A 29-year-old Columbia man was charged with two misdemeanors on Thursday after he was accused of exposing himself at the Columbia library on April 29.
Dennis Allen Jr. is charged in Boone County with first-degree sexual misconduct and driving without insurance. He is being held at the Boone County Jail without bond.
An arraignment was held on Thursday and Allen appeared by video from the jail and pleaded not guilty.
The probable cause statement says a woman reported seeing Allen expose himself at the library on April 29. He was allegedly seen on video leaving while wearing a black hat, grey Bass Pro Shop sweatshirt and black sweat pants, the statement says. Flock cameras were used to find Allen’s vehicle and he was arrested during a traffic stop while wearing the same clothing, court documents allege.
A confined docket hearing is scheduled for 1 p.m. Thursday, May 14, while a case review is set for 1 p.m. Thursday, May 21.
VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – Every Wednesday morning, Ventura Land Trust meets at the Willoughby Preserve to clean the Ventura River as part of their Willoughby Preservation River Restoration project where they along with volunteers remove trash and invasive species.
The Willoughby Preserve can be found upstream from the Ventura River Estuary running adjacent to the Ojai-Ventura Bike Trail and consists of 9 acres of protected land. The Willoughby Preserve was made by the Ventura Land Trust along with volunteers and partners of the organization in 2012 to protect the area from encampments, garbage and invasive plant species.
Various invasive plant species can be found throughout Ventura River and the Willoughby Preserve including giant reed, mustard plants, thistles, and annual grasses. These plants can negatively affect the surrounding environment by means such as drying up the surrounding area including the river and taking nutrients from native plants preventing them from spreading and lessening the food sources for native wildlife.
Ventura Land Trust is a community based, non-profit organization founded in 2003 that aims to preserve the land, water and wildfire in Ventura County. Ventura Land Trust currently has around 3,798 acres of protected lands over seven preserves. These areas such as the Harmon Canyon are accessible to the public.
For information on the Willoughby Preservation River Restoration project and how to volunteer, click here.
McCammon, Idaho (KIFI) — The City of McCammon has issued an immediate boil water order following a loss of pressure in the municipal water system earlier today.
According to an official Facebook post, during a regular water line repair, crews were required to shut off several valves in order to keep conditions safe and sanitary. City officials confirmed that the situation is under control, but it has led to a loss of pressure.
The City will send affected residents a boil order notice shortly.
“Thank you for your patience as we work through this unplanned inconvenience,” states the post.
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – San Marcos High School will have a change in leadership in athletics after Aaron Solis announced he is leaving the position at the end of this school year.
Solis, who will remain at the school as a teacher, has been the Royals athletic director since December of 2022. Last year he received the Norm Mackenzie Award for the Northern Area of the Southern Section of CIF by the California State Athletic Director’s Association.
Principal Dare Holdren said of Solis, “Coach Solis has been an excellentsteward of our athletic programs and I am grateful for his leadership. Heloves San Marcos and has always served as a positive role model for ourstudents.”
Applicants can apply on the district website. Applications close on May17th, 2026.Prospective candidates are invited to contact Principal Dare Holdren directly with any questions at dholdren@sbunified.org
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – The sound of shoes striking the floor and traditional Mexican music filling the room has become part of the daily routine for students in Santa Barbara’s growing folklórico program.
For students like Gabriel Gomez, the class is more than just dance.
“It makes me feel happy and when I get to learn new dances, it’s like something new every day,” Gomez said. “It’s also different places in Mexico that I don’t think I’ve ever heard of.”
Gomez said the program has helped him connect with his heritage while building confidence and working toward personal goals.
“What made me join this class is my older sister,” Gomez said. “She has been doing folklórico for a while. She’s danced on the mission. And that’s also one of my biggest goals too. I want to be able to dance on the mission.”
The folklórico program began four years ago at Franklin Elementary School and has since expanded to Santa Barbara Junior High School and Santa Barbara High School.
The free classes count as P.E. credit and provide students with traditional shoes and outfits needed for performances.
Anna Philhoefer said the program focuses on strengthening both culture and community.
“This is about building community confidence through dance,” Philhoefer said. “And really a way to enhance the culture that already exists in our community.”
The program now spans three schools across different grade levels, with hopes of expanding into more campuses, including Santa Barbara’s Westside.
Student Maddie Jamie described what a typical class looks like.
“Usually we change into our clothes, we come out, we do a few stretches to warm up, and then we either learn it or review a dance to make sure that it’s stuck in memory,” Jamie said.
