Month: October 2025

By Fernanda Silva

Click here for updates on this story

    KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KSHB) — On Friday, the Kansas City, Missouri, community is bringing some Halloween magic to a 3-year-old boy who was diagnosed with a rare and painful genetic condition.

Tucker Langford’s family is counting their blessings. They know exactly how precious time is, as doctors have told his mom, Chandler Langford, that the future is uncertain.

“They just told us to make memories,” Chandler said. “Because we don’t know what tomorrow could bring for us.”

His parents and grandparents put their careers on hold to spend as much time as possible with Tucker.

“We’re on limited time,” said his grandfather, Rick Langford.

Tucker was born on Christmas Eve with epidermolysis bullosa — a name as hard to pronounce as it is to live with.

“Any friction that he gets — putting on a shirt, if the shirt hits his head — will instantly cause a big blister and open wound,” Chandler said.

In addition to his skin condition, Tucker was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy on Sept. 12.

“The doctors said it could be weeks, it could be months. It just depends on how hard he’s fighting, and right now, he’s fighting like no other,” Chandler said.

He was sent home for hospice care on Oct. 6.

“It was hard for us to go through that, to see him that way,” Rick said.

To welcome him home, trucks, motorcycles, and even camels lined up in a parade for him. His mom says thousands of people showed up.

To lift spirits, his family is once again counting on the community.

“We’re trying to make it special for him,” Rick said. “We’re very blessed to be Kansas Citians.”

On Friday, they expect hundreds of people to stop by so Tucker can trick-or-treat without leaving home.

“We want them to see him, and him to see them,” Rick said.

“I don’t think I could tell anyone thank you enough,” Chandler said. “We’re making those memories, and the community coming together and supporting us is amazing.”

They say it will help Tucker in the long run.

“We’re going to try to get some video, and we want some things that he can watch to help relieve his pain while we work on him,” Rick said.

Bringing color to his life — when they need it the most.

The family says Tucker will be by their front door at 5801 NE 43rd Terrace, in Kansas City, Missouri, on Friday, starting at 5 p.m. Tucker will be protected from the cold.

They hope to do the same on Saturday if he’s feeling well enough.

“He’s happy. We’re happy,” Rick said.

After Tucker gets “all the candy he wants,” the family hopes to donate what’s left.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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.

By Victoria Balderrama

Click here for updates on this story

    MATHIS, Texas (KRIS) — A neighborhood in Mathis is dealing with Africanized bees, commonly known as “killer bees,” raising concerns for residents and their pets.

Al Pacheco discovered a hive of aggressive Africanized bees in a tire near his home.

“We have a hive of bees that seem pretty aggressive,” Pacheco said.

According to Texas A&M AgriLife Research, Africanized bees have been in South Texas since the fall of 1990, spreading to 163 of the 254 counties in Texas. Research shows the Africanized bee is only slightly different from the honey bee, but the danger they pose is significant.

“They’re super dangerous. They can and they will hurt you, or they can and will kill you,” Rick Sanchez, a bee removal expert, said.

Rick Sanchez is an expert in removing honey bee hives and educating the public on bees.

Sanchez reports a dramatic increase in Africanized bee hives in the region.

“In 2024, I did 16 Africanized hives in one season. This year, in 2025, this is going to be number 36 of the Africanized killer bees here in South Texas. That’s a lot of increase, a lot of population explosion,” Sanchez said.

Sanchez works all over South Texas, including Mathis, Flour Bluff, Calallen, and Portland, where he mentioned a recent bee attack occurred.

“Some dogs died there, I don’t know exactly all the details, but they were attacked,” Sanchez said.

The City of Portland confirmed they have received three reports of bee swarms within city limits over the past four months.

Sanchez believes human development is contributing to the problem.

“Man is getting so industrialized and so into technology that they’re forgetting about nature and they’re leaving it unchecked,” Sanchez said.

Texas Apiary Inspection is taking an aggressive approach to slow the spread of Africanized bees in the state. Sanchez suggests what we need are more beekeepers.

“We need to take care of our bees because we need them so badly and nothing grows without bees,” Sanchez said.

Most experts acknowledge that while bee removals are necessary, they often try to save the bees for pollination purposes.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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.

By Blair Sabol

Click here for updates on this story

    ELLICOTT CITY, Maryland (WMAR) — A high school senior who loves Halloween and tech has transformed his front yard into an elaborate Halloween spectacle that’s inspiring neighbors to join in the spooky fun.

Sam Reid created “The Fright Nite Show” — an automated display that parodies The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

“So when I started to work on the show back in February, it was just a crazy idea,” Reid said.

The impressive setup requires seven screens, four computers and significant power to operate. Reid programmed the automated show, complete with lights synced to music, smoke machines and more.

“So this year, our sound system is using around 3,500 watts of pure power going to our seven speakers around the property,” Reid explained.

The tradition along Carroll Wind Drive in the Hollifield Station neighborhood began after COVID, when Reid saw an opportunity to combine his interests into one spectacular display. It took some convincing to get his family on board.

“We don’t do a lot of like holiday decorations and Halloween was his thing, so he asked us, can you start doing some lights? Can you do a little bit of this, a little bit of that?” said Jarrett Reid, Sam’s father.

Before they knew it, the display had evolved into the immersive experience that now draws crowds on Halloween night.

“I said to my wife, I think we need to get more candy this year,” Jarrett said.

The show features plenty of action, including a guillotine that drops on cue, a new motorized element all built and programmed by Reid.

He doesn’t just operate the display from behind computers — he’s also part of the performance alongside characters like Tibia Turner and JackO Lantern.

The entire script is written by Sam and voiced with help from friends and neighbors. The audience is also encouraged to participate in the interactive experience.

Reid has noticed his elaborate display has inspired others in the neighborhood to step up their own Halloween decorations.

“Truly proud, you know, it’s bringing community together. We have a lot of people come by. Everyone’s excited, everyone’s very supportive,” Jarrett said. “Some of the neighbors got together and made a plaque for him recognizing how he’s been bringing everyone together and sort of the joy that he’s brought to the community.”

The show runs every 20 minutes throughout Halloween night, weather permitting. While Reid continues tinkering with final details until the last minute, he’s already planning how to top next year’s display.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate partner and does not contain original CNN reporting.

Please note: 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.