Author: CNN Newsource

By Terrance Friday

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    CHEBOYGAN, Michigan (WWJ) — In downtown Cheboygan, Michigan, businesses are preparing for possible flooding as water levels remain high at Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex along the Cheboygan River.

As of 5:30 p.m. Thursday, the Cheboygan River was at 4.92 inches below the top of the dam, according to the State of Michigan Emergency Management and Homeland Security officials.

With the waters reaching closer than 6 inches, the Cheboygan County Sheriff’s Office says status has reached the Level 2 or “set” stage in the Ready, Set, Go instructions to the public.

As water levels are just inches below the top of the dam, business owners are bracing for the worst while hoping for the best.

“We keep going through these daily motions of trying to keep a business afloat,” said Jennifer Thorton, general manager of Cheboygan Title Agency. “I have employees who are in fear for their family and their life, so I am sending them home right now and again try to keep the day-to-day operations going in the business.”

Some businesses near the river have set up sandbags and are moving inventory to higher ground, while other businesses are holding off for now and watching conditions closely.

“We keep thinking, ‘Are we way overreacting?’ But again, is it going to hurt anything? No. I hope we laugh about this and make a sandbox of all this extra sand, that is my hope, but again, it isn’t going to hurt anything,” Thorton said.

“I think a lot of the people are not as well off as I am through this because our home is safe and we don’t have high water there,” added Cheboygan resident Tami Byron-Okuly. “We are going to be involved in this because this is our community.

“Help one another and see what you can do for somebody else who needs help right now, and give someone some relief. It’s going to be okay, and we are all going to be okay. We are all here to help.”

Local officials are reminding residents to stay cautious, to keep an eye on changing conditions and to be ready to act quickly if flooding worsens.

If conditions worsen, downtown Cheboygan and the surrounding areas will move to the “go” stage, signaling an evacuation.

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 Rian Stockett

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    ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — Western North Carolina sheriffs are warning the public about a new synthetic drug they say is more potent than fentanyl.

The McDowell County Sheriff’s Office issued a warning about cychlorphine on its social media accounts on Wednesday, April 15, saying it’s been linked to multiple overdose deaths in eastern Tennessee.

The drug is also on the radar of other local counties.

Captain Justin Bell with the Transylvania County Sheriff’s Office said the danger of cychlorphine is similar to that of other synthetic opioids.

“The biggest message that we would like to get out is that it’s like other synthetic opioids that the most dangerous part is that they can be easily placed into other substances that the user may not know that they’re ingesting,” said Captain Bell.

The Facebook post from the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office says cychlorphine is up to 10 times more potent than fentanyl.

Captain Bell says that because it’s much more potent than fentanyl, smaller amounts can be deadly. He said that a cychlorphine overdose would also require more doses of Narcan to combat it.

Although they’re warning people about this opioid, Bell said authorities haven’t seen it in Transylvania County yet.

News 13 asked them about their efforts to prevent it from coming into the county. “We recognize that you can’t arrest this problem away, OK? So, it’s more about education, hopefully response and saving lives, and getting the word out there,” said Bell.

He says they learned about this drug from their narcotics task force which he says works with local, state, and federal partners to identify emerging drugs early, share intelligence across agencies, track where these substances are coming from and target and disrupt trafficking networks.

“Our approach to it is to make them aware that this is out here, that an exposure may be more significant, and to prepare them with products like the training in Narcan to counteract those reactions to the drug,” said Bell.

The state crime lab says it hasn’t seen any deaths in North Carolina caused by cychlorphine, however it’s prepared to test for it if needed.

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 Gil Cano

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    HONOLULU (KITV) — Loved ones gathered in Makiki this week to honor a 30-year-old man killed in a hit-and-run crash, as his family continues to search for answers.

Eddie Cruz-Ochoa died after being struck at the intersection of Wilder Avenue and Kewalo Street on Thursday, April 9. Police said the driver left the scene.

A week later, dozens returned to that same intersection for a vigil, remembering Cruz-Ochoa as someone deeply loved by family and friends. Those close to him described him as someone who spent his time with loved ones and had a passion for subjects like philosophy, physics and astronomy.

His family said they are still struggling with the circumstances surrounding his death.

“I need to ask him why did you leave my son like that,” Cruz-Ochoa’s mother said. “If you would’ve taken him to the hospital, they would’ve been able to revive him and he’d still be with us.”

His girlfriend, Denielle Cabalis, urged anyone with information to come forward.

“Just please come forward,” Cabalis said. “If you know anything, if you have any cameras, dash cams, anything that could help… please let us know. Let HPD know. We’re not resting until we figure out what happened.”

Friends also shared stories of Cruz-Ochoa’s impact, describing him as someone who supported others during difficult times.

Cruz-Ochoa’s death marks Oʻahu’s 13th traffic fatality this year, compared to 21 at the same time last year.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Honolulu Police Department.

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 Kristen Consillio

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    HONOLULU (KITV) — After almost 30 years, a nonprofit that has provided cultural family programs to thousands of keiki across the pae ‘aina is closing more than a dozen traveling preschools now that federal funding has dried up.

Pua Kaholokula has greatly benefited from the Tutu and Me preschool program for almost 10 years. It has helped her teach her five mo’opuna, or grandchildren, the building blocks of learning.

“It’s been a really valuable program for not just the keiki,” Kaholokula said.

