Camden County commissioner enters Republican state Senate primary on final day of filing

KMIZ on April 1, 2026

Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Camden County’s presiding commissioner entered the Republican primary for Missouri’s Sixth Senate District on the final day of filing Tuesday.

Todd Isaac “Ike” Skelton of Osage Beach is the sixth Republican to file paperwork to run in the August election for the district that runs from Cole County to the Lake of the Ozarks. Skelton is nearing the end of his first term in office, which includes a high-profile run-in with the law when he removed a license-plate reader camera from its perch along a state highway.

Tuesday was the final day to file for the August primary in statewide and county elections. Filing began Feb. 24. That’s when the other five Republicans — term-limited Missouri House member Rudy Veit of Wardsville, former lawmaker Dr. Lisa Thomas of Lake Ozark, Jake Vogel and Derrick Spicer of Jefferson City and Amber Buckles of Macks Creek — put their names in.

District_6Download

Meanwhile, three candidates — Nick Sherrell, Kathy Campbell and Nathan Patton — are running in the Republican primary for Skelton’s current post. Two Democrats, Daniel Ousley and Mike McDuffey, are seeking their party’s nomination.

Mid-Missouri’s open 10th Senate District, which covers Callaway, Montgomery, Pike and Lincoln counties, will see contested primaries for the GOP and the Democrats. Republicans Tricia Byrnes (a current House member) of Wentzville and Mike Deering of Montgomery City filed on the first day. Democrats John Wells of Holts Summit and Pablo John Los of Hermann filed on Monday.

State House District 59, which represents Jefferson City and will be open in the general elections, will have a three-way Republican primary. Vic Rackers, Carrie Tergin and Glenn Reynolds all filed on the first day.

A full list of candidates who filed in the August primary is available on the Missouri secretary of state’s website.

Contested primaries set in Boone, Cole counties

Boone County voters who pull a Democratic ballot in August will have the chance to vote in two contested primaries.

Incumbent Auditor Kyle Rieman has drawn a challenge from Allen Bel-Long.

Two Democrats also filed for the Division 9 circuit judge seat — Bill Ellis and Spencer S. Smith.

All four filed on the first day.

Boone County candidatesDownload

Cole County will hold contested primaries for the Republican nominee for presiding commissioner and county clerk. Each race has drawn the interest of a term-limited state lawmaker.

State Sen. Mike Bernskoetter is running for the GOP nomination for presiding commissioner against Paul Dupuis. State Rep. Dave Griffith of Jefferson City is running for county clerk against Jeff Ahlers.

Bernskoetter’s and Griffith’s term limits set up the open primaries in the Sixth Senate District and 59th House District, respectively.

Click here to follow the original article.

Passover preparations underway during tumultuous time

KEYT on April 1, 2026

Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) As the war rages on in Iran, members of the local Jewish community don’t all agree on what is happening in Israel and Middle East, but they do plan to come together for Passover that beings Wednesday at sunset.

“It really is about holding onto hope in difficult moments,” said Samantha Silverman at the Jewish Federation of Greater Santa Barbara.

Silverman is the Executive Director of the Jewish Community Center.

“The message is freedom after bitterness after slavery, it is about navigating those narrow parts the really difficult dark moments in our lives and persevering and having hope as a community united together,” said Silverman.

The chef and workers at Etty’s Deli, named after a contributing community member, has been preparing dishes for the occasion.

“We will be celebrating Passover in several different ways tomorrow, we will be giving out multiple meals we have a wonderful deli that people will be ordering catering items through, so we will be doing brisket, charoset, tzimmes, lots of delicious traditional Jewish flavors for the holiday table that people will be picking up all day tomorrow and then the following day we will have our Seder,” said Silverman.

The tradition included unleavened breads and treats.

The first day of Passover has fallen on Easter before due to the lunar calendar and this time it falls on April Fools’ Day. They don’t mind.

Silverman chose not to share all the details of their community celebration.

There is a sense of heightened awareness and there is enhanced security at the center and local synagogues preparing for the major Jewish holiday.

Canter Mark Childs at Congregation B’nai B’rith in Santa Barbara is warming up his vocal cords.

Local Jewish leaders believe the traditions are soothing at a time of fighting in the middle east.

“I think rituals are always a source of comfort in tumultuous times,” said Child,” to have that ritual that we can really sit back at the familiar story that we tell every year, that is sort of a comfort. “

People will hear their Passover story.

