Jose Mena runs for Mayor of Somerton

KYMA on July 16, 2026

Abigahil Padilla

SOMERTON, Ariz. (KYMA) – With the Arizona primary election happening next week, KYMA is introducing a candidate running for Somerton mayor.

Jose Mena has lived in Somerton for more than 30 years.

Mena says his platform focuses on listening to residents, strengthening city departments that are short-staffed, and promoting economic growth by creating new jobs and retaining the city’s workforce.

“I see that a lot of people actually start here and they leave to a bigger department.” Mena explained. “I understand some of that, but then, why not try to look for something to retain our employees here and try to have departments with employees that plan to retire in our local community?”

Mena is running against current Mayor Gerardo “Jerry” Anaya.

The Arizona primary election is Tuesday, July 21, 2026, and early voting is now underway. To find out where you can vote, click here.

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Reports of suspected dog poisonings in Yucca Valley raise concerns

KESQ on July 16, 2026

Luis Avila

YUCCA VALLEY, Calif. (KESQ) — Concern is growing among pet owners in Yucca Valley after reports of suspected dog poisonings began circulating on social media.

The reports have been centered around the Yucca Valley Community Center Park and surrounding neighborhoods, where social media posts claim chicken bones believed to be laced with antifreeze have been left behind. Warning signs have also been posted at the park urging dog owners to use caution.

“I saw the signs that said dogs have been poisoned in this area,” said Josh Allen, who was walking his dog, Goose, at the park. “Immediately worried that my dog might get into something because he likes to run and pick things up with his mouth.”

Another dog owner, Bronco Cadenhead, called the reports “a terrible thing.”

Both say they’re now paying closer attention during walks and making sure their dogs don’t pick up food or other items from the ground.

“I don’t want him picking up any kind of bones or anything. He could get sick,” Allen said.

News Channel 3 took those concerns to Yucca Valley Town Hall.

In a statement, Curtis Yakimow, town manager, said:

“We have only seen similar reports via social media. The Town has received no direct reports and we have directed staff to refer any information related to possible cases or suspects to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. We remain active in observation of the Community Center Complex.”

Officials are encouraging pet owners to keep dogs on a short leash, prevent them from eating anything found on the ground, and seek immediate veterinary care if they believe their pet may have ingested a poisonous substance. Antifreeze can be especially dangerous because dogs may be attracted to its sweet taste.

News Channel 3 reached out to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. A spokesperson confirmed deputies have received reports and are investigating.

Stay with News Channel 3 for more.

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Heatwave triggers emergency fishing closures on select rivers in Yellowstone 

KIFI on July 16, 2026

Seth Ratliff

YELLOWSTONE (KIFI) — Extreme summer heat has forced park officials to issue emergency, full-time fishing closures on three of Yellowstone’s most iconic rivers.

Effective Wednesday, July 15, all fishing is temporarily banned on the Firehole, Madison, and Gibbon rivers, including all of their tributaries. The restrictions come as water temperatures climb to 86°F, which park biologists warn is lethal to trout. The National Park Service (NPS) confirmed they have already received multiple reports of dead fish along the Firehole River over the past week.

Coupled with high air temperatures, the National Park Service says these conditions are lethal to trout. In the past week, the NPS has received several reports of dead fish in the Firehole River.

The closures will protect the park’s native and wild trout fisheries and will remain in effect until conditions improve. Park staff will continue to monitor water temperatures daily. Depending on how the weather behaves, the NPS may lift the bans or enact further restrictions.

Currently, there are no restrictions on fishing other park lakes, rivers, and streams due to high water temperatures and low river flows.

Currently, there are no temperature-related restrictions on other park waters. Anglers are welcome to fish the following areas as long as they follow standard park rules:

Yellowstone Lake

All other lakes within the park boundaries

All other rivers and streams not explicitly listed in the closure notice

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Sentencings scheduled for 4 convicted in Young Park mass shooting

KVIA on July 16, 2026

Gabrielle Lopez

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KVIA) — Four people convicted in the deadly Young Park mass shooting are one step closer to sentencing. Thursday, a judge set key dates.

Thomas Rivas’s sentencing is scheduled for July 31 at 9 a.m. He was found guilty under the theory of depraved mind murder Feb. 16.

His younger brother, Nathan Rivas, will be sentenced Oct. 9. His guilty verdict was announced Feb. 25.

Josiah Ontiveros’ sentencing is set for Sept. 30. The jury found him guilty of depraved mind murder April 8. He’s the youngest to be convicted in the shooting.

Gustavo Dominguez filed a motion requesting a new trial, which is scheduled for Sept. 2. If the motion is denied, his sentencing will take place Sept. 11. He was found guilty July 1.

All four were convicted of three counts of first-degree murder for the March 2025 shooting. It happened during an unsanctioned car show. They each face three life sentences.

Three teenagers — 16-year-old Andrew Madrid, 17-year-old Jason Gomez and 18-year-old Dominick Estrada — died. More than a dozen other people were injured.

