Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation grants $5,000 to Bend-LaPine Education Foundation

KTVZ on July 21, 2026

Adrielle Hasara

Bend, ORE. (KTVZ) — The Bend-LaPine Education Foundation received a $5,000 grant this month from the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation to support Classroom Enrichment projects in Bend-La Pine schools. This award will help fund innovative teaching and learning initiatives.

The grant will specifically benefit the Foundation’s Classroom Enrichment projects, which aim to encourage innovation in local classrooms. Last year, the Bend-LaPine Education Foundation funded 107 teacher requests, underscoring its commitment to educational support.

The Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation was established in 1997, formalizing the Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians’ commitment to community support. The foundation awards grants to nonprofit organizations that serve the public in Coos, Deschutes, Douglas, Jackson, Josephine, Klamath and Lane counties. Its primary areas of support include basic needs, abuse prevention and intervention, education, health and wellness and community support.

The Bend-LaPine Education Foundation, started in 1988, is an independent 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. It is composed of parents, community leaders, educators and citizens who believe a vibrant public school system is essential to the social and economic well-being of the community. Michele Emery, Education Foundation board president, expressed gratitude for the ongoing partnership. “We are grateful to once again receive generous support from the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation,” Emery said. “Grants like this allow us to continue supporting teaching and learning in Bend-La Pine schools. Last year, we funded 107 teacher requests and this award helps us keep encouraging classroom innovation. We appreciate our long-standing relationship with the Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation and look forward to putting these resources directly into classrooms.”

The Foundation mobilizes community resources to fund innovative academic, STEAM, CTE, art, music and wellness programs. These programs go beyond normal school funding at the 33 schools within the Bend-La Pine School District. Other initiatives include Activity Fee Scholarships and Perseverance Scholarships.

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Anti-death penalty advocates rally against Idaho’s firing squad protocol in virtual press conference

KIFI on July 21, 2026

Kaelyn Blessinger

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — Advocacy groups gathered today to strongly condemn Idaho’s decision to adopt the firing squad as a primary method of execution, unveiling a new campaign aimed at state leaders.

Anti-death penalty organizations, including the Execution Intervention Project and Clergy United Against the Death Penalty, hosted a virtual press conference to address the state’s policy shift. As part of their campaign, the groups unveiled a prominent billboard on Grove Street (near the 1500 block) in downtown Boise bearing a direct message to public officials: “Don’t Shoot Tom Creech.”

The press conference will be available in the livestream above at 10 a.m. MT.

Joining the advocacy campaign is spiritual advisor Rev. Dr. Jeff Hood, who has witnessed 12 state executions across the country. Hood joined national organizers to examine Idaho’s new execution method and demand that state officials refrain from carrying out firing squad deaths in the Gem State.

Those in favor of this execution method argue the condemned inmate deserves the penalty, but the Execution Prevention Project believes the focus should also be on who carries out the execution and the responsibility shared by those involved in the process.

“So when we look at somebody like Tom Creech and people say, well, he deserves to be shot, of course he deserves to be shot,” Reverend Dr. Jeffery Hood, Founder of the Execution Intervention Project, said. “I mean, of course, but the question is not whether Tom Creech deserves to be shot. The question is, who deserves to do the shooting?”

He argues it is not fair to give those on the firing squad the responsibility of killing the condemned inmates, stating that Governor Little should “put his money where his mouth is.”

“If Governor Little had any ability to lead the state, he’d go down there and shoot Tom Creech himself. But he’s too chicken to do that,” Reverend Hood declared. “This message is for Governor Little. Quit trying to talk a big game about how you want people to be shot. If you want to talk a big game, then put your money where your mouth is and go down there and shoot him yourself. Quit making everybody else do it.”

Botched Execution Leads Idaho to Adopt Firing Squad

The state’s pivot toward the firing squad stems directly from a failed attempt to execute serial killer Thomas Eugene Creech by lethal injection

In February 2024, state officials halted Creech’s execution after a three-member medical team tried eight separate times to establish an intravenous line for lethal injection. Following the incident, the Idaho Legislature backed House Bill 37 to establish the firing squad as a primary alternative.

Creech, 73, has spent half a century in prison. He was originally convicted of five murders across three states and is suspected of several more. He was sentenced to death for the 1981 beating death of fellow inmate David Dale Jensen, 22, while already serving a life term.

According to the Idaho Department of Correction, there are currently 8 people on death row in the Gem State.

Despite vocal pushback from anti-death penalty organizations, they face an uphill battle in the Gem State. According to a 2024 poll by the Public Religion Research Institute, around 70% of Idahoans support the death penalty. Meanwhile, national public opinion in support of capital punishment has waned. According to a 2025 Gallup poll, only 52% of Americans support the death penalty, down 9% from 2015.

