Man takes Terrible Towel to Mount Everest as tribute to late friend

CNN Newsource on April 19, 2026

By Barry Pintar

Click here for updates on this story

    PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Terrible Towel is a symbol of celebration known around the world, but it was recently taken to new heights.

Allen Dean, a Steelers fan from Sewickley, recently took a Terrible Towel with him as he climbed Mt. Everest.

“I had to show myself that I can do whatever I set my mind to,” says Dean, who spoke with KDKA-TV’s Barry Pintar after his climb from Pokhara, Nepal, near Mt. Everest. “By doing that, I was an example to my kids that, through all the hardships our family has gone through, if you put your mind to something, you can do it, and if it is something as big as Everest, whatever it is, that if you put your mind to it, you can do it.”

Allen says a man called “Big Mike” was a long-time father figure who died a few months ago. His window gave Allen Big Mike’s Terrible Towel. It was then, by way of tribute, that an idea was born.

“She asked me, ‘Allen, would you be able to take the terrible towel to Everest if you make it?’ I said, ‘Absolutely, for Big Mike, anything,'” Dean recalled. “Big Mike was like my last father figure that I had around, so it meant a lot to me to just bring peace. It just meant a lot to me to finalize the loss of such a male role model in my life.”

Allen says he trained vigorously for this climb, often spending weekends taking his kids to hike just about every regional state park imaginable.

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.

Hofstra student diagnosed with severe autism at age 2 graduating with honors: “Never thought I would get this far”

CNN Newsource on April 19, 2026

By Carolyn Gusoff

Click here for updates on this story

    HEMPSTEAD, New York (WCBS) — Four years ago, CBS News New York introduced you to a young Long Island man who overcame an autism diagnosis to graduate valedictorian of his high school class.

Now, Joseph Falco is exceeding expectations again, this time in college.

Falco will graduate from Hofsta University next month with top honors.

“I never thought I would get this far,” Falco said.

Neither did the experts who once said he may never speak. Now, his success speaks volumes about what’s possible on the spectrum.

“It’s real, and it’s here, right now, and I’m enjoying every minute of it,” Falco said. “I used to think it was something that potentially held me back, made me different, weird, wrong. But I couldn’t disagree with that any more now. I love the fact that I have autism. It has helped me focus.”

At first, Falco’s fixations led to a diagnosis of severe autism.

“When he was 2, they told me he was going to be nothing. Like, ‘He’s probably never gonna speak, probably is not gonna do anything, he’s really autistic, don’t expect a lot out of him,’ … The hand flapping, walking on his toes, no eye contact,” Joseph’s mother Dolores Falco said.

Early intervention and determination made the difference. He was the valedictorian of his Copiague High School class in 2022.

Four years later, Joseph is mastering what once seemed impossible. He’s about to graduate college with a computer science and cybersecurity degree, in the top 10% of honors students. He’ll get the highest designation Hofstra gives: honors, with distinction.

“His story says that anything and everything is possible,” Hofstra University’s Dr. Tomeka Robinson said.

Joseph is also reading social cues.

“I’ve been joining tons of clubs, making a bunch of friends, and just letting everyone know, hey, this is who I am,” he said.

“The day he walks across that stage … they’re probably going to have to bring a pump in, to pump out all the water from my tears,” Falco’s mom said. “Support them, fight for them, advocate for them, and watch them bloom.”

“I want people to see what I’m doing and think hey, you know, I can do that too,” Joseph said.

Now, he says he’s focused on “making things that might seem impossible all come true.”

On May 17th, he will graduate Hofstra cum laude, and he’s already halfway finished with his masters.

He’s looking forward to a career in cybersecurity, either in the private sector or in law enforcement.

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.

Funky-smelling Bradford pear tree among 30 invasive species getting banned in New Jersey

CNN Newsource on April 19, 2026

By Nick Caloway

Click here for updates on this story

    NEW JERSEY (WCBS) — New Jersey is banning more than two dozen invasive trees and plants, including the Bradford pear, which residents say emits a strange odor when it blooms every spring.

The Invasive Species Management Act outlaws the sale and spread of 30 species, like the Bradford (or Callery) pear, Japanese barberry and running bamboo, throughout the Garden State.

Homeowners won’t need to remove anything from their yards, however, since the law targets future sales only, not existing landscapes.

The rules will phase in over the next few years after former Gov. Phil Murphy signed the bill into law on his last day in office.