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Over 50 wildfires ignited by lightning strikes sweep across Central Oregon

KTVZ on July 16, 2026

Adrielle Hasara

Wheeler County, ORE. (KTVZ) — Central Oregon experienced widespread lightning activity yesterday, July 15, 2026, with more than 2,000 strikes initiating more than 50 wildfires across areas managed by Central Oregon Fire Management Service and the Oregon Department of Forestry. The highest concentration of these fires is in Wheeler County, including the Crosswhite Fire, which spans 1,500-2,000 acres and has prompted evacuations.

These numerous fire starts occurred as storm cells passed through the region on July 15, 2026. Resources anticipate locating additional fires today as fuels dry out from the rain associated with these storms.

The Crosswhite Fire, located northwest of Twickenham, is approximately 1,500-2,000 acres. Structures are threatened and evacuations are in place for this incident. Southwest of Fossil and one mile east of the John Day Fossil Beds, the Cove Creek Fire is 1,000-2,000 acres. This fire threatens a number of outbuildings and residences, but no evacuations are currently in place. The Hopkins Fire, situated northwest of Condon, spans approximately 5,000 acres as of this morning. Some structures and infrastructure are threatened, though no evacuations have been ordered for this fire. Other notable fires in the area include the Twickingham Fire, the Camel Hump Fire, the Red Rock Fire and the Porcupine Fire. Each of these fires is under full suppression and is located in remote areas with no structures threatened. Interagency fire crews are actively working toward containment of these incidents, deploying a mix of engines, hand crews, dozers, overhead personnel and aircraft. The safety of firefighters and the public remains the highest priority during these events. For fire information, the public can call the info line at 541-316-7711.

Resources expect to find more fire starts today as fuels dry from the accompanying rain. For additional information and updates on wildfires, the public can visit centraloregonfire.org or follow fire information on X/Twitter @CentralORfire.

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Holts Summit man charged with statutory rape, sexual abuse

KMIZ on July 16, 2026

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Holts Summit man was charged with two felonies after he was accused of sexually abusing a child on July 13 in Cole County.

Fernando Yordi, 23, was charged with first-degree statutory rape of a person younger than 14 years old and first-degree sexual abuse of a victim younger than 14 years old. He is being held at the Cole County Jail without bond. A court date has not been set.

The probable cause statement says deputies were called to a Cole County residence at 9:40 p.m. July 13. The caller allegedly told law enforcement that their 13-year-old friend told them on social media that Yordi had pressured them into drinking alcohol and having sex.

When deputies arrived, “both of the friends said that the victim told them that a 20 something year old male Hispanic male had sex with her while at this residence,” court documents say. The mother of the friends allegedly told law enforcement that there was about an hour where they could not find the victim, the statement says.

The child then emerged from the woods, as did Yordi minutes later, the statement says. The next day, law enforcement spoke with the victim, who described the assault, the statement says.

The deputy wrote in the statement that he learned Yordi “made statements to his girlfriend and his wife about something happening” at the residence and left the state with his wife. Deputies contacted Yordi’s wife and Yordi allegedly agreed to return “after a lengthy conversation,” court documents say.

Yordi eventually admitted to having a sexual encounter with the child, but alleged the victim told him she was 18 years old, court documents say.

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Mountain America Center to Host Second Annual Summer Market Days This Weekend

KIFI on July 16, 2026

Par Kermani

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Mountain America Center will host its second annual Summer Market Days on Friday and Saturday, bringing more than 100 vendors, food trucks, live entertainment and family-friendly activities to Idaho Falls.

The free community event returns after its debut in 2025 and will feature small businesses, artisans, boutiques, food vendors and local organizations from across the region.

Some vendors include Wild West Hat Bar, Castaway Ceramics, Thor’s Chocolate, Idaho at Heart LLC, Melissa K. Hillman Fine Art and Turtle Island Turquoise.

Visitors will also find specialty food and dessert vendors, including Jocelyn’s Brownies, Caramel Tree, Sweet Talk Bakery, Cook’s Cotton Candy, Buttercrunch and Bite Me Protein Cookies.

Several community organizations will also participate, including the Community Food Basket, Idaho Falls Area Humanitarian Center and Champ’s Heart.

Organizers say this year’s event will offer an expanded vendor footprint and additional activities for attendees.

A new addition is a special edition of Alive After 5 on Friday evening in partnership with the Idaho Falls Civitan Club. While the indoor market will close at 6 p.m., food trucks, a beer garden and outdoor attractions will remain open during the concert from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Guests can also explore Adventureland, an outdoor attraction. The area is designed to resemble a campground and will feature Toyota vehicles, RVs and trailers, outdoor recreation equipment and interactive activities.

Activities include a free basketball hoop trailer available throughout Friday, side-by-side off-road rides from noon to 3 p.m. Friday and a free 32-foot rock climbing wall from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.

