Kelsey Merison
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — From traffic concerns on Highland to water allowances for farmers, Mayor Ed Fitch answers viewer-submitted questions for this month’s Ask the Mayor.
Viewers can submit questions for Mayor Fitch at any time as part of our monthly segment – just click here.
Kelsey Merison
BURNS, Ore. (KTVZ) — Burns Fire and Police recently welcomed some special guests for a fun-filled, and educational day.
Burns Fire says Juntura School students, teachers, and families came to the Burns Fire and Police departments for an exciting BBQ and tour.
Everyone had a blast touring the station, emergency vehicles, and participating in the activities.
Jessica Hafner
JOPLIN, Mo. (KMIZ)
Friday marks 15 years since a deadly EF-5 tornado packing winds in excess of 200 mph slammed into the heart of Joplin, killing 161 people and destroying hundreds of homes and buildings, including St. John’s Regional Medical Center.
The hospital suffered severe structural damage as windows were blown out across most of the building, the roof collapsed, stairwells crumbled and utilities were demolished, leaving the facility without power.
Of the 180 patients, visitors and healthcare workers, six people died in the hospital. Last Sunday, I took you inside the new Mercy Joplin, which set the standard for how new medical facilities are built to withstand natural disasters, including tornadoes.
Lessons learned from the storm were put into practice across the country and implemented in new hospitals.
“There were things that we were really the industry pioneers of that had never been done before,” said Charis Trost, Mercy Health System’s director of planning and design. “No Midwest hospital was really incorporating hurricane-proof, high-performance windows into their facilities.”
SSM St. Mary’s in Jefferson City was one of the first Mid-Missouri hospitals to adopt new storm-hardening techniques when it opened in 2014.
Emergency Preparedness Specialist Nicki Newton said SSM took those Joplin lessons into consideration when planning the new hospital.
“We talked to people who lived in Joplin, and administrators of those hospitals, as well as other sister facilities and organizations in the area, and those hospitals that are directly in that tornado alley even though it’s shifting more northeast every year, so we are starting to be in the heart of it,” Newton said. “I’m glad that we’ve planned the way that we have but using those other resources for best practices really helped us get ahead of the building codes that have since been implemented.”
St. Mary’s has hurricane-proof glass in the windows surrounding the emergency department, and the stairwells are made of concrete blocks after it was found that the drywall crumbled at St. John’s in Joplin, blocking exits for trapped healthcare workers and patients.
Maintaining power post-storm was one of the top lessons learned following the tornado. Hospitals, including University Hospital in Columbia, have several generators that are tested often and have redundancies in the event of power failure due to a storm.
“They will start and run with the slightest interruption, and we can have all emergency power within, say, 8 seconds is the maximum amount of time, but generally it’s a little quicker than that,” said William Moore, the MU Health Care manager of engineering services.
Situational awareness around dangerous weather has improved since 2011. Hospitals nationwide have developed a critical incident command structure that involves local and state-level emergency response partners.
“It is something that across the country, everybody uses something very similar, and it meets those national standards. It’s easy to communicate not only internally but externally as well. We all speak the same language, so to speak,” said Dale Chambers, MU Health Care emergency management coordinator.
Rapidly evolving communications technology has made emergency response faster and smoother in the last decade.
“We used to have binders with quick reference guides or help guides, and now we’ve gone to where we have apps on our phones that allow employees to look quickly to see this is quick reference guide if we have a tornado or winter weather, or any type of emergency,” said Joe Bayer, director of support services for Boone Hospital.
St. John’s in Joplin moved to electronic patient records just before the tornado, reinforcing the need for quickly accessible information after a storm.
“Without that, when you’re on a fully paper system, you lose all of your patients medical records. So I can’t stress enough the importance of technology just from a caregiving standpoint,” said Trost.
All three Mid-Missouri hospitals I sat down with stressed the importance of preparation ahead of severe weather, including regular practice drills and training, and testing of generators to keep everything running smoothly.
Madison Stuerman
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
The Boone County Sheriff’s Office says the body found in the Perche Creek on Sunday has been identified.
However, the person’s name was not released. The agency did share that she was a 47-year-old woman from Columbia.
“We are deferring to friends and family of the victim to decide as to whether the victim’s name is publicly released, and we will not be releasing her name at this time,” a spokesperson said in the social media post.
Andrew B. Acton, 53, of Columbia, was arrested Monday evening during a traffic stop after law enforcement used Flock cameras to identify his vehicle. The truck was seen in footage carrying a City of Columbia trash bin that matched the one pulled from the creek.
