Month: April 2026

By CeFaan Kim

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    OAKLAND, New Jersey (WABC) — A Bergen County family says they have been sharing their home with a mother bear and her four cubs living right under their house.

On Tuesday, the entire family of bears finally emerged after months in the den. One little cub even needed a quick rescue after getting stuck.

“So they were living under here because the previous owners when they built this addition, they dug a foundation under half of it,” said resident Veronica O’Brien-Lim.

O’Brien-Lim is talking about her uninvited tenants living rent-free under her home. At first they were adorable, but lately… not so much.

These days at night they’ve been going through the neighbors’ trash and bringing it back and chewing on wires to the central air unit.

So she called NJDEP Fish & Wildlife.

“It seems like any intervention is really a last course of action,” she said. “If they haze the mother out, she would possibly run and abandon the cubs, and then they would have to find another sow to basically put them with. Or if they tranquilized her and caught the cubs, they would have to create a new den for them nearby.”

But she says she was told the bears would likely move on after a day or two. That was two weeks ago.

Meanwhile, the neighborhood has become somewhat of a spectacle, causing traffic jams up and down their quiet Oakland block.

“The first week after she posted that they were under there before they started coming out really, it was like paparazzi here, cars driving by, people walking by, where are the bears? It’s not a zoo,” said neighbor Donna VanRy.

Then on Tuesday morning for the first time since the fall, the bears left the den.

A neighbor heard one of the cubs screaming in his backyard.

“Then I went down and looked at a little cub trying to get over fence couldn’t make it,” neighbor Ray Miller said.

A Fish and Wildlife team freed the cub and reunited it with its mother. They think they came out looking for food because of the warm weather, but they could return later Tuesday or in the fall to hibernate.

So the Lim family is being advised to board up the space under their home.

NJDEP Fish & Wildlife says, “Based on the site visit, the bear is in the process of moving its cubs. NJDEP Fish & Wildlife reminds the public of the importance of securing trash and other possible sources of food that can attract bears to properties.”

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Mary Kielar

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    LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Most of us are looking for a sign that gas prices will go down soon amid the ongoing tension between the U.S. and Iran.

Victor Botnari owns Universal Motorcars and said he’s seen a 10% decrease in business.

To break that down, Botnari tells me they typically see seven to 10 people for service appointments each day. Now, people are canceling those appointments — and Botnari believes gas prices are to blame.

“Especially the last couple weeks, we’ve seen a big, big impact,” Botnari told me.

Drivers say the struggle to afford everything right now is real and causing them to change their habits.

“I’m staying home a lot. Not doing any extracurricular activities that I would do during the weekend,” Rosemarie Ibana said.

Her friend Tracy Banner agreed, calling current gas prices out of control.

“I drive a lot during the day for work, and because the price of fuel is so high, I have changed my routing,” Banner said.

Drivers and business owners in our valley say they’re waiting for things to calm down — and for their wallets to get a break.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Amy Nay

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    SPRINGVILLE, Utah (KSTU) — The founder and owner of the popular and controversial Dirtylicious dance fitness classes is moving on and essentially closing down, although they could live on with other instructors at different locations.

“I need to turn this into a fitness format so people can teach it and it can grow into a nationwide and worldwide thing,” said Erica Tanner.

Back in 2019, Tanner created the Dirtylicious dance brand.

“It was so fun to see so many instructors take it and make it their own and have them grow their own little communities and have the same experiences I had been having for almost a decade,” she said Monday.

The sexy, empowering choreography-based dance fitness class became popular, especially at the Provo Recreation Center, which hosted a number of the classes until last summer when a complaint forced management to take them off the schedule.

“There was never a complaint to myself,” Tanner said. “We actually had a thriving community there. I would say [it] was one of the most popular classes. I would show up to class, there would be a line outside of people waiting to check in, just a good place to fill your cup and get your dance on.”

Tiff Cozzens loved it when she was able to attend a Dirtylicious class, not understanding the controversy.

“It’s just a great workout and great for flexibility,” said Cozzens. “These are the people who are taking these classes, those who have been in dance before and still want to take dance classes, and it’s no different from like a high school dance class.”

But in June, Tanner said the rec center told her the classes didn’t align with the city’s values, moral standards, or policies and pulled them from the schedule.