Additional displays will include kayaks, paddleboards and off-road gear.

Food trucks scheduled to attend include Pinoy Streets Fry N Grill, Wiki-licious, Taqueria El Pollo Loco Jr., Copacabana, Rose Marie’s Gluten Free, The Corn Dog Company and The Grub Shack.

Burger Smithy is scheduled for Friday, while 208 Food Hub is scheduled for Saturday.

Summer Market Days will take place at the Mountain America Center, located at 1690 Event Center Drive in Idaho Falls.

Event Schedule

Friday, July 17

Summer Market Days: Noon to 6 p.m.

Alive After 5: 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Saturday, July 18

Summer Market Days: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Admission is free. More information, including a full vendor directory, is available through the Mountain America Center.

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Beware of apartment, house hunting scams

KVIA on July 16, 2026

Mia Tricarico

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KVIA) — House hunting has evolved with tech-savvy tools like Zillow and Apartments.com, but for one Las Cruces family, this type of website cost them more than $1,000.

At the beginning of the family’s search for a new home, they wanted an apartment in a safe neighborhood quickly. The thought of predatory scammers didn’t cross their minds.

The family found a listing that appeared legitimate led to a costly, dangerous trap.

ABC-7 spoke with the family about how they were scammed while apartment hunting.

Marie Ontiveros, the main victim of the scam, said, “Usually when you’re renting an apartment, they’re not going to yell at you.”

These behaviors and some key red flags were what made the Ontiveros start raising eyebrows.

They told ABC-7 that the ‘landlord’ asked for a $300 “key fee” and another $100 “administrative fee” Ontiveros and her mother have both never heard of a “key fee.”

She also said that the scammers were calling from a New Jersey area code and when you search up the phone number it says potential scam.

Dan Trujillo from the Las Cruces Police Department said, “If anyone wants to do anything only online or if a landlord says they are out of town, that’s a red flag right away. If they never want to meet in person with you, that’s a huge red flag.”

It’s important to always check out properties and landlords in person.

Luckily for Ontiveros, she was able to find accommodations for the next few weeks until she moves into her legitimate apartment.

Watch the full report on Ontiveros’ experience, “Ghost Listing,” Thursday on ABC-7 at 6.

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Food items to keep an eye on amid ‘explosive diarrhea’ parasite outbreak

KVIA on July 16, 2026

Max Zepeda

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — For nearly a month, much of the Borderland and the country has had growing concerns over an outbreak of cyclosporiasis, an intestinal illness caused by a microscopic parasite.

It is caused by consuming food or water that contains the parasite and is characterized by symptoms that can include watery or “explosive” diarrhea. Officials said high-risk food items include certain fruits and vegetables.

According to Angela Walla, a professor in the Department of Animal & Food Sciences at Texas Tech University, who is a microbiologist and food scientist, high-risk produce items include lettuce and salad greens.

Examples of these high-risk items include:

Bagged, re-washed, organic salads

Pre-packaged vegetable trays

Raspberries and blackberries

Basil and cilantro

Green onions

Watercress

The public is encouraged to take appropriate steps to avoid cyclospora by washing all produce thoroughly under running water before eating, cutting or cooking — regardless of whether it is pre-washed.

You should also wash your hands with soap and water before and after handling or preparing raw fruits and vegetables.

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Court doc: WyCo official’s blood alcohol level was over 4 times the legal limit after crash

CNN Newsource on July 16, 2026

By Steve Kaut

Click here for updates on this story

    KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KSHB) — A court document revealed a blood test after a Johnson County, Kansas, crash showed Chelsee Chism’s blood alcohol level was over four times the legal limit.

Chism, who serves as the Unified Government economic development director, is charged with aggravated battery; DUI causing great bodily harm/disfigurement, per court records.

The crash happened May 13 on northbound U.S. 69 Highway and West 95th Street.

An affidavit filed in the case said Chism’s 2000 Lexus UX200 ran off the highway and slammed into a Kansas Department of Transportation 2012 Silverado. The KDOT vehicle was parked on the right shoulder and not on the highway.

Chism’s car was going at highway speed when her car hit the KDOT vehicle.

The KDOT employee was standing to the right of the Silverado at the time of the crash, and a tooth was knocked out of the employee’s mouth by flying debris from both vehicles and the road, according to the court document.

An Overland Park officer reported Chism admitted she was driving the Lexus.

The court document states she had “an extremely strong odor of alcoholic beverages, bloodshot eyes and extremely glassy eyes.”

Chism consented to a blood draw and the sample of her blood was sent to the Johnson County Crime Lab.

A blood test showed her “blood contained .35g of ethyl alcohol per 100ML of blood,” per a court document.

Chism is scheduled to be back in Johnson County Court at 10 a.m. Aug. 27 for a preliminary hearing.

She was placed on administrative leave following her July 2 arrest.

KSHB 41 News reporter Rachel Henderson reached out to the Unified Government on Wednesday on the status of Chism’s employment.

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.