Author: CNN Newsource

By Seth Ratliff, Stephanie Lucas

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    September 7, 2025 (KIFI) — ISLAND PARK, Idaho (KIFI) — On August 28, Fremont County authorities arrested and charged seven individuals with felony charges of voter fraud and perjury related to the May 2023 election. The arrests were made following an investigation into voter irregularities in the Island Park area.

While seven people, or just under 2% of the 405 voters who cast a ballot in the Fremont County Precinct 1 election in May 2023, were arrested, they all have one outstanding factor in common: according to court documents, none of them actually live in Island Park.

The accused individuals are:

Christi Spinner & David Spinner

Marian McKenna & Rodney McKenna

Chad Vanderbeek

Marcye Gifford

Winter Mickleberry.

According to arrest and property records, their primary addresses are in cities like Rigby, Ashton, Idaho Falls, and Herriman, Utah. Despite the subject matter, the arrests received little attention outside of Fremont County.

How the arrests fit together – The Island Park Auditorium District

Local News 8 began its investigation into the arrests on August 24, after receiving viewer emails about potential voter fraud. We reached out to the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, the Fremont County Prosecutor’s Office, and the Fremont County Elections Office, and were told we would receive a call back. As of Sunday, September 7th, we are still waiting for a response.

We’ve also contacted the Idaho Attorney General’s Office and the Idaho Secretary of State’s office, who said they would look into the matter.

Court documents, including the criminal complaint and probable cause statement for each case, indicate the arrests are directly linked to a contentious local election: the proposed Island Park Auditorium District.

In 2023, members of the Island Park community petitioned the county to form the district and collected the necessary signatures to place the issue on the May ballot. The measure needed a simple majority to pass, but failed by just 9 votes: 198 to 207.

 The proposed district, if passed, would have imposed up to a “five percent (5%) lodging tax on all qualifying nightly lodging facilities that rent rooms or facilities for 30 days or less.” In other words, Airbnbs, cabins, and short-term rentals in Voting Precinct 1 of Fremont County.

The money from the tax would have been used to build and fund a new multipurpose meeting spot for the town of Island Park, at a proposed cost of $3 million.

“The community needs a place that we can have meetings, that we can have our clubs and do fundraisers,” Island Park Auditorium District Committee Member Bruce Ard told reporters in 2023. “We have no place right now that it will is big enough.”

Once again, the measure only failed by a handful of votes. According to the criminal complaint from the Fremont County Prosecutor, each of the seven arrested individuals “did fraudulently vote in the May 26, 2023 AMB LEVY-AUD, while not being a resident of Island Park, and did cause such ballot to be added to those legally polled, with the intent to change the outcome of the election.”

Authorities used court documents, voting records, tax filings, and homeowners’ exemptions to establish the voter’s primary residence. Court documents also indicate that the property owners used addresses such as Airbnb, leasing agencies, rental properties, secondary homes, etc., to vote in the election.

 In the Island Park case, some of the probable cause affidavits include a litany of excuses for voting in the election or registering to vote under a different address. For example, one property owner told deputies, “They claim their Utah home as their primary address because it makes it easier for taxes.”

While certain voting records are private, Local News 8 cannot confirm if those accused voted in favor of or opposed to the district; however, historically, property owners have interfered in or fraudulently voted in elections to avoid tax increases.

For example, in New Hampshire, Santa Cruz Mountains, California, South Lake Tahoe, California, and Alabama, officials have found second-home owners and dual residents who switched addresses, often when short-term-rental rules or new taxes were on the ballot.

In one probable cause affidavit, police noted one suspect as saying, “Well s—, sounds like we’re getting a community center,” suggesting they were aware of the potential for the vote to be overturned.

All seven individuals were arrested and charged separately. They have since been released on parole and are scheduled to appear in court on September 17.

Sources in Fremont County have suggested to Local News 8 that more people may be involved in the potential scheme. Local News 8 will continue to investigate this story.

All suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

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Seth Ratliff
seth.ratliff@localnews8.com

By Felix Cortez

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    MONTEREY, California (KSBW) — More than half a dozen people, most of them juveniles, have now been arrested in connection with the violence that broke out at the Monterey County fair Labor Day weekend, which eventually spilled into the streets with more fights and gunfire in Seaside.

Monterey police have announced they made seven arrests in connection with several fights that broke out on August 30 at the fairgrounds: five juveniles and two adults.

On September 1, 2025, the Seaside Police Department arrested a 17-year-old, and they were booked into juvenile hall for assault with a deadly weapon. On September 1, 2025, the Monterey Police Department arrested Mario Giovanny Perez Luis, 19. He was booked into Monterey County Jail for assault with a deadly weapon.

His bail was set at $200,000.

