Mayor Yemi Mobolade announces re-election campaign, answers questions about audit report

KRDO on April 7, 2026

Michael Logerwell

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – Tonight, Mayor Yemi Mobolade kicked off his campaign for re-election.

In 2023, running as an Independent, candidate Mobolade bested Republican Wayne Williams in a run-off election. The final vote totals:

Mobolade – 71,491 (57.51%)

Williams – 52,812 (42.49%)

Now, years later, Mayor Mobolade is going back to the voters, this time with a track record.

“What I wanted to do, [with announcing early] was truly to call attention to this. To this day and a year from now, because April elections, Colorado Springs elections, we’re lucky if we get 40% turnout. I want people to remember this day and to show up for me, but also truly for the city of Colorado Springs,” Mayor Mobolade answered when asked why he announced his campaign so early in the election cycle.

The election for the mayor’s office is slated for April 6, 2027. For voter information and resources, click here.

KRDO13 also asked the mayor about the recent auditor’s report, which KRDO13 Investigates learned about.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Colorado Springs Mayor responds to audit regarding use of city resources

On Friday, Mayor Mobolade said that he supported a policy regulating the use of the city’s resources by elected officials.

Tonight, we asked him what tangible steps had been made.

He said his team has already begun looking into a policy to regulate the use of city resources by an elected official and found that Colorado Springs was behind the curve.

“Many large cities have already figured this out. We have not. So this is an opportunity for us to, to grow up in many ways. The city auditor is actually sorry to research other cities and then went, yeah, Colorado Springs. This doesn’t have any clear rules around this. But the good news is we have a lot of great examples of top 50 cities that are already doing this. And it’s not this is not this is not new or an issue for them,” said the Mayor.

The Mayor did not provide a specific timeline for when that policy could be introduced.

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Students and Staff Celebrate Pride Festival at Santa Barbara City College

KEYT on April 7, 2026

John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Students at Santa Barbara City College (SBCC) had an on-campus Pride Festival today.With live entertainment and a wide selection of outreach organizations, the festival took place on the west campus.Those attending were able to learn about the new campus Pride Center and its services, along with what is offered in many other departments and clubs.Organizers say City College is committed to an all inclusive campus environment.This festival is part of the activities during the month of April which they are calling gay-pril..

Selena Martinez is the Pride Student Program Advisor at SBCC. She says, “Queer folk have always been around and now we are noting it and we are here and the students have that space and ability to be themselves even in the new Pride Center that opened last September. We are really excited to outside to be out, be out and be in community.”

In addition to the music, there were other entertainers including a drag dancer and the Bubble Guy.Some free food and refreshments were also served up along with a back drop for Pride Day photos.

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CASA volunteers in Arizona recognized for helping foster children

KYMA on April 7, 2026

Moses Femino

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – CASA volunteers across Arizona are being recognized this week for their commitment to supporting children in the foster care system.

Many of whom are navigating some of the most difficult moments of their lives.

CASA, which stands for Court Appointed Special Advocates, connects trained volunteers with children in foster care.

Appointed by a judge, these volunteers serve as independent advocates focused solely on what is best for the child.

In Yuma County, volunteers say the role goes far beyond occasional visits. Sarah Healy, a local volunteer, has been a part of CASA for over seven years.

“Everything pointed me in the direction of that’s how I want to spend my time,” Healy said. “Because what they kept saying was, you’re going to be a voice for children who may not have a voice from anyone else.”

CASA volunteers spend time getting to know each child’s unique case. Meeting with them regularly, learning about their background and speaking with those involved in the child’s life. They then provide recommendations to the court that best suit their needs.

The ultimate goal is to help children find safe, stable and permanent homes.

According to CASA, studies show that children with a CASA volunteer are more likely to succeed in school, find permanency and half as likely to re-enter the foster care system.

For volunteers like Marde Randall, the work is both meaningful and motivating.

“If you’re going to have a child in foster care, Arizona might be the place to be,” Randall said. “The children, are really cared for and that was what inspires me…Daily, really.”

Volunteers say cultural understanding and speaking the native language of the child or their family can play a crucial role in building trust.

“It’s very rewarding, especially if you [are] bilingual,” Sandra Perez, a CASA volunteer, said. “It’s very important, we have a lot of kids that only speak Spanish, or maybe they are with a relative that only speaks Spanish, so it’s very helpful.”

CASA programs operate in all 15 counties across Arizona and is administered by the Dependent Children’s Services Division of the Arizona Supreme Court.

