Lumberjack World Championships draw competitors from more than a dozen states to northern Wisconsin

CNN Newsource on July 15, 2026

By Derek James

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    Wisconsin (WCCO) — For 66 years, the Lumberjack World Championships have brought the world’s best to Hayward, Wisconsin.

The skills that helped shape this region have become a test of strength, speed, and balance.

More than 100 competitors from around the world are here this week, chasing world titles in chopping, sawing, speed climbing, log rolling and the boom run.

Organizers say it’s a connection of the past and present.

“We have everything here. We’ve got the full complement of events, secondly is the history. This actually was an old holding pond for the sawmill back in the 1800s,” said Samantha LaSalle, event director for the Lumberjack World Championships.

For her husband, Adam LaSalle, who grew up in central New York, that history connects him to his family’s logging business.

“The athletics side of it, with the natural resources side of it. I grew up in a rural area with a family logging business and grew up cutting trees. That’s something that I thoroughly enjoy,” said LaSalle, who has been a professional lumberjack for over 20 years.

Others grew up just down the road.

Deven Blair from the town of Winter, Wisconsin, still chases speed climbing records.

While Connor Birdsong has spent years mastering the delicate balance of log rolling and the controlled chaos of the boom run.

“Your head, your feet, your core, everything needs to be involved to really be successful at it,” said Birdsong, a professional log roller and boom runner.

For six-time Boom Run World Champion Meredith Ingbretson, who was born and raised in Hayward, it’s simply home.

“It’s just a part of my heart and so being able to share what our community in town can offer people from across the world, it’s just really special,” said Ingbretson.

That sense of community is felt by the competitors representing 16 states and nine countries.

“Everybody supports everybody. Win or lose, we’re all happy. We all love what we do,” said Deven Blair, a professional lumberjack.

For generations, these waters have been part of a Northwoods tradition. These athletes know how to navigate them.

The party starts with comedian Charlie Berens performing Wednesday night.

The festival and competition begin on Thursday with finals on Saturday.

You’ll find more information and tickets at: lumberjackworldchampionships.com

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.

Santa Barbara Police arrest woman for knife possession after family argument

KEYT on July 15, 2026

Caleb Nguyen

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Santa Barbara Police arrested a 48-year-old woman after she threatened a family member with a knife around 3:00 p.m. Tuesday.

SBPD officers received word the woman used the knife to threaten a family member at the 700 block of California Street.

SBPD officers established a safety perimeter and used its Crisis Negotiation Team to safely resolve the issue.

SBPD officers later arrested the woman on several felony offenses after two and a half hours.

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Squeeze what?! A South Florida woman is the talk of her town with a racy license plate she got in the mail

CNN Newsource on July 15, 2026

By Joan Murray

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    Florida (WFOR) — A South Florida woman was surprised to receive a new license plate with her vehicle registration renewal that she feels carries an inappropriate message.

Pompano Beach resident Nancy Dello Stritto, who is almost 77 years old, opened her mail to find a license plate reading “SQZ A55.” She told CBS Miami that the plate, which can be interpreted to spell out a crude phrase, caused her to go “ballistic.”

“I don’t think a senior who is almost 77 will be driving around with a plate that has that to say,” Dello Stritto said. “When I saw that, I went ballistic. I said, ‘How could that pass inspection?'”

The plate has become a topic of conversation at her retirement community, where opinions are split. While Dello Stritto is unhappy with the configuration, she noted that others, including her sons and their friends, have encouraged her to keep it. She said the current tally is 16-1 in favor of her keeping the plate.

It remains unclear how the plate was issued. Florida license plates have been manufactured at a state prison in North Florida for nearly a century before being distributed through county agencies. Dello Stritto’s plate was mailed from the Broward County Property Tax Collector’s office.

CBS Miami contacted the office regarding the issue. An office manager confirmed that Broward County will replace a plate deemed offensive for free at their Plantation office.

For now, Dello Stritto plans to keep the plate, though she intends to notify the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles about it.

