Month: September 2026

By Anahita Jafary

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    YOLO COUNTY, California (KCRA) — Yolo County is experiencing a significant increase in copper wire thefts, with the agricultural community suffering tens of thousands of dollars in losses over the past week.

“At least one per week, if not more,” said Sgt. Matt Wirick of the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office, referring to the frequency of the thefts.

Wirick noted the rise in thefts is unprecedented.

“As long as I’ve been involved in investigating agricultural crime, here, for this agency, which is the past several years. I don’t think I’ve ever seen these numbers,” he said.

The thefts primarily involve electrical wire used to power agricultural pumps and wells.

“It’s most often found in the highest volumes in the form of electrical wire that often have to travel those long distances to serve agricultural pumps and wells,” Wirick said.

According to Wirick, there have been about 15 reported incidents in the past three months. In the most recent case, two suspects were identified just outside the city of Davis.

“Just outside the city of Davis, we were able to identify two suspects. In one of those cases, both of those suspects are from the Stockton area, and both have active warrants for their arrest,” Wirick said.

To address the issue, the sheriff’s office plans to implement targeted patrols, live surveillance, and site visits in affected areas.

“Farmers and ranchers [are] experiencing higher costs for fuel and materials and, you know, often dealing with fixed prices for their commodities and so the theft, and loss due to theft or vandalism, you know, results in further shrinking margins for them,” Wirick said.

The sheriff’s office stated that copper wire theft is considered grand theft, a felony, in most cases.

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 Ben Winslow

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    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (KSTU) — A federal judge has sided with the owner of Pornhub and blocked Utah from enforcing its tough new age-verification law from being enforced.

In a ruling issued Thursday, U.S. District Court Judge David Barlow granted Aylo Freesites’ request for a preliminary injunction. Aylo had argued that the law passed by the Utah State Legislature would require age-verification for adult content sites for people Utah — but then targeted VPNs, which can make it appear someone is outside the state or in another country.

The adult content company said in arguments in July that it feared civil and criminal liability and infringes upon the rights of people outside Utah and around the world.

“Utah responds that the statute demands not perfection but reasonable efforts to determine whether a user is actually located in Utah. After full consideration of each party’s briefing and oral argument, the court finds that Plaintiffs are likely to succeed on the merits, they have shown irreparable harm, and the equities favor an injunction. Thus, Plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary injunction is granted,” Judge Barlow wrote in his order.

Judge Barlow said Utah’s law is vague and Aylo is correct to be worried.

“If the Legislature intended to include those geolocation requirements in its original passage of the reasonable age verification provision, it did not make that intent manifest in the statutory language. Therefore, the court gives effect to the actual-location provision and its enacting amendment by interpreting the provision as the basis for an entity’s geolocation requirements,” he wrote. “In short, Aylo is correct that the statute, as amended, now essentially imposes strict liability for entities like it when it comes to determining the location of its websites’ users.”

The ruling means Utah’s law will not be enforced while the case proceeds toward trial, which could impact numerous adult-content websites, but Aylo and the state had already agreed to not enforce it pending Judge Barlow making his ruling on the injunction request. Pornhub and similar sites have already blocked Utah IP addresses in a political protest for anti-porn laws the legislature has passed.

Aylo did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on Thursday night. A spokesperson for Utah Attorney General Derek Brown did not immediately respond to a text message seeking comment on the ruling.

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By Caroleina Hassett

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    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (KSTU) — It’s been a rough year for farmers in Utah.

“We’ve all seen the pressures of rising fuel prices, and just every single thing costs a little bit more,” said Caroline Scheidell with the Utah Department of Agriculture. “Add in that, an unprecedented drought, wildfire issues, recent hailstorms.”

With many farmers losing their crops to these conditions, Scheidell said it takes a huge toll financially.

“It really takes everything going right to stay profitable. We’re noticing a lot of farmers really struggling this year, and it’s something we’re really concerned about,” she said.

However, one solution could help farmers get more money into their pockets: agritourism.

“Anything that could travel visitors to a farm…. this is the season for corn mazes and pumpkin patches, Scheidell said.

But if certain crops were lost, companies like Airbnb are encouraging farmers to use the property itself as a way to make money. In collaboration with American Farmland Trust, Airbnb is funding a new “Farm to Stay” grant program where for-profit farms can apply and get up to $10,000 if they qualify.

