Month: April 2026

By Chris Reed

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    ST. GEORGE, Utah (KSTU) — It’s a rare sight.

An agave plant is blooming for the first time at the Red Hills Desert Garden in St. George, drawing crowds to see a stalk that resembles a giant asparagus.

The plant, currently standing at about 18 feet tall, is growing approximately a foot a day. Depending on the species, agaves take between 10 and 100 years to bloom.

Ryan White, a landscape education administrator for Washington County Water Conservancy, oversees the garden and its 15 agaves.

“Some of the fun questions I get is about: ‘Why does it look like a giant asparagus?’ And it’s because they are actually related,” White said.

While agaves are the primary ingredient in agave tea, sweetener, and tequila, White advises against eating this particular stalk.

“Once the stalk gets to be this size, it’s probably a bit too fibrous and chewy to eat,” White said.

The massive blooms can cause issues if they get too large.

“A couple years ago, there was one in the town of Gunlock that was 50 years old and it was about a 30-foot-tall bloom. When it fell over, it actually crushed the homeowner’s fence,” White said.

Dozens of people, along with owls nesting in the rocks above, have visited the garden to admire the rare sight.

“Every day, there’s people here just looking for that. Just looking for the agave,” White said.

Carol Fenn, an agave watcher from St. George, brought her niece to see the plant.

“I told my niece, she got in town last night, I said, ‘We have to go check this out because I saw it on Facebook and I’ve never seen an agave bloom,'” Fenn said.

Fenn’s niece, Rhiannon Garrard, is a geologist from Tropic.

“There’s something probably in the soil here, too, that makes the agave so abundant. A lot of the rocks we’re in, they have minerals from ancient environments, and the agave probably just love it,” Garrard said.

The agave will continue to bloom for another week to a month. After the bloom is complete, the plant will die.

“I see it more as a grand finale. You’ve grown this plant for a decade or more, and now you’re getting this spectacular bloom,” White 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.

By Nick Sloan

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    BLUE SPRINGS, Missouri (KMBC) — Charges have been filed against a man accused of bringing a loaded gun into a Blue Springs elementary school.

Cory Adams, of Independence, is charged in Jackson County with unlawful use of a weapon for allegedly carrying a loaded firearm into Sunny Pointe Elementary School on April 16.

Police were called to the school that morning on a report of a disturbance involving a man with a gun

Officers found Adams inside the building near the front office after he had entered through glass doors, according to court records.

A probable cause statement says Adams allegedly resisted before being taken into custody after a “brief struggle.”

Police said they recovered a 9mm handgun from his waistband loaded with 15 rounds.

Police later determined the gun appeared to be a “ghost gun,” meaning it did not have a serial number.

A woman who called police told officers she believed Adams was armed and feared he was coming to the school to harm her.

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 John Lauritsen

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    Minnesota (WCCO) — Planting is underway and spring conditions have been good across much of Minnesota. But even so, some farmers are electing to sit out a year.

“It’s very dry for April 20. We have great field conditions, dry soil, the frost is out of the ground,” said Ryan Mackenthun.

For Mackenthun, getting off to a good start is key to getting good yields. On Monday, it was all about planting corn in McLeod County, despite challenges ranging from high fertilizer and fuel costs to trade wars and tariffs.

“As a farmer, I’m optimistic that eventually we’re going to have a market that will supports farming,” said Mackenthun.

Steve Zenk shares Mackenthun’s optimism, but with a volatile market, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture farm advocate is noticing a trend: more farmers are leasing out their property instead of farming it themselves.

“The neighbor will pay me $300 an acre and I can just take the year off. I mean yeah, it’s a very particular set of criteria for you to be able to do that,” said Zenk.

Zenk said it’s an option that makes sense for older farmers who have owned their land for decades and don’t believe they can make a profit this year.

Working with finances on a daily basis, Zenk said it boils down to sheer numbers. Right now, he foresees some farmers spending up to $900 to plant an acre of corn but getting a return of $800, a net loss.

While that’s not the case everywhere, Zenk knows many Minnesota farms are struggling to make a profit.

“I’m happy if I can get them to break even. There’s just not a lot of profitability in most farming operations right now,” said Zenk. “We will get better at this and we’ll get through this, and we have many times before, and then things will get better again.”

Zenk said he’s also seeing similar cases with cattle where high prices have some farmers choosing not to buy cattle and leaving their feed lots empty, for now.

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 Cassandra Alonso

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    CASCADE TOWNSHIP, Michigan (WXMI) — After losing her mother to lung cancer, Cascade neighbor Michelle Lauer discovered dangerous radon levels in her parents’ home. Now she’s sharing her story to warn others about a risk many people don’t realize could be inside their homes.

Lauer describes her mom as someone who was always thinking about others.

“When I was going through her things, I found two things that really speak to who she was. One was a prayer journal, so she would pray for anybody that wanted prayers, and she would keep track of all of them,” Lauer said.

A Sudden Health Crisis Nothing pointed to what was coming. While driving back from Key West to St. Petersburg, her father noticed a change.

“It’s a terrible story. So my mom and dad were retired, and they traveled a lot and driving back from Key West to St. Pete, my dad noticed that my mom had a really visible change in her behavior, so he though she was having a stroke,” Lauer said.

