Food shortage: Shepherd’s House Ministries seeks urgent community donations

KTVZ on July 14, 2026

Claire Elmer

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Shepherd’s House Ministries is asking for urgent community support as it faces a critical shortage of food while serving hundreds of people across Central Oregon each day.

The nonprofit says it currently provides about 1,000 meals daily to individuals and families experiencing homelessness, hunger, and financial hardship, but pantry supplies are running low.

Organization leaders are now calling on the community to donate essential food items. Right now, they are in urgent need of the following:

canned goods

peanut butter

rice

dried beans

noodles

granola bars

coffee

shelf-stable milk

other pantry staples

Donations can be dropped off at two locations: Shepherd’s House Ministries in Bend at 1854 NE Division Street, or in Redmond at 1350 South Highway 97.

The group says community contributions are critical to helping maintain meal services and support those in need.

More information is available at shministries.org.

Click here to follow the original article.

Family Access Network receives $50,000 grant for Central Oregon families

KTVZ on July 14, 2026

Claire Elmer

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Family Access Network has received a $50,000 grant from the Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation to support services for children and families across Central Oregon.

The funding will help provide resources for students and their families, including housing and utility assistance, clothing, school supplies, and youth development programs. Organization leaders say those services are critical in helping remove barriers that can impact a child’s ability to succeed in school.

“This continued partnership with the Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation is vital in providing our local families with access to needed resources,” said Tasha McFarland, board chair of the FAN Foundation. “We are so grateful for their generosity and to work on strengthening our community together.”

Family Access Network, founded in 1993, places advocates directly in schools to connect families with essential services. The organization currently has 28 advocates serving 66 sites across Deschutes, Crook, and Jefferson counties.

According to FAN, its programs reach more than 7,600 children and family members each year, working to address the impacts of poverty and help students come to school ready to learn.

The Marie Lamfrom Charitable Foundation, established in 1998, supports initiatives across Oregon focused on education, health, arts, and community well-being.

More information about the Family Access Network is available at familyaccessnetwork.org.

Click here to follow the original article.

Bend Police Department invites community to National Night Out event

KTVZ on July 14, 2026

Claire Elmer

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Bend Police Department is inviting the community to its annual National Night Out, a free, family-friendly event aimed at strengthening relationships between law enforcement and the public.

The event is scheduled for 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 4th at Mountain View High School.

Part of a nationwide initiative, National Night Out brings neighbors and police together for an evening of activities, food, and community connection. In Bend, the event will include live music, lawn games, face painting, bounce houses, and demonstrations from the department’s K9 unit and drone team.

Attendees will also be able to explore a variety of emergency vehicles, including a Bend Police patrol car, an armored vehicle, and a fire engine. Officers will serve hot dogs along with other food and drinks, and local organizations will be on hand to share community resources.

Organizers say accessibility is a priority this year. The first hour of the event, from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., will be sensory-friendly, featuring reduced noise, no sirens, and no flashing lights. Sensory kits will also be available through the Central Oregon Disability Services Network.

The event is made possible through support from local sponsors and community partners.

More information and event updates can be found on the Bend Police Department’s Facebook page.

Click here to follow the original article.

Demolition of Pea Soup Andersen’s Restaurant Cleared by Buellton City Council

KEYT on July 14, 2026

Dave Alley

BUELLTON, Calif. (KEYT) – The demolition of the iconic Pea Soup Andersen’s restaurant has moved forward after a recent decision made by the Buellton City Council.

Last week, council members removed a historical designation on the closed business that clears the way for the property owner to tear down a portion of the vacant building.

“In order to in order to allow the demolition, we needed to remove the historic landmark designation,said Scott Wolfe, Buellton City Manager. “In removing the designation, the City Council also put in place a number of requirements that have to be met for the demolition permit to to be issued, and those requirements will be memorialized in an agreement that will be signed by the developer and the city prior to a demolition permit being issued.”

The famous restaurant first opened in Buellton in 1924 and for decades was a popular destination for both travelers and locals alike.

However, the restaurant closed in 2024 just months before its 100th anniversary and since then the main building and adjacent structures have fallen badly into disrepair.

All of the buildings and surrounding parking lots have become a squalid sight, with broken windows, overgrown weeds and trash strewn around the property.

For the past two years, it’s been a common area for trespassing, unauthorized occupation, as well as illegal activities such as vandalism, drug use and drinking

“It’s a disaster,” said Wolfe. “It’s become increasingly difficult to secure the building. It’s constantly being broken into by vandals and it’s just a matter of time before someone gets injured or somebody gets killed in the building.. There’s very little of the inside that is still remaining and there’s not a whole lot we can do to save the building at this point. It is beyond hope. This is painful. This is a this is something that’s been around for as long as anyone who’s still living here can remember, but it’s it’s clear that it has to go.”