“We still celebrate the same story that takes us from slavery to liberation, degradation to freedom and it is a story about that journey and it is a story about compassion, we think about the Egyptians who died so we can be free,” said Childs.

The Seder includes wine.

“We actually take drops of wine out of a cup, wine is a symbol of joy in our tradition, we remove a bit of joy from our celebration in recognition of the suffering of Egyptians, so not only do we have compassion for our ancestors who were slaves, we also have compassion for those who suffered for out freedom.,” said Childs.

It is a celebration of Spring.

“Happy Passover to every and happy holiday to everyone who celebrated this time of year, Springtime is a time of renewal,” said Childs.

For more information visit https://cbbsb.org or https://jewishsantabarbara.org

Click here to follow the original article.

Idaho law enforcement continue vocal opposition as ICE legislation heads to State Senate

KIFI on April 1, 2026

David Pace

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Law enforcement groups throughout the state are sounding off in opposition to Senate Bill 1441 as it advances in the Idaho Senate.

The controversial bill would require each law enforcement agency in Idaho to enter into section 287(g) programs with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, requiring agencies to participate in the jail enforcement model, warrant service officer model, and task force model – in which local law enforcement would search for illegal immigrants in the community and take action against them.

“That was the intention, to make sure that cooperation with ICE and communication with ICE is governed by agreements that are set forth by the federal government – these 287(g) agreements,” said Idaho Senate President Pro Tempore Kelly Anthon, R-Rupert, “and that we don’t see that cooperation differing from jurisdiction to jurisdiction – that we create the general rule with the exceptions.”

Agencies that choose not to participate would be required to submit their reasons in writing to the Department of Homeland Security.

The Idaho Sheriffs’ Association, Idaho Chiefs of Police Association and the Idaho State Fraternal Order of Police have stood consistently against the proposed legislation.

Idaho Fraternal Order of Police President Bryan Lovell, whose organization represents 2,800 law enforcement personnel in Idaho, said law enforcement resources in the state are already stretched without adding the additional programs, responsibilities, and training these agreements with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement would require.

“We heard from the sheriffs and some of the chiefs even, since versions of this bill have been introduced, is that everybody has the desire to work with ICE and mitigate immigration issues – illegal immigration issues,” Lovell said. “But we want to be able to maintain the ability to not work for them, you know, work with them, but not work for them and be able to still maintain all the things that [we]’re responsible to take care of in the community.”

Lovell is concerned that asking local law enforcement to perform federal roles could endanger police officers, troopers, and deputies. 

“When you stretch these resources so thin, then it makes it a safety issue for officers on the street,” he said. “It’s a safety issue for the community because 911 calls still happen, crashes still happen, incidents still happen that aren’t necessarily related to illegal immigration – and if they are, there’s already processes in place and methods to deal with it right now.”

The revised bill states that “participation in such models and programs shall be required only to the extent that the necessary resources for participation are reasonably available to the law enforcement agency.”

Anthon was clear that the intent of the bill is to encourage local cooperation with ICE authorities.

“Cooperation with ICE  is something we expect from our local jurisdiction, and provide reasonable accommodations if for certain jurisdictions it just doesn’t work,” Anthon said.

Most sheriff offices and police departments in the state already openly cooperate with ICE authorities, law enforcement officials said.

Lovell said that requiring agencies to state reasons in writing and report to the Department of Homeland Security if they are unable to participate in any ICE 287(g) programs adds additional layers of bureaucracy to local law enforcement.

“Some of those models for smaller agencies, for small police departments – even larger police departments that are still trying to maintain staffing and take care of all the other 911 calls and issues in their community,” he said. “They may not have the resources to just jump into that agreement.”

The Senate State Affairs Committee voted 6-3 to send the bill to the full Idaho Senate, reversing its 6-5 March 16th decision to table a similar bill.

Senate President Pro Tempore Kelly Anthon, R-Rupert, and Idaho Fraternal Order of Police President Bryan Lovell discuss the impacts of Senate Bill 1441 on illegal immigration and law enforcement in Idaho.

Click here to follow the original article.

Deschutes Trails Coalition offers $30,000 grants for trail projects

KTVZ on April 1, 2026

Triton Notary

DESCHUTES COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) The Deschutes Trails Coalition announced today that it is accepting applications for its 2026 Small Project Grant program. The initiative will award up to $30,000 to support multiple trail-focused projects within the Deschutes National Forest and Deschutes County.

