Month: March 2026

By McKenzy Parsons

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    MORRILL COUNTY, Neb. (KETV) — The Nebraska wildfires are still raging on due to dry and windy conditions throughout the state.

Fire crews gave an update on Wednesday, saying that despite strong winds, neither the Cottonwood nor Morrill fires have grown beyond their perimeters.

The Cottonwood Fire is 40% contained, and it has burned more than 131,000 acres.

The Morrill Fire has burned more than 643,000 acres and is only 16% contained.

Both the Anderson Bridge and Road 203 fires are about 60% contained.

In all, the fires are bigger than the entire state of Rhode Island.

The Red Cross is stepping up to support communities affected by the wildfires.

Dozens of trained volunteers are currently engaged in response efforts.

They’re offering resources and expertise where they are needed, including mental health needs.

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.

By Erin Burnett

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    GREENSBORO, N.C. (WXII) — Downtown Greensboro Incorporated is teaming up with Greensboro organization Youth Focus, to help support at-risk youth.

Youth Focus has provided resources to at-risk youth across Guilford County, since 2019. One way they do this is through a national system called the Safe Place Program.

The Safe Place program is a national system of certified personel that allows trained individuals at organizations like Youth Focus to provide young people with a safe place to go.

Trained personel at Youth Focus can take these youths into custody for up to 72 hours without parental consent.

During this time they offer them the resources they need and can help them re-connect with family or social services on a case by case basis.

Usually they rely on brick-and-mortar locations across the Safe Place network.

But now Youth Focus is teaming up with Downtown Greensboro Incorporated to train staff at local businesses in DGI’s network to become Safe Place ambassadors.

Organizers at Youth Focus explained this strategy expands their reach and support to local teens beyond a physical storefront.

Once trained, these ambassadors will wear the gold Safe Place pin wherever they go.

If a Safe Place ambassador finds a young person in crisis, their job is to stay with them until a Youth Focus staff member arrives to provide assistance.

Youth Focus encourages those interested in learning more about the Safe Place program or becoming an ambassador to reach out for signs and training.

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.

By Carrie Hodgin

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    TROUTMAN, N.C. (WXII) — An 18-year-old South Iredell High School student was arrested and charged after police said he admitted to playing a social media game known as “Senior Assassin.”

On Tuesday, Troutman police officers said they received a call to a convenience store on North Main Street in reference to someone armed with a pistol and who allegedly pointed it at two teenagers inside the store. Once officers arrived, both the possible suspect and the teenagers had left the store. Police were given a description of the vehicle the suspect was driving.

Police said School Resource Officers saw a vehicle matching the description in the school parking lot. They placed the school on an immediate lockdown as a precaution.

Police located the driver of the vehicle, who’s a student at the school. The student was then detained. Police said the student told them he was participating in a social media game known as “Senior Assassin” and that the weapon involved was a water gun. Police recovered the water gun that they said resembled a real firearm. The lockdown was then lifted.

However, due to the disruption, the student was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, disrupting an educational institution. The student received a $5,000 secured bond.

“While this incident stemmed from a game, Troutman Police Department and the administration of South Iredell High School strongly discourage participation in “Senior Assassin,” both on and off campus. Activities of this nature can create significant public alarm and may be perceived as a real threat, potentially leading to serious or life-threatening consequences,” the police department 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.

By Kelly Kendall

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    WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WXII) — Dean Hines, diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, found hope in a rare stem cell match with his daughter, Abby Bond, at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center.

“I was diagnosed on September 23rd,” Hines said, recalling the day that changed his life. He was enjoying retirement in Wilmington, traveling with his wife and spending time with his family, when he received the frightening diagnosis.

“Anytime you hear the word ‘cancer,’ fear immediately covers you,” Hines said, describing the impact of learning he had a deadly blood and bone marrow cancer that progresses rapidly.

Abby Bond, Hines’ daughter, said, “It was shocking. I mean, he was the picture of health just 2 to 3 weeks prior, and things just happened so suddenly.”

