Idaho mayor dies after suffering medical emergency at town hall: ‘A shock and a tragedy’
Nampa Mayor Rick Hogaboam is seen in a photo released by the city of Nampa, Idaho. (City of Nampa, Idaho)
(NAMPA, Idaho) — An Idaho mayor months into his first term died after experiencing a medical emergency during a town hall, in what officials called “a shock and a tragedy.”
Nampa Mayor Rick Hogaboam, 47, was attending a Treasure Valley Partnership town hall on Wednesday in nearby Eagle when he died, according to Eagle city officials.
Eagle Mayor Brad Pike, a former firefighter, and Eagle Police Chief Travis Ruby immediately went to his aid, officials said.
“911 was called, CPR was administered, EMS arrived promptly, but their efforts were, sadly, unsuccessful,” the city of Eagle said in a statement.
Nampa officials said Hogaboam “suffered a medical emergency.” ABC News has reached out to the Ada County Coroner’s Office for an update on his cause of death.
Hogaboam began serving in early January as the mayor of Nampa, located about 20 miles west of Boise and home to over 100,00 people — making it the third-largest city in Idaho.
He previously served as the Canyon County clerk; was chief of staff to the previous Nampa mayor, Debbie Kling; was elected a Nampa councilman; and briefly served as a substitute Idaho state senator in 2021, according to his city biography.
“He hopes to utilize his experience and knowledge to advocate for transparent and efficient governance that is responsive and accountable to the citizens,” his bio, which he wrote, noted.
Hogaboam was a husband, father and grandfather who was “committed to a vision for Nampa where families thrive in a community where citizens are proud to live, work, eat, play, and worship,” his bio stated.
He was an avid reader, baseball fan and lover of sushi and Korean food, his bio said.
“We ask the community to please keep his family and loved ones in your prayers during this incredibly difficult time,” Nama city officials said in a statement. “As we begin to mourn this unbelievable loss, please provide grace while we navigate the loss of not only our Mayor, but also our friend.”
Eagle city officials said Hogaboam “lived as an example of integrity and civil service.”
Idaho Gov. Brad Little on Thursday ordered the lowering of U.S. and Idaho flags at the state Capitol building and state buildings in Canyon County in honor of Hogaboam, calling his sudden death a “tremendous loss.”
“Rick served with a genuine heart for public service and an unwavering commitment to the people of Nampa,” Little said in a statement. “He cared deeply about his community and worked every day to make it stronger and better for those he served.”
The city of Nampa was holding an emergency council meeting on Thursday in the wake of Hogaboam’s death to discuss maintaining city operations and the process for appointing a new mayor.
(NEW YORK) — The South is about to be walloped with more winter weather, less than a week after an ice storm ripped through the region, closing highways and taking down power lines and trees.
The National Weather Service has issued cold weather alerts from Texas to Tennessee and Florida, warning that prolonged exposure to the bitter cold could lead to hypothermia if proper precautions are not taken.
Several dozen people have died in multiple states as a result of the winter storm that stretched across the South and eastern U.S. last week, according to The Associated Press. The Tennessee Department of Health confirmed 21 weather-related fatalities on Saturday morning, Mississippi reported at least 16 and Louisiana confirmed nine, according to state officials.
In addition to hypothermia, the fatalities occurred as a result of suspected carbon monoxide poisoning and accidents involving cars, sleds and snowplows.
States are still working to restore power and clear the roadways of snow and ice that remained in the wake of the storm.
As of Saturday morning, more than 1,500 flights have been cancelled..
Not surprising, the airports seeing some of the most impacts are located in the Winter storm zone and where states have declared a state of emergency: ATL, Charlotte, Raleigh and Charleston.
Here is what to expect in the next round of inclement weather.
Southern states bracing for cold blast while thousands still without power Temperatures are expected to plunge across the South again as a new arctic blast moves into the region, bringing dangerously cold conditions while tens of thousands in multiple states remain without power.
On Friday night, temperatures are expected to fall into the teens across much of Tennessee and northern Mississippi, with lows in the 20s from southern Mississippi into Louisiana.
Gusty winds will make the bitter cold feel even colder for anyone outdoors, with wind chills near or a few degrees below zero from central Tennessee to northern Mississippi by Saturday morning.
Temperatures on Saturday afternoon will only reach a high of 21 degrees in Nashville and 26 degrees in Oxford, Mississippi. Thousands of people in both states have been without electricity for nearly a week, exacerbating the danger presented from the frigid temperatures.
