Former Columbia parking manager allegedly stole $45,000 over nine months

KMIZ on May 21, 2026

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A former parking manager for the City of Columbia allegedly stole roughly $45,000 in coins from the city during a nine-month period, court documents say.

James Faup, 38, of Columbia, is charged in Boone County with stealing more than $25,000. He was arrested on April 2 and was released from jail after posting a $1,500 bond. An initial court appearance is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Thursday, May 28.

The probable cause statement says Faup was allegedly reported to law enforcement by a Walmart employee on March 31 after he was allegedly seen putting a large amount of coins into the Coinstar at the West Broadway store.

Faup had allegedly brought coins in a white bucket and had exchanged a Coinstar receipt for cash, court documents show. He allegedly cashed out $2,071.30 at Walmart that day, the statement says.

Previous reporting says Faup was allegedly wearing a city public works uniform while he was cashing out the coins. Faup allegedly made exchanges while bringing a bucket of coins on March 5, 12, 19 and 31, court documents say.

Police wrote that Faup was seen on camera on March 30 going into the room where the city stores coins and allegedly filled up two Menards buckets with coins. He was also seen on camera allegedly doing the same thing on March 5, 12 and 19.

Someone at the parking division told police, “the protocol for coins was to dump them into a counter that then put them in a safe that would be later collected by Brinks,” court documents say.

Faup allegedly admitted to police that he stole $5,159.95 in March alone and that he took roughly $45,000 from the city over a nine-month period.

Faup had pleaded guilty to misdemeanor stealing in 2013 after he stole money from parking garages ran by the University of Missouri, previous reporting shows. Faup was then employed by the city from Feb. 20, 2013-April 2, 2026.

City Finance Director Matt Lue told ABC 17 News last month that the city is conducting an audit of the parking fund. The city expects it to be complete by the end of May, previous reporting shows.

Check back for updates.

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Happening Next: Learn About Homeownership Opportunities at an Affordable Home Fair

KTVZ on May 21, 2026

Harley Coldiron

REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Central Oregon residents are invited to a free Affordable Homeownership Fair on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 5:30 p.m. at Redmond City Hall. NeighborImpact HomeSource will host the event, connecting attendees with local affordable housing developers and resources for homebuyer education and eligibility.

The fair is part of NeighborWorks Week, which runs from May 23–June 7, 2026. This national initiative highlights the work of NeighborWorks network organizations to expand housing opportunities, build financial stability and strengthen communities.

The 2026 theme for NeighborWorks Week is “Creating Homes, Building America.” NeighborImpact HomeSource prepares Central Oregon residents for homeownership through education, coaching and financial tools.

The event will allow attendees to hear directly from multiple local developers about upcoming projects, eligibility requirements and the steps to becoming a homeowner.

Participating affordable housing developers include Thistle & Nest, Habitat for Humanity of La Pine Sunriver, RootedHomes, Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity, Sisters Habitat for Humanity and First Story.

The Affordable Homeownership Fair is supported by event sponsors Hayden Homes, Cascade Hasson Sotheby’s International Realty and Redmond The Hub. Spanish translation and a sign language interpreter will be available at the event.

The fair is free and open to the public. For questions, residents can email homesource@neighborimpact.org or call 541-323-6567.

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Alpine lifts boil water advisory following water main repairs

KIFI on May 21, 2026

Par Kermani

Update:

ALPINE, Wyo (KIFI) — The Town of Alpine has lifted the boil water advisory that was issued earlier this month from a water main break near Trail Drive and Stoor Drive.

According to a social media post, the repairs to the water system were completed and testing confirmed the water meets safe drinking water standards.

Residents in the affected area can now resume normal water use for drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, ice making and other household purposes without boiling water.

ALPINE, Wyo (KIFI) — A boil water advisory is now in effect for parts of Alpine following a water main break near Trail Drive and Stoor Drive.

According to the Town of Alpine, the advisory only applies to properties within an affected area. Residents who did not receive a door notice are not impacted.

