Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission Finalizes 2026 Recreational Trails Plan

KTVZ on April 1, 2026

Matthew Draxton

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Parks and Recreation Commission approved the final 2026 Oregon Recreational Trails Plan during its February meeting. The 10-year plan establishes priorities for grant funding and outlines actions to improve non-motorized, motorized and water trails on public land across the state.

The plan addresses emerging trends and issues facing the state’s trail systems. According to department data, more than 80% of Oregonians use trails annually, which generates over $890 million in spending at local businesses and supports the state’s overall economy.

The plan provides guidance for the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department as well as federal, state and local agencies. Private sector partners also use the document to coordinate trail management. It covers non-motorized trails for hiking, biking and equestrian use, alongside motorized ATV trails and snowmobile trails. The document further includes non-motorized boating and water trails.

Information for the 10-year strategy was collected from multiple sources, including statewide surveys of recreation providers and trail users conducted in October 2024 and April 2025. Planners also incorporated feedback from focus groups and workshops held during the 2024 and 2025 Oregon Outdoor Recreation Summits. Additional data came from the Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan, which is published every five years.

To support the implementation of the new plan, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department launched a technical resources website for recreation and trail planning. Jessica Horning, the statewide trails planner for the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department, highlighted the collaborative nature of the development process.

“We appreciate the time and energy trail users and partners have put into helping us develop the next trails plan, which will guide investments to make our trails even better in the future,” Horning said.

Oregon State Parks staff will now update the Recreational Trails Program and ATV grant criteria to align with the 2026 plan. These updated criteria will be applied to the next solicitation period for both grant programs in fall 2026.

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93-year-old popular yoga instructor still loves what he does

CNN Newsource on April 1, 2026

By Sheba Turk

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    SANTA MONICA, California (KCAL, KCBS) — One Santa Monica man is proving that age really is just a number. At 93 years old, Salomon “Raghavan” Delgado has had some of the same yoga students for 40 years.

Raghavan said his yoga classes at 24 Hour Fitness are not about exercise. “It’s sana, sana means posture. Most people come to do exercise, which is not recommended,” he said. “No, you come to relax. You come to surrender yourself into your posture and be there with your mind.”

While he can’t offer a foolproof formula for aging and staying fit, he does focus on being stress-free and following a vegetarian diet for the most part, sometimes adding fish.

“But I have a good diet, and I meditate very often. (No) stress, which is very bad for your health,” Raghavan said.

His yoga story begins as a love story. He fell in love with a yoga teacher and followed her to class. Eventually, he became a teacher.

“(It was) the way I felt doing it, and I became terribly flexible, and it was wonderful for me to do that. And then, I started teaching and never stopped (to this) day,” Raghavan said.

Ragahvan doesn’t actually do the poses in class. He wants to make sure he’s paying attention to his students. And for his students, he asks them to pay attention to what they’re doing and stay with their breath. “If you do that, then it’s going to be good,” he said.

Los Angeles may have claimed Raghavan, but he grew up in Ecuador. He said he met Sonja, his wife of 54 years, in LA, and he misses her dearly. She died two years ago.

In 93 years of life, Raghavan has experienced great loss, and even greater love, and he’s used yoga to keep breathing through it all.

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.

There’s Good News: Think Wild Central Oregon thanks volunteers

KTVZ on April 1, 2026

Kelsey Merison

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — On Tuesday, Think Wild Central Oregon was paid a special visit.

Staff from Whole Foods Market spent the day volunteering at the nonprofit wildlife hospital.

In a Facebook post, Think Wild said in part, “We are seriously impressed with how much this group got done, including a duckling fence enclosure, large mammal enclosure repairs, a new paver station, wash station painting, tumbleweed removal (an uphill battle), and more. We love volunteer groups! If your organization or business is interested in coming out, we’d love to have you.”

If you’re interested in volunteering and helping out the animal patients at Think Wild, just email volunteer@thinkwildco.org.

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‘Incredible generosity’: RDM thanks community for donations, suspends Neighbor-to-Neighbor Care Drive

KTVZ on April 1, 2026

Kelsey Merison

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Happening now at Redmond Municipal Airport, donation collection has been suspended.

You may remember from our reporting, community members and businesses have been dropping off donations at the airport for TSA workers–from gift cards to fresh meals. This, as the partial government shutdown had TSA agents working without pay for weeks.

Now, RDM made the announcement that it can no longer accept donations like these, saying, in part, “Thank you, Redmond community, for the incredible generosity you’ve shown during our Neighbor‑to‑Neighbor Care Drive in support of TSA employees. Your kindness over the past few weeks has made a difference for the wellbeing of our TSA team, and we are so grateful for every donation and every gesture of support. We’ve been notified that, pending the executive order to pay TSA workers, we are required to suspend all donation collections at this time.”

