Bryan Kohberger petitions to withdraw guilty plea in U of I murders

KIFI on July 27, 2026

Seth Ratliff

BOISE, Idaho (KIFI) — Bryan Kohberger, the man serving a life sentence for the 2022 murders of four University of Idaho students, is now pushing to withdraw his guilty plea and reopen the case.

In an interview and exclusive statement provided to The New York Times, 31-year-old Kohberger maintained his innocence, saying the guilty plea “hinged on false promises and blatant disinformation” and “must be withdrawn.”

“I hereby declare my intention to enter a not guilty plea, and welcome to the state the opportunity to prove their case at trial, as well as to, again, file the death penalty,” wrote Kohberger. “My actual innocence is my truth…”

Kohberger was charged in the November 2022 early-morning home invasion that claimed the lives of Madison Mogen, Kaylee Goncalves, Xana Kernodle, and Ethan Chapin. The brutal killings in Moscow, Idaho, sent shockwaves through the small college town and captured national attention.

At the time of the killings, Kohberger was pursuing a Ph.D. in criminology at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington, located just a short drive from Moscow. Authorities arrested Kohberger over a month after the murders, on December 30, 2022, in his home state of Pennsylvania.

In June 2025, Kohberger pleaded guilty in a bid to avoid the death penalty.

His statement to the Times comes less than a year after reports detailed his difficult transition to prison life. In August 2025, just one day after arriving at the Idaho Maximum Security Institution in Kuna, Kohberger petitioned the Idaho Department of Correction for a transfer, claiming harassment by fellow inmates.

The high-profile prosecution has already carried a steep price tag. According to reports by the Idaho Statesman, the case has cost taxpayers over $8 million, with nearly $5.5 million spent on Kohberger’s public defense team.

Attorney General Raúl Labrador Responds

Following Kohberger’s petition for post-conviction relief, Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador issued a statement addressing the developments.

“My heart goes out to the families of Madison, Kaylee, Xana, and Ethan, who have already endured unimaginable loss and now must face today’s deeply painful news,” Labrador said. “My office stands ready to do whatever is necessary to ensure justice is fully carried out.”

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Memorial ceremonies, blood drives set to honor Aug. 3 victims

KVIA on July 27, 2026

Gabrielle Lopez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Next Monday marks the seven years since the deadly Aug. 3 Walmart mass shooting. Memorial events around the city have been organized to honor the 23 lives lost.

“August 3 left an indelible impact on El Paso, but it also revealed the compassion and resilience of our community,” said Mayor Renard Johnson.

July 29: El Chuco Blood Drive

When: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Where: KVIA-TV Station (4140 Rio Bravo St.)

ABC-7 has partnered with Vitalant to host an annual blood drive leading into Aug. 3. It’s our way of honoring victims and the donors who stepped up that day. We encourage El Paso to maintain that very spirit of giving. Make an appointment here.

Aug. 1: Community Sound Bath

When: 10:30 a.m.

Where: Gary del Palacio Recreation Center (3001 Parkwood St.)

The United Way of El Paso County will host this free event. Attendees should bring their own mat, water and comfortable clothes.

Aug. 2: Day of Remembrance Community Sound Bath

When: 10:30 a.m.

Where: The Pavilion at Ascarate Park (6900 Delta Dr.)

The United Way of El Paso County will host this free event. Attendees should bring their own mat, water and comfortable clothes.

Aug. 2: Day of Remembrance Ceremony

When: 6:45 p.m.

Where: Ascarate Park Healing Garden (6900 Delta Dr.)

The United Way of El Paso County and the county collaborated to organize this event. El Paso Pro Musica will play live music, local officials will name local officials and luminarias will be lit in honor of the victims.

Aug. 2-8: Unite with Light

When: 8:30 p.m.

Community members are encouraged to light up their porches or windows with orange lights each evening as a visible expression of remembrance and solidarity.

Aug. 3: Community Remembrance Ceremony

When: 9 a.m.

Where: Jim Crouch Park (7500 W. H. Burges Dr.)

The Border Network for Human Rights will host a remembrance ceremony to honor victims and reaffirm El Paso’s commitment to unity and inclusion. Elected officials, faith leaders and community advocates will join.

Aug. 3-10: Remembrance of August 3 Tribute

Where: City Hall Council Chamber Lobby (300 N. Campbell St.)

