Neighbors frustrated by damage from baseballs after fields added to park

CNN Newsource on March 24, 2026

By Pamela Comme

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    DELTONA, Florida (WESH) — A baseball that smashed through a car windshield and landed inside is just the latest example of what neighbors say is a growing safety problem near Manny Rodriguez Park.

For the past four years, Wanda Torres says foul baseballs from the nearby field have repeatedly landed on her property, in one case damaging her car, smashing a window and even hitting her.

“See, these are the balls! I have more balls,” Torres said, showing a collection she says she’s gathered from her yard.

Torres said the issue began after the baseball field was built at the park.

“The second time, I was playing with my grandbabies over here with the truck, and hit the car, and they both hit me,” she said.

She says one of those incidents happened while she was outside with her grandchildren. Another close call came when a ball landed just inches away from them.

The problem, she says, isn’t going away.

Just last week, a foul ball struck a neighbor’s windshield, shattering the glass.

“When I saw what happened to my window, I became concerned that it could happen to people who are driving by on this road, and it could cause a more serious accident,” said neighbor Ann.

Neighbors say the issue has become more than just property damage, raising concerns about safety for families and drivers nearby.

Torres says she has contacted the city multiple times, but so far, no action has been taken.

She and other neighbors believe adding netting around the field could help prevent further damage.

“I think the problem is also that the park is being misused. I was told that it was really supposed to be for younger children so that the foul balls really wouldn’t make it over the fence, as it does constantly right now,” Ann said.

Until changes are made, neighbors say they no longer feel safe, especially when letting their children play outside.

WESH 2 News reached out to a city spokesperson to ask whether there are plans to add netting. They said property damage is rare, but the parks department is looking into possible solutions.

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.

Community builds new home for Vietnam veteran

CNN Newsource on March 24, 2026

By Channing Frampton

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    FORT MYERS, Florida (WBBH) — Lee BIA Builders Care and Pulte Homes have partnered to build a new, accessible home for Lewis Freeman, a Fort Myers homeowner. They celebrated a project milestone with a Notes of Love ceremony on March 13.

Builders Care and its project partners gathered to leave special messages for Freeman, ensuring he will be surrounded by the community’s well wishes, words of encouragement, and blessings.

“I think it’s marvelous. I really appreciate all the work everyone did and are continuing to do,” Freeman said. “This is something unexpected, but it’s a blessing and I appreciate it.”

Freeman, 71, was born and raised in Fort Myers’ Dunbar neighborhood. His only time away from home was the four years he spent in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. After an honorable discharge, he returned to Dunbar to continue serving his community and family.

After suffering a stroke in 2015, Freeman was unable to continue working and has since lived on a fixed income. When his rental home was sold unexpectedly, he moved in with his niece while hoping to once again have a home of his own. Builders Care and generous local partners and donors are building Freeman a brand-new, two-bedroom, two-bath home on a lot in Dunbar that was donated by the City of Fort Myers.

“Everyone who has been part of this project had the opportunity to leave these special Notes of Love for Lewis, and he will forever be surrounded by the community’s words of encouragement and blessings,” said Leigh Cloud, executive director of Lee BIA Builders Care. “We are so thankful to Pulte Homes, the City of Fort Myers and all of our project partners who are coming together to give such a special gift to this deserving individual. We can’t wait to welcome Lewis home in the coming months.”

The mission of Lee BIA Builders Care is to provide emergency construction services at no cost to needy and deserving elderly and/or disabled homeowners, and their families, who cannot obtain repairs through traditional means. Lee BIA Builders Care offers a full range of no-cost emergency construction services to improve the safety and health for needy seniors and disabled individuals of all ages by enlisting the expertise and donated services and materials of contractors, sub-contractors and businesses.

Lee BIA Builders Care is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization under the charitable arm of the Lee Building Industry Association.

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.

San Marcos sweeps awards at Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table luncheon

KEYT on March 24, 2026

Mike Klan

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – It was a good day to be a Royal.

San Marcos High School student-athletes Lucy Dessert and Andy Keenan received Athlete of the Week honors at the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table luncheon at Harry’s.

Dessert pitched two complete-games as the junior led the Royals softball team to two Channel League wins over Ventura.

In 14 innings Dessert only allowed 3 earned runs, striking out 13 batters and did not issue any walks.

Keenan led San Marcos boys golf to wins over Buena and Valencia as he fired back-to-back rounds of four-under- par.

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Cal Poly win streak snapped at 10 games as Mustangs suffer first league loss

KEYT on March 24, 2026

Mike Klan

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (KEYT) – Cal Poly’s 10-game winning streak featuring a pair of three-game Big West series sweeps, an 8-0 start to conference play, a .352 team batting average, 85 runs and 129 hits (including 51 for extra bases) came to an end Monday in an 8-2 loss to UC Davis at Baggett Stadium.

The loss dropped Coach Larry Lee’s Mustangs to 14-8 for the season and 8-1 in the Big West, still ahead of UC San Diego (5-1) and four teams, including UC Davis, tied for third place at 5-4. Cal Poly still won the series against the Aggies, two games to one.