“I’m resigned to it; maybe it was destined for it to be on my car,” she said, adding with a laugh, “I can handle it; maybe I’ll even get some honks.”

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.

Coroner identifies four people in recent Bonneville County death investigations

KIFI on July 15, 2026

Par Kermani

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — The Bonneville County Coroner’s Office has released new details on four recent death investigations, including the recovery of a man who went missing at Palisades Reservoir over the Fourth of July weekend.

The cases include an apparent drowning, a fatal crash, a residential fire and a woman found unresponsive inside her Idaho Falls home.

Palisades Reservoir recovery

The coroner’s office responded with the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office to Palisades Reservoir on July 11 after a camper found an unresponsive man floating in the water.

The man was identified as Tory Raether, 55, of North Carolina.

According to investigators, Raether had been reported missing after an incident at the reservoir on July 4. He was visiting Idaho with family when he went to an area commonly known as “Jump Off Rock.”

Investigators said Raether removed his life jacket, climbed onto the rock and jumped into the water. He did not resurface, and search and rescue efforts began that day.

The preliminary cause and manner of death are consistent with an accidental drowning, according to the coroner’s office.

Motor vehicle collision

On July 12, the coroner’s office responded to a Bonneville County hospital after the death of a woman who had been involved in a crash outside the county.

The woman was identified as Ashlee Kollars, 32, of Pocatello.

Although the crash happened in another jurisdiction, the investigation fell under the Bonneville County Coroner’s Office because Kollars was transported to and pronounced dead at a hospital within the county.

The preliminary cause of death is blunt-force injuries sustained in the crash.

Residential fire

Also on July 12, investigators responded after a man was rescued from a residential fire and transported to a hospital in Bonneville County.

The man was identified as Lance Talbot, 58, of McCammon.

The coroner’s office said injuries Talbot sustained in the fire, combined with preexisting medical conditions, are believed to have caused his death.

Death investigation

On July 13, the coroner’s office responded with the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office to a home after a woman was found unresponsive.

The woman was identified as Sandy Criddle, 68, of Idaho Falls. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

The cause and manner of her death remain under investigation.

The coroner’s office said death investigations can continue well beyond the initial response and may include reviewing medical records, conducting follow-up interviews, ordering toxicology testing and arranging autopsies.

The Bonneville County Coroner’s Office extended its condolences to the families and loved ones affected by the deaths.

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Three people injured in suspected Palm Springs DUI, road rage crash

KESQ on July 15, 2026

Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – N. Indian Canyon Drive was closed for several hours between E Racquet Club and E. Via Escuela after a suspected DUI and road rage crash, which left three people injured on Tuesday afternoon in Palm Springs.

The four-vehicle crash was reported at around 5:20 p.m. on Indian Canyon Drive, just north of Via Escuela.

Police confirmed three people were transported to a local hospital with injuries; one of those patients was reported to be in critical condition.

“Based on the preliminary investigation, it appears one vehicle made a lane change, sideswiping another vehicle. That collision caused the second vehicle to cross into opposing traffic, where it collided head-on with a third vehicle. A fourth vehicle was also involved in the incident,” PSPD Captain Gustavo Araiza wrote in an email to News Channel 3.

Araiza added that the driver who caused the crash, a 30-year-old man from Rancho Cucamonga, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence.

PSPD added on Wednesday that investigators determined the crash was not the result of a routine traffic violation, but rather a road rage encounter. After the initial collision, police believe the DUI suspect intentionally turned his vehicle toward the victim’s vehicle, causing the collision.

The suspect now faces an additional charge of Assault with a deadly weapon (vehicle).

N. Indian Canyon Drive was reopened just before 10 p.m. on Tuesday.

Stay with News Channel 3 for any new developments.

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Public Safety Power Shutoffs Possible Throughout Central Coast

KEYT on July 15, 2026

Tracy Lehr

GOLETA, Calif. (KEYT) – Public Safety Power Shutoff warnings are coming on the heals of heat warnings for first responders.