The trash can was initially recovered on Sunday by a fisherman at the Providence boat access who reported seeing a human leg wrapped in a blanket inside.
Acton’s initial hearing was rescheduled for May 26 at 1 p.m. in the Boone County Courthouse after he failed to appear in court on Wednesday.
By Adam Harrington
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CHICAGO (WBBM) — The Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago already has one of Stephen Colbert’s old desks, and now it will receive the whole “Late Show” set.
The CBS late-night show is donating the set to the museum.
Colbert, of course, has extensive roots in Chicago — graduating from Northwestern University, performing at Second City, and taking up residence in an apartment in the Old Town neighborhood. He went back and visited that apartment for a segment this week.
The Smithsonian also reportedly made a request for the set, but “The Late Show” said it has already been promised to Chicago.
The Colbert desk in the Museum of Broadcast Communications’ possession was used by Colbert during a week during the 2024 Democratic National Convention when he broadcast live from Chicago. The desk was in the lobby of the CBS Chicago Broadcast Center at Block 37 for a while afterward.
The Museum of Broadcast Communications also has desks from NBC’s “The Tonight Show” with Jimmy Fallon, and the same show of decades past with Johnny Carson. They are part of the exhibitions “The Johnny Carson Centennial” and “The Evolution of Late-Night Television.”
Founded by the late television and radio producer, host, and political analyst Bruce DuMont, the Museum of Broadcast Communications is located at a pop-up site at 440 W. Randolph St. in the West Loop.
Colbert will take the stage one last time at the Ed Sullivan Theater for the final broadcast of “The Late Show” on CBS Thursday night, before the curtain comes down on more than 30 years of late-night TV history.
CBS announced back in July that it would end “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and retire “The Late Show” franchise at the end of this season. The company said it was “purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night.”
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.
By Dan Spindle
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TUCSON, Arizona (KGUN) — “The Mandalorian and Grogu” is the first Star Wars film to hit theaters in more than six years. But before you head to the movie theater for a fantastic popcorn flick, consider how important these characters from a “galaxy far, far away” can be to those who need an extra boost in the healing process.
West on Grant just east of Craycroft and right into the parking lot; “This is the Way” to the Tucson Medical Center Emergency Department for children.
For Meagan Bethel, it’s also a way for her to express creativity through a costuming group, the Mando Mercs, that keeps them coming back for the kids.
“People know it’s Star Wars, even though it’s my own custom character, they know the Mandalorian t-visor and they know the armor; what that means,” Meagan said.
For her, it started with conventions and fandom.
“I saw a lot of women dressed up as Mandalorians, like, oh it’s not just for the guys. I can do this, too. There’s so much Star Wars happening right now that I feel like there’s something for everybody,” Meagan told me.
This group, unlike the Empire loyalist 501st Legion or the Rebel Legion with its Jedi peacekeepers attracts volunteers looking to embody the warrior spirit of the Mandalorians.
“I’m in no rush today so it’s your schedule,” Meagan told the hospital staff.
So the health care professionals at TMC set aside a space where the magic happens, piece by piece, soft and hard goods attached.
“Even though we have our own custom characters, we do have to follow a very strict rule to make sure they look screen accurate,” Meagan showed me with several pieces of armor locked in place.
Then it’s time to don the helmet for any person looking to follow this creed of kindness.
Of course, a little help from the bad guys is always welcome as this TIE fighter pilot tags along.
“I was a young kid when the prequel were coming out. I remember The Phantom Menace. People relate to Star Wars, whether it’s when they were kids or they saw it last week. It’s something that everyone can have fun with,” Meagan told me.
On this recent Star Wars Day, I followed along, room to room to room.
“It’s nice to meet you! My name is Nadala Haast. I’m a Mandalorian.”
These tiny fans got to travel to “a galaxy far, far away.”
“Hello there. Happy Star Wars Day!” “Hello! Happy Star Wars Day!” “Hello there. Happy Star Wars Day!”
They traveled far from their stresses and far from the pain and hospital beds…
“Yeah Grogu couldn’t come today but he wanted to send this as a gift to you. He’s filming the movie. He’s pretty famous.”
…and close to the connection Star Wars brings through the goodness and generosity of others. Call it a Force that can help in the healing process.
“It says something really special about a human being that can put time apart to bring you joy and just a simple smile into someone’s day,” Stephanie Padilla, a pediatric nurse at TMC, told me.
Meagan the Mandalorian moved on.
“Are you gonna go see the movie when it comes out? I’m excited for it.”