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From Harris County to NACo: Teneshia Hudspeth Helps Safeguard Democracy on the National Stage

CNN Newsource on July 21, 2026

By Francis Page Jr.

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    July 21, 2026 (Houston Style Magazine) — Democracy is often discussed beneath bright lights and behind podiums, but its credibility is protected in quieter rooms where rules are followed, delegates are certified and every vote is counted correctly.

At the 2026 National Association of Counties Annual Conference in New Orleans, Harris County Clerk Teneshia Hudspeth stepped into one of those essential rooms—and carried Harris County’s reputation for public-service leadership with her. It was serious work, because even democracy occasionally needs someone checking the receipts.

Hudspeth was appointed Tally Clerk for NACo’s Credentials Committee, the body charged with safeguarding the accuracy and integrity of the association’s voting process. During NACo’s Annual Business Meeting, the committee certified eligible voting delegates, addressed credential questions and helped verify official results.

NACo explains that the tally clerk reviews recorded votes, confirms they match credentialed totals and validates the running count during roll-call voting. In other words, while thousands of county leaders were discussing democracy, Hudspeth was helping make sure the organization practiced it properly.

“It was an honor to serve on NACo’s Credentials Committee and contribute to a process that promotes trust, transparency, and fairness for counties across the nation,” Hudspeth said. “Counties play a vital role in serving our communities, and I am proud to support an organization committed to strengthening local government.”

photo NACo’s Annual Business Meeting Credentials Committee at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans

The appointment was especially fitting for an official whose career has centered on elections, public records and public trust. Hudspeth is Harris County’s County Clerk and Chief Election Official, serving the largest county in Texas and the nation’s third-largest county, with more than 4.9 million residents.

She is also the first African American woman to hold the office. Since winning election in November 2020, Hudspeth has overseen dozens of elections while expanding online access, mod ernizing records and improving services residents depend upon—from marriage licenses and birth certificates to court and property records.

Hudspeth’s New Orleans assignment did not stop at counting votes. She also joined a leadership panel titled “Changes in County Elected Leadership over the Last Ten Years.”

Presented with research from Texas Woman’s University’s Jane Nelson Institute for Women’s Leadership, the session examined how the face of county government is changing and what those changes mean for the future of local leadership. NACo described the discussion as a review of more than a decade of local election data featuring tenured and newly elected officials.

For Hudspeth, a Texas Southern University communications alumna and longtime public servant, the panel offered another opportunity to place Houston’s experience inside a national conversation.

Her journey—from serving in several positions under four county clerks to becoming chief deputy and then the elected clerk—reflects the evolution the panel explored: broader representation, deeper professional experience and a growing expectation that government be accessible, transparent and technologically prepared.

The 91st NACo Annual Conference, held July 17–20 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, brought more than 3,000 officials and partners to New Orleans. Representing 3,069 counties, parishes and boroughs, NACo members exchanged best practices, adopted policy priorities and elected new national leadership.

photo Panel discussion on how county elected leadership has evolved in the last decade with Sante Fe County Clerk Katharine Clark

Hudspeth’s dual roles—guarding the vote and discussing the future of leadership—made a clear statement: Harris County is not merely attending the national conversation; it is helping conduct it.

Democracy may be a grand American promise, but it survives through careful procedures, credible institutions and public officials willing to handle the detailed work that rarely earns a spotlight.

In New Orleans, Clerk Hudspeth demonstrated that history is sometimes made with a microphone, sometimes with a ballot and, every so often, with a tally sheet held by someone determined to get the count exactly right.

More information, go to: naco.org/event/2026-naco-annual-conference-exposition More information on Harris County Clerk, go to: cclerk.hctx.net

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Kierra Lee
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Judge throws out plea deal for former Chubbuck church leader accused of child sexual abuse

KIFI on July 21, 2026

Seth Ratliff

CHUBBUCK, Idaho (KIFI) — A district judge has rejected a plea deal that would have allowed a former Chubbuck church leader accused of sexually abusing six young members of his congregation to avoid serving prison time and registering as a sex offender.

On Monday, Sixth Judicial District Judge Robert Naftz rejected the proposed agreement for 45-year-old Virgil Larson, according to court records. Under the terms of the agreement, Larson’s charges would have been reduced to felony injury to a child, and he would have been exempted from mandatory sex offender registration. In exchange, prosecutors planned to recommend a suspended prison sentence in favor of probation, capped at 30 years.

