Somerton mother speaks out on proposed APS rate hike

KYMA on February 14, 2026

Adrik Vargas

SOMERTON, Ariz. (KYMA) – Arizona Public Service (APS), is proposing a roughly 14% increase to its base rates.

If approved by the state, families could see their monthly electricity bills rise.

Maura Valenzuela, a mother of two who has lived in Somerton for more than 20 years, says the increase would hit families like hers hard.

“Many times, I honestly couldn’t pay my electricity bill in full just to pay for gas or fill the fridge,” Valenzuela said. “I had to sacrifice other things, trips, other bills, other expenses just to cover the electricity bill.”

Valenzuela says families in Somerton who rely on seasonal farm work could struggle even more. Summer bills can reach $500, a time when jobs are scarce.

APS plans to hold three public comment hearings in the coming months to discuss the proposed increase. The utility says customers can also reach out to review options like payment plans or switching to a different rate plan.

“Some of the increases are related to the cost of materials, like poles and wires, and other things we’re doing to maintain a sustainable grid and ensure good reliability for Arizona,” said APS representative Anne Carlton.

Valenzuela says electricity is essential in Arizona, especially during the summer heat.

“I can assure you there isn’t a family or person who doesn’t have air conditioning in their home during this time,” she said. “Maybe people from other states don’t understand…but I invite them to come in July or August to Arizona without air conditioning and see how long they could last.”

She hopes utility leaders and lawmakers will consider how rate increases affect rural and low-income families.

For families like hers, Valenzuela says, an APS rate increase could impact their livelihoods for years to come.

Click here to follow the original article.

Man detained in connection to death of teen near Salton Sea

KYMA on February 14, 2026

Adrik Vargas

EDITOR’S NOTE: A previous version of this story said a man had been arrested, but the man was not arrested, he was detained.

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) – A man has been detained in connection to the death of 17-year-old T’neya Tovar.

The Imperial County Sheriff’s Office (ICSO) confirmed a man was detained at his residence in Salton City.

Tovar was reported missing last December after traveling to Thermal, California.

In late December, investigators discovered human remains in the Salton City area.

Weeks later, DNA testing confirmed the remains belonged to Tovar after her mother provided a sample for comparison.

ICSO says the investigation is ongoing with assistance from the FBI.

Click here to follow the original article.

City of Imperial to amend data center petition

KYMA on February 14, 2026

Adrik Vargas

IMPERIAL, Calif. (KYMA) – The City of Imperial is moving forward with its legal challenge to a proposed data center in the Imperial Valley.

In December, the City filed a petition under the California Environmental Quality Act, arguing the project should go through a stricter review process. The county and the developer challenged the petition in court.

The Superior Court of California, County of Imperial, granted the county’s and developer’s motion but allowed the City to amend its petition.

City officials say they plan to file the amended petition within the 30-day period set by the court.

City Manager of Imperial said the City intends to address the concerns raised by the court and will continue through the legal process if the county challenges the amended petition.

In a statement shared to KYMA, the developer says it is “very pleased with the court’s ruling” and added that it believes the City’s continued actions against the project could affect the region’s economic future.

Click here to follow the original article.

Guide Dogs of the Desert pairs blind students with newly trained guide dogs

KESQ on February 14, 2026

Daniella Lake

WHITEWATER, Calif. (KESQ) – This afternoon, Guide Dogs of the Desert hosted a graduation ceremony for participants who’ve completed their guide dog training program. The organization says guide dogs bring independence, confidence, and mobility for those who are visually impaired.

Guide Dogs of the Desert says they are always in need of volunteer puppy raisers, who help raise future guide dogs. To learn more, visit their website.

Click here to follow the original article.

APS requests to raise electricity rates for third time in less than five years

KYMA on February 14, 2026

Abigahil Padilla

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Arizona Public Service (APS) has requested another electricity rate increase that could range from 14% to 16%.

If approved by the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC), it would be the third increase in less than five years, following the 8% increases authorized in 2022 and 2024.

The proposed adjustment would have a significant impact on residential customers.

For the average customer, the increase could translate to at least $240 more per year for electricity service.

This situation is causing concern among thousands of families in the state who are already struggling to cover basic expenses such as housing, food, and transportation.

One of the voices that has spoken out publicly is that of Maura Valenzuela, a mother of two and resident of Somerton, who has been an APS customer for over 25 years.

Valenzuela shared her testimony on January 26 during the second public hearing organized by the ACC to review the rate increase request.

Valenzuela brought up concerns for numerous families in southern Arizona, where high temperatures for much of the year make the constant use of air conditioning essential.

For many residents, electricity service represents not only comfort but also a matter of health and safety.

The Arizona Corporation Commission will be responsible for evaluating APS’s request and determining whether to authorize the increase.

The debate continues between those who point to the need to strengthen infrastructure and guarantee electricity service, and those who warn that further increases could worsen the economic burden on working communities.

Click here to follow the original article.

