Fiesta Spirits Talk Upcoming Celebrations With Your Morning News

KEYT on April 17, 2026

Alissa Orozco

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Just last week in a wowing performance, Santa Barbara’s Jenna Ramirez and Penelope Hernandez were selected as Old Spanish Days’ Spirit and Junior Spirit of Fiesta. Now the real fun begins as duo prepares for the official start of the Fiesta season.

Jenna and Penelope joined Your Morning News to talk about the moment they heard their names announced.

“I kind of knew like what to do when we go backstage or when it’s my turn to go on, but it was still really nerve-wracking because when I went on stage, I still felt how I was every single year. But when I heard my name get called, I was really proud of myself and I’m just so happy,” explained Hernandez.

Between the two of them, the duo has years of experience, performances, and auditioning, but as first-time Spirits they’re looking forward to simply continuing traditions.

“Dancing at Mission Pequeña. I’m so excited for that. That is like a dream come true of mine and just being able to dance all through Fiesta is so special to me because I’ve been my whole life, I’ve participated in Fiesta, so I’m really excited,” said Ramirez.

The Spirits will be busy throughout the next few months leading up to the celebrations in August, with scheduled events happening around town including La Primavera, Fiesta Ranchera, and La Recepción del Presidente.

The 2026 Fiesta season kicks off from August 5-9. You can find a complete list of events here.

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Trial over Jefferson City child’s death will take place in Pulaski County

KMIZ on April 17, 2026

Lucas Geisler

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ) –

The woman accused of killing a Jefferson City boy in 2018 will have her trial take place in Pulaski County this summer.

Judge William Hickle ruled on Friday that the jury trial for Quatavia Givens will take place entirely in Pulaski County. The court had already agreed to pick the jury from there.

Givens, 33, was charged with first-degree murder, child abuse, first-degree endangering the welfare of a child and abandoning a corpse in relation to the death of 4-year-old Darnell Gray in 2018. She is listed on the Cole County Jail online roster, but was admitted to Fulton State Hospital last year.

Court documents say that Givens allegedly struck and smothered Gray, resulting in his death.

Givens was deemed competent to stand trial last year.

The trial is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. Thursday, July 23 in Pulaski County. Givens will remain in the Cole County Jail.

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Fishing Derby to Reel in Hundreds of Participants to Help Neal Taylor Nature Center

KEYT on April 17, 2026

John Palminteri

SANTA YNEZ VALLEY, Calif. (KEYT) – There will be boat loads of fishing lovers at Cachuma Lake this weekend for the Neal Taylor Nature Center’s Annual Fishing Derby.

Last year, nearly 600 participants took part, including all ages from 5-years-old and up. They shared in $10,000 in prizes. Those included cash, fishing gear, gift baskets and certificates for restaurants.

Participants come in from throughout the Central Coast and some from many cities more than two hours away.

Ralph Galindo is from Chino east of Los Angeles and says, “it is just a real beautiful place get away from work and you know a bad day fishing is better than a good day at work and this is the place to spend it.”

The lake is full from the winter rains. Even during drought years the turnout has been strong.

Neal Taylor Nature Center Executive Director Julie McDonald says, “depending on the type of fish you are fishing for sometimes it’s better when the lake is a little lower so it’s all good depending on what you are fishing on, you are going to catch something.”

The registrations are strong with about 500 already signed up.

The derby takes place rain of shine and last year it rained on Saturday. This year it is sunny and beautiful and many people hope their name is read as a winner Sunday at noon.

A winner from last year, made it by about an inch. Kayla Maher said, “I fish here often so I know when the big ones come but it is close I almost got beat by about an inch. “

Cheryl Rossman and her family have been to all 29 derby events. She said, “I think it is awesome that the whole community participates and gets together from 99 years to one it is very cool.” They have customs shirts made and bring a large group.

During the winners ceremony one person makes free hot dogs, another throws out bags of peanuts like at a Dodger game.