“We can look specifically at Utah, where in 2025 the typical farm stay host earned approximately $8,900, and so that’s a really great opportunity for again folks to have that additional cushion where they can then use that extra income in other ways that make sense for them,” said Ashley Brucker with American Farmland Trust.

“I think farm stays are one of the most interesting things that producers could do to draw people onto their farms,” Scheidell said, “I think it’s such a great way to support visitors, both in-state and to draw out-of-state and international guests.”

While some farms are no stranger to Airbnb, the hope is that the grant program gets farmers back on their feet financially.

“I don’t know of a single farmer out there who isn’t so proud to share the work that they do,” Brucker said, “this really provides this great opportunity for our farmers and ranchers to share their passion, their livelihood, their stewardship with others.”

Other qualifications for the grant include farms that have been in operation for at least a year, they must be a production farm and show at least $1,000 in profit over the past year.

UDAF and the Utah Office of Tourism are eager to continue to support agritourism development. A virtual meeting to gain input from anyone involved in agriculture will be held Sept. 24 at 10 a.m. to help guide future priorities.

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 Ben Winslow

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    SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (KSTU) — Utah Valley University released its highly-anticipated report on Friday about security issues surrounding the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

“It is the opinion of the Project Team, based on our review of all available information, that at no time during the events leading up to the assassination of Charlie Kirk, or in its aftermath, did any employee or agent of UVU act in bad faith or in willful and wanton disregard for the safety of others,” the review said.

However, the report identified “inconsistencies” in campus safety policies, personnel and resources that led to his killing in front of thousands during a Turning Point USA event on campus.

“The event originated with a July 2025 request from UVU’s TPUSA student chapter for Charlie Kirk to speak in the fountain courtyard. In an August 21 questionnaire response, TPUSA projected approximately 600 attendees and reported no security concerns. At an August 25 planning meeting, UVU participants raised concerns about the outdoor location, anticipated attendance, protest activity, crowd management, and access control, and suggested alternative venues. TPUSA requested that the event remain in the courtyard and preferred to manage its own ticketing. The university’s committee allowed those arrangements,” a summary said.

It added that TPUSA did raise cocnerns about a pedestrian walkway above the area where Kirk was to speak.

“On the morning of September 10, TPUSA’s security team again raised concerns about people on the walkway. Chief Long responded that officers would arrive by 11:00 a.m. to address the request. UVUPD officers cleared the area by directing people away from the area directly above the speaking location and blocked it off with police tape. The UVUPD Chief of Police proposed meeting with TPUSA’s security at 11:00 a.m. on the walkway above the canopy where Charlie Kirk would speak, but this meeting did not occur,” the report said.

Following the report’s release, a statement was released by the attorney for Erika Kirk, Charlie’s wife, who has claimed, along with her family, that lax university security helped lead to her husband’s death.

“This report reaffirms the facts we laid out in our Notice of Claim: that UVU security was woefully understaffed and unprepared to manage the obvious risks associated with an event of this nature,” wrote Brett Parkinson. “The buck stopped with UVU leadership and law enforcement. Justice for Charlie and his family requires true accountability for UVU’s fatal shortcomings that day.”

Tyler Robinson is facing aggravated murder charges, accused of shooting Kirk during the event last year. Utah County prosecutors have alleged that Robinson killed Kirk over politics. They have argued in court filings that a bullet found in the suspected murder weapon with the inscription “Hey Facist! CATCH!” is an “overt political reference.” Prosecutors have alleged that Robinson texted his romantic partner “I had enough of his hatred. Some hate can’t be negotiated out.”

Robinson’s attorneys have disputed the evidence as proof of political motivation. Utah County prosecutors have said they intend to seek the death penalty if Robinson is convicted.

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By Evelyn Holmes, Tre Ward

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    GLENWOOD, Illinois (WLS) — Chicago police spent hours searching a south suburban cremation business connected to the owners of a South Chicago funeral home where investigators say more than 50 decomposing bodies were found in August.

Officers carried dozens of boxes out of Planet Green Cremations in Glenwood and loaded them into unmarked Chicago police vehicles. Yellow police tape surrounded the business as officers moved in and out of the property.

