Driver says he could have died in sub-zero cold before NFTA officer stepped up

CNN Newsource on February 17, 2026

By Jiovanni Lieggi

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    ELMA, New York (WKBW) — When temperatures drop in Western New York, it does not just feel cold. It becomes dangerous.

For Matt, who didn’t want to share his last name, that danger became real on a recent night in Elma.

Matt said he had run out of gas, and when he reached for his phone to call for help, it was dead.

With temperatures hovering around negative nine degrees, he says there was no choice but to get out of his car and try to flag someone down.

“I had no other choice,” Matt said. “It’s minus nine degrees. I’m walking behind my truck saying, ‘Please, please, I just need somebody. I need a phone.'”

Matt said that cars passed and no one stopped, until someone did.

Lt. Mike Fontana of the Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Police Department saw Matt. He wasn’t responding to a call and wasn’t dispatched, according to the department. He simply saw someone who needed help.

“I either would’ve been dead or catching something that puts me on the doorstep of it,” Matt said.

Lt. Fontana pulled over and stayed with him. With 16 years on the job, he says stepping in was second nature.

“We get the opportunity every day to provide some form of assistance,” Fontana said. “Whether it’s helping a victim or a person in need — we’re there.”

Matt reached out to the department to tell them what the moment meant to him.

“It shows a positive light on our department, it shows a positive light on our profession, and it shows a positive light on the good side of human nature, to look out for one another,” Fontana said.

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.

Second graders experience beach for first time during Guadalupe Center’s annual Buddy Day

CNN Newsource on February 17, 2026

By Victoria Quevedo

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    IMMOKALEE, Florida (WFTX) — The Guadalupe Center in Immokalee brought second graders to Hideaway Beach on Marco Island for their annual Buddy Day event, giving many children their first experience at the beach.

“My dream has come true,” said Pedro, a second grade student.

“It’s a special day, because our students are able to experience different opportunities, like going to the beach, looking for seashells, learning about birds,” said Dawn Montecalvo, president and CEO of Guadalupe Center.

The Guadalupe Center is an early education center with the mission to break the cycle of poverty through education. During their beach trip, children rotated through different learning stations.

“We explore the beach. We do shelling, we look at books, we learn about birding,” said Bill Dempsey, president of the Guadalupe Center Board of Trustees.

For more than 25 years, Buddy Day has paired second graders with community volunteers for a day of learning and exploration at the beach.

“It’s really great to bring two generations together and each learning from each other and becoming friends and buddies,” Montecalvo said.

“It’s an amazing day where buddies, these are older people, come enjoying with these young, wonderful children to share the love,” Dempsey said.

For many students, the experience was unforgettable.

“I’ve never been to the beach,” one student said.

“I love buddy day,” said another.

“I like the beach, its the best day ever,” a third student shared.

“I’m happy because I want to learn more about seashells,” another child added.

According to Dempsey, the event creates a strong bond between the Marco Island and Immokalee communities while providing second graders with memories that will last a lifetime.

“It’s the best day ever,” another student said.

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

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.

Chasing Olympic dreams: New Neutral Zone ice rink hosts grand opening in Rexburg

KIFI on February 17, 2026

David Pace

REXBURG, Idaho (KIFI) – For Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic fans looking for local skating opportunities while dreaming big, a world-class ice rink celebrated its grand opening Monday in Rexburg.

“My dreams are, for hockey, to play for Team USA and win or play for the NHL Colorado Avalanche,” said 11-year-old Clark Prince, a goalie for the Rexburg Wildcats.

The Neutral Zone, a $5.5 million National Hockey League-sized ice staking and hockey rink, was gifted to the city of Rexburg at the start of February by an anonymous Canadian man who wanted to provide a fun, winter destination for skaters and winter sports enthusiasts of all ages.

“It’s nice because this guy built the rink, and I like it,”said Prince. “It’s better than IF’s rink.”

Monday featured a ribbon cutting, figure skating performances, games with the Spud Kings, ice bocce, a youth hockey scrimmage and public skating all evening long.

“We’re excited to have something else for people to do in the wintertime here in Rexburg,” said Mayor Jerry Merrill. “ We’ve got lots of kids here playing. They’re playing ice bocce right now. That’s one of the games we’re going to be able to offer, along with figure skating, hockey, leagues, tournaments and all that kind of thing. We’ve got something for everyone.”

