Author: CNN Newsource

By Peyton Furtado

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    ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WYFF) — A political ad using artificial intelligence-generated imagery to depict North Carolina Democratic House candidate Jamie Ager at a barn dance with drag queens has drawn criticism, legal threats, and calls for new legislation.

We’re a week away from midterm elections, and if you’ve had your TV on, you’ve likely been flooded with campaign ads. Many of those viewers have called our newsroom about the ads, asking if they’re real and why we’re airing them.

Drag queens and barn dances

One ad in particular that uses artificial intelligence to depict North Carolina Democratic House candidate Jamie Ager at a barn dance attended by drag queens has garnered attention and possible legal action.

Some say seeing is believing. But in a campaign season wrought with political ads using AI deepfakes, it’s harder to tell fact from fiction.

“We’ve seen ads on TV where there’s editing, getting involved in ways that people might be distorting the truth. But now we have this new tool that we as a society are not trained to recognize,” said Phil Yanov, founder of Tech After Five. Yanov is well-versed in the AI universe.

The ad in question is paid for by the National Republican Congressional Committee, authorized by Balkcom for Congress, and approved by republican candidate and incumbent, Jennifer Balkcom. It depicts Balkcom’s Democratic opponent, Ager, dancing with real drag queens.

Ager’s farm, Hickory Nut Gap, did host an event called the Fantasy Festival in 2019, which advertised several performers, including a group of drag queens.

A Jamie Ager campaign official claims that group didn’t end up attending the event.

We confirmed through the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) that this ad used AI to show drag queens there. So far, it’s captured many viewers’ attention.

“Somebody probably is watching that and thinking, ‘I guess that happened,'” Yanov said.

Drag queens threaten legal action While the ad used AI, it deepfaked real drag queen performers, many from Western North Carolina. We reached out to two, who perform under the names Divine Holeburn and Nova.

“I have never met the man in my life,” Nova said over the phone.

“Okay,” said our reporter, Peyton Furtado. “Have you ever been to his property, been to his barn, and done a performance there?”

“No, I have not,” said Nova.

“I have never met Jamie Ager,” said Divine over the phone. “I have no affiliation with him at all. I have never … I didn’t even know he had a barn until this; this barn dance event was not real.”

Both Divine and Nova are among a group of real people deepfaked into that ad who have sent notices of cease and desist. The Balkcom campaign and NRCC have until November 2nd to stop using AI-generated images of them. If they do not, Divine, Nova, and others have threatened legal action.

“I felt used,” Divine said. “I felt like, what if this person used my image and body to do other things?”

“And, honestly,” Nova said, “I am wanting to see if we can bring new legislation that can stop things like this to the forefront.”

Why do we have to air political ads? Due to FCC regulations, TV stations have to air political ads paid for or sponsored by legally qualified candidates. This ad was approved by Jennifer Balkcom, Ager’s Republican competitor for the House.

Stations cannot legally change or censor the ads, even if they appear to be using AI deepfakes.

Is it legal to use AI in political ads? At least 31 states have passed laws addressing AI-generated content in political ads.

“South Carolina is not one of them,” said Brandi Hinton, an attorney with Ironside Criminal Defense. North Carolina and Georgia don’t have those laws either.

“There is currently no federal law on AI and political ads,” said Hinton.

The result: political ads that could legally make a candidate do or say virtually anything. And those ads are not legally required to say they used AI.

Candidate responses We reached out to Jennifer Balkcom’s campaign, the NRCC, and Jamie Ager’s campaign.

Jamie Ager’s campaign responded, saying they have never used any generative AI in their ads and no drag queens were present at their event in 2019. They offered this statement: “Our opponent is attacking Jamie with 100% fake, AI-generated ads. She can’t win on the truth, so she is using AI to lie. It’s insulting to the intelligence of voters in Western North Carolina and another example of the exact corrupt system he is running against. Jamie got into this race because we can and must do politics better.”

The National Republican Congressional Committee, which paid for the ad, confirmed AI was used. They offered this statement: “Liberal Jamie Ager is sending his left-wing army to attack his political opponents after being exposed for hosting events exposing young children to inappropriate performances from individuals like Sister Domina Trix and Sister Helen Bedd. The NRCC stands by the ad, and Ager owes North Carolina voters answers for why he’s trying to push sexualized performers onto kids.”

We’ve reached out to Jennifer Balkcom’s campaign multiple times over several days, and have not heard back.

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 Brett Rains, Adam Roberts, DMM

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    HEAVENER, Oklahoma (KHBS) — A man is facing two charges of first-degree murder in the deaths of his girlfriend and her unborn child, according to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

Austin Morrison, 28, was arrested Monday night, accused of assaulting and killing Stephanie Strock, 20, and her unborn baby.

Strock was seven months pregnant and looking forward to having a baby girl, family members told 40/29 News.

Strock’s brother, John Woods, said he was on the phone with his sister Monday night when he heard her being hit.

“She called me, and she was crying, saying that he hit her and she’s bleeding from the mouth,” Woods said.

Woods said he urged her to call police. He said Morrison called her names and began hitting her before the call disconnected.

Woods called police. Officers found Strock dead outside a home on West Avenue D in Heavener. Investigators said she had been physically assaulted.

“I got told that he hit her with a rock. I’m not sure how many times, but that’s what killed her,” Woods said.

Rita Vincent, who said she raised Strock from the time she was a year old, said Strock and Morrison had lived with her. Vincent said there was a history of domestic violence, including the day before Strock was found dead.

