App helping restaurants cut waste while giving diners deals

By Megan Matthews

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    LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (WLKY) — A new app called “Too Good To Go” has launched in Louisville.

The app aims to reduce food waste by allowing customers to purchase unsold food from local restaurants at a discount.

Every day, hundreds of pounds of food are thrown out from Louisville restaurants because it didn’t sell throughout the day. Now, that extra food can go to consumers instead of in the trash.

The app has already partnered with several community favorites like the Macaron Bar, Barry Bagels, and Soupy’s.

“Over the time that we’ve been in the city, we’ve actually already saved over 13,000 meals from going to waste,” said Allie Denburg, with Too Good to Go.

Barry Bagels is one of the main restaurants seeing that impact, saying before the app, they were throwing away close to six dozen bagels a day.

“I really hate wasting all of these bagels when someone could be eating them. So it was really nice to see that there was a nice balance between being able to keep our product flowing with money and then also keeping people fed with just things,” said Chance Kauer, manager of Barry Bagels.

Some businesses like Soupy’s, which has been in the area for decades, are using it to offer sampler packs and attract new customers.

“We’ve sold out every day. So, if you see it on there, hurry up and get it, because it goes quick,” said Kyle Byerly, part-owner of Soupy’s.

The app is simple to use. Customers can download it from their respective app store, browse a map of nearby options to choose from, place an order and pick it up during a designated time frame.

Denburg said waste is inevitable in the food industry, but Too Good to Go offers business owners a solution.

“There’s always going to be some surplus in the business model unless, you know, they bake less and end up losing out on potential income. So generally they’re overbaking, needing to throw things out. And this is a way that they can make sure that they don’t really have to throw out anything and can help save that food from going away,” said Denburg.

The end result is a win-win-win. Businesses make back revenue, customers save money, and less food goes to waste.

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.

If fuel prices don’t come back down, seafood prices could go up in Maine and the US

By Jacob Murphy

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    BRUNSWICK, Maine (WMTW) — As of Thursday afternoon, AAA says average diesel prices have risen to $5.90, more than a dollar up from what it was last month. While fuel costs are impacting everyone, it’s also having major impacts on Maine’s ocean economy.

“We fuel up every single day, multiple times a day,” said Kelly Punch with Mere Point Oyster Farmers.

The company owns multiple boats that oftentimes see eight hours a day on the water between harvesting oysters and running farm tours.

Punch said that typically, as fuel prices fluctuate, they absorb those costs, rather than putting them on customers. The issue now is the uncertainty as to when they will come back down.

“Having that lack of stability with fuel prices, I mean, prices for everything but fuel, especially, it’s been very stressful for us,” she said.

It’s not only the cost of taking boats out on the water. Ground transportation to move their oysters is more expensive, and equipment is getting more expensive as the price of plastic increases. Punch said trying to absorb all of it isn’t sustainable.

The Maine Lobsterman’s Association spoke with Maine’s Total Coverage and says lobstermen have also been feeling that pain at the pump, but it hasn’t hurt them too badly since the industry doesn’t start picking back up until May. The concern would be if prices don’t come back down until then.

If fuel prices don’t drop, that could eventually mean prices getting passed on to customers this summer.

“We’re working really hard to produce a quality oyster and to be able to afford people the luxury of a beautiful farm tour,” Punch said. “But as costs rise and our revenue decreases, it makes it increasingly hard to provide that experience.”

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Maine produces the majority of lobsters for the entirety of the U.S., along with being a major oyster supplier. Affording transportation costs to other states could also factor into pricing.

“Fish markets are feeling it, processors are feeling it, restaurants are feeling it. With the cost of our operations going up, eventually the cost of seafood will go up. The cost of all food will go up,” Punch 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.

Father drowns saving his children from rip current

By Ari Halt, John Iz

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    JUNO BEACH, Florida (WPBF) — Ryan Jennings, a beloved coach and father from Maine, died while rescuing his children from rip currents during a family vacation in South Florida.

Geraldine Ollila, a family friend, described the Jennings family as an ideal family.

“Truly, if there is a love story to be told, an ideal family that we all look up to, to emulate, to be like, it is the Jennings family,” Ollila said.

Ryan Jennings, his wife Emily, and their three young children were visiting Ryan’s parents in South Florida this week.

