Voting for Justice: Voters will select District Judge in first contested race in more than a decade

KIFI on April 30, 2026

David Pace

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Two candidates for the Seventh District Judicial Court took to the stand tonight and answered questions from the community.

Incumbent District Judge Steven Boyce is being challenged by Bonneville County Prosecuting Attorney Randy Neal.

In their opening arguments, Boyce laid out his extensive experience on the bench, while Neal primarily emphasized that judges should be elected officials, not just appointed officials.

Steven Boyce: “Currently I was voted unanimously by our district judges as the administrative judge. There’s seven of us in the state. We’re in charge of all assignments of other judges and administrative matters for the entire district. So I spent a lot of time in the Supreme Court working on those administrative issues, and I was with them last week.”

“I’m also the chair of the magistrate commission for our district,” he said. “So when we select new magistrates, we recently selected three new magistrates in Jefferson County. I chair that commission with a group of attorneys, citizens, county officials, mayors, etcetera.”

Randy Neal: “I think all of you know that currently I’m the prosecuting attorney here for Bonneville County. I’ve been elected twice to that position. I’ve been an attorney now for 23 years, and I was in law enforcement for 18 years before that. Law is my second career. 

“What do I think you have to bring to the bench?” he asked. “I think that the fact that we have, a principle embodied in our state constitution that our judges are elected, we bring the idea that we are accountable to the community.”

The forum was hosted by Stand Up for Idaho at the Snake River Events Center.

While judges at the district level are appointed by the Governor in case of a vacancy, voters will directly choose who will serve as judge at the ballot box next month. 

Usually, these non-partisan, judicial races go uncontested. 

However, that will not be the case for the Seventh District Judicial Court on May 19th, which is holding its first contested race since 2014.

You can watch the full debate at Stand Up for Idaho’s website to hear the judicial candidates respond to audience questions.

Bonneville County Prosecutor Randy Neal and incumbent Judge Steven Boyce are on the ballot for Idaho’s Seventh District.

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Cow runs loose on campus at University of Illinois

CNN on April 30, 2026


WBBM

By Elyssa Kaufman

Click here for updates on this story

    Illinois (WBBM) — Students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign got an utterly surprising visitor on campus on Wednesday.

A video posted by the university’s student-run newspaper, The Daily Illini, shows a cow roaming the streets before hiding in the bushes near the main quad.

Cow sightings have been circulating on social media. One TikTok video captures a group of students gathered at a classroom window observing the emergency response.

The cow toured the campus before being captured by wildlife officials. A veterinarian is now evaluating the cow for a few minor injuries.

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.

Cow runs loose on campus at University of Illinois

CNN Newsource on April 30, 2026

By Elyssa Kaufman

Click here for updates on this story

    Illinois (WBBM) — Students at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign got an utterly surprising visitor on campus on Wednesday.

A video posted by the university’s student-run newspaper, The Daily Illini, shows a cow roaming the streets before hiding in the bushes near the main quad.

Cow sightings have been circulating on social media. One TikTok video captures a group of students gathered at a classroom window observing the emergency response.

The cow toured the campus before being captured by wildlife officials. A veterinarian is now evaluating the cow for a few minor injuries.

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.

Somerton community walks in support of survivors for Denim Day

KYMA on April 30, 2026

Moses Femino

SOMERTON, Ariz. (KYMA) – Community members gathered at Bushmasters Veterans Memorial Park in Somerton for the sixth annual Denim Day community walk. Walking together to raise awareness about sexual assault and support survivors.

The event, supported by the Somerton Domestic Violence Task Force, brought together local partners and agencies who provided resources and information for survivors and their families.

Organizers say the goal is not only to raise awareness, but to “stomp out” sexual assault and remind survivors they are not alone.

“We are open arms to help that person,” Gabriella Sanchez, Somerton Domestic Violence Task Force Facilitator, said. “They should not be walking by themselves through this journey.”

Denim Day is recognized on the last Wednesday in April as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The campaign has been led since 1999 by Peace Over Violence, promoting solidarity and support for survivors across the globe.

The movement began after a controversial ruling by the Italian Supreme Court in 1992. They overturned a rape conviction, with justices arguing the victim was at fault for wearing tight jeans.

The decision sparked international outrage and led to the creation of Denim Day as a symbol of protest and awareness.

Participants at the Somerton walk emphasized the importance of community involvement and speaking out.

“You know, it’s a wonderful event. We would like to see more people involved,” Mark Martinez, Yuma County Victim Rights Committee Chairman, said. “Just to get that awareness out there because it’s okay to say something.”

“Means everything to the Somerton community,” Jodie Wight, Regional Director for Domestic Violence Programs with Catholic Community Services of Southern Arizona Safe House, said. “It means that we’re here with them. We’re standing with Somerton.”