Chicago police said Area Two detectives were “conducting a follow-up investigation” at the Glenwood business.

According to the Illinois state comptroller’s office, the Glenwood location is a storefront rather than an actual crematory. It is owned by Johanna Morgan.

Morgan and her husband, Clark Morgan, also own the South Chicago Chapel, where investigators say more than 50 decomposing bodies were found on the property in August.

One of the owners was seen sitting in a vehicle at the other end of the parking lot during the police activity in Glenwood. He drove away as a reporter approached the vehicle.

The police activity brought Franquella Campbell, a former Planet Green customer, back to a loss her family believes the business mishandled.

Campbell’s family believes her mother’s cremation was mishandled and questions whether the ashes the family received in an urn are actually those of her mother.

“I don’t understand why they haven’t been here sooner. All our paperwork say this place. Her name. This place,” Campbell said.

Campbell said her mother told her what she wanted done before she died.

“I had one assignment, one assignment. She told me what to do before she died. Make sure she was okay! She’s not okay. So, I’m not okay,” Campbell said.

Owners absent from court hearing The Glenwood search took place the same day Johanna and Clark Morgan did not appear in court in a lawsuit brought by the city over alleged code violations at their South Chicago funeral home.

Attorneys for the Morgans appeared via Zoom. Also appearing were an attorney for the city, an inspector from the Department of Buildings and the buildings commissioner.

The city requested a preliminary injunction barring the property from being leased, used or occupied. The city also sought an inspection to determine whether the property remains vacant and safe.

The judge granted both requests.

The inspection is scheduled for Oct. 23 from 10 to 11 a.m. The city has requested that the Morgans be present. The preliminary injunction will remain in effect until the next court hearing, scheduled for Oct. 30 at 9:30 a.m.

Marketa Kristofek, who attended the hearing, said she has been grieving over what happened involving her son, Marcus.

“This was a matter that I have been grieving for a while regarding to my son, Marcus,” Kristofek said.

Kristofek’s son died in 2010. She said his remains were neglected by the Chicago Heights Crematorium and the Morgans. Kristofek said she was given a sealed urn but does not believe it contains her son’s remains and thinks the remains could belong to someone else. She said she has found discrepancies in paperwork and has pursued the matter for years.

“We have to have some type of understanding who is regulating these people, that they can move around and continue to move here and there,” Kristofek said.

Prior police encounter involving bodies in minivan The investigation also follows an encounter involving the Morgans and Evergreen Park police in June 2024, about two years before the discovery at the South Chicago funeral home.

Body camera video shows police responding after two bodies were found inside the Morgans’ minivan, which was double-parked outside the couple’s home.

“This car is parked in the street and there’s two bodies inside,” an officer said in the video.

“Yeah we’re funeral directors,” Johanna Morgan responded.

Officers later spoke with the Morgans, whose faces were blurred in the video.

“Guys you’re seriously making a mountain out of a molehill here,” Johanna Morgan told police.

“Ma’am let’s be honest. Like we explained. It looks terrible. We’re letting you give your justification of what’s going but you gotta work with us here. If we roll up on a van parked like that with two body bags in the back, you just expect us to –” an officer responded.

“They’re on stretchers,” Clark and Johanna Morgan said.

“I get it but do you expect us to just be like, ‘You know what? Don’t worry about it,'” the officer replied.

The earlier encounter is now raising questions about whether more could have been done sooner.

The court-ordered inspection of the South Chicago Chapel is scheduled for Oct. 23, ahead of the Morgans’ next court hearing on Oct. 30.

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 Michael Rosales

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    MONTEREY COUNTY, California (KSBW) — Marine Mammal Center staff are preparing for a busy season as they address two major issues: warming ocean waters caused by El Niño and an increase in sea lions sickened by domoic acid.

On Thursday, the center’s rescue team responded to a call about a sea lion in distress, quickly capturing the animal and transporting it to the center’s medical bay for immediate evaluation.

Giancarlo Ruli, a spokesperson for the center, explained that El Niño conditions could lead to more frequent rescues.

“Oceanographers in the Pacific this weekend have reported that it is the hottest the ocean has ever been recorded in and over 150 years,” Ruli said.

