Author: CNN Newsource

By Kris Habermehl, Courtney Scott

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    Illinois (WBBM) — A driver was killed when an object crashed through their windshield on the Dan Ryan Expressway early Monday.

The crash shut down the outbound express lanes on the Dan Ryan Expressway for hours before and during the morning rush Monday.

At 5:10 a.m., a sport-utility vehicle was seen up against the wall in the outbound express lanes near 31st Street. Illinois State Police said a large object went through the windshield of the vehicle and struck the driver.

State police said they have not been able to confirm what the object was that went through the windshield.

State police said the driver was transported to an area hospital from the scene with injuries. The driver later died, state police said.

The driver was a 45-year-old man, state police said.

The outbound Dan Ryan express lanes were closed off from their starting point at the Chinatown feeder ramp down to the foot ramp at 47th Street. The express lanes were open south of 47th Street, and the local lanes remained open.

All outbound express lanes reopened just after 8:30 a.m.

The inbound Dan Ryan was also delayed with gapers.

CBS News Chicago has reached Illinois State Police for details about the crash.

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By Hunter Geisel

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    Florida (WFOR) — Crews from the Florida Department of Transportation arrived in Miami Beach on Sunday evening in preparation for the removal of the city’s rainbow crosswalks.

The removal comes after the City of Miami Beach lost its appeal to keep its rainbow sidewalk permanent.

In August, cities across the Sunshine State began grappling with a new law requiring the removal of rainbow-painted sidewalks. FDOT identified 400 locations of rainbow crosswalks and other street art across the state as potential distractions and safety hazards.

FDOT, under the direction of Gov. Ron DeSantis, ordered several communities, including the South Florida cities of Delray Beach, Key West and Miami Beach, to remove their sidewalks and other street art by early September or face the loss of state transportation funding for noncompliance.

Some of the crosswalks, which have been widely seen as symbols of inclusion and belonging for historically marginalized groups such as the Black and LGBTQ+ communities, were painted over during overnight operations.

Some cities, such as Orlando, have fought back by restoring their Pride crosswalks and street art after FDOT came through town.

The City of Miami Beach, in particular, has been at the forefront of the fight. Miami Beach was given a Sept. 4 deadline to remove its rainbow crosswalk on Ocean Drive; however, city leaders passed several resolutions during a Sept. 3 commission meeting to keep the sidewalk and approved the renaming of the street where it lay as Pride Street to make it more permanent.

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By Steve Maugeri

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    Florida (WFOR) — A dog tied to a fence on the side of a Florida highway during Hurricane Milton has now become immortalized.

The story of Trooper the dog has inspired the new “Trooper’s Law,” which would make it a felony to abandon a dog during a natural disaster.

Trooper’s family shares about how he’s doing and how his namesake law can help Frank Spina can’t keep his new dog, Trooper, off of him.

Trooper has come a long way since the Florida Highway Patrol found the bull terrier tied to a pole along Interstate 75 during Hurricane Milton last year. That video went viral and the story made it on CBS News This Morning.

Spina told CBS News Miami that Trooper is still recovering from the trauma of that storm.

“He still has a little bit of PTSD, I would say,” Spina said. “He reacts when he hears certain noises. He reacts and jumps into the air, he’s frightened by it. And certain things will actually scare him, but they’re becoming less and less.”

Spina said that after he saw that video, he knew he had to adopt Trooper. But he found out he wasn’t the only person who had seen that video. S, he told CBS News Miami that once he applied to adopt him, he found out he was one of about 400 other people who wanted him.

But once Spina first met him, he knew that Trooper had made his choice.

“He came running over and got under my legs, flipped upside down and I was scratching him,” Spina said. “And any from the humane society said to my wife, ‘Your husband has just cast a spell on him.'”

Spina said Trooper needed medical treatment — he had cancer and doctors found several pounds of trash in his stomach.

“Metal, aluminum bolts, plastic rubber material and it was all kind of in one big ball,” Spina said.

Trooper’s old owner was arrested and charged with aggravated animal cruelty. Moving forward, anyone who restrains and abandons an animal in a natural disaster in Florida could face third-degree felony charges, as part of the new “Trooper’s Law.” That law took effect this week.

“Do I think that a person who’s about to abuse a dog will say, ‘Well, I better not do this because of Trooper’s Law passed?’ No, I think that person will abuse that dog because that’s in their character to do that. The difference is now he’s going to jail,” Spina said.

Trooper’s name is fitting, since he survived the storm, it’s also a title because he was given a badge by FHP, making him “Trooper Trooper.”

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By WGAL Web Staff

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    MANOR TOWNSHIP, Pennsylvania (WGAL) — Emergency dispatch says crews were called to a barn fire in Lancaster County Sunday morning.

When crews arrived around 7 a.m., there was heavy smoke and flames.

The fire was in the 3200 block of Blue Rock Road, near Donnerville Road in Manor Township.

Blue Rock Regional Fire District Fire Commissioner Duane Hagelgans says a nearby silo was also damaged by the fire.

He added that no injuries were reported and no livestock was affected.

In a post on Facebook, Meadow Lane Dairy said their feed room burned down, but their bank barn and the 100 cows inside it were saved.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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By Greg Ng, David Collins

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    TOWSON, Maryland (WBAL) — Detectives arrested the estranged husband of a woman at the center of a 1994 cold case homicide, Baltimore County police announced Friday.

