Judge denies NCAA motion to dismiss Sterling Webb case while adding Mizzou to restraining order

KMIZ on September 2, 2026

Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A St. Louis County judge on Wednesday added Mizzou to a restraining order to keep a defensive tackle eligible to play.

Judge Ellen Ribaudo added the University of Missouri to a temporary restraining order that she previously granted to keep the NCAA from declaring Sterling Webb ineligible to play a fifth year. The move was largely procedural, according to a motion filed by Webb’s lawyer, because Webb already has a spot on the football team. However, NCAA rules say that teams, not the NCAA, declare players ineligible.

The order against Mizzou would keep the school from holding or reducing revenue sharing or name, image and likeness proceeds Webb could receive.

Webb filed a lawsuit against the NCAA in late July seeking an extra year of player eligibility, arguing that the rules state he should have a season remaining. The NCAA said its interpretation of the rules means he has none.

Ribaudo also denied the NCAA’s motion to throw out the case during a hearing Wednesday.

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U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service loses 36% of workforce since 2024

KTVZ on September 2, 2026

Adrielle Hasara

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service lost 36% of its workforce between 2024 and 2026 under the Trump administration, according to federal staffing records obtained by a conservation advocacy group. Total agency personnel decreased from 9,957 to 6,333 employees over the two-year period.

The staffing figures were obtained through Freedom of Information Act requests by the Center for Biological Diversity, a national conservation nonprofit. The organization reported that the 36% reduction is double the loss recorded in the previous year. Center officials noted the increase likely reflects agency staff who accepted early retirement offers in the spring of 2025 and remained on the payroll through late September of that year.

Among those leaving the agency were more than 1,900 scientists, including fish and wildlife biologists, foresters and fire managers. The Center for Biological Diversity reported that national wildlife refuges are experiencing increased operational strain due to staffing deficits.

The loss of personnel comes as more than 400 species wait for federal protection decisions, including hellbenders and monarch butterflies. Over nearly two years, the second Trump administration has granted protection to three species.

Noah Greenwald serves as the endangered species codirector at the Center for Biological Diversity. He criticized the administration’s handling of agency resources and wildlife protections.

“These staff cuts are a cruel disaster for America’s endangered species and wildlife refuges,” Greenwald said. “The spite and incompetence of DOGE and the Trump administration may cost us amazing and beloved wildlife like hellbenders and monarch butterflies.”

Greenwald added that losing biological and environmental expertise creates long-term challenges for national conservation programs.

“This brain drain will be hard to undo now that the Fish and Wildlife Service has lost so many expert scientists who helped save endangered animals and plants,” Greenwald said. “Americans overwhelmingly want to see our wildlife healthy and flourishing, but the Trump administration has made it clear that its goal is the exact opposite.”

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Columbia man arrested in standoff was wanted for chase, gun threat

KMIZ on September 2, 2026

Matthew Sanders

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 23-year-old Columbia man arrested after a standoff that shut down a busy street was wanted for allegedly threatening a family member with a gun and leading police on a chase.

Ethan J. McCauley was arrested Tuesday after a standoff that lasted about two hours on Fyfer Place, just off East Broadway. Police closed a section of East Broadway near Boone Hospital during the response.

McCauley had been wanted on a warrant for felony fleeing police, armed criminal action, and felony resisting arrest, according to court records. The charges were filed after a May incident.

One of McCauley’s stepparents called police on May 11, saying McCauley had been banging on their door with a gun before firing a gunshot and taking off, according to a probable cause statement. Police say McCauley led them on a chase down East Gans Road and other rural roads, at times exceeding 100 mph in his Polaris Slingshot three-wheeled vehicle.

McCauley parked the Slingshot in a driveway and ran, but police caught his passenger, who told them McCauley had a gun on his lap during the chase. Officers also found empty alcohol containers in the vehicle, according to the statement.

Bond was set at $75,000. No hearings have been set.

Georgina Hovoni, 21, was also arrested Tuesday. No charges had been posted publicly against her in online court records Wednesday morning.

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1 million Salt Lake Temple tour reservations made in opening 24 hours

CNN Newsource on September 2, 2026

By Jeff Tavss

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    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (KSTU) — If there was any question about whether people were interested in getting a rare look inside the recently renovated Salt Lake Temple, that question was answered quickly.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said Wednesday that 1 million reservations were made during the first 24 hours when spaces were made available to the public.