'Incredible generosity': RDM thanks community for donations, suspends Neighbor-to-Neighbor Care Drive

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AT&T technicians replace widow’s flagpole as an act of kindness

CNN Newsource on April 1, 2026

By Joy Benedict

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    COLTON, California (KCAL, KCBS) — It’s a city proud of its patriotism, as the streets of Colton are lined with images of hometown heroes and the Stars and Stripes. But for Tani Robinson, the red, white, and blue at her house has a special meaning.

On a recent afternoon, Robinson had an AT&T technician working at her house, and they both noticed her front yard flagpole had broken and was lying on the ground.

She said she and her husband had a bracket on the home’s exterior for a flag that they put up in the mornings and took down in the evenings. “My husband said, ‘We need a pole in front of the house.'” Robinson said.

Her husband died of cancer before he got a chance, so she installed a flagpole in his honor. “He was patriotic, we both are. Both our fathers served in World War II; he had a brother in Vietnam,” Robinson said.

Over time, the pole weakened and kept falling. But this last time, her flag of honor had its own savior.

“I walked out the door with the AT&T tech, and it was lying on the front walkway with half the pole — it snapped right off,” she said.

That’s when tech Jorge Garcia said he could help. Robinson wasn’t so sure. “He said— ‘I think we can fix that,’ and I thought— ‘yeah right’.”

Garcia had been installing fiber for AT&T when he noticed the fallen pole.

“She was so nice!” he said. “As technicians, we’re in, we’re out, we are going to the back yard on the house, under the house. She pretty much gave me the trust and said, ‘Jorge, you can come in and out whenever you want.'”

So, Garcia submitted her flagpole for a companywide “Act of Kindness.” A few days ago, he and his coworkers poured concrete and gave Old Glory a new home.

“They just did it out of the goodness of their heart,” Robinson said.

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.

Judge sides with Columbia Public Schools in field name dispute

KMIZ on April 1, 2026

Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Boone County judge sided Wednesday with Columbia Public Schools in a lawsuit alleging the district breached a contract for football field naming rights at Rock Bridge High School.

Wayne Sells filed the lawsuit in October 2024 after CPS removed his name from the Rock Bridge football field. The Columbia Board of Education unanimously voted to rename its athletics field in 2020 after Sells went on Facebook and criticized professional athletes who were protesting during the national anthem before games by kneeling. 

Sells had suggested renaming the field Veterans Memorial Field.

Judge Ben Miller heard arguments on March 2.

Sells argued that renaming the field violated his agreement with CPS made when he donated $100,000 to the school and agreed to an arrangement to name the field for him. CPS argued that no formal agreement existed.

That donation was used for improvements to Rock Bridge athletic facilities, which led to the school naming the field “Wayne Sells Family Activity Field” in 2006.

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James Allen running for mayor of San Luis, Arizona

KYMA on April 1, 2026

Abraham Retana

SAN LUIS, Ariz. (KYMA) – With the primary elections in Yuma County approaching, we introduce you to one of the candidates running for mayor of San Luis, Arizona.

James Allen has been a resident of San Luis since 2003. He is a military Veteran and says his goal is to be the voice of the voiceless.

“I come from a place where I don’t have a vote in the congress or in the senate, which is Washington D.C. I like to hear what other have to say,” said James Allen.

If elected mayor, one of his top priorities would be to enhance safety on certain roadways throughout the city.

“Los Alamos dangerous curve that it is corrected or another traffic pattern is created so the citizens won’t have in risk of life and limp by traveling on that route,” said Allen.

He also wants to work on a project to widen 10th Street.

Regarding employment, he favors boosting and supporting local business owners, as well as attracting multi-national companies to generate higher-paying jobs.

“Recently, the problem is not so much bringing a lot of businesses, the businesses are already in existence and maybe bring a major manufacturer type of company. That’s what we particularly need because those offer quality jobs,” explained Allen.

The Arizona Primary Election will take place on July 21 and we will provide full coverage from the voting centers in San Luis, Arizona, and throughout Yuma County.

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Cesar Chavez Day falls quiet in San Luis

KYMA on April 1, 2026

Adrik Vargas

SAN LUIS, Ariz. (KYMA) – Cesar Chavez Day looked different this year in San Luis.

For years, the city has marked the day with celebrations throughout the month. But this time, public events were canceled, leaving a normally festive day quiet.

The change follows recent allegations against farmworker movement leader Cesar Chavez. A report by The New York Times alleged Chavez abused women and girls, along with similar claims raised by fellow labor leader Dolores Huerta.