But that program is about to go away.

Federal funding for Native Hawaiian organizations has dried up, forcing the nonprofit Partners in Development Foundation, which runs Tutu and Me to close 17 sites in remote and rural communities and a virtual program at the end of August.

“This is a time of deep kind of heart-wrenching decisions that have to be made because of the federal initiatives and the course corrections that we’re having to make because of the changes in resources to Native Hawaiians,” said Shawn Kana’iaupuni, president and CEO of Partners in Development Foundation.

And those changes will be painful.

The agency has lost $15 million for early childhood education, family support and youth workforce development programs affecting about 6,000 participants.

“Native Hawaiian education, Native Hawaiian health, Native Hawaiian housing — I mean all of this is under attack right now,” Kaholokula said.

The impacts are far reaching.

“They range from the developmental aspects of the youngest brains of our youngest children and in those important times of developmental growth to kindergarten readiness and things like supporting our teachers and our whole DOE educational system,” she added.

And for families like the Kaholokulas, “again we’re going to be losing a valuable resource for our keiki and for our kupuna. Hopefully somebody can step in and help out because it’s them that will be missing out.”

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 Madilyn Destefano

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    FLAGLER COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — Anne Mae Demegillo, accused of giving birth at home, watching the baby die and burying it in the backyard of her family’s home, is asking to be released from jail on bond.

Attorneys for the 21-year-old have filed a motion to reinstate her $250,000 bond after she was indicted for first-degree murder.

Investigators say Demegillo gave birth in a toilet in March and left the baby there to die.

Demegillo’s attorneys argue she has no prior criminal record and may be suffering from postpartum psychosis. They say she is not a flight risk.

A hearing is set for April 21 in Flagler County.

A newborn was found dead in a shallow grave after deputies say Demegillo delivered the baby at home alive, then watched the baby die.

She then allegedly put the baby in a duffel bag in her closet to attend a theater performance at her college, the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said at a news conference.

Another person called 911 and said the woman had told them she was secretly pregnant, had given birth, and had done something to the baby.

Deputies went to the home near the intersection of Florida Park Drive and Forest Hill Drive for a welfare check, where they found the woman and located the baby.

The sheriff said investigators worked on the case for a month and found evidence that proves the newborn’s death was premeditated. Part of that evidence included Google searches.

“She searched what foods to eat to lower the birth of a child or pregnancy,” said Staly. “She also searched the Casey Anthony case.”

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 Britt Leoni

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    NAPLES, Florida (WBBH) — When you first meet Anywyn Watts, you can’t help but notice her positivity.

What you don’t notice is the unfathomable pain she’s faced at just 7 years old.

Anywyn’s mom, Stephanie, says it started with a headache.

“She began to pass out, and it was that point I was on the phone with 9-1-1,” Stephanie said.

Doctors found a large tumor on Anywyn’s brain.

“You had right side paralysis, you were possibly blind, you’d possibly be deaf,” Stephanie said. “But you’re not any of those things, and they said it is an absolute miracle, right?”

In between the constant doctor’s visits and four months of treatments, Anywyn found a steady presence in the storm.

Every morning in the hospital, Stephanie would turn on Gulf Coast News Today so that Anywyn could watch her hero.

She first met Jason at Cape Coral’s Pridefest three years ago.

Today, at Baker Park, Anywyn didn’t have to send Jason the song; she could sing it to him in person.

Sometimes, in the midst of our pain, the right person helps us believe in brighter days.

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 Paula Wethington

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    CHEBOYGAN, Michigan (WWJ) — Water levels have hit their highest level yet at the Cheboygan Lock and Dam Complex along the Cheboygan River in Northern Lower Michigan.

The river was at 5.28 inches below the top of the dam as of 12:30 p.m. Thursday, according to the State of Michigan Emergency Management and Homeland Security officials.

With the waters reaching closer than 6 inches, the Cheboygan County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday morning that the local alert status has reached the Level 2 or “set” stage in the Ready, Set, Go instructions to the public and shared a map of the likely evacuation area.

If conditions continue to worsen, local officials may issue a “go” alert, which means to evacuate immediately.

“Level 2 indicates a high probability of a need to evacuate. You should prepare now by packing necessary items and preparing your family, pets, and vehicle for potential departure,” the sheriff’s office said.

Items that area residents should take with them include prescriptions, personal items and pet-related needs.

Cheboygan is just one of the areas of concern across the state, where snowmelt from winter storms aggravated by additional rain overtook riverbanks and low-lying areas. At one point, the entire state of Michigan was under a flood watch.

Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer opened the State Emergency Operations Center on April 10 to coordinate efforts on flood response, and the EOC remains in service.

The Cheboygan Dam has been monitored since April 7, when the water was 21.5 inches below the top of the dam. Steps that have been taken to prevent and alleviate potential damage at the Cheboygan dam include a sandbagging effort that started on April 11 and the closing of the Bascule Bridge along U.S. 23.

Many local roads in Cheboygan County are currently closed because of high water, the Cheboygan County Sheriff’s Office said. Some residents who live near the Little Black River Watershed were ordered into a temporary evacuation mode.

Sandbagging has also taken place at the Alverno Dam.

A flood warning remains in effect through late Sunday for over a dozen counties in Northern Michigan, according to the National Weather Service in Gaylord.

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.