Merrill said young kids and even adults can use red skating stands to learn how to skate.

The city hopes to be able to offer skating and hockey all year long, right next to Rexburg Rapids, provided it’s economically feasible.

Currently, the nearest 365-day ice rink is located in Logan, Utah.

With lots of little eyes focused on the Olympics in Italy and a brand-new, world-class facility in the Upper Valley, who knows whether the next generation of future Olympians might get their start in Rexburg, Idaho?

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Rain brings slick roads to Coachella Valley, conditions improve by evening

KESQ on February 17, 2026

Shay Lawson

PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ)  – Rain moving through the Coachella Valley creating slick driving conditions along Interstate 10 earlier Monday.

Just after 4 p.m. a vehicle rolling over off the freeway heading eastbound near Haugen Lehmann.

California Highway Patrol confirming there were 2 passengers with first responders transporting 1 to a nearby hospital.

Conditions improving as the night continued.

While rain fell at times, foot traffic remained steady in Palm Springs.

Modernism Week helped bring people into downtown businesses despite the weather, though some reported a slowdown later in the day.

Still, some visitors said the weather did not dampen their plans.

“It’s not going to impede our time here,” Doug Williams, visitor said. “We’re here for a week, so we’re going to make the best of it.”

Stay with News Channel 3 for continuing coverage.

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Blackfoot hosts Powerlifting Competition to help fundraise for new equipment

KIFI on February 17, 2026

Max Gershon

BLACKFOOT, Idaho (KIFI) — Powerlifitng isn’t as well known as a lot of high school sports, but more students are getting into the action and the local interest is growing. 

Today in Blackfoot, the first event of the season was a fundraiser to help bring new equipment to the schools weight room.

In powerlifting, athletes test their maximum strength across three lifts. The squat, the bench press, and the deadlift. Each successful lift counts toward a combined total that determines placement.

Organizers say the meet gives a wider range of students the chance to compete, including those who may not participate in traditional school sports. This year would be the first ever sanctioned powerlifting meet to take place in a high school in the state of Idaho. 

The competition also serves as a fundraiser for the School Strength program, which supports hundreds of students each day and relies on shared equipment to host events. 

“We get a lot of kids, that play sports for the school, but then we get a lot of kids who don’t play sports for the school, and it’s an opportunity for them to compete and demonstrate their strength as well.” said Geoff Roberts, the Strength Coach for Blackfoot High school.

For athletes, the platform is a chance to showcase years of training and measure progress in a sport built on discipline and consistency.

“I’ve been competing for a year, officially, but I’ve been lifting six years,” said Kyler Sanders, a senior powerlifter who’s on the football team. “I just like the competitiveness to it. I just like lifting. And it’s just a way to come show everybody what I can lift.”

As participation grows, organizers hope more students and the community discover the sport’s impact both on and off the platform. 

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Fire danger “critical”; leads to potential power shutoffs

KRDO on February 17, 2026

Michael Logerwell

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – El Paso County is under a Stage 2 fire restriction. Parts of Pueblo and Fremont County could see their power turned off; Southern Colorado is already feeling the impact of fire danger without smoke filling the sky.

RELATED: Black Hills Energy on emergency shutoff watch in select counties due to fire danger

“I think we’re at a critical position with our fire danger,” said Cimarron Hills Fire Chief, Andrew York.

A quarter after 11:00 A.M. Monday, members of the Cimarron Hills Fire Department responded to a mutual aid request from the Falcon Fire Department.

Picture of the grass fire from the CMFD social media account.

The fire only burned around 12 acres, but not due to a lack of fuel.

“When you start looking at our fuel moisture, if you look at even just the mountains that have had very little snow this year. So our snowpack is down a lot from what it normally is. We just haven’t had the moisture through the winter. We didn’t really have a lot of moisture last year either,” said Chief York.

Two years in a row with subpar precipitation and increased wind gusts are why El Paso County Sheriff Joseph Roybal enacted stage 2 fire restrictions on Monday, and why many fire departments, including CMFD, brought in extra staff for Monday.

“The current conditions create an extreme risk for wildfires, which can spread rapidly and threaten lives, homes, and critical infrastructure,” said Sheriff Roybal.

For residents of El Paso County, that means some activities are prohibited:

Open Burning & Fires: All open fires and open burning are prohibited. This includes campfires, warming fires, charcoal grill fires, and the use of wood-burning stoves (except as noted below).