Her mission as a Mandalorian? To help kids like KC have a moment of make believe in a fantasy world; if only for a few special minutes.
“I hope you have a good Star Wars Day. Maybe watch some Star Wars later,” Meagan said.
“It’s awesome. It’s never like I’ve seen before,” KC Sandia told me of the unexpected visit.
“I hope you have a happy Star Wars Day,” Meagan told the patients, already planning her next visit clad in armor to break down walls spreading smiles through Star Wars.
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.
By Kimberly King
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HENDERSONVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — For the first time, the daughter of Gudrun Casper-Leinenkugel is speaking out publicly, insisting that her mother is innocent of accusations that she fatally poisoned her other daughter and attempted to poison other relatives during a Thanksgiving dinner in 2025.
Maija Lacey, 28, attended Wednesday’s bond hearing, where a Henderson County judge denied Casper-Leinenkugel’s request to be released while awaiting trial.
“We just want our mom out. I don’t think it’s right that she’s in there,” Lacey said after the hearing.
Henderson County Judge Athena Brooks denied bond as prosecutors outlined details tied to two separate death investigations involving Casper-Leinenkugel. Prosecutors allege Casper-Leinenkugel poisoned her adult daughter, Leela Jean Livis, and others at a Thanksgiving gathering last fall by serving wine laced with acetonitrile, a chemical that converts to cyanide in the body.
Casper-Leinenkugel is charged with two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted first-degree murder, and multiple counts of distributing a prohibited food or beverage.
Investigators have also charged Casper-Leinenkugel in the 2007 death of Michael “Misha” Schmidt, who died at the same rural Henderson County property where Casper-Leinenkugel lives.
“The victim and the defendant were friends,” prosecutor Michael Van Buren told the court of the Schmidt case. “The victim had a trailer on that property. At one point in time, somehow this defendant was able to get that property.”
Van Buren said investigators determined Casper-Leinenkugel was the last person seen with Schmidt before he was found dead after the two had been drinking alcohol together. Prosecutors allege Schmidt’s death was also caused by acetonitrile poisoning.
Maija Lacey, Casper-Leinenkugel’s daughter, said she does not believe either case against her mother is supported by strong evidence.
“There’s a lot of factors in it that just don’t make sense,” Lacey said. “They’ve put a lot of stuff out there that’s just twisted words and not what’s actually been said.”
Lacey describes her mother as loving and devoted to her children, saying Thanksgiving dinner last fall felt no different than previous family gatherings.
“We were all there having fun. She cooked everything like she always does,” Lacey said. “It was nothing different than any other holiday get-together.”
Investigators said Casper-Leinenkugel poisoned her 32-year-old daughter, Livis, through wine served during the meal. But Lacey said her mother never handled the wine.
“Mom didn’t touch the wine. It was Leela that poured it,” Lacey said.
Evan Pegg, Maija Lacey’s boyfriend, also attended the dinner and said he became violently ill after drinking the wine. Despite that, he said he does not believe Casper-Leinenkugel had any role or poisoned anyone.
“The reason why I’m alive is because of her mom telling Maija to call the ambulance,” Pegg said.
Lacey said she also drank the wine but did not become sick. She added that her mother and Livis had always been very close. She said everyone was loving and happy to be together last Thanksgiving.
During Wednesday’s hearing, the prosecutor told the court that investigators found internet searches on Casper-Leinenkugel’s devices about what happens when someone ingests acetonitrile.
“It’s not anything normal people would have in their home,” Van Buren said. “It’s used for industrial pharmaceutical-type uses.”
Van Buren said emergency responders found Livis unresponsive and claimed Casper-Leinenkugel later specifically asked medical personnel to test for cyanide poisoning.
Defense attorney Paul Bidwell argued that prosecutors lack direct evidence tying Casper-Leinenkugel to the alleged poisoning. Bidwell questioned the handling of the wine and whether investigators can prove his client delivered the substance.
“They’re trying to prove Ms. Leinenkugel attempted to murder people at that Thanksgiving dinner,” Bidwell said. “That theory suggests she did it in a very inefficient way because she apparently did not ever touch the delivery system for the poison.”
A future hearing in the case is scheduled for August, when attorneys are expected to argue additional motions before the court.
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.
By Alan Etter
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FREDERICKSBURG, Virginia (WTOP) — A person wearing a Pink Panther costume was reportedly following children in Fredericksburg, Virginia, last week, and police are asking for help in identifying the costumed individual.
In a post on the Fredericksburg Police Department’s Facebook page, police said they received a call at approximately 4:30 p.m. Thursday about someone wearing the costume with cowboy boots who was following children along the Lafayette Boulevard corridor.