The performances extend beyond the classroom, with students dancing at school and community events throughout the year.
In January, students performed for Monique Limón and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Kamala was very gracious,” Philhoefer said. “She took pictures with the kids. She was able to meet with them in a smaller group setting and tell them how wonderful they did. And that just boosts their confidence.”
The dancers are now preparing for their next major performance during a showcase at Santa Barbara High School scheduled for May 18 through May 22.
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POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — Students at Idaho State University, Brigham Young University-Idaho, and the College of Eastern Idaho are among the thousands across the nation that have lost access to Canvas after a confirmed cybersecurity incident. Canvas works as a digital platform, allowing students to submit assignments, images, videos, and take tests or exams.
The timing could not be worse, as students at ISU navigate the exams and assignments in the final days of the Spring 2026 semester. The university sent a note out to students tonight saying, “all final exams scheduled after noon today have been canceled and will not be rescheduled or counted toward final grades.”
ISU officials confirmed that Instructure, the parent company of the Canvas platform, fell victim to a “cybersecurity incident perpetrated by a criminal threat actor.” ISU’s Information Technology team and Instructional Technology Resource Center are actively monitoring the situation.
Instructure provides Canvas services to thousands of K-12 schools and colleges across the nation. A report by The BYU-Idaho Scroll confirms that the breach has disrupted Canvas at other regional schools and potentially over 9,000 institutions nationwide, including: BYU, BYU-I, and the College of Eastern Idaho.
Many of the schools reported a ransom note on the homepage of their Canvas sites. The hacking group “Shiny Hunters” has claimed responsibility and is demanding ransoms to prevent further data leaks.
This is a developing story. Local News 8 will provide additional updates as we learn new information.
“We are aware that the Canvas online learning management system is down, as it is for universities across the nation. We will work with Canvas to restore access as soon as possible,” the post says.
MU Alert: We are aware that the Canvas online learning management system is down, as it is for universities across the nation. We will work with Canvas to restore access as soon as possible. Updates for the campus community will be posted at: https://t.co/140Ue13PMt.
A message on MU’s IT system status website says, “The Canvas learning system is currently experiencing technical issues and may be unavailable. We will update the situation when more is known. Time to resolution is unknown at this time.”
Canvas is a website schools use that allows students to submit their homework and for instructors to place course materials.
“Out of an abundance of caution, users should avoid interacting with or clicking on any links, messages, or content that may be posted by threat actors or appear suspicious during this event,” Penn State’s statement says. “Penn State will never direct users to unverified third-party sites for Canvas-related communications or remediation activities.”
Instructure’s website says there was a “security incident” on Wednesday and that it is investigating issues on Thursday.
IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — A former Idaho Falls City Council candidate, Christopher Brunt, remains in custody on a $1 million bond following his arrest by the Idaho Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force last month. The arrest was part of a larger multi-agency sweep in April that Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador is highlighting as a major success in the ICAC Task Force’s partnerships with local law.
Brunt was apprehended on April 8 by the ICAC unit in partnership with the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, the Idaho Falls Police Department, the Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Pocatello Police Department, and Chubbuck Police Department.
The investigation began with a “CyberTip” from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) after Google flagged several files of disturbing content. According to court documents, the flagged material was uploaded between 2022 and 2025 from an account tied to a verified email address and a registered phone number belonging to Brunt.
Thursday, May 7th, Attorney General Raúl Labrador listed Brunt’s arrest as one of four significant ICAC cases handled across several counties in April:
Andrew Avelar (Canyon County)
Avelar, 29, was arrested on April 6, 2026, on two counts of possession of child sexual exploitation material. The ICAC Unit was assisted by the Nampa Police Department, Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, Boise Police Department, and Meridian Police Department.
Daniel Loretto (Canyon County)
Loretto was arrested on April 14, 2026, on three counts of possession of child sexual exploitation material. The ICAC Unit was assisted by the Nampa Police Department, Meridian Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Canyon County Sheriff’s Office, and Boise Police Department.
Michael Arnold Jr. (Latah County)
Arnold, 43, was arrested on April 28, 2026, on six counts of possession of child sexual exploitation material and one count of enticing a child through use of the internet. The ICAC Unit was assisted by Moscow Police Department and Probation and Parole District 2.
Labrador emphasized that these partnerships safeguard Idaho families.
“I’m grateful for the partnerships we’ve built with local law enforcement that make this work possible,” said Attorney General Labrador. “These arrests reflect the dedication of our team and the agencies working together to keep Idaho families safe.”