Wednesday afternoon, the family was on Juno Beach.

Two of the children were caught in rip currents while swimming in the ocean.

Witnesses said Ryan immediately swam after them, saving the children but losing his own life in the process.

“He was a hero. He saved the kids. It was exactly who Ryan Jennings is: an amazing, amazing human being,” Ollila said.

Emily Jennings recently learned she is pregnant with their fourth child.

The family remains in Florida for now, but Ollila said neighbors in Maine are ready to support them when they return home.

“They’re in so much pain and deep into grief, but they will overcome it together, and they will be surrounded by a community that loves them,” Ollila said.

Ollila has set up a GoFundMe account to raise money to help Emily raise the children.

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.

Deschutes National Forest plans prescribed burns near Sisters, Bend Monday

Tracee Tuesday

DESCHUTES COUNTY, Ore. (KTVZ) — The Deschutes National Forest is planning prescribed burning operations Monday on the Bend-Fort Rock and Sisters Ranger Districts, with smoke expected to be visible in parts of Central Oregon.

Firefighters on the Sisters Ranger District are planning up to 42 acres of ignitions on the SAFR 9 and 78 prescribed burn units, located about one and a half miles south of Sisters, near the junction of Forest Service Road 16, also known as Three Creek Lake Road, and Forest Service Road 4606.

Ignitions are planned for about 10 a.m., and smoke will likely be visible from Forest Service Road 16, Sisters, Highway 20 and nearby areas. Residents in Sisters and the surrounding area are encouraged to keep doors and windows closed, especially overnight and in the early morning hours when smoke impacts are most likely.

No road or trail closures are anticipated for the Sisters-area burn.

On the Bend-Fort Rock Ranger District, firefighters plan to continue prescribed burning on the Flank 4 Prescribed Burn, about 15 miles southeast of Bend on the west side of Forest Service Road 18, just north of the Forest Service Road 18 and Forest Service Road 25 junction near the Camp II OHV Staging Area.

Crews are planning up to 847 acres of ignitions over the next one to three days, with 100 acres planned Monday. Ignitions are also expected to begin around 10 a.m., and smoke may be visible from Highway 20 and portions of Bend.

Trail closures remain in place for the Opine OHV Trails System, including trails 020, 021, 025 and 028. The closures will stay in effect for several days while mop-up and patrol operations continue after the prescribed burn is complete.

Fire managers say prescribed burns help reduce fuels and protect homes and communities from future wildfires. Officials work with smoke specialists from the Oregon Department of Forestry to choose weather conditions that help carry smoke up and away from nearby communities, though some smoke during or after a burn is still likely.

Residents are advised to close doors and windows at night, use portable air cleaners if available and run central air systems with high-efficiency filters when possible. Drivers in smoky areas should slow down, turn on headlights and use recirculating air settings. People with heart or lung disease, asthma or other chronic conditions should monitor symptoms and contact a health care professional if they worsen.

More information about prescribed burning and smoke preparedness in Central Oregon is available at centraloregonfire.org. Forest-specific information is available at fs.usda.gov/deschutes.

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Veteran receives kidney donation after more than 6 years waiting

By David Jones

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    ST. CLOUD, Florida (WESH) — An Army veteran from Osceola County finally received the help he’s been waiting years for in the form of a kidney donation.

Retired MSgt. Owen McCurty, who lives in St. Cloud, was profiled in a November story on WESH 2 as he sought to raise awareness of his situation: high creatinine levels in his kidneys, kidney disease and the need for eventual dialysis.

After retiring from the Army in 2003, he said his issues progressively got worse until he had to be put on Advent Health’s donor list more than six years ago.

“Someone stepping forward to integrate themselves in my journey and giving me something, it would mean the world to me,” McCurty said back in November.

The story aired, and he said messages began coming in from around the country as the story had been picked up by affiliate stations.

Soon, he would meet his kidney match: a woman from Dallas, Texas.

“She Facebooked me first, we talked several times, and she decided to move forward,” McCurty told WESH 2 on Sunday.

“Just like any surgeries, I’m just going through some pain and just a little uncomfortable now, but I’m truly blessed.”

He said her surgery took two-and-a-half hours and his took five-and-a-half hours.

