Budget Hearings Start with a Looming Projected Deficit of about $70-million

KEYT on April 13, 2026

John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The budget preparation workshops have begun in Santa Barbara County with a “clear eye discussion”.

That was the first message from County Chief Executive Officer Mona Miyasto. She said there are always mandates expectations and great complexities.

“The hardest decisions we make are about what to stop not what to start,” said Miyasato.

The county has a projected deficit of about $70-million. Last year, departments were warned and asked to begin coming up with solutions.

The final budget hearings will be in June for the new budget July 1.

Departments looking to make cuts or have proposed hiring freezes could include the Sheriff’s Office, Health, Housing and Human Services and other essential services.

Some of the cities in Santa Barbara County have a contract for first responders instead of having their owner police and fire but it all has to be provided by those departments for the cities and area that are unincorporated.

Funding from federal and state sources are being cut and locally there will be changes to balance the local budgets.

One of the first hearings will deal with Santa Barbara County Health. Cuts could reduce clinic operations and that could send more people to a more expensive solution at the emergency rooms locally.

Some of the speakers will be talking about cuts to Cal Fresh and other support programs for the poor.

Many say the new budget needs to prioritize kids.

“I always look at it through the lens of of our children. And just how are the cuts going to ultimately impact the next generation? You know, not just my children, but their children, you know, and the children of this county, because it’s tough,” said Santa Barbara County Supervisor Laura Capps.

“Today’s children will be tomorrow’s adults, and we want to have stronger adults, a stronger community,” said First Five Executive Director Wendy Sims-Moten.

“What we know about young children, especially, is, 90% of brain development happens in the first five years of life. So if we can get it right when they’re young, that will continue on later. And, there’ll be return on investment and cost savings later on,” said First Five Deputy Director Michelle Robertson.

Monday the focus was on mental health, but important revenue questions around artificial intelligence, cannabis, and the jail system will take place on Wednesday and Friday.

Supervisors spent the day reviewing department budgets and asking questions, but no final decisions were made.

Final decisions are expected in June.

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Oregon taxpayers reminded of options for stress-free filing as deadline looms

KTVZ on April 13, 2026

Matthew Draxton

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon taxpayers must file their tax year 2025 federal and state personal income tax returns by midnight Wednesday, April 15, 2026. The Oregon Department of Revenue has information and options available for taxpayers during the final filing period. Oregon is returning $1.41 billion in revenue above projections to taxpayers through a “kicker” tax credit.

As of Friday, the Department of Revenue has processed 1.5 million of an expected 2.2 million Oregon personal income tax returns.

The kicker is a refundable credit that will increase a taxpayer’s Oregon state income tax refund or decrease the amount of state taxes owed. It will not be sent to taxpayers separately as a check. Taxpayers must file a return to receive the kicker.

Only taxpayers who filed a tax year 2024 return and also file a tax year 2025 return can receive a kicker. Taxpayers can determine their kicker amount using the “What’s My Kicker?” calculator, which is available on Revenue Online.

Taxpayers can check the status of their Oregon state income tax refund through Revenue’s “Where’s My Refund?” tool. Logging in to a Revenue Online account provides enhanced features for this tool. New Revenue Online accounts can be created by following the link on the department’s website.

Due to recent changes in U.S. Postal Service processes, taxpayers dropping paper returns into a U.S. Postal Service mailbox at this late date cannot be certain their returns will be postmarked by the due date. Taxpayers who want to mail their return can take it to a U.S. Postal Service office during regular business hours no later than April 15, 2026 and make an in-person request to have it manually postmarked at the counter before mailing.

Revenue staff will accept and date stamp returns in the lobby of the Revenue headquarters building in Salem from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. today through Tax Day, Wednesday, April 15. Taxpayers can also hand deliver their returns to Department of Revenue Regional offices in Bend, Eugene, Gresham, Medford and Portland during regular business hours.