The charges listed above are merely accusations. All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
The Columbia Planning and Zoning Commission talked standards and regulations for possible data centers at Thursday night’s work session.
Commission members will discuss “broader” topic areas that they want to include in a working draft of the regulations and standards that would govern data centers in Columbia.
“This is the process of then deciding if we allow them, how are we going to allow them, where and under what parameters, all of that kind of stuff,” said Commission Chair Sharon Geuea Jones. “Tonight’s really a level setting kind of discussion where we’re all saying, this is what we hope to achieve and what our expectations are.”
The building and inclusion of data centers have been highly contested around the country, including in Mid-Missouri.
Amazon has sought to build a data center in Montgomery County, but faced intense pushback from residents at several public meetings, culminating in a lawsuit aimed at blocking the project. Critics of data centers often cite excessive water usage and increased electricity consumption.
During the April 6 Columbia City Council meeting, the definition of “data center” and its placement within the city’s zoning structure was approved. During this same meeting, a request to have an ordinance prepared establishing a 12-month “administrative delay” on permits for data centers was introduced.
That administrative delay request was stretched from six months to a year before it was introduced at the council meeting. The city believes the lengthened delay period will permit staff and the community to examine standards relating to this topic. The vote to approve it will happen at the May 18th council meeting.
A public comment will follow before city staff craft regulations.
City staff have found that “utilization of water utility” and “utilization of electric utility” are the most important issues to community members in the data center discussion. Those two topics would also require the most collaboration across City departments.
Other topics to be discussed include siting of structures, parking requirements, decommissioning and remediation and lighting and noise requirements.
Staff estimates the public comment will be between 45 and 60 days.
(Updated May 17, 2026; Health officials in Washington are now monitoring a fourth person for possible hantavirus exposure)
SEATTLE & KING COUNTY, Wa. (KGW) — Health officials in Washington state, are now monitoring a fourth person in King County for possible hantavirus exposure, according to our news affiliate, KGW in Portland, as a Bend doctor remains isolated after testing positive for the virus.
Dr. Stephen Kornfeld of Bend is being treated in a biocontainment unit in Nebraska, drawing regional attention to the rare but potentially severe disease.
In Washington, the fourth person under monitoring is considered low risk after being on an international flight linked to a cruise ship outbreak, according to Public Health – Seattle & King County. Two additional residents from eastern Washington were also on that flight and are being monitored for symptoms.
In total, six Washington residents are now being monitored in connection to the outbreak. Health officials say none have shown symptoms so far.
The Washington State Department of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notified local officials of the potential exposures on May 14.
Public Health officials say the fourth King County resident and the two eastern Washington residents are considered low risk because they were not seated near the ill passenger.
Three other King County residents are also being monitored for possible Andes-type hantavirus exposure. Two of them were seated near the sick passenger on a Johannesburg flight before that person was removed. Another individual who was aboard the MV Hondius cruise ship is being monitored at a national quarantine center in Nebraska.
Health officials emphasize there are no confirmed Andes-type infections in King County at this time.
Separately, a Chelan County resident has tested positive for a different strain known as the Sin Nombre virus. Health officials say that case is not connected to the cruise ship outbreak and likely resulted from exposure to rodents in or around a home.
Hantavirus is typically spread through contact with infected rodents and is not commonly seen. The Sin Nombre strain, which has been reported in Washington before, does not spread person to person. State data shows about two cases are reported each year, mostly in eastern Washington.
While rare, hantavirus can cause severe illness in humans and, in some cases, can be deadly.
Reported May 7, 2026
NEBRASKA (KTVZ) — What began as a dream bird-watching expedition along the coast of North Africa has turned into weeks of isolation and uncertainty for longtime Bend Oncologist Stephen Kornfeld.
Now recovering in a high-level biocontainment unit at the University of Nebraska after testing positive for hantavirus, Kornfeld has become an unlikely hometown hero. Even while on vacation, the retired cancer doctor stepped in to care for desperately sick passengers aboard a cruise ship swept into an international health crisis.
And back in Central Oregon, the community he spent decades caring for is rallying around him.
From bird-watching voyage to international emergency
Kornfeld boarded the Hondius, operated by Oceanwide Expeditions, last month for what was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime bird-watching cruise near North Africa.
But in early April, passengers aboard the ship began falling seriously ill during an outbreak of the rare Andes strain of hantavirus.
The World Health Organization says 11 cases of hantavirus have now been reported among passengers and crew, including three deaths. Nine of the cases have been confirmed as the Andes strain, while two remain probable cases. WHO officials say the overall risk to the general public remains low.