“The coverage you guys did, the news story, the way you laid it out, a lot of times, when people need something, it’s very difficult to get the word out,” McCurty said. “You’ll be amazed, sometimes when people hear your story, the way it’s presented, deep down inside of them, they want to help. That’s exactly what happened to me.”

Now, he said he hopes his story will inspire others to become donors, and he said it’s his hope that stories like his will continue to be highlighted.

“I really strongly believe if you hadn’t done the story, I wouldn’t be in the situation I am today,” McCurty 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.

Students receive free prom attire from nonprofit

By Gail Paschall-Brown

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    CENTRAL FLORIDA (WESH) — Central Florida students are getting ready for prom season, and many families will spend hundreds of dollars per student on tickets, transportation, and attire.

However, one organization is helping students with free prom attire and accessories.

The average prom dress can cost $150 to $300, and tuxedo rentals can be as much as $200 or more, especially for designer options.

26Health, a nonprofit health care organization, aims to make prom fun and not frustrating by offering free attire and accessories.

Joanne LaComb is a mother on a mission, searching for special prom attire for her son and daughter at “Operation Prom” on Magnolia Avenue in Orlando.

“You know prom suits are so expensive. It’s $111 for a ticket for a prom. Imagine buying a couple hundred suits, you want to make sure your kids look snazzy. They don’t want to go without looking like a nice suit. It’s such a blessing. I’m so grateful for it,” George LaComb, a student at Lake Buena Vista High School, said.

She found a prom dress for her daughter, Elizabeth and FaceTimed her son George to ensure his suit was just what he wanted.

“Without this, I don’t think I would have had a prom suit, or at least a nice one for our prom. So I’m really grateful that my mom was able to get me a suit and I’m able to go wear something nice to our prom,” LaComb said.

April 11 is LaComb’s prom at Lake Buena Vista High School, and it is also Derrion Bivins’ prom at Evans High School.

“Actually, it’s crazy, I wasn’t going to go to prom because I couldn’t afford a suit, so like an hour or two, it came in my email, ‘Oh, mom, I can go, you just got to buy the ticket.’ I can go. It’s like, yeah, we was happy,” Bivins said. “That’s great because the tickets are expensive. Yeah, it’s $130 per person.”

A social media request went out, and 26Health employees and partners donated 325 items for this effort.

“We believe in giving back to the community, so this was a brainchild of our staff, and they wanted to be able to do something for individuals who may not have had the funds to participate in prom,” Latrice Stewart, 26 Health president and CEO, said.

Thanks to the generosity of others, all the students will look fabulous at their proms. This is 26Health’s first year doing this, and the CEO said it has been an incredible experience because giving back is what they do.

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.

Shark attack survivor returns to beach as recovery continues

By Muhammad Abdul Qawee

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    BOCA GRANDE, Florida (WBBH) — Leah Lendel, who survived a shark attack at Boca Grande nearly a year ago, has returned to the site as part of her healing process.

“It’s kind of like healing for me to come over here, because seeing this happen to me and sometimes I even forget I got a shark bite,” Lendel said.

Leah was nine years old when a shark nearly tore off her arm while snorkeling off the coast of Boca Grande. Despite the traumatic experience, Leah has shown remarkable resilience and fearlessness.

“I already went through all the hard stuff already. Like, there’s nothing more hard for me now,” Leah said.

The attack occurred 10 months ago, and Leah still vividly remembers the moment.

“You see, like, the black stuff in the water? That’s where he was,” Leah said.

First responders and nearby construction workers rushed to help save her life, and surgeons were able to reattach her hand. Leah is still working to regain her strength.

“I can’t really play piano now, and I can’t pick up more than 8 pounds, but me and my therapist are working for me to get my wrist strength back,” Leah said.

Leah’s mother, Nadia Lendel, explained that they often visit the beach on Boca Grande and considers the area where the attack happened a healing area.

“We come out here often for her request, to just sit, you know, and remember what happened, but also, that it’s such a great outcome for her. We have her, you know, she’s alive,” Nadia said.

Nadia expressed her pride in her daughter’s recovery after surviving the shark attack.

“We thought, you know, it’s going to be 100% amputation. And so that we were just praying. Of course, we, you know, we were hoping. But when you see something this bad, you just understand reality hits. You’re like, this is what it is,” Nadia said.

