Fire engulfs two homes and a car in Yuma

KYMA on July 8, 2026

Dillon Fuhrman

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Rural Metro says a fire engulfed two homes and a car early Tuesday morning.

In a post on Facebook, the fire happened in the area of Avenue C and S. El Prado Road at around 5 a.m.

Upon arrival, Rural Metro said crews found a car, a house engulfed in flames and another house also on fire “with multiple exposures.”

This prompted crews to quickly deploy hose lines and began extinguishing the fire, which was contained to the two houses of origin, Rural Metro said.

Courtesy: Rural Metro

Courtesy: Rural Metro

While no injuries were reported, Rural Metro says the Red Cross was called in to help the residents.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Courtesy: Rural Metro

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Imperial Valley defies California trends with zero reported hate crimes

KYMA on July 8, 2026

Lynette Niebla

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – Imperial County recorded a completely clean slate in California’s latest annual hate crime audit, reporting zero bias-motivated events, offenses, victims, or suspects last year.

The local data stands in sharp contrast to a complex statewide report released last week by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, which revealed a modest 3.4% dip in overall hate crimes, but exposed a troubling 30.3% surge in anti-Hispanic or Latino bias incidents across the state.

Local law enforcement officials suggest that the Imperial Valley’s unique population makeup acts as a natural safeguard against the specific identity-based targeting plaguing other parts of California.

Lt. Mike Mistriel of the Imperial County Sheriff’s Office emphasized the distinction between standard lawbreaking and crimes motivated by prejudice against a protected class, such as race, religion, ethnicity, or gender identity.

“We would like to have no crime at all,” Lt. Mistriel said. “Criminal activities is one thing, but specific crime against a specific person or population is something we don’t want to see, and we’re glad that that’s not something that’s here.”

With the Imperial Valley holding a predominantly Hispanic population, local officials note that the shared cultural identity creates a protective community dynamic.

“Being such a high percentage of a Hispanic population, having hate crimes related to Hispanic is quite, quite low and basically not at all,” Mistriel added.

The alarming spike in anti-Latino and anti-transgender crimes across the Golden State prompted a swift response from Attorney General Bonta.

In a video message on Wednesday, Bonta defended basic community freedoms and called on local jurisdictions to maximize public safety resources.

“Nothing is more important than ensuring that Californians can go to work, go to school, worship, raise a family, run a business, and enjoy all our communities have to offer safely,” Bonta stated.

Bonta insisted that reversing the broader state trends requires strengthening local law enforcement budgets alongside robust public safety initiatives.

“This isn’t the time to pull back on our efforts or investments. It’s time to double down on them,” he said.

Despite the county’s pristine record, state authorities urge caution when interpreting the numbers, noting that hate crimes are historically underreported due to fear or incomplete data collection.

To maintain the valley’s safety, local law enforcement reminds residents that active community watching remains vital.

Mistriel encouraged citizens to report suspicious behavior before it escalates into targeted violence.

“Sometimes just being a good witness and then maybe even calling law enforcement early for the individuals that are involved would be the best way to do it,” Mistriel said.

Officials encourage anyone impacted by bias-motivated behavior or hate incidents to contact state support infrastructure by calling 211, or dialing 911 for immediate emergencies.

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Santa Barbara Expands BCycle Program with 60 New E-Bikes, Discounted Memberships

KEYT on July 8, 2026

Mina Wahab

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) — Getting around Santa Barbara is becoming easier for more residents after the City of Santa Barbara and BCycle completed a major expansion of the city’s electric bike-share program.

The $1.8 million project adds 60 new e-bikes and 22 new docking stations throughout the city, expanding access to neighborhoods that previously had limited bike-share options.

City officials say the expansion is designed to make transportation more accessible and affordable, particularly in underserved communities.

New docking stations have been installed on the Eastside, Westside, downtown, and near popular destinations including Leadbetter Beach, West Beach, and Chase Palm Park.

The expansion also includes the BCycle for All program, which offers discounted annual memberships for income-qualified residents.

A standard annual BCycle membership costs $244.68, while eligible riders can purchase a BCycle for All membership for $25 plus tax for an entire year.

Residents who participate in programs such as CalFresh, SNAP, Medi-Cal, or Medicare may qualify. Seniors living on fixed incomes and people with disabilities may also be eligible.

The city hopes the expanded network will encourage more people to use bicycles for commuting, running errands, and recreational trips while reducing reliance on cars.

Residents interested in the discounted membership can apply through the City’s BCycle portal. Officials are also asking community members to complete a survey to help guide future improvements and identify locations for additional bike-share stations.

The expansion is part of Santa Barbara’s broader effort to improve sustainable transportation options and increase mobility throughout the city.

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Columbia Water and Light Board recommends 6% electric rate increase

KMIZ on July 8, 2026

Sutton Parker

COLUMBIA MO. (KMIZ)

The Columbia Water and Light Board on Tuesday recommended new utility rate increases to the City Council.