Baltimore City parks address deer population with USDA-trained sharpshooters

CNN Newsource on February 14, 2026

By Janay Reece

Click here for updates on this story

    BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Baltimore City Recreation and Parks plans to introduce a new program to manage the deer population by utilizing firearms.

“So in many of our parks and the forest that we have here in Baltimore City, we see these areas that are being highly damaged by deer and browsed by deer eating activities,” explained Shane Boehne, the city recreation and parks deer management program lead.

Boehne explained that the deer population is a bigger issue than most people think.

“The earliest known acknowledgement of that has been since 1999, and we have some internal management drafts that came out in 2014 and 2016 that got our program kind of initially started,” Boehne explained. “In our forestry division, we have seen evidence of increasing deer-related issues in the city.”

From parks to TV Hill, they are everywhere, causing issues for many people.

“We have seen evidence of increasing deer-related issues in the city, both damage to our forest understories, creating lots of damage to people’s homes and garden spaces, and we’ve also seen a number of deer vehicle collisions every single year happening in Baltimore City around a lot of our parks that are occupied by deer.”

What’s the plan?

Starting in March, trained firearms experts from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will enter three designated parks after dark to eliminate as many deer as possible before April 15.

These designated parks include:

“We are going to be conducting our deer control efforts with the USDA, who have wildlife biologists who are specifically trained at utilizing firearms to remove the deer,” said Boehne.

According to the program’s website, the partnership will be with trained wildlife biologists from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS), who have firearms expertise and follow national best practices.

When management activities are happening, parks will be temporarily closed to keep residents and staff safe.

Boehne says this is not recreational hunting. Sharpshooters are experts, trained to complete the job since hunting isn’t much of an option in Baltimore City.

According to the Baltimore City’s Recreation and Parks website, residents may only hunt on private property with bows, and at least 150 yards from an occupied building.

“We’re also making sure that we are discharging the firearms in adequate areas that have a backdrop, so that’s basically just an area that minimizes [the] likelihood of ricochet. And we’re also making sure that we are staying far away from any occupied structures, like residents, homes, or businesses,” said Boehne.

Restore and protect the environment

Rec and Parks officials say their hope is that the program will help restore and protect wooded environments and help the community.

“Once all the deer are processed, we’re going to be able to donate that back to the Maryland food bank. And if we’re able to reach our harvest goal for the year, we’ll be able to provide about 40,000 servings here to Baltimore City residents in need,” Boehne said.

Other places in Maryland, such as Howard, Montgomery, and Baltimore Counties, have similar programs.

“We want to make sure that people have quality experiences in our park areas, and one of the ways that we can do that is by providing additional forest regeneration in these areas, “said Boehne.

To learn more about the deer management program, visit the Rec and Parks website.

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.

Woman dead, husband missing and 2 officers injured after falling through ice

CNN Newsource on February 14, 2026

By Riley Rourke

Click here for updates on this story

    EASTHAM, Massachusetts (WBZ) — A woman has died, and two police officers are in the hospital after falling through the ice in Eastham. A search is underway for the woman’s husband, who is believed to have also fallen into the frozen river.

Eastham Police received a call just after 9 a.m. about a wet dog in distress at First Encounter Beach. An officer arrived and found a woman screaming for help in Bee’s River after falling through the ice.

The officer attempted to help the woman, but fell in during the rescue and was completely submerged. Another officer arrived and attempted to help the first officer, who had fallen in, but the ice broke, sending him plunging into the water up to his waist. The officers were able to get themselves back onto the shore. They were taken to Cape Cod Hospital to be evaluated for any injuries. There is no update on their condition.

A dive-and-rescue team began searching for the missing woman. During the search, they were led to believe that the woman was on a walk with her husband and their dog at the time.

“Based on items located in their vehicle and a check of their residence, it was determined that it was possible that the husband may have fallen through the ice prior to the officer’s arrival,” Eastham Police said in a press release.

They found the woman’s body under the ice just after 11 a.m. Their identities have not been released.

First responders are still searching for the husband as of Saturday afternoon. There is no more information available.

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.

History lessons soar to new heights with the Children’s Museum of Atlanta’s Tuskegee Airmen exhibit

CNN Newsource on February 14, 2026

By Emily McLeod

Click here for updates on this story

    ATLANTA (WUPA) — History is coming to life with the new exhibit, “Aim High: Soaring With The Tuskegee Airmen,” at the Children’s Museum of Atlanta.

This Black History Month, kids and adults are learning more about the trailblazers who became the first Black military aviators in the United States Armed Forces.

Atlanta is the exhibit’s first stop in 2026 as it travels the country. Not only is it teaching kids more about the Tuskegee Airmen, it’s also inspiring kids to dream big.

Josiah was one of the dozens of students at Marietta’s Lockheed Elementary School who visited the new exhibit on Friday.

The elementary school student’s favorite activity was building a paper plane, and he said one day he might like to build planes.

“It’s very fun, and if this was my house, I think I would literally want to stay here forever,” Josiah said.

The exhibit centers on the Tuskegee Airmen, who broke through barriers by becoming the first Black military aviators in the United States Armed Forces.

