Month: September 2026

By Gabriela Vidal

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    NORTHGLENN, Colorado (KCNC) — A remarkable discovery was recently made by a rather unlikely person.

“I’m still like in this dream that I’m going to wake up at any time,” said Colorado resident Kent Hups.

Hups is a science teacher at Northglenn High School, and a research associate with the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. In July 2025, he became the first person to ever identify a Tyrannosaurus rex trackway.

“I just kept looking and looking and looking, and then I eventually came around a corner, and I climbed up a little bit on this hill,” he said. “I looked and I saw what I thought was a track, and that to me was that’s when I got excited.”

Hups was among several volunteers who went with researchers from the Denver Museum of Nature & Science on a summer trip to the badlands of southwestern North Dakota, in search of any discoveries they could find on the land.

“We’ve been very lucky over the last several years, where we found some pretty remarkable things that we brought back here to the Denver Museum of Nature and Science; things like Teen Rex, this juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex that was found by these three kids. We found a large, beautiful Triceratops skull and partial skeleton that’s here at the museum,” Hups said.

“But usually, we find the bodies of these dinosaurs,” said Dr. Tyler Lyson, senior curator of vertebrate paleontology at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.

It was on this mission, however, that Hups stumbled upon a formation of a T. rex track.

“In that process of getting excited and doing measurements, I looked behind and I said, ‘Oh my god, there’s another track back there, I think,'” said Hups.

“There’s never been a trackway of a Tyrannosaurus rex ever found. There have only ever been two isolated tracks of T. rex found, one in Montana and one in New Mexico,” said Lyson. “To find an entire trackway is certainly hitting the lottery.”

Four tracks were ultimately uncovered with Hups’ help. Each of them has now been visually preserved through a 3D digital model, helping researchers determine the T. rex’s size and speed.

“Seeing it was impressive, the scale of it. It’s a big area, and so it was awesome to see like the pattern,” said Evan Tamez-Galvan, Fossil Preparer at DMNS.

“They’re my babies. It’s my babies, you know. It’s like, you know, people go, ‘What are they? They’re my babies. I found them,'” said Hups.

Hups keeps one of those tracks close by with a 3D replica in his classroom, while the tracks he discovered will eventually be shipped over to DMNS in October, so visitors can watch as scientists cut through the tracks and uncover even more details about this epic predator.

“I’m really hopeful that there’s some skin impressions preserved. That’s my dream,” said Lyson. “It would provide us with an idea of what the foot actually looked like.”

For Hups and his students, this discovery fuels a ferocious passion for learning.

“I was so excited when I went home,” said Angela Aguirre, one of Hups’ students. “I was literally jumping up and down with joy.”

“It’s crazy to think that that was once a real animal that caused this, and now we’re like the first people to be messing with it,” said student Alayna McClurg.

It’s a one-of-a-kind discovery that Hups also hopes will inspire more people to get out and explore.

“There’s always amazing stuff to be discovered, and people find it all the time, but you have to be out looking for it,” said Hups.

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 Derek James

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    HUDSON, Wisconsin (WCCO) — In downtown Hudson, Wisconsin, a small gallery is making room for a lot of creativity.

From prints and jewelry to ceramics and acrylic paintings, the Cream of the Crop Artists Gallery is the latest chapter in an idea that took root at the Minnesota State Fair.

“The proposal was to have an art gallery at the fair and kitsch and called Cream of the Crop Artists Gallery. An art gallery that was really approachable to others, like anybody could come in,” said Genie Castro, owner and curator of the gallery.

Castro got into the fair over a decade ago. In 2023, she brought the same concept to downtown Hudson.

Forty artists are represented at both spaces.

Castro says part of the fun is not always knowing what’s going in.

“It’s fun to curate off the cuff when everyone brings things in. I know the kind of work they make but it’s fun to be in that setting and arrange it accordingly,” explained Castro.

For Hudson artist and UW-Stout junior Broden Decker, the gallery is about more than displaying art.

“Having people like Genie who curate an art space where you can show and present your work really gives artists an opportunity to have the incentive or have the push to make, express myself through this art that is a part of me and it heals me and it also heals other people,” said Decker.

That connection between artist and community is at the heart of it for everyone involved.

“When you’re walking or you’re here or maybe even at the fair. You’re seeing people pick up a piece and being like ‘I love this’ or ‘I have this’ or ‘I want this.’ It gives meaning to the work,” said Crystal Shawn, an emerging artist.

“Relationships are what this whole thing is about for me,” said Castro.

Cream of The Crop Artists Gallery is open weekends from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. and other times by appointment.

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 Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield

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    MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Crews are about halfway through one of the biggest restorations the Twin Cities has ever seen. Every square inch of the country’s oldest basilica is being restored. Crews have started what is perhaps the most delicate day of the year-long project.

According to Johan van Parys, director of liturgy at the Basilica of St. Mary, things are moving along.

“The end of September is actually the halfway point, so it’s very exciting. We have accomplished a lot, but we also have a lot more to do. Things so far are on schedule, yes,” he said.