“A little bit like B.O.” The Bradford pear bursts into bloom each spring, and it stinks every time, residents say.

“It’s like a little bit sweet, but also a little bit funky,” said Chris Calabrese, of Jersey City. “A little bit like fresh-cut grass, but also a little bit like B.O.”

The smell isn’t the only issue with the Bradford pear. As an invasive tree, it also creates an ecological problem, spreading easily into the wild and pushing out native trees.

“Our forests have taken a bit of a beating recently with pests and pathogens. And being outcompeted by invasive species just inflicts more harm to our forests,” said Dr. Nicole Davi, an environmental science professor at William Paterson University.

William Paterson is using state grant money to plant 180 native trees on its campus in Wayne.

“Natives bring in pollinators. Natives support bird life. Natives have evolved here. So it supports a healthy, biodiverse ecosystem,” Davi 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.

Rising and fluctuating fuel prices pinching pockets of interstate semi truck drivers in South Florida

CNN Newsource on April 19, 2026

By Steve Maugeri

Click here for updates on this story

    SOUTH FLORIDA (WFOR) — Steven Maclean, a long-haul truck driver, says he has spent $2,500 more on fuel this past month hauling supplies from Canada to South Florida and across the U.S.

“You don’t plan for anything extra, that’s for sure,” Maclean said. “You barely pay yourself”.

Maclean noted he has seen different diesel prices in each state he has traveled to. As of Saturday, AAA reported Florida’s average diesel fuel price at $5.54 a gallon.

“Florida’s price is the best now that I’ve seen,” Maclean said. “Maine, like a month ago, was $5; now it’s up to $6, I think”.

The conflict in Iran continues to impact fuel prices. Al Hanley, who is with a CDL school that trains truck drivers, teaches techniques to limit fuel usage.

“Idle time is a killer, so if they’re stuck in traffic, and the truck is running and it’s doing miles, that hurts them,” Hanley said. “Planning your routes better—maybe operating at different times of the day, overnights, or weekends—and maybe not driving during rush hour if they can avoid it”.

Hanley said it is hard to tell how much this will impact the freight industry because fuel prices have fluctuated almost daily.

AAA data shows Miami’s average diesel price is $5.52 a gallon, 3 cents less than yesterday, but this price range is significantly higher than the average of $3.43 a gallon this time last year.

Trucking companies often buy fuel in bulk, but the price they pay one day could be higher than the price the next day, Hanley said.

“It’s called a short squeeze,” Hanley said. “They’re having to get a higher price today and receive it at a higher price than it is really in the market”.

Hanley believes that if drivers use his tips, they could save thousands in gas a year, noting that trucks carrying heavy loads over long distances usually have poor gas mileage.

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.

Boston Marathon brings in thousands of runners from around the world: “It is incredible to be here.”

CNN Newsource on April 19, 2026

By Paul Burton

Click here for updates on this story

    BOSTON (WBZ) — The Boston Marathon is now just hours away for about 30,000 runners from around the world who have been training months for this day.

“It’s my first time running Boston. It is incredible to be here,” said runner Tracey Hasse who came in from the United Kingdom.

Athletes and their families and friends have been all over Boylston Street near the finish line this weekend, getting their race numbers and some swag at the runners expo at the Hynes Convention Center.

“It’s as much as part of the tradition as anything anymore, like buying an official race jacket,” said runner Mike Moon, who’s visiting from Canada. This will be his 28th Boston Marathon.

“In fact, I’m going to write a book and it’s going to be called just ‘Why?’ Why would you do this every year? This is 28, don’t know if this will be the last,” Moon said.

Hasse came to Boston with six family members and friends

“My running journey started with just a challenge and it’s taken me all over the world. I am about to become a six-star finisher here after three years. I started running and never stopped running,” she said.

Jason Hoberman of New Jersey is one of the thousands of runners raising money for charity. He’s running on behalf of his wife who recently beat leukemia.

“I joined the Blood Cancer United team to support blood cancer research. Because of research she was able to get through this and here she is,” Hoberman said.

“Never give up hope and keep fighting for your family and what you believe in and stay positive and hopefully research continues and we can put an end to all these horrible diseases,” his wife Tracey Hoberman said.

There were also crowds of runners at the Fan Fest in City Hall Plaza.

“This is a celebration for both the runners and the non-runners. Food, entertainment, activities for kids. We’ve got activities for adults,” event organizer Scott Halstead said.