But this isn’t your typical history lesson. It’s full of interactive games and activities, giving kids the chance to immerse themselves in the world of aviation while learning about the airmen.

“The Tuskegee Airmen were these amazing pilots,” said Karen Kelly, the Children’s Museum of Atlanta’s director of exhibits and education. “They had to fight really hard to become a unit in the military during World War II. But once they got there, they were so motivated to succeed.”

Kelly said it’s an amazing story of perseverance and grit. She said exhibits like these give kids opportunities to explore new topics and learn new skills.

“So, as an example, just designing a paper airplane and seeing how far that goes, that’s math, that’s fine motor skills, that’s determination, and all of those things are great to have in school and in life,” Kelly said.

Some of the other activities at the exhibit include:

Cockpit Flight Trainer: Step inside a life-size cockpit complete with real airplane seats and immersive video views of takeoff and landing, designed for dramatic play. Things That Fly Praxinoscope: Discover an early form of animation as images of flying objects come to life through rotating visuals. Land the Plane Maze: Inspired by air traffic control radar, children guide a plane safely to its landing strip using balance and coordination. Imagination Mirrors: Pressure-activated mirrors reveal images of aircraft, helping kids see themselves in aviation-related roles. Wearable Wings: Build and wear airplane wings or a rocket ship to imagine soaring through the sky. Additionally, a companion exhibit called “Black Wings: American Dreams of Flight” is at the museum at the same time.

This exhibit showcases the contributions of African Americans in aviation from the 1910’s all the way to today’s astronauts.

The exhibit will run through May 10 at the Children’s Museum of Atlanta.

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.

New ride-share app promising lower prices in NYC is unlicensed, TLC warns

CNN Newsource on February 14, 2026

By Naomi Ruchim

Click here for updates on this story

    NEW YORK (WCBS) — There’s a new ride-share app in New York City promising lower prices than the competition, but city officials say it’s illegal.

They’re urging riders and drivers not to use it.

What is Empower?

The ride-share race is getting even tighter as newcomer “Empower” hopes to win over riders and drivers.

“I think it’s one of the greatest deals a New Yorker could have, especially at times where inflation and the cost of living, it’s so high,” said one Empower driver, who did not want to share his identity.

The company promises lower fares by giving drivers 100% of the rider’s payment, cutting out commissions and fees on both sides.

Instead, drivers pay a $50-a-month subscription in New York City.

“I have made more money driving less time and less distance, or less amount of passengers,” the driver said.

TLC says Empower is illegal City officials, however, say not so fast.

The Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) says Empower is illegal and warns that riders may face insurance issues if they are involved in a crash. The TLC posted its warning on its website and social media accounts, urging New Yorkers to avoid unlicensed ride-share apps and naming Empower directly.

Drivers may face the steepest consequences including:

Fines of up to $500, Possible loss of their TLC license, And vehicle owners could be hit with up to $10,000 in fines. In a statement, the commission said:

“We take the safety of all passengers and drivers seriously, which is why anyone dispatching for-hire trips in NYC must be licensed by the TLC. Despite repeated attempts to encourage Empower to apply for a license, it continues to operate illegally. Riders using unlicensed apps should know that their trips aren’t tracked, and they will likely be on their own if they lose property or experience issues. Drivers also risk being fined by TLC Police, who are actively enforcing against Empower trips. They also risk losing their licenses, or forfeiting any worker’s compensation if they’re injured during an unlicensed trip.”

Empower pushed back, saying:

“Every driver using Empower’s software to work for themselves in New York is a TLC licensed driver using a TLC licensed vehicle. We look forward to working with the Mamdani Administration to ensure TLC licensed drivers have the same civil rights as all other licensed professionals in New York and that New Yorkers have access to affordable and safe transportation.”

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.

Illinois couple renews vows on 71st anniversary

CNN Newsource on February 14, 2026

By Noel Brennan

Click here for updates on this story

    BARTLETT, Illinois (WBBM) — A couple at a senior living community in northwest suburban Bartlett celebrated their 71st anniversary in a very special way: with a vow renewal.

Chuck and Agnes Fruehe said “I do” in 1955.

“It was a great day. Sun was shining. It was colder than hell, but the sun was shining,” Chuck Fruehe recalled. “It was a beautiful day.”

Now in their 90s, the couple got a fresh start at the Hearthwood Senior Living Community. They were one of eight couples who renewed their love and their wedding vows Thursday.

Agnes and Chuck invited family to attend, and even a member of their original wedding party.

“I was best man. I was the better man, I should say,” brother Don Fruehe said with a laugh.

Don was at his brother’s side once again as their promise to each other was repeated 71 years later to the day.

“Today’s our anniversary day and the day they’re throwing this party, so it just turned out that way just by accident,” Chuck said.

It was a sweet coincidence the staff only realized once they picked the date.

They walked down the aisle like it was their wedding day all over again but this time their love was summed up by three words, not two: “We still do.”

The eight couples who renewed their vows collectively represent more than 400 years of marriage.

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.