RELATED: Chubbuck man faces reduced charges in child sexual abuse case after plea agreement

At the time of his arrest, Larson served as a local leader or counselor in a local ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, according to reporting by ABC4 in Utah.

Investigation and Arrest

Court documents indicate the investigation began on July 3, 2024, after the Chubbuck Police Department received a tip from Kirton McConkie, a Lehi, Utah-based law firm representing the church. The report claimed several underage children in the community may have been abused by an adult male.

RELATED: A Chubbuck man turns himself in for sexually abusing children

“The Chubbuck Police Department Criminal Investigations Division opened an investigation into the circumstances and learned that several underage teenage boys had potentially been victims of sexual abuse, while at Mr. Larson’s residence,” states the initial press release.

On September 17, 2024, officers from the Chubbuck and Pocatello Police Departments executed a search warrant at Larson’s home. Larson turned himself in to the authorities later that day and was booked into the Bannock County Jail.

Charges and Upcoming Trial

The affidavit of probable cause detailing the investigation was sealed in September 2024 to protect the identities of the underage victims. Larson was initially charged with five felony counts of sexual abuse of a child under 16, with an added sixth count as the investigation moved forward.

With the plea agreement thrown out, Larson is now scheduled to stand trial before a jury on January 12, 2027, where he will face all six original felony counts of lewd conduct with a minor under 16. If convicted on all charges, Larson faces up to life in prison.

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Seven officers, including four U.S. Marshals, hurt in Huntsville SWAT raid deck collapse

KMIZ on July 21, 2026

Matthew Sanders

HUNTSVILLE, Mo. (KMIZ)

Seven law enforcement officers were injured after eight SWAT team members fell through the deck of a Randolph County apartment building Tuesday morning while serving a felony warrant, according to Steven Lewis, the United States Marshal for the Eastern District of Missouri.

“Someone described it almost as if a trap door opened and it fell that way,” Lewis said. “Not away from the structure, but straight down, which gave them almost no time to react.”

Four hurt were Deputy U.S. Marshals, two North Missouri Drug Task Force members, and one county deputy, Lewis said. All seven were taken to hospitals for treatment, and none of the injuries were life-threatening.

“All received injuries that would be consistent with a pretty serious fall. Some broken bones, some other type injuries,” Lewis said.

Lewis said some may need surgery. Randolph County Sheriff Andy Boggs told ABC 17 News that no deputies were hurt in the SWAT raid, but rather a Moberly police officer.

The sheriff’s office wrote in a news release that the team, made up of North Missouri Drug Task Force members, local SWAT officers and U.S. Marshals, was serving a high-risk warrant at 402 Vaunita St. in Huntsville when the collapse occurred.

Lewis told ABC 17 that two people were taken into custody Tuesday— one in the morning at the apartments and another who wasn’t home during the raid but was found later in the day.

An ABC 17 News reporter arrived on scene around noon and was told by a woman who identified herself only as a “caretaker” of the property that management was not allowing media on the property. The reporter saw half the deck of a two-story apartment was missing. Three of the six upstairs units no longer had access to their doors.

A group of people were seen using a ladder to bring down some belongings from an apartment and load them into a car.

The woman said management has helped find accommodations for upstairs units 10-12, where the porch collapsed, but did not elaborate. She also said tenants in apartments 8 and 12 were arrested.

The reason for the porch collapse is being investigated, according to the release.

Multiple nearby residents told ABC 17 News they were not surprised at all to see a SWAT team zooming down their street.

“The drugs that are in and out of here [the apartment complex], it’s terrible,” Huntsville resident Melanie Foster said. “And I won’t be sad if it goes.”

She said it’s not just the activity there that worries her; it’s also how badly the building seems to be falling apart.

“It is a hazard, it’s a danger,” Foster said. “If that happened, as you can see, the next half is getting ready to go.”

An ABC 17 reporter noticed the remaining half of the deck had at least one portion where it appeared to be slightly caving in.

The Tuesday release from the sheriff’s office did not provide the reason for the warrant being served. The U.S. Marshals spokesman also could not provide further information Tuesday.

ABC 17 News is awaiting a statement from property management. The city does not require building inspections for apartments.

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Pittsburgh man accused of driving to Medina to meet 14-year-old he met on Tinder

CNN Newsource on July 21, 2026

By Remi Murrey

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    MEDINA, Ohio (WEWS) — A Pittsburgh man is charged with cocaine possession and accused of trying to solicit a minor for sexual activity after he told police that he drove to Medina to meet a 14-year-old boy he met on Tinder.

In body camera video News 5 received from Medina police, officers can be seen confronting and arresting the 29-year-old man on July 9 at Lake Medina.

