‘Soon never came’: Canton fires contractor over stalled Helene repairs

CNN Newsource on April 14, 2026

By Elijah Skipper

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    CANTON, North Carolina (WLOS) — The Town of Canton has ended its contracts with J Evans Construction after officials said work to repair Helene-related damage at Recreation Park stalled for months, delaying the reopening of the town’s baseball fields and pool facilities.

Town attorney William Morgan said the town ultimately lost confidence that the work would be completed in a reasonable timeframe after repeated delays.

The projects were intended to restore storm damage from Helene, with town leaders expecting both the ball field and pool support structures to be back in use months ago.

Morgan said the contractor had been contacted multiple times about the delays before the town decided to terminate the agreement.

The town says it has already paid roughly two-thirds of the original contract, though officials believe a similar portion of the work was not completed.

“So, the town is out some amount of money,” Morgan said. “The total is yet to be determined.”

Town leaders say they are now exploring options to recover those funds.

At the same time, challenges within the construction industry may have contributed to delays.

Anthony Harp, owner of Southeastern Property Care, said his company was brought in as a subcontractor by J Evans Construction shortly before the contract was terminated.

“We were scrambling at the time to kind of pick up all the loose pieces,” Harp said. “I did see that a lot of the subs and a lot of the materials didn’t meet the expectations.”

Harp said the project relied on multiple subcontractors, a common structure in construction, and that issues at that level can slow down progress.

He also pointed to broader industry challenges following Helene, including supply chain disruptions and difficulty sourcing materials.

According to Harp, materials needed for baseball field repairs, such as fencing, bleachers and dugout components, became especially difficult to obtain after storm damage impacted fields across the region.

“Those specific materials, which are not in high demand, suddenly became a high demand,” he said.

Now working under a new contractor, