Columbia shutters Shops at Sharp End after ‘series of discussions’

KMIZ on August 21, 2026

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The City of Columbia announced on its BeHeard website that the Shops at Sharp program will end in September.

The retail space that holds the Shops at Sharp End will be vacant and a meeting will be held 5:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 27 for community members to submit proposals for how the space should be used, the city wrote. The meeting will be held at the REDI Hub at 500 East Walnut St. Suite 105.

Public feedback had exposed concerns about funding, sustainability and whether the project has fulfilled its mission.

Previous reporting shows residents earlier this summer voiced concerns the storefront lacked visibility and failed to clearly indicate that multiple businesses operate within the space.

The Shops at Sharp End opened in 2024 through a partnership between Regional Economic Development Inc., The District and Central Missouri Community Action. The project was designed to support entrepreneurs while honoring the legacy of Columbia’s historic Sharp End business district. Funding was expected to run out in September, according to previous reporting.

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Sheriff’s ask for publics help finding missing man

KESQ on August 21, 2026

Tommy Gallegos

Cabazon, CA (KESQ) — The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department is asking for the publics help to locate a missing 33 year old man.

Sheriff’s say Cristian Nieto Valenzuela, 33, was last seen on Tuesday, August 11th, in the Cabazon Area.

Valenzuela is listed at 6 foot tall, around 190 pounds and has black hair and green eyes.

If you have any information, Riverside County Sheriff’s ask you call their dispatch at 800-950-2444.

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Men arrested for having hundreds of pounds of drugs at ‘Gathering of the Juggalos’ appear in court

KMIZ on August 21, 2026

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Two men who were charged with felonies for having hundreds of pounds of drugs while heading to the Gathering of the Juggalos in Macks Creek appeared in court on Friday.

Kevin “Bluntman” Jones, 45, of Easton, Pennsylvania, was charged earlier this week with first-degree drug trafficking and delivery of a controlled substance. He is being held at the Camden County Jail without bond.

A bond hearing for Jones was moved to 1 p.m. Tuesday at his request, court filings say. Jones allegedly advertised his business on the festival’s website and found with 128 pounds of weed and 2.5 pounds of mushrooms on Monday in Osage Beach, court documents in previous reporting say.

Dennis A. Pradhan, 49, of Silver Springs, Maryland, was charged with three counts of first-degree drug trafficking and two counts of delivery of a controlled substance. He is also being held at the Camden County Jail without bond.

Pradhan appeared in court on Friday and pleaded not guilty, according to court records. He is seeking private counsel and has a hearing scheduled for 9 a.m. Tuesday.

Court documents say Pradhan also had a business that advertised having drugs on the festival’s website. He was arrested while driving to the festival during a traffic stop on Route U and Whistle Road, the statement says.

Deputies reported finding roughly 90 pounds of marijuana, 124.5 pounds of psilocybin mushroom products, about a third-of-a-pound of ketamine, 27 vials of ecstasy and 40 vials containing ketamine and fentanyl, among other products, court documents indicate.

Robyn W. Weiford, 34, and Jesse A. Williams, 38, both of Bear, Delaware, arrested on suspicion of drug distribution and released on $50,000 bonds after deputies found 40 pounds of THC edibles, previous reporting indicates.

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Riverside County deputies investigate hit-and-run near John Glenn Middle School

KESQ on August 21, 2026

Tommy Gallegos

INDIO & LA QUINTA, CA (KESQ) — Emergency crews responded Friday morning to a reported vehicle-versus-bicycle collision near John Glenn Middle School in Indio, where several juveniles were struck by a vehicle.

Cal Fire says firefighters were dispatched at approximately 8 a.m. following reports of the collision. CAL FIRE later said its resources were canceled at the scene.

The school notified families that three students were involved in the incident and that all were okay. No injuries were reported.

According to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched at 9:17 a.m. to the 43000 block of Galaxy Drive regarding a reported hit-and-run collision.

When deputies arrived, they learned that four juveniles, including one who was riding a bicycle, had been struck by a vehicle. Authorities said no injuries were reported.