The reservations, which will be the first time the public will be allowed inside the Temple since 1893, were claimed by people from all over the world, the church said.

Ongoing renovations to upgrade numerous aspects of the building have kept the Temple closed for over six years.

Tours will begin in the spring, with the first batch of reservations running from April through October. Additional tickets will be made available in the weeks and months ahead.

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.

No, robots won’t be teaching your kids. DC releases new AI guidelines for teachers

CNN Newsource on September 2, 2026

By Kate Ryan

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    WASHINGTON, D.C. (WTOP) — D.C. public and charter school teachers have received new guidance on using artificial intelligence in the classroom.

The policy comes from the District’s Office of the State Superintendent of Education for the 2026-2027 school year.

State Superintendent of Education Antoinette Mitchell told WTOP that her office has developed a stoplight-style system for determining when and how educators should use AI.

Areas that would fall into the red, or a prohibited category, include student discipline.

“Those decisions should be made by humans, and not AI,” she said.

Another red light is using AI for any purpose that could compromise safety or privacy, such as determining an individualized education plan for students with disabilities, teacher performance evaluations or physical surveillance.

In the yellow category, “These are areas like assisting in reviewing or grading student work (and) monitoring digital activity on school-issued devices,” Mitchell said. “Yes, you probably can use AI in these areas, but with a lot of human oversight and also, humans making the final decisions.”

Areas where Mitchell said teachers could use AI more freely include drafting lesson plans, analyzing assessment or attendance data, scheduling and drafting messages to parents.

Another aspect of the policy, Mitchell said, is ensuring teachers get robust AI training and that “staff only use those platforms and tools that are approved by their district.”

The new AI policy is not mandatory, but Mitchell said schools and administrators have asked for this type of guidance.

While using AI in grading is in the “use with caution” category, “for the most part, it feels like grading should be something that a teacher does based on their own judgment,” Mitchell said.

“When I was in school, getting feedback was critical for my growth and development,” Michelle said. “I believe that is the case for students in schools in D.C. and across the country.”

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.

El Paso Public Libraries Unveil Limited-Edition Library Card Featuring Zeke Peña Artwork

KVIA on September 2, 2026

Nichole Gomez

El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV)-The El Paso Public Libraries are inviting members of the communityto take part in Library Card Sign-Up Month. They are unveiling a new limited-edition library card which includes original artwork by respected El Paso artist and illustrator Zeke Peña.

Throughout September, Library Card Sign-Up Month is celebrated to emphasize the value of libraries and connect people of all ages to seewith what’s available through a library card. Whether it’s books and digital materials or technology, educational opportunities, events, and more, a Library Card from the El Paso Public Library connects the community to a wide variety of free resources.

This year’s celebration also underlines the features that make El Paso unique; Peña’s original artwork exhibits his characteristic borderland style on the library card, so that residents can keep it in their wallets and ‘Carry a Piece of El Paso’ wherever they go.

According to Public Libraries Director Norma Martinez, although a library card is small and can be put into your wallet, the opportunities it offers are unlimited. She added that having Zeke Peña’s artwork on the library card makes it even more special because it reflects our community and gives El Pasoans something.

If you want to know more about the Public Libraries, you can go to ElPasoLibrary.org.

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El Paso Public Safety Coalition Offers Free Medication Disposal Pouches at Fire Stations

KVIA on September 2, 2026

Nichole Gomez

El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV)-The El Paso Public Safety Coalition is helping residents safely dispose of medications by giving out free Deterra Drug Deactivation System pouches at all El Paso Fire Department stations.

The coalition includes the EPFD, the Department of Public Health, and the El Paso Police Department (EPPD). Aliviane, a local organization focused on reducing substance use and building healthier communities, is supporting the effort by supplying Deterra pouches for distribution at EPFD stations.

Residents can pick up pouches at any EPFD station and use them at home to safely get rid of medications they no longer need.

El Paso Fire Department Fire Chief Jonathan Killings stated, “Providing our community with convenient access to safe medication disposal is another way we can help prevent accidental poisonings, medication misuse and other dangers associated with unused medications.” He added that “since fire stations are situated all over the city, residents have a convenient and accessible resource to help safely deactivate and dispose of medications in their homes.”