The Boston Marathon starts just after 9 a.m. Monday in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. The 26.2-mile course runs through Ashland, Framingham, Natick, Wellesley, Newton and Brookline. It ends on Boylston Street in Boston. This will be the 130th running of the race.

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.

Charges pending for man who shot himself while committing robbery at Towson University

CNN Newsource on April 19, 2026

By Adam Thompson, Ashley Paul, JT Moodee Lockman

Click here for updates on this story

    BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A man was arrested after he was injured by a self-inflicted gunshot wound while committing a robbery at Towson University on Thursday, according to school officials and Baltimore County police.

Around 9:15 p.m., Towson University Police were called for possible gunshots fired in a stairwell in Tower C in the 150 block of Cross Campus Drive.

They arrived to find an injured man who was taken to a local hospital with a self-inflicted, non-life-threatening gunshot wound, officials said.

During their investigation, county and school police determined that the injured man was not a student at the university. Officers said he fired the weapon, hitting himself in the lower body.

According to county police, the shooting occurred as the man was committing a robbery. No other injuries were reported.

Charges are pending, and the investigation is ongoing, police said. This appears to have been an isolated incident, according to officials.

“Firearms are strictly prohibited on TU’s campus, and an immediate after-action review is underway,” school officials said.

The incident comes as the university prepares for its annual TigerFest weekend event.

“I was standing over there around that pavilion, and I’m hearing somebody shot themselves and I’m like, ‘Huh?’ So I walked up the stairs and saw endless cop cars, endless ambulances, I didn’t know what was going on,” said a freshman named Mack.

Video taken by students showed the enormous response on the 150 block of Cross Campus Drive after police responded.

“It was just kind of scary because you don’t know what’s happening. All you know is shots are fired, someone got shot. And I’m like, oh my God, that’s actually insane,” said junior Edwardina Beeko.

Another student video showed the suspect being loaded onto an ambulance.

“It’s like dang, a random dude could just come in there with a gun, and you would never know. What if the dude wasn’t robbing someone but wanted to kill people, wanted to shoot the school up, or something? I don’t feel safe,” said Mack.

Students say residents of the dorm are required to swipe their Towson student ID card to get into the building, and any guests must be signed in by someone who lives there.

The desks are manned by community center assistants, who are often students themselves, not security guards.

“I’m not going to frisk anyone, we’re not like actual security,” said Beeko and junior Nancy Ekpo. “As a CCA, I’m very aware of safety and who comes in and out. I feel like we’re such a public base, I feel like me, in the back of my mind…we don’t have metal detectors or guards patting anyone down, you want to hope that nobody ever thinks to do this, but for me, I’m always like it’s a possibility.”

Right now, it’s unclear if the suspect was signed into the building or if he had an intended target.

Anyone with information is asked to call 410-887-INFO.

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.

College wrap-up: Gauchos Softball sweeps doubleheader against CSUN

KEYT on April 19, 2026

Mike Klan

UC SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) –

Big West Softball:

UCSB 4, CSUN 3 Game 1: In the first game, UC Santa Barbara secured a narrow 4-3 victory. The Gauchos capitalized early, scoring three runs in the first inning. Dani Rauscher drew a walk, followed by Tehya Banks’ single, advancing Rauscher to second. Emily Carr then doubled down the right field line and advanced to third on a throwing error, bringing in both Rauscher and Banks. Delaina Ma’ae then singled to right field, driving in Carr and giving UC Santa Barbara an early 3-0 lead by the end of the first inning.

Cal State Northridge responded in the fourth inning, scoring three runs to tie the game. Prior to the Matadors three run inning, Sophia Clark had set down the first 10 batters of the game. After a Matador reached on a fielder’s choice and advanced on an error, a double down the left field line scored two runs. Another single brought home the unearned third run for Cal State Northridge. However, UC Santa Barbara regained the lead when Bella Fuentes singled, advanced on a fielder’s choice, and scored on Mejia’s groundout, making the score 4-3 by the end of the fourth inning. The fifth, sixth, and seventh innings were scoreless for both teams, with UC Santa Barbara’s defense holding firm to secure the win.

Clark finished with another stellar pitching line. The freshman pitched seven innings, allowing three runs (one earned), while striking out three.

UCSB 9, CSUN 0 (5 innings, Game 2): In the second game, UC Santa Barbara decisively defeated the Matadors with a final score of 9-0. The Gauchos recorded 13 hits, including two home runs, while Malaya Johnson allowed only two hits in a complete-game shutout.