Due to the Memorial Day holiday weekend, required bacteriological testing and confirmation sampling will take longer than normal to complete.

At this time, the town expects the advisory to remain in effect until approximately Thursday, May 28, pending water quality test results and approval from regulatory agencies.

Residents in the affected area are advised to boil water for at least three minutes before drinking, brushing teeth, making ice, cooking or washing dishes.

Bottled water is available at the Town Shop located at 289 Buffalo Drive in Alpine.

ALPINE, Wyo (KIFI) — Residents between Trail Drive and Stoor Drive are without water as crews respond to a water main break in the area.

According to a notice from the Town, water service is expected to be interrupted for about four hours while repairs are completed.

In a Facebook post, town officials said “Our crews are working as quickly as possible to restore service, and we will provide updates as soon as the repair is complete.”

This is a developing news story. Local News 8 will provide more updates as we learn additional information.

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MoDOT addresses construction, traffic ahead of busy holiday travel weekend

KMIZ on May 21, 2026

Alison Patton

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Department of Transportation addressed construction and traffic Thursday ahead of Memorial Day Weekend, as lawmakers consider suspending the gas tax — a crucial funding source for Missouri roads.

About 39.1 million travelers will hit the road between Thursday and Monday, which is a 0.1% increase nationally, according to AAA.

MoDOT and MSHP leaders urged caution in work zones over the weekend and said speeds won’t be reduced in work zones that don’t have barriers and lane shifts in place.

MoDOT’s Highway Safety & Traffic Engineer Jon Nelson said the goal is to have zero fatal crashes over the weekend.

“Summer is often a time where we unfortunately see an increased number in traffic incidents, fatalities and injuries. We would like for nothing more than for the summer of 2026 to have a different outcome,” Nelson said.

To do that, drivers are encouraged to slow down, put the phone down, driver sober and buckle up.

“Putting this all together we’re simply asking that everyone makes safe decisions that protect themselves, their passengers and everyone else on the roadways,” Nelson said.

Chief safety and operations director Becky Allmeroth said 24 people were killed and over 110 people were injured last year in work zones. There will be over 1,000 work zones this year.

“No matter where you travel this weekend, you should expect to encounter roadwork,” Allmeroth said. “We need drivers to slow down, stay alert and help protect our crews and each other.”

Safety isn’t the only thing on drivers’ minds this summer.

Gas prices in Missouri are over $1.30 more expensive now compared to last year, when the state average was $2.87, according to AAA. About 800,000 Missourians are packing the car this weekend, down 0.1% statewide compared to last year.

State Rep. Tricia Byrnes (R-Wentzville) has offered a potential solution to temporarily lower gas prices –temporarily suspending the gas tax.

“Missouri families are paying more than $1.30 extra on every gallon compared to this time last year. The legislature raised this tax without a public vote in 2021. We can pause it without a public vote. I’m drafting a bill and I’m asking Governor Kehoe to call us back to Jefferson City to pass it,” Byrnes said in a news release.

The tax takes over 29 cents per gallon at the pump, and more than 21 cents goes to MoDOT. The department receives $2.2 billion a year in total from its user fee, which includes the fuel tax, registration and licensing fees and motor vehicle sales taxes. The gas tax brings in the highest amount of revenue from the user fee.

“The Missouri Department of Transportation is aware of the discussions taking place among lawmakers regarding the motor fuel tax, which funds transportation work in our state. At this time, it would be premature for the department to comment or speculate on potential legislative actions or their impacts,” MoDOT spokesperson Jacob Luecke said via email.

MoDOT Director Ed Hassinger reiterated that sentiment at the press conference.

“We’re aware of the efforts, but until we know what that really looks like, it’s pretty premature to comment on that,” Hassinger said.

Byrnes sent Gov. Mike Kehoe a letter Tuesday, asking him to call a special session to move forward with suspending the gas tax.

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Idaho State Police pursuit leads to major drug seizure near Pocatello

KIFI on May 21, 2026

Par Kermani

BINGHAM COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) — A vehicle pursuit near Pocatello led to Idaho State Police seizing a large quantity of fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, and marijuana. 