Organizers say events like this help connect survivors and families with critical resources while continuing to promote awareness and support year-round.

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Dramatic transformation in the works for Santa Maria Fairpark, Santa Barbara County Fair

KEYT on April 30, 2026

Dave Alley

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – Santa Maria Fairpark leadership is announcing a series of sweeping changes that are intended to transform the city’s biggest event center into a more modern, functional and successful facility.

“Our board has a vision to move us forward,” said Todd Ventura, Santa Maria Fairpark Interim CEO. “We call it Vision 2030, where we want to enhance every aspect of our property.”

According to Ventura, over the next several years, the 34-acre state-owned property will undergo a dramatic renovation that remake and refurbish the aging facility basically from top to bottom.

“It starts with rebuilding our infrastructure,” said Ventura. “It starts with enhancing the beauty of the campus. It’s going to have a very different feel from a guest experience perspective. We want a complete refresh and it’s about changing the entire esthetic and feeling of what we’re doing here at the Fairpark.”

The first significant move in the property-wide renovation is currently taking place in the livestock section where workers are demolishing an old second-story agriculture office that hasn’t been usable for many years.

“The Fairpark was largely built in the 50’s and 60’s and a lot of our buildings date back to then,” said Ventura. “Some of them are older and they need to change and so there’s some older buildings that, are part of barns that we’re taking out to enhance safety, as well as esthetics. We’re bringing in some new buildings, a new livestock office, and new program areas that we started developing last year.

Already, the Fairpark has initiated a complete rebranding, with a new set of updated logos and a revamped website.

“We realized they were just done a few years ago, but we didn’t really feel like that reflected where we want to go and what we want to be,” said Ventura. “We’ve changed our Fairpark logo. We’ve changed our Santa Barbara County Fair logo and we’ve changed the Strawberry Festival logo. They’re all a little more whimsical and a little more fun, so that that look is very different.”

In addition to the physical changes coming throughout the Fairpark property, the Board is also announcing its two biggest annual events will also experience several changes within their appearance.

In fact, the community was able to experience several new changes this past weekend at the Santa Maria Valley Strawberry Festival, which ran from Friday, April 24 through Sunday, April 26.

“The programing was very different,” said Ventura. “The layout was very different. In 20 hours this year, we put through about 32,000 people in the facility. That’s an unheard of number. As far as I know, that’s the highest record total we’ve ever had for Strawberry Festival and we did it in 20 hours of open time, so it was amazing.”

Ventura added last year’s Strawberry Festival drew just 8,000 people during its three-day run, so this year’s event quadrupled the attendance in 2025.

Now looking ahead, he said many of the changes that were in place during the Strawberry Festival will also be part of the programming for the upcoming Santa Barbara County Fair, which will experience a number of other enhancements, including a longer run.

For more than 20 years, the fair has been held for the public over a five-day stretch, opening on a Wednesday and ending on Sunday.

This year, the fair will take part over two weekends, starting on Friday, July 3 and running to Sunday, July 5.

The fair will then be closed to the public on Monday, July 6 and Tuesday, July 7, and will re-open again from Wednesday, July 8 through Sunday, July 12.

“We have a very close relationship now with the city management, the Mayor, and Santa Maria Valley Chamber of Commerce and Visitors,” said Ventura. “We’re working very collaboratively and very closely. We’re trying to plan some big events here. We’re not quite ready to make the announcement yet, but we’re planning some big events here on on the 4th of July weekend.”

In addition to a longer fair with special events this year, Ventura added the event itself be something fairgoers have not experienced here before.

“The midway will look very different,” said Ventura. “The vendor booths will look very different. The layout of the fair is going to look very different than it has in the past. We’re going to use different parts of the property that we’ve ever programed before. We’re going to add some programing, particularly in livestock and we’re going to do some things differently. We have some new sponsors that are going to program areas that in the past have never been programed before.”

The Fairpark Board of Directors is hoping all of the changes will not only boost attendance at the two marquee annual events, but also drive additional ones to the property.

“Our goal is to make it a real community center,” said Board President Kevin Merrill. “We want these buildings full all the time and it’s a great place for to do it. Whether you’re going to have a wedding or a car show or anything like that, we want this to be the first place people think of to come and put those events on, and we want them to be proud of it when they come here, and it really showcases the best of Santa Maria. That’s what we’re all about right now.”

This coming weekend, the Fairpark will host the first ever Santa Maria Comic Con. Later in September, an expanded and upgraded Santa Maria BBQ Festival will take place here, moving from Pioneer Park on the southern edge of the city.

