Spring freezes in Eastern Idaho: experts at T&T Lawn Service offer advice for keeping your yard healthy

KIFI on April 16, 2026

Danielle Mullenix

Idaho Falls, ID (KIFI) – With spring weather in Eastern Idaho comes unpredictable conditions, including freezing temperatures and late-season storms. With temperatures dropping below freezing again this morning, lawn care experts say preparation is key to protecting your yard from lasting damage.

According to experts at T&T Lawn Services in Idaho Falls, what homeowners do before and after a freeze can make all the difference.

“With the lack of winter that we had this year, we’re getting all the seeds that have blown in, and now it’s really causing havoc everywhere,” said Zachary Roudreau, fertilizer manager at T&T Lawn Services. “It’s important to take this into account going into the warmer seasons.”

Roudreau is one of the many workers at T&T Lawn Services who help locals repair their lawns following the harsh winter conditions in Eastern Idaho. When it comes to preparing your lawn against freezing conditions, he says simple steps go a long way.

T&T Lawn Services is located in Idaho Falls

“Obviously, somebody shouldn’t have tomatoes out right now, but if they did freeze, they’re going to die,” said Zachary Roudreau, fertilizer manager at T&T Lawn Services. “So you want to cover stuff up like that. Also, as far as sprinkler systems, you’re going to want to cover your PVB with blanket wrap—wrap as much as you can around it—because with the water that’s in it, the pipes will actually break or bust. Then you’ve got to call us to have us come fix it.”

Before the Storm

Taking preventative steps ahead of freezing temperatures can help minimize damage. Covering sensitive plants and exposed pipes not only protects them from freezing but can also prevent ice buildup. For lawns, pre-storm care can support fertilization efforts as the growing season continues into late spring.

During Freezing Conditions

Once temperatures drop, experts recommend staying off your lawn as much as possible. Walking on frozen grass can cause damage that lingers well into the season. This is also the time to make sure your sprinkler system is turned off to avoid frozen or burst pipes.

After the Storm

When temperatures rise and conditions improve, homeowners should shift focus to cleanup and inspection. Clearing debris and checking for any damage to plants, pipes, or sprinkler systems can help prevent further issues and keep your lawn on track for healthy growth.

Key Tips to Remember

Cover plants before a freeze

Protect PVB pipes with insulation or blanket wrap

Turn off sprinkler systems during freezing temperatures

Experts say timing is everything. Taking a few simple steps before and after a storm or freeze can go a long way in keeping your lawn healthy throughout the unpredictable spring season. To learn more from lawn care experts at T&T Lawn Services, click here.

Click here to follow the original article.

CDOT explains how it maintains rough conditions on Fountain Expressway/Boulevard in Colorado Springs until repaving in 2028

KRDO on April 16, 2026

Scott Harrison

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — Drivers along the three-mile stretch of Fountain Boulevard and Expressway, between The Circle Drive bridge and Powers Boulevard, may have noticed a glossy black material filling many potholes and cracks in the pavement.

The substance is a liquid used by maintenance crews with the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) to supplement the asphalt used to patch potholes and cracks.

“That’s an emulsified liquid asphalt that has aggregate in it,” said Eric Meyers, a CDOT maintenance supervisor. “We use that in the very shallow potholes. It seems to stick longer and stay in place longer than a hot mix, due to the shallowness of the pothole. We’ve had great success with that. We’ve used it quite a few times over the years.”

He added that the liquid cures quickly, reducing the time required to apply it and lessening the associated traffic impacts.

“It’s so durable that it can outlast the concrete around it,” Meyers said.

Still, the frequency of potholes and cracks makes drivers wonder how the pavement will hold up until its scheduled repaving in 2028; the road is also the US 24 loop through the city, which generates frequent heavy truck traffic.

Another strategy used by CDOT is maintenance paving, when crews pave over part of a lane that has numerous potholes in a concentrated area.

Such paving occurred last year on the east end of westbound Fountain, between Powers and Murray boulevards.

Meyers said that paving is done without the milling or removal of the existing pavement.

“It saves time, it’s a more efficient use of resources, and it’s a temporary treatment until we can come back later and do a full repaving,” he explained.

CDOT asks drivers to report any potholes they see.

“We don’t know where every pothole is, but once we get a report, we’ll respond as quickly as we can,” Meyers said.

He added that CDOT has nearly 50 full-time maintenance workers in El Paso County alone.

To report a pothole to CDOT within CDOT jurisdiction (state and federal highways), call 719-562-5568.

Click here to follow the original article.

Local teacher finalist for ‘America’s Favorite Teacher’

KRDO on April 16, 2026

Bradley Davis

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) – It seems like a lot of people like Colorado Springs Charter Academy Athletic Director Isaiah Seaborn. He’s just a few spots away from becoming America’s Favorite Teacher.

