are in the second.

Saturday’s games

Boys: Banning Lewis Academy guard Matthew Lebron sinks a three with one second left in overtime to lift the Stallions over SkyView Academy, 81-78.

Girls: Evangel Christian Academy falls to Flagler despite a late push, falling 50-38

Friday’s games

Boys: St. Mary’s explodes in overtime to beat Bayfield 81-67 and advance to Saturday’s game against Peyton.

Girls: Colorado Springs Christian School cruises to a 50-16 win over Gunnison.

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COU to add hundreds of parking spots ahead of summer travel

KMIZ on March 8, 2026

Alison Patton

COLUMBIA, Mo.

The Columbia Regional Airport is expected to add hundreds of parking spots ahead of Allegiant Airlines starting services to Florida in June.

Airport manager Michael Parks told ABC 17 News in an email that the project would add about 250 new parking spots and pave about 175 existing spots. The project would be completed before June 1, and Allegiant flights would start June 3.

The airport currently has about 1,000 parking spots with a mix of paved and gravel, according to the master plan. Almost 600 of those spots are paved.

According to the master plan, the long-term goal is to have a total of 1,600 spots.

The Columbia City Council needs to approve the first project to go out for bid at its April meeting. Parks said the project would cost about $3 million, but that won’t affect parking rates.

“Parking will remain free. There is no immediate plan to charge for parking at COU,” Parks wrote.

The master plan notes that management has seen people storing their vehicles in the parking lot but not using the airport.

“This additional demand for parking means that at peak hours and weeks, COU’s parking lots are often completely full. To address this, COU will need to consider expanding their parking facilities in the short term or limiting access to parking by charging a nominal fee,” the plan reads.

Gary Scribner said he flies out of Columbia regularly for his job, and parking has always been difficult.

“It’s always a mess trying to find parking. Luckily, I got a Jeep, so I can park on the grass pretty easily,” Scribner said.

He said that added parking would be “a win for everybody.”

Elizabeth Jenkins said Saturday was her first time flying out of Columbia, and that parking was tricky.

“It was a little more difficult than I was expecting it to be, given the size of the airport. It was kind of hard to find a spot,” Jenkins said. “I was lucky that I found one not too far from the front, but I’ve come here once in the past, and had to park pretty far away.”

She said parking at larger airports is easier because there are more parking spots available.

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Meeting Reptiles at Jungle Retreat with Snake River Doodles Traveling Animals

KIFI on March 8, 2026

Hadley Bodell

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – Snake River Doodles Traveling Animals are back, bringing exotic reptiles to the community of Pocatello. Today they hosted their “Wild Animal Adventure” at Jungle Retreat.

Many animals were on display for attendees to see, touch and hold including snakes, turtles and lizards. The event gave people the opportunity to interact with more than 14 different animal species while learning about the wildlife, conservation and safety of animals.

Organizers say the goal is to help people better understand animals through hands-on experience and educational demonstrations. The event featured two sessions this afternoon, allowing families and kids to meet all kinds of reptiles and enjoy some ice cream at Jungle Retreat.

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Spring Frenzy Market at Rigby Middle School Draws Hundreds

KIFI on March 8, 2026

Hadley Bodell

RIGBY, Idaho (KIFI) – Hundreds of craft-goers flocked to Rigby Middle School today for the Spring Frenzy Market. The annual craft fair comes just in time for customers to purchase Easter Basket items, Mother’s Day gifts and more.

Booths this year included items like sweet treats, boutique clothing, and fidget toys. Some vendors offered services like permanent jewelry application. One even sold live chickens!

The craft fair hosts over 50 vendors, which take over both the main and upper gym at the school. Local businesses as well as start-ups are welcome at the Spring Frenzy.

Focused Fidgets is a beloved vendor present at Idaho Falls Farmer’s Markets and set up for their second year today at the Spring Frenzy. Owner of the business Jonny Fisher said their family decided to begin the business to help people with ADHD. He added how much they love being at local markets and interacting with the community.

“The thing I love is just getting out to meet people, especially letting people know what the benefits of fidgeting are. There’s a lot of people that I’ve met that actually say they never fidget before. And until we start talking to them, or they pick up an object and then they fall in love with,” said Fisher. “You get to see that that kind of shock that they get in their face. It’s fun to see that.”

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