The outbreak eventually forced the ship to dock in the Canary Islands, launching a massive international repatriation effort.
As of Tuesday morning, 122 people — including 87 passengers and 35 crew members — had been evacuated from the vessel and most have since returned home. The remaining 27 people aboard the ship are sailing to Rotterdam, Netherlands, where the ship is expected to be disinfected upon arrival on Monday.
“A lot happened very quickly”
Kornfeld says the situation aboard the ship escalated fast, “So a lot happened very quickly on the boat.”
After the ship’s doctor became hospitalized, Kornfeld, who spent nearly two decades treating cancer patients at the Saint Charles Cancer Center before semi-retiring, stepped in to help care for sick passengers.
One of those patients later died, “And then another patient got very ill, which I had to take care of, and she ultimately died,” Kornfeld said. His decision to help may also have exposed him to the virus.
Hantavirus is typically spread through contact with infected rodents, particularly rats and mice. But the Andes strain found in South America is unusual because it may allow limited person-to-person transmission.
Soon after treating patients aboard the ship, Kornfeld himself began feeling sick, “I had three days of night sweats, a lot of chills, some mild respiratory, and a lot of fatigue,” he said.
Inside isolation in Nebraska
Kornfeld is now being held in isolation inside a biocontainment unit at the University of Nebraska, where doctors are closely monitoring him.
While he says his symptoms have improved and he is currently not showing signs of illness, he still faces uncertainty, “But it’s still possible that that test represents evolving disease, and I will get symptoms down the road,” Kornfeld said. “This is why I’m in the biocontainment unit.”
Doctors expect him to remain there for at least 45 days before he can finally return home to Bend. For someone used to spending his life caring for others, the isolation has been strange, “Many weeks is this? Well, we’ll see how that goes,” Kornfeld said.
Still, friends and former patients say his actions aboard the ship came as no surprise.
“He’s such a great man”
For nearly 20 years, Kornfeld worked as an oncologist at the Saint Charles Cancer Center, helping hundreds of Central Oregon families through some of the hardest moments of their lives.
Now many of those same patients are supporting him. After KTVZ shared Kornfeld’s story online, social media quickly filled with emotional messages from viewers thanking him for the care he gave their families over the years.
One viewer wrote: “Doctor Kornfeld was my dad’s doctor, then mine. He did us both great treatment for our cancer. He’s such a great man and I pray conquers this and can come home well. This breaks my heart, just like him, to step up and help.”
The Oregon Health Authority says it is closely monitoring the cluster of Andes virus hantavirus cases linked to passengers aboard the cruise ship.
Meanwhile, back in Bend, many are simply waiting for the day Kornfeld can finally come home — not just as a survivor of a frightening outbreak, but as the same doctor who spent decades showing up for everyone else when they needed him most.
Reported early May 7, 2026
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) What was supposed to be a once-in-a-lifetime birdwatching expedition in the Atlantic Ocean turned into an international medical emergency.
Now, a Bend doctor is at the center of it.
Dr. Stephen Kornfeld, a longtime Central Oregon oncologist who spent two decades treating cancer patients at the St. Charles Cancer Center, is currently aboard a quarantined cruise ship near the Canary Islands after a deadly hantavirus outbreak left three passengers dead and several others seriously ill.
As fear spread across the ship and its own physician became too sick to continue working, Kornfeld quietly stepped in.
From Passenger to Ship Doctor
The cruise began on April 1 as a birdwatching expedition sailing off the coast of Africa between Cape Verde and the Canary Islands.
At first, Kornfeld said, there was little indication that anything unusual was happening. “So this cruise started April 1st. And after about a week, one of the passengers got very sick,” Kornfeld said. “At the time, there was no sense that it was an infectious disease.”
But by late April, more passengers and crew members began falling ill.
One passenger was evacuated to Johannesburg and placed on a ventilator. The man later tested positive for hantavirus. Soon after, his wife also died in a hospital after leaving the ship.
Then the ship’s doctor became seriously ill. That’s when Kornfeld began helping. “It wasn’t like a, ‘Oh, I need to step in,’” he said. “I was there to offer assistance.”
But as conditions worsened, that assistance quickly turned into leadership.
“And then another patient got very ill, which I had to take care of,” Kornfeld said. “And she ultimately died.”
Working 18-Hour Days at Sea
Kornfeld said the reality of treating patients aboard a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean was far different than practicing medicine in a hospital.
“The boat really has a hospital, but it’s just for a couple of days,” he explained. As panic and uncertainty spread among passengers, Kornfeld found himself working nearly nonstop. “There was really a lot of work to do,” he said. “I was ultimately working 18 hours a day.”