The grant program is designed to fund small-scale projects that maintain or restore existing trails in Central Oregon. This funding supports the coalition’s mission of ensuring trail sustainability through its “Four Pillars” of environmental, economic, physical and social values.

Project proposals are eligible if they occur on or impact publicly accessible trails within Deschutes County. The grant also covers portions of the Deschutes National Forest that extend into neighboring counties. The coalition specifically encourages applications for projects that maintain or restore existing trail infrastructure.

The Deschutes Trails Coalition is composed of representatives from conservation, business, tourism and trail-user communities. These members collaborate to develop recommendations for creating and envisioning a sustainable trail system throughout the Central Oregon region.

The organization operates under four pillars of sustainability: environmental, economic, physical and social. All coalition goals and trail improvements are driven by these core values.

Specific organizational objectives include instilling a stewardship ethic in both local residents and visitors. The coalition also aims to increase community recognition of its role in sustaining regional trails.

The grant program also seeks to promote equitable access for underrepresented communities to ensure positive trail experiences for all users. Furthermore, the coalition works to encourage community and visitor investment that reflects the social and economic value of the trail system.

Grant applications must be submitted by May 22, 2026. The Deschutes Trails Coalition has made the official request for proposal and application forms available on its website.

Click here to follow the original article.

Central Oregon Spring Break Blitz results in 13 DUII arrests, no fatal crashes

KTVZ on April 1, 2026

Triton Notary

DESCHUTES COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) Central Oregon law enforcement agencies reported no fatal or serious-injury crashes during a three-day safety enforcement period that concluded Friday, March 27. The operation, known as the Spring Break Blitz, resulted in 13 arrests for driving under the influence of intoxicants and more than 550 traffic stops.

The coordinated effort was organized by the Central Oregon Multi-Agency Traffic Team (MATT) to promote safe driving during one of the region’s busiest travel periods. Participating agencies included five Deschutes County law enforcement departments, the Oregon State Police Bend Area Command and the Oregon State Police High Visibility Enforcement Unit.

During the three-day operation from March 25-27 officers issued 275 violation citations and provided 473 warnings to motorists. High-visibility patrols were positioned throughout Central Oregon to monitor behaviors most commonly associated with severe and fatal collisions.

Speeding was the most frequent violation identified during the blitz, accounting for 298 of the stops. Enforcement also recorded 128 lane-departure violations, 36 instances of distracted driving involving cellphones, 34 seat belt or occupant-protection violations and 31 cases of drivers operating a vehicle with a suspended license.

The Central Oregon MATT is a multi-agency team consisting of deputies, officers and troopers who combine resources to prevent serious traffic incidents. The participating groups include the Oregon State Police Bend Area Command and the Oregon State Police High Visibility Enforcement Unit.

Local law enforcement agencies and the Oregon State Police issued a statement thanking the community for their support and commitment to safe driving. The agencies stated that these combined efforts are intended to reduce crashes and ensure residents and visitors travel safely.

Click here to follow the original article.

Local man urges people to recycle

KYMA on April 1, 2026

Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A longtime Yuma County resident and retired Marine Veteran is urging neighbors to act after noticing a recent uptick in improperly discarded trash across the county, a trend he says threatens the community’s environment for generations to come.

George Vogel, who has lived in Yuma for decades, is working to inform residents about proper recycling and waste disposal.

“Please, please, please recycle. It might be inconvenient, but it’s so important for the environment” Vogel said.

Every year, millions of tons of perfectly recyclable material end up in landfills. Vogel says that as a community, everyone must do their part to keep recyclable materials out of the trash and reduce contamination that can render whole batches of recycling unusable.

He pointed out that many people don’t realize what belongs in the city’s blue recycling bins and that bin lids and local guidlines often note items that are not accepted.

“Aluminum cans people aren’t aware of what goes in here and what doesn’t,” Vogel said. “On the top of the lid it tells you what you don’t put in here: Tires and things like that, food particles, kitchen trash. I want Yuma County to be informed.”

Vogel stresses the importance of rinsing and otherwise cleaning recyclables to prevent contamination.

“On the bottom of your containers they tell you what’s recyclable. The more we recycle, the better off our environment will be,” he said.

When recyclables are tossed in the trash or contaminated, they often end up in landfills and can create environmental hazards.

