Trial underway for Yuma man accused of shooting another man

KYMA on April 22, 2026

Moses Femino

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Opening statements began Wednesday in the trial of a Yuma man accused of shooting another man during a neighborhood confrontation on October 24th, 2024.

25-year-old Gabriel Taddei is facing two count of aggravated assault, including use of a deadly weapon, in connection to the shooting near County 12th Street and East 40th Place.

During opening statements, Taddei’s defense acknowledged he approached the victim with a gun, but argued he acted in self-defense.

Defense attorney, Joshua B. Tesoriero, claims Taddei had been run over during the encounter and feared for his life.

“It wasn’t just a random evening on October 24th, that Gabe decided he saw [name of victim] and he wanted to shoot him,” Tesoriero said.

However, prosecutors pained a different picture. Saying the incident began when the victim drove to his girlfriend’s home.

“The night of October 24th, 2024. [name of victim] drove over to his girlfriend’s house to check on his cats that were there,” Cameron Curtis, Deputy County attorney, said. “And he didn’t even make it out of his car.”

The defense pushed back, arguing the shooting was not random and emphasized their claim of self-defense.

According to the state, Taddei approached the victim’s vehicle and fired a shot through the windshield, striking him in the shoulder and fracturing his right arm.

The victim, who was a 29-year-old man at the time of the shooting, was taken to Onvida Health and treated for the injuries he sustained during the shooting.

Prosecutors also described video evidence they say shows the moments leading up to the shooting, including the victim attempting to back away from the confrontation.

“You get a chance to see that. You can see [name of victim] car back up as he tries to get away,” Curtis said. “You see the car door open, right. And you see that gunshot go right through the window of his car.”

Jury selection took place Tuesday, and there are six additional dates set.

KYMA will keep you updated as the trial progresses over the next several weeks.

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Man now charged with manslaughter in deadly Jefferson City crash

KMIZ on April 22, 2026

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man who was charged with driving while intoxicated in a weekend crash that killed a man in Jefferson City is now charged with manslaughter.

Prosecutors in Cole County filed an amended complaint on Wednesday that now charges Robert Roy Rackers Jr. with driving while intoxicated that caused the death of another, second-degree involuntary manslaughter, misdemeanor reckless driving and driving without insurance.

Rackers, 36, of Mexico, Missouri, is accused of causing the crash that killed Richard Robben.

Robben died on Tuesday afternoon. He was 59. He rode an electric bike on Sunday in the 100 block of East Dunklin Street in downtown Jefferson City when he was hit by Rackers’ 1999 GMC Sonoma that was heading in the opposite direction, court documents in previous reporting say.

Robben was brought to a hospital in Columbia, where he was pronounced dead days later.

A Jefferson City police officer wrote in the probable cause statement that Rackers appeared to be under the influence of marijuana and was found with weed when he was arrested.

Rackers is being held at the Cole County Jail without bond. An arraignment was held on Wednesday and Rackers appeared by video from the jail, where he pleaded not guilty.

A counsel status hearing is scheduled for 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 29 and a preliminary hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. Thursday, May 14.

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UCSB Researchers Create Hair-Thin LEDs that Could Replace Lasers

KEYT on April 22, 2026

Patricia Martellotti

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Light is getting smaller, and far more powerful.

Researchers are developing LEDs so tiny they’re nearly invisible, yet capable of doing work once reserved for lasers.

“The fundamental idea is to take an LED … replace things like lasers, but also try to make displays better. Make AR displays more efficient make your lighting more efficient,” said doctoral student Roark Chao of UC Santa Barbara.

This breakthrough could change how massive amounts of information move through servers powering AI and cloud systems.

The technology is still evolving, but the impact is already coming into focus.

Unlike traditional systems, these devices push out more usable light while wasting less energy.

Researchers also found stronger performance, improved direction, and a sharper beam — all from something barely visible to the eye.

“It’ll be a huge improvement for everybody in lighting in the future of energy conception everything,” said analyst Yukina Warner of UC Santa Barbara.

The same technology could soon power faster data, thinner screens, and entirely new digital experiences.

From lab concept to real-world impact, the pace of progress is accelerating.

And in a world demanding more speed and less energy, the smallest innovations may carry the biggest weight.

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Employers Await The Newest Commuter Train Service on the South Coast

KEYT on April 22, 2026

John Palminteri

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The newest commuter train service between Ventura County and Goleta is set to roll on May 4th.

It’s been years in the planning by local leaders and transportation agencies before this latest concept picked up enough steam to create a workable schedule to and from locations where thousands of employees travel on weekdays.

The plan had to fit the most common shifts and currently workers can make it in from, for example, Oxnard to Santa Barbara and Goleta jobs by about 8 a.m.

The goal is to reduce peak hour congestion which has been frustrating for thousands of commuters for years. On many weekdays the freeway speeds through Carpinteria to Santa Barbara go down to 10-20 miles per hour.

