Dove-hunting season begins in Yuma with safety reminders for hunters

KYMA on September 2, 2026

Lauren Duffel

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – For some Yuma residents, the first sign of fall isn’t cooler weather. It’s the sound of shotguns echoing across the desert. That’s because September 1 marks the official start of dove-hunting season.

The early season runs from September 1 through September 15. Dove hunters from across the region come to Yuma every year to take part in the opening season.

Southern California resident Chris Elliot said he has been coming to Yuma with his family to hunt for almost three decades.

“It’s been close to 30 years. I look forward to coming out and doing this every year,” Elliot said.

Before heading out to hunt, Arizona Game and Fish officials remind hunters that they must have a valid hunting license.

“So, you’ll need an Arizona hunting license, whether that’s a hunting license or a combination license. You’ll also need the Arizona Migratory Bird Stamp, which is separate,” said Drik Butts with Arizona Game and Fish.

Licenses can be purchased online or in person at the Arizona Game and Fish Yuma Regional Office.

Hunters can pursue mourning doves, white-winged doves and Eurasian collared-doves, but there are limits on how many birds they can take.

“Eurasian collared-doves, you can keep as many as you can shoot because they are invasive. For mourning and white-winged doves, the limit is 15 total per person,” Butts said.

The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office is also reminding hunters to be responsible and follow all rules during the open season.

“YCSO did put out some reminders, such as: Do not shoot across roads, please make sure you don’t litter, no trespassing is allowed, and do not shoot within a quarter mile of residences without the owner’s permission,” said Tania Pavlak, a YCSO public affairs specialist.

Dove-hunting shooting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise until sunset.

Hunters are encouraged to follow all regulations, respect private property and take safety precautions while in the field.

If you’re going out to hunt, make sure you follow the rules and stay safe.

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Rare cat births highlight conservation work at The Living Desert

KESQ on September 1, 2026

Tommy Gallegos

PALM DESERT, CA (KESQ) – The recent births of a black-footed cat and a sand cat at The Living Desert Zoo and Gardens are more than exciting additions to the zoo—they represent important milestones in the conservation of two elusive desert species.

Successful reproduction of both species in human care remains uncommon, making each birth an opportunity for animal care teams and researchers to learn more about reproductive biology, behavior and kitten development.

Much of this work takes place at The Living Desert’s Desert Carnivore Conservation Center (DC3), a specialized facility established in 2016 for the breeding, research and conservation of small desert carnivores.

Animal care teams create complex habitats and choice-based environments that encourage natural behaviors such as exploration and hunting. Daily monitoring, veterinary care and detailed tracking of development help staff identify the conditions and breeding strategies that can improve reproductive success.

“These births are incredibly meaningful,” said Allen Monroe, President-CEO of The Living Desert. “Supporting the survival of a species takes extraordinary care, collaboration, and commitment.”

The Living Desert works with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) through Species Survival Plan programs and participates in the Black-Footed Cat Consortium. The zoo is one of just 14 institutions worldwide that hold and manage black-footed cats and one of 22 that manage sand cats.

The black-footed cat is classified as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with fewer than 10,000 mature individuals estimated to remain in southern Africa.

Despite being one of the world’s smallest wild cats, the black-footed cat is also an exceptionally successful hunter, with an estimated hunting success rate of around 60%.

For The Living Desert, every successful birth contributes to a larger conservation effort. By combining specialized animal care, scientific research and international collaboration, the zoo is helping build knowledge that can support these species for generations to come.

“These animals play an important role not only in their ecosystems, but also as ambassadors for conservation,” said RoxAnna Breitigan, COO of The Living Desert. “Everything we do behind the scenes—from research to breeding—supports our mission to preserve biodiversity and prevent extinction.”

The tiny kittens may be the most visible result, but the real story is the conservation work happening behind the scenes.

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Boone County receives $307k cyber crimes grant

KMIZ on September 1, 2026

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Boone County will receive a $307,205.85 grant to fight cyber crimes, according to documentation provided to ABC 17 News.

That figure is up from the grant it received last year, which was worth $303,044.

The county applied for the cyber-crimes grant with the state and was notified of its award on Aug. 4. The agreement needed to be signed by Sept. 4. The funding will last through May 31, 2027.

Part of the agreement says status reports will occur once per quarter.

The Boone County Sheriff’s Office Cyber Crimes Task Force started in 2007 and serves most of the Mid-Missouri area.

BoCO Cyber Crimes grantDownload

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Hearing scheduled for next week in 1991 Cole County murder case

KMIZ on September 1, 2026

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A hearing was scheduled on Monday for Cole County murder case dating back to 1991.