“To say that didn’t have to do with our decision to close would be dishonest,” she admitted. “I’m not a quitter; I like to keep pushing and keep going.

“…for me, it just became a point where the sacrifice was too great.”

Tanner decided to sunset her business and spend more time at home with her family, but allows teachers to continue offering the classes.

“Some of the best people I’ve met is through this, but I’m excited to see what’s next,” said teacher Nat Atanazio. “…to just keep dancing and keep teaching no matter what, and I’m really excited about these new communities.”

Atanazio is keeping Dirtylicious classes by teaching at EōS Fitness in Springville on Thursday nights and other places in Utah County.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Julia Sandor

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    ELKO, Nevada (KSTU) — Police in Elko are still trying to piece together and come to terms with how something so tragic as Monday’s murder-suicide involving an 11-year-old boy could happen in their community.

The town of Elko, which is about 200 miles away from Salt Lake City, is one with just over 20,000 people.

“It typically is pretty quiet,” said Elko Regional Airport Manager Jim Foster.

The airport sees about 3,800 travelers each month, and one to two commercial flights a day.

“I’ve grown up with this airport and grown into this airport, and it’s engrained in me,” said Foster.

But Monday’s events changed everything.

“This was a first for me,” Foster shared. “It kind of shakes you a different way.”

The Elko Police Department responded to reports of an active shooter at the airport, and found 37-year-old Giovanni Perez dead with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and his young son, Callan, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds inside a bathroom. Despite being transported to the hospital, Callan later died from his injuries.

“We did find some paperwork inside the vehicle,” said Lt. Shane Daz with the Elko Police Department. “We believe Mr. Perez, Giovanni, had some mental health issues, so we are exploring that. Other than that, we don’t have a motive as to why he went into the bathroom and did what he did.”

The police department is a small team with 44 sworn officers. At the time of the incident, they only had four officers on duty and three emergency dispatchers. It goes without saying that tragedies such as Monday’s are taxing for their team.

“This is a tragic incident,” said Lt. Daz. “Nobody wants to see this. I didn’t expect this 22 years ago when I started this career, and I hope in the next three years before I retire, I hope I never see it again.”

But for Daz and Foster, their work continues.

“We’re going to come together as a community,” said Foster, “and we’re going to come together as an airport and make sure everyone is taken care of.”

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Hector Gonzales

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    KEARNY, Arizona (KNXV) — Town officials in Kearny (Pinal County, AZ) are implementing severe water restrictions as it continues to face a significant water shortage.

Last week, Mayor Curtis Stacy announced he and the town council have implemented the “most severe water restrictions we can impose.”

Mayor Stacy says that based on the current usage within the Kearny water distribution system, “we WILL run out of water on or about July 15, 2026.”

A statement from the mayor goes on to say, “When that happens, there will be no water available to any of us for any purpose until we receive a new allotment from the Gila River Water Commissioner.”

The new restrictions implemented include:

Washing of vehicles Watering of landscape of any kind Washing of sidewalks/porches/driveways Filling of any pools, including small “kiddie” pools Any other use of water not related to sanitation or use to support life

In a statement, Stacy says they have been monitoring water usage since the implementation of an emergency decree back in January and are seeing an increase in water usage rather than a decrease.

The town offers the following options to help save water:

Landscaping: water can be hauled in and stored in barrels for landscaping. Drinking water: Get your cooking and drinking water from vendors who can accommodate this Pools: water can be hauled in for use in pools Laundry: wear it a second or even third day Dust control: we are allowing water to be pumped from the lake for this, you will need your own pump to accommodate this Bathing/showers: shower with your significant other; showering at work is also a great option if it exists for you

For more information, reach out to Mayor Stacy or Town Hall.

Leaks: If you suspect or know you have a leak, get it fixed immediately

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Craig McKee

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    ARIZONA (KNXV) — The latest numbers from the Department of Veteran Affairs show veteran suicides decreased by 44 veterans year to year within their reporting period of 2022-2023. Critics of the data have long said the numbers do not tell the reality of veteran suicide.

Data shows that most veteran suicides occur in veterans who are 50 and older.

Rick Kreiberg, a 35-year Army veteran who retired as a Command Sergeant Major, sees a solution to the issue of suicide among older veterans through coffee, donuts, social interaction, and most importantly, action.