States like Tennessee and Mississippi don’t necessarily design their infrastructure to withstand ice storms — they are instead engineered to handle hurricanes and extreme heat, more common regional threats, said Sara Eftekharnejad, a professor of electrical engineering and computer science in Syracuse University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science.
Restoration after an ice storm is often more challenging, because when trees fall, they tend to take down multiple power lines at one, Eftekharnejad said in a statement.
“An equal concern is the frigid Arctic blast and the blustery winds,” Marshall Shepherd, director of the Atmospheric Sciences Program at the University of Georgia and former president of the American Meteorological Society, told ABC News.
Heavy snow and blizzard conditions are also possible for the Southeast this weekend.
Snow will become widespread Friday night across much of eastern Tennessee, southern Virginia, nearly all of North Carolina, northern South Carolina and northeastern Georgia,
Residents in Georgia are “excited about the snow,” Shepherd said, but emphasized the overall concern for vulnerable populations such as the elderly and homeless.
The bitter cold is expected to ease by early next week with highs in the 40s and 50s from Texas to Tennessee on Monday.
It will be even milder by Tuesday, with afternoon temperatures in the 50s and 60s in many areas. Tuesday’s highs will be near 50 degrees in Nashville and reach the mid-50s in Oxford, Mississippi.
However, it will still be cold at night for those that still have to cope with no electricity. Both Tennessee and Mississippi experienced widespread power outages as a result of the storm.
Freezing temperatures heading toward Florida The Sunshine State will not be spared from the winter weather this time around, the forecast shows.
Temperatures remained mild in Florida last weekend while the massive ice storm inundated its neighboring states to the north.
The state will face a brief but potent blast of extreme cold, bringing the coldest temperatures in more than 15 years to parts of Florida.
Actual air temperatures are forecast to dip into the 20s across much of the state by Sunday morning, including Tallahassee, Jacksonville and Orlando, potentially challenging daily record lows in all three cities.
“Freeze conditions will likely kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing,” the National Weather Service said.
On Sunday, a low temperature around freezing is possible in Tampa, with temperatures dipping into the mid-30s across southern Florida, including Miami. Miami could also challenge a daily record low on Sunday.
If the low temperature in Miami on Sunday morning dips into the upper 30s, that would be the coldest temperature the city has experienced since December 2010. On Dec. 28, 2010, the low temperature in Miami was 39 degrees. The current forecast has lows at 36 degrees.
The coldest recorded temperature ever recorded in Miami occurred on Feb. 3, 1917, when the temperature dropped to 27 degrees. Records go back to 1895.
In Orlando, the current low temperature forecast is 24 on Sunday morning. This could be the coldest temperature that the city has experienced since Dec. 29, 2010, when the low temperature in Orlando was 24 degrees.
The coldest recorded temperature in Orlando occurred on Dec. 28, 1894, when the temperature dropped to 18 degrees. Records go back to 1892.
How Florida farms, groves are preparing Florida’s agricultural industry is preparing for the freezing temperatures. The state exports crops such as leafy greens, strawberries, tomatoes, bell peppers and blueberries to the rest of the country during the winter, according to ATTRA, a sustainable agriculture information source.
However, the wind chills will be even lower. It will potentially feel like the single digits in North Florida on Sunday morning, the teens in the central peninsula and in the 20s in South Florida.
Farmers have already been reporting frost damage in crops such as snap beans, sweet corn, squash and bell peppers. Cold exposure in southern counties has caused leaf burn and flower drop, which, depending on the crop stage or duration of exposure, can cause reduced yields or complete field losses.
Florida citrus growers have activated established frost protection practices to protect root systems and help moderate air temperatures around trees in anticipation of cold and potential freeze conditions, Shannon Shepp, executive director of the Florida Department of Citrus, told ABC News.
Leaders in Florida’s citrus industry hope that years of deployed treatments, therapies and replanting efforts to strengthen tree health will allow the groves to withstand the cold and freezing temperatures coming their way, Matt Joyner, executive vice president and CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual told ABC News.
“As is typical in these situations, it remains too early to estimate potential impacts, as effects will vary based on location, duration, and severity of cold temperatures,” Shepp said.
Florida growers are “experienced” in managing weather-related challenges and have navigated freeze events “many times before,” Shepp added.
The National Weather Service warned that strong, gusty winds accompanying the cold front on Saturday could create additional hazards and potentially disrupt final preparations to protect sensitive vegetation and pipes.
The NWS advised people to ensure that any tarps, blankets or coverings around sensitive plants or pipes are properly secured. Preparations should be completed by Saturday morning at the latest to avoid the strongest winds.