Excitement is building as they tear down every inch of this building that was constructed starting in 1908. The hope is that the $50 million in donations will make it last 120 more years.

The latest project: meticulously removing the trademark windows.

“There’s a horizontal story which tells the story of the life of Mary, both her private life and then her public life,” van Parys said.

After taking bids, they realized a company in New Jersey could restore them. But first, brothers Erik and Tommy Walther, with Northeast Stained Glass, who traveled for the job, had to very carefully remove them.

After a series of delicate and perilous pulls, they took the glass, which is dark without light behind it, down six floors of scaffolding to a safer place.

Erik Walther showed WCCO how they pack pieces into padded crates.

“The idea is to keep it so you don’t have a lot of movement in the panel; you also don’t want it too tight either,” he said.

“Thomas Gaytee, who created the windows, he speaks about the windows at the Basilica of St. Mary as the crown jewel of his work. And so we have really a treasure of windows here,” van Parys said.

Windows that are truly being handled with care. Van Parys says soon they will be “magnificent.”

Crews will pack and crate the windows for a trip to New Jersey, where artists will restore them.

This large project has a hard deadline of Palm Sunday 2027.

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 Delaney White

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    BELMONT, California (KGO) — Diesel prices are climbing to unprecedented levels in California, and Bay Area drivers are seeing some of the highest costs in the country.

According to AAA, California’s statewide average price for diesel has reached $8.21 per gallon, far above the national average of $6.26. In some parts of the Bay Area, prices are even higher.

At a 76 station in Belmont, diesel was selling for nearly $9 a gallon.

“Diesel has hit an all-time high. Yesterday was the record and then today it was broken again,” said Doug Johnson, spokesperson for AAA Northern California.

Johnson says ongoing instability in global oil markets is putting pressure on fuel prices.

“The global oil markets, there is obviously everything going on with Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, but we also see that there’s another conflict in the Middle East between Saudi Arabia and Houthi rebels in Yemen,” Johnson said.

The price surge extends far beyond the pump.

Because diesel powers much of the nation’s transportation system, higher fuel costs affect trucking companies, agriculture, construction, and supply chains. Those increases are often passed along to consumers in the form of higher prices on everyday goods.

“We’re really in a bad spot for everybody, and it doesn’t mean just my business, it means everybody’s family,” said Mark Woods, vice president of Wildwood Express, a trucking company based in Fresno.

Woods says the rapid rise in fuel prices has dramatically increased his operating expenses.

“Three weeks ago we were probably between $25,000 and $30,000 for a load of fuel,” Woods said. “In the last two weeks, just last week, the last bill that I got was $54,000.”

According to Johnson, that nearly $30,000 increase was for roughly the same amount of fuel.

As costs continue to rise, Woods says businesses like his may have little choice but to charge customers more.

“I’ll probably have to do some speaking with them and figure out how they are going to pay me more for me to do what I’m supposed to do to stay in business,” he said.

Many drivers typically expect fuel prices to ease after Labor Day, when demand often begins to decline. However, AAA says this year has not followed the usual pattern.

“Typically we see a drop in demand, a drop in prices. That just hasn’t happened this year,” Johnson said. “Again, that’s in a typical year and this year has been far from typical.”

For now, experts recommend using fuel-price tracking apps like GasBuddy or AAA to compare prices and find the lowest-cost fuel stations nearby.

As diesel prices continue to set records, both businesses and consumers are bracing for the possibility that higher transportation costs could ripple through the economy in the weeks ahead.

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 Ross DiMattei

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    PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is helping some Philadelphia students stay cool.

The Super Bowl MVP’s foundation is donating $600,000 to bring air conditioning to part of Northeast High School.

Hurts said he got the idea while watching the morning news a few years ago. He couldn’t believe Philadelphia schools had to cancel classes because of extreme heat and a lack of air conditioning.

Students at Northeast High welcomed the Eagles quarterback with a pep rally Tuesday morning, where he announced the donation to air-condition the high school’s sweltering auditorium.

“I’ve been in your guys’ shoes,” Hurts said. “I know the importance of having the support and having the backing to do and achieve whatever dreams you have. This project is especially personal to me because I know the talent and resilience and potential in this community, in this city.”

The air conditioning system is expected to be complete for the 2027-28 school year. According to a news release about the announcement, more than half of the School District of Philadelphia’s schools lack adequate cooling systems.

Dozens of Philadelphia schools were forced to dismiss early because of hot weather when school started earlier this month.

Hurts previously gave $200K for more than 300 air-conditioning units at 10 other schools.

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 Elijah Westbrook

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    NEW YORK (WCBS) — New York lawmakers are set to announce a new bill Wednesday that would ban the sale of high-speed e-bikes.

State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez and Assemblymember Diana Moreno are targeting what are often called “e-motos.” These devices are being sold as e-bikes and e-scooters but can go much faster than what’s legal on city streets.

The bill would prohibit retailers from selling certain devices capable of going more than 20 mph. Sellers could face civil penalties of up to $1,000 for prohibited sales, according to the legislation.