(Malaya Johnson struck out six batters as she improves to 10-8 on the year. Entenza Design).

Tehya Banks hit a home run in the first inning, securing an early lead for UC Santa Barbara. The inning concluded with the Gauchos leading 1-0. The second inning saw further action as Bella Fuentes singled to left field, followed by a two-run home run by Ella Myers. Jazzy Santos doubled, and Emily Carr singled through the right side, driving in another run, ending the inning with UC Santa Barbara ahead 4-0.

The Gauchos continued to extend their lead in the third inning; Fuentes singled and later scored on a single by Dani Rauscher. A wild pitch allowed Jaelyn Toledo to score, and Banks drove in Rauscher with a single, pushing the score to 7-0. During the fourth inning, Cat Benitez, pinch-hitting for Delaina Ma’ae, singled and was advanced by Fuentes’ double. Myers singled, bringing in Benitez, and Toledo’s sacrifice fly scored Kaylin Garcia, who was pinch-running for Fuentes, leading to a 9-0 advantage after the fourth inning.

In the fifth inning, Cal State Northridge was unable to generate any offense, resulting in a complete game shutout by Malaya Johnson, who pitched 5 innings with six strikeouts.

Big West Baseball:

UC Irvine 6, UCSB 3: A tough third inning undid the UC Santa Barbara Baseball team (24-12, 11-6 Big West) on Saturday, with UC Irvine (17-20, 8-9 Big West) riding that four-run frame to a series-evening 6-3 victory.

HOW IT HAPPENEDVargas came up big on both sides of the ball for Santa Barbara, throwing out a runner to end the bottom of the first, then leading off the bottom of the second with his second double of the weekend. Rowan Kelly singled to move him over to third, then the Gaucho catcher scampered home on a passed ball, narrowly evading the tag at the plate.

After two innings of facing the minimum, Nathan Aceves got into trouble in the third, surrendering four runs that would eventually decide the game. Not that the Santa Barbara bats were going to just roll over. Vargas’ one-out walk served as the catalyst for a two-out rally in the top of the fourth, with Jonathan Mendez’s single plating Vargas and Cole Kosciusko’s ground-rule double that bounced over the wall in center plating Corey Nunez. That bounce was a bit unlucky for Santa Barbara, as Mendez was held at third by rule. He would stay there and the Gauchos would stay a run behind, down 4-3.

A solo home run to start the bottom of the fourth got one of those runs back for the Anteaters, then a couple of two-out singles in the seventh restored the home team’s three-run lead. The score remained unchanged from there.

UP NEXTSaturday’s loss sets up a rubber match on Sunday, when the game will be broadcast nationally on ESPN2. First pitch is set for 1 p.m. from Anteater Ballpark in Irvine. Fans can also follow along on ucsbgauchos.com with live stats and a free audio-only broadcast.

Cal Poly 5, UCSD 3: Carson Turnquist did not allow an earned run over five innings and struck out 11, Alejandro Garza produced another three-hit game and knocked in two runs and Jake Downing doubled three times in a 4-for-4 day at the plate as Cal Poly defeated UC San Diego 5-3 on Saturday afternoon at Triton Ballpark.

The victory propelled Coach Larry Lee’s Mustangs into sole possession of first place in the Big West standings as UC Santa Barbara fell at UC Irvine 6-3. Cal Poly is 21-16 overall and 12-5 in conference contests, one game ahead of the Tritons and UC Santa Barbara (both 11-6 Big West).

Turnquist’s strikeout total exceeded his previous career high of eight set at UC Riverside four weeks ago. He walked just one and scattered three hits over five innings, throwing 99 pitches, as the Paso Robles High School graduate improved his record to 3-2 on the year.

Chris Downs (one inning) and Josh Morano (1 1/3 innings) both allowed a run and Nick Bonn secured the final five outs without giving up a run to earn his ninth save.

Garza went 3-for-5 with a double and knocked in a run with a groundout in the second inning and a single to left field in the sixth. It was Garza’s seventh multiple-hit game in his last nine starts and 12th in 18, giving him a team-leading 19 for the season.

Garza’s average has climbed 100 points to .369 over the last six weeks (22 games).

Downing became the 17th Mustang in 32 Division I seasons to double three times in a single game — one shy of the record four set by Collin Villegas at Cal State Bakersfield in April 2023 — with two-baggers in the second, fourth and sixth innings.

