Newark Airport ground stop ends after smoke condition cleared from air traffic control tower

CNN Newsource on March 23, 2026

By WABC Eyewitness News

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    NEWARK, New Jersey (WABC) — The air traffic control tower at Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) was evacuated for a short time after a report of smoke.

An FAA spokesperson confirmed there was no fire and the controllers evacuated the tower due to a burning smell from an elevator.

The air traffic controllers were moved to the backup facility on site.

Flights were forced to hold, but then air traffic controllers were seen moving back to the tower by 8:30 a.m.

Flights were spotted landing at the airport and the ground stop was lifted.

Nearby LaGuardia Airport remains closed after a plane collided with a truck on a runway.

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.

Sisterhood at the Core of UCCS Women’s Lacrosse

KRDO on March 23, 2026

Dylan Foreman

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO)–

The women’s lacrosse team at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs is built on more than competition, it’s built on sisterhood.

For this team, that word is quite literal.

Siblings are everywhere on the Mountain Lions roster. Redshirt junior Brielle Fannin plays alongside her younger sister, freshman Charlotte. And from California come Julia and Allison Hoffman, twin sisters who are nearly impossible to tell apart at first glance.

“Well, I wear a high ponytail,” Allison laughed. “And then Julia, she wears a low one. But we also have different cleats; mine are bright yellow, and hers are just plain white.”

The Hoffmans’ journey to UCCS was far from straightforward. Last season, they reached a lifelong dream: earning an opportunity to play Division I lacrosse at Lindenwood University. But that dream was cut short. The House vs. NCAA settlement implemented roster limits over the summer for college athletic programs.

They were told that due to those NCAA roster limits, the program was no longer able to sign them.

“We were obviously disappointed,” Julia said. “Once we met that goal, we were like, ‘Okay, we’re here.’ After all our hard work, we finally achieved it. And for us to be told we couldn’t go there anymore, two weeks before signing, was very disappointing.”

What could have been a crushing setback instead turned into a pivotal redirection.

The turning point came when UCCS head coach Brice Queener reached out.

“Coach Queener contacted us and we thought, ‘Okay, let’s look at this school. Let’s see how the coaches are, let’s see what the team is like.’ We were actually able to come visit the school.”

The visit sealed the deal.

“Coach is very positive. He doesn’t get down. He’s very encouraging, which really helped.”

Though interchangeable in appearance, the Hoffman sisters bring different skills to the field, yet their chemistry is undeniable. Looking back, they’re confident they’ve landed exactly where they’re meant to be.

For the Hoffmans, their story is proof that talent isn’t determined by division level.

“Even if you’re D2, D3, or NAIA, you can still be a D1 player, in your head,” Allison said. “It doesn’t matter what division you play in. You can be as good as you want to be.”

At UCCS, the sisters have found not just a team, but a supportive environment where they can write a new chapter, together.

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Emergency crews search for person in water rescue at Lopez Lake

KEYT on March 23, 2026

Caleb Nguyen

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (KEYT) – Emergency crews are searching for a person involved in a water rescue at Lopez Lake, according to CAL FIRE SLO.

The victim fell into the water before 4:30 p.m. and witnesses called emergency crews to search for the submerged person, according to CAL FIRE SLO.

CAL FIRE SLO crews handed the case over to the SLO County Sheriff’s Office after an update, just before 8:30 p.m Sunday, that the victim was not found.

CAL FIRE SLO crews are working alongside a helicopter, San Luis Ambulance, SLO County Parks, Pismo Beach Lifeguards, and the SLO County Sheriff’s Dive Team.

CAL FIRE SLO advised avoiding the area for a safe operation involving boats, skis, drones, paddle boards and rescue swimmers.

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Cal Poly stays undefeated in Big West as Mustangs run winning streak to 10

KEYT on March 23, 2026

Mike Klan

SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (KEYT) – Alejandro Garza smashed a two-run seventh-inning home run 382 feet over the left-field wall to give Cal Poly its first lead and Nick Bonn earned his seventh save as the Mustangs rallied from behind for the ninth time this season in a 5-4 victory over UC Davis on Sunday inside Baggett Stadium.

