Month: September 2026

By Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield

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    ST. CLOUD, Minnesota (WCCO) — A Minnesota toddler is heading to Hollywood after winning a national title.

Sarah McNamara, of St. Cloud, wasn’t expected to make it to birth; she is now 3.5 years old and the winner of the 2026 Toddler of the Year contest.

Amber Traxler spent her morning stealing kisses from her daughter; it’s something she wasn’t sure she’d ever get to do when she found out she was pregnant.

“It was torture; getting that diagnosis, having all of her doctors tell me that she wasn’t gonna survive, that we would be lucky if she survived until birth,” Amber Traxler said.

Her baby had Thanatophoric dysplasia (TD). According to the National Institutes of Health, it occurs in around 1 in 35,000 births. It’s a form of dwarfism where the skeleton is too small for the organs; it’s listed as lethal.

“I did find a couple of case studies online about other kiddos with TD who had survived. But you had to dig, probably. I had to dig, yes, and the doctors were just telling me that, well, that’s just one kid. I said, whether she lives or she doesn’t, that’s going to be up to her, but I’m going to do everything that I can to make it possible for her to have a longer life,” Amber Traxler said.

McNamara is getting her checkups at Gillette Children’s before she flies to Hollywood to receive her crown. There, she will be part of the Hollywood Christmas Parade.

“Yes, it’s exciting that we get to do the photoshoot and, you know, she gets a cash prize and she gets the parade. But our ultimate goal from the very beginning was to help spread awareness for TD, to give that hope. That’s the part of it that brings tears to my eyes. Hope, she’s hope,” Amber Traxler said.

Proving that despite all odds, a star was born.

McNamara continues to meet milestones no one predicted. She’s holding a bottle and eating food by mouth. The next big goal is to learn to walk.

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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    MCLEOD COUNTY, Minnesota (WCCO) — Prices at the pump continue to climb for drivers.

For those who use diesel fuel, the cost has gone up 30 cents a gallon in just the last week, and more than $2 dollars in the last year.

“I’m expecting one of my biggest crops ever here this year,” said Ryan Mackenthun.

As he gets his equipment ready for soybeans, Mackenthun believes he’s one of the lucky ones. Timely rains in McLeod County, Minnesota, alleviated some of the drought other farmers experienced.

“In McLeod County, there was a stretch from, I’d say from Owatonna to Morris, we were the last stretch to go into a drought category here in Minnesota,” said Mackenthun, who is also president of the Minnesota Soybean Growers.

This year, it’s more than just drought that soybean growers have to worry about.

The conflict in the Middle East is definitely having a direct impact on Minnesota farmers, with diesel prices surging over $6 a gallon. That’s roughly $2.50 more per gallon than a year ago.

This fall, Mackenthun’s combines will use 300 gallons of diesel fuel a day.

“We are roughly at $1,000, $1,500 more a day for 20 to 30 days in a row. It’s going to cost us,” said Mackenthun. “So, we are going to get hit here on the farm, and the consumer is going to get hit eventually, too, in the marketplace.”

“No amount of planning can overcome that,” said Dan Glessing. “It’s going to be sticker shock.”

Glessing is president of the Minnesota Farm Bureau. He says the silver lining is that a recent uptick in commodity prices, like corn and soybeans, can help offset some of the fuel costs.

“But it’s still going to be a real number when you get that fuel bill month-to-month. It’s definitely going to take a lot more out of the checkbook than you were hoping for,” said Glessing.

Farmers said fertilizer costs are also up about 50% from three years ago.

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 Kara Finnstrom

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    VALENCIA, California (KCAL, KCBS) — “The Last of the Red Hot Lovers” is a passionate read about falling in love much later in life, and its 97-year-old author explains it’s a bit biographical.

“It’s about my husband and falling in love at 80,” romance novelist Ethel Ann Shaffer said.

Shaffer and her bestie, Helen Martin, who also happens to be her proofreader, live in the same Valencia senior housing complex and are working on their next masterpiece, Shaffer’s third book.

Her second published book was a sweet story of second chances, and it’s also a steamy read.

“Our love was so magical it really was, but it’s an adult book,” Shaffer said. “Everybody wants to know, are the body parts still working, you know, and what’s going on in your lives?”