A tribute installation will feature photos of the 23 victims. It will display outside City Council Chambers, providing visitors an opportunity to reflect and pay their respects.

Aug. 3: Star on the Mountain

When: 8:30 p.m.

The Star on the Mountain will flash 23 times in memory of the 23 victims.

Aug. 4: Community Blood Drive

When: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

City Hall Breezeway (300 N. Campbell St.)

The City of El Paso and Vitalant will host a blood drive to reflect the compassion and generosity of the city. Donors are invited to participate in honor of the victims.

Additionally, the permanent August 3 Memorial near Viscount and Sunmount Drive remains open year-round. El Paso artist Albert “Tino” Ortega created the granite memorial.

The memorial features seven pillars arranged in a circle, each with the victims’ names.

A photo of the August 3rd Memorial by Albert “Tino” Ortega.(Courtesy: KVIA/File)

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Amid high heat, car interiors could hit 120°F within minutes

KVIA on July 27, 2026

Nina Gallegos

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) – ABC-7 stormtrackers are tracking triple-digit temperatures in El Paso all week.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), temperatures inside a vehicle can rise 20 degrees in as little as 10 minutes.

The NWS says the inside of a car acts like a greenhouse. Actual temperatures inside the vehicle can reach 120°F in minutes and approach 150°F in as little as an hour.

ABC-7 reporter Nina Gallegos will track temperatures inside a car to see if it gets hot enough to bake a tray of cookies.

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What’s next for Prescott Preserve? Leaders hint at major update

KESQ on July 27, 2026

Kiera McKinney

PALM SPRINGS, CALIF. (KESQ)- The Prescott Preserve in Palm Springs is marking four years since the former Mesquite Golf Course was transformed into a future desert nature preserve.

Phase 1 restoration is progressing with native plant cultivation and permitting, while major on-the-ground planting is scheduled for late 2026.

Target Area: Restoring 28 acres of valley floor habitat, focusing on 15 acres of desert dry wash woodland, 11 acres of Sonoran creosote bush scrub, and 2 acres of perimeter buffer.

Funding: Backed by a $3,480,000 grant approved by the California Wildlife Conservation Board.

Current Progress: Over 6,350 native plants are growing via the Nursery to Nature Pathway alongside ongoing irrigation and site planning.

Timeline: Large-scale visible planting is planned for fall/winter 2026 when seasonal weather favors plant survival.

Just months ago, a fire damaged over 3 acres of the preserve. The fire started a debate on having this undeveloped land near neighborhoods. The non-profit, Owsit Land Trust, stepped in with preserving the land by coming out and helping with clean up and restoration efforts.

David Paisley, the Deputy Director and Community Engagement Director for the Oswit Land Trust, said “75 people came out, they worked five days and cleaned it up and six months later it looks great.”

Leaders tell me that responce showed how much people care about this preserve and space, and now Friends of Prescott Preserve is announcing a new membership program to get more people invovled.

Brian Ramos, one of the Members of Friends of Prescott Preserve Steering Committee said “we’ve also decided to do is create membership, tiers and different financial contributions, so that donors can sort of participate at whatever level makes the most sense for them.”

The membership levels will range from 120 dollars a year to 25 thousand dollars or more. Members will get acess to events, educational programs, bird tours, and tours of the preserve.

“Even at the entry level of $120 a year, members will still have complimentary access to social events throughout the year, educational content, birdwatching tours, tours of the preserve as we go through the restoration project over the next few years,” said Ramos.

The group says that membership will help fund projects not covered by the state grants. That includes replacing an old irrigation and restoring the land with native plants.

“One of the major things that’s going to happen this year is this old, dilapidated pump house with the bad roof. It’s all going to get replaced,” said Paisley.

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Average Riverside County gas price rises for 13th consecutive day

KESQ on July 27, 2026

City News Service

RIVERSIDE (CNS) – The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Riverside County rose today for the 13th consecutive day, increasing six-tenths of a cent to $5.581.

The average price has risen 34.6 cents over the past 13 days, including 1.2 cents Sunday, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service. It is 17.7 cents more than one week ago, 28.1 cents higher than one month ago and $1.269 greater than one year ago.

The average price has increased $1.03 since the start of the joint U.S./Israel attack on Iran on Feb. 28, which sent oil prices higher and drastically accelerated increases at the gas pump.The national average price was unchanged, remaining at $4.11, one day after an 11-day streak of increases totaling 25.2 cents ended with a decrease of one-tenth of a cent. It is 10.7 cents more than one week ago, 23.2 cents higher than one month ago and 96.5 cents greater than one year ago.