They often go together.

“We expect high and very dry vegetation in some areas of Santa Barbara County on Wednesday and Thursday that means we might have to call Public Safety Power Shutoffs, we understand these outages can be a hardship but we must do them to keep communities safe,” said Southern California Edison’s Spokesperson and Senior Manager of Corporate Communications spokesperson, David Eisenhauer.

SCE wants customers to be prepared.

One of the areas impacted is near Glen Annie and Sespe Lane in Goleta.

Many neighbors including ranchers in the area said they have experience and have generators just in case.

“We work year around to harden our grid, to minimize how often we have to do these outages, in the meantime if you see a downed power line stay at least 100 feet away and call 911,” said Eisenhauer.

Downed power lines could spark wildfires.

SCE has an interactive outage map where customers can just plug in their address.

Goleta City Spokesperson Kelly Hoover said the city wants to remind everyone about the potential for PSPS s we move through the warmer months.

Pacific Gas & Electric held a news conference on Tuesday to spread the word.

In San Luis Obispo, PG&E has alerted customers in Lake Nacimiento and Heritage Ranch that a PSPS could last from noon on 7/15 to 9 p.m. on 7/16.

SLO resident may sign up for alerts by visiting: https://www.readyslo.org/emergency

For SBC residents may sign up for alerts by visiting https://readysbc.org

The Latest Breaking News, Weather Alerts, Sports and More Anytime On Our Mobile Apps. Keep Up With the Latest Articles by Signing Up for the News Channel 3-12 Newsletter.

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Cole County raising the salary for election judges

KMIZ on July 15, 2026

Melissa Houston

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo (KMIZ)

Cole County election judges will see a pay increase starting with the August election, marking the county’s first wage increase for these workers since 2019.

Previously, Cole County election judges made $120 per day along with $15 for training. But under a newly appointed plan, judges will now receive $210 per day with a mileage reimbursement of $0.70 after the first 10 miles driven.

Cole County Clerk Steve Korsmeyer said the push for a pay increase began with an election judge sending him a letter pointing out it had been nearly seven years since their last raise.

“We took it to the commission about minimum wage, and they approved it,” Korsmeyer said. “It was awesome.”

This raise nearly doubles their daily pay, and Korsmeyer said that election judges work nearly 14-hour shifts on Election Day, making the boost a necessary step to fairly compensate them for their time.

“They do put in a full day; they work 14 hours a day,” you know, Korsmeyer said. “So it is a long day for them. So I’m sure it’ll be a welcome relief for them.”

This raise is expected to increase Cole County’s election judge budget for the August election to between $30,000 and $31,000. This is a significant increase from their typical $18,000 to $19,000 budget. Funding for elections is shared by the state, the county and local cities.

Despite the increase in budget, Korsmeyer said the change won’t negatively impact the county’s overall budget.

“It really doesn’t affect our budget any,” Korsmeyer said. “We can move some money around.”

Right now, Korsmeyer said there are no staffing concerns and expects 143 judges to be working for the August elections. He does say that he anticipates this increase encouraging people to sign up to become an election judge.

“With the salary increase, who knows? Maybe we’ll get more people wanting to fill out applications and stuff, which will be great,” Korsmeyer said.

The pay raise brings Cole County closer to Boone County, which has gradually increased its election judge wages over the years.

In Boone County, election judges earn a base rate of $170 per day with an additional $50 for training. Election judge supervisors earn a base of $200 per day.

Boone County Clerk Brianna Lennon said the county occasionally bumps pay higher during major elections when the polling places are busier.

Cole County is expecting to use 143 judges in August’s election and Boone County plans to use between 300 and 350 judges.

The difference in staffing also reflects a difference in the budget size.

While Cole Counties election judge budget is roughly $30,000, Boone County’s estimated budget for all of the August election is between $300,000 and $400,000.

Lennon said the budget discrepancies exist because Cole County has fewer polling locations, which requires fewer staff members.