According to the World Health Organization, improper waste disposal can lead to adverse health outcomes, with vulnerable community members at increased risk.

Residents who do not receive a city recycling bin still have options. Several services in Yuma County accept recyclables, including the Republic Services transfer station and Yuma Recyclers.

Vogel encourages residents to check the City of Yuma’s website or contact local waste services for details about accepted items, pickup schedules and drop-off locations.

Click here to follow the original article.

Joe Crispin introduced as the new Air Force head basketball coach

KRDO on April 1, 2026

Rob Namnoum

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) — Joe Crispin is a man on a mission: “When I’m on a mission that I believe in, I’m a dangerous dude,” says Crispin.

The dangerous dude is a gym rat at heart. “This man lives, eats, sleeps, and breathes basketball. He’s going to be exactly what we need,” says Air Force athletic director Nathan Pine.

He is what the Air Force needed, and it sounds like he needed the Air Force, “Oh yeah, I love it. I mean, you can tell I’m I’m alive. I didn’t even know their record when I was first asked, I kind of knew some stuff but then I looked at the record and it was like, oh, this is perfect. The more impossible it seems, the more I’m into it,” says Crispin.

He’s into it because he views himself as an underdog who is coaching underdogs. “In today’s environment, NIL and money, people are going to view us that way, right? As underdogs. Perfect. They’re going to talk about all that we don’t have. Perfect. That’s right where we want to start. But underdogs, when you truly understand the David and Goliath story have they they don’t just survive. They gained a competitive advantage,” says Crispin.

A competitive advantage is why the Air Force hired Crispin, but he is a realist: “Suffering always comes before glory, but you have to get on the other side of the suffering to get the glory,” says Crispin.

Coach Crispin believes that in order for the fly guys to witness the glory, they need to dream. “We’re going to dream big and go for it. The path is never like this. There’ll be some zig zags, but if you go along for the ride, you’ll get there,” says Crispin.

Click here to follow the original article.

Sunriver-area woman, parents sentenced in severe abuse case; judge tells boy: ‘I’m sorry’

KTVZ on April 1, 2026

Barney Lerten

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — After emotional statements by a now-11-year-old boy and the Sunriver-area woman accused of severely abusing and neglecting him, a Deschutes County judge sentenced Sarah Session on Tuesday to more than 17 years in prison. Her parents also now face prison and jail time.

But first, Circuit Judge Alison Emerson, who convicted Session and her parents last month after a three-week trial, told her small, full courtroom something else that was on her mind, after hearing all the awful testimony about a boy who recovered video showed was kept locked up and alone in a tarp-covered room, tied to a chair while unconscious, assaulted and even forced to eat his own vomit. 

“I’m a little troubled by the fact that (the boy, who KTVZ News is not identifying) is now 11, has been interviewed multiple times.” And Emerson said as far as she could tell, she said: “At no point did anyone say ‘sorry’ to him.” 

So the judge told the boy: “I’m sorry. I’m sorry this happened to you. I’m sorry you went through this trauma.” 

“At any point, if any of the caregivers had intervened, this would have a far different case,” Emerson said, adding that if not “for a detective finding all those videos, it would have been a very difficult case. I’m not sure anyone would have believed him.” 

Earlier, Deputy District Attorney Stacy Neil made a similar point in outlining her sentencing recommendation, pointing to “another level of cruelty” committed by Session, and noting that in calls from jail – even after the verdict – Session still showed no remorse and said, “I did nothing wrong. This isn’t fair.” 

Judge Emerson said the defendants were “lucky that the medical providers at OHSU are some of the best in the world – otherwise, the kid could be brain-damaged, or dead. So you are all quite lucky you are here only on these charges.” 

Session, 34 received a 212-month (17 1/2-year) sentence for second- and third-degree assault and several criminal mistreatment charges. Her mother, Paula Hardenburg, convicted of second-degree assault and other charges, faces nearly six years in prison, while her father, Gary Hardenburg, convicted of first- and second-degree criminal mistreatment, was sentenced to 90 days in jail, with credit for time served. Both parents also were convicted of tampering with evidence.

All three face three years of post-prison supervision or supervised probation, during which they are not allowed to have any contact with the child victim, or with other minors, unless approved by a judge – and under supervision. 

The boy, who testified in person during the trial, spoke in a small but strong voice by phone at Tuesday’s sentencing. 

