Cole County EMS to implement emergency alert system for drivers

KMIZ on September 12, 2026

Melissa Houston

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

An emergency alert system that will notify drivers of EMS vehicles was approved by the Cole County commission and is set to be installed by the end of the year.

In a county commission meeting on Tuesday, the technology was approved along with the budget.

Cole County EMS Chief Eric Hoy said the project will be funded by a 2027 Highway Safety Grant. The grant is for 8,230 dollars, and it will fund the capital costs of purchasing the technology.

The Safety Cloud is HAAS alerting, a digital alert system that will link up to a driver’s vehicle. The system will be mounted on Cole County ambulances, and when emergency warning systems are activated, Safety Cloud will send a message to nearby vehicles, according to Hoy.

“Drivers will get a pop-up on their screen saying that there is an emergency vehicle approaching,” said Hoy. “It’s not necessarily cellular-based. It’s infotainment. So you will get a warning on your CarPlay or Waze or whatever you’re integrated vehicle-based mobile features.”

The software is not cellular-based, so drivers will not be receiving a text message but rather a pop-up notification on their car’s center display.

According to the HAAS alert website, notifications would be sent up to 30 seconds in advance stating alerts such as: “DISABLED VEHICLE AHEAD” or “TOW TRUCK AHEAD.”

Hoy said Cole County EMS has been having conversations with HAAS alert systems for years about potentially implementing the software and technology.

The reason for the system is for the safety of first responders when they are on scene at a roadside incident.

“Unfortunately across the state, there are, you know, way more secondary crashes,” said Hoy. “Some other high-profile accidents that have occurred from folks not, either having situational awareness as they’re approaching accident scenes or being distracted as they are operating around our vehicles.”

The hope from Cole County EMS is that this system will be able to better protect first responders on the roadway, giving drivers an advance warning to slow down and move over.

The alert system will be able to collect data on the modification of drivers’ behavior once the technology is installed. Hoy said the system will be able to communicate how quickly and how many vehicles are receiving emergency alerts as they approach a scene.

“We will have real-time data on how effective this technology will be looking,” said Hoy.

For drivers on the road, this alert system will be able to better alert drivers to an emergency vehicle in the area and potentially be more effective at communicating what is happening in their area, according to Hoy.

“We know that cars are more insulated and more soundproof than ever. So our warning, you know, traditional warning devices such as sirens, they have a limited effectiveness,” said Hoy. “Having the visual-based alerts that automatically populate on the infotainment center is just another way that we can get drivers’ attention to hopefully, you know, get them to move over in the right roadway.”

Once the software is installed, Hoy said he hopes this program will become countywide across other public safety agencies.

The project is still in its early phase, and Hoy said his team still needs to go through procurement, but the budget was approved, so he wants the installation and technical work to start within the next 90 days.

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First responders preview Battle of the Badges ahead of October boxing event

KESQ on September 12, 2026

Kiera McKinney

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ)- First responders from across Southern California came together Saturday to preview this year’s Coachella Valley Battle of the Badges.

The press conference gave participating fighters a chance to meet face-to-face ahead of the amateur boxing event next month.

Battle of the Badges brings together police officers, firefighters and other public safety personnel who step outside of their regular jobs and into the boxing ring.

Organizers say the event is also a way to bring first responders and the community together through a night of competition.

The sanctioned amateur boxing event will take place Saturday, Oct. 17 at Palm Desert Civic Center Park.

Several public safety agencies from across Southern California are expected to be represented.

Doors will open at 5 p.m., with the first fight scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

More information and tickets are available through the Coachella Valley Battle of the Badges website.

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Santa Maria Police investigate shooting

KEYT on September 12, 2026

Caleb Nguyen

SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) – The Santa Maria Police Department is investigating a shooting after helping a 34-year-old man to the hospital just past midnight Saturday.

SMPD officers arrived at the 2400 block of North Baldwin and found the man suffering from a gunshot wound.

SMPD officers then contacted people at the scene and found no ongoing threat to the public or additional victims.

This remains an active investigation, and anyone with more information is asked to contact the following number.

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Santa Barbara Police arrest apartment complex burglar

KEYT on September 12, 2026

Caleb Nguyen

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Santa Barbara Police arrested a 19-year-old apartment complex burglar around 5:00 p.m. Friday.