The center raised more than $35,000 for the programs at the Neal Taylor Nature Center on-site, which promotes education and ecology around the Cachuma Lake Recreation area about 30 minutes from Santa Barbara. . Those who come through annually learn about the wide variety of animals and overall history of the lake.

Neal Taylor was a beloved naturalist here from 1983 to 2002 and was a fishing expert who taught many children and four Presidents how to cast a line.

McDonald said, “we have over 40,000 kids and families come through every single year. You kinda get the idea there’s a lot going on here so we really are a hidden gem.”

The event kicks off with a flare gun shot at 6 a.m. Saturday. It ends at noon on Sunday.

The lake has had recent fish stocking to be ready for this event.

Prizes will be awarded in a variety of categories ranging from ages to types of fish caught in the event.

For more information go to: Neal Taylor Nature Center Fishing Derby

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Elderly Man Dies After Being Hit By Car In Pismo Beach Parking Lot

KEYT on April 17, 2026

Alissa Orozco

PISMO BEACH, Calif. (KEYT) – An older Arroyo Grande man has died after being hit by a motor vehicle Thursday in the parking lot of a Pismo Beach medical clinic.

According to Pismo Beach Police, officers were called out to the scene around 10:15am Thursday to reports of a pedestrian vs. motor vehicle incident outside of Med Plus, located at 877 N. Oak Park Blvd.

There, first aid was immediately administered to a 88-year-old Arroyo Grande man by medical personnel from Med Plus before the man was transported to a local hospital by ambulance.

The man died from his injuries before arrival.

Police say the driver remained on scene and was cooperative with officers. Drugs and alcohol do not seem to be a factor.

The investigation remains ongoing.

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Color Spreads as Downtown Street Art Project Builds Momentum

KEYT on April 17, 2026

Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – A once-gray downtown intersection is quickly transforming into a vibrant public art display just days after its kickoff.

What used to be asphalt is now becoming a shared work of art in downtown Santa Barbara.

Paint rolls across the pavement as volunteers fill in bold colors that are quickly spreading across the intersection.

“It looks beautiful it brought vibrant downtown that already exists here it’s so beautiful,” said shopper Vanessa Leath of Santa Barbara.

Project designers hope the project will turn community ideas into something everyone can experience right on the street.

“It’s been going great to see all the volunteers … all the hands that are you know being part of this project and helping it with the establishment with it coming to fruition is really honoring and humbling,” said Bloomberg Asphalt Art Initiative Lead Designer Eddy Jimenez.

Organizers are excited to see over a hundred volunteers sharing in the creation of this project.

“I was thinking about sort of what this land is like it’s history and sort of what it means for people. I’m really proud to be by this,” said volunteer Rian Gladnick of the Downtown Art Project.

Brushes and rollers keep moving as crews finish one section and start the next.

“My hope is that the communities within Santa Barbara all of them can recognize this as Home can be inspired by this art,” said Jimenez.

The intersection that once moved only traffic is now moving people.

Volunteers have returned steadily, filling the crossroads of Carrillo and State Streets in bold colors as the mural pushes past the halfway mark.

The project is already drawing crowds and boosting foot traffic, with shoppers stopping to watch and take photos.

Volunteers and community members describe a growing sense of energy as the artwork comes to life, turning the space into both a destination and a shared community experience.

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Proposal for August sales tax vote to come before Columbia City Council

KMIZ on April 17, 2026

Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Columbia City Council will hear a first reading Monday of a potential August ballot issue to create a public safety sales tax.

The ordinance to put the tax before voters on Aug. 4 is listed under the introduction and first reading portion of the council’s agenda, meaning it won’t be discussed at Monday’s meeting. The bill will be up for a second reading and a city council vote next month on whether it should be on the ballot.

A city council memo states that the tax would generate approximately $38 million, which would be used to fund 50 police officers and 40 firefighters over four years. The money would also go to build a new police facility, buy equipment for police and firefighters and maintain competitive pay, the memo states.