William “Chris” Niemet, of Fulton, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of his Russellville classmate Greg Jones in April 1991.

Jones was 14. Niemet also would have been 14 at the time. Niemet was charged in 2020 with first-degree murder. The trial has been delayed multiple times.

An arraignment is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Monday at the Cole County Courthouse. The hearing comes after the case was reinstated after a second dismissal that occurred last month. Judge Emily Fretwell had dismissed charges against William “Chris” Niemet on Aug. 11 and was ordered by the attorney general to reinstate the case.

The same situation occurred in July, with Fretwell using the same reasoning that the AG’s office did not have proper authority to handle the case.

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San Luis City Council denies mayor’s new project

KYMA on September 1, 2026

Abraham Retana

SAN LUIS, Ariz. (KYMA) – San Luis, Arizona Mayor Nieves Riedel is claiming political revenge after the City Council denied a planning and zoning request for one of her new construction projects.

Now, Councilmember Lizeth Servin is defending her vote to deny the project.

During the council meeting on August 12, Riedel Construction presented a 62-unit townhome project near Avenue E. The council voted 3-2 against the project.

Mayor Riedel said she believes the decision was made based on personal misunderstanding with some council members.

“Because they get together and decide how to vote and they can careless the people that works in construction even the City of San Luis receives hundreds of thousand of dollars in permits,” Reidel expressed.

Councilmember Servin voted against the project, saying it wasn’t personal. She said her decision was made based on what residents want in that area and what the original plan was.

“The original designation is commercial area but when she the owner of the company decided to change the commercial area into residential why? And my question is why because I understand housing is much needed in the community as well. The commercial people in that area want to see growth. They want to see businesses and new employment,” Servin remarked.

Riedel said her company will start the process again and will present it to the planning and zoning commission. 

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From Strange Notes to Indecent Exposure: Rexburg women speak out after stalking incident leads to arrest

KIFI on September 1, 2026

Maile Sipraseuth

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) — Several Rexburg women are speaking out after a week of receiving unsettling notes and uprooted flowers culminated in the arrest of a man accused of stalking local apartment complexes and exposing himself to the residents.

RELATED: Rexburg Police arrest man accused of disturbing residents while naked at apartment complexes

Ava Golde said her day started like any other until she noticed something on her windshield: a bouquet of flowers that appeared to have been pulled from the ground. But it was what came with the flowers that caught her attention.

Golde said there was a small rock with a note asking if she wanted to get to know the person who left it. The note included boxes to check yes or no.

She told her coworker, Cheyanne Xenos, who said she and her roommates had also received a similar message.

“The first time we were like, ‘Oh, this is probably just a guy who doesn’t know how to ask girls out,'” Xenos said.

Xenos and her roommate, Eden Beerman, found flowers and a note on their doorstep.

Beerman said the note also asked them to check yes or no about going on a date. She said the flowers appeared to have been pulled from the ground, roots and all.

Then, Beerman and Xenos realized there was something sinister behind the notes and flowers.

“That was when we heard from our power washers that this is happening to a couple different people, and there have been reports of a naked man walking around and leaving notes,” Beerman said.

For several days, the women said they continued receiving notes, rocks and flowers that appeared to have been pulled from the ground.

“We’re like, okay, this is getting creepy… And so we left a kind note just saying ‘hey, you’re kind of freaking out women in Rexburg,'” Beerman said.

BYU-Idaho sent a community safety alert on August 27, informing students about reports of suspicious activity in the area.

For Golde, the alert made the situation feel much more serious.

“At that point, like, I was already scared because she specifically mentioned, like, the notes and the flowers, like the exact same thing that happened,” Golde said.

Golde, Xenos and Beerman each filed police reports shortly after.

Police arrested the naked suspect early Saturday morning, August 29, 2026. He was booked into the Madison County Jail and faces multiple charges, including resisting and obstructing, stalking, indecent exposure, and malicious injury to property.

His identity has not been released.

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Idaho Falls Verizon store hands out chargers to boost disaster readiness

KIFI on September 1, 2026

Kaelyn Blessinger

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — To promote National Preparedness Month, Verizon in Idaho Falls gave away 100 portable chargers to residents at their store.

Their goal is to help people prepare their digital go bags in the case of an emergency, such as a wildfire or many other natural disasters where evacuation has to be swift.