A special meeting was held with agencies including the Santa Barbara County Association of Governments (SBCAG), The Ventura County Transportation Commission (VCTC), Metropolitan Transit District (MTD), The Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency and BCycle. About 200 participants registered for the event at the Hilton Garden Inn in Goleta.

During the session, they broke out into groups to go deeper into their concerns and challenges to get employees out of their cars and on to a train.

Incentives suggested included free or reduced transportation from the train stops to their work places. They also wanted to see if employers would pay employees to work on the train via the online web resources. Essentially that would have them on the clock.

Offering free coffee and meals was also a perk.

The commuter route would originate in Simi Valley at 6:15 a.m. with stops in Moorpark, Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura, Carpinteria, Santa Barbara and Goleta ending at 8:11 a.m.

Those who need bus service from Santa Barbara would get it for free with their train ticket. Large buses will make stops by the County Administration Building, the Santa Barbara Courthouse and Cottage Hospitals. There would also be buses for the Hollister Ave. corridor in Goleta which has thousands of employees many in the tech industry.

Adding a commuter train to the travel options for workers in Ventura County who commute to Santa Barbara and Goleta has been a lengthy process which almost included Metrolink extending up to Santa Barbara for the first time. That option started and stopped but the time slot on the tracks was still available from Union Pacific which owns and maintains the tracks. It provides access for passenger rail service such as the Pacific Surfliner and with that additional train

As the owner, Union Pacific controls freight traffic as a priority and manages access for passenger rail services like Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner.

For more information go to: SBCAG

(More details, photos and video will be added here later today.)

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COCC invites public to ribbon-cutting ceremony for expanded Madras campus

KTVZ on April 22, 2026

Barney Lerten

MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — Central Oregon Community College is inviting the public to its official ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house for its Madras campus expansion, 4-6 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, at 1170 East Ashwood Road.

The event will feature brief remarks from COCC President Dr. Greg Pereira and community partners, followed by the official ribbon-cutting event and self-guided tours of the facility. Light refreshments will be served.

The new 24,000-square-foot, two-story facility is a LEED-certified structure that combines learning and community care under one roof, college officials said Wednesday in a news release the continues below:

It houses three standalone training programs: nursing, nursing assistant and medical assisting. Additionally, the expanded early childhood education program at the Madras campus is integrating some of its training into the new on-site, 100-capacity child care facility, being managed by The Children’s Learning Center of Madras.

The update to the Madras campus, which originally opened in 2011, is a response to Jefferson County’s needs related to early childhood education and health care workforce gaps, along with a major shortage of child care options in the region. Construction began in June 2024, and the doors officially opened for classes, labs and child care at the start of winter term last January.

The open house will offer the opportunity to purchase an engraved brick, to be installed at the building’s entrance, along with bricks bearing names and messages of other COCC supporters.

The transformative campus project was funded by federal and state support, private philanthropy, grants and general college funds.

In advance of college events, persons needing accommodation or transportation because of a physical or mobility disability should contact campus services at 541-383-7775. For accommodation because of other disability such as hearing impairment, contact student accessibility services at sas@cocc.edu or 541-383-7583.

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Teens accused of targeting security in Old Mill District incident

KTVZ on April 22, 2026

Tracee Tuesday

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — A disturbing incident involving teenagers is raising concerns in Bend’s Old Mill District.

Police say a group of juveniles in a red pickup truck may have used airsoft or BB-style rifles during a late-night encounter with security guards. Now, there are consequences — and questions about what happened and who was involved.

We’ll hear from a witness who describes a frightening moment, and get Bend Police Department’s response as the investigation moves forward. We’ve also reached out to the Old Mill District for comment.

KTVZ’s Tracee Tuesday will be live from the Old Mill District with a full report today at 4 p.m. on our FOX and NBC affiliates.

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IID Board approves summer bill credits to customers

KYMA on April 22, 2026

Lynette Niebla

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – As Imperial County temperatures climb to triple-digits, so do electricity bills, taking a toll on local families and business.

The hottest summer months are just around the corner, but now, community members can breathe a sigh of relief.

This year, customers of the Imperial Irrigation District (IID) will receive an approximate 12% of bill credits refunded on their 2026 monthly electricity bills.

“The credit is going to be from June to September but our customers will see it from July to October because our billing system is always a month behind,” said Moises Cardenas, Public Information Officer for IID. “Different customers will see different savings depends on their usage.”

Under this plan, approved by the District Board of Directors on Tuesday, roughly $48.4 million, that was saved in 2025, will be distributed to customers.

“What we like to say is that it was more collection in 2025. So, after getting that number, the board decided to give that money back to the customers to make sure it’s back in the customers pockets,” Cardenas shared.

2025 was a lower-than-expected cost year. That’s due to cooler temperatures, reduced customer demand, and decreased fuel and purchased power expenses.

It’s not the first time we see this action be taken by the IID. Just last year, summer bill reductions were put in place by an $81 million allocation. 