A publisher agreed, and the golden girl of romance now has a website, and her book started selling online at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Shaffer believes life’s experiences shouldn’t be stamped with expiration dates. She got her English degree in her 50s and is now working on book number three at Sunrise Assisted Living at Sterling Canyon.

Helen Martin came into Shaffer’s life last year as her husband was battling health problems and her own macular degeneration made it impossible to read.

“She’s my eyes,” Shaffer said of Martin, attributing her with the ability to keep writing.

“I’m the world’s best proofreader because I’m always finding mistakes in the novels that I’m reading,” Martin joked.

The pair meets about four times a week to edit, and, surprisingly, they discover they have lived parallel lives. “I had the love of my life when I was 78!” Martin said. They experienced similar joys and heartbreaks.

“We were married to abusive men in the first marriage, we had to raise children alone, and we went to school later in life,” Shaffer said.

The title of Shaffer’s next book is “She Always Gets Her Man,” and the pair plan to have it ready in time for a German book tour. That’s just the start of Shaffer’s big plans. She said she’s got a lot of books in the works.

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 Melissa May

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    ROSEVILLE, California (KOVR) — Anyone fighting a serious illness knows the battle can be exhausting and daunting.

For children facing cancer and other serious medical conditions, a hospital stay can be especially difficult. But at hospitals across Northern California, one familiar superhero is helping bring some joy to kids who need it most.

It may not be who you expect to see stepping off an elevator at Kaiser Permanente Roseville.

Not Batman. Not Superman. Your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.

Ricky Mena, the man behind the mask, has spent more than a decade visiting children in hospitals and their homes, bringing jokes, encouragement and a little superhero magic to families going through difficult times.

During a recent visit at Kaiser Permanente Roseville, Mena knocked on patients’ doors and greeted them with the same question: “How’s it going? Can I come in?”

One of his patients was teenager Flynn Green, who was quick to test his Spider-Man knowledge.

Mena asked Green to identify which Spider-Man suit he was wearing, narrowing it down by asking which movies he had seen.

Green got it right: Mena was wearing the suit from “The Amazing Spider-Man 2.”

For Mena, the superhero visits grew out of a desire to do something meaningful for others.

He said he had a dream that pushed him to do more with his life and help people. He bought a Spider-Man suit and soon realized the character was a natural fit.

“I used to draw him when I was a kid, and I didn’t know why,” Mena said. “I liked all his positions and poses, and it’s been a dream come true to be him in the eyes of so many kids.”

It’s been more than 10 years since Mena began making his visits. Child life specialists at hospitals often reach out to arrange appearances, including at Kaiser Permanente Roseville.

Mena estimates he has met more than 15,000 children. His Spider-Man visits have expanded beyond California to nearly every state and even overseas to England.

No matter where he goes, Mena said the mission is the same: bring some happiness to children and families during a difficult time.

“I have become part of a team here with child life specialists,” Mena said. “There are all kinds of support. I think what I do is more medicine for the soul, so they know they’re not alone, not on an island.”

Doctors and hospital staff say that emotional support can make a meaningful difference for patients and their families.

“It is not fun to be in the hospital, so we try to do lots of things to make it easier,” said Dr. Zoey Goore. “Laughter and ways to improve spirits help improve the healing process. A visit from Spider-Man makes a huge difference.”

For Green, the visit offered a welcome break from the hospital routine.

“I feel like I didn’t get into superheroes until recently,” he said.

Now, Spider-Man has a new fan.

Green hopes to become a chef one day, and Mena encouraged him to keep pursuing that dream.

Mena founded the nonprofit Heart of a Hero, which is supported by donations and has become his full-time job. He now makes visits nearly every day of the week and stays connected with some patients through social media, sometimes returning when families ask for another visit.

Some patients have told him his visit was the best day of their life.

While childhood cancer survival rates have improved significantly over the years, cancer remains one of the leading causes of death among children in the United States. More than 40 children in the U.S. are diagnosed with cancer each day, according to the American Cancer Society.

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 Dennis Valera

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    BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Reid Wiseman is enjoying his time home.

The Maryland native and commander of the Artemis II mission is back in the Baltimore area to take part in his alma mater’s homecoming festivities. Wiseman attended Dulaney High School in Baltimore County.