SBPD officers initially tried to arrest the teenager after he tampered with cars at Cliff and Loma Alta Drive around 3:00 a.m. on September 9.

SBPD officers could not find the teenager and further investigation revealed 14 burglarized apartments and two stolen cars.

SBPD officers found multiple items of stolen property and recovered the two stolen cars. Several victims provided statements and identified their stolen items.

SBPD detectives later identified the suspect as a 19-year-old man and obtained an arrest warrant from a judge.

SBPD officers noticed him walking on the sidewalk around 5:00 p.m. Friday and arrested him without incident.

He is being held without bail on multiple burglary, vehicle theft and grand theft charges and those with additional information on the incident are asked to contact the following number.

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Ashland renames dog park after 9/11 search-and-rescue dog

KMIZ on September 12, 2026

Euphenie Andre

ASHLAND, Mo. (KMIZ)

A dog park in Ashland now has a new name, honoring a local four-legged hero who served at Ground Zero following the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

The city renamed its dog park Tuff Memorial Park in honor of Tuff, a chocolate Labrador retriever who worked as a search-and-rescue dog with Missouri Task Force 1.

Tuff deployed to Ground Zero after the attacks and spent 11 days searching through the rubble for survivors.

Volunteers with the Ashland Parks Board said they had been aware of Tuff’s story.

“We’ve had Tuff’s story on our radar for a while and wanted to rename the park in her honor at some point,” Ashland Parks Board member Hannah Frevert said.

The idea gained momentum after Ashland resident Lex Long discovered Tuff’s story while visiting the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York with his family in 2021.

“In 2021, me and my family visited the 9/11 Memorial Museum in New York and we saw there was a room dedicated to dogs who responded to 9/11,” Long said. “And there we saw Tuff, and we saw that she was from Ashland, Missouri. We were kind of surprised but it,”

Long joined Ashland Boy Scout Troop 134 about a year ago. Then, in June, he reached out to the Ashland Parks Department about the possibility of renaming the dog park in Tuff’s honor.

“I just wanted people to remember and know that we had a hometown here who responded along with all the first responders and the heroes, and rescued people when they needed them most,” he said.

The Life Scouts raised $1,800 toward the bench, $600 short of their original goal.

“This bench is dedicated to Tuff, Tom Andert and to Missouri Task Force 1 and to all the military personnel and all the responders of 9/11,” Long said.

Long said the bench serves as a reminder of the people who lost their lives, those who served and those who sacrificed to help others following the attacks.

“We remember those who were lost, those who served and those who gave everything they had to help others,” Long said.

The sign currently marking Tuff Memorial Park is temporary. Parks volunteers said a permanent sign will be installed after the city finishes redesigning the park entrance, which they hope will be completed by the end of the year.

The renaming was part of Ashland’s annual fall festival Saturday, which ran from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

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Bianca Rae Foundation hosts record number of students for retreat

KESQ on September 12, 2026

Matthew Pearce

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — The Bianca Rae Foundation is scheduled to host its 13th annual Rae of Hope Retreat this Saturday, September 12th, at the Palm Springs Convention Center.

This year’s event, themed “The Real Me,” will welcome a record 750 middle school students through partnerships with local unified school districts.

The retreat offers free workshops on leadership, mental wellness, and life skills to empower youth across the Coachella Valley.

News Channel 3 is speaking with organizers and participants to learn more about the impacts of this retreat.

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Manufactured home destroyed in Idaho Falls fire, under investigation

KIFI on September 12, 2026

Maile Sipraseuth

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI)– The Idaho Falls Fire Department responded to a structure fire at a manufactured home Friday night, Sept. 11, near North 75th East.

The fire was reported around 9:16 p.m. at a home that was fully engulfed in flames when crews arrived. The fire also spread to nearby trees, dry grass and a neighboring property. Small explosions were happening inside the home.

Firefighters were able to prevent the flames from spreading further into the nearby property. The manufactured home and two vehicles were a total loss.

One resident was evaluated for possible smoke inhalation but declined treatment and transport. No injuries were reported.