Despite being semi-retired and spending much of his time traveling the world birdwatching, Kornfeld said instinct and experience took over.
“You kind of get into that doctor work mode,” he said. “You’re just trying to do the best you can in the circumstances with somewhat limited resources on a cruise.”
Part of his role became reassuring frightened passengers and crew members as the outbreak unfolded. “There was a lot of hand-holding regarding that,” he said.
Fear, Exhaustion, and an International Response
At one point, the situation became so serious that multiple international agencies became involved, including the World Health Organization.
Kornfeld described the response as massive and coordinated. “It’s become an incredible international effort,” he said.
According to Kornfeld, two World Health Organization epidemiologists and two Dutch infectious disease specialists are now aboard the ship helping investigate the outbreak and care for passengers.
Medical evacuation flights were eventually arranged for the sickest patients. “With a lot of outside help, amazing international response from the World Health Organization, the health authority, the company that owns the cruise boat and many other agencies,” Kornfeld said, “they got the two guys off the boat.”
Now, passengers remain in a lockdown situation aboard the vessel as officials work to determine what caused the outbreak and what happens next.
What is Hantavirus?
Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome is a rare but dangerous illness carried mostly by rodents, especially deer mice in the western United States. It was first identified in the 1950s during an outbreak in Korea, and in humans, it usually starts when someone breathes in dust contaminated with infected rodent droppings, urine, or saliva. That can happen in places like cabins, sheds, or barns that haven’t been cleaned or ventilated in a while. It’s important to note the virus doesn’t typically spread from person to person here in the U.S.
What makes hantavirus especially concerning is how quickly it can turn serious. Early symptoms often feel like the flu—fever, fatigue, and body aches—but within days it can escalate into severe breathing problems as the lungs fill with fluid. There’s no specific cure or vaccine, and once it progresses, patients often need intensive hospital care. Even though cases are rare, the fatality rate is high, around 30 to 40 percent, which is why health officials stress avoiding contact with rodent waste and taking precautions when cleaning enclosed spaces.
Rep. Janelle Bynum Demands Faster Federal Response
As the outbreak unfolded, Oregon Congresswoman Janelle Bynum sharply criticized the federal government’s response, saying the Americans aboard the quarantined ship had been left without enough guidance or support.
“The Americans on board deserve action,” wrote Bynum. “Four days is more than enough time for the federal government to establish a coordinated response, communicate clearly with those affected, and ensure that U.S. citizens are not left stranded in a deadly outbreak overseas. The seventeen Americans on board, including my constituent, are being abandoned by their government. They have no guidance and no support to ensure their safe return home.”
Kornfeld, however, largely stayed out of the political debate. “The situation on the boat is very good. The boat captain, staff, crew, and passengers have really come together and are working together.”
He added that he had been in contact with the U.S. State Department and believed a repatriation plan would come together soon. “I’m assuming the CDC will get involved,” Kornfeld said. “And I assume in a couple of days there’ll be a plan.”
“I Felt Vulnerable”
While caring for sick passengers, Kornfeld also had to think about his own safety. “From the first day that I started pitching in, I was wearing gloves and a mask,” he said.
As it became clearer the illness was hantavirus, he increased precautions. “I was able to find some better protective gear. I showered a lot. I washed my clothes a lot,” Kornfeld said.
Still, the risk never fully disappeared. “So I felt vulnerable,” he said. “But I didn’t feel super vulnerable.”
A Bend Doctor Focused on Helping Others
Kornfeld spent years caring for cancer patients in Bend before scaling back his medical work in recent years to travel and pursue birdwatching around the world.
He said he never expected one of those trips would place him in the middle of an international health crisis.
But once he became involved, walking away was never really an option. “Once you’re involved in it, you really can’t just tell everybody, ‘I’m done,’ and go hide in your room,” he said. “I felt obligated at that point.”
Even now, with the immediate crisis appearing to stabilize, Kornfeld remains aboard helping passengers while larger medical teams take over the outbreak response.
And despite everything that has happened, he still finds moments to remember why he boarded the ship in the first place. “There’s a lot of bird watchers on the boat,” he said. “We’re scattered around that. And we’re looking for seabirds. That’s why I’m on the boat.”
For now, Kornfeld says he’s eager to get back home to Bend and see his wife again. But until then, he says his attention stays right where it’s always been — on the people he’s caring for.
This is a developing story. Stay with the digital platforms of KTVZ News for urgent updates.