Sales tax in Columbia is 7.975% outside of special taxing districts, where it tops out at nearly 9%. The city’s portion of that tax is 2%. Columbia shoppers already pay a 1-cent general sales tax, a half-cent transportation sales tax and quarter-cent taxes for capital improvements and parks.

como public safety taxDownload

Police and fire leaders have pushed for more staffing for several years as city budget experts have warned of flat or declining sales tax receipts. CPD Chief Jill Schlude laid out her department’s needs at a joint meeting between city and county officials and University of Missouri leaders.

CPD has 12 vacant spots and a headquarters that is over 100 years old, Schlude said. The new headquarters would be in the old IBM building on Lemone Industrial Boulevard.

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Daytime Lane Closures Scheduled on PCH South of Mussel Shoals in Ventura County

KEYT on April 17, 2026

News Channel 3-12

Below is a press release from Caltrans regarding Daytime Lane Closures scheduled south of Mussel Shoals

VENTURA COUNTY – Caltrans announces daytime lane closures on State Route 1 (Pacific Coast Highway/PCH) near US 101 (Exit 78) south of Mussel Shoals next week to install guardrail.

The left lane in both directions of PCH will be closed with a moving closure between US 101 (Exit 78) and Mobil Pier Road.

Monday, Apr. 20 through Friday, Apr. 24.

9 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.

Residents and businesses located in this area may experience noise, vibrations and dust associated with construction activities.

Pacific Coast Highway at US 101 (Exit 78) to Mobil Pier Road.

Caltrans reminds drivers to “Be Work Zone Alert” and to “Slow for the Cone Zone.” Real-time closures at Caltrans QuickMap. For more information about transportation and other infrastructure projects funded with state and federal investments, visit BuildingCA.ca.gov. Please drive through the construction zone with extreme caution and obey speed limits. Caltrans reminds motorists to be “Work Zone Alert” and “Slow for the Cone Zone.”

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Burley deputy says she was mocked at work for breastfeeding, files lawsuit

KIFI on April 17, 2026

KIVI Staff

By: Riley Shoemaker

Originally Posted 4:00 AM, Apr 17, 2026

BURLEY, Idaho — A woman from Burley says the job she once loved became hostile after she returned from maternity leave, and she is now sharing her story exclusively with Idaho News 6 as new data shows a rise in workplace discrimination claims across the state.

Hannah Jones says she has worked as a deputy at the Mini-Cassia County Criminal Justice Center for over three years and enjoyed the job before returning from leave.

“It was humiliating and it seemed really discrediting,” Jones said.

Jones said she initially had a positive experience at work.

“I love my job. I have gotten to meet a ton of really cool people,” she said.

She said that quickly changed after she returned from maternity leave, when she began hearing comments about breastfeeding.

“I came back and it was only almost immediate that I started getting some pretty embarrassing comments about me breastfeeding and me having to go to the bathroom to go pump,” Jones said.

Jones said supervisors made repeated comments in front of others.

“They would make comments about how I was a cow and … they would actually make mooing noises at me as I was walking through the hallways and stuff as well in front of inmates and other agencies,” she said.

She also described a more explicit comment from a supervisor.

“One of my male supervisors claimed that he thought I should have responded to a fight with my ‘titties’ out,’” Jones said.

Jones said when she reported the behavior, she felt it was not taken seriously and that she later experienced retaliation.

“I just felt like it wasn’t taken seriously at all,” she said.

She said she filed complaints with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Idaho Human Rights Commission, which she says found in her favor.

Jones has since filed a lawsuit alleging sexual harassment and gender discrimination, detailing the same claims she shared with Idaho News 6.

“I started experiencing what I believe to be retaliation … and that’s the point that it kind of got to be too much,” she said.

Her case reflects a broader trend, according to the Idaho Human Rights Commission.