After hours, paper Oregon personal income tax returns can be deposited in drop boxes. These drop boxes are available on both the east and west sides of the Salem office, on the west side of the Portland State Office Building and outside the Department of Revenue offices in Eugene, Medford and Bend. A drop box inside the department’s Gresham office is available during business hours.

The department does not recommend using state drop boxes for federal returns. Paper federal returns should be sent to the IRS. Federal returns dropped in Department of Revenue drop boxes are date stamped and forwarded to the IRS, but the Department of Revenue cannot guarantee that the IRS will accept them as having been filed on time.

Taxpayers can use Free Fillable Forms to file their federal return and Direct File Oregon to file their Oregon personal income tax return directly with the state through Revenue Online. Other free electronic filing options are available for taxpayers meeting income requirements. Using links from the department’s website ensures both federal and state returns will be filed for free.

Public computer kiosks for filing taxes with Direct File Oregon and free fillable forms are available in department regional offices in Bend, Eugene, Gresham, Medford and Portland. Oregon taxpayers needing free assistance can find free tax assistance sites, including IRS-sponsored Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites, Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) or AARP Foundation TaxAide locations, on the Department of Revenue Department’s interactive map or through the United Way’s MyFreeTaxes program.

Individuals who are not able to file by midnight Wednesday can file an extension directly with the Oregon Department of Revenue or with the IRS. If the IRS extension is granted, the Oregon extension is automatically granted.

A timely filed extension moves the federal tax filing deadline and the Oregon filing deadline to Oct. 15, 2026. Taxpayers should request an Oregon extension if they do not have a federal extension, owe Oregon taxes and cannot file their return by April 15, 2026. An extension of time to file is not an extension of time to pay any tax owed. Taxpayers unable to pay the full amount they owe should pay what they can to avoid late payment penalties.

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TikTok “psychic” appeals $10M judgment over false University of Idaho murder claims

KIFI on April 13, 2026

Seth Ratliff

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — The self-proclaimed “psychic crime-solver” ordered to pay $10 million for falsely linking a University of Idaho professor to the 2022 Moscow student murders is challenging the jury’s verdict in a higher court.

Ashley Guillard, 41, filed a formal notice of appeal with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on April 6.

At the height of the investigation into the deaths of Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Ethan Chapin, and Xana Kernodle, Guillard gained notoriety on TikTok. Using tarot card readings, she falsely claimed U of I history professor Rebecca Scofield orchestrated the killings to cover up an inappropriate relationship with one of the students. Those claims drew millions of views.

Guillard refused to retract her statements and doubled down, even after the 2022 arrest of Bryan Kohberger. Kohberger pleaded guilty in July 2025 and is currently serving life without parole.

In 2024, Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Raymond Patricco ruled that those videos were defamatory but left the question of damages to a jury, according to KIVI. In February, a jury awarded Scofield $3.5 million in damages for the false statements about an inappropriate relationship with a student and $6.5 million for the allegations related to the murders of four University of Idaho students.

Guillard, who acted as her own attorney during the trial, continues to maintain her innocence. In her latest federal filing, she claims the entire trial was “fraudulent”. Her appeal accuses Scofield of fabricating evidence and perjury.

“Professor Rebecca Scofield lied about having damages, presented false evidence in Court to the judge and jury, filed fabricated medical records falsely portraying as damages related to this case and presented witnesses who also lied under oath to fabricate damages,” states the filing. “For these reasons, the entire case is fraudulent and a violation of Guillard’s constitutional right to a fair trial in federal and state proceedings guaranteed by the Due Process Clauses of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments.”

The Ninth Circuit marked the notice of appeal as received on Thursday and is expected to review the filing in the coming months.

gov.uscourts.idd.51326.153.0Download

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City of El Paso votes to prevent ICE detention centers within city limits

KVIA on April 13, 2026

Heriberto Perez Lara

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — El Paso City Council is currently in executive session discussing a plan to prevent the installation of any U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention facilities in the city. Council members will vote on the item during their work session.