Hitting in the ninth spot in the batting order, Downing scored twice Saturday and, with three singles and a pair of RBIs in Friday’s 11-3 triumph, is 7-for-9 in the series after his fourth game of three or more hits in the last four weeks.

Downing has gone 20-for-51 (.392) since and including the UC Riverside series four weeks ago to lift his average 111 points to .261. He did not have a three-hit game in his first 22 contests this season but has four in his last 13 starts.

Ryan Tayman added two hits, Cam Hoiland singled up the middle to knock in the first run of the game in the opening frame and a sacrifice fly by Braxton Thomas drove in the second run of the inning.

It was 3-1 on Garza’s RBI grounder to third base in the second inning and Cal Poly stretched the advantage to 4-1 on Nate Castellon’s single and UCSD throwing error in the fourth and 5-1 on Garza’s run-scoring single to left field in the sixth.

UC San Diego trimmed the deficit to 5-3 with single runs in the sixth and eighth frames before the Mustang bullpen closed out the contest.

The Tritons’ seven hits included two hits each by Gabe Camacho and JC Allen. The loss was charged to UCSD starter Trevor Rector (0-2) as the right-hander surrendered three runs on five hits in two innings.

Cal Poly’s four pitchers combined to strike out 14 Triton batters. The Mustangs lead the all-time series against UCSD, 10-8. Cal Poly amassed double-digit hits for the fifth straight game. UCSD had a baserunner in each of the first 12 innings of the series before Turnquist retired the side in order in the fourth frame Saturday.

Final game of the series will be played Sunday at 1:05 p.m. at Triton Ballpark. Cal Poly freshman right-hander Corden Pettey (2-2, 4.39 ERA) will face UC San Diego graduate right-hander Nic Gregson (0-7, 6.02 ERA).

NCAA PacWest Baseball:

Point Loma 7, Westmont 0 Game 1

Point Loma 9, Westmont 1 Game 2: Westmont Baseball (23-16, 20-16 PacWest) couldn’t come up with the offense in Saturday’s doubleheader at Point Loma (35-8, 31-8) and dropped both games. Westmont fell 7-0 in game one and 9-1 in game two.

The Warriors tallied just three hits in the early game. Westmont’s best chance to score came in the fifth inning when Braydon Griffin and Isaac Veal provided back-to-back singles with one away. However, second base was as close as the Warriors would get to pushing across a run.

Hunter Hammond took the loss for the Warriors. Over six innings, he allowed seven runs (six earned) on seven hits. He did not surrender a walk. Gavin Vanderpool pitched two innings. He did not allow a run and gave up two hits. Vanderpool struck out two and walked one.

Westmont produced six hits in the second game. The only Warrior run of the day came in the sixth inning. With one away, Veal doubled down the left field line. Then with two outs, Jesse Di Maggio hit an RBI-single up the middle to bring Veal home.

Starter Matt Vazquez was assigned the loss after allowing three runs on four hits.

With six games remaining in PacWest play, Westmont finds itself in sixth place in the conference standings. Westmont is one game behind both Jessup (26-18, 22-16) and Fresno Pacific (20-14) and one and one-half games behind Hawai’i Pacific (23-18, 21-14) which is in third place.

Monday, the Warriors will play Hawai’i Pacific in a doubleheader at Vanguard, beginning at 11:00 a.m.

Big West Women’s Tennis:

UCSB 4, Cal Poly 0: The UC Santa Barbara Women’s Tennis team capped off a perfect conference season in dominant fashion Saturday afternoon, sweeping Cal Poly 4-0 in the classic Blue-Green rivalry at the Ronca Tennis Center to clinch the Big West regular season title outright.

The Gauchos closed the weekend with back-to-back sweeps, after defeating CSUN 4-0 the day prior, to finish 9-0 in conference play and secure the program’s place atop the Big West standings.

THE MATCHFinal: #48 UC Santa Barbara 4, Cal Poly 0Records: #48 UC Santa Barbara (15-8, 9-0 Big West), Cal Poly (12-9, 7-2 Big West)

HOW IT HAPPENEDUC Santa Barbara set the tone early by capturing the doubles point with wins on courts two and one. Lily Pradkin and Shanelle Iaconi delivered a commanding 6-1 victory, before Ekua Youri and Caroline Beard battled to a 7-6 (7-3) tiebreak win at the top spot to secure the early 1-0 advantage.