Reptiles could be ‘cold-stunned’ Reptiles in the state will likely become cold-stunned as a result of the temperatures. In the past, iguanas have been seen falling out of trees, and alligators appeared motionless in frozen waterways.
At ZooMiami, keepers are most concerned about its reptile residents, Ron Magill, ZooMiami’s communications director, told ABC News.
All of the zoo’s giant land tortoises and lizards that have access to the outdoors will be secured indoors in a heated structure, while the crocodilians will have access to constantly flowing water, Magill said. Smaller, more sensitive mammals, like sloths, porcupines will be brought indoors and kept in a heated structure as well.
The primates, like the chimpanzees our orangutans, are given blankets that they wrap themselves up in, Magill said.
The animals are also given more food, since it takes more calories to fight the cold, Magill said.
At Jungle Island, an eco-adventure park on Miami’s Watson Island, most of the animals come from tropical or sub-tropical climates, and therefore are brought inside as well, Jon Joyce, the animal care curator at Jungle Island, said in a statement.
Some animals, like the tigers, bask in the below-normal temperatures, and become more active and playful, Magill said.
Stock image of police lights. Douglas Sacha/Getty Images
(PUEBLO, Colo.) — At least five people are dead following a pile-up crash involving dozens of vehicles in Colorado that occurred as high winds blew dirt, making for low to zero visibility, authorities said.
The incident occurred around 10 a.m. local time Tuesday on I-25 near Pueblo, which is about 40 miles south of Colorado Springs, authorities said.
Over 30 vehicles, including seven semis, were involved in the crash, according to Colorado State Patrol.Pickups pulling horse trailers, SUVs and passenger vehicles were also involved, according to Maj. Brian Lyons with Colorado State Patrol.
The pile-up occurred during “adverse weather conditions,” Lyons said, with heavy winds blowing dirt and causing “brownout” conditions.
“Visibility was next to nothing,” Lyons said during a press briefing Tuesday.
There were four fatalities in separate vehicles — two men from Walsenburg, Colorado, and two women, one from Rye and one from Pueblo — authorities said Tuesday.
A fifth person who had been transported to a hospital later succumbed to his injuries, Colorado State Patrol said Wednesday.
Another 28 people were transported to area hospitals, with moderate to serious injuries, Colorado State Patrol said.
Authorities were working to account for everyone in the vehicles involved in the crash, Lyons said.
One of the vehicles was a pickup hauling a gooseneck trailer containing 32 goats, Colorado State Patrol said. Four of the goats died, while the rest were safely removed, it said.
Northbound I-25 was closed for several hours as crews worked to clear vehicles, before reopening late Tuesday.
“Due to low visibility, drivers are urged to delay traveling until conditions improve,” Colorado State Patrol said. “If travel is necessary, avoid I-25 in this area, use caution, and reduce speed.”
High wind warnings were in effect for the region on Tuesday. The National Weather Service in Pueblo warned that “significant blowing dust” was possible on the plains, where gusts could be up to 65 mph. Gusts of at least 85 mph were also forecast for mountain areas, it said.
A memorial dedicated to the 19 children and two adults murdered on May 24,2022 during a mass shooting at Robb Elementary School is seen on January 05, 2026 in Uvalde, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
(UVALDE, Texas) — A jury has acquitted former Uvalde, Texas, school police officer Adrian Gonzales for his response to the Robb Elementary shooting in May 2022.
After more than seven hours of deliberations, the jury returned a not guilty verdict Wednesday evening on all 29 counts of child endangerment.
As the verdict was read, Gonzalez bowed his head as he heard it. Several of those sitting in the gallery started crying. He hugged his lawyers, shook hands and appeared to be tearing up.
Gonzales was among the first officers to respond to the mass shooting, in which 19 students and two teachers were killed. It took 77 minutes before law enforcement mounted a counterassault to end the rampage.
Prosecutors alleged Gonzales did not follow his training and endangered the 19 students who died and an additional 10 surviving students.
Lawyers for Gonzales, who pleaded not guilty, argued he was unfairly blamed for a broader law-enforcement failure that day.
Ex-officer: Focused on ‘picking up the pieces’ When he walked out of the courtroom on Wednesday night after the jury acquitted him, Gonzales was a man of few words.
“I want to start by thanking God for this — my family, my wife and these guys — he put them in my path,” he told reporters, referring to his lawyers. “Thank you for the jury, for considering all the evidence.”
When ABC News’ John Quiñones asked him, “What does moving on look like to you?” he answered succinctly.