Back in February, ABC-7 reported on the city’s plans, which included directing the City Manager, in collaboration with the City Attorney, to develop this plan to prevent the construction of more detention facilities in El Paso.

Camp East Montana is located inside Fort Bliss, and the proposed new detention center is set to be located in the City of Socorro, Texas. However, city leaders and officials previously said they don’t want any of them built or proposed within city limits.

City Council also wants to:

Create and present a protocol that prevents federal law enforcement officers from entering any city facility, with the intention to search, detain, or arrest a person without a signed judicial warrant.

Explore a temporary prohibition on permitting, zoning, and licensing for ICE facilities.

Produce a report that details all points of cooperation between the City of El Paso and ICE.

So far, Deputy City Manager Mario D’Agostino, El Paso Police Chief Peter Pacillas, Kevin Smith with Planning and Inspections and Elda Rodriguez-Hefner with the Office of the Comptroller, among other city leaders and officials, presented and spoke during the item before going into executive session.

ABC-7 is at City Hall chambers and will report as soon as the council votes on the item.

Watch the full story tonight on ABC-7 at 6.

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High Desert Chamber Music’s Celebrity Recitals return for 2026 season

KTVZ on April 13, 2026

Silas Moreau

UPDATE: Corrected concert date – May 15th, 2026

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Renowned Cellist Peter Wiley and pianist Anna Polonsky will return to Central Oregon to perform High Desert Chamber Music’s Celebrity Recitals on May 15th, 2026, in Bend.

The program includes a selection of works: Beethoven’s Variations on The Magic Flute, Schubert’s Arpeggione Sonata and Rachmaninoff’s Sonata in G minor, Op. 19.

The upcoming performance marks the return of the artists to Central Oregon after their appearance on the High Desert Chamber Music Concert Series in 2017. High Desert Chamber Music is currently in its eighteenth season of bringing classical music to the community.

Isabelle Senger, executive Director for High Desert Chamber Music, expressed enthusiasm for the musicians’ return. “We are delighted to welcome Wiley and Polonsky back to Central Oregon,” Senger said. “Their previous visit left a lasting impression on our audience and this return—made possible through long-standing artistic relationships—highlights the kind of meaningful connections that continue to shape our Concert Series and bring extraordinary music to our community.”

Wiley was a member of the Beaux Arts Trio from 1987 to 1998. He later succeeded his teacher, David Soyer, as cellist of the Guarneri String Quartet from 2001 to 2009.

Wiley is an Avery Fisher Career Grant recipient and has been nominated twice for Grammy Awards. He was accepted into the Curtis Institute of Music at age 13 and became principal cellist of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra at 20.

During his tenure with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Wiley connected with Phillip Ruder, who is now a Bend resident and an advisory board member for High Desert Chamber Music. Ruder helped facilitate Wiley’s visit to Central Oregon nearly a decade ago.

Pianist Polonsky is sought after as both a soloist and chamber musician. She is a recipient of a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Fellowship and the Andrew Wolf Chamber Music Award. Polonsky made her solo debut at age 7 in Moscow. She later continued her studies at the Curtis Institute of Music and The Juilliard School.

High Desert Chamber Music’s mission is to bring exceptional chamber music and musicians to Central Oregon. The organization presents an acclaimed series of classical chamber music concerts that feature a roster of professional performing artists.

Tickets for the Celebrity Recital are available through High Desert Chamber Music online, by phone or in person at their office located in Downtown Bend. Title sponsorship for the event is provided by Pahlisch Homes, Newberry Hotel, Cascade A&E, Central Oregon Daily and Combined Communications.

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Man accused of Columbia attack with unknown liquid is charged with assaulting deputy

KMIZ on April 13, 2026

Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man who is in the Boone County Jail awaiting a mental health commitment after allegedly throwing an unknown, caustic liquid on two people is now accused of attacking a deputy.