UC Santa Barbara remained in control throughout singles play, winning all three completed matches in straight sets. Emma Tutoveanu extended the lead with a decisive 6-2, 6-1 win on court three. Raphaelle Leroux followed with a 6-1, 6-3 victory on court six to push the advantage to 3-0.

With the title on the line in the Blue-Green rivalry, Lily Pradkin clinched the match on court four, grinding out a 6-2, 7-6 (7-3) win to seal the 4-0 sweep and secure the Big West regular season championship for the Blue and Gold.

Three additional singles matches went unfinished as UC Santa Barbara clinched the final point.

RESULTSDoubles

Ekua Youri/Caroline Beard (UCSB) def. Candela Aparisi/Natalie Lynch (CP) 7-6 (7-3)

Lily Pradkin/Shanelle Iaconi (UCSB) def. Bonita Jakupovic-Kl/Kennedy Buntrock (CP) 6-1

Jessica MacCallum/Sarah MacCallum (CP) def. My-Anh Holmes/Emma Tutoveanu (UCSB) 6-2

Order of finish: 2, 3, 1

Singles

Ekua Youri (UCSB) vs. Kennedy Buntrock (CP) 6-4, 4-6, 2-3, unfinished

Isabella Wong (UCSB) vs. Jessica MacCallum (CP) 5-7, 6-3, 3-0, unfinished

Emma Tutoveanu (UCSB) def. Candela Aparisi (CP) 6-2, 6-1

Lily Pradkin (UCSB) def. Alexandra Ozerets (CP) 6-2, 7-6 (7-3)

My-Anh Holmes (UCSB) vs. Natalie Lynch (CP) 2-6, 6-4, 2-5, unfinished

Raphaelle Leroux (UCSB) def. Sarah MacCallum (CP) 6-1, 6-3

Order of finish: 3, 6, 4

UP NEXTWith the regular season concluding in a win, the Gauchos have secured the top seed in the Big West Championships and earned a double bye into the semifinals, where they will begin competition on Apr. 24 at 10 a.m.

NCAA Beach Volleyball: The Cal Poly beach volleyball team finished the regular season on a high note, sweeping both of its matches Saturday in Stanford. The No. 6 Mustangs (26-8) beat both Pepperdine and No. 7 Cal by scores of 5-0.

Cal Poly started the day by sweeping the Waves before finishing it with the shutout of the No. 7 Golden Bears. Cal Poly used the same five pairings in each of the two duels, with eight of the 10 points coming via straight set victories.

The No. 1 pair of Ella Connor and Erin Inskeep improved their record to 29-5 after their two wins Saturday. It was a historic day for the No. 2 pair of Izzy Martinez and Logan Walter as broke the program record for most career pair wins. With their two victories Saturday, they now have 60 career wins together. They are 30-3 this season.

The No. 3 duo of Quinn Perry and Ashleigh Adams improved to 23-4 together this season with a pair of wins Saturday. The No. 4 pair of Julia Westby and Elise Lenahan, who went 4-0 on the weekend, are now 24-3 together this season. At the No. 5 spot, it was Peyton Dueck and Katie Clevenger, who are now 4-2 together after their two wins Saturday.

With the regular season now done, Cal Poly now prepares for the Big West Championship next week which the Mustangs will host at Swanson Beach Volleyball Complex April 23-24. The Mustangs will enter it as the No. 1 seed and will play their first two matches of it Thursday, April 23 at 11:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. The Mustangs are seeking their first conference title since the last time they hosted in 2022.

(Articles provided by UCSB and Cal Poly Athletics).

Click here to follow the original article.

Postcard Art Show Draws Hundreds to Support Happyville Farms

KIFI on April 19, 2026

Hadley Bodell

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Art brings communities together, and right here in Idaho Falls several local organizations gathered people to enjoy a “Postcard Art Show” in support of Happyville Farms.

Joyful Revolution is committed to brightening our communities through expression and artwork. Since their founding in July, they have worked to create a partner show for local artists to showcase their work. People of all ages, levels, and art mediums can create work, donate it and allow Joyful Revolution to sell it.

Meanwhile, Happyville Farms has a mission in nutrition. They’ve been growing and selling crops since 2020 to donate fresh vegetables to feed people in need.

“We all know that the best thing you can get off your plate is garden fresh vegetables,” said Claudia Pine, Director at Happyville Farms. “That’s what we like to do. We grow it, we teach people how to grow it. We teach people how to enjoy preparing it and eating it in classes for all ages on our outdoor farm.”