When they rushed her to the emergency room, doctors found a tumor in her brain caused by lung cancer that had metastasized.

The Search for Answers Her mother had quit smoking 35 years before her diagnosis. Her oncologist considered her a non-smoker and told the family smoking was not what caused her lung cancer.

“She was considered a non-smoker, and we know from the radon levels that I tested that they were very high,” Lauer said.

After both her parents had passed, Lauer noticed a radon system label in the basement but didn’t hear a fan running. She bought a test at a big box store, and the results came back at high levels.

Understanding the Silent Killer Matt Andrews, owner of SM Radon, explains what radon is.

“It is a naturally occurring cancer causing radioactive gas that can be found in any home,” Andrews said.

You can’t see, smell or feel radon. According to Glenn Thompson III, supervising sanitarian in the Environmental Health Division with the Kent County Health Department, it’s the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, responsible for approximately 21,000 deaths each year. For non-smokers specifically, it’s the number one cause of lung cancer.

Thompson says radon forms naturally from the breakdown of rocks and soil, and can also be found in water and construction materials.

Testing and Prevention Health officials say testing should be done at least every two years, though Andrews recommends continuous monitoring since levels can change with weather and seasons.

“The winter months are actually the best time for testing. You want to try to create, like a closed home environment so that we’re not getting influences from the outdoor air,” Thompson said.

Testing can be done with short-term kits available at stores like Home Depot, or homeowners can hire a professional to test and mitigate their home.

If levels are high, a mitigation system can pull the gas from beneath the home and send it outside. Andrews says most systems in the region cost between $1,100 and $2,000, depending on the home.

A Mission to Save Lives For Lauer, the goal is awareness.

“If one persons life can be spared, of having to deal with cancer, or be spared, you know, from passing away from cancer, it would be worth it,” Lauer said.

She advocates for legislation requiring radon testing when homes change hands and encourages realtors to advise clients to test, since mitigation is relatively inexpensive.

Thompson says radon test kits are available year-round at the Kent County Health Department for $5, with free kits distributed during Radon Action Month in January.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WXMI’s editorial team 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 Francis Page Jr.

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    April 21, 2026 (Houston Style Magazine) — In a powerful convergence of innovation and recognition, Harris County is proving that the future of government isn’t just about what gets built—it’s about how it gets done. This spring, the Harris County Commissioners Court officially proclaimed March 2026 as Procurement Month, shining a long-overdue spotlight on the professionals who quietly power the engine of public service.

At the same time, Harris County is making headlines for something equally transformative: integrating artificial intelligence into its procurement policy development process. Together, these moments tell a compelling story—one of appreciation, modernization, and leadership that reflects the very best of Houston’s forward-thinking spirit.

At the center of this evolution is Kim Williams, Harris County Director of Purchasing, whose leadership is redefining how procurement operates in one of the nation’s largest counties. Under her guidance, procurement is no longer just a back-office function—it is a strategic force driving efficiency, compliance, and innovation across government.

Let’s start with the recognition.

Procurement Month is more than a ceremonial nod—it’s a meaningful acknowledgment of the professionals who ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely and transparently. From Harris Health System to Purchasing Services and every department in between, these teams uphold the highest standards of accountability, stewardship, and service. Their work may happen behind the scenes, but its impact is visible in every contract awarded, every project completed, and every community served.

And now, thanks to bold leadership, that impact is getting even stronger.

In a milestone achievement, Harris County Purchasing has successfully operationalized a policy using artificial intelligence as a core tool. This wasn’t innovation for show—it was innovation for solution. Faced with the challenge of navigating complex procurement frameworks while maintaining compliance, Williams and her team leveraged AI to accelerate research, pressure-test policy structures, and deliver a more consistent, audit-ready outcome in record time.

The result? A smarter, faster, and more resilient procurement process.

But here’s the real headline: integrity wasn’t sacrificed—it was strengthened.

In a landscape where public trust is everything, Harris County’s approach demonstrates that technology and transparency can work hand in hand. AI, when used responsibly, doesn’t replace oversight—it enhances it. It provides deeper insights, reduces inconsistencies, and ensures that every decision is grounded in data and defensibility.

This is what modern governance looks like.

And it couldn’t come at a better time.

As Houston continues to grow as a global hub for innovation—from energy and healthcare to education and infrastructure—the systems that support that growth must evolve as well. Harris County’s procurement transformation is a clear signal that local government is not just keeping pace—it’s setting the standard.

Still, what makes this moment truly meaningful is the balance it strikes.

While embracing cutting-edge technology, Harris County remains firmly grounded in its core values: fairness, accountability, and public trust. Procurement Month reminds us that behind every contract and every policy are dedicated professionals committed to serving the community with excellence.

So yes—this is a celebration.

A celebration of people. A celebration of progress. And a celebration of what’s possible when leadership, innovation, and purpose align.

For the readers of Houston Style Magazine, this is more than a local government update—it’s a blueprint for the future. It’s proof that even the most complex systems can evolve without losing their integrity. And it’s a reminder that the work done behind the scenes often makes the biggest difference of all.

In Houston, we don’t just move forward—we lead forward.

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.

Kierra Lee
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