“In the last year, we’ve seen a doubling of the reports of discrimination,” said Ben Earwicker, administrator for the Idaho Human Rights Commission.

Earwicker said the increase includes cases involving pregnancy and motherhood.

“So postpartum is protected, breastfeeding … reasonable accommodations for those, including private spaces to breastfeed, including time off as needed,” he said.

He said retaliation is also a common claim.

“Retaliation is a much easier claim to prove because usually there’s temporal proximity where the initial reporting of discrimination occurs followed almost immediately by some kind of retaliatory action,” Earwicker said.

Jones said the experience has changed how she views her career and worries it could discourage other women from entering law enforcement.

“I feel my heart break for women that are coming into the force, knowing that that’s probably going to happen to them too,” she said.

Jones’ lawsuit is ongoing. The legal firm representing the Cassia County Sheriff’s Office did not respond to a request for comment.

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Rexburg man charged with arson, battery of healthcare worker after Airport Road house fire

KIFI on April 17, 2026

Seth Ratliff

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) — A Rexburg man is facing nearly three decades in prison after he allegedly attacked his healthcare worker after setting fire to his home before locking himself inside on Wednesday afternoon.

Sebastian Louw, 19, was rescued by police through a bedroom window before being charged with felony arson and battery against a healthcare worker. If convicted on both counts, Louw faces up to 28 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.

According to court documents, the fire began around 1:22 p.m. when Louw allegedly told his certified healthcare worker that “bad s*** was going to happen.” The documents allege Louw then piled a notebook, blanket, DVD player, Tupperware, and two fire alarms onto a gas kitchen stove and lit the pile on fire.

When the healthcare worker attempted to turn off the stove, the affidavit of probable cause states that Louw shoved her and threw a large glass bowl at her. As she fled the home, Louw reportedly threw a trash can at her before locking himself inside the smoke-filled trailer.

Rexburg Police officers arrived to find the house filled with smoke, and Louw was trying to get out through his bedroom window. In a Facebook post, RPD confirmed its officers were able to force their way “through a window and helped the person (Louw)” evacuate the building.

Louw reportedly told officers he started the fire so the “plastic fumes would help kill him,” according to court docs.

While Louw and the healthcare worker were the only people inside at the time of the fire, police say the residence is typically occupied by Louw, two roommates, and other staff members. In the aftermath, the fire had mostly damaged the kitchen area, but smoke damage was reported throughout the entire trailer.

Louw made his initial court appearance on April 16. During the hearing, his bond was set at $25,000.

If he is found guilty on both counts, Louw faces over two decades in prison:

Arson Charge: Carries a potential sentence of up to 25 years.

Battery Charge: Carries a potential sentence of up to 3 years.

His preliminary hearing is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on April 22 before Judge David Hunt.

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City of El Paso directs City Attorney’s Office to investigate deaths at Camp East Montana

KVIA on April 17, 2026

Heriberto Perez Lara

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso City Council voted and approved a resolution earlier this month to ask the City Attorney’s Office to forward its concerns and request an investigation into the three deaths reported at Camp East Montana.

According to El Paso City Representative Lily Limón, El Paso City Council is the only council in the country to vote on and take action on an investigation like this one.

“We’re going to push that issue through and reach out to counterparts across the country, saying this is something that could potentially go up as high as the Supreme Court,” said City Rep. Limón. “We need our local people to put it on, have a grand jury investigate because you cannot allow people to die in our community and not know exactly who’s accountable, who’s responsible, and what the punishment is going to be.”

ABC-7 reached out to the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the City of El Paso and the City Attorney’s Office for comment.

A spokesperson with DHS sent a written statement saying:

“As with any transition, we are reviewing agency policies and proposals. As Secretary Mullin said in his confirmation hearing: ‘I will work with the community leaders and make sure that we are delivering for the American people what the President set out… We want to work with community leaders. We want to be good partners.’”

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