“I think I think when we start to have a larger place for our community, activities can come together,” said Fairpark Board Member Kevin Walthers, who is also the President/Superintendent for Allan Hancock College. “That’s huge. We try to do that at the college. We try to be a hub, but even in a space our size, it’s limited to how much you can get into it, and to look around the Fairpark and see the potential of this place for all kinds of events in the future, I think it’s really exciting.”

To help finance the many planned changes Ventura said there will be a robust increase in local sponsorship and donations, as well as an aggressive pursuit in acquiring millions of dollars in additional funding sources.

“We are not funded by the state,” said Ventura. “We have to find funding in other creative and unique areas. I have been applying for a number of grants and we’re reaching out for different kinds of monies in different areas so we can really change things.”

While Ventura is currently serving at the CEO, the search for a permanent replacement is still ongoing.

While there remains no timeline for that position to be filled, the Board is optimistic the Santa Maria Fairpark has a very bright future.

“It’s exciting to see things that we always had planned starting to come to fruition,” said Merrill. “You can see some changes and it’s all for the best. We have to thank our board, our interim CEO and the folks at the State are on board with us and our community partners. It’s all in an effort to work together to make Santa Maria the best it can be.”

For more information about the Santa Maria Fairpark, click here to visit its new and improved official website.

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Gov. Little to declare May as Wildfire Awareness Month 

KIFI on April 30, 2026

Maile Sipraseuth

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)– Governor Brad Little is set to officially declare May as Wildfire Awareness Month this Friday, calling on Idahoans to begin preparing now before the fire season. This is especially important for Southeast Idahoans as this year’s season could be especially intense due to above-average temperatures, strong winds, and a lack of snowpack, factors that can quickly dry out vegetation and fuel fast-moving fires.

Corey Child, fire chief of the Madison County Fire Department and President of the Eastern Idaho Fire Chiefs Association, is urging residents to follow the “Ready, Set, Go” wildfire preparedness program, especially since the Snake River fire prompted evacuations.

“Study up on it and be at the ready for evacuation of all hazards. One of the hazards that’s most threatening to us on a yearly basis is wild land fire. And perhaps ready, set, go is most often used, with wildland fire,” Child said.

The program outlines three critical steps:

Ready: Have a plan in place and be prepared for possible evacuation.

Set: Pack your vehicle with essential items ahead of time.

Go: Leave immediately when evacuation orders are given.

For more information on the ‘Ready, Set, Go!’ program, click HERE.

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Family and friends mourn Colorado Springs crane operator’s tragic death

KRDO on April 30, 2026

Danny Mata

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Family and friends of a crane operator killed at a Colorado Springs job site are remembering the man they say left a lasting impact on everyone around him.

On April 28, the Colorado Springs Fire Department responded to the construction site of Forge at Peak Innovation Park after reports of a crane operator trapped inside his equipment. Alex Disher was pronounced dead at the scene.

KRDO13 has reached out to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for more details on the incident; however, OSHA says it cannot discuss ongoing investigations. OSHA has six months to complete the investigation, according to officials.

In a text message to KRDO13, Disher’s wife, Brandy, shared the following statement about her husband.

“Alex is the love of my life, my best friend, my whole world. This man did anything and everything he could to see us smile. He worked so hard so I could be a stay-at-home mom. I will forever be grateful to him and the love we shared. He was the most goofy, life-loving person I have ever met.

He always had us on an adventure always. Always had get-rich schemes. Loved our kids with everything he had.”

Tera Hill, a friend of the family, said, “Alex was probably one of the kindest people I’ve ever met. You could call Alex at any time, and he’d help with anything. Anything from [being] a handyman, to a simple task, to somebody to talk to. He would be there, available, no matter what.”

Alex, remembered for his humor, kindness and unwavering devotion to his family, left an indelible mark on those who knew him. “Alex was funny. He was so funny. He was kind, and he was endlessly generous,” Hill said.

His loved ones say they cherished his ability to brighten any room and his unique approach to parenting. As tributes pour in, his legacy as a devoted husband and incredible father continues to shine brightly.

“Brandy’s a spitfire, and Alex matched that energy,” Hill said. “They were so devoted to each other. It’s genuinely like once-in-a-lifetime kind of love. He loved those boys, and he loved his girl. He’s an incredible dad, he really is. He’s a silly guy, and he really incorporated that into his parenting style. He was the foundation of their family.”

A GoFundMe page has been set up for Alex’s family. There is also a Meal Train page to help provide for his wife, Brandy, and their three children.

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Yuma County hires outside attorney to investigate County Treasurer over public funds concerns

KYMA on April 30, 2026

Moses Femino

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma County Board of Supervisors has approved hiring an outside attorney to investigate allegations involving County Treasurer David Alexandre.

The decision came during Monday’s board meeting, where discussion on the matter was limited due to potential legal concerns.