The national average price has increased $1.128 since the attack on Iran.

“Average gasoline and diesel prices rose in nearly every state over the last week, as continued escalations between the U.S. and Iran, renewed Houthi attacks in the Red Sea, and fresh Ukrainian strikes on Russian oil refineries combined to keep upward pressure on both crude and refined product markets,” Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, which provides real-time gas price information from more than 150,000 stations, said in a statement Monday.

“However, a weekend pullback in hostilities offered some relief, with oil prices opening sharply lower Sunday, suggesting the pace of increases at the pump may moderate in the days ahead. For now, motorists should expect prices to remain elevated, but the intensity of further gains will depend heavily on how the geopolitical situation develops in the coming week.”

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Volvo driver killed after rear-ending stopped Freightliner on Highway 26

KTVZ on July 27, 2026

Kelsey Merison

CLACKAMAS COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) — One man died Thursday, July 23rd, 2026, after his white Volvo semi-truck and triple trailer rear-ended an overheated red Freightliner semi-truck and triple trailer on Highway 26 near milepost 31.5, close to Sandy.

The operator of the Volvo, James Glenn Fisher, 62, of Medford, was pronounced deceased at the scene of the crash, which occurred at approximately 10:37 p.m.

The preliminary investigation by Oregon State Police indicated that Colton Wayne Adams, 36, of Bend, was operating the Freightliner westbound on Highway 26 near East Terra Fern Drive when his vehicle overheated and stopped in the westbound travel lane. Fisher’s Volvo then collided with the rear of Adams’ stopped Freightliner.

The operator of the Freightliner, Adams, was reportedly not injured in the incident.

The crash led to the highway being impacted for approximately 5 hours while an on-scene investigation was conducted.

Oregon State Police received assistance from the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, Clackamas Fire District, Hoodland Fire District and the Oregon Department of Transportation during their response and investigation.

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Officials provide update as crews battle Brewer, Green Mountain, and Crosswhite West fires near Prineville

KTVZ on July 27, 2026

Claire Elmer

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) — As of Monday, July 27th, firefighters are engaged in a persistent battle against the Brewer, Green Mountain, and Crosswhite West Fires, which are burning near Prineville. Today marks the 13th day of the incident, with crews making progress by halting western progression and maintaining control lines north of the city.

Level 1, 2, and 3 evacuation orders remain in effect for areas impacted by the wildfires.

Despite the lifting of a Red Flag Warning, hot, dry, and windy conditions are still expected on the fireline. Smoke columns are anticipated to be visible today, with the inversion layer projected to lift from late morning to early afternoon.

Suppression aircraft will be deployed across all three fires today as resources become available.

Photo courtesy: Oregon Department of Forestry

On the Brewer Fire, firefighters continue to patrol and mop up the south-southwest portion of the blaze. Crews are also strengthening control lines by removing any vegetation that could potentially ignite.

Last night, Unmanned Aerial Systems, or UAS, were utilized to confirm that the fire remained secure within the Lofton and McKay Creek areas. To the northeast, firefighters successfully got around the majority of the fire that had crossed lines along the A-Y Road, securing those areas and improving control lines.

Intense heat over the fire last night prevented aviation resources from flying over the incident to map fire growth using infrared technology. New acreage figures for the fires will be posted when they become available.

Fire activity on the southern portion of the Green Mountain Fire has been slowly backing down the mountain toward North Mill Creek Road. Crews are actively constructing a combination of dozer and handline, which connects North Mill Creek and McKay Creek roads. These lines will continue to be strengthened as the fire advances toward them.

Photo courtesy: Oregon Department of Forestry

For the Crosswhite West Fire, crews are performing structure protection on homes located in the Marks Creek area. They are also constructing indirect line to prevent the fire from crossing the highway.

Last night, resources from Crosswhite West provided assistance to Crosswhite East, where they secured several spot fires that had crossed highway 26.

On the northern portion of the fire, crews are conducting prep work on indirect line north of Stephenson Mountain. Evacuation orders, including Level 1, 2, and 3 designations, are currently in place. These orders are issued by county sheriff’s offices. The most current evacuation information can be accessed through the Crook County Sheriff’s and Jefferson County Sheriff’s Facebook pages.