The location of today’s 10 a.m. announcement is also significant. The press conference will happen on the Queens side of the Queensboro Bridge where two people were killed back in May.

The crash happened on the bridge’s bike lane with one person on a bicycle and the other on an electric scooter that police said could go more than 50 mph.

CBS News New York will stream the press conference live. It can be viewed in the live player on this page.

The new legislation comes as Mayor Zohran Mamdani is also putting a new focus on micromobility as part of his 10-year Vision Zero Reimagined plan.

It includes reducing the speed limit to 15 mph near more schools, adding barriers at 1,000 intersections a year, and a crackdown on bad drivers who account for 40% of all traffic deaths, according to the mayor.

“I want to be very clear. If you are breaking the law repeatedly on our roads, you will not be allowed to drive in New York City,” Mamdani said at a news conference Tuesday.

It’s still unclear what actions the mayor is willing to take against the e-bikes, scooters and cyclists who clog the streets and sidewalks. In March, Mamdani stopped the NYPD from issuing them criminal summonses for low-level traffic offenses.

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 Aaron Parseghian

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    ROCKPORT, Massachusetts (WBZ) — Well-written humor and moments of horror helped propel Apple TV’s “Widow’s Bay” to a record 14 Emmy wins on Monday. But while the series is set in a fictional New England island community, many of its recognizable sights can be found just an hour north of Boston in Rockport, Massachusetts.

Much of the series was filmed around Cape Ann, in Gloucester and primarily on Bearskin Neck in Rockport, using existing historic facades and transforming other parts of the historic seaside town into the fictional Widow’s Bay.

“It was filmed primarily on Bearskin Neck in Rockport and I think it really sets the tone, of if Widow’s Bay was a real place that it might look just like [this],” said Maureen Barillaro, co-owner of the Dreamhouse Gallery and Boutique. It’s just feet away from buildings seen throughout season 1 of the series.

Her shop is filled with artwork made by her husband, Joe, who also worked on “Widow’s Bay” as a scenic painter. The boutique now also includes merchandise with references to the hit series.

“We knew that it was something really special and interesting,” Barillaro said of its filming last spring. “But to have it come here really brought a lot of excitement to everybody in town,” she added. “We’ve already seen people coming here to Rockport because of ‘Widow’s Bay.'”

Fans have been recognizing familiar locations from the series. Emily Russo has been visiting Rockport for years with her family and said watching the show gave her a new perspective on a place she already knew well.

“It’s amazing because we’ve been coming here since we were little and so has my dad and his parents, so we recognize a lot of the scenes,” Russo said. “It used to be just like a little artist getaway and now it’s becoming more touristy, but ‘Widow’s Bay’ certainly puts it on the map.”

Town officials are welcoming the added attention that’s highlighting their historic town.

“We’re really excited about the fact that this show has really taken off,” Town Administrator Mitchell Vieira said.

Vieira said the show offers another opportunity for people to discover Rockport beyond the fictional curses portrayed in the series.

“We have immense beauty here in Rockport, and any way we can get people to see and experience what Rockport has to offer, it’s a great thing,” he said. “We’ve seen a lot of folks start to ask and when they come by, they say well where is the filming location, where can we go and see where ‘Widow’s Bay’ was filmed and we direct them downtown. I’ve seen some flyers downtown for tours focused on ‘Widow’s Bay’ so it is something that is gaining momentum in the area.”

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 Chloe Godding, JoBeth Davis

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    KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KMBC) — A former Kansas City, Missouri, Police Officer will spend life in prison after the murder of a 71-year-old man in a Walmart parking lot in 2024.

Taquiza Johnson, 49, who was an officer with the Kansas City Police Department for 10 years, was convicted of second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of Ronald Barnett, 71, earlier this summer.

On Monday, Johnson received a life sentence for the second-degree murder of Barnett, and an additional 15-year sentence for armed criminal action. By law, that armed criminal action sentence must run consecutively to the life sentence.

“It is almost incomprehensible that a brazen shooting like this could even happen in a busy Walmart parking lot during the middle of the day,” said Platte County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd. “By recommending the life sentence for murder, the twelve jurors in this case made an emphatic statement that crimes like this will be met with strict justice in Platte County.”

On Aug. 21, 2024, Johnson and Barnett got into an argument that was not physical in the parking lot of Walmart on North Boardwalk Avenue in Kansas City. The argument reportedly began because Johnson believed Barnett drove too close to him while Johnson was in the crosswalk.

After exchanging words, Barnett drove away and parked in an accessible parking spot. Johnson followed Barnett and got out with a gun behind his back, according to prosecutors. After another exchange, Johnson shot Barnett before driving away.

Barnett died at a hospital.

Johnson and the defense argued that Barnett threatened his life and used “racial epithets,” but Johnson reportedly said during the trial that he saw no weapon on Barnett’s person.

“The law on self-defense in Missouri is clear. Verbal threats are not enough. Name-calling is not enough,” Zahnd said in a news release.

Johnson was a KCPD officer from 2004 to 2014.

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.