“Less Hooha, more Dooah, that’s what we say. We can talk about a problem all day. There’s nothing that irks me more personally than suicide awareness. But, geez, thanks, Captain Obvious. But what are you doing about it?” Kreiberg said.

Kreiberg told me he saw an immediate need when he went to a veteran support group for himself.

“I went there, and I was the oldest veteran there. So, I’m like, where are Vietnam veterans at? And the organization said that they don’t support them, was a post 9-11 organization, and they don’t support them. So, I’m like, well, who’s supporting our senior veterans? And so, I decided to create an organization to address those needs of the pre 9-11 veterans, the older folks, especially Vietnam,” Kreiberg said.

This led to the creation of Veterans Affinity. While the group focuses on older veterans, they are open to any veteran looking for community and camaraderie.

Doug Leach served in Vietnam and now volunteers with Veterans Affinity to help veterans like himself.

“It’s given me purpose,” Leach said.

“There’s a lot of veterans out there that just never leave the house, and those are the ones we’re looking for. They’re isolating themselves. We want to get them out,” Leach said.

“They know they’re welcome here. They know that there’s other men here who went through the same thing, and they can commiserate,” Leach said.

After 22 years in a Navy uniform and nearly 15 years contracting in Iraq, Joyce Camelon still felt like she didn’t fit anywhere. Then a stranger introduced her to Veterans Affinity.

“I felt like a piece of a puzzle looking for the puzzle. I couldn’t figure out where I fit,” Camelon said. “Veterans Affinity saved my rear end. My piece of the puzzle that I couldn’t seem to find anywhere else for a very long time, I found it right there at Veterans Affinity with their camaraderie, their conversation, their ability to make you feel like you’re home.”

From Mesa to Prescott, these one-hour gatherings are taking place in 28 different communities. Kreiberg has a goal to grow the organization even more.

“There’s 500,000 veterans in the state of Arizona. So, we got, we got to find a way to touch every one of them,” Kreiberg said.

Kreiberg hopes to change the narrative from how many veterans are lost to how many are given life.

“I want control of that outcome. I want the ability to ensure that that veteran gets across the finish line, whatever that looks like. So being hands on, whether it’s me or one of my outstanding volunteers, we’re gonna ensure that gets done right,” Kreiberg said.

You can find out more about Veterans Affinity by visiting their website veteransaffinity.org.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KNXV verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Colin Riley

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    BOULDER, Colorado (KMGH) — A Brighton woman is turning compassion into action by building a nationwide network to match pets in need with loving foster homes.

JoAnn Lagace, founder of the National Animal Foster Network, is gearing up to launch a new app this May with the help of University of Colorado Boulder students. The nonprofit is currently looking for volunteers to be ready when the platform goes live. Sign ups begin in May at NAFN.us.

“No one should have to choose between their health and the safety of their animal,” Lagace said.

The mission is personal for Lagace, who wants to keep people connected with the pets they love even in times of crisis. The network will be the nation’s only coordinated foster care system for pets of people facing medical emergencies, military deployment, housing instability or other crises.

“I’m 18 years sober, so I know what it’s like in the world of alcoholism, and what it means to people in sobriety who need sobriety, and what a barrier it is for them to go in and get the treatment that they deserve because they don’t have care for their only source of unconditional love and support,” Lagace said.

The program aims to reduce shelter overcrowding and save lives by providing temporary care.

“We will foster their animals while they go do what they have to do, and then reunify them with the animal,” Lagace said.

“65% of Coloradans have a pet. And if even 1% of Coloradans who love animals and find this an important program that can help so many animals,” Lagace said.

To make the network a reality, Lagace teamed up with CU Boulder computer science majors Langston, Isabelle and Caroline. The seniors are building the network’s website and app as their capstone project.

“I wanted to be part of something that I knew was going to actually be making a difference,” Langston said.

“Being able to apply my knowledge base that I’ve learned in school to something with such an impact and such a good mission that adds such value,” Isabelle said.

“If you’re an individual in crisis and you know that you need help and you don’t want to depart with your animal, we’re providing a way for people to communicate,” Langston said.

When the site and app launch next month, anyone will be able to search for foster homes in their area, and volunteers can sign up to offer care.

“Any kind of animal. We do not discriminate,” Lagace said.

Lagace is building an animal sanctuary to help foster animals. You can find more information on the Paws ‘N Claws for the Cause website.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KMGH verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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.