UPDATE: Judge orders Riverside County to preserve 2024 and 2025 election records, granting restraining order

KESQ on August 25, 2026

Garrett Hottle

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KESQ) A Riverside County judge has ordered the county and Registrar of Voters Art Tinoco to preserve records from the November 2024 general election and the November 2025 Proposition 50 special election.

Judge Daniel Ottolia granted a temporary restraining order Tuesday afternoon, according to a minute order obtained by News Channel 3. Neither side appeared in court. Ottolia canceled a hearing set for Wednesday morning and ruled based on the written filings alone.

As News Channel 3 first reported Tuesday, the nonprofit Election Accountability Project, Inc. sued Tinoco and the county this week, asking the court to block the destruction of records from both elections and to order the registrar to explain ballot-accounting discrepancies the group says have never been resolved.

The lawsuit centers on two audits by the Riverside Election Integrity Team, the citizens group whose claims helped prompt Sheriff Chad Bianco’s investigation into the 2025 election. The audits claim county records could not account for 33,888 of the ballots counted in 2024 and 45,896 in 2025. The petition expressly declines to allege fraud, illegal voting or intentional misconduct, and acknowledges the discrepancies could have an innocent explanation. It asks only that the records survive long enough for a court to sort out whether the numbers can be reconciled.

County officials have forcefully disputed the group’s math. In a February presentation to the Board of Supervisors, Tinoco said the group relied on incomplete data and raw, handwritten field forms prone to human error, and said the actual variance in the 2025 election, according to the county’s election management system, was 103 ballots. Attorney General Rob Bonta’s office has said the discrepancies were explained by election officials, and said Sunday it has seen no evidence of election crimes in the six months since it intervened against the sheriff’s investigation.

The timing drove the emergency request. Records from the 2024 election reach the end of a 22-month federal retention window the petition says closes Sept. 5, after which some categories become eligible for destruction. The sealed ballot packages from the 2025 special election and their six-month retention period expired in May, and the petition argues they exist today only because the California Supreme Court ordered them preserved in April while it reviews Bianco’s seizure of roughly 650,000 ballots.

The justices heard arguments in those cases Monday in San Francisco, with a decision expected by late November. When they rule, the interim preservation orders lapse, and state law would direct prompt destruction of the 2025 ballot packages.

Election Accountability Project says it is a stranger to those cases and takes no position on them. Its restraining order is designed to keep the records intact no matter how the high court rules.

The group’s application asked the court to bar the county from destroying, deleting or overwriting records tied to ballot receipt, accounting and tabulation in both elections; to require any remaining sealed ballot packages to stay sealed, unopened and in official custody; and to require a sworn inventory of preserved records within 10 days.

The minute order confirms the restraining order was granted, but the signed written order spelling out the exact terms had not yet been posted as of Wednesday morning.

Judge Ottolia also granted an order to show cause, meaning the county must return to court to argue why a longer-lasting preliminary injunction should not keep the preservation requirement in place while the case proceeds. A date for the hearing had not yet appeared in court records. The county can also ask the court to dissolve or modify the restraining order.

News Channel 3 reached out to the Registrar of Voters’ office Wednesday morning for an interview and was told the office’s schedule was booked for the day. “Our office will follow all laws and guidance issued,” the office said in an email.

News Channel 3 has also reached out to the group’s attorney, Alexander Haberbush of the Long Beach-based Constitutional Counsel Group, and is awaiting a response.

This is a developing story. Stay with KESQ News Channel 3 for updates.

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Two decades, 50,000 miles: Veteran guide marks major Snake River milestone

KIFI on August 25, 2026

Maile Sipraseuth

GRAND TETON NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (KIFI) — For Michael Inman, the Snake River isn’t just part of the job. It’s where he has spent more than two decades building a career, raising a family and making memories. Last week, he celebrated his 5,000th float on the Snake River with Barker-Ewing.

Each trip covers about 10 miles, meaning Inman has traveled roughly 50,000 miles on the river, the equivalent of going around the Earth about twice.

During the trip, Inman kept the group entertained with stories about the Snake River, pointing out wildlife along the way and, most importantly, making sure everyone stayed in the raft.

Inman began guiding with Barker-Ewing in 1999, but his story didn’t start then. He got his first introduction to the Snake River after spending time nearby with his grandparents. He took a float trip with Barker-Ewing with his family when he was a child and knew he was destined to work in the raft.

Inman had originally gone to school with plans to pursue law, but Wyoming changed his plans.

“I just spent a summer in Wyoming and realized this is where I wanted to be,” Inman said, “I didn’t feel like going to law school, and I could have this kind of life.”

More than 25 years later, he said he has no regrets.

“I met my wife up here. We have two beautiful children; this is one of the best jobs in the world,” Inman said.