Locally, the Yuma Council for CASA works to raise funds and awareness to support children who have experienced abuse or neglect.

Despite ongoing efforts, the need remains high. CASA’s goal is to have one volunteer for every child in foster care. Something advocates say is only possible with continued community involvement.

For many children, having one consistent, caring adult can make a lasting difference.

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Gen Z shifts away from drinking, embraces healthier lifestyles

KYMA on April 7, 2026

Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Generation Z is moving away from alcohol and focusing on living healthier lives, and younger people are becoming known as the generation that consumes less alcohol than older generations.

Gen Z is made up of about 71 million people in the United States, born between 1997 and 2012. Gen Z is becoming the leading generation to ghost alcohol.

Vedant Pradeep, co-founder and CEO of Reframe, said, “Becuase of the increased awareness on social media, it’s become okay to not drink.”

With the internet readily available, it’s easier for individuals to research the red flags associated with alcohol consumption.

According to the World Health Organization, alcohol consumption is linked to more than 200 health conditions, including liver disease, heart disease and cancer.

Pradeep added, “People are just more informed about illness and want to be healthier and happier and choose themselves.”

Reducing alcohol intake lowers the risk of chronic disease and can improve immune function. For many young people, drinking is no longer a top priority.

Gen Z resident Eden Martin said, “I am focused on living a very healthy lifestyle and I feel like drinking doesn’t align with that.”

More young people are choosing to ditch the bottle while still enjoying social life without the headache.

Martin said, “For me, I feel like my choice of not drinking doesn’t effect my social life and I will still have a ton of fun going out to the bars, clubs, and I just choose not to drink, and I don’t feel like I’m having any less fun than anyone else who’s drinking.”

Choosing a healthier lifestyle while still having fun socially is possible. Reducing alcohol intake benefits overall health and well‑being.

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YPD urge drivers to put phones away during Distracted Driving Awareness Month

KYMA on April 7, 2026

Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, a time to reflect on your driving habits, regroup and take responsibility for the choices you make behind the wheel.

The Yuma Police Department (YPD) shares the dangers distracted driving poses to you and others on the road.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2024 more than 3,000 people were killed in crashes involving distracted driving.

“One simple mistake can either end somebody’s life or end yours or somebody can get seriously injured,” said Officer Hayato Johnson with YPD.

Distracted driving isn’t worth the risk. These injuries can be life-threatening or cause permanent disability.

“You can have financial hardships from all of this. Court fees don’t just end right after the case, they can go on for years,” Officer Johnson added.

Beyond legal costs, distracted driving can cause insurance premiums to skyrocket and saddle drivers with expensive legal fees.

“It still continues to happen and people aren’t taking it as serious as they should,” Johnson said.

Practicing safe driving means not texting or using your phone in any capacity while behind the wheel. If you need to send a text, pull over.

If you can’t stay off your phone while driving, place your phone in the trunk, back seat or glove box.

The fight to end distracted driving starts with you today. By making the decision to put the phone away, you can save a life.

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Bend brewery highlights sustainable hops and natural growing practices

KTVZ on April 7, 2026

Tracee Tuesday

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — At Worthy Brewing in Bend, sustainability is showing up in both the brewery’s hops and the produce grown for its menu.

The brewery says many of its hops come from Indy Hops, an Oregon-based company that works with growers using environmentally responsible practices. Some of those hops are certified through Salmon-Safe, a program that recognizes farms and other land uses that adopt science-based methods to reduce pollution, manage stormwater and improve water quality to help protect salmon habitat. Salmon-Safe also says its beer-related program highlights craft brewers sourcing certified hops and malts from Northwest watersheds.

“We primarily use a lot of hops grown here in the state of Oregon. Through Indy Hops is one of them — especially where they have Salmon Safe certification which helps with reducing erosion as well as pesticide use which make it safe for salmon and other aquatic life,” said Worthy Brewing’s Brewmaster, Nick Robbins.

The Oregon Department of Agriculture says it regulates pesticide sale, use and distribution under Oregon’s Pesticide Control law, along with federal pesticide rules. The agency says every pesticide sold in Oregon must be registered, labels are legally enforceable, and some products require applicator licensing and certification before they can be used.

ODA also says it monitors compliance through applicator and dealer record reviews, marketplace checks and complaint follow-up. The agency says it has a hop testing program and can investigate if a complaint arises, including testing for suspected adulteration under state law if a product contains an unsafe level of pesticide residue.