While the City Council has given clearance to the demolition of the building, not all of the structure will be taken down.

“One of the largest pieces of the historic landmark that’s still on the site is a portion of the building which was prior to it being part of Pea Soup Andersen’s was part of an old hotel called the Bueltmore Hotel that is eligible for listing by the state as a historic landmark,” said Wolfe. “That part of the building that faces the parking lot right now, that part of the building will remain, but everything beyond that and all the outbuildings and such will be brought to the ground and removed.”

Wolfe did not give a timetable when any demolition would take place and added its unknown what the future plans are for the site that is owned by local developer Ed St. George.

“The future plans are up in the air,” said Wolfe. “We don’t know. The specific plan for the Avenue of the Flags gives a number of different alternatives. It could include retail. It could include office. It could include some residential, or any combination of those three. We have seen some preliminary plans in the past, but those have all been retracted.”

As for whatever eventually replaces Pea Soup Andersen’s, Wolfe stressed it will need to be something unique and special.

“This is one of the gateways to our city,” said Wolfe. “We don’t want to see something very generic being put in there, but we’ll have to wait and see. In the end, the City doesn’t get to pick exactly what gets built, but the City Council has a lot of influence and the Planning Commission, have a lot of influence over what some new facility might look like, and so we’ll be looking carefully at that.”

To help make sure the once historic restaurant is memorialized and its memory kept alive in the future, St. George is looking at ways to retain some of the components of the building so that a potential future monument may be created and displayed.

“What has to happen before that demolition can take place, is the the property owner needs to coordinate the removal of any artifacts that still remain that could be salvaged and preserved, said Wolfe. “We will work with the developer to ensure that some sort of appropriate monument, either on site, or in very close proximity to the site, takes place. We don’t know what that will look like yet. We hope that depending upon the architecture, some aspects of that building could be used in either the exterior architecture of the building or something inside the building, but certainly some sort of monument outside of the building would be important as well.”

Click here to follow the original article.

Nominations Open for Three Santa Maria City Council Seats

KEYT on July 14, 2026

Jarrod Zinn

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – A one-month nomination period is open for three Santa Maria City Council seats.

There are steps potential candidates must follow.

Gloria Soto represents District 3 and Maribel Aguilera represents District 4, and their current terms end this December.

“Voters will elect one city council member for district one to serve the remainder of an unexpired term ending in November of 2028,” says Jane Teh, administrative analyst for the City Of Santa Maria.

Richard Batalla was appointed as Santa Maria’s interim District 1 representative after Carlos Escobedo vacated the seat in March.

He says he intends to campaign for election this November to serve the remainder of the term.

“And the city council members for districts three and four to serve full four year terms,” says Teh.

Aguilera is campaigning for Santa Barbara County Board Of Supervisors’ District 5 seat.

“Voters will also consider our Ballot Measure C,” says Teh.

To be nominated, you must be over 18, a resident and registered voter of the district you intend to represent.

“In the event an incumbent does not file nomination papers by August 7th, the last date to file the nomination for that office will be extended to Wednesday, August 12th,” says Teh.

Anyone who wants to campaign for a council seat must visit the city clerk’s office and declare their intent to run, then obtain 20 to 30 registered voter signatures from their district.

“City council members are responsible for establishing city policies, adopting the city’s budget, approving local ordinances and resolutions, and making decisions that affect city services, infrastructure, public safety, economic development, and the overall quality of life for residents,” Teh explains.

After the nomination month is over, the applications are processed and all candidates who meet qualifications will appear on the November ballots.

From late August through October, qualifying candidates campaign for voter support.

“Serving on the City Council is an opportunity to contribute to the future of Santa Maria,” says Teh. “Council members play an important role in shaping local policy and helping address the needs and priorities of the community.”

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.

Click here to follow the original article.

Three mosquito pools test positive for West Nile virus in Imperial County

KYMA on July 14, 2026

Dillon Fuhrman

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – The Imperial County Public Health Department (ICPHD) says three mosquito pools collected in the county tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV).

ICPHD says two WNV-positive mosquito pools were collected in the the City of Imperial last Sunday while the other one was collected in the City of Holtville last Monday.

They are “the first WNV-positive mosquito pools identified in Imperial and Holtville this year,” ICPHD says.

ICPHD also says their Vector Control Program maintains around “52 mosquito traps throughout the county,” with the traps being “checked several times each week, and mosquito pools are tested weekly.”

“Our agency will continue to monitor disease activity and treat affected areas,” said Jeff Lamoure, Deputy Director of Environmental Health. “Residents should continue taking precautions, including using insect repellent and limiting outdoor activity at dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active.”