Maxon Castle, 23, has been held in the Boone County Jail since he allegedly sprayed the liquid on two strangers in March 2025 near the Bear Creek Trail in Columbia. Castle was ordered committed to the Department of Mental Health in January, according to court records.

Castle is newly accused of putting a deputy in a chokehold and biting the deputy’s neck during a Saturday morning scuffle in the jail. The deputy allegedly told investigators that Castle made him fear for his life.

Castle is now charged with first-degree assault, on top of the two counts of second-degree assault he was facing for the alleged chemical attack. A hearing was scheduled for Monday afternoon.

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Group of Utahns breaks world record for most fast-food visits in 24 hours — on foot

KIFI on April 13, 2026

Fox13

Originally Published: 13 APR 26 08:54 ET

By Averie Klonowski

Click here for updates on this story

    SANDY, Utah (KSTU) — If you were out and about in the Sandy area on Saturday, you might have seen a group of eight people in yellow, jogging with a purpose. But they weren’t training for a typical marathon; they were on an adventure to etch their names in the Guinness World Records.

“So today we’re going to be running up and down Salt Lake County,” said Jacob Sargent, one of the participants.

The group, which all met through their shared passion for running, is tackling the entire challenge on foot.

Sargent built a map so people could follow their adventure.

“We’re at mile 15 right now, and we’re projected to do around I think 40-50 miles by the end of it,” explained Henry Giles, another member of the team.

While the mileage is impressive, their success isn’t measured by time, but by the number of receipts they can collect. They are chasing a world record for a very specific, and very filling, achievement.

“We are accomplishing the world record for the most amount of fast-food return visits in 24 hours,” Giles said.

The current record stands at 150 restaurants. This ambitious group aimed to surpass that by hitting nearly 200 locations in Salt Lake County.

“The current record is 150, so I think 178 puts us in a safe spot,” Sargent noted.

To achieve this, they’ve had to be strategic, ordering small, easy-to-consume items at each stop. “A lot of cookies, a lot of chips, a lot of side dishes,” Giles said.

At one stop, the choice was particularly unique. “I ate a pickle,” said Giles.

Their minimalist orders have led to some confused looks from restaurant employees.

“A group of eight people and we just ordered a single apple sauce,” Giles recalled. “They’re mostly like: ‘just one?’ And we’re like, yeah, well, we explain we’re going to 150 restaurants, so we’re going to be full.”

FOX 13 News met up with them in Sandy, a city they found with a high density of fast-food chains, perfect for their record-breaking route.

“Just went to Beto’s, I ate an entire tub of guacamole, and that was interesting,” Giles shared.

For this group, the challenge is more than just a quirky record. It’s about creating an adventure in their own backyards.

“Wanted to do an adventure that was close to home,” Sargent said.

Giles echoed that sentiment, adding that it’s a way to “prove that you can do something anywhere, anytime.”

The group later told FOX 13 News that by the time they finished around 10:00 p.m., they had visited a final total of 176 restaurants.

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.

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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Little signs contentious education bills targeting teachers’ unions, student social transitions

KIFI on April 13, 2026

Ryan Suppe

By: Ryan Suppe

Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on April 10, 2026

BOISE, Idaho — Brad Little on Friday signed into law several of this legislative session’s most contentious education bills, including new restrictions on teachers’ unions along with budget cuts to virtual education.

He also signed a far-reaching civics bill and new rules requiring public school employees to out transgender students to their parents.

But not without some angst and bitterness around a couple of the bills.

The Republican governor issued a “transmittal letter” on House Bill 516, legislation barring public schools from expending taxpayer resources accommodating teachers’ unions. The new restrictions prohibit schools from allowing unions to deduct dues from teachers’ paychecks and giving teachers paid time off for a wide range of union activities.