Fireworks: The sale and use of all fireworks is strictly prohibited.

Outdoor Smoking: Smoking is prohibited outdoors. Smoking is only allowed within an enclosed vehicle or building.

Explosives: The use of explosives is prohibited.

Fire conditions like these also affect firefighters. “There’s the mindset of getting out there quicker and getting things rolling,” said Cody Schauer, a firefighter with CMFD.

Schauer was one of the CMFD firefighters who responded to the mutual aid request out in Falcon.

“All of us that are on the brush [fire truck], we’re already in our greens and our equipment for fighting wildland fires. Anything that goes out will start rolling that way even before we’re dispatched. Just so, if they do need us, we’re already almost there,” Schauer said the department also spends more time briefing on fire conditions.

“There’s a heightened awareness of everything going on,” Schauer said.

Power Concerns

Elsewhere in Southern Colorado, different precautions have been undertaken.

“The safety of our customers, employees, and communities is our highest priority,” said Campbell Hawkins, Vice President of Colorado Utilities for Black Hills Energy. “Our Emergency Public Safety Power Shutoff program, or PSPS, is a critical tool for wildfire prevention and used as a last-resort measure to protect lives and property and will only be activated in areas with elevated wildfire risk.”

Black Hills Energy is putting customers on alert. Their power might get shut off on Tuesday.

“We recognize that shutting off power, even to reduce wildfire risks, has broad impacts,” said Hawkins.

The energy company said on Monday that isolated portions of Crowley County, Fremont County, Otero County, Pueblo County, and the cities of Cripple Creek, Victor, and Westcliffe in Teller County are under an Emergency Public Safety Power Shutoff Watch.

That doesn’t mean it’s going to happen or even that it’s likely. It means that if fire conditions persist or worsen, Black Hills could temporarily shut off power to approximately 5,400 customers in these areas from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday to mitigate the risk of electrical infrastructure becoming a source of wildfire ignition.

Black Hills is asking that customers in those areas, who have been notified, have a backup plan for medicine that needs to be refrigerated or medical equipment that is powered by electricity.

To keep up to date on updates from Black Hills, click here, or you can find them on social media.

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Missouri lawmakers take hard look at regulating AI

KMIZ on February 17, 2026

Mitchell Kaminski

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Missouri lawmakers are taking a hard look at regulating artificial intelligence, focusing on images and videos created without consent. 

The House Emerging Issues Committee held a public hearing on Monday to examine a series of bills that would expand criminal and civil penalties for nonconsensual AI-generated content.

Lawmakers emphasized the rapid growth of AI technology has outpaced existing laws, creating gaps in protections for individuals and raising the need to hold creators and platforms accountable.

Committee members also noted more than 30 states already have laws addressing AI-generated images — which comes after President Donald Trump signed an executive order in December limiting states enforcing their own regulations — and discussed a possible “sunset” provision to test whether definitions hold up over time.

The bills under consideration cover a range of issues:

Rep. Sheri Gallick (R-Bates County), HB 2350 – Expands Missouri’s criminal definitions of child pornography and explicit sexual material to include “artificially generated visual depictions” of minors.

Rep. Jeff Farnum (R-Atchison County), HB 2035 – Makes it illegal to use AI to replicate or alter a person’s image or voice to create sexual material without written consent. Victims could sue for damages and attorney’s fees, and the Missouri Attorney General could investigate violations.

Rep. Bill Lucas (R-Jefferson County), HB 2321 – Establishes the “AI-Generated Content Accountability and Privacy Protection Act of 2026,” making it a crime to knowingly publish or distribute AI-generated content depicting someone without consent. Penalties range from fines up to $110,000 and prison terms up to five years, with exceptions for satire, art, journalism and research.

Rep. Melissa Schmidt (R-Wright County), HB 2361 – Creates a class C felony for creating, soliciting, promoting, or possessing nonconsensual altered sexual depictions. Online platforms would be required to remove reported content within 48 hours. Civil lawsuits would also be allowed for damages, injunctions and attorney’s fees.

Rep. Cecelie Williams (R-Jefferson County), HB 1913 – Allows victims to sue if an “intimate digital depiction” is shared without consent and creates criminal penalties for knowingly or recklessly disclosing such material. Disclaimers are not a defense, and internet and telecommunications providers are shielded from liability.