“It’s incredible because all of these kids are incredible, and that’s what means the most to me, when I can go home at the end of the day, and say, ‘Hey, I impacted a kid’s life.’ Man, that means the world to me,” Seaborn said.

Seaborn is in sixth place in the competition. He needs to crack the top five by 8 p.m. tonight to move on to the next round. People can vote once a day for free. You can find his voting page here.

The competition, sponsored by Bill Nye, is operated by the same company that hosts America’s Favorite Pet. If Seaborn wins, he’ll get $25,000, a trip to Hawaii, an appearance in Reader’s Digest, and a school assembly visit by Bill Nye.

Click here to follow the original article.

‘Everlasting hug’: Community creates quilt in memory of Kaylee Goncalves

CNN Newsource on April 16, 2026

By Allie Triepke

Click here for updates on this story

    BOISE, Idaho (KIVI) — A handmade quilt created by contributors from across the country is now on display in the Treasure Valley, honoring the life of Kaylee Goncalves and offering comfort to her family.

The Kaylee Jade Dahlia Quilt, unveiled at The Quilt Crossing, was crafted by more than a dozen quilters and dahlia enthusiasts from Idaho and beyond. Each square was stitched with messages of remembrance, forming a one-of-a-kind tribute to Goncalves, one of four victims killed in the 2022 University of Idaho murders.

“You’re never gonna replace the void that has occurred in their life, but it can be brighter, and it’s a very loving kind of tribute,” said contributor Kristin Custer of Caldwell.

The quilt draws inspiration from the Kaylee Jade Dahlia, a newly bred flower with bright pink and purple tones named in Goncalves’ memory. Custer said the vibrant colors are meant to bring light during a dark time.

Quilters from states including Florida, Ohio, and Idaho contributed to the project, each creating pinwheel-style sections that were later assembled by Nampa quilter Jodi Frederick.

“It looks better up there than I thought it would. I’m really happy that it’s done,” Frederick said. “It’s a relief that I got it done on time.”

Vickie Holbrook, another contributor, said the quilt represents more than a creative project.

“What the quilt means to the family really is an everlasting hug and something that can help in dark times,” she said.

Organizers say the quilt is meant to symbolize a nationwide embrace of support for the Goncalves family, with contributors hoping it provides a sense of comfort and connection.

The quilt will remain on display at The Quilt Crossing before being presented to the Goncalves family on May 9.

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.

Man pleads guilty to slashing immigration agents’ tire during Home Depot raid, avoids jail time

CNN Newsource on April 16, 2026

By Jonathan Ayestas, Daniel Macht

Click here for updates on this story

    SACRAMENTO, California (KCRA) — A Sacramento man pleaded guilty to slashing a U.S. Customs and Border Protection vehicle tire during an immigration raid at a Sacramento-area Home Depot last year.

Jose Manuel Castillo Jr. will avoid jail time as part of a plea agreement.

The U.S. Department of Justice accused Jose Manuel Castillo Jr. of depredation of government property.

On July 17, 2025, masked Border Patrol agents arrested several people at the Home Depot parking lot at 4641 Florin Road. During that operation, the DOJ said Castillo was seen walking toward the rear passenger side of a Border Patrol SUV. Nearby agents later heard a pop and hissing noise and spotted Castillo walking away from the vehicle.

Agents who saw the flattened tire ordered Castillo to stop and ran after him, DOJ said. After pinning him down and taking him into custody, agents found a folding pocketknife officials said was consistent with the width of the hole in the SUV’s tire.

Castillo’s wife, Andrea Castillo, shared video of agents chasing and tackling her husband down before taking him into one of their vans.

Immigrant advocacy group NorCal Resist said Castillo was a volunteer with the organization and was out documenting arrests.

Castillo was sentenced to probation and ordered to pay a $478.89 fine, $478.89 in restitution and a $25 special assessment.

The DOJ previously said that Castillo faced a maximum penalty of one year in prison a $100,000 fine.

“Mr. Castillo was frightened and shocked, as most Americans are, about masked men, dressed anonymously, armed with weapons of war, grabbing and kidnapping people in public based upon the color of their skin,” Castillo’s attorney Mark Reichel said in a statement. “A federal judge had recently ordered that these roving bands must cease their raids, but they defied the Order of the Federal Court. Mr. Castillo, as a private citizen, committed a low level vandalism of a tire. He has never before been accused of any wrongdoing, and is well known as a respected and law abiding man. He still is.”

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.

Man escapes waist-deep floodwater after rideshare gets stuck under bridge

CNN Newsource on April 16, 2026

By CBS 58 Newsroom

Click here for updates on this story

    MILWAUKEE (WDJT) — A Milwaukee man trying to get to work late Wednesday, April 15 ended up wading out of floodwater after a rideshare vehicle got stuck under a bridge near Burleigh and 31st.