The family wasn’t sure how much time they had left with Hines, but the situation changed when his children had their stem cells tested, and Abby was found to be a perfect match for her father.

Dr. James Dugan, transplant and cellular therapy lead at Novant Health Forsyth Medical Center, explained the rarity of such a match.

“The likelihood of this occurring in the general population is probably 1 in 1000, if not less,” Dugan said.

Doctors often turn to family members for stem cell donations because of shared genetics. Most of the time, children will have a 50% match to one of their parents’ stem cells. However, Abby’s stem cells were a perfect 12 out of 12 match, making them ideal for an allogenic transplant, a procedure that replaces cancer-ridden cells with healthy ones.

“These transplants, when they’re fully matched, are generally a little bit easier,” Dugan said. “The cells recover a little bit faster, and patients are generally, not always the case, but generally healthier and more well sooner to get out of the hospital.”

Abby said the news of the match came as a surprise, one she wanted to save for a special occasion for her dad.

“I was so shocked when I got the call initially that I had been matched, and we kept it a secret for 2 to 3 weeks and were able to surprise them at Christmas,” she said. “Just a perfect Christmas gift full of hope and miracle.”

“We’ve known all our life that she and I are a lot alike, but this really just sort of puts everything in capital letters,” Hines said, reflecting on the bond with his daughter.

A month after the transplant, Hines is feeling better each day, though he acknowledges the long road ahead in his fight against leukemia. He remains hopeful.

“There’s a sense of urgency about life to not just coast,” he said. “It means so much to share my story with many, many others that may be doubting hope right now, and that there is hope there for you.”

Stem cell transplants can occur between family members or from unrelated donors, offering life-saving treatment to those in need.

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.

By Bethany Cates

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    ELKIN, N.C. (WXII) — Elkin police in Surry County stopped a scam targeting an elderly couple on Tuesday, preventing them from losing $15,000 to fraudsters posing as the FBI.

“This is very common; it’s just rare that we do get the opportunity to have the suspects so close and be able to actually close a case,” said Captain Joseph Johnson with Elkin Police.

The scam was uncovered after a caregiver noticed strange withdrawals from the couple’s bank account, which amounted to $15,000, according to Elkin police.

“The scam was put in place by subjects that were claiming to be FBI agents and were investigating suspicious banking activities,” said Johnson.

Officers set up surveillance near the victims’ home and spotted the suspect vehicle that was supposed to pick up the money from a mailbox. The driver spotted officers and tried to get away, but were stopped after a probable cause traffic stop.

“Through the course of that, they were able to detain 6 suspects for who were later arrested for felony conspiracy, concealed weapons charges and drugs,” said Johnson.

All six suspects were from the Miami area. Officers found concealed weapons, narcotics, and a large sum of cash in the vehicle.

Captain Johnson highlighted the importance of vigilance during tax season, stating, “There’s often an influx of funds that families don’t have outside of this time of the year.”

Johnson also shared tips on how to protect against scam calls: “Just be very observant of what your elderly family members are going through, if you see anything that’s just an odd transaction in their banking, don’t be afraid to question it.”

Elkin police emphasized that law enforcement agencies will never ask individuals to withdraw or transfer money to protect their funds. It is still unknown how the elderly couple was targeted or if others were involved in the scam ring.

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.

By Muhammad Abdul Qawee

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    CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WBBH) — A driver who lost control of an SUV crashed into a parked car in a Cape Coral driveway, leaving significant damage and alarming residents in a neighborhood that has seen multiple crashes in recent days.

The crash happened Tuesday night along East Gator Circle. Tire marks could be seen across the roadway and into a nearby lawn, ending at a damaged car in a driveway.

Neighbor Randy Chavianio said he and his girlfriend narrowly avoided being hit.

“My girlfriend was standing right here, and all I heard was her yell,” Chavianio said. “I looked to my right, and we saw an SUV going pretty fast down the street.”