The department says hops, like other raw agricultural commodities, must meet pesticide tolerance standards established by law before they can enter the food or feed supply. Restricted-use pesticides require licensing, and ODA says it also provides outreach to growers and pesticide users on label interpretation and drift prevention.

At Worthy’s restaurant and garden, the same focus on responsible growing extends to the kitchen.

Farm Manager Jessica Walker says the garden supplies ingredients used on the menu, including chives for fries, arugula for salads, beets, garlic and sunflower seeds. She says she avoids heavy pesticides whenever possible and instead uses predator insects, water sprays and, when needed, organic or non-toxic insecticides.

Walker said one of the products she uses has a powdery texture that can damage insects when it is dry. “has really sharp points on it. If you touch this, it’s actually really nice and powdery to us. But for insects it just cuts them to pieces, especially if the sap is dry. If it’s wet, it doesn’t work as well.”

Worthy Brewing says the goal is to grow ingredients in a way that supports both the food it serves and the environment surrounding it, while leaning on Oregon-grown hops and locally produced garden items.

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New Med Spa offers beauty treatments in Madras

KTVZ on April 7, 2026

Tyson Beauchemin

MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) –A new medical spa is opening in Madras on 4th Street.

Revivo Med Spa is the creation of Dr. Patricia Spencer. Doctor Spenser has had a medical practice in Madras for some time, and she saw a big demand for beauty treatments. What started as a side business once or twice a week has become her main focus.

With the help of her assistant aesthetician Kairi Alire they’ve opened this new spa. Together, they offer Botox, Juvéderm, and other skin treatments with a personal touch.

Doctor Spencer shared her passion for her patients with KTVZ, “Patients that are 80-90 years old and they just love coming here. Because you just give them back a little bit of that youth, and making the feel match what you feel inside – to show up outside. So that makes a big difference. And they really do love us, and we love them. ”

They are so committed to forming a relationship with their customers that they spend extra time with every client. Revivo Med Spa even has maps of places in Madras people can visit before and after their appointments.

Their grand opening in next Wednesday, April 15, from 4 pm till 6pm. There will be food, raffles, and representatives from beauty companies there. If you’ve been considering Botox or filler, the event will be a perfect time to ask questions and get info.

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ISU Graduate manning Mission Control in Houston for Artemis II Mission

KIFI on April 7, 2026

David Pace

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) – As astronauts today journeyed to the furthest distance in deep space ever reached by humankind, an Idaho State University (ISU) graduate is one of three scientists advising the Artemis II team from Mission Control at the Johnson Space Center.

Angela Garcia graduated from ISU with a master’s degree in geosciences around 2019, and has taken her career to new heights ever since.

“She’s just a brilliant scientist and researcher who’s been working with NASA in the years since, doing a lot of work to be able to prepare for these missions, and has been qualified as a flight controller to be in the flight control room supporting science for Artemis II,” said Dr. Shannon Kobs Nawotniak, a professor and chair of Idaho State University’s Geosciences Department.

“She is going to be monitoring all the science work that the astronauts are doing up there – answering questions for them, relaying questions that they have to the science evaluation room in the back, helping make sure that we’ve got solid support for those astronauts as they do science.”

Dr. Kobs Nawotniak said the astronauts will be researching the impact of meteorites on the far side of the moon.

“This is our first human return to the moon, circling around it in over 50 years. … You can imagine if we’re trying to ultimately put a lunar base up there, it really behooves us to know a lot more about how the stuff is going to go,” she said. “We’re also interested in sort of the size of the distribution, the changes, all of these different things. So that’s going to be one of their key things, is looking for these micrometeorite impacts through flashes on the surface as they’re going by.”

Researchers from ISU have been heavily involved with NASA from 2014 to the present, performing work at Craters of the Moon for the FINESSE (Field Investigations to Enable Solar System Science and Exploration), BASALT (Biologic Analog Science Associated with Lava Terrains), and IDEAS (Integrated Display and Environmental Awareness System) programs. 

“The FINESSE program, we’re actually doing work out here with the lava tubes, with the alteration of the rocks, things like that, to understand how the shapes of the landscape and the geochemistry of the rocks all tie together,” Dr. Kobs Nawotniak said.

The research was vital preparing for the Artemis program and an eventual mission to Mars.