The board proposed a 6% rate that would apply to the usage portion of residents’ bills, meaning users will pay more for each unit of electricity that is used.

The new increase will not affect the flat base rate of $22.44, which will remain the same regardless of your monthly consumption.

Assistant Director of Electric Utility Gwen Corches said if approved, the new revenue will go to targeting system upgrades.

“The rate increase that’s being discussed right now is more focused around existing infrastructure needs, aging infrastructure, new projects that we’re facing, such as the Advanced Metering Infrastructure Project, and just our cash reserve levels,” he said.

When it comes to the increase, Columbia Water and Board Member David Switzer said without the increase, it could put Columbia Utilities at risk.

“So to not commit to a 6% increase would mean that we would not meet our minimum financial obligation, putting our credit rating at risk, and we can’t do things like the other thing we proposed today, which is advanced metering infrastructure, which has all types of benefits for the community,” he said.

The proposed advanced metering infrastructure project is something officials say is long overdue and much needed for the city.

“I think it’s going to be one of the most transformative projects for the city of Columbia. It’s going to give so much agency to every resident and business to look at their bills, being able to see what’s driving their peak demands, what’s driving their cost,” Corches said.

The most-recent increases came in 2023 and was a 6.9% jump, followed by a 2% increase in 2025.

Switzer said that the longer increases are put off, the higher they will be down the line.

“People don’t like rate increases; rate increases are not fun and not enjoyable, but what is worse is when you put them off, and then you need massive, massive rate increases in the future,” he said.

He added that everywhere is experiencing electrical influxes.

“The reality is that the electric market in general is in a state of flux. This is what is minimally required for the financial future of the utility to be secured,” he said.  

Columbia Utilities recently completed an electric infrastructure resource plan that was designed to study the best ways to modernize the electric capacity needs for the city. Corches added with aging infrastructure and expiring power purchase agreements, the city is searching for the most cost-effective way to secure Columbia’s future energy capacity.

Corches said that when workshopping the plan, the city looked at sxi different scenarios.

“The last one is more realistic, it is probably the best one because it is a very diversified portfolio, so we will not have all of our eggs in one basket,” Corches said.

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Priscila Ruedas runs for Yuma city council

KYMA on July 8, 2026

Madeline Murray

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Priscila Ruedas is asking voters to write in her name on the ballot as she runs for Yuma City Council.

Ruedas said she narrowly missed qualifying for the ballot after falling short of the required number of petition signatures.

“My name will not show up on the ballot,” Ruedas said. “I was off by 40 signatures. I almost made it, but at the end of the day I’m here and I’m going to keep on giving it my best.”

Ruedas said she decided to run because she wants to better represent the community.

“I’m just a local [that has] seen the way this community is, and has seen that there is a big gap between the people that represent us and the everyday Yuman,” she said.

If elected, Ruedas said she would focus on heat safety, improving transportation and increasing community involvement in local government.

“My goal really is to see what’s data driven, see what makes sense, and talk to the community before we’re implementing and doing all of these things,” Ruedas said.

Arizona’s primary election is Tuesday, July 21, 2026, and early voting is underway.

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Boone County Commission considers $1.13 million budget increase for new radio integration

KMIZ on July 7, 2026

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The budget to upgrade Boone County’s radio system could see a $1.13 million increase.

The county entered into an agreement last month with several local agencies in order to upgrade its radio system. Previous reporting shows the county had been looking n into upgrading its VHF system to an 800MHz system for nearly a decade, though talks heated up last fall.

Documents provided by the county show the commission may need to adjust its $8.17 million budget to $9.3 million as it got closer to finalizing contracts. Joint Communications Director Christie Davis told ABC 17 News in an email that the funding would come from the 911/Office of Emergency Management tax.

Davis said the projects are on schedule and equipment should be getting delivered this week, with the installation being completed by October.  

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Man convicted for role in 2008 murder of Palm Springs art dealer released on parole

KESQ on July 7, 2026

Jesus Reyes

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – Craig McCarthy, a key witness and defendant in the 2008 murder of Palm Springs art dealer Clifford Lambert, has been released on parole after more than 17 years in prison.

Craig McCarthy

It’s a case News Channel 3 has been covering for nearly two decades. Prosecutors say McCarthy helped restrain Lambert while his roommate fatally stabbed the 74-year-old in a plot to steal his home and assets.

Clifford Lambert

Check Out: Karen Devine goes in-depth on the Lambert Case in an exclusive report

McCarthy avoided a murder conviction by pleading guilty to voluntary manslaughter and testifying against the other defendants.

In recent years, however, McCarthy has recanted his account, a move that could fuel new appeals from the men still serving life sentences.

Garcia was sentenced to life without parole last year. It came following a retrial of an original life sentence in 2012. Four other men were also charged and convicted in their retrials of the financially motivated murder. A fifth man, Kaushal Niroula, was killed in prison before his retrial was completed.

(Left to Right) Kaushal Niroula, Daniel Garcia, David Replogle, and Miguel Bustamante

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.