The experience he had as a child stuck with him, particularly the sense of solitude he found on the water.

“When you’re out on the river, you’re out there by yourself, and you can feel nice and alone,” Inman said.

Inman spends thousands of days on the water, introducing visitors from around the world to the Snake River and Grand Teton National Park.

And despite having traveled the same stretch of river thousands of times, he said it never gets old.

The river can still change from one trip to the next, and so can the people sitting in his raft.

“I get nervous on my Mondays,” Inman said. “Just having two days off and coming back to maybe a different river, but totally different people. And it’s just really fun to expose them to this stuff.”

He also hopes some of the kids who ride with him will carry that experience forward.

“Who knows, maybe they’ll be a kid on a raft one day and end up being a head boatman sometime,” Inman said.

After 5,000 trips, Inman isn’t ready to put his oars down.

“I’m just taking it one trip at a time. We’ll see,” he said. “I’m just float till I can’t float anymore. Float till the end. Don’t put a finish line on it. Just keep on going.”

I asked him if he had any advice for any kids who would one day want to be a boatman sometime. His teary-eyed advice was simple.

“If you get a dream early in your life, just chase it or let it chase you,” Inman said, “There’s a lot of fun things in this world to do, and this is one of them. All you do after that is find somebody that’ll pay you for it.”

For more information about taking a trip down the Snake River with Michael Inman or another Barker-Ewing guide, visit Barker-Ewing’s website.

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Oregon State Police investigate widespread vandalism at Lincoln County parks

KTVZ on August 25, 2026

Kelsey Merison

LINCOLN COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) — Oregon State Police are investigating extensive vandalism at multiple state parks in Lincoln County.

The damage happened sometime between 10 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. Saturday.

Police say several restrooms were targeted, with paper towel dispensers removed and other fixtures destroyed or taken. Fires were also intentionally started at several locations.

The affected parks may include:

Agate Beach State Wayside

Otter Rock State Park

Gleneden Beach State Park

Fogarty Creek State Park

OSP is asking anyone who saw suspicious activity or has relevant video to contact police.

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College students face rising basic-needs pressures as COD works to connect them with support

KESQ on August 25, 2026

Raymond Kalra

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) — As college students return to campus for a new semester, tuition is only one piece of the financial pressure many are facing. The costs of food, housing and other everyday necessities are increasingly part of the equation for students trying to earn a degree.

At College of the Desert, the school estimates an off-campus student could spend more than $27,000 on food and housing alone during the nine-month academic year. National research also shows basic-needs insecurity is affecting a significant share of students.

Trellis Strategies’ Fall 2025 Student Financial Wellness Survey included more than 65,000 undergraduate students at 153 colleges across the country. The survey found 54% of respondents experienced at least one form of basic-needs insecurity. That included 42% who experienced food insecurity and 35% who experienced housing insecurity.

For COD student Amber Searles, financial challenges have already had a direct impact on her education.

Searles recently completed her first year at COD, but her path back into the classroom was years in the making. She said difficulty getting financial aid was one of the barriers that previously kept her from attending college.

“Since I wasn’t able to get FAFSA, I wasn’t able to do school for about five years,” Searles said. “So now I’m coming back… and I’m able to do school.”

Searles said getting connected with someone who could help her navigate the financial aid process ultimately made a difference.

“I actually did a Zoom call with one of our financial aid officers here, and they got me FAFSA within probably a week,” she said.

Support beyond the classroom

College of the Desert offers several resources aimed at addressing challenges students may be dealing with outside of their classes, including food assistance, basic-needs and housing resources, mental health services and financial aid support.

Dr. Cindy Alvarez, COD’s student support resolution manager, said those outside pressures can have a direct impact on a student’s ability to focus academically.

“The holistic student experience is very important,” Alvarez said. “You can’t focus in school if there are other things going on in your life. So we have systems in place to support students’ well-being.”

Alvarez said the college’s support includes access to therapists through its TimelyCare app as well as services for students struggling with food or housing insecurity. COD also has affinity centers where students can connect with others from similar backgrounds or with shared experiences.

And if a student is struggling but doesn’t know where to begin, Alvarez said reaching out to a staff member can be a starting point. She said the college has a system that allows staff to connect students with a broader support team and resources ranging from crisis counseling and basic needs to assistance communicating with instructors.

Finding a community

For students, support isn’t always financial.

Third-year COD student Eliza Gomez, a health science pre-nursing major and president of the Sexuality Gender Alliance Club, said finding a community on campus can be another important part of the college experience.

“Every time we get a new batch of students, I’m always really excited to push through and be like, ‘Hey, there is community here for you,’” Gomez said. “It’s kind of hidden, but we’re here for you.”

Her advice to students — including those who may be returning to school after time away — is to take the next step after enrolling and get involved.