Rep. Wendy Hausman (R-St. Charles), HB 1887 (“The Taylor Swift Act”) – Permits individuals, including minors, to sue if digital depictions are shared without consent and imposes criminal penalties for reckless or intentional disclosure, including Class E and Class C felonies for repeat offenses.

Rep. Dave Dolan (R-Scott), HB 2862 – Targets digital impersonation, allowing Missouri residents to seek declaratory relief, injunctions, and damages if images or recordings misrepresent them, including cases tied to paid advertisements. Parents or guardians may act on behalf of minors or incapacitated individuals.

Committee members emphasized that the bills are too important to rush and suggested consolidating the proposals into a single package before a vote, ensuring that Missouri has clear and enforceable protections as AI technology continues to evolve.

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“We definitely feel UNPREPARED”: Humane Society of Central Oregon’s disaster trailer stolen

KTVZ on February 17, 2026

Spencer Sacks

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Humane Society of Central Oregon’s disaster trailer was stolen Saturday night, Feb. 14, from its facility in Bend. The theft occurred at approximately 8:13 p.m. and has deprived the organization of essential emergency response equipment.

The trailer is a critical resource that allows the society to provide immediate assistance during local disasters. Surveillance cameras captured a white Chevy van scouting the location earlier on the day of the theft while the organization was open for animal adoptions.

Security footage showed the white Chevy van driving out of the parking lot with the trailer attached. Earlier that day, the same vehicle was observed scouting the area several times while the organization was busy conducting animal adoptions at the facility.

At the time of the theft, the trailer was fully stocked with emergency supplies, including bandages and care equipment. The loss of the equipment has left staff concerned about their ability to respond to immediate needs.

Wendy Arnold, the foster program manager for the Humane Society of Central Oregon, said the absence of the trailer creates a significant gap in their operations.

“We definitely feel unprepared. Because it’s something that’s just kind of always been there,” Arnold said. “And so not having it kind of definitely makes a hole in kind of what we like to be able to help with.”

In addition to medical supplies, the trailer contained numerous wire crates used to transport and house animals during disaster response efforts. It also held a table and chairs that allowed staff to set up a mobile response station at a moment’s notice.

Without these items, the organization is unable to deploy the key supplies necessary for animal care in crisis situations.

The City of Bend Police Department is investigating the incident and has labeled it as case #26-8557. Officials are asking anyone with information regarding the theft or the current location of the trailer to contact the non-emergency dispatch line at 541-693-6911.

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Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls holds meet & greet for re-election campaign

KYMA on February 17, 2026

Danyelle Burke North

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls is running for re-election and held a meet and greet event Monday evening to give locals a chance to ask questions, hear from him, and sign his petition.

Dozens of locals and leader gathered at Lutes Casinos in Downtown Yuma for the event.

Mayor Nicholls has been serving as mayor for 12 years, is currently serving his third term, and is the 27th mayor of the city. He shares what growth he is looking forward to if re-elected.

“Right now, what we’re looking at is to continue the momentum we’ve been building for the last dozen years- economic development and opportunity for the people of Yuma. They can grow their own ideas. They can develop their own careers. Looking for that opportunity for everybody,” said Nicholls.

There’s several local offices in the upcoming primary and general election including for mayor, City Council members, and the presiding municipal judge.

For City Council, council members Art Morales, Carol Smith and Leslie McClendon are all up for re-election this year.

Morales said he will not run again, but the mayor says Henry Valenzuela, Derek Egeberg, Carol Smith, Priscila Ruedas, and Ron Van Why are running for office.

The deadline for nomination petitions is March 23. The new Primary Election date will be July 21.

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Lompoc Restaurant Week 2026 officially underway

KEYT on February 17, 2026

News Channel 3-12

LOMPOC, Calif. (KEYT) – Lompoc’s annual restaurant week is officially underway for 2026, running until Feb. 22nd.

Diners have options to try restaurants throughout the city both new and old under affordable prices of $20.26 plus tax and tip.

All of the restaurants below will participate in the festivities this week:

Old Town Kitchen and Bar

Capulin Eats and Provisions

Camins 2 Dreams

El Pollo Loco

Longoria Wines

Mi Amore Pizza and Pasta

Eye on I

Hangar 7 Social House

Johnny’s Bar and Grill

O’Cairns Inn and Suites

Valle Eatery and Bar

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