Trailing 4-2, Coach Larry Lee’s Mustangs scored three times in the seventh on an RBI double off the bat of pinch-hitter Xander McLauren and Garza’s eighth career home run as a Mustang on an 0-1 pitch from Noel Valdez to overtake the upstart Aggies.

Bonn, who pitched 1 2/3 innings the day before, throwing 44 pitches, allowed a one-out hit to Trevor Howard in the ninth but nothing else for a one-inning save, thanks in part to a pair of dazzling defensive plays by the Mustangs to close the game.

With its 10th straight victory, Cal Poly clinched its third straight Big West series and improved to 8-0 in conference play and 14-7 overall by producing double-digit hits for the sixth straight game and ninth in its last 11 contests.

UC Davis fell to 9-11 (4-4 Big West).

The visiting Aggies jumped to a 3-0 lead in the second inning as Joey Wright doubled to right-center field, driving in two, and Zach Story singled down the right-field line for the third tally.

Cal Poly closed the gap to 3-2 with single runs in the second and third frames. Gavin Spiridonoff’s triple to the gap in left-center field in the second frame and Cam Hoiland’s single to left in the third made it a one-run game.

Tyler Howard homered leading off the fifth inning, his second of the year for a 4-2 UC Davis advantage, setting the stage for the heroics of McLaurin and Garza in the seventh.

Mustang starting pitcher Corden Pettey went six innings on the mound in his third career start, allowing four runs and eight hits with one walk and six strikeouts. His Whitney High School (Rocklin, Calif.) teammate, Brady Estes (2-0), earned the victory with two scoreless innings of one-hit baseball and Bonn closed it out in the ninth, giving him two saves in each of Cal Poly’s three Big West series so far this season.

In the ninth, Howard beat the throw from shortstop for an infield hit with one out before Elijah McNeal’s blooper into shallow right field was fielded on a hop by Cam Hoiland. Hoiland alertly threw the ball to second base to force Howard for the second out. Kai Mault then hit a grounder up the middle which was flagged down by Nate Castellon behind second base and he flipped the ball backward to Garza covering the bag for the final out of the game.

The loss went to Valdez (1-3), who was facing Cal Poly for a third time as a starter for UC Davis. After going 3.0 and 4.2 innings the last two years against the Mustangs, suffering losses in both games, Valdez pitched into the seventh inning Sunday and scattered a dozen hits while giving up all five Cal Poly runs.

Garza, who had four hits in Saturday’s 12-11 Mustang victory, added three more hits Sunday and is 7-for-8 with a walk in the series so far. Hoiland also finished with three hits, his hitting streak going to nine games, while Casey Murray Jr. extended his hitting streak to 11 games with two singles. Spiridonoff added a single and triple.

During the winning streak, Murray is hitting .465, Hoiland .432, Spiridonoff .429, Ryan Tayman .378, Dante Vachini .367, Nate Castellon .364, Braxton Thomas .333 and Garza .319. In conference games only, Murray sports a .514 mark, Hoiland .429, Spiridonoff .406 and Castellon .400.

As a team, Cal Poly is hitting .352 in its winning streak and .356 in Big West contests.

UC Davis was led at the plate by Howard with a home run and two singles.

Cal Poly’s 10-game winning streak, the longest for the Mustangs since the 2022 squad won 13 in a row in the final month of the season, is the third-longest active winning streak in the nation. UCLA (15) and Southeast Missouri (13) both won Sunday while Auburn saw its 12-game streak come to an end against Texas.

At 8-0, the Mustangs lead UC San Diego (5-1) by two games in the Big West standings. UC Santa Barbara, CSUN and Cal State Fullerton all sport 5-4 conference marks, tied for third place, while UC Davis (4-4) is sixth.

Final game of the series will be played Monday at 1 o’clock. Cal Poly will send junior right-hander Carson Turnquist (2-0, 1.40 ERA) to the mound against UC Davis freshman southpaw Jack Pezzolo (0-0, 0.00 ERA).

Over the last two weekends, Turnquist has pitched five or more innings in relief for victories against Hawai’i and Cal State Bakersfield. Pezzolo has pitched four scoreless innings against Texas, two scoreless frames versus UC Riverside and 2 2/3 innings without giving up a run against UC Santa Barbara, all as a starter.