This comes after the 29-year-old man told police he drove 2.5 hours to Medina to meet up with a 14-year-old boy, who originally told the Pittsburgh man he was 19 years old.

A Medina police officer asked the Pittsburgh man the following question: “You were online, on Tinder, trying to connect with a 19-year-old male; the guy told you that he was 19. Prior to leaving Pittsburgh, they did admit they were only 14 years old. You then drove 2.5 hours to Medina to meet up with said 14-year-old, correct?”

The Pittsburgh man said, “yes.”

He then said, “I should’ve listened to my gut this morning. I’m being dead honest with you, sir. I f***** up. I’m ashamed of it, and I wish I could go back to this morning.”

If the man hadn’t gotten caught, National Law Enforcement Procedures and Security expert Tim Dimoff said this situation could’ve had a different ending.

“We’re seeing a lot more electronic abuse, and that includes soliciting, importuning children, taking advantage of adults, abuse of elderly,” said Dimoff.

That’s why Dimoff encourages parents to talk to their kids about online safety, set boundaries around screen time and consider downloading parental control apps to help monitor their behavior.

He also said parents should be aware if their kids start hiding what they’re doing online or using their devices in private.

“I think we all have gut instincts when someone’s doing something that they don’t want you to see, so basically, I say keep your parental radar up and out,” said Dimoff.

Medina police declined our interview request.

But according to court documents, the Pittsburgh man was arraigned last Friday on the solicitation charge.

He’s scheduled to appear in court this Wednesday at 11 a.m. for a preliminary hearing on the drug possession charge.

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Louisiana centenarian celebrates 107th birthday

CNN Newsource on July 21, 2026

By Randi Rousseau

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    METAIRIE, Louisiana (WDSU) — A Jefferson Parish woman is celebrating 107 years around the sun.

Ms. Mary Larosa Muniz is marking a significant birthday this year. She turned 107 on July 20th.

Her friends call her a “sparkler,” saying she always entertains them with old stories about New Orleans and Southeast Louisiana.

A devout catholic, Muniz goes to Slidell every Tuesday with her daughter, with whom she also lives with.

The pair has their hair done, goes out to eat and socializes with friends.

Ms. Muniz likes to say, “I’m still kicking, just not as high!” A testament to her positive attitude and energy.

Muniz lived off of Hayne Blvd. in New Orleans until Hurricane Katrina and now lives in Metairie with her 83-year-old daughter.

Her friends tell WDSU that her nephew gives her a rose to match her age each year. This year, he gave her 107 roses.

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Judge rejects plea agreement for former church leader accused of giving massages to naked teenagers

CNN Newsource on July 21, 2026

By Logan Ramsey

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    POCATELLO, Idaho (eastidahonews.com) — A judge did not accept the guilty plea of a former church leader who is accused of committing sexual abuse against multiple minors.

Virgil Larson, 47, had a court hearing Monday morning where he attempted to plead guilty to six amended counts of felony injury to a child. He made this plea in exchange for having his previous charges reduced, which were six counts of felony sexual abuse of a child. This plea deal would not have required Larson to register as a sex offender.

EastIdahoNews.com first became aware of this plea agreement in May, reporting on court records that showed the agreement had been signed on May 26. But after hearing Larson’s account of the events that led to these charges, Judge Robert Naftz did not find the amended charges appropriate.

This is because, based on how Larson claimed his interactions with the victims occurred, it wouldn’t meet the definition of “willfully” under the law, Naftz explained.

“(The law) requires more than a purpose or willingness to commit the act. … The state is required to show the defendant had knowledge of the consequences,” Naftz said.

At the time when Larson was accused of having committed these crimes, he was a first counselor in the leadership of his local ward in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

In total, seven victims, one of them an 18-year-old, came forward during Larson’s investigation, which was initiated in July 2024 after the Bannock County Sheriff’s Office was informed that three of the victims reported the abuse to their ward bishop through the Kirton McConkie Law Office, which represents the LDS church.

During the investigation, a pattern emerged in what the victims reported to authorities and to their bishop, saying that Larson had touched them inappropriately while giving them massages at his private residence, while they were naked.

Court documents stated that victims reported the massages being done, “on the naked body, focusing on the buttocks.”

During Monday’s hearing, Larson gave his own version of the events that led to his criminal investigation.

Larson framed his actions as offering athletic and therapeutic help rather than abuse. He claimed that he first learned “deep tissue manipulation” to address medical conditions faced by his children, who were athletes.

He then went on to claim that the victims had requested massages from him after they heard from one of the boys in their social circle about how Larson had helped relieve his injury and keep competing over the course of multiple sessions.