According to the Idaho State Police, the incident happened just before midnight on May 18 when a Domestic Highway Enforcement trooper spotted a sedan with California license plates failing to signal while turning from Interstate 86 onto Interstate 15.

When the trooper attempted a traffic stop near milepost 74 in Bannock County, police say the driver refused to stop, leading troopers on a pursuit.

With assistance from the Fort Hall Police Department, officers deployed spike strips that brought the pursuit to an end.

Police identified the driver as a 40-year-old man from Fargo, North Dakota. He was arrested without further incident. 

According to troopers, a search of the vehicle uncovered approximately one pound of fentanyl powder, two pounds of methamphetamine, more than two pounds of cocaine, and a half pound of marijuana.

The suspect was booked into the Bingham County Jail on probable cause charges including trafficking fentanyl, trafficking methamphetamine, trafficking cocaine, felony possession of marijuana, and felony eluding.

“This seizure highlights the value of having a dedicated team focused on disrupting drug trafficking across Idaho,” Lt. Ryan Hoxie said in a statement.

The Idaho State Police Domestic Highway Enforcement team is part of Gov. Brad Little’s Esto Perpetua initiative aimed at combating drug trafficking and organized narcotics activity across Idaho.

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El Paso woman pleads guilty to killing husband, sentenced to 20 years in prison

KVIA on May 21, 2026

Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — An El Paso woman pleaded guilty to murdering her husband and received a 20-year prison sentence, according to court records.

Court records show Martinez pleaded guilty May 13.

In December 2023, Luz Elena Martinez reportedly told police she shot her husband, Jose Luis Avalos Reyes after he attacked her.

Crimes Against Persons detectives interviewed Martinez after and found “inconsistencies” in evidence.

It happened on a House on French Place off Delta Drive in South-Central El Paso. According to documents ABC-7 obtained, Martinez called 911 to report herself for shooting her husband.

Police met with Martinez, who sat inside a van parked in front of the house, and three witnesses, documents said.

Inside, police found him dead at the house with a pistol on a nightstand next to the bed where he was laying.

Officers also found a knife in his non-dominant hand, according to documents.

Martinez told officer she was sexually assaulted and requested a lawyer, documents said. She also reportedly told the witnesses she shot her husband. She also called one of the witnesses before calling 911 to report herself.

Documents said a sexual assault nurse examined Martinez, who told the nurse her husband came at her with a knife, so she shot him.

Investigators found out Martinez’ husband had an affair. Martinez hired a private investigator to follow him and hired a lawyer for divorce, documents said.

Evidence from the murder scene suggested her husband was laying on the bed and Martinez shot him at a close distance, documents said.

Documents said the evidence contradicts what Martinez told the nurse because she alleged he stood up with the knife.

In March 2024, the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force arrested Martinez at the 5700 block of Alameda Avenue.

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Border Patrol El Paso Sector honors agents who died in the line of duty

KVIA on May 21, 2026

Heriberto Perez Lara

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector honored the lives of 161 agents who have fallen in the line of duty during a memorial ceremony held in Far East El Paso on Thursday.

Family members of some of the fallen agents, members of Border Patrol, CBP and BORTAC, among other local law enforcement agencies, gathered today at the Socorro Independent School District Student Activities Complex (SAC).

“It just reminds me how important what we do is and I want them (family members of the fallen agents) to know that when we say never forget, we mean it; never forget,” said CBP Commissioner Rodney S. Scott. “But it’s also looking forward and making sure that agents that are in that audience today, and the families that are watching this, understand that we really respect the service that their loved ones are providing and that we have their back and we’re going to take care of them if anything unfortunately does happen to them.”

ABC-7 also spoke with Border Patrol Chief Patrol Agent in El Paso Sector, Jesse D. Muñoz, about the lives the agency has lost in the field and the message they have for the families of those lost.