Little wrote that the bill contains language he hopes the Legislature “works to address moving forward.” Definitions are “overly broad and ambiguous,” he wrote, and they’ll “lead to increased scrutiny of a teacher’s actions purely based on their affiliation with their local association.” The bill could also have a “chilling effect” on collaboration between schools and unions when it comes to professional development and charitable work in communities.

“These are real and valuable activities that exist to improve the competency of our educators and, in turn, student outcomes,” Little wrote, before touting investments in teacher pay during his two terms as governor.

Idaho Education Association President Layne McInelly said Friday that Little had “every reason” to veto the bill, but he “ignored his better angels” and signed it. Little revealed that he signed the bill on a Friday evening — “a time designed to avoid the spotlight.”

“Gov. Little claims the mantle of a public education supporter, but he just signed a bill that could cement his legacy as anything but,” McInelly said in an emailed statement. “In the eyes of public education’s most ardent and dedicated advocates for students and public schools — IEA’s members — he has certainly forfeited that claim.”

Gov. Brad Little speaks to reporters on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, at the Idaho Press Club’s Legislative Preview at the Lincoln Auditorium in Boise. (Sean Dolan/EdNews)

Virtual education cuts

Also Friday, Little signed several bills making cuts to virtual education.

House Bill 940 overhauled state funding for the Idaho Digital Learning Alliance (IDLA) and took about $13.4 million from the state’s learning platform — more than half of its annual budget.

The legislation eliminated IDLA’s elementary programs along with driver’s education, and it enacted new restrictions on “custom sections,” when a virtual course’s entire enrollment comes from one school district.

Senate Bill 1438 effectively capped IDLA’s enrollment next fiscal year by prohibiting the platform from drawing on a public school stabilization fund if enrollment exceeds its budget.

Senate Bill 1444 cut $3 million from virtual public schools, including the Idaho Home Learning Academy (IHLA). The state’s largest online school was the subject of a state audit that found IHLA was giving millions in taxpayer funds to parents, some of whom spent it on questionable purchases.

While he signed it, Little also issued a transmittal letter on SB 1444, questioning the “mere $3 million cut” after he recommended $21 million at the beginning of the session.

“The Legislature did not meaningfully address such disturbing findings about taxpayer funds for public education being routinely spent on paddleboards, streaming services, water park passes and other inappropriate items and services,” he wrote.

But Little noted that a policy bill, House Bill 624, which he also signed, established “guardrails around how funds of this nature may be spent.”

‘Social transition’ reporting

Little also signed a bill requiring that public school officials notify parents within 72 hours if their child requests help with “social transitioning.”

This includes when a student asks to go by a different pronoun or use a bathroom or participate on a sports team that doesn’t align with their birth sex.

Schools and health care providers that fail to comply could face fines up to $100,000.

House Bill 822 was sponsored by Rep. Bruce Skaug, R-Nampa.

Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates of Idaho slammed Little and the Legislature in a news release Friday for “enacting yet another harmful attack on transgender young people.” The new law will lead to “gender policing based on stereotypes, causing discrimination and a culture of fear,” the release said. 

“Governor Little and Idaho legislators should be ashamed of themselves,” Mistie DelliCarpini-Tolman, Idaho state director at the PPAA, said in the release. “They spent the entire legislative session attacking the LGBTQ+ community rather than focusing on what Idahoans actually need.”

Civics

Little on Friday also signed Senate Bill 1336, which codified a slew of new requirements for civics instruction in public schools.

The new requirements include a lengthy list of historical documents that students must understand to virtues that students must exemplify by the time they graduate.

It was co-authored by state superintendent Debbie Critchfield’s office and the Idaho Freedom Foundation and co-sponsored by Senate President Pro Tem Kelly Anthon, R-Rupert, and Rep. Barbara Ehardt, R-Idaho Falls.

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Utah man takes on Boston Marathon after Parkinson’s disease diagnosis

KIFI on April 13, 2026

Fox13

Originally Published: 13 APR 26 09:21 ET

By Julia Sandor

Click here for updates on this story

    SYRACUSE, Utah (KSTU) — Chris Needham has always been athletic. There’s no question about that.