“Picking up the pieces and moving forward,” Gonzales said.
Asked about the frustration of some of the families of victims about the verdict, defense attorney Nico LaHood said he’s “sorry that they feel that way” and vowed to pray for them.
“We pray for them. We’re sorry that they feel that way. We understand that their separation from their loved one is going to be felt as long as they walk on this earth, and we don’t, we don’t ignore that. We acknowledge that we’re just going to continue to pray for them. So I’m very sorry that they feel that way,” he said.
According to LaHood — who said he spoke with some of the jurors after the verdict — the jury was saddened by the trial but couldn’t see through some gaps in the prosecution’s case.
“They were very mindful and deliberate,” LaHood said. “Obviously, they were saddened, because they know what the other families are mourning still, but they said there were a lot of gaps in the evidence, and some of it didn’t make sense.”
Jason Goss, another attorney for Gonzales, told reporters that he believes the verdict clears his client’s name.
“The evidence showed that not only did he not fail, but he put himself in great danger,” Goss said. “So, you can imagine how somebody who has had the entire country look at him as somebody who was not willing to do his duty. He is a proud man who does do his duty. And he went in there. When it was time for him to go, he went in there.”
Families of the victims react
For Jacinto Cazares — whose 9-year-old daughter Jackie died in the shooting — the verdict was yet another instance of the legal system failing to deliver justice after one of the worst mass shootings in US history.
“We had a little hope, but it wasn’t enough,” he said outside the court. “Again, we are failed. I don’t even know what to say.”
Cazares said he was hopeful that the jury might have reached a different conclusion but “prepared for the worst.”
“I need to keep composed for my daughter. It has been an emotional roller coaster since day one. I am pissed,” he said.
Jesse Rizo, Jackie’s uncle, told reporters he was concerned about the message the verdict might send to police officers who respond to future mass shootings.
“I respect the jury’s decision, but what message does it send?” he said. “If you’re an officer, you can simply stand by, stand down, stand idle, and not do anything and wait for everybody to be executed, killed, slaughtered, massacred.”
When asked about the defense case by ABC’s John Quiñones, Jackie’s aunt Julissa Rizo pushed back on the defense narrative that Gonzales acted heroically that day.
“The defense said he did as much as he could,” Quiñones said.
“That’s not true,” she responded. “There were two monsters on May 24. One was the shooter, and the other one was the one that never went in, that could have avoided this.”
How the trial unfolded Each of the 29 counts Gonzales faced carried a maximum penalty of two years in prison, and h. could have spent the rest of his life in prison if he was convicted.
Prosecutors claimed Gonzales had a unique opportunity to stop the carnage when he arrived and learned gunman Salvador Ramos’ location from a teaching aide. The aide testified that she repeatedly urged Gonzales to intervene, but said the officer did “nothing” in those crucial moments. Prosecutors also argued Gonzales failed to act once he got inside the school.
Before jurors were sent to deliberate, District Attorney Christina Mitchell gave an impassioned plea, saying, “I know this case is difficult, and it has been difficult. But we cannot continue to let children die in vain.”
The defense argued that Gonzales did everything he could in that moment — including gathering critical information, evacuating children and entering the school — and said Gonzales acted on the information he had. The defense also highlighted that other officers arrived in the same timeframe as Gonzales and that at least one officer had an opportunity to shoot the gunman before he entered the school.
This case marks the second time in U.S. history that prosecutors have sought to hold a member of law enforcement criminally accountable for their response to a mass shooting.
In 2023, a Florida jury acquitted Scot Peterson, a former Broward County sheriff’s deputy, who was charged with child neglect and culpable negligence for his alleged inaction during the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. Peterson’s lawyers argued his role as an armed school resource officer did not amount to a caregiving post needed to prove child neglect in Florida, and that the response to the shooting was muddled by poor communication.
Former Uvalde Schools Police Chief Pete Arredondo — who was the on-site commander on the day of the Robb Elementary shooting — is also charged with endangerment or abandonment of a child and has pleaded not guilty. Arredondo’s case has been delayed indefinitely by an ongoing federal lawsuit filed after the U.S. Border Patrol refused repeated efforts by Uvalde prosecutors to interview Border Patrol agents who responded to the shooting, including two who were in the tactical unit responsible for killing the gunman at the school.
“What happened to Uvalde on May 24 can happen anywhere, at any time,” she said. “If it’s going to happen, and if we have laws mandating what the responsibility of a law enforcement peace officer is for a school district, then we better be ready to back it up.”