“I’m so proud of the Border Patrol, I think we do so many things great, but I think the thing that we do best is how we take care of the families of our fallen agents,” said Chief Patrol Agent in the El Paso Sector, Jesse D. Muñoz. “Family members that were here or that were not here, I just want them to feel like they’re still part of the family and if they need anything, El Paso Sector is going to take care of them.”

CBP Commissioner Scott also spoke about the current decrease in migrant encounters on the border.

“We do have the most secure border that we’ve ever had in this country, but the cartels want to make money, and they’re getting more and more desperate every day and throughout my career, anytime we really lock down the border and impact the bottom line of the cartels, we found out they start acting out,” CBP Commissioner Scott added. “The violence that we always see on the south side of the border starts to come north, whether it’s rockings or people that fight more, or literally taking pot shots at our vehicles from the south side of the border; I fear all of that is coming again as we lock down the border, history is an indicator, it will and I want to make sure our agents, all law enforcement agents, are prepared for that mentally.”

According to CBP Commissioner Scott, without massive illegal immigration, his agencies can still see the cartels, but can respond more. “We’re going to be arresting them, going after them and that creates more friction points,” he added.

“Talking about border security, one thing that I always try to relay is that if you have a secure border, you have a safe border; the more secure the border is, the fewer people are dying,” CPA Muñoz added.

According to CBP, since its inception on May 28, 1924, the U.S. Border Patrol has seen the passing of 161 agents in the line of duty, 28 of whom were from the El Paso Sector.

During the ceremony, all 161 names were read aloud, followed by the somber ringing of a bell and a 21-gun salute.

Today’s memorial featured the following honors for those 161 agents:

The U.S. Border Patrol Special Operations Group and the El Paso Air Branch of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Air and Marine Operations (AMO) performed an honorary freefall.

The aerial tribute was followed by the rhythmic hoofbeats of a riderless horse, to which all uniformed personnel rendered honors.

The ceremony concluded with the retiring of the colors by the U.S. Border Patrol El Paso Sector Honor Guard.

The El Paso Sector commemorative ceremony honoring fallen agents is an annual event held on or near the anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Border Patrol; the first U.S. Border Patrol station was established in El Paso.

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Your oil change could be pricier than normal

KVIA on May 21, 2026

Lauren Bly

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — As the shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz continues, gas prices aren’t the only thing going up. The American Automobile Association said motor oil prices are rising too, which means your oil change could be a bit pricier.

AAA said it’s still important you get an oil change if you need it ahead of Memorial Day Weekend.

Mike Melendez says customers at Rudolph Chevrolet have not yet felt the impact of rising motor oil prices, despite a slight increase tied to a nationwide shortage.

Melendez, the service manager at Rudolph Chevrolet, said the dealership is absorbing the added costs by purchasing oil in bulk to avoid passing price increases on to customers.

“We’re absorbing the difference to be able to take care of our customers,” Melendez said. “We are just buying in bulk.”

The U.S. is currently facing a shortage of Group III base oil, a key ingredient that makes up at least 75% of the motor oil used in most modern vehicles.

According to Caitlin Jacobs, a spokesperson for the Independent Lubricant Manufacturers Association, or ILMA, independent lubricant manufacturers produce about 25% of the engine oils sold in North America.

“They make about 25% of the engine oils that are sold here in North America,” Jacobs said.

Jacobs said roughly 44% of Group III oil comes from the Middle East, where shipping disruptions and damage to production facilities have slowed supply.

“There’s a lot of shipping issues. Product can’t get out,” Jacobs said. “On top of that, there’s been damage to some of the base oil production facilities there.”

Because of those issues, Jacobs said consumers could continue seeing higher oil prices for at least another year.

“This is definitely a long-term problem,” she said.

Despite the rising costs, both Jacobs and Melendez stressed that drivers should not delay routine oil changes.

“The worst-case scenario, the engine gets ruined, the transmission gets ruined,” Melendez said. “If those get avoided long enough, the vehicle actually just starts breaking down, and it causes bigger and bigger expenses.”

ABC-7 reached out to local mechanics and AAA to learn what drivers can expect to pay now. Watch the full report ABC-7’s evening newscasts.