On September 3, 2025, the Monterey Police Department arrested a 17-year-old, and they were booked into juvenile hall for assault with a deadly weapon. On September 3, 2025, officers arrested two 15-year-olds who were also booked into juvenile hall for assault with a deadly weapon. On September 6, 2025, the Monterey Police Department arrested a 17-year-old, and they were booked for assault with a deadly weapon. On September 10, 2025, the Monterey Police Department arrested Roberto Mendez, 20. He was booked into Monterey County Jail for assault with a deadly weapon. His bail was set at $200,000.

Police said this case is being investigated as a gang crime.

The announcement comes just days after Seaside police arrested 20-year-old Adrian Lopez Bernal in connection with a car chase that ended in gunfire on Luzern Street in Seaside. Bernal is being held on $2 million bail.

Seaside police chief Nick Borges said that attempted murder was fallout from the fair fights; nobody was injured in the shooting.

And then on Wednesday, Seaside police served a high-risk search warrant at a Marina home on Tallmon Street looking for a second suspect in connection with the shooting, but that suspect was not located.

“The people involved, we are tracking them down. We have solid leads, solid information, and we are going to capture everyone involved,” said Chief Borges.

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By Ricardo Tovar

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    HOLLISTER, California (KSBW) — An emergency landing was reported at or near Frazier Lake Airpark on Wednesday night.

The San Benito County Sheriff’s Office said the incident was reported around 7:20 p.m. in a field near the airport.

The plane was flying from San Mateo to Hollister with three people on board, including the pilot.

The Sheriff’s Office said the pilot was newly licensed.

Preliminary information indicates the pilot overshot the runway and went into the field.

The FAA and NTSB will conduct the investigation, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

The Sheriff’s Office said the pilot is having difficulty getting a hold of his insurance, so the property owner agreed to keep the plane on their property until things are sorted out.

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By Ricardo Tovar

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    MONTEREY COUNTY, California (KSBW) — CAL FIRE says a woman had to be rescued Thursday morning after attempting to cross Regent’s Slide.

According to CAL FIRE, the woman was trying to cross the active slide from the San Luis Obispo side to the Monterey County side when she slid down the cliff and landed on a ledge.

She was allegedly suffering from a mental health crisis and ignored Clatrans’ directions not to proceed.

The CHP H-70 helicopter assisted in extricating the patient. She was not injured.

Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade assisted with helping the woman onto the helicopter.

In 2024, a man attempted the same thing and also had to be rescued.

He was charged with “wanton disregard of failing to obey a person directing traffic and failing to obey the traffic signs and signals,” CHP said at the time.

Regent’s Slide has been closed since Feb. 9, 2024, after a slide closed the area. Caltrans said that a reopening date will be announced in mid-September.

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By Chloe Godding, Andy Alcock

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    INDEPENDENCE, Missouri (KMBC) — The Independence Police Department is investigating after a shooting and home explosion late Thursday.

Police responded to the area of the 2300 block of South Arlington Avenue around 11 p.m. Thursday on reports of a suicidal person.

When they arrived, they learned a domestic disturbance had occurred between two brothers in which one of the brothers fired shots at the other, police said. The brother who was shot at was not hurt.

IPD SWAT came to the scene after learning the brother who fired the shots had barricaded himself inside.

IPD SWAT reportedly smelled natural gas coming from inside the home and turned the gas off.

Around 10 minutes later, the home exploded, police said.

The brother who initially fired shots was found dead in the home with a gunshot wound to the head, police said.

No other injuries were reported.

The investigation is ongoing.

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By Dorcas Marfo and Adrian Ghobrial

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    TORONTO (CTV Network) — When Michael Mallinson woke up from his afternoon nap on Wednesday, the phone was already ringing.

On the other end was his daughter, panicked and shouting, telling him to delete all his social media accounts. She told her father that his name and photo was circulating online in connection with the shooting of U.S. conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

“I was quite alarmed,” Mallinson, 77, told CTV News senior correspondent Adrian Ghobrial in an interview Thursday. “You never want to have your name out and about.”

When Michael Mallinson woke up from his afternoon nap on Wednesday, the phone was already ringing.

On the other end was his daughter, panicked and shouting, telling him to delete all his social media accounts. She told her father that his name and photo was circulating online in connection with the shooting of U.S. conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

“I was quite alarmed,” Mallinson, 77, told CTV News senior correspondent Adrian Ghobrial in an interview Thursday. “You never want to have your name out and about.”

What Mallinson discovered was that an old photo of him lifted from a deleted X account, had been attached to claims spreading across social media. The posts alleged he was the suspect in Kirk’s shooting.

Mallinson said the false claim came from another X account.

“I googled my name right away,” he said. “Fortunately, it allayed my fears … it was a story saying my image did not match the image of the person who had been arrested by the police.”

U.S. authorities said two people were detained Wednesday, but neither was determined to be connected to the shooting.

As of early Thursday evening, Kirk’s killer remains unidentified and at large. Investigators have also released two images of the person.