Both Clerks agreed that compensating election judges is vital to maintaining a strong voting system locally, and fair to compensate workers for the long hours they put in.

“I don’t think that there is any number out there that you can say, well, this is a fair amount to work on election day because there’s a lot that happens and we’re throwing our election judges into a very long day,” Lennon said.

Cole County election judges will formally be notified of the pay increase during their upcoming poll worker training sessions ahead of the August eleciton.

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Douglass Family Aquatic Center reopens after repairs

KMIZ on July 15, 2026

Steven Lambson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Douglass Family Aquatic Center opened back up to the public Tuesday after recent storms forced some repairs.

Columbia Parks and Recreation said storms on July 10 caused a mechanical failure, prompting staff to close the pool through July 13.

Crews finished the repairs in time for the pool to reopen Tuesday at noon.

The storms that caused the failure also left damage across parts of mid-Missouri.

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Idaho veteran wins gold in trivia at National Veterans Wheelchair Games

KIFI on July 15, 2026

Kaelyn Blessinger

CLIFTON, Idaho (KIFI) — An Idaho veteran represented the Gem State at the National Veterans Wheelchair Games and will be bringing home a gold medal for his trivia knowledge.

U.S. Navy veteran Joseph Moscynski of Clifton competed in a wide range of events, including bocce ball, table tennis, disc golf, bowling, cycling, shooting and trivia.

The entire competition took place in Detroit, Michigan, which helped Moscynski ace the trivia competition since he grew up in Michigan for part of his childhood.

“Trivia was at the Henry Ford Museum, which I used to visit as a kid,” Moscynski said. One question asked competitors to identify Lake Gitche Gumee, another name for Lake Superior. For Moscynski, questions like that came naturally because of his connection to the state. “Over half the questions were easy because I grew up here.”

However, Moscynski said bringing home a gold medal was not his only victory. One of the most memorable parts of the competition was the friendship and camaraderie he shared with fellow veterans from across the country.

“Basically, no matter how old we were or when we served, we all got basically the same experiences, just from a different view,” Moscynski said.

When he returns to Idaho, Moscynski hopes his experience will encourage more Idaho veterans who use wheelchairs to get involved in adaptive sports and participate in future competitions.

“Hopefully we can kick-start and get more people involved,” Moscynski said. “I know there’s more people that I’ve met in Idaho that would be great. So we just got to get them interested in the games.”

The 2027 National Veterans Wheelchair Games are set to take place in Orlando, Florida, where Moscynski plans to return and defend his trivia title.

For more information about the games check out the link to their website.

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Arizona State Treasurer candidate Elijah Norton visits Yuma to talk to voters

KYMA on July 15, 2026

Adrik Vargas

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Republican State Treasurer candidate Elijah Norton stopped in Yuma this week to make his case to voters ahead of Arizona’s primary election.

Norton says his background in investing sets him apart from the rest of the candidates and would help him manage Arizona’s finances if elected.

“We have $32 billion in assets under management. I own a global insurance company. I invest over $100 million of claims reserves. And in my opinion, we need someone who’s managing our state’s assets that has investment experience,” Norton said.

When asked what concerns he’s hearing most from voters on the campaign trail, Norton pointed to government spending and oversight.

“The number one thing I’m seeing is waste, fraud and abuse,” he said.

Norton says his approach to addressing those concerns would be through what he describes as a “DOGE-style audit” of the state’s finances.

He says that would include reviewing Arizona’s investment portfolio and where taxpayer dollars are being invested.

“I want to go look at our entire investment portfolio and make sure we’re not invested in companies that have DEI or ESG policies…And I want to make sure we’re investing in the safest companies for our state taxpayers today,” Norton said.

He says making safe investments is his top priority as state treasurer.

“If we make bad investment decisions, we could lose principal, which means we have to raise taxes. And so if we make good investment decisions, on the other hand, we can cut taxes or we can reinvest money back,” he said.

Norton will face Katherine Haley in Arizona’s primary election Tuesday, July 21, 2026. The winner of that race will advance to the general election in November.

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