The estimated property loss is about $250,000. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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Palm Springs Police Captain Melissa Cain leaves department

KESQ on September 12, 2026

Julia Castro

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) — After more than 24 years with the Palm Springs Police Department, Captain Melissa Cain is leaving the agency and continuing her law enforcement career with the Beaumont Police Department.

Cain joined PSPD in 2002 and went on to serve in a number of assignments during her time with the department.

She also achieved several historic firsts, becoming PSPD’s first female motor officer, sergeant, lieutenant, captain and acting police chief.

The department said Cain’s impact extended beyond her titles, describing her as a mentor, trusted leader and advocate for collaboration and new ideas.

PSPD also credited Cain with helping pave the way for others in the department and challenging colleagues to approach problems from different perspectives.

Cain will now continue her career with the Beaumont Police Department.

Palm Springs police thanked Cain for her more than two decades of service to the department and the community, saying she will remain part of the PSPD family.

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2 seriously injured after 4 thrown from vehicle in Boone County crash

KMIZ on September 12, 2026

Haley Swaino

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Two teenagers were seriously injured late Friday night after being thrown from a vehicle in a crash in Boone County.

According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, five people were in a 2024 Chevrolet Impala headed north on Route J. Shortly after 11 p.m., the driver — a 16-year-old Harrisburg girl — reportedly lost control of the car.

The vehicle went off the road at W. Drane Road and overturned, the report says. In the rollover, four of the five occupants were ejected from the car.

The teen driver and a passenger — a 16-year-old Sturgeon boy — were taken to University Hospital with serious injuries. Two other passengers — a 15-year-old Harrisburg girl and an 18-year-old Sturgeon man — were also taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

The four injured were not wearing seatbelts. A fifth unidentified person — a passenger — was not listed as hurt in the report.

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Tattoo artist’s marketing stunt involving Flock cameras goes viral

CNN Newsource on September 12, 2026

By Terell Bailey

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    DETROIT, Michigan (WWJ) — Flock cameras have become a growing point of debate in communities across Metro Detroit. Now, one local tattoo shop owner in New Baltimore is adding a little humor to the conversation.

Steven Jean, owner of The Alien Body Shop, recently posted an unusual offer on Instagram: Bring him a Flock camera, and he’ll give you a free tattoo. The post was meant as satire and entertainment, but Jean says it quickly took on a life of its own.

He told CBS News Detroit that more than 2 million people have seen the post. People have also sent him photos and videos of damaged Flock cameras.

“I’ve had people send me pictures of damaged Flock cameras — videos of themselves damaging Flock cameras,” Jean said.

Jean says the offer isn’t meant to encourage people to remove or damage the cameras. That’s especially important because damaging or removing someone else’s property can have legal consequences.

Former Detroit Police Assistant Chief Steve Dolunt told CBS News Detroit that there’s a difference between accidentally hitting a Flock camera with a vehicle and intentionally damaging one.

“It’s one thing if you hit it with a car — but these guys are going over it and painting over it. Well, guess what? You’re going to jail,” Dolunt said.

CBS News Detroit spotted several Flock cameras in New Baltimore. City records show the New Baltimore City Council approved a $7,500 agreement for two Flock cameras in 2025. The technology uses cameras to capture license plates and other vehicle information as vehicles pass through an area.

Jean said he understands how beneficial the cameras can be, but also understands why some people are concerned about how the technology is used.

“Maybe they should be around places where a really high crime could be committed, something like a kidnapping, or a sexual assault,” Jean said.

Dolunt said Flock cameras can be useful, particularly when investigating serious crimes, but said there should also be limits on how long the information is retained. He also said there should be stricter penalties if an officer is caught using the technology for non-police purposes.

“Keep the data in there for a week or two unless it’s an active investigation,” Dolunt said.

For Jean, the viral post is ultimately about starting a conversation. He says the reaction to the post shows how strongly people feel about the technology.

Jean told CBS News Detroit that someone even contacted him, claiming they had been arrested for vandalizing a Flock camera. He joked that the story might qualify for a free tattoo. He’s also open to doing tattoos inspired by Flock cameras.

However, he has one important message for anyone considering taking his original offer literally: “Please do not bring Flock cameras to my shop! It’s all about obeying the law and having a good time.”

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.