Despite the traumatic experience, Leah dreams of getting a snorkeling license, and Nadia is nervous but supportive.

“She’s not afraid. She’s fearless,” Nadia said.

Leah wants people to stay aware in the water and not be afraid of sharks.

“It’s really rare the sharks even attack a person and I would recommend not swimming in murky water,” Leah 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.

Close and Jaquez lead UCLA to first national title in NCAA era

Mike Klan

PHOENIX, Arizona. (KEYT) – UCLA finally has a national title in women’s basketball in the NCAA era and two strong 805 connections played a major part in the historic victory.

UCLA routed South Carolina 79-51 in the championship game.

Former UCSB player and associate head coach Cori Close guides the Bruins to the championship in her 15th season as head coach of the Bruins.

“This is immeasurably more than I could ask or imagine and so I am just really grateful,” said Close who patiently built this program into a national power.

Close has had UCLA knocking on the door for the past several seasons with four straight trips to the Sweet 16 and a Final Four appearance last year.

But this Bruins team gets it done with a talented group of seniors including Camarillo High School alum Gabriela Jaquez.

Her dream was to always play and win a title at UCLA and it becomes a reality.

Jaquez had a game-high 21 points along with 10 rebounds and 5 assists in the championship game for an outstanding finish to her great career in Westwood.

The 2022 Camarillo High School graduate was the Bruins 3rd leading scorer this year.

“This season when we decided we wanted to do something we did it and I am just so proud,” stated Jaquez.

Cori Close played at UCSB from 1989-1993 and later was an assistant and then associate head coach of the Gauchos from 1995-2004. Close helped the Gauchos become a west coast women’s basketball powerhouse and they even reached the Sweet 16 in 2004.

The Bruins finish this season 37-1 and national champions.

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California family finds possible human remains during Easter egg hunt, police say

By Dean Fioresi

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    LONG BEACH, California (KCAL, KCBS) — An investigation is underway in Long Beach after a family discovered possible human remains during an Easter egg hunt in the area near DeForest Park and Wetlands on Sunday afternoon, according to police.

Officers told CBS LA that they were called to the 5900 block of De Forest Avenue at around 5 p.m. upon learning of the discovery.

“Due to the circumstances, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office is responding to the scene,” police said.

Family members told CBS LA off-camera that what appeared to be the human skull and other bones of a small child were discovered in the middle of their holiday tradition while children were looking for Easter eggs.

Aerial footage shows several brightly-colored eggs on the path near what looked to be a partially-excavated skull in the ground. Two officers were seen covering the object with a canopy.

“At first we saw the family there, doing like an Easter egg hunt, but they were freaking out a little bit,” said Marc Zaldana, who was walking along the path when he encountered the children in what he said were the moments after the disturbing discovery was made. “I can only imagine, like for them, finding a dead, another kid. Must be tragic for them.”

As the investigation continues, police said that details would remain limited. Long Beach police officers were still on the scene as of 10 p.m. Saturday night.

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Helicopter drops thousands of Easter eggs for egg hunt at Colorado church


KCNC

By Holly Santman, Christa Swanson

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    WINDSOR, Colorado (KCNC) — The Easter holiday wouldn’t be complete without an egg hunt, and one church in Northern Colorado has a unique way to celebrate.

A helicopter came out to drop 6,000 eggs over the church yard at Zeal City Church in Windsor. The eggs were dropped during two Easter events, and then the kids could hunt for them and collect the candy inside.

“We’re celebrating Easter Sunday, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and we really wanted to bless our community and not just give them a sermon, but something to make them memories with their families and friends,” said Lead Pastor Jeremy Cleveland. “And so, we’ve had the helicopter out here for two services dropping over 6,000 eggs. Just celebrating Jesus at Zeal City Church.”

Jeremy Cleveland said he and his wife, Brittany Cleveland, wanted to do something creative and unique for their community.

They said hundreds of families attended Sunday’s services and egg hunts.

“The kids are enjoying it, loving it, parents are having a great time. It’s been awesome,” said Brittany Cleveland.

This is the second year the church has put on the Helicopter Egg Drop, and they hope to continue it in the future. The Clevelands said they want to be creative with their Easter service and bless their community.

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.