“BASALT was about using volcanoes here, in the space here, and in Hawaii as a testbed for high-fidelity simulations of crewed missions,” Dr. Kobs Nawotniak said. “In that case, we were actually aiming it for Mars, but all the stuff we were doing there was also relevant to this, and we used s some of those lessons learned also to be able to inform later tests where they’re actually preparing for Artemis to be able to design the backroom team. How do you support these phenomenal astronauts?”

The lunar-like volcanic landscape at Craters of the Moon is also ideal for practicing astronauts’ navigation techniques required on the moon.

“We’re also working on navigation systems to be able to help astronauts as they’re working around the surface of the moon,” she explained. “We don’t have GPS or compasses for the moon, so they’re actually going to be doing dead reckoning navigation, using printed paper atlases with air photos and alphanumeric grids. It turns out that’s really easy to get yourself turned around. … How we can better support the astronauts for their training and the back corrections afterwards, to be able to ensure that we actually have them in the right place at the right time?”

The ISU researchers and rangers at Craters of the Moon hope the Artemis program and its work will help inspire the next generation of scientists.

“What I love about being a park ranger is that I’m able to work with a lot of young people and people that they get really excited about science,” said Craters of the Moon Chief of Education and Interpretation Michael Irving. “I’m able to help nurture and help grow that love and hopefully get them to go on and pursue fields or pursue careers in those types of fields.”

ISU graduate Angela Garcia and Dr. Shannon Kobs Nawotniak smile at Mission Control in the Johnson Space Center.

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Columbia City Council passes $13.1 million in improvements for airport

KMIZ on April 7, 2026

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, (KMIZ)

The Columbia City Council on Monday passed several projects to improve Columbia Regional Airport.

The city approved roughly $13.1 million in projects around the airport, with federal funding covering a large portion.

The first of which includes renovations to its northern parking lot, which includes paving the existing lot and adding about 250 more spaces. The city previously stated it expects for the additional parking to be available before head of Allegiant Airlines starting services to Florida in June.

That project will cost $3.2 million, with all of the funding coming from the transportation sales tax, according to city documents.

Another approved project is the construction of a fourth terminal boarding bridge. It will cost $1.8 million, with 90% coming from the Federal Aviation Administration. It will cost the city $60,000 for the design and the 10% match for construction, meeting documents show. The project will take roughly two years to complete.

The city also approved a deicing pad and containment facility project. Meeting documents show 90% of the $4.7 million needed for the project will come from federal funds.

“This system will capture excess deicing fluid (glycol) applied to aircrafts during inclement winter weather, that currently flows into the stormwater system,” document say.

Construction for that project is expected to be done by this winter or spring 2027.

The council also approved the reconstruction of the terminal building loop road from the terminal to Airport Drive. Documents say 90% of the $859,381 needed will come from the FAA.

The city will pay for all of the $828,176 needed for the airport’s new kitchen. Funding will come from the terminal project account.

The city will also spend $1.7 million to rebuild 1.3 miles of Airport Drive. Funding will come from the transportation sales tax.

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Here’s the scoop: Ben & Jerry’s partners with Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend for Free Cone Day celebration

KTVZ on April 7, 2026

Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — On Tuesday, April 14th, Ben & Jerry’s is throwing its annual Free Cone Day celebration, serving up free scoops of ice cream to fans around the world.

During the much-loved tradition, Ben & Jerry’s aims to spread some joy across the globe, one ice cream-filled cone at a time. 

Last year, fans showed up in record numbers, helping Ben & Jerry’s scoopers serve up over 1 million scoops of free ice cream! This year, the store says, “We want to go just as big, giving thanks to our fans with as much joy as possible in the form of chunky, swirly flavors.” 

“Free Cone Day has always been about gratitude – we want to thank our fans for being the best fans in the world with free ice cream and a moment of pure joy,” said Luann Abrams, owner of the Old Mill Ben & Jerry’s. “This year, more than ever, we’re reminded how powerful those small moments of happiness can be. We can’t wait to connect with our fans over a scoop of ice cream on the most Ben & Jerry-est day of the year!” 

As in previous years, our local Ben & Jerry’s will be partnering with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend to spread awareness of their exceptional programming and team of youth development professionals helping children develop leadership, healthy lifestyles, and academic success.   

Boys & Girls Clubs of Bend CEO Michael Baker said, “This type of support is exactly why Ben and Jerry’s is such a good corporate citizen. Through Luann and her team’s generosity, we will be able to help more members, more often with deeper impact.”  

Baker and other BGCB staff and Board members will be joining in on the fun, scooping ice cream all day from noon to 8 p.m. 

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