“He asked if there’s something I could do, and so I said yes,” Larson asserted. Later, Larson said, “And over a period of time, they all requested to have something done to a similar effect.”

Bannock County Prosecuting Attorney Ian Johnson said that statements from the victims contradict this claim.

“Victim impact statements will say that (Larson) sought them out and asked them to come there, and then he willfully put his hands on them,” Johnson said.

Now that Larson’s plea deal has been rejected, he will go to trial, which Naftz set for Jan. 12, 2027.

And once at trial, Larson will face his original charges of six counts of felony abuse of a child, each of which carries a maximum penalty of 25 years imprisonment. If Larson is convicted on all counts, he would face up to 150 years in prison.

Though Larson has been charged with these crimes, that doesn’t necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty in the eyes of the law.

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.

Caregiver accused of stealing thousands from elderly Idaho man to buy drugs

CNN Newsource on July 21, 2026

By Trey Baylor

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    IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (eastidahonews.com) — Richard Dee Bierma Jr, 42, has been accused of stealing thousands from the elderly man he lived with and cared for.

Bierma has been charged with one count of exploitation of a vulnerable adult over $1,000, one charge of criminal possession of a financial transaction card and one charge of grand theft.

Court documents say the 73-year-old victim reported to police that $5,784 was taken from his bank account and that there were 12 unauthorized withdrawals from an ATM at U.S. Bank on 1st Street in Idaho Falls.

Officers obtained a warrant to access bank records and video footage, but could only verify that $5,120 was part of the unauthorized withdrawals.

In surveillance footage from February, officers observed what appeared to be the same man accessing the victim’s account at the ATM each time, documents report.

The victim identified the man in the video as Bierma, the man who’d been living with him.

The victim confirmed to police officers that he had never given Bierma permission to have or use his credit or debit cards.

Bierma was detained and taken to the Idaho Falls Police Department for questioning, documents report.

During interviews, Bierma told police that he drove the victim around and picked up his groceries. As a general rule, he said he’d never given Bierma permission to make withdrawals from an ATM, but that he would drive the victim to the bank and the victim would make withdrawals.

Bierma later confessed to police that he withdrew the funds to pay for drugs, according to court records. But Bierma claimed the victim was aware of it and had given him permission.

Bierma did allegedly admit to being the one shown in photos and videos at the ATM.

Bierma has been appointed a public defender. The Idaho State Public Defender’s Office does not comment on active cases.

Bierma is set to appear in court for his preliminary hearing July 29.

If found guilty, Bierma may face up to 29 years in prison and may be required to pay fines of up to $80,000 in fines.

Although Bierma has been accused of a crime, it does not necessarily mean he committed it. Everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

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.

Arkansas photographer pleads not guilty to over 200 AI CSAM charges

CNN Newsource on July 21, 2026

By Blake Weaver

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    BENTONVILLE, Arkansas (KHBS, KHOG) — Russell Bloodworth, a Bentonville photographer and camp instructor, pleaded not guilty to 200 charges on Monday morning.

He was arrested in June after police received a cyber tip related to child sexual abuse material being generated by someone using GROK AI.

Bloodworth appeared before a judge at the Benton County Courthouse Monday Morning.

According to court documents filed on Friday, Bloodworth is facing 100 counts of pandering or possessing visual or print medium depicting sexually explicit conduct involving a child, 100 counts of unlawful creation or distribution of deepfake visual material, and one count of engaging children in sexually explicit conduct for use in visual or print medium.

The 100 counts of unlawful creation or distribution of deepfake visual material were filed under Act 827, an Arkansas law that took effect in 2025. The law makes it a crime to knowingly create or distribute sexually explicit AI-generated images of an identifiable person without that person’s consent. It was passed to address the growing use of artificial intelligence to create sexually explicit deepfake images.

Representative Ryan Rose, who co-sponsored the legislation, told 40/29 News the Bloodworth case is exactly the type of case lawmakers envisioned when drafting the law.

“Instances like the Bloodworth case are exactly why this legislation was necessary. We know that the sickest predators in our society will try to do everything they can to skirt the law. To simply take the picture of a child and manipulate it into sexually explicit images—that’s the exact gray area we’ve now eliminated,” said Rose.

Bloodworth was released from jail on June 13. District Judge A.J. Anglin placed certain conditions including that he cannot have any contact with children except his biological children and must wear an ankle monitor.

According to the probable cause report, a Bentonville Police detective found a hidden folder on Bloodworth’s cellphone containing more than 1,700 images and videos, most of which showed juvenile females in various sexual poses, multiple videos showing the performance of sex acts.

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.