After his father left, the child said he was not allowed to speak with him, and that Session “called him a monster. … You took your anger out on me by beating on me.” 

“You forced me to eat my own vomit,” he said. “You beat me, you lied to me. … I wish I didn’t have to live with the horrible flashbacks of what you did to me at that house. I will need therapy for the rest of my life. … Even though I have a good support system, I still carry all this with me.” 

The boy added, “I have to relive the feeling of you choking me and hitting my head against the wall. It makes me angry and scared.” 

But the boy – referred to this day as an impressive survivor – now says, “I hope to be a lawyer,” to bring justice for others facing such awful situations. He went to say that one day, his stepmother will “have to answer to Jesus and explain what you did to me.” 

Soon, Session stood and read her printed statement, saying she was “embarrassed, humiliated and deeply sorry” for what she had said and done. 

But the special ed teacher chastised by her ex-husband for her lack of remorse added, “The things I said are inexcusable, and I take full responsibility for them. But I did not try to kill or harm (her stepson). I tried to get him the help he needed. While I did not commit all the crimes I am accused of, I am deeply sorry.” 

Session asked the judge to still be allowed to speak to her biological children, who she said “are unsafe and need support.” 

Session’s father, Gary Hardenburg, admitted that he “failed” his grandson and “should have been more observant” as to what was happening. 

Before adjourning the sentencing, Judge Emerson had one more thing to tell the boy.

“Good luck to you,” she said. “I hope life treats you well.”

Click here to follow the original article.

Cole County breaks ground on new juvenile center to meet increasing needs

KMIZ on April 1, 2026

Haley Swaino

COLE COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Cole County officially broke ground on its new $14 million juvenile center Tuesday.

“We’ve really outgrown our current facility,” Cole County Presiding Commissioner Sam Bushman said. “That was built 30 years ago.”

The project to get an upgraded facility for the county is more than five years in the making and will meet growing needs.

“In the 21st century, we have some very troubled juveniles. So there’s really more of a need now than there was 30 years ago. And that’s what we’re addressing,” Bushman said.

Rendering of new Cole County juvenile center for detention and emergency care at its groundbreaking on Mar. 31, 2026. The center will be located in the 2300 block of St. Marys Boulevard in Jefferson City.

The current center, the Cole County Prenger Family Center, has only three secure beds for detention and seven beds for emergency care. The new center will have eight cell beds and more homey recreational space.

“We want to make sure that they’re [juveniles] not in a state of survival,” Cole County Juvenile Court Administrator Tobie Meyer said. “We want them to be comfortable, we want them to feel supported and we want them to be open to change.”

The center provides shelter, food and stability for those needing behavior changes or just a safe home.

“We currently have this in our facility, we have youths, juveniles, who have issues at home. They have no home life,” Bushman said. “So we basically become kind of their surrogate parents. And they live there, they have their own rooms, they go to school and we feed them. We kind of take care of them.”

The center will not only offer more space for juveniles, but it’s in a more preferable location.

“It’s important for it to be centrally located so that children and families can access us when they’re needed. We have served many youth who walk to our facility because they need a safe place to go,” Meyer said.

The Cole County Prenger Family Center, is located on Stadium Boulevard in southwest Jefferson City. Meyer said the new juvenile center, located on St. Marys Boulevard in Jefferson City, is better because its central to the county.

The project is expected to be completed in spring 2027.

Click here to follow the original article.

Demolition of old Jefferson City Gerbes makes way for Immaculate Conception Catholic Church expansion

KMIZ on April 1, 2026

Camryn Payne

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Demolition crews on Tuesday started to tear down an old Gerbes in the 1200 block of East McCarty Street this week.

The demolition is part of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church’s expansion. The expansion has three phases and a total price tag of $40 million.

According to diagrams on the church’s website, the first phase includes constructing a new school building, new playgrounds and a new McCarty Street entrance. The expansion will cost $20 million.

The second phase — costing roughly $12.5 million –will include building a new commons and administration building and demolishing Kaiser Building for new parking. The third phase — costing about $7.5 million — includes adding a new gym and classrooms onto the commons and administration building.

The work on the first phase is expected to be done by August 2027, while the second and third phases could take at least five years apiece to complete, according to the diagrams.

24062-Presentation-Boards-2025-07-11-forwebDownload

Click here to follow the original article.