WNV, according to ICPHD, is transmitted to humans through an infected mosquito’s bite, and they listed off the following symptoms:

Fever

Headache

Nausea

Vomiting

Body aches

Rash

Fatigue

While some people experience mild to no symptoms, ICPHD says the virus can also cause severe disease which can affect the nervous system, particularly in older adults and those with weakened immune systems.

To combat this, ICPHD listed the following steps to avoid being infected:

Limit outdoor activities.

When outdoors, wear loose-fitting, light-colored, long-sleeved shirts and pants.

Apply EPA-registered insect repellent containing DEET, picaridin, or oil of lemon eucalyptus according to label instructions.

Make sure that doors and windows have tight-fitting screens. Repair or replace screens that have tears or holes.

Eliminate all sources of standing water on your property that can support mosquito breeding by:

Draining or disposing of old tires, buckets, plastic covers, toys, or any other containers that can collect water.

Emptying and changing the water in birdbaths, fountains, wading pools, rain barrels, and potted plant trays at least once a week to destroy potential mosquito habitats.

Draining or filling temporary pools of standing water with soil.

Keeping swimming pool water properly treated and circulating.

Contact Vector Control if you notice unusually high mosquito activity around your home or workplace.

If you or anyone you know develops symptoms of WNV, call your healthcare provider. To learn more about this, read the press release, written in English and Spanish, below.

NR_ Positive Mosquito Pool Detection_EnglishVersion_071426Download

NR_ Positive Mosquito Pool Detection_SpanishVersion_071426Download

Click here to follow the original article.

Palm Springs Animal Shelter outbreak

KESQ on July 14, 2026

Kiera McKinney

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ)- The Palm Springs Animal Shelter has temporarily stopped accepting cats and kittens after an illness outbreak at the facility. The pause will remain in effect through July 27 while staff treat sick kittens and thoroughly clean and sanitize the shelter.

Officials say the closure is a precaution to help contain the illness and protect other animals. During this time, no new cats or kittens will be accepted, allowing staff to focus on the animals already in their care. The shelter plans to resume normal intake once veterinarians determine it is safe to reopen.

Dan Rossi, the Executive Director of Palm Springs Animal Shelter says, “currently we have a situation going on where, it’s mouth ulcers on tongues and mouths of, cats and kittens. It seems to be very, Transmittable between the animals.”

Rossi says summer is a very busy time for cat intakes and that leads to more animals arriving at the shelter vulnerable.

“So we have medications, and if cats or kittens are having difficulties eating, we may, syringe feed. We’re doing deep cleaning as well of all of our kennel areas to really stop the spread of this as well” Rossi said.

The shelter says staff are treating affected animals and deep cleaning cat areas, with the hope to reopen cat and kitten intake on July 27th.

Tanya Petrovna, the owner of Chef Tanyas Kitchen and owner of Chef Tanyas Kittens said “for keeping things clean, good old fashioned soap and water. You should always keep your pets with fresh water, especially now in summer to change those water bowls twice a day.”

Petrovna also recommends separating new pets before introducing them to other animals, “You should always have a 14 day period keeping that new cat in a bathroom or an isolated area.”

The shelter is asking people to hold on to stray cats until intake reopens.

Click here to follow the original article.

Victor City Council Appoints Sue Muncaster as Mayor Following Resignation

KIFI on July 14, 2026

Par Kermani

VICTOR, Idaho (KIFI) — The Victor City Council has appointed Council member Sue Muncaster to serve as mayor following the resignation of Mayor Will Frohlich in June.

The council voted 3-0 on July 8 to appoint Muncaster, who will serve the remainder of the current mayoral term through 2027.

RELATED: Victor mayor announces resignation amid recall effort

“No one would disagree that the toxicity and divisiveness in our country right now is a real problem. And I believe local is where you can make change,” Muncaster said.

Muncaster’s first priority in office is aligning Victor’s future with the rest of Teton Valley using comprehensive, collaborative planning.

“The timing is such that Victor, Driggs and the county are all starting to redo their comprehensive plans, and I really want it to be more of a collaborative effort where we’re planning for the whole valley,” Muncaster said.

Victor parting ways with Driggs to build their own wastewater plant has been an ongoing concern among residents in Victor.

Victor will work with Driggs to build a shared wastewater treatment plant.

Muncaster is also prioritizing development, while also acknowledging affordability concerns in town.

She highlighted an upcoming housing project in Victor designed to improve affordability through a public-private partnership. The development features workforce requirements specifically targeting firefighters, teachers, and healthcare workers.

“The idea is to push density into the city so that there’s not as much sprawl in the county,” Muncaster said.