Chavianio said the SUV veered off the road and slammed into his neighbor’s Toyota Camry.

“It was sideways. He smashed into the Camry,” he said. “The only thing that protected us was a small concrete block.”

Cape Coral police said the driver lost control while speeding. The impact pushed the parked car sideways and left debris scattered across the property. Home surveillance video showed police and fire crews responding to the scene.

Chavianio said three teenagers were inside the SUV. Despite a language barrier, he said he checked to make sure everyone was safe.

No injuries were reported. Police said they do not believe alcohol or drugs were factors in the crash.

For neighbors, the incident is the second in less than a week on the same street. Days earlier, another driver crashed into a power pole nearby, knocking out electricity to hundreds of residents. That driver fled the scene, falsely reported the vehicle stolen, and was later arrested.

Residents say the repeated crashes are forcing them to change their habits.

“We’re parking cars in the garage and even on the grass because people don’t respect the speed limit here,” Chavianio said. “It happened right in front of us. We don’t know what else can be done to make it safer.”

Neighbors are now calling for changes to improve safety along East Gator Circle.

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.

By Carson Zorn

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    COLLIER COUNTY, Fla. (WBBH) — After five new measles cases were confirmed in Collier County in the latest update from the Florida Department of Health, the total number of cases has surpassed 100.

According to the latest update from the FDOH, which tracks cases through March 14, there are now 88 confirmed cases in Collier County, as well as 16 probable cases, bringing the total to 104.

Additionally, Lee County gained a case of measles, and the total number of cases for the county now sits at three.

Southwest Florida makes up 107 out of the 140 total cases reported across the state.

The age groups diagnosed with measles in Collier County are as follows:

Ages 0-4: 2 cases Ages 5-9: 3 cases Ages 10-14: 6 cases Ages 15-19: 50 cases Ages 20-24: 39 cases Ages 30-34: 1 case Ages 50-54: 1 case Ages 55-59: 1 case Ages 60-64: 1 case In Lee County, two cases are reported in individuals aged 15-19, and one case is reported in an individual aged 35-39.

What are the symptoms of measles? Measles is spread through the air by breathing, coughing, or sneezing. It can be transmitted four days before the rash becomes visible to four days after the rash appears. The symptoms of measles generally begin approximately eight to 14 days after a person is exposed to someone with measles, with a range of seven to 21 days.

Symptoms include:

Fever Cough Runny nose Red, watery eyes Malaise Typically followed in three to five days by:

A rash that often starts on the face and neck, but can spread over the entire body. Tiny white spots with bluish-white centers are found inside the mouth.

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.

By Ricky Podgorski

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    MANCHESTER, N.H. (WMUR) — Police are warning people about a scam going around in the Greater Manchester Area that involves fake court documents.

Manchester Police say it’s a ‘notice of hearing’ which falsely claims the recipient committed a traffic violation and owes a fine. In a news release they described it as a ‘very-realistic looking’ scam.

The document says there is a scheduled hearing date, and you can get out of it by paying the fine.

Police say these notices are not legit.

There’s a QR code too, police say you should not scan it.

“Oh, absolutely, it looked like a real document,” Linda DePoutot of Northfield said.

DePoutot received the text message and knew it was fake immediately.

“We don’t go to Manchester, so I knew it was bogus,” she said.

DePoutot added that a scam like this could be especially convincing for the elderly.

“A lot of people who are older might see this, find it believable, and try to respond,” DePoutot said.

In a message to News 9, the Manchester Police Department said its communications and records departments were “inundated” with calls about the document, adding the Manchester Circuit Court also received a number of calls.

They say people falling for these types of scams is becoming more common and recommend calling the court or agency supposedly sending the message directly if faced with a scam.

If you get one of these, police say just ignore it.

Meanwhile, the New Hampshire Attorney General’s Office is reminding people that the state judicial branch does not tell residents about court hearings or fines through unsolicited texts.

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.