Before the celebrations begin, he stopped by TV Hill at WJZ to talk about what it’s like to be home and reflect on his record-breaking mission.

While there’s no place like home for Wiseman, how can you beat outer space?

Wiseman led a four-person crew on a 10-day mission around the moon in April. The crew included pilot Victor Glover and mission specialists Christina Koch and Jeremy Hansen.

They traveled more than 252,000 miles from Earth, setting a record for the farthest humans have ever traveled from Earth.

“When you’re on the other side of the moon, looking back at Earth, it’s the size of your thumb. It’s tiny. We started calling it ‘Tiny Earth,'” Wiseman said.

Wiseman called the mission an emotional journey that gave him and his crewmates a new perspective on what matters most.

“The thing we all agreed on…at the end of the day, it’s this beautiful planet. It’s family, it’s friends, and we just feel lucky to be a part of this entire thing,” he said.

While Wiseman and the crew received much of the fanfare, he said there are many others who deserve recognition for making the mission possible.

“Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, our launch director, who let that rocket fly,” Wiseman said. “Our engineering teams down in Houston that flew and operated this vehicle, the mission control team, flight controllers. It didn’t really hit me until we got back, but our lives were in their hands. It was deeply impactful for them.”

Last week, Wiseman announced that he is transitioning to NASA emeritus status.

While he is retiring from active flight duty, Wiseman will continue serving as a guide for the next generation of astronauts.

If he could give one piece of advice to anyone, astronaut or not, Wiseman said:

“Just stay curious about the world. Get out there, experience this beautiful planet, and I think you’re gonna live a happy life.”

Wiseman will headline Dulaney High School’s homecoming. He graduated from the school in 1993.

He will take part in the homecoming parade Friday, Sept. 18, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The parade will begin at Pot Spring Elementary School and proceed along Padonia Road to Dulaney High School’s parking lot.

Wiseman will also throw out the first pitch at the Orioles game Saturday, Sept. 19, at 4:05 p.m. The Orioles will face the Milwaukee Brewers.

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 Ellie Nakamoto-White

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    WAUKESHA, Wisconsin (WDJT) — High school students in Southeast Wisconsin who are recovering from substance use disorders now have a new option for their education.

For years, the state only had one established recovery high school, and it is located in Madison.

But on Sept. 1, the doors opened at the School District of Waukesha’s former STEM Saratoga building, where leaders created Crosspoint Academy, which is dedicated to helping students in grades 9-12 in a supportive and substance-free environment.

“The community, we feel like, is 100% behind us and our students, they want to see us succeed,” said Crosspoint Academy Principal Mark Lehnerer. “It’s okay to not be okay. It’s okay to ask for help and that’s why we’re here, we want students to come to us to be successful.”

According to the state Department of Health Services, in recent years, Wisconsin’s youth opioid overdose rates have more than doubled.

In 2023, one in two Wisconsin high schoolers reported drinking alcohol, while one in 10 teens reported using marijuana.

“The studies will show you that students who return back to their pre-treatment high school, for example, have a rate in the 70th percentile that they’ll start using again eventually,” Lehnerer said. “I think [Crosspoint] helps build that community and it helps students feel understood, because I think if you’re coming out of recovery, perhaps you’ve missed a significant amount of school and you have to come back, and now you have to kind of put this mask on that everything is okay. Here, you don’t have to do that. The mask goes away, you can be who you really are, you can really ask for help and know that there are people here who are committed to that recovery and are committed to helping you.”

The school district secured multiple grants to make the academy come to life.

“We have three layers of support. The first is a low student-to-staff ratio; we also have a dedicated alternative education teacher who can teach all the different subject areas, and we are currently in the process of hiring a dedicated substance use counselor,” Lehnerer said, adding that students will also attend therapeutic support groups.

On Tuesday, Sept. 15, school board members, educators, and state officials gathered for a ceremonial ribbon cutting to celebrate.

“Just know that we’re here to support, we’re here to help, and that we want to provide that safe, sober space for students to continue their education so that they don’t have to put their sobriety on hold to return back to school,” Lehnerer said. “They can do both at the same time.”

So far, there is one student at the academy, however enrollment is open on a rolling basis, and you do not have to be a part of the School District of Waukesha.

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.