The driver involved in the collision was not immediately located, and no suspects are currently in custody, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to investigate the incident. Authorities said no additional details are available at this time.

The incident remains under investigation.

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Riverside County’s jobless rate rises in July

KESQ on August 21, 2026

Tommy Gallegos

RIVERSIDE (CNS) – Payroll losses in multiple sectors of the regional economy pushed Riverside County’s unemployment rate up to nearly 6% in July, according to figures released today by the California Employment Development Department.

The countywide jobless rate last month, based on preliminary EDD estimates, was 5.9%, compared to 5.4% in June.

According to figures, the July rate was three-tenths of a percentage point lower than the year-ago level, when countywide unemployment stood at 6.2%.

The latest EDD estimates indicated Cherry Valley and Coachella were tied for the highest unemployment rate within the county in July at 10.8%, followed by Blythe at 10.6%, March Air Reserve Base and Rancho Mirage, both at 8.5%, Cabazon at 8%, and Palm Desert at 7.6%.

The combined unemployment rate for Riverside and San Bernardino counties — the Inland Empire — was 5.7%, up from 5.3% in June, the EDD said.

Bi-county data indicated payrolls shrank by the widest margin in the public sector, where about 15,400 positions were recorded as lost, mainly in education, reflecting summer inactivity on campuses.

Additional losses posted last month in the agricultural, construction, hospitality and professional business services sectors, which altogether shed 4,600 jobs, according to the EDD.

Payrolls expanded in the financial services, health services, information technology, manufacturing, and warehousing sectors, along with miscellaneous unclassified industries, which altogether added 4,100 positions, figures showed.

The mining sector was unchanged.

The statewide non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in July was 5.3%.

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Driggs cafe owner and pro-life leader call for calm after viral clash

KIFI on August 21, 2026

Dylan Carder

DRIGGS, Idaho (KIFI)- Both a local coffee shop owner and national pro-life leadership are calling for calm and mutual respect following a flood of harassment and threats triggered by a confrontation at a cafe in Driggs. Jim Sheehan, owner of Wydaho Roasters and Kristan Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, have both publicly condemned threats of violence that arose after video of the incident circulated on social media.

The controversy began on Monday, August 17 in the evening when Hawkins and a group of local advocates gathered at Wydaho Roasters to launch a local pro-life campaign chapter and discuss family resources. The meeting ended when Sheehan confronted the group, asked them to leave and compared pro-life supporters to the KKK. Video of the interaction was recorded and posted online, prompting immediate public backlash and harassment directed at the business.

Following the video’s release online, Sheehan reported receiving non-stop phone calls, emails and anonymous text messages containing his home address. In response to the harassment, Sheehan deactivated the cafe’s social media accounts, website and business phone line to protect his teenage employees and family.

Sheehan described how quickly the situation escalated after the video was posted.

“About two hours after the incident in the shop,” Sheehan said. “This group had this sort of all planned and all queued up and ready to go. They walked out, chopped up videos, started posting them online. And immediately that night, we started getting phone calls and harassment.”

Sheehan added that people were “anonymously texting us our home address, just making it very clear that they know where we live.” He expressed concern over how online platforms can turn clipped videos into anger.

“I’ve learned that they’re able to sort of take and structure information in a way to get people outraged,” Sheehan said. “And it’s scary to sort of see the control that they have over these masses of people. They can just slip out a clipped video that totally misrepresents the situation and then get people to hate.”

Hawkins, president of Students for Life of America, shared her account of being ejected from the business she previously frequented.

“The owner comes out and starts screaming at us that we are not welcome there and then he compares pro-lifers to the KKK,” Hawkins said. “This used to be my favorite place to get coffee. Literally, I used some of my points today to get coffee because I come here so much and he kicked us out. So much for liberal tolerance.”

However, Hawkins subsequently issued a statement calling for civility and condemning any threats against the shop owner.