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White Sands to showcase Santa Fe photographer’s ‘perspectives on the dunefield’

KVIA on May 21, 2026

Gabrielle Lopez

ALAMOGORDO, N.M. (KVIA) — A Santa Fe-based photographer will showcase his work featuring White Sands National Park later this month.

Craig Varjabedian is an award-winning photographer who captured White Sands’ landscape for years, the National Park Service said.

On May 31, he will reflect on his time photographing the national park at the visitor center theater (19955 US-70, Alamogordo, New Mexico). The presentation is free and lasts from 1-3 p.m.

Varjabedian’s online portfolio has various shots of White Sands’ dunes, visitors and skies. He’ll also sell and autograph books with his photos.

NPS said his presentation will help visitors appreciate the natural environment the park protects.

You can find more information on the presentation at the Western National Parks website.

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Couple believes 7-year-old son is youngest to complete rim-to-rim Grand Canyon hike

CNN Newsource on May 21, 2026

By Andrew Adams, KSL-TV

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    DRAPER, Utah (KSL, KSL TV) — A Utah couple believes their 7-year-old is now the youngest child ever to complete a rim-to-rim hike of the Grand Canyon, after finishing the course in about 17 hours on Saturday.

Nate and Beckie Lambert said 7-year-old Tim didn’t tire until the final mile of the nearly 22-mile trek that featured approximately 11,000 feet of elevation change.

“This is rated as one of the most strenuous hikes in America,” Beckie said during an interview on Wednesday with KSL. “It’s a tough hike. It’s a tough hike for adults. It’s a really tough hike for a 7-year-old.”

The parents said they hadn’t always planned on taking the 7-year-old with them for the hike, but they began training about 5 months ago with their teenage children, and Tim seemed up to the task.

“We started going on these runs, these 4-mile runs, and he was, like, at the top of the pack and leading the way on these runs, so we were like, ‘Hey, we think he’s got this in him,’” Nate said. “Then we did a 5K race, and he took first place in his division.”

Beckie said Tim was also able to run to the top of Corner Canyon with her, also raising confidence that he could do the rim-to-rim hike.

“It became pretty evident to us that Tim could outrun, out-hike and out-attitude nearly all of his older siblings, and he really, really wanted to go,” Beckie Lambert said. “We decided we’re going to let him, we’re going to let him go.”

Tim shrugged.

“My brothers and sisters were, like, training for the Grand Canyon and I wanted to train with them, so we did,” the 7-year-old said. “My parents just realized that I could hike the Grand Canyon.”

The couple said the family started in 40-degree temperatures at 4:36 a.m. Saturday at the North Rim, continued along the North Kaibab Trail, traversed across the canyon near Phantom Ranch in 110-degree heat and then finished at the South Rim on the South Kaibab Trail at 9:43 p.m.

During that time, they said the family took plenty of breaks and consumed salt pills hourly along with plenty of water and food.

“This was not about beating a time — anything less than 24-hours beats the record, so we let him take it at whatever pace he was safe doing,” Beckie said of Tim. “He aced it.”

The family said Tim earned the nickname of “Rim-to-Rim Tim” for his performance, which earned the adoration of other hikers they encountered along the trail.

The Lamberts said several people signed affidavits for Tim’s record pursuit.

Tim said the hike proved he could do hard things and he planned to do more.

“If I can do this, then I can do all this, higher, hard stuff,” the 7-year-old said. “It was, like, super fun.”

The difficulty of the trek was the point, according to his parents.

“A lot of parents these days want to help their kids avoid any kind of suffering or chance of failure,” Nate said. “We feel like we want to give our kids the chance to stretch themselves and really push through the pain and show themselves that they can do hard things because that’s a big boost of confidence.”

When asked if his parents could talk him into doing the rim-to-rim hike again, Tim said “no.”

However, he said for his next feat he was hoping to complete a 10K run soon.

Nate simply beamed about what Tim had accomplished already.

“To have a son that has a world record is, like, really thrilling,” he 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.