Smoke generated by the Brewer, Green Mountain, and Crosswhite West fires may be visible in Prineville and its surrounding areas. This smoke can reduce visibility and affect air quality in nearby communities. Smoke conditions are subject to change throughout the day as wind shifts occur. Individuals who are sensitive to smoke are advised to take appropriate precautions.

For current air quality information and smoke forecasts, residents can visit fire.airnow.gov.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) have both issued closures for lands within and near the fire areas. Information regarding these closures and restrictions is available on the respective BLM and USFS websites.

Photo courtesy: Oregon Department of Forestry

A Temporary Flight Restriction, or TFR, is active for the fire area 24 hours a day until further notice. Flying a drone near or around a wildfire is prohibited by law. Such activity compromises the safety of both pilots and firefighters and interferes with ongoing firefighting efforts. Any illegal drone use will be reported to law enforcement.

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Republican Senate District 6 candidates push for fiscal responsibility, low taxes

KMIZ on July 27, 2026

Haley Swaino

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri’s Sixth Senate District has been represented by Republican Mike Bernskoetter since 2019. As his time serving Camden, Cole, Miller, Moniteau and Morgan counties comes to an end due to term limits, voters have six Republican hopefuls vying to fill the seat.

Seeking the nomination in a crowded GOP primary are candidates Amber Buckles, Derrick Spicer, Todd “Ike” Skelton, Lisa Thomas, Rudy Veit and Jake Vogel.

As voters head to the ballot box, ABC 17 News reached out to each candidate in the race to ask what they see as the top issues facing Senate District 6. Each brought up the importance of balancing the budget and keeping taxes as low as possible.

Presiding Commissioner of Camden County Skelton wants to look at cutting spending.

“That’s the very first thing we need to do,” Skelton said. “The lieutenant governor said there are some 3,000 new programs that have been caused by this most recent last few budgets. And I find it interesting as a politician to say that we have a spending problem and then want us to give them the ability to raise our taxes however they want to in Amendment 5. But they don’t really talk about cutting spending.”

FULL INTERVIEW LINKS: Derrick Spicer, Ike Skelton, Lisa Thomas, Rudy Veit, Jake Vogel

Amendment 5 is a proposal to phase out the state income tax. Before lawmakers can adjust any taxes, voters will need to decide on the measure. The amendment isn’t backed by a clear plan; instead, it asks voters to trust lawmakers in the 2027 legislative session to create one.

“As a matter of fact, they even just tell you that Amendment 5 is just kind of a revenue-neutral,” Skelton said. “Well, then what are you trying to do? So no, I want to look at cutting spending. We definitely do not need to raise taxes. I would really like to figure out how we could eliminate the personal property tax statewide.”

Rudy Veit, member of the Missouri House of Representatives from the 59th District, said one of the biggest issues affecting District 6 is affecting everyone — the economy.

“If our budget is going to be cut, we’re going to have to figure out ways to manage our expenditures and manage our income and also to ensure that we still have an economic base to work with,” Veit said. “The economy is on everybody’s minds right now, and the passing of Amendment 5 will only increase the cost to the average of my constituents and small businesses as another overhead that we do not need right now.”

Lisa Thomas served on the Missouri House of Representatives from 2021 to 2025. She stands to protect Missouri businesses and families by not draining resources from them.

“So we don’t want to overtax,” Thomas said. “I stood against the pressures that were trying to get us to vote for the gas tax. And I said, no, that’s going to harm families. I will be voting no on Amendment 5 because, again, that’s shifting our burden to the lower income and also to working families and those on fixed incomes.”

She said she would start with addressing the budget.

“Get our budget and our spending under control before we do policy testing, policy changes. And we also want to know what are the details? As a Republican, I definitely prefer reduction or elimination of any and all taxes. But we’re the Show-Me State; show me the plan. And in Amendment 5, that plan is missing in action.”

Jefferson City businessman and son of the late State Sen. Carl Vogel, Jake Vogel, calls himself a fiscal conservative and says he would bring a unique perspective to the Capitol.

“I want to go up to the Missouri Senate and legislature, and I want to look at it from a business lens,” Vogel said. “I’m the only business guy in this field that knows how to sign both sides of a paycheck. I think we need more business people. How to balance the budget? We can’t just send money out the door everywhere. We have to be fiscally responsible. After all, the COVID money’s dried up. We need to get back to pre-2020 spending.”