Dr. Hector Ocaranza, who leads the Local Health Authority, said, “the health and well-being of our community is our top concern and that prevention helps to save lives, enables people to live longer and safeguards our most vulnerable members of the community”.

Residents are encouraged to check their homes for expired or unused medications and pick up free Deterra pouches at their local fire station.

To learn more about the EPFD or find a fire station near you, visit www.ElPasoTexas.gov/fire-department/.

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70 Years of Stories: KVIA—Your Community, Your News, Your Legacy

KVIA on September 2, 2026

Nichole Gomez

El Paso, TX (KVIA-TV)-For decades, KVIA has been a trusted source of news, information, and connection for the El Paso and Las Cruces communities.

As we celebrate 70 years on the air, Brenda De Anda-Swann, General Manager of KVIA ABC-7, who began working at KVIA in 1998, helps us look back at the stories that shaped our region and the people who made them possible.

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A love triangle and a witness: New details in Virginia stabbing death

CNN Newsource on September 2, 2026

By Alan Etter

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    GREAT FALLS, Virginia (WTOP) — The man accused of fatally stabbing a woman last month in Great Falls, Virginia, told a witness he was going to kill the woman, according to a Fairfax County criminal complaint.

Alexis Cedillos-Campos, of Herndon, was charged in the Monday, Aug. 17 stabbing death of 42-year-old Carmen Puch along Difficult Run Trail in Great Falls Park.

Puch and Cedillos-Campos worked together at a restaurant in Herndon and had been involved for some time in an intimate relationship, according to the Fairfax County Police Department.

The witness told police that Cedillos-Campos was working that Sunday but left early after Puch sent screenshots of their affair to his girlfriend, the complaint states.

The witness said Cedillos-Campos was upset and said he was going to kill Puch. He reported hearing Cedillos-Campos in a phone conversation with Puch at around 1:30 a.m.

Cedillos-Campos then left, wearing black latex gloves and taking a kitchen knife and a water bottle with him. Similar gloves and an empty water bottle were later recovered at the crime scene, the complaint states.

The 19-year-old then called the witness at around 4 a.m. to say he did it, then abruptly hung up, according to the complaint.

On the day of the stabbing, officers were dispatched shortly before 7 a.m. to the trail along Georgetown Pike where the body was discovered. Puch was suffering from multiple stab wounds and was declared dead at the scene.

Officers found the water bottle, and it had an odor of gasoline, as did Puch’s body, leading investigators to believe Cedillos-Campos tried unsuccessfully to set her body on fire, police said. It was later discovered that Cedillos-Campos had emptied the water bottle he took from the restaurant and filled it with gasoline siphoned from his motorcycle, police said.

Detectives also located a cellphone case on the ground near Puch’s body but could not find a phone nearby. Call records indicated Puch last communicated with a number belonging to Cedillos-Campos, who was arrested in Prince George’s County, Maryland on Aug. 19 after a brief chase.

After his arrest, police said he offered a full confession.

Cedillos-Campos is being held at the Fairfax County Detention Center on a no-bond status. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Nov. 30.

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.

Oregon Board of Forestry Governance Committee meets virtually on Sept. 8

KTVZ on September 2, 2026

Adrielle Hasara

Bend, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Oregon Board of Forestry Governance Committee will meet virtually at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2026. Members of the public can join the meeting online using the Zoom video conference information provided on the agenda.

The committee’s agenda includes a board self-evaluation listed as Addendum G. As a standing board committee, the group is tasked with recommending policies or policy updates to the full board regarding governance issues and administrative processes.

The committee manages the Board Policy Manual and leads the orientation and training of new board members. It also oversees board evaluation and improvement efforts while maintaining the repository of board materials.

In addition, the committee maintains oversight of written conflict of interest policies and procedures. This role includes reviewing annual or special statements submitted by board members.

The committee members are Ben Deumling, Heath Curtiss and Liz Agpaoa.

Accommodations for individuals with disabilities, as well as special materials, services or assistance, can be arranged prior to the meeting by emailing boardofforestry@odf.oregon.gov.

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