Moving to Utah in 2003 as a competitive speed skater, Needham was drawn to the state because of the athletic facilities and coaches. It wasn’t until a doctor’s order that he traded in those skates for sneakers.

“A little over three years ago, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease,” Needham said.

After a visit with his neurologist for an unrelated reason, Needham said a brain scan confirmed that he had the disease, which is a disorder of the nervous system.

“I couldn’t believe it at all,” he said. “I was 42 years old. I thought there was no possible way. I was fit and healthy.”

At first, Chris thought he couldn’t outrun his diagnosis, but his doctor recommended doing just that.

Yanga Pathak has been in the field of neuromodulation for about 15 years as the Medical Affairs Manager for Abbott. She’s seen how exercise can help people with Parkinson’s time and time again.

“Parkinson’s is a progressive disorder, but when you get it early, if you start incorporating things like exercise into your treatment practice, it slows the decline that is typically associated with this kind of disease indication,” Pathak said.

Pathak added that Parkinson’s disease is usually associated with people over the age of 60, but Needham was diagnosed early.

For Chris, that means he’s been able to keep a running regimen.

“My initial exam score was high. Nowadays, I’m at a level that she wouldn’t diagnose me with Parkinson’s if she hadn’t already done so,” he explained. “I have noticed that it’s gotten better with the exercise.”

He’s doing so much better that he’s going a bit further than the extra mile.

“When I found out I was going to run Boston [Marathon] with Team Abbott, it was a very emotional moment for me. I was in my office, and I was truly overcome with emotions,” Needham said.

Abbott, the global healthcare company, is the title sponsor for the Abbott World Marathon Majors series. Team Abbott is a community of runners who have faced health challenges, but like Chris, are overcoming those challenges.

Growing up in the Boston area, Needham has watched the marathon and has always heard the inspiring stories. Now, running it himself, he said it’s proof that Parkinson’s doesn’t define you.

Needham’s goal isn’t to finish first, but to inspire others.

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.

The-CNN-Wire™ & © 2026 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.

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Idaho Honor Flight plans first mission

KIFI on April 13, 2026

Jeff Roper

Idaho Falls, ID (KIFI) – Idaho Honor Flight is taking our nation’s heroes on a once-in-a-lifetime journey to Washington, D.C., honoring their service and sacrifice.

The first mission departs September 1st and 2nd from Pocatello—and thanks to a major sponsorship from Anheuser-Busch (Budweiser), Idaho was selected from five finalists to be a part of this journey. 

Ross Carroll, is a local Navy veteran submariner and on the committee for Idaho Honor Flight and joined Jeff Roper and Megan Lavin this morning on Local News 8 to explain how veterans can apply and the need for volunteers.

Who travels and what does it cost?Veterans travel completely free of charge! Each veteran is supported by a personal guardian to ensure a safe and meaningful experience. Guardians and volunteers contribute approximately $1,000 to help cover expenses.

What’s needed right now?We’re actively looking for veterans and volunteers to register, as well as support for travel prep, event organization, and our Welcome Home reception. We’d like to partner with small businesses and corporate sponsors to be able to do 2 flights a year with 50 vets each trip. 

To get involved we need veterans, guardians and volunteers to sign up:

Visit Idaho Honor Flight at idahohonorflight.org and click “Apply to Fly” to sign up 

Please join us

The Volunteer Meet & Greet Lunch in Pocatello on Wednesday, April 29th from 11:30–2:30.AND  for the

Legacy of Honor: An Evening in the Hangar at Pocatello Airport on Saturday, June 6th— dinner,  live music, and dancing. 

Each veteran travels at no cost, paired one-on-one with a dedicated guardian.

The trip includes a chartered flight, transportation in D.C., a hotel stay with an Honor Dinner, visits to national memorials, and a flight home—all designed to create lasting memories and meaningful recognition.

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