(Article courtesy of Cal Poly Athletics)

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Rincon Invitational Surfers Share Waves

KEYT on March 23, 2026

Tracy Lehr

CARPINTERIA, Calif. (KEYT) Surfers shared wave after wave during the 27th Rincon Invitational off the coast of Carpinteria.

More than 20 organizations, including Third World Surf, Ventura Educators, Waves of Grief, Ventura Makos, OLAS Foundation, Surfrider Foundation, Rincon Pit Crew, and Betty Belts took part.

“It is really an opportunity to share the stoke of surfing with people who don’t get to surf Rincon very much, but they get to be a part of our event thanks to their public service efforts and recognition of the things they have done, to kind of take the selfish out of surfing,” said event organizer and Surfrider Foundation founder Glenn Hening.

The California Adaptive Surf Team is a great example.

Members focus on what they are able to do in a place that may be difficult to access.

“It was awesome, I didn’t think I would be able to surf this break again, but with the help of friends and this organization of people and the family coming out to help, it is just awesome.,” said DJ Lombardo.

He has not let a motocross crash keep him down.

“This is a once a year opportunity for me to come back, I grew up surfing hear able-bodied but then I became paralyzed and didn’t know if I was going to be able to surf again and this has given me an opportunity another chance redeeming myself coming back to my childhood fun,” said DJ Lombardo, ” It is such a freeing feeling and it fills my heart and soul.”

Hening said efforts to make the path and viewing area accessible for wheelchairs have hit roadblocks, but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen in the future if Carpinteria surfers support efforts.

Surf legends including Shaun Tomson and Jericho Poppler also took part in the Rincon Invitational.

“This is the Groundswell surfing benefit fundraiser, team event so everyone goes out and they are not competing, it is not about that, it is about sharing waves and thinking about all the good stuff that we do for for intracoastal research, and cultural wellness and awareness of surfing,” said Poppler.

All of the money raised goes to scholarships and protecting the surf environment.

For more information visit https://groundswell-society.org

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Battery of Montgomery and Libed put charge into Gauchos as they snap losing skid

KEYT on March 23, 2026

Mike Klan

UC SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Pitcher Kellan Montgomery and batterymate Nico Libed powered UCSB to a 5-1 win over Hawai’i as the Gauchos snap a 4-game losing streak and avoid a home sweep.

The Former Dos Pueblos High School star Montgomery struck out the first two batters of the game on his way to working 5 strong innings allowing just one run.

“I thought Kellan set the tone for the day,” said UCSB head coach Andrew Checketts. “Coming out in that first inning, had his best stuff and was attacking, I think he set the tone for the day on the mound. We talk a lot about when we’re at home, that first blow we can land is defensively. Starts on the mound, and then he really set the tone coming out, striking out the first two guys and getting after it a little bit.”

Catcher Nico Libed took advantage of his opportunity, reaching base in all five plate appearances, going 3-for-3 with a double, two stolen bases and a pair of runs scored. He also threw out a runner trying to steal.

(Lineup change by Andrew Checketts helps Gauchos avoid 3-game sweep. Entenza Design).

“Nice job by Nico, right? He’s hitting .140 and we stuff him in the two hole, just the way the matchup was working, we thought we’d get some on base out of him against a guy that has a little loose command, and he did what he was supposed to do,” Checketts said. “He got deep in counts, got on base what, four, five times, he walked once, so that was a big game for him. We needed him to step up and he did.”

“We went on that skid for a little bit, those last couple games but we didn’t lose faith in our guys, trusted everyone,” Libed said. “We were just getting a little antsy there the last couple games, we just had to stay grounded, stay present, make them come to us and hammer pitches that we could handle, and that’s what we did today.”

Jonathan Mendez had the big hit on the day, a 2-run single in the third to put the Gauchos up 3-0. He finished with 3 RBI.

Reliever Van Froling notched his first career save working 3.2 innings of 2-hit, shutout ball with 6 strikeouts.

“(Froling) got a lot of outings last year, has had a lot of potential, he was nicked up to start the year, but he’s capable of doing that,” Checketts said. “We all believe that he’s capable of doing that, so that was a nice outing for him. Hopefully he can build on that.”

UCSB is now 5-4 in the Big West and 15-6 overall.

The Gauchos begin a stretch of 5-straight nonleague games against strong competition Saint Mary’s, Oregon and USC.