“Residents deserve confidence that their government is focused on solving problems, delivering services, and preparing Victor for the future,” said Acting Mayor Stacy Hulsing. “The Council believed Sue’s experience, collaborative leadership, and understanding of the challenges before us make her the right person to provide that leadership. This appointment allows the City to stay focused on the work that matters most to our residents.”

According to the city, Idaho law requires city councils to fill mayoral vacancies by appointment rather than through a special election.

City leaders said appointing a current council member would help maintain continuity as Victor continues work on several major projects, including wastewater planning, infrastructure improvements, housing affordability and an update to the city’s comprehensive plan.

Muncaster has served on the Victor City Council since 2021. Her background includes work as an entrepreneur, nonprofit leader, communications consultant and community advocate. She most recently served as executive director of the Teton Leadership Center and currently serves on the board of the Teton Regional Economic Coalition.

Following her appointment, Muncaster said her priorities include improving communication with residents, supporting city staff, rebuilding trust with regional partners and addressing issues related to growth, infrastructure, affordability and quality of life.

“Our job is to run the City efficiently while helping heal a divided community,” Muncaster said in a staement. “Victor needs leadership that welcomes debate before decisions are made, communicates clearly after decisions are made, and helps the community move forward once lawful decisions have been reached. Criticism of elected officials comes with the job. Harassment of public employees does not. Our staff and consultants deserve accountability, but they also deserve respect.”

Muncaster’s appointment creates a vacancy on the Victor City Council. The city said it will announce an application process and timeline for filling the open council seat in the coming weeks.

For more information, visit victoridaho.gov

Click here to follow the original article.

Rep. Escobar responds to order for ICE to temporarily pause vehicle stops in Texas

KVIA on July 14, 2026

Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Tuesday, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was ordered to temporarily stop vehicle stops in Texas and Maine following two deadly shootings involving the agency, ABC News reported.

Congresswoman Veronica Escobar released a statement responding to the order:

“The reported decision by ICE to pause vehicle stops is a good first step. At least 22 people have been fired on by agents involved in Trump’s mass deportation plans, and six people, including three American citizens, have been killed in those shootings. The murders of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo in Houston last week and Joan Sebastian Guerrero in Biddeford yesterday were preventable tragedies.

“There are additional changes that must be made immediately to safeguard communities: the use of body cameras, independent investigations into the shootings, and accountability that will bring justice for the families who lost their loved ones.” 

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin reportedly gave the directive, according to ABC News.

Click here to follow the original article.

High Desert Special Olympics athletes shine at Oregon State Summer Games

KTVZ on July 14, 2026

Claire Elmer

CORVALLIS, Ore. (KTVZ) — High Desert Special Olympics athletes returned home to Central Oregon with dozens of medals after competing in the Oregon Special Olympics State Summer Games in Corvallis, earning top finishes across golf, track and field, and bocce ball.

Our local athletes combined to win 10 gold, 9 silver, and 4 bronze medals, along with several fourth-, fifth-, sixth- and seventh-place finishes during the weekend competition.

In golf, Makaio, Trevor, Ryan, Scott and Zach, Stan and Ryan, and Donavan and Steven each earned gold medals. Felicity, Roy, Emilia, and Lizzie brought home silver medals, while Jonny and Eric earned bronze. Becky and Donna also placed in their divisions, earning fourth- and fifth-place ribbons.

The track and field team also turned in a strong performance. Walter won gold in the 50-meter walk, while Zac claimed gold in the 200-meter race. Silver medals went to Caleb in the 100 meters, Kris in the 200 meters, and Andrew in the 400 meters. Bronze medals were earned by Sandy in the 50-meter dash and Caleb in the 200 meters. Several athletes also recorded top-seven finishes in relay events, shot put, javelin, softball throw, and sprint races.

In bocce ball, the teams of Gavin and Liam and Raymond and Ely each earned gold medals. Stacie and Tiffany and Amber and Michelle won silver, while Cliff and Sean and Alec and Jordan finished fourth in their divisions.

Beyond the competition, athletes took part in Olympic Town, where they received free health screenings and wellness services, including vision exams. Organizers said 150 free prescription eyeglasses were ordered for athletes during the event. Olympic Town also featured blood pressure checks, height and weight screenings, stretching activities, and stress-management exercises promoting healthy lifestyles.

The opening ceremonies also featured a local athlete, with Felicity serving as a co-emcee before the Parade of Athletes. The festivities concluded with a celebratory dance for competitors.

The Oregon Special Olympics State Summer Games brought together athletes from across the state to compete, celebrate accomplishments, and promote inclusion through sport. Congratulations to our local Special Olympians and their incredible accomplishments!

Click here to follow the original article.