Corey Wedgeworth tells CBS 58 that he was headed to his third-shift job when the driver followed a navigation app route into the flooded underpass. Wedgeworth said he warned the driver not to head in that direction after seeing the water ahead, but the driver took that path anyway and became trapped.

Wedgeworth said he got out and made his way through waist-deep water before eventually returning home to change clothes and then heading to work.

He said his experience also left him thinking about Milwaukee families dealing with flooding across the city.

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 shares story behind viral video of mama bear wrangling cubs

CNN Newsource on April 16, 2026

By Itinease McMiller

Click here for updates on this story

    ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — For the first time, we are hearing from the woman behind a now-viral video showing a mama bear doing something moms everywhere can relate to: trying to wrangle her cubs.

Kristina Rupp said she was driving home on Emma Road in Asheville when traffic suddenly came to a stop.

“I was actually annoyed because traffic was stopped. I thought it was a goose or something,” Rupp said.

But she quickly realized it was a mama bear trying to get one of her cubs out from underneath a car. Rupp grabbed her phone and began recording, capturing the bear’s determined effort to get all of her cubs safely across the road.

Like toddlers, the cubs certainly didn’t make it easy. Every time the mother pulled one to safety, another wandered right back toward danger.

“That’s what was so funny for me. I really empathized with her, and I wanted to help her. That was my instinct, I was like she needs a babysitter,” Rupp said, laughing.

The video has clearly struck a chord, especially with parents. As of April 16, the video has reached 7.3 million views on TikTok, 4.4 million views on Instagram, 4.4 million views on YouTube, and 950,00 views on Facebook. Across all of WLOS’s social media platforms, it has reached a combined 17 million views.

Even though Rupp doesn’t have children of her own, she said her experience as a nanny made the moment instantly relatable.

“They were so sweet. To see this mama bear have this really complex emotion of patience, and then losing it. It was so funny. And they were being so naughty,” she said.

Beyond the laughs, Rupp said the experience left her with a deeper takeaway.

“We’re so lucky they’re still here, as much as they are with us having boomed this area so much,” Rupp said. “And how important it is to keep some areas wild for the bears, for all these animals, so that they don’t end up on the road.”

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission said encounters like this are becoming more common and is now expanding its “BearWise” program statewide, aimed at helping people safely coexist with bears.

For many viewers, the viral moment serves as both a heartwarming and important reminder that even in the wild, moms have their hands full.

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.

Arkansas lawmakers review $1 million AI plan to block illegal cellphone use in prisons

CNN Newsource on April 16, 2026

By Brett Rains

Click here for updates on this story

    LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas (KHBS, KHOG) — Arkansas lawmakers are considering a $1 million proposal to implement artificial intelligence technology aimed at disabling illegal cellphones in two state prisons during the ongoing fiscal session in Little Rock.

The Department of Corrections is seeking approval to spend $1 million on a pilot program using AI technology to disable illegal cellphones inside the Varner and Cummins prison units. However, some lawmakers believe the department already has the authority to act and could use funds from its existing budget.

“This is a public safety crisis. You know, about one in every four prisoners has access to these illegal cellphones,” one representative said.

House Bill 1079, which appropriates $1 million over the next two years for the program, passed Tuesday’s Joint Budget Committee, but faced questions from lawmakers.

Rep. Dwight Tosh explained the technology’s capabilities. “It doesn’t just suppress the phone. It actually will terminate that inmate from being able to use that phone. And if any information that they sent out before, yeah, I think it’s about 20 minutes. By the time that that system picks it up, you’re able to terminate it. Any text messages or voice messages that are sent out during that 20 minutes can be retrieved,” Tosh said.

Lawmakers also debated the urgency of the issue. “Do you consider this to be like a high or medium or low priority as far as a safety issue?” one senator asked.

Dexter Payne, director of the Arkansas Division of Corrections, responded, “Senator, I personally feel like it’s a high priority.”

Sen. Jonathan Dismang questioned why the department had not acted sooner. “I mean, you may think it’s a high priority, but you’ve never proposed this to the board or anyone else to be able to implement inside your own appropriation and operations. They have the authority to do this today. This is trying to kickstart something that they’ve been unwilling to do up until this point,” Dismang said.

Payne acknowledged the delay, saying, “It’s something that we have wanted to do, we just didn’t have the proper funding to do so.”

Currently, cellphone jamming devices are not allowed in state prisons, but that could change in 2026. The Federal Communications Commission is taking public comments on proposed rule changes that would allow such technology.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr addressed the issue during a visit to Arkansas last September. Lindsey Wallace, Arkansas secretary of corrections, highlighted the potential benefits of jamming technology. “That would really be the best approach, is if there is a cell phone in there for us to just be able to jam it. But we’ve never been able to do that before, and this is very expensive technology, especially if we were to roll it out to the entire department,” Wallace said.