The allegations have sparked questions about Chavez’s legacy, including whether statues, buildings and celebrations in his honor should remain.

Some residents said the moment calls for reflection.

“It was also a mistake to praise or idolize one person so much, right? At the end of the day, we’re all human and imperfect,” said Mirta Molina, a San Luis resident..

Molina also questioned the claims saying, “It could be some kind of plan to discredit the work he did, right? And also, he helped a lot of Latinos, people like me, to get benefits, and as a human being, you can understand that maybe he made mistakes.”

At the state level, Arizona lawmakers have moved to repeal Cesar Chavez Day just one day before the holiday, with Gov. Katie Hobbs expected to sign the bill into law.

In San Luis, the impact was visible. A sign outside the Cesar Chavez Cultural Center said the office was closed in observance of the day, even as public celebrations were canceled.

Still, some residents said Chavez’s work, especially for farmworkers, should continue to be recognized.

“I think for the workers in the fields, they should continue with them,” said Eladio Alvarez, another San Luis resident.

Alvarez also said they are left with questions.

“In my opinion, it feels a little unfair because so many years have already passed. Why didn’t they say something when he was still alive? That’s just how I see it,” Alvarez said.

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IID and Citizens Energy Corporation provide grants for non-profits

KYMA on April 1, 2026

Jessamyn Dodd

EL CENTRO, Calif. (KYMA) – The Imperial Irrigation District is teaming up with Citizens Energy Corporation to expand community investment programs across Imperial County.

This latest funding will go towards housing programs with Reps For Vets, a book vending machine for Westmorland Elementary School District, and the spay and neuter program at the Humane Society of Imperial County.

“Because of your kindness, many dogs and cats will live healthy lives. This donation will go directly to our spay and neuter program, which provides accessible and affordable preventative care in our community,” Dalia Rodriguez with the Humane Society said.

Citizens Energy Corporation, led by Joseph Kennedy III, has a long history of investing in the Imperial Valley, from green energy initiatives to education grants.

“We help support and finance major infrastructure projects in the imperial Valley and then take a portion of those profits and invest it back in the communities here,” Kennedy told KYMA.

One of those investments is supplying schools in underserved communities with engagement opportunities to promote reading.

The latest donation will go towards installing a book vending machine in the elementary school in Westmorland.

Elementary school teacher Anna Perez explained, “It’s an ongoing collaboration between IId and the district of Westmoreland for a book vending machine.”

Leaders hope this partnership will continue to strengthen programs in Imperial Valley.

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Deputy recovering after falling 40ft attempting to rescue teens in a rollover crash

CNN Newsource on April 1, 2026

By Michael Logerwell

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    OTERO COUNTY, Colorado (KRDO) — An Otero County Sheriff’s Office reserve deputy is just beginning the long road to recovery after falling nearly 40 feet down a canal embankment while responding to a vehicle crash, involving four teenagers on March 20.

“When I landed in the canal, it was very clear. I heard a pop,” said Deputy Joe Pentlicki, a member of the agency’s Reserve Posse.

Dep. Pentlicki shattered his pelvis during a rescue effort near Otero County Road 805. Since that night, he’s had two surgeries and is facing a lengthy recovery.

After he and fellow deputies arrived at the scene, Pentlicki says he was looking for the least steep way down into the canal, while Detective Sergeant Tyson Duran was grabbing his medical kit from the car. Pentlicki says his plan was to slide down the canal to get to the injured occupants out of the car.

But that’s not what happened.

“I think my foot hung up on something, and next thing I knew, I was upright. And then, I actually remember doing at least two somersaults before landing in the canal,” Pentlicki said.

Pentlicki has been with the Otero County Sheriff’s Office for years, but not as a full-time deputy. Rather, he’s been a member of the sheriff’s posse since 2021, which is a volunteer position.

That means he rides along to support the other deputies and works security. He says it’s another way to give back to the community.

And he’s already excited to get back to it.

“I won’t stop. Honestly, when you’re – when you’re with that group of people, you are making a difference for others, and that has really always been my motivation in life is making a difference for others,” Pentlicki said.

But now it’s the community’s turn to give back to this officer.

“When I got discharged from the hospital, when they were letting me out on Thursday, I had a walker, but there’s stairs up into my house. The Rocky Ford Police Chief met me at my house to help carry me up the stairs into the house to make sure I could get home. Those things mean a lot,” Pentlicki recalled.

Pentlicki’s family has started a GoFundMe to help supplement the loss of income from being out of work at his day job.

As for the teenagers in the car, Colorado State Patrol, who are investigating the crash, tells KRDO13 three of them sustained moderate injuries, and one sustained serious injuries and needed to be flown to the hospital that night.

Nobody in the vehicle was wearing a seatbelt.

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.