“Residents are encouraged to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity to authorities immediately,” the post reads.
Police did not say whether there were any interactions between the subject and any child. There have not been any reports of injuries.
Patrols have been increased in the area out of an abundance of caution, police said.
“Anyone who has seen or interacted with the suspect is urged to contact the Fredericksburg Police Department at 540-373-3122,” the post says.
To make an anonymous tip, the post said, text 847-411 and text “FPDtip” followed by the tip. Or, download the free FPD Tip app available for Android and iPhones.
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.
By Rachel Henderson
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KANSAS CITY, Kansas (KSHB) — Kansas City, Kansas, honored its fallen officers Wednesday, making sure all families who lost someone in the line of duty were invited, including one family that hadn’t attended a memorial service in decades.
Roger Lutcher Jr. attended the service to honor his father, Patrolman Roger Lutcher, who was killed in the line of duty.
The department reached out to Lutcher Jr. through Facebook.
In late December 1969, Patrolman Lutcher was shot by a suspect he helped chase.
Police fired at the escaping suspect, who was killed.
Patrolman Lutcher died from his injuries days later in January 1970, leaving behind a wife and two young children.
Lutcher Jr. was just 4 years old when he lost his father.
“I was four or five, and to be told that your dad’s not coming back is something I remember,” he said.
His father’s fellow officers stepped in to help in the years that followed.
“I was raised with all the other dads,” Lutcher Jr. said. “His partners all became my dads; it was like four of them. There was no separation because they were always there for us.”
That law enforcement presence shaped how he grew up and how he raised his own children.
“It was pretty much a law enforcement bring-up,” Lutcher Jr. said. “They did a wonderful job because I took that, and I raised my sons the same way.”
His little sister also pursued a career in law enforcement.
The connection to his father runs deep; Lutcher Jr. and his father share the same middle name, Edward.
One of Lutcher Jr.’s sons, Roger Lutcher III, also shares the name.
To this day, his mother keeps the memory of Patrolman Lutcher alive.
“To this day, she’s constantly reminding me, ‘You look just like your dad, you do this like your dad, you write like your dad.’ It’s a whole lot of reminders,” he said.
With his father’s name etched in stone, Lutcher Jr. knows the department never forgot him.
But over the years, that connection faded.
“That has faded, but when I came here and started seeing this again, I started remembering that again,” Lutcher Jr. said. ”Seeing his photo and everything helped make me remember dad’s not coming home anymore.”
Tuesday was the first time Lutcher Jr. had seen this photo of his father.
He saw it at a gathering for family members held Tuesday evening.
His father’s name appears on a list with 19 other officers KCKPD has lost in the line of duty since 1889.
The most recent loss came in 2025.
To this day, the department is still working to connect with families.
“There is a concerted effort to build on inviting relatives of all the fallen men and women that we honor today,” said Wyandotte County Administrator David Johnston. “We’re also looking for the family members of those who gave their lives decades ago.”
Wednesday was Lutcher Jr.’s first time at a memorial service in decades.
“I think I just got lost, and now they found me,” Lutcher Jr. said. “So it really feels good to be found again and be part of this again.”
Attendees embraced one another Wednesday, leaving loved ones with words of comfort.
KCKPD Chief Karl Oakman addressed those in attendance.
“What I do pray is it is well with your soul,” Oakman said.
Lutcher Jr. also took a moment to speak to other grieving families.
“Just to be there, to be able to hold their hand and shake their hand and let them know, ‘It’s going to be okay, they’re going to take care of you because they did and they still are to this day,'” Lutcher Jr. said.
For him, the day carried deep meaning and a renewed sense of belonging.
“Now I feel like it’s a part of me here,” Lutcher Jr. said. “We share that name, but I’ve never lost this family.”
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KSHB’s editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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By Tamara Vaifanua
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RIVERTON, Utah (KSL) — A student at Riverton High School decided to write thousands of letters to every student at his school, all in an effort to be kind.
Student Body President Seth Christensen said he wanted to make a personal effort to connect with his classmates in a meaningful way. He said some days he would get up at 3 in the morning just to get started handwriting the letters, then deliver whatever he had written that day at school.
“I want people to be able to know that they are loved,” he said. “I hope that’s what they get from those letters — that they are worth the time to have someone write a letter for them.”
In all, Christensen said he wrote 2,336 letters.
The school’s attendance office even helped hand out the letters, since there were so many.
Christensen said it was worth it just to make others feel loved.
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.