The collaboration began when Jayden Anderson, a co-founder of Joyful Revolution, noticed Happyville’s community farm down the street from her house. As it turned out, the missions for each organization coicided perfectly, both intended to bring health and happiness to Idahoans.

“We couldn’t think of a better organization to partner with and support, because they do so much,” said Alex Petersen, co-founder of Joyful Revolution.

The Postcard Art Show featured 160 artists and 173 pieces of artwork donated from people in the community. All ages, levels and mediums were welcome, with the youngest entry being from a three-year-old artist and the oldest 87.

“We were so lucky that we had 173 pieces donated,” Petersen said. “We’re so excited to see the community’s outpouring of love and seeing them express themselves and witness and be a part of the art community and supporting them in a way we haven’t really ever seen in Idaho Falls.”

The event featured live music and food for guests. Joyful Revolution also partnered with Little Bluebird Studios to host the event in the lively space where guests could browse the art show.

“We’re a small nonprofit and what this shows is how big people can dream when they partner together,” Pine added. “Some of the artists are actually people who have come to the farm, some of the works were done by community ‘youth in action’ teams who also volunteer and take classes there. This is just another way for them to jump in and get involved and show what they can do.”

If you weren’t able to donate by purchasing any postcard artwork at the showcase, there are still ways to give to both local organizations. You can find Joyful Revolution on Instagram at joyfulrevolutionidaho and Facebook at Joyful Revolution SE Idaho to navigate to their website and donate.

For more information about Happyville Farms, you can visit www.happyvillefarm.org.

Click here to follow the original article.

“Ice Gala” in Idaho Falls Fundraises for Local Hockey Organizations

KIFI on April 19, 2026

Hadley Bodell

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) – Ice skating and ice hockey are two of the world’s lesser known sports, however there are clubs providing athletes the opportunity to play them right here in Idaho Falls. Expenses for ice time are steep, with tonight’s “Ice Gala” serving as a fundraiser for the Idaho Falls Figure Skating as well as the Snake River Youth Hockey Association.

The masquerade-themed ball was held at the Elks Lodge in Idaho Falls. The goal is to keep the sports affordable for local families.

“I think that what a lot of people don’t realize is when you have an athlete in a sport like this, you’re not just paying for your kid’s time on the ice,” said Sydnee Nethery with Idaho Falls Figure Skating. “The organizations have to meet anywhere from $215 to $300 every hour that they’re on the ice. And so that adds up weekly to thousands between the two organizations.”

They like to provide athletes with training opportunities, even bringing in Olympians. In order to continue these programs and allow competition at larger tournaments, the clubs host events like the Ice Gala to fundraise.

“We would love to be able to have an ice rink that has ice year round in this area. There’s one in Rexburg but we’d like one in Idaho Falls,” said Darby Heyrend with Snake River Youth Hockey Association. “Our mission is just to keep the kids on the ice and out of trouble, keep them interested in sports and keep life positive for them.”

For the young athletes within these programs, it’s about more than honing their craft and competing with passion.

“I think that between the two organizations, they learn so much more than just how to play hockey or figure skate through working with a team,” Nethery added. “You learn accountability and learn responsibility, things like that. For the figure skaters, they learn all the performance skills that will carry them through one day leading a meeting in a boardroom or being able to connect themselves in a way that represents them and their organization really well. So the lessons they learn go far beyond the ice, and that’s what’s really important.”

To donate to Idaho Falls Figure Skating, you can visit https://www.idahofallsfsc.org/.

To donate to Snake River Youth Hockey Association, you can visit https://www.yetishockey.com/.

Click here to follow the original article.

Short Dawgs in Da House brings dog-themed festival to Ventura Harbor Village

KEYT on April 19, 2026

Tracy Lehr

VENTURA, Calif. (KEYT) A dog-themed festival called “Short Dawgs in Da House” brought dog lovers to Ventura Harbor Village.

All dogs were welcome to the free event that featured more than 15 local vendors.

It was a day for dogs.

Dog lovers watched the small pets races on the main lawn.

Rowdy Dachshund, the viral skateboarding sensation, hosted the event along with his two-legged friends Kim Estrada and Ivan Cano.

One popular moment was when a human dressed up like a wiener dog raced Rowdy the Weiner Dog and won.

Estrada and Cano hope to bring the event back to harbor again next year.

Click here to follow the original article.