Vogel promises to bring money back to the people in a fiscally responsible way.

Candidate Derrick Spicer is a longtime Jefferson City resident and owner of PMI Hotels. He said he is not a “political insider.”

“I think the state is stagnant,” Spicer said. “The state is going to be in real trouble here if we don’t get that budget balanced. I think it’s going to be a situation. I think the overspending that’s going on right now in our state is just wasteful. I just think we need to, we got to, get a grip on that.”

Spicer supports lowering state taxes.

“I always worry about the middle class and other people too,” Spicer said. “I just think that we have to be able to lower taxes because if you look at our tax system right now, it’s so outdated and it needs to be updated.”

Small business owner Amber Buckles said in a statement that she is not a career politician and wants to “get politics back to working for the people.”

“One of my top priorities is bringing more fiscal responsibility and accountability to state government,” Buckles wrote. “Government should live within its means just like every Missouri family and small business has to.”

Increasing spending is not a solution, according to Buckles.

“We need to examine where taxpayer dollars are going, eliminate waste, and ensure every dollar is spent wisely. I also support eliminating Missouri’s personal property tax.”

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Wildfire smoke creates a perfect storm for asthma sufferers

KIFI on July 27, 2026

Kaelyn Blessinger

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – With wildfire season well underway, smoke is spreading across the country causing more problems for those living with asthma.

Asthma is a chronic illness that causes your airways to swell, narrow and fill with mucus. Making it harder to breathe or cause other symptoms, like chest tightness, cough and wheezing. Common triggers for asthma are things like allergens, pollen, and smoke.

At the Asthma Clinic of Idaho, Dr. David Petty says this year’s combination of smoke, dust, wind and seasonal allergies has created the perfect storm for respiratory problems.

“We’ve had all these high winds. We have all the dust and dirt blowing around. Plus the, you know, the nation’s on fire with forest fires,” Dr. Petty said. “So between the smoke, the dust, the wind blowing around and it being allergy season, asthma has been, you know, literally on fire.”

Regardless of if you experience Asthma or not, inhaling smoke can be very dangerous.

“Obviously we don’t want to have, you know, smoke in our lungs,” Dr. Petty said. “A little bit here and there, you can probably cough it away. But significant exposure can really do bad damage. And so when you have that big fire that’s really close, you really have to be careful with that and try to stay inside.”

He also recommends keeping windows closed and using air conditioning to cool your home instead of letting smokey air inside. While driving, he says switching your vehicle’s ventilation system to the recirculate setting can also help reduce exposure to outdoor smoke.

Data from the American Lung Association found that over 10% of the adult population in Idaho and Wyoming are currently suffering from this chronic illness.

Doctors encourage patients to stay on top of their prescribed medications, even if their symptoms seem manageable.

“We’re in the middle of a bad season like this with a forest fire like this. We need to make sure that we’re taking our medicines as prescribed,” Dr. Petty said. “And sometimes, even if you’re taking things as prescribed, if you’re needing to use your rescue inhaler too often, you might also need to go check in with your doctor because, hey, maybe you need something stronger for this season.”

If you or someone you know is struggling to breathe or noticing asthma symptoms becoming more frequent, doctors recommend contacting a healthcare provider to discuss whether additional treatment or medication adjustments are needed.

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Stop the Bleed training hosted in honor of August 3 victims

KVIA on July 27, 2026

Armando Ramirez

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) — Walmart mass shooting survivor, Claudia Cano, has turned her grief into action by organizing a free community Stop the Bleed training event ahead of the 7th anniversary of the day where 23 people were killed in the mass shooting.

“Honoring the 23” was the name of the event which was held on Saturday, July 25, 2026, one week before the annual August 3 memorial, at the Arts, Science & Technology Building at El Paso CommunityCollege (919 Hunter Dr., El Paso, TX 79915).

During the event, attendees learned how from experts on how to treat wounds with things like tourniquets, bandages and other items to essentially stop a wound on a medical mannequin from bleeding.

Organizers said that this event was held in partnership with BoderRAC El Paso, Lifesaving Technologies and the American College of Surgeons, all sessions are certified, hands-on, and completely free to the public.

“I wanted the 23 lives lost to be remembered in a meaningful way. My hope is that by bringing our community together to learn these lifesaving skills, we honor their memory while helping prepare others to save lives in future moments of crisis.” Claudia Cano, Survivor & Event Organizer said.

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