The warming waters are disrupting the food chain, often forcing fish that marine mammals rely on to migrate away from the bay.

“We saw record numbers of sick, malnourished marine mammals as a result, primarily in late 2013, 14, and 15,” Ruli said.

In 2015, an El Niño year, the Marine Mammal Center reported one of its worst years, rescuing over 1,800 animals, including more than 1,000 sickened sea lions. This year’s El Niño is particularly concerning because the warming spike is happening earlier than in previous years.

“This spike now, the hottest ever in terms of what’s forming with this El Niño in the Pacific, has happened two months earlier than that spike, a decade past,” Ruli said.

As the center braces for what could be another challenging year, it is urging the community to step up and volunteer to assist with rescue efforts.

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By Tanner Kahler

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    MADISON, Wisconsin (WISN) — Madison police said they are investigating a case of possible hazing after finding 30 people covered in food, condiments and other liquids inside the basement of a fraternity house Wednesday night.

Once inside, police said they found several people in the basement — most of whom were 18 years old, police said.

“Several of these men had visible injuries consistent with being physically assaulted. A thermostat in the room was set to 81 degrees, creating hot and humid conditions,” Madison police said.

Police arrested Brayden Klein, 20, and Samuel Vane, 20, and booked them into jail for hazing and disorderly conduct.

Madison police said Alpha Epsilon Pi is an unrecognized and unaccredited student organization. The University of Wisconsin said the organization’s status was terminated in 2015.

According to investigators, officers received an anonymous tip that led them to the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house near Carroll and Langdon streets.

“We will be in contact with their national chapter and speaking with them. I believe they will have their own sanctions and stuff like that could be in play there,” Captain Kipp Hartman with the Madison Police Department said in a press conference, Thursday.

Since this chapter continues to be recognized by its national organization, it is legally allowed to operate as a fraternity chapter unaffiliated with the university,” the university said in a statement.

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By Angela Williams

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    OXFORD, Mississippi (WAPT) — An Ole Miss freshman from Colorado and a junior from Atlanta were found dead this week, with packages of kratom found nearby.

“Until now, we have upheld the wishes not to release the names of the students,” Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Shawnboda Mead, EdD, said in a statement. “Today, the families of Aidan Hamilton, a freshman from Englewood, Colo., and Robert Strang, a junior from Atlanta, have given us permission to share their names. The families have asked for privacy as they grieve.”

On Tuesday, authorities said one student was found dead on campus and another in a house in Oxford. A 911 call that went out was for a possible overdose.

Narcotics officials said at the scene of each death, packaged kratom was found that was sold from a retail store. Investigators were looking into the cause of death and whether kratom played a role.

The drug has been banned in Lafayette County since 2021.

Mead acknowledged that inaccurate information is being shared by some people who don’t have all the facts.

“We can all help by not repeating information that has not been officially confirmed by avoiding public speculation about what happened or why, especially as the causes of the two deaths are still under investigation,” Mead said.

The university’s counseling center and UMatter: Student Support & Advocacy are available for those seeking assistance.

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By Addison Kliewer

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    OKLAHOMA CITY, Oklahoma (KOCO) — The Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association said recent immigration raids have caused disruptions to the beef industry and could lead to higher prices.

The Oklahoma association released a joint statement alongside the Kansas Livestock Association and the Texas Cattle Feeders Association on Thursday, saying recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in the three states has delayed shipments of thousands of fed cattle over the past few days, which has led to millions of dollars in lost revenue and additional costs. The letter said ICE activity has caused workforce disruptions at Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas feedyards, dairies, processors, feed and grain companies, transportation hubs and community services.

The groups also said the enforcement has had a “massive chilling effect on legal, documented, skilled workers who put beef on the table and keep the cattle supply chain moving.”

While the organizations said they respect the responsibility of federal agencies to enforce the law, the disruptions have come at a time of “enhanced focus and pressure on the cattle and beef supply chain.”

“They are a costly and unnecessary impact to cattle producers already suffering from unwelcome political interference in both markets as well as the physical supply chain. Frustratingly, the harm these actions cause to cattle producers last for days and weeks after such operations conclude,” the groups said in the letter.

The groups urged federal officials to conduct enforcement actions in a lawful and transparent manner that respects due process and communicates clearly with affected employers and communities.

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