“People are going to have different opinions, but that shouldn’t prevent us from treating one another with respect or peacefully sharing a space,” Hawkins said. She added that threats of violence or death against anyone are unacceptable regardless of political stance.

Sheehan acknowledged in an interview with Local News 8 that his comparison to the KKK during the confrontation was a poorly chosen analogy brought on in the heat of the moment while defending his right as a business owner to choose who to host. On core issues, Sheehan noted his firm beliefs.

“There are some black and white issues, discrimination. Women’s right to choose. There are not gray areas in that black and white,” Sheehan said.

Despite their ideological differences, Sheehan emphasized a desire for open, civil conversation rather than anonymous hostility online.

“I’ve always invited people down if they disagree. Let’s come on down. I’ll buy you a cup of coffee. Let’s talk about it. We may not agree at the end of the conversation, but we’ll both understand a little bit better,” Sheehan said.

While the shop experienced negative phone calls and drive-by disruptions, local regulars and customers across the country responded with support, sending flowers, hugs and online coffee orders once the cafe’s website was reopened. Both the business owner and pro-life leaders expressed hope that community members can disagree strongly while still treating one another with respect.

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$275 million Wiwynn investment in Socorro is set to bring 2,000 jobs

KVIA on August 21, 2026

Gabrielle Lopez

SOCORRO, Texas (KVIA) — An investment to expand operations at the Socorro Logistics Center is expected to bring 2,000 jobs to the area.

Friday, El Paso County, the City of Socorro and the Borderplex Alliance announced that the Wiwynn Corporation will invest $275 million to expand its server manufacturing and testing operations in Socorro.

Wiwynn is a leading Taiwanese provider of cloud infrastructure, the Borderplex Alliance said. The company focuses on the design, manufacturing and delivery of servers, storage systems and networking equipment for cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure.

“The strength of the local workforce, the binational reach of this region, and the partnership we have built with El Paso County and the City of Socorro gave us the confidence to deepen our commitment here,” said Joseph Hsu, managing director of Wiwynn North America Operations. “This expansion positions Wiwynn to meet surging global demand for AI and cloud infrastructure, and we are proud to grow our future in the Borderplex region.”

Socorro Mayor Rudy Cruz Jr. said the investment and jobs represent a movement.

“We are building futures, forging innovation, and proving once again that Socorro is the City with a Mission—a city that delivers.” he said.

Mayor Cruz Jr. said Wiwynn established itself in Socorro in 2025. When the company started in Socorro, it brought 514 jobs.

He hopes the influx of new jobs will make the city grow.

“When you bring 2000 employees here, they gotta eat and shop and consume somewhere, right? So the City of Socorro is going to be booming,” he said.

During negotiations with Wiwynn, the city and the company agreed that a minimum of 5% of the new jobs would go to Socorro residents.

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Theresa Caputo, ‘Long Island Medium,’ talks about upcoming show at Quechan Casino Resort

KYMA on August 21, 2026

Lauren Duffel

WINTERHAVEN, Calif. (KYMA) – Theresa Caputo Live! The Experience is happening this weekend, and she spoke with News 11 to talk about the upcoming show.

Caputo, who is known as the “Long Island Medium,” will be at the Quechan Casino Resort’s Pipa Event Center Saturday, August 22, at 8 p.m., with the doors opening at 7 p.m.

During the show, Caputo, according to the resort, will bring an evening “filled with personal stories, humor, and emotional moments as she connects with audience members and delivers messages from loved ones.”

“I come out on stage, I give a little quick speech on how I communicate with spirits, and then once I start sensing and feeling things, I allow the spirits to guide me around the theater,” Caputo explained.

For more than 20 years, she has touched the lives of millions of people, healing fans and comforting supporters when they needed it most.

Caputo said changing people’s lives is the most rewarding part of sharing her gift.

“People that come to the show don’t know how to live after the loss of a loved one, and in some cases, people don’t want to live,” Caputo explained.

Before audiences leave the show, Caputo wants them to know “there is truly an afterlife.”