Nine of Cal Poly’s 14 wins so far this season have been in come-from-behind fashion. On Monday, however, there were no answers as the Mustang bats were held to just two runs and five hits while UC Davis shattered a 2-2 tie with back-to-back three-run rallies in the seventh and eighth frames.

UC Davis, just 3-29 in games against Cal Poly at Baggett Stadium entering Monday’s game, earned its first win over the Mustangs in San Luis Obispo since the 2018 season, snapping an eight-game losing streak. Aggie head coach Tommy Nicholson notched his first win over Cal Poly in nine tries at Baggett Stadium and is 3-12 overall versus the Mustangs.

The Aggie victory featured a 13-hit offensive attack and five pitchers who combined on the five-hitter. Peter Storjohann (2-0) secured two outs, both strikeouts, and was the pitcher of record when UC Davis erupted for three runs in the seventh on a safety squeeze bunt laid down by Zach Story and a two-run triple by Tyler Howard.

The Aggies (10-11) pulled away with three more runs in the eighth on Story’s second safety squeeze bunt and a two-run double by Korey Williams.

Mustang starter Carson Turnquist did not allow a hit in 4 2/3 scoreless innings before giving up the first UC Davis hit and single runs in both the fifth and sixth frames. Lefty Josh Morano (3-1) suffered the loss as he allowed the tiebreaking run in the seventh.

Cal Poly scored first on a bases-loaded sacrifice fly by Ryan Tayman in the opening frame. After UC Davis scored single runs in the fifth and sixth innings, the Mustangs knotted the score at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth on Dante Vachini’s sacrifice fly, also with the bases loaded.

Both Casey Murray Jr. and Cam Hoiland extended their hitting streaks in the sixth. Murray singled to stretch his streak to 12 games while Hoiland doubled to increase his streak to 10 contests.

For the series, second baseman Alejandro Garza was 8-for-12 at the plate with four RBIs while Hoiland was 6-for-12, Murray 5-for-12 with four RBIs and third baseman Gavin Spiridonoff 5-for-13.

Center fielder and Santa Barbara High School alum Kai Mault led the Aggies at the plate with a single, double and triple. Right fielder Tyler Howard contributed a double and triple for two RBIs while Story and Williams both had two hits and a pair of RBIs as well.

Cal Poly ended a seven-game home stand with the loss and will hit the road for its next five contests. The Mustangs visit Loyola Marymount on Wednesday night and play a three-game Big West series Friday through Sunday at UC Riverside.

(Article courtesy of Cal Poly Athletics)

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Iran Impacts Idaho Farmers: Diesel and Fertilizer Costs Spike During Difficult Year

KIFI on March 24, 2026

David Pace

ROCKFORD, Idaho (KIFI) – Rising costs from the conflict in Iran are putting the squeeze on Idaho farmers.

“The farmers are very much concerned about this war in Iran because it is impacting our fertilizer prices and also our fuel prices,” said Brian Murdock, a prominent advocate for agriculture. “All energy and all production of oil and gas has an impact back to the farmers.”

The Strait of Hormuz, a thirty-mile wide stretch of water bordered by Iran and Oman, provides Iran with a strategic chokepoint for global trade.

The strait’s partial closure has cut off half of the world’s exports of urea, thirty percent of ammonia, and twenty percent of the world’s oil. 

Urea is a major component in nitrogen fertilizer used for potatoes, wheat, and other crops.

“We all very much will feel this war,” Murdock continued. “…We could definitely see higher fertilizer prices and we will see higher diesel prices, and that will just cut down the margin of any profitability we have a chance of making this year.”

While fertilizer costs eight to ten percent more than last year, rates could increase dramatically once current stockpiles in Idaho run out.

“Just mainly getting nervous,” said Mark Morgan, a crop advisor. “We know that prices are increasing, so it could have an impact later on. But as far as this spring now, we’ve got most of what we need already here, already ordered.”

Meanwhile, the American Automobile Association’s Idaho office reports that diesel has jumped from $3.67 a gallon in February to $5.24 a gallon today.

The sudden spike directly impacts farmers’ production, inputs, and shipping costs.

But despite the uncertainty with prices and in Iran, farmers are already hard at work planting their crops in this year’s warm weather.

“This is farming, and every farmer that’s doing it – they know the game,” Murdock said. “This is not a new drill. They’ve been through this more than once.”

Mark Morgan talks about how rising urea and nitrogren prices are impacting the fertilizer industry.

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Fire crews tackle house fire in Santa Barbara

KEYT on March 24, 2026

Caleb Nguyen

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Fire crews tackled a house fire just before 7:00 p.m. in Santa Barbara on Monday at the 1600 block of Overlook Lane.

Your News Channel arrived at the home and noticed heavy smoke coming from inside before fire crews arrived.

The Santa Barbara City Fire Department mentioned no injuries from the fire and received help from several ambulances and a utlility truck in the response.

More information on the house fire will be provided as it becomes available to Your News Channel.

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Wendy’s announces closure of 2 Columbia locations

KMIZ on March 24, 2026

Ryan Shiner

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Two Wendy’s locations in Columbia have closed, the company confirmed to ABC 17 News in an email.