Vincent said she made Morrison leave and tried to persuade Strock to stay.

“And he sat there and told her he was going to beat her to death, and nobody could stop him,” Vincent said.

Strock left with him, Vincent said.

“She loved him so much. She said if he can’t stay here, I’m not neither,” Vincent said.

Vincent said Morrison is her nephew.

“I hope he gets what he deserves,” she said.

Morrison was arrested Monday night and taken to the LeFlore County Detention Center. He is expected to appear in court by the end of this week or sometime next week.

Heavener police requested assistance from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation.

Funeral services for Strock are scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2026, in Heavener, Oklahoma.

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 Matthew Keck

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    LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (WLKY) — Police arrested a man on Wednesday after he allegedly tried to murder his wife at a senior living home in Louisville.

Bert Morris, 92, is charged with attempted murder (domestic violence) and strangulation.

According to court records, Morris was found pinching his wife’s nose after putting a plastic bag over her head. Police said the incident was caught on video.

An arrest slip claims Morris put the bag over his wife’s head “with the intent for the victim to pass away.”

Morris allegedly told police that she “needed to die.”

He is set to be arraigned Thursday morning at 9 a.m.

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 Meghan Moriarty

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    BREVARD COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — A Titusville teenager is recovering after reportedly falling through the pier at Sebastian Inlet State Park and being swept away by waves.

“Next thing I know, I’m just falling through the floor,” Landen Williams said. “It was insane.”

WESH 2 spoke with the 16-year-old on Wednesday with his mother’s permission.

“I guess a wave knocked up the grate and I didn’t see it, and next thing you know, I’m falling,” Williams said. “Probably 15 to 20 feet.”

Williams credits the king tide with keeping him from crashing into the rocks, but said the experience was still scary.

“I kind of just went with the current and I ended up in that little tide pool over there,” Williams said.

Elsewhere, the combination of strong winds and the highest tidal cycle of the year forced Jetty Park to close its fishing pier Tuesday.

The conditions also caused notable beach erosion at Ponce de Leon Beach, Melbourne Beach and Satellite Beach.

“The combination of very high tides and strong winds have driven waves up and over the beaches, and in some cases into the dunes,” Brevard County Communications Director Don Walker said in an email. “The county has prepared for events like this by investing in our beaches over the years, placing sand and dune vegetation. The beaches are adjusting to the storm conditions as expected, and doing the intended job of protecting upland property and infrastructure.”

In Satellite Beach, some beach accesses are blocked off with wood and yellow caution tape. Ocean rescue officials are urging people to stay out of the water.

“Repair options for the South Beaches are being considered, but a final recommendation will wait until after the weather calms in a few days,” Walker said in an email to WESH. “For our three federal (Army Corps) project areas, the North Reach, Mid Reach and South Reach, the response plan will be coordinated through the Army Corps. The Corps is aware of our circumstances and is working to determine the best steps.

“In the most narrow Mid Reach, we were already encouraging the Corps to plan a renourishment as early as December 2027. This ‘best-case’ schedule is, however, dependent on passage of a FY 2027 federal budget.”

As for Williams, he said that if you’re ever caught in a rip current, you should swim with it.

“I just knew I had to stay calm in that current and everything else,” Williams said.

WESH 2 has reached out to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection about the incident at Sebastian Inlet State Park and is waiting for a response.

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 Meaghan Mackey

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    ORANGE COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — A Florida Highway Patrol trooper was airlifted to a hospital with serious injuries after their marked patrol car was hit in an active construction zone on SR-429 in Orange County, FHP says.

According to the Florida Highway Patrol, the crash happened Tuesday just after 9 p.m. in the southbound lanes of SR-429 near mile marker 6 in Bay Lake near Western Way.

According to FHP, a person driving a 2026 Toyota Tundra was traveling southbound when they didn’t move over for the patrol car, which was working in an active construction zone for a lane closure.

They said the front of the Toyota struck the back of the patrol car.

The Toyota’s driver was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

Additionally, the trooper was airlifted to the hospital with serious injuries, but FHP says they are stable.

The crash remains under investigation.

FHP is reminding drivers that Florida’s Move Over law requires motorists to move over a lane for emergency, service and utility vehicles, as well as disabled vehicles.

If moving over is not safe, drivers must slow down to 20 mph below the posted speed limit.

Violations can result in fines, fees and points on a driver’s record.

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 WESH staff

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    MINNEOLA, Florida (WESH) — AdventHealth has achieved a major milestone with the first robotic telesurgery conducted between two locations in the United States.

A doctor at AdventHealth Celebration recently performed the remote surgery on a patient located about 40 miles away at AdventHealth Minneola.

The procedure was conducted as part of an ongoing clinical research study.

“For generations, access to highly specialized care has often depended on where a patient lives,” said Dr. Vipul Patel, founder and medical director of the Global Robotics Institute at AdventHealth Celebration and principal investigator of the study, who operated from AdventHealth Celebration.

“This study allows us to evaluate whether telesurgery could one day help reduce geographic barriers to specialized treatment. Important questions about safety, effectiveness and technical performance remain under investigation,” Patel said.

The 66-year-old patient chose to participate in the clinical research study after being diagnosed with prostate cancer.

“We are entering a new era of surgery,” said Dr. Patel. “The future will be defined by how we combine human expertise, robotics and technology to push the boundaries of what is possible for patients around the world.” 

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.