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Visitors buy orchids at Santa Barbara International Orchid Show

KEYT on March 23, 2026

Tracy Lehr

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) The Santa Barbara International Orchid show wrapped up on Sunday.

People enjoyed displays that matched the orchid escape theme.

One near the entrance by Westerly Orchids, looked like a wave of orchids.

Visitors took plenty of pictures.

Some people took tours, while others watched demonstration.

Dozens learned how to pot and care for their orchids.

Many people shopped to bring some home.

Judges at the show at the Earl Warren Showgrounds gave out ribbons and trophies for the the best of the best.

Orchid societies from throughout California took part and invited visitors to join their organizations.

For more information visit https://sborchidshow.com

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Madison man killed in crash involving horse-drawn buggy in Randolph County

KMIZ on March 23, 2026

Olivia Hayes

MOBERLY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A 26-year-old Madison man is dead and two women are hurt after a crash involving a horse-drawn buggy in Randolph County just before 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

According to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, a 75-year-old Moberly woman driving a Ford Escape was heading west on Route M about three miles west of Middle Grove when she hit the back of the buggy.

The man was pronounced dead on scene. A 20-year-old Madison woman, who was a passenger in the buggy, was flown to University Hospital with serious injuries. The 75-year-old woman had minor injuries and was taken to Moberly Regional Medical Center by ambulance.

Both the buggy and Ford were totaled.

Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Troop B told ABC 17 News on Sunday it was investigating a crash involving an Amish Buggy on Route M near the Randolph and Monroe County line.

MSHP’s Crash Investigative Unit was at the crash site taking measurements around 8 p.m. Sunday. Troop B said the road would be closed to all traffic until the investigation was completed.

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Governor Little headlines Six-County Lincoln Banquet

KIFI on March 23, 2026

David Pace

REXBURG, Idaho – Gov. Brad Little emphasized the recent tax relief delivered in Idaho at a Multi-County Republican Lincoln Banquet Saturday at Madison High School.

“Idaho has been leading. We’ve delivered $4.6 billion in tax relief in just the past few years,” said Gov. Brad Little. “Why? Because we believe money belongs in the pockets of the people who earned it. We’re proving something very important. Something the rest of country needs to hear. You can invest in your priorities, grow your economy, and still give money back to your citizens.”

Since he was first elected Governor, K-12 education funding has increased 70 percent, he said, while crime in the state is down 17 percent.

Republicans from six counties – Clark, Fremont, Jefferson, Lemhi, Madison and Teton – gathered to hear from the state’s leaders.

“How impressive it is to participate in this, in this, Lincoln Day tonight with the six counties,” said Lt. Gov. Scott Bedke. “This community always producers top-notch educators and legislators. …It’s worth noting that we’ve had decades of good, strong Republican conservative [leadership] – but not just conservative blindly – budget-keeping, pragmatic, doing-the-right-thing year in and year out – the blocking and tackling as it were of government – and we’ve done that for years.”

The Brigham Young University-Idaho Men’s Chorus performed “The Star Spangled Banner” a capella and “Inkosi Namamandla,” a Zulu hymn from South Africa.

Messages from U.S. Senators Jim Risch, Mike Crapo and Republican data strategist Daniel Silver were also shared. 

“Let’s keep Idaho strong,” Little said. “Let’s keep Idaho free, and let’s keep the American spirit alive for generations to come.”

The Brigham Young University-Idaho Men’s Chorus performs a musical number in Zulu, “Inkosi Namamandla.”

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Gauchos doubleheader sweep gives Jo Evans milestone victory

KEYT on March 23, 2026

Mike Klan

UC SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – An offensive outburst leads to a milestone win for Gauchos head coach Jo Evans.

UCSB softball scored double-digit runs in each game of a doubleheader sweep over UC Riverside to give Evans career win #1,400.

Evans rankes #2 in victories among NCAA Division 1 active coaches and 7th all-time.

The Gauchos beat the Highlanders 14-4 and 11-1 as they improve to 9-0 in the Big West and 18-15 overall. Evans also racked up win #100 with the Gauchos.

Bella Fuentes was the hitting star for UCSB in both games. She was 2-for-4 with a home run and 4 RBI in the opener and then belted two more home runs with 5 RBI in game 2.

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