Supervisors say the issue stems from an internal review into how public funds were allegedly used within the Treasurer’s Office.

According to county leaders, that review was conducted in coordination with the Yuma County Attorney’s Office and identified several issues that required corrective action. However, Alexandre has disputed those findings and retained his own legal counsel.

That move created conflict for the County Attorney’s Office. As a result, supervisors voted to bring in outside legal representation, approving a Phoenix-based law firm, at a rate of $850 per hour, to handle the matter moving forward.

“When concerns are raised about the use of public funds, the county has a duty to investigate,” Martin Porchas, Yuma County Board of Supervisors Chairman, said. “In this instance, the county conducted a review in coordination with the county attorney’s office which identifies several issues that require corrective action.”

County supervisors say no legal action has been filed at this time, but they are preparing for that possibility as the situation develops.

KYMA reached out to both the county and Treasurer Alexandre for comment, but did not receive a response.

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Video Captures Shark Chasing Foil Surfers Off Santa Barbara Coast

KEYT on April 30, 2026

Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Local foil surfers had a close encounter with a shark on Saturday about a mile off the coast near Leadbetter Beach in Santa Barbara over the weekend.

Tavis Boise and Ron Takeda started at Campus Point and about half way into a 20 minute “foil run” to Carpinteria they saw a fin and splashing.

Tavis Boise had a camera attached to his paddle and managed that captured him alerting his friend Ron Takeda.

They both managed to keep their cool enough to stay on their rather narrow foil surfboards.

“The first thirty seconds was definitely alarming when someone says ‘is that a dolphin?’ It is never a dolphin it has got to be something else so I knew as soon has he said ‘is that a dolphin?’ it was go time and the tail started splashing the shark started chasing Ron,” said Boise, “and it was really hard to kind of focus because I was trying to stay on foil you have to balance on these things keep your speed up.

He joked that he was trying to “film the shark trying to eat my friend while trying to survive.”

“I’m really bad at multitasking.”

Ron Takeda is the more serious of the two.

“I knew I couldn’t think so much, I knew I couldn’t even look back at it, I knew it was happening I was totally aware it was happening, but I knew from experience I needed to focus on staying on foil, I knew that was my best bet to get out of the situation the way I wanted to stay on foil,” said Takeda. “And so I just blocked everything out I knew Tavis had a better look at it than I did so when I did yell at him I wanted it to be a dolphin I knew it wasn’t.”

Boise posted on social media that after a three-year media hiatus he had an exciting moment to share.

His video that was also shared by Kai Lenny is going viral.

They have had media requests to tell their story from as far away as Australia where surfing is popular.

While some people though the video was AI, shark experts they know think it may have been a mako or great white.

After several minutes the shark seemed to follow.

Once they felt safe hey kept going all the way to Carpinteria where they had a car waiting.

People hearing about what happened might wonder if when or whether they are going back in the water, well they already did.

They went another another long foil fun on Sunday and Monday after the incident and they will go again when the conditions are good.

Sometimes a downwind foil run last for hours.

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Prosecutors Say Singer D4vd Dumped Evidence at Lake Cachuma After Murder

KEYT on April 30, 2026

Alissa Orozco

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – According to a court filing today, singer D4vd drove to Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara County to rid evidence linking him to the murder of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez.

On Monday, David Anthony Burke – known by his stage name D4vd – was charged with murder, continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14 and unlawful mutilation of human remains. Prosecutors on Wednesday say Burke began a sexual relationship with Hernandez when she was 13 and he was 18.

The court filing claims that on the night of April 23, 2025, Burke sent a ride share car to pick Hernandez from her home in Lake Elsinore to bring her to his Hollywood Hills home. Two messages were exchanged between the two before Hernandez’s phone went completely silent.

That same night, around 11:30pm, prosecutors say Burke drove his Tesla north on Highway 101 to San Marcos Pass Road, SR-154, near Lake Cachuma in Santa Barbara County. Burke later returned to this same area on May 8th and May 31st. It was here that a Caltrans worker found Hernandez’s passport in January.

Prosectors claimed Burke killed the young girl to keep their relationship a secret.

The body of 14-year-old Celeste Rivas Hernandez was found decomposing in the truck of a Tesla in Hollywood back in September 2025. An autopsy report found that Hernandez had been stabbed twice in the torso.

Burke reportedly ordered two chainsaws, a body bag, heavy-duty laundry bags, and a blue inflatable pool to his home under the fake name, Victoria Mendez. Blood stains in Burke’s garage matched the victim’s DNA.

More evidence included Burke’s cellphone records showing photographs, purchases, and text messages all alluding to the two’s sexual relationship.

Burke could face the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole if found guilty. Prosecutors will have the opportunity to present more evidence at preliminary evidentiary hearing on May 26.

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