Linda May Lester, 31, was last seen alive on Oct. 11, 1994, when she left work as a 911 dispatcher in Towson and headed to the Randallstown house of her estranged husband, Donald Lester, to pick up her 2-year-old child, county police said. The victim’s sister reported her missing the next day.

Court documents indicate a friend usually followed Linda Lester to Donald Lester’s house because he had a violent temper and was abusive. On the day of Linda Lester’s disappearance, the friend was delayed, documents state.

At the time, Donald and Linda Lester were going through a divorce and living in separate homes, police said. Authorities said Donald Lester had a life insurance policy on her and got a big payout after Linda Lester’s death.

Police said detectives questioned Donald Lester after Linda Lester’s disappearance, but that it was forensic evidence collected from the victim that led to charges.

On Thursday, detectives arrested Donald Lester, 68, on a first-degree murder charge based on advancements in DNA technology and the evidence collected at the time, police said Friday. Material found under Linda Lester’s fingernails linked Donald Lester to her death.

“This progress would not have been possible if not for the diligent work done decades ago by detectives,” said Joy Lepola-Stewart, a spokesperson for Baltimore County police.

Linda Lester’s body was found alongside Interstate 70 just south of the Howard County line. The medical examiner conducted an autopsy and ruled her manner of death a homicide.

Donald Lester remained held without bond Friday at the Baltimore County Detention Center.

His attorney argued during the bail review hearing for home detention, saying it isn’t shocking that DNA could have been found because they had a kid together, who is now 33 years old.

“For 31 years, Mr. Lester has maintained his innocence. The charging document does nothing to change that,” said Hunter Pruette, Donald Lester’s attorney.

Police said Linda Lester’s throat had been cut, she was strangled and there was evidence of blunt-force trauma to her head, which had been covered with a plastic trash bag. Marks on Linda Lester’s arms indicated self-defense wounds.

Police also said Donald Lester had abrasions on his nose and a burn on his left arm, but couldn’t explain why.

Family members, including the couple’s daughter, left the courthouse crying after attending the hearing to support Donald Lester.

“I think the family is distraught,” Pruette said. “But they are strong, and they are going to do well, and they are going to stay strong. They’ve got his complete support.”

Police arrested Donald Lester on Sept. 30. His next court appearance — unless he’s indicted — is Nov. 7.

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By Jacquelyn Quinones

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    WATSONVILLE, California (KSBW) — The ongoing government shutdown is causing increased strain on vulnerable populations in Watsonville, where food banks are experiencing a surge in demand and anxiety.

Second Harvest Food Bank, which serves approximately 70,000 people monthly, has been receiving a high volume of calls since the shutdown announcement.

“It’s just causing a lot of uncertainty in the community, so obviously, federal workers don’t know when their next paycheck is coming,” Mary Casey, Chief People and Culture Officer at Second Harvest Food Bank, said. “So many people rely on benefit programs that are potentially in jeopardy depending on how long things go on so there’s just a lot of disruption and anxiety in the community.”

Second Harvest Food Bank is committed to supporting the community during this challenging time.

“We’re just here for people, we’ll have people who can walk them through but we just want everyone to know that we have food,” Casey said.

At Pajaro Valley Loaves and Fishes, which serves roughly 100 meals during lunchtime, there is also concern about the potential effects of the shutdown.

“The underserved communities are already potentially worried about where they are going to get their next meal whether they need to make a choice between paying their electricity bill or food or medical expenses,” said Ashley Bridges, executive director at Pajaro Valley Loaves and Fishes.

The shutdown is expected to put many patrons of Loaves and Fishes on edge if it continues.

One patron, Myra Echevarria, shared their concerns, saying, “It’s going to create quite a bit of an impact on my financial status. I really can’t afford groceries.”

Another patron, Miguel Quezada, expressed fear about the situation, stating, “Honestly, it’s very scary just because there’s not that many jobs, either I’m on disability, I got injured at work.”

Second Harvest Food Bank encourages the public to call their hotline for any food assistance questions.

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By Sasha Lenninger

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    Albuquerque, New Mexico (KOAT) — More than 500 pilots are expected to participate in the Balloon Fiesta, with 59 joining for the first time.

One of those first-timers was 20-year-old Marissa Vereb. She received her license in October last year in Albuquerque outside the airfield. Vereb has been involved in ballooning for as long as she can remember, with her father showing her the ropes. “Burn flame flame flame hold your redline down,” her father instructed.

Vereb remembers growing up watching her dad attend balloon tethers and waking up early to go ballooning, inspiring her to start flight training as a sophomore in high school.

“I didn’t have enough time to fly consistently with school and all my other activities. Once I graduated high school, I got to fly a lot more,” Vereb said.

Now, she is helping bring younger pilots into the sport.

“We’re always talking about how to keep it going and just getting new pilots involved, and I myself am trying to get my friends involved,” Vereb said. “I can just try to reel them in and take them for flights and start teaching them, and it gets people really hooked and they want to come out and crew and be part of it, and I can’t wait for the community to grow even more,” she said.

Vereb will fly her first-ever Balloon Fiesta with the Aerostar balloon named Mini Bob. Her advice to anyone thinking about becoming a pilot is to stay determined and consistent no matter what, because it’s worth it.

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