“You’re already taking the first step, which is coming back,” Gomez said. “It just takes… taking the second step, which is getting involved.”

COD is also planning opportunities throughout the semester for students to make those connections. Alvarez said Club Rush is typically held during the fourth week of school, bringing campus clubs together and giving students an opportunity to find organizations and other students with similar interests.

Getting students connected early

Tuesday’s Welcome Day at College of the Desert’s Palm Desert campus was one way the college is trying to put resources in front of students before they have to seek them out on their own.

That effort will continue once classes begin. Alvarez said welcome tents will be stationed around campus during the first week of school, where staff can help students who are lost, need water or have questions as they navigate their first days of the semester.

For Searles, who now has her first year at COD behind her, the message to someone questioning whether they have the time, money or ability to return to school is simple.

“Just do it. Just get it done,” Searles said. “Later on, or even now, you may be thinking, ‘Oh, I’m never going to get my associate’s. I’m never going to do this. I don’t have time.’”

She said students shouldn’t be afraid to use the resources available to them — advice informed by her own experience finding help when she needed it.

“Just don’t give up,” Searles said. “Just keep going.”

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Thousand Palms man who flashed gun during road rage incident sentenced

KESQ on August 25, 2026

Jesus Reyes

PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – A 27-year-old man was convicted and immediately sentenced days after being arrested for waving a pistol at a motorist during a road rage confrontation in Palm Desert, then fleeing from deputies.

Willard Alexander Giron Jr. of Thousand Palms was arrested Tuesday following the incident and a brief chase. He was charged with felony evading, brandishing a firearm not in self-defense, and probation violations.

Giron pleaded guilty during his arraignment on Thursday. The judge imposed a sentence the same day of two years and 8 months.

The road rage incident was reported at 10:50 a.m. Tuesday on Cook Street and Gerald Ford Drive.

Deputies were told that Giron approached the victim yelling and holding a handgun. Giron left the area in his vehicle headed northbound on Cook Street toward Interstate 10.

No injuries were reported during the incident.

The victim obtained Giron’s license plate number and description of his vehicle, which was provided to Riverside Sheriff Dispatch and entered into the Flock Safety System. Deputies from the Palm Desert Robbery Burglary Suppression Team received a Flock alert indicating the vehicle’s license plate was captured in the area of Indio Boulevard and Madison Street in Indio.

Deputies located the vehicle and attempted to conduct a vehicle stop, but Giron failed to yield, and a pursuit was initiated. With the assistance of the Riverside Sheriff’s K9 Unit, a Pursuit Intervention Technique was used to disable the vehicle, bringing the pursuit to an end in the area of Varner Road and Jefferson Street in Indio.

Giron was taken into custody without incident.

Court records indicated the defendant has prior convictions that resulted in a state prison sentence, but they weren’t listed.

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Police urge caution for drivers as back-to-school means buses on the road

KIFI on August 25, 2026

Hadley Bodell

POCATELLO, Idaho (KIFI) — Back-to-school means buses running their routes each morning and midday across the area. Police are prepping their patrol for extra caution to protect school children as they walk or ride the buses on weekdays, and urge caution amongst drivers in the new school year.

Lt. Lacey with the Pocatello Police Department said the new school year means more activity on the roads in the morning, whether it’s buses or parents driving kids to school. The Pocatello-Chubbuck School District 25 is also growing steadily.

“They have so many routes,” Lt. Lacey said. “Our schools are growing; we just have a lot of kids.”

Drivers must yield to school buses when their lights are flashing and especially when the stop arm is out. Lt. Lacey says the most important thing to understand is that younger children are unpredictable and may run across the street without looking.

“Both directions need to stop. The kids will jump out and go the opposite way of what you expect,” he said. “Drivers need to be very cautious about the kids that are around both sides getting picked up and dropped off at bus stops. We just don’t want our kids to get hurt.”

The only exception to stopping for a school bus is if there are four lanes of traffic and a clear median in between each duo of lanes, as demonstrated by this graphic posted by the City of Chubbuck.

City of Chubbuck

Once the doors are closed, the lights are off, and the stop arm is pulled back to the side, drivers may proceed.

The school zones in Pocatello and Chubbuck are also clearly labeled with times for reducing speeds to 25mph. School District 25 includes 23 schools, with over 75 buses running daily routes. Many students also walk to their school each day, meaning when school starts on August 26, crosswalks will be busier.

“You’ll see a lot of areas with crossing guards; yield to their sign. They are a human traffic signal,” Lt. Lacey said. “Until they’re fully out of the crosswalk and their stop sign is down, proceed and yield to them like you would any other stop sign.”

Lt. Lacey said Pocatello Police will have more patrol officers out on duty during back-to-school to ensure the safety of students. They will also coordinate with fellow agencies like the Idaho State Police to increase presence.