“This is the second consecutive year that this is coming out. Our IID Board is working on a plan so that it can automatically happen to bill credits to customers without waiting for a board action,” Cardenas expressed.

In the meantime, in order to continue seeing reduced prices in your electricity bills, Cardenas suggests other ways you can save.

“The easy ones are not to be using power during peak times from 4 to 9 p.m. Don’t use your laundromat, set your AC at 78 degrees. However, especially for low-income customers, it’s also very important to look into our other programs,” he explained.

IID offers a multitude of programs that customers can apply for to receive other types of discounts on their monthly bill. 

To learn more about this, click here.

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Students Help With Earth Day Tree Planting At Arellanes Elementary

KEYT on April 22, 2026

Jarrod Zinn

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – Students at Arellanes Elementary School in Santa Maria helped plant a new tree for earth day this morning.

Santa Barbara County’s Parks Department and Urban Forestry Division partnered with the offices of 5th district supervisor Steve Lavagnino for the presentation.

For the 23rd annual event recognized by Tree City USA, students witnessed and directly participated in the planting of a young fern Podocarpus, known to be a low-maintenance evergreen tree.

Arellanes is a dual-campus school with the junior high directly adjacent to the elementary campus.

Officials say the kindergarteners who helped plant it today will get to see how much the tree grows before they graduate to high school.

“This is our 23rd year, and we rotate it amongst our five districts,” says Udy Loza, road maintenance manager for County Of Santa Barbara Public Works. “This year was in district five, It gives you a lot of satisfaction to our entire department, from Chris Sneddon all the way down to our maintenance team. A great pride of what we do for our community in the county of Santa Barbara.”

Another tree will be planted this Friday to celebrate Arbor Day.

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Santa Maria Transit marks 50th anniversary with free rides and reduced fares

KEYT on April 22, 2026

Dave Alley

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – The City of Santa Maria celebrated the 50th anniversary of its transit system with a special event that took place Wednesday afternoon on Earth Day.

The event was held for three hours at Machado Plaza in downtown Santa Maria and included booths from several other Santa Maria city departments, such as Recreation and Parks, Utilities, Library and City Rangers.

Created in 1976, Santa Maria Regional Transit (SMRT) has become a bus service the city describes is “a nationally recognized and award-winning fleet.”

“Fifty years of public service is a testament to the City of Santa Maria’s commitment to its residents,” said Gamaliel Anguiano, Santa Maria Transit Services Manager. “The service has evolved quite considerably since its inception.”

Anguiano explained SMRT, which previously was known as Santa Maria Area Transit (SMAT) prior to a 2022 rebranding, had humble roots when it first got rolling five decades ago.

“Public transit started in Santa Maria originally as a van providing service up and down the Broadway corridor,” said Anguiano. “Since then, public transit has grown tremendously, not only throughout Santa Maria, but entire Northern Santa Barbara County. It continues to this day to be a very vital and important lifeline for many in our community, who choose public transit as their preferred mobility option.”

One of the biggest changes SMRT has implemented over the past few years has been a transition to the an all-electric fleet, an accomplishment that has put Santa Maria at the forefront of public transportation in the nation.

“We are noow fully transitioned to 100% electric, and only the second city in all the country to accomplish this important milestone,” said Anguiano. “We’ve seen tremendous growth in our ridership, especially since implementing some of the service changes back in 2022 and implementing this new fleet of electric busses and we’re projected to provide a million rides by 2030.”

In addition, SMRT’s daily service now extends far beyond Santa Maria, going to locations well outside the city border.

“Public transit users are not just limited to the city limits of Santa Maria,” said Anguiano. “Their needs extend beyond our city limits and so we are a regional provider with service into Southern Santa Barbara County and even into San Luis Obispo.”

To celebrate its golden anniversary, SMRT is allowing all passengers to ride for free today on Wednesday, April 22nd.

In addition, for the next 50 days through June 12th, regular bus fares for the general public will be only 50 cents and 25 cents for qualifying seniors or disabled persons.

“It’s our way to give back to the people of Santa Maria for supporting us for all of these years,” said Tim Mai, Santa Maria Transit Outreach Coordinator. “We understand that the cost of living is very expensive. Everything is getting more expensive. So, kind of throwing our fares back the way they were before.”

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US-20 Traffic Alert: Buffalo River Bridge repairs set to begin Monday in Island Park

KIFI on April 22, 2026

News Team

ISLAND PARK, Idaho (KIFI) — Starting next week, the Idaho Transportation Department will begin work on the Buffalo River Bridge in Island Park.

On Monday, April 27, crews will begin working to stabilize the soil where the bridge meets the roadway and repave sections to create a smoother ride and “preserve the longevity of US-20 in the area.”

Throughout the duration of the project, US-20 traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction around Buffalo River Bridge and Pond’s Lodge.

ITD anticipates the construction will be done before the Memorial Day holiday, which marks a significant influx of recreational traffic for the summer season in the surrounding Yellowstone area. For up-to-date info on traffic impacts through the area during the project, click HERE.

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