Sen. Dave Wallace pointed to the scale of the problem in Georgia. “In the state of Georgia, they’ve already confiscated 10,000 illegal phones. The inmates are appealing to the FCC, and the FCC has backed the state up in every one of these 10,000 confiscation investigations,” Wallace said.

The bill passed the Joint Budget Committee with a recommendation for approval by the House and Senate. If the appropriation bill is approved, lawmakers would need to separately approve funding for the trial program.

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.

Police say teen shot father in school car line after argument

CNN Newsource on April 16, 2026

By Bun Choum

Click here for updates on this story

    HAMMOND, Louisiana (WDSU) — The Hammond Police Department has taken a 13-year-old in custody in connection with a shooting near the Tangipahoa Alternative School Tuesday morning.

According to Hammond police, the shooting happened in the school carline around 7:39 a.m.

Police say that before the shooting, the 13-year-old boy and his father got into an argument. Officers say the boy did not want to go inside the school.

Due to the argument, the school resource officer responded to the carline, and the father of the boy decided to take his son home.

As the car began to drive out of the carline, the resource officer heard gunshots and saw the teen approaching the officer with a gun, according to police.

Hammond police say the father’s car then accelerated across the street into a home. There was a Pre-K-aged student in the backseat. That child was not injured and is now in the custody of another family member.

The home the father crashed into was damaged, but no one inside was hurt.

After the car crashed, police say the 13-year-old got out of the car and began walking toward the side door of the school with the gun.

According to Hammond police, the school resource officer put himself between the scene and the school. The resource officer then disarmed the teen and took him into custody.

The teen was taken into custody without incident, and the boy’s father was taken to North Oaks Medical Center and is considered critical at this time.

Officers have secured the scene, and there is no ongoing threat to public safety. The school was placed on lockdown as a precaution, but has since returned to normal operations.

The identity of the teen and father will not be released at this time. The teen will be taken to the Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center to be processed.

The school has placed counselors on campus for students who need to speak about the incident, according to school officials.

Due to the boy’s age, no information on his criminal history or behavior record at the school will be released.

“This type of violence is senseless and outrageous and sadly underscores why school resources officers are so important,” said Hammond Chief of Police Edwin Bergeron Jr. in an issued statement. “We are incredibly grateful that we had a SRO at the school to intervene and prevent further injuries.”

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.

Paramedics can now give blood on scene. It’s transforming trauma care.

CNN Newsource on April 16, 2026

By KCCI Staff

Click here for updates on this story

    DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — A new pilot program giving Des Moines paramedics the ability to perform blood transfusions in the field is already being credited with saving lives — and changing how trauma care begins.

Doctors say some of the most critical moments in saving a patient don’t happen in the hospital, but in the minutes after they are injured.

“By treating patients early, we can automatically decrease the risk,” said Dr. Carlos Pelaez, trauma medical director at Iowa Methodist Medical Center.

That philosophy helped launch a pilot program last November that equips certain ambulances with blood and the tools needed to administer transfusions on scene.

Now, first responders and medical specialists say it’s making a life-or-death difference.

Coby Klocko, a paramedic in Des Moines, saw that impact firsthand on Feb. 19.

A 911 call reported a stabbing at Polk County’s Life Services Center.

“There was a stabbing victim that was in trouble and was bleeding out,” Klocko said.

When Klocko arrived, he was faced with a critical decision. Although he had only practiced administering blood transfusions on training mannequins, he knew the situation called for immediate action.

“I just took a few deep breaths, realized I’ve done this plenty of times, and it’s just another routine thing, just on a live patient,” he said.

Using the mobile blood transfusion system, Klocko began treatment before the victim arrived at the hospital.

That early intervention, doctors say, can increase survival rates by roughly 30 percent.

“I have been in practice for approximately 15 years,” Pelaez said. “This is the single most relevant change in trauma care in our city that I have seen since I started practicing trauma surgery.”

Klocko also believes having the kit and training to use it was critical to his patient’s survival.

“If I didn’t have the blood, I don’t think it would be the outcome that we had today,” he said.

His decision to begin the transfusion in the field ultimately saved the man’s life — and led to a moment not every paramedic gets to experience: meeting the patient he helped save.

For Klocko, it’s a reminder of the stakes that come with every call.

“Coming to work every day, you just never know what you’re going to get yourself into,” he said. “But having the tools that we have in our ambulances, knowing that I can make a difference in somebody else’s life, and also make an impact on their family, is definitely a huge reward, not just for myself, but for our entire department.”

As the pilot program continues, doctors and first responders say it could mark a major shift in how trauma care is delivered — starting long before a patient reaches the hospital.

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.