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Palm Springs City Council approves acquisition of new armored vehicle for police

KESQ on July 7, 2026

City News Service

PALM SPRINGS (CNS) – The Palm Springs City Council approved a proposal for the city to move forward with the acquisition of a new BearCat vehicle, replacing a two-decade-old armored vehicle for the SWAT unit.

Procurement of a 2026 Lenco BearCat G3 was proposed by the city’s Department of Public Works. The item was in the council’s consent agenda during Wednesday’s meeting. The item was approved without further discussion.

The proposed allocation for the acquisition is $449,125, with a 10% allowance for unforeseen expenses tied to the purchase, which would be made via Pittsfield, Massachusetts-based Lenco Industries Inc.

Staff Report (7)Download

The vehicle now in service, a 2006 BearCat, has 20,565 miles, exceeding the preferred service life of 15-20 years established by the city. The existing BearCat is deployed not only within Palm Springs, but made available to Desert Regional SWAT, encompassing personnel from the Cathedral City and Indio police departments.

As the BearCat provides ballistic protection, it’s classified as military equipment, restricting use for high-risk situations and not for crowd control, unless violence escalates to a level that warrants deployment under those conditions.

“The deployment of this vehicle is limited to circumstances authorized by a watch commander or SWAT commander based on the specific conditions of a critical incident,” according to a city staff report. “Itmay, however, be deployed by trained patrol personnel during rapidly evolving emergencies to establish protected corridors, assist with evacuations and enhance officer and civilian safety while regional tactical personnel are mobilizing.”

Under the city’s 1996 Equipment Replacement Policy, the fleet manager, in consultation with an affected agency, is delegated with responsibility to determine when a specialized vehicle should be replaced.

With the council’s approval, the process of ordering, delivering, up-fitting and placing the new BearCat into service would take an estimated two years. In the meantime, the current BearCat would remain available.

With completion of the replacement process, the Palm Springs Police Department would be permitted to identify an eligible recipient of the old BearCat.

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Man found guilty of Monroe County murder has appeal hearing scheduled

KMIZ on July 7, 2026

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man who was found guilty of murder last year in Monroe County has appealed the case.

Lyle Miller, 68, of Madison, Missouri, was found guilty by a jury on March 21, 2025, of second-degree murder and tampering with evidence in the December 2021 death of  Betty Hayes, 88.  Miller was arrested in July 2023.

Court documents in previous reporting claim a witness told law enforcement that they saw Miller driving quickly away from Madison the night Hayes went missing. Her remains were eventually found in a pond.

Miller is currently being held at South Central Correctional Center in Licking.

A notice of appeal was filed last year and it was accepted recently in the Eastern District Court of Missouri. It will be heard on Sept. 22.

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Teton Valley School District faces hiring classified staff challenges ahead of school year

KIFI on July 7, 2026

Maile Sipraseuth

DRIGGS, Idaho (KIFI) – With summer in full swing, school might be the last thing on the minds of parents and students. However, local school districts are already looking ahead to August, facing a tough hiring market as they do so.

The Teton Valley School District is currently preparing for the upcoming school year by recruiting teachers, bus drivers, custodians, and other vital support staff. But in this region, filling those roles is easier said than done.

Teton Valley School District’s Superintendent Brian Ashton says hiring s has become increasingly difficult, particularly for classified staff (bus drivers, custodial staff, etc.), because of funding limitations, the region’s high cost of housing and competition from higher-paying jobs in nearby Jackson Hole.

“It comes down to one simple thing: the state does not fund what it takes to actually run a school district,” Ashton said. “It funds a good portion of our teachers, but much less [for support staff]. I think only about 30% of our classified staff is paid for through the state.”

To bridge the gap, many current employees are pulling double duty.

“We have some custodians that also drive bus. We have paraprofessionals that also drive bus, and do both,” Ashton said, “So it is a challenge.”

As housing becomes increasingly unaffordable in Teton Valley, Ashton says nearly 10-15% of the district’s employees now commute from Rexburg or Idaho Falls.

The district also competes with employers in Jackson Hole, just an hour away, where the tourism-driven economy often offers higher wages.

“The wages are not as high as we would like them to be. And relative to the economy here, the hourly wage is pretty high because we are so close to Jackson in a tourist economy. So even though it’s significantly better, than in some of the other counties, it’s still lower than what they can do if they work hourly somewhere else,” Ashton said.

While recruiting teachers can also be challenging in a rural district, Ashton said alternative certification programs have helped fill classroom vacancies by allowing professionals from other career fields to become licensed teachers.

“We definitely have teachers who enter the profession through alternative certification,” Ashton said. “Without it, we would be in a bad spot.”

Ashton says that the ability to maintain staffing levels is dependent on voter support for this November’s supplemental levy.

“We will need their support in November to make sure that the supplemental levy goes through so that we can continue the level of service that we’ve been able to offer,” Ashton said.

Those interested in applying for a position at Teton Valley School District can apply HERE.

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