A digital go-bag is meant to give some peace of mind and ensure you are prepared for any unforeseen disaster. Verizon suggests:

Taking photos of essential documents and saving them to the cloud

Having power units to charge devices

Pack priceless momentos in waterproof cases

Download offline maps and emergency apps

Set up family location sharing and learn satellite messaging

“In my digital go bag, I have all my important documents,” Ernesto Guerrero, the Senior Retail Manager at Verizon, said. “I have portable chargers. I make sure that all my devices are completely charged at all times in order for me to make sure that if I need to go, I’m ready for any occasion.”

Ernesto and the Verizon stores believe it’s important to be prepared for the worst-case scenario.

“Due to everything going on in our country, whether it be fire season or flash flooding, you never know when a disaster may strike,” Ernesto explained. “So better be prepared than not, and taking the right steps to do so is the first thing that somebody should think through.”

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Authorities warn of legal risks as ‘Cat in the Hat’ trend spreads

KVIA on September 1, 2026

Gabrielle Lopez

CANUTILLO, Texas (KVIA) — Some El Paso County institutions said they’re aware of a social media trend that could be depicted as a threat.

The “Cat in the Hat” trend involves artificial intelligence (AI) pictures and videos of the Dr. Seuss character. Some videos appear to show people wearing a costume of the character.

Some videos use the character’s likeness to say it’s going to appear in certain cities in a menacing manner.

Thursday, the Horizon City Police Department said there’s no credible threat to Horizon City schools associated with the trend. However, it said the posts can “create unnecessary fear, disrupt school operations, and require significant law enforcement resources to investigate.”

HCPD said if you see a post that references a specific school, person, weapon or act of violence, don’t assume it’s part of the hoax. It also said to screenshot the information and report it to law enforcement or school officials.

The Canutillo Independent School District said the trend could lead to legal consequences. The district posted the following statement to its social media:

“We want to reassure our families and community that we are not aware of any credible or specific threat directed toward any Canutillo ISD campus or the Canutillo community.

We are working closely with state and federal law enforcement agencies, who have indicated that the trend appears to be a hoax involving AI-generated images and videos. At this time, law enforcement has found no evidence that the activity depicted in these posts is actually occurring.

We urge parents to talk with students about the serious consequences of creating or sharing threats of violence involving schools. Threats are not jokes or harmless pranks. Depending on the circumstances, making or sharing a threat can carry serious legal consequences, including substantial fines and potential jail time.

If you see a social media post specifically referencing Canutillo ISD, one of our campuses or our community, please do not share or repost it. Instead, report it to Canutillo ISD at 915-877-6650 so we can evaluate the information and take appropriate action.

Thank you for helping us keep our students, staff and community safe.”

ABC-7 spoke with El Paso County Attorney Christina Sanchez about the impact of the trend for local schools.

“This is something that has not escalated,” Sanchez said. “It is not something to be fearful of, but just something to be aware of.”

Sanchez warned that the trend could become a criminal liability if someone reasonably believes there is an ongoing threat.

For example, if a post following the “Cat in the Hat” trend mentions or appears to be near a school, it could prompt a law enforcement response, including a lockdown.

“Those are penal code violations, criminal violations, that carry with it some significant consequences,” she said.

Sanchez said to report any posts that present a safety concern.

“What you should be thoughtful about is sharing posts through the internet if it shows something that could necessarily elicit a fearful response from other young people,” Sanchez said.

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CHP to conduct Labor Day Holiday Enforcement Period

KYMA on September 1, 2026

Andrea Turisk

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – As Labor Day weekend approaches, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) is asking drivers to be prepared.

CHP, in a press release, is conducting a Labor Day Holiday Enforcement Period Friday, September 4, at 6:01 p.m.

During that time, CHP said their officers will focus on getting impaired drivers off the road, and educating drivers about the dangers of driving under the influence.

The enforcement period will end at 11:59 p.m. Monday, September 7.

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Voter registration deadline approaches ahead of midterm election

KYMA on September 1, 2026

Madeline Murray

YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA) – The Yuma County Recorder’s Office is reminding residents to register to vote and update their voter registration information head of November 3 election.

Yuma County Recorder David Lara said one common mistake residents make is when they go to the DMV to change their information on their license, but don’t update their voter registration. 

Lara said this is important because if your vote registration does not match your ID it could cause problems when you go to vote. 

To update your registration, you can go online, to the Recorder’s Office, or to the DMV.

“Please look…update your information…make sure it matches your drivers license, go to DMV,” Lara explained. “When you change your information at DMV make sure you also change your voter registration information so it matches and now everything flows everybody is good you get to vote and move in move out quickly.”

The last day to register to vote is on October 5. Early voting starts on October 7. 

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