“We encourage our citizens to let us know if there are areas that are problems, especially for your kids that are walking to school, if they come home and say it’s hard for them to cross the street,” he said.

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Free car seat inspection, installation help in Sunland Park

KVIA on August 25, 2026

Gabrielle Lopez

SUNLAND PARK, N.M. (KVIA) — Parents and guardians can get a car seat inspection and installation help Saturday at the Sunland Park Sports Complex.

The New Mexico Department of Transportation said inspections are free and don’t require an appointment. They will be first-come, first-served at 4700 McNutt Rd.

The fitting station will open at 9 a.m. and close at 11 a.m.

Certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians will help guardians make sure child car seats are properly selected and installed. They will also check if a car seat has been recalled, expired or damaged.

At the inspection, guardians may replace a car seat for $35 in cash, NMDOT said. Change won’t be available.

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Black bear sighted in Crooked River Ranch

KTVZ on August 25, 2026

Kelsey Merison

CROOKED RIVER RANCH, Ore. (KTVZ) — Next, a black bear was spotted in Crooked River Ranch on Tuesday.

The sighting was reported around 7:30 a.m. on SW Mare Place.

Oregon State Police and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife have both been notified.

Officials are reminding people not to approach or bother the bear.

If you see it, you’re asked to immediately call non-emergency dispatch.

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Classes resume Thursday at Ethel Boyes Elementary, following AC repairs

KIFI on August 25, 2026

Seth Ratliff

UPDATE 8/26/26 5 PM: Idaho Falls School District officials said school will be back in session at Ethel Boyes Elementary School on Thursday. They reported the air conditioning system has been repaired.

“The replacement mechanical part was installed, and the system is up and running,” Superintendent Karla LaOrange said. “We will continue to monitor air temperature this week.”

ORIGINAL STORY:

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Classes have been canceled for all Ethel Boyes Elementary School students tomorrow, August 26, due to air temperature issues related to the school’s air conditioning system.

In an email announcing the closure, Idaho Falls School District 91 Superintendent Karla LaOrange confirmed the D91 Maintenance team is currently handling the issue. A replacement mechanical part ordered last week was installed this morning, but the repair must cure for 24 hours before the system will function as normal.

Without air conditioning, LaOrange says temperatures in the building reach upwards of 85 degrees.

“We recognize that it is unreasonable to expect our students and teachers to have an effective learning day in the building at those temperatures,” writes LaOrange. “For that reason, there will be no school at Ethel Boyes tomorrow.”

The early release only applies to Ethel Boyes Elementary and does not affect other District 91 schools.

“We appreciate the patience and support shown by parents and teachers this week as we work to ensure a comfortable learning environment for both students and teachers,” states LaOrange.

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Police urge caution as parents share kid photos during back-to-school

KIFI on August 25, 2026

Kaelyn Blessinger

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Lunches are packed, and the outfits are perfect; now time to pose for that iconic back-to-school picture. But before you snap that photo for social media, be aware of some of the hidden risks of sharing too much information on social media.

The Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office warns a child’s image can be spread far beyond the intended audience. Even if you’re just sharing to a small group of people, you have no control over where others can share your information.

“Be careful about what you, as a parent, post on social media when it’s tied to your kids and other sensitive information,” Sergeant Bryan Lovell, the Public Information Officer with the Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, said. “Social media is one of those things that’s out there. It’s on a lot of different platforms. They get a lot of fraud and crime and people, you know, hacking or pages and things like that. So making sure that you understand the security features on those platforms and you’re utilizing those to keep you safe”

Certain details such as your kids’ age, grade level, school information, and many more personal details can pose a risk to you and your kids’ privacy. Law enforcement has seen that criminals can access this information.

“You have criminals that are doing a variety of things to get your information,” Sergeant Lovell said. “And they may be using what you post and what’s on your social media to get more information. And that could be about your kids and where they go to school or where you live. And parents just need to be real careful about that. Even if you’re not posting that publicly and say you’re only limiting that to a group of friends or family or a neighborhood or something like that. Once it’s out there, it’s still vulnerable. It’s not private. Once you put any of that information out there, you can’t get it back.”

Sharing details about your children’s routines and what grade they’re in could be a safety risk as well. It’s important to limit details on social media but that doesn’t mean you have to stop this back-to-school tradition. Just be mindful about what is shared online.

“So just being cautious that way,” Sergeant Lovell said. “I mean, social media is a great way to communicate and keep up with people. But you want to be careful and make sure that they know how to be safe and that your kids are doing appropriate things online.”

The Sheriff’s Office encourages parents to start those conversations on internet safety once your child starts going online. It’s important to stay educated on various internet platforms and their safety policies. To learn more information about online posting safety, the ICAC website offers age-appropriate resources to teach adults and children about internet safety and to identify and avoid child predators.

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