“There is more to life than in the physical world and that they have the connection within loved ones that have died this is a soul bond that can never be broken. I want people to know that what they sense and feel that remind them of their loved one who has died is truly them,” she added.

To learn more about Caputo, click here. To purchase tickets for the show, click here.

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Matias Rosales earns national realtor recognition

KYMA on August 21, 2026

Abraham Retana

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – A local real estate broker has earned nationwide recognition.

Realty One Group Gateway broker Matias Rosales has been ranked a no. 15 in the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professional’s Top 250 Latino Agents Report, and no. 4 in the Southwest Region.

Rosales said the results are thanks to the commitment to serve the community.

“I love serving people, I love serving them, I love seeing their smiles when they get the keys, the final moment,” Rosales expressed. “I’ve been doing it for 18 years and I wouldn’t stop doing it. It’s a great profession.”

Rosales also said the goal is to continue serving the Yuma community and be a mentor to generations to come.

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Illinois man charged in Boone County hatchet attack; resident describes finding injured victim

KMIZ on August 21, 2026

Ellyse Edwards

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

An Illinois man was charged Friday with first-degree assault, armed criminal action and armed robbery after a shirtless, bleeding man was found in rural Boone County.

Boone County sheriff’s deputies arrested 56-year-old Martin Paddie Jr. of Rockford, Illinois, early Thursday. He was charged Friday on suspicion of first-degree assault, first-degree robbery and armed criminal action.

The victim suffered significant visible injuries and was taken to a hospital, where he was stable, according to the Boone County Sheriff’s Office.

Mel Roberts said he woke up around 4:30 a.m. Thursday, to let his dog outside when he noticed the injured man near a large container on his property in the 8800 block of South Barry Road.

“I woke up around 4:30 to let my dog out, and I saw a man standing over behind this big container out here,” Robert said. “I saw his tracks in my yard from where he walked across the field. His shirt was off, and I saw blood on him, so I tried to talk to him … He didn’t respond to me, so I went back inside and called 911.”

The sheriff’s office said deputies were dispatched to the property around 4:26 a.m. for a report of a trespassing man who appeared to be covered in blood.

The victim told deputies that an unknown man drove up to him while he was walking and later attacked him with a hatchet, according to the sheriff’s office.

The man also said he had walked along the MKT Trail and Providence Road, among other routes, to get to Barry Road, according to a probable cause statement. He had cuts to his left arm, right shoulder, back, and the back of his head, accodring to the statement.

Deputies had already arrested Paddie after responding around 2:15 a.m. to the 1500 block of West Route K.

The sheriff’s office said Paddie called Boone County Joint Communications, said he needed help, and hung up. He allegedly called back a few minutes later and reported that he had hurt one person.

Paddie allegedly said he was homicidal and was armed with a hatchet, hammer and knife. The sheriff’s office said he was visibly upset, claimed he had killed someone, and told deputies he wanted to turn himself in.

Employees at the Break Time gas station on West Route K told ABC 17 News that Paddie was arrested in the store’s parking lot. Employees said the store was closed and no one was working when it happened.

Deputies found a hatchet with blood on it and several drops of blood inside the vehicle, according to a probable cause statement.

The sheriff’s office says that Paddie allegedly told deputies that he randomly picked up the victim on Business Loop 70 and drove him into an unincorporated portion of Boone County.

Paddie allegedly said he pulled over and attacked the victim with a hatchet. Deputies found a hatchet and evidence supporting the reported assault but could not initially locate the victim, according to the sheriff’s office.

Paddie told deputies he wasn’t sure whether the victim was dead, but said the man had walked away from the attack, the probable cause statement says.

Court records from Illinois show Paddie has an active case involving three charges, including aggravated battery of an elderly person. He had a hearing in the case in July and is scheduled for another hearing in September.

Paddie also pleaded guilty in 2020 to a domestic battery charge filed against him in 2018. Charges of property damage and interfering with the reporting of domestic violence were dropped in that case.

Paddie was taken to the Missouri Psychiatric Center at University Hospital after his arrest, according to the statement. He remained at MUPC on Friday afternoon.

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