The unidentified person of interest is believed to have jumped off a roof and fled into a neighbourhood after firing one shot, U.S. authorities said Thursday. A high-powered, bolt-action rifle they believe was used in the attack was recovered, and video recordings of the person they believe was responsible are being reviewed.

Kirk’s assassination highlights escalating threats of political violence in the U.S. that cut across the ideological spectrum.

Mallinson, a retired banker, now spends much of his time rowing and educating with patient advocacy groups for axial spondylarthritis – a chronic, immune-mediated disease-causing inflammation primarily in the spine.

Around 2:20 p.m. EST, when Kirk was shot at a Utah college event, Mallinson was in Toronto running errands with his wife. They had gone to Yorkdale mall, stopped by a luggage shop and later returned home, where he took a nap.

“I’m just a quiet, ordinary guy,” he said.

Within moments, Mallinson and his family began receiving abusive messages, adding that he received “nasty” messages on Facebook calling him “all sorts of names.”

When asked whether he felt like his safety was in jeopardy, Mallinson said “ultimately, yes.”

“Once something is up on social media, it’s very hard to get rid of, so I’m worried about the longer-term repercussions of it, as well,” he added.

“(If) somebody gets hold of this piece of information a few months from now and doesn’t know the context of it, doesn’t know that it’s total misinformation … they may just get hold of that…and act on it,” Mallinson said.

The incident forced him to deactivate his Facebook, Instagram and Threads accounts, with Facebook being where he primarily connects with patient groups around the world.

“I was pretty loathed to delete myself from Facebook and sever those relationships without being able to tell them why,” Mallinson said.

Though Mallinson insists he wants to live “in obscurity,” his ordeal reflects a broader reality: the speed of false information.

Mallinson’s story isn’t unique. Canadian research shows misinformation spread rapidly, especially on social media platforms, even when many users try to verify what they see.

A 2021 report from Evidence for Democracy found that more than 90 per cent of Canadians say they encountered misleading or false information online, and more than 40 per cent admit having believed something that later turned out to be untrue.

“I’m very much about evidence-based information. So this whole idea of fake information, fake news, misinformation, doesn’t sit well with me. I just don’t really understand why people get involved in that,” he said.

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ctvnews.caproducers@bellmedia.ca
416 384 7070

By Christl Dabu

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    TORONTO (CTV Network) — Pistachios are at the centre of dozens of recalls linked to a salmonella outbreak in Canada. A food safety expert says one of the reasons behind the recalls could be that they were imported from some countries that have less strict food safety standards.

Federal health officials have recalled more than 100 brands of pistachios and products containing the nuts, such as Dubai-style chocolate and pastries, due to potential salmonella contamination, since late July.

“I think there’s multiple layers to why this recall is dragging on for so long,” Amy Proulx, a former inspector with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), said in a video interview with CTVNews.ca on Thursday, citing food safety standards but also a lack of labelling indicating the origin of the products.Pistachios are mostly processed in the United States and Middle Eastern countries such as Syria, Iran and Turkiye, and food safety standards vary depending on the country, Proulx said.

“The United States has some incredibly strict and comprehensive food safety programs, whereas in the Middle East, the food safety programs are evolving and they’re improving, but they are still in progress in terms of their improvement,” said Proulx, a professor and academic program co-ordinator for the food innovation programs at Niagara College.

Can pistachios be contaminated?

Birds feed on pistachios from trees and their feces can potentially contaminate the nuts, Proulx said. The harvested pistachios are processed with water and dried under the sun in most parts of the Middle East, which isn’t an adequate way to remove salmonella, Proulx added.

Other factors behind recalls

Based on her review of CFIA’s public database online, Proulx said many of the recalls appear to be connected to a wholesaler that sells packages of pistachios to different bakeries, food processors and other clients.

Lawrence Goodridge, professor of food safety at the University of Guelph, believes the recent cases of contamination aren’t new and that the company that exported the pistachios to Canada may have produced a large amount that has found its way into numerous items over time.He said some products with pistachios such as baked goods, or pistachios sold in bulk, may not have been labelled indicating the origin of the nuts. He advised consumers not to buy pistachios if they don’t know where they came from.

“It’s often very difficult, especially if those products are unlabelled, to, trace them or to identify them,” he said in a video interview with CTVNews.ca on Thursday. He said it’s particularly challenging to identify potentially contaminated products that used multiple ingredients.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency is continuing its food safety investigation.So far, laboratories have confirmed that 62 people fell ill from salmonella outbreaks in Quebec, Ontario, British Columbia and Manitoba, the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) said in a notice on its website.

But the actual number of cases is “likely much higher,” PHAC said in August, noting many people with mild symptoms aren’t tested because they don’t go to the doctor. Researchers estimate that there could be around 1,600 cases of illnesses to date. Although no deaths were reported, 10 people were hospitalized.

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ctvnews.caproducers@bellmedia.ca
416 384 7070