The locations near the mall on Bernadette Drive and on Ninth Street are no longer listed on the company’s website. The business still has franchise locations in town on Scott Boulevard, East Nifong Boulevard and Clark Lane.

There’s also two locations in Jefferson City, one in Fulton, one in Boonville, one in Osage Becah, one in Macon and one in Moberly, according to the company’s website.

The email from a Wendy’s spokesperson says the closures are part of the company’s “turnaround plan, Project Fresh.” The email says the company plans on “strengthening restaurant performance across the Wendy’s System.”

ABC News reported last month that the fast food business planned to shutter 5-6% of its US locations during the first half of this year. The same article says Wendy’s had an 8.3% decrease in total global sales during the fourth quarter of 2025. Another 240 restaurants were closed in 2024.

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Dustin Medellin named head football coach at Idaho Falls High

KIFI on March 24, 2026

LocalNews8-Newsroom

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) — Idaho Falls High School has a new head football coach. Dustin Medellin, a local coach with 18 years of experience, will lead the Tigers starting this fall.

Medellin most recently served as defensive coordinator at Hillcrest High School, helping the team win two conference titles and reach three straight state championship games, including a 2024 state title.

He also helped Idaho Falls teams reach the playoffs for three consecutive years from 2016 to 2018. 

In a news release sent Monday, Idaho Falls Athletic Director Nick Birch said, “From the beginning of this search, it was clear that we were seeking a leader who embodied integrity, competitiveness, and a relentless commitment to the development of our student athletes at IFHS.” “Coach Medellin is that leader. He has demonstrated the ability to develop talent, to build strong community relationships, and to lead programs with discipline and with purpose. His track record of success on and off the field speaks for itself,” Birch said.

Selected by a committee of administrators, coaches, parents, and community members, Medellin hopes to guide the Tigers into a new era of football.

 

Courtesy: Idaho Falls School Distict 91

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Columbia to pay firm $28,000 in search for new communications director; six-figure salary listed for position

KMIZ on March 24, 2026

Nia Hinson

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

EDITOR’S NOTE: The City of Columbia originally provided the wrong contract cost.

The City of Columbia is looking across the nation for the new leader of its communications department.

According to Assistant Director of Human Resources Heather Russell, the city hired Affion Public LLC to lead the search for its new communications director. The deal is worth $28,000, Russell said. According to Linkedin, the salary for the new job ranges from $110,000- $169,000 per year and 36 people have applied so far.

The city voted to approve the creation of the department during its March 2 after City Manager De’Carlon Seewood presented the idea to the city council in February.

The department will consist of 25 full-time permanent positions and four part-time temporary positions with the hopes of improving communication in the city. According to a presentation from a March 9 City Council work session, the department will work toward the goal of creating consistent citywide messaging by utilizing a “decentralized newsroom approach.”

The department’s main goals include: Enhancing external communication, media and public relations and crisis and reputation management, the presentation states.

The presentation also says that the department would form an updated communication policy and states that all communications will be grounded in the city’s strategic plan. The department will be informed by initiatives such as the city’s annual community survey, community summit feedback and the city’s comprehensive plan, the presentation says.

Ward 5 Councilman Don Waterman said he finds the hiring of a search firm allows the city to broaden its search and ensure that the best candidate is selected.

“There’s a sentiment among some in the community that we don’t communicate well. I think we’re definitely making some improvements like the Let’s Talk Local and other things of that nature…and I think this will just be another step in that direction,” Waterman said.

Waterman also said he’s hopeful the new department will also help the city to better coordinate its messaging. According to city documents, the department will also work to coordinate a monthly communications plan with input from all departments within the city, as well as work to improve the flow of communication across departments.

Documents also state the department will respond to resident inquiries and “proactively share topics of interest to our residents” and create a citywide crisis communication plan.

The creation of the new department comes as the city’s current spokeswoman Sydney Olsen plans to leave at the end of the month. Waterman said the department will be tasked with similar work, but will play a bigger role in coordinating the city’s messaging.

The city used a search firm in 2023 to hire Police Chief Jill Schlude after Geoff Jones retired from the position. The contract with that firm cost the city $60,000. A national approach was also used to hire Columbia Fire Chief Brian Schaeffer the following year after the former chief Clayton Farr announced his retirement.

Waterman said he isn’t sure when the new department will officially be in the works in the city, saying that will likely depend on how the search goes. He estimated that it could take roughly six months.

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Medical Minutes: Understanding sepsis

KYMA on March 24, 2026

Andrea Turisk

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) – Sepsis is a serious medical emergency that can process quickly.

Mitzi Pacheco, nurse practitioner from Exceptional Community Hospital (ECH) Yuma, explains the symptoms you should know about.

“When not treated quickly, it can quickly lead to organ failure. Warning signs would include fever, very low body temperatures, confusion, rapid breathing, chills, severe pain, and or weakness,” says Pacheco.

ECH Yuma is open 24/7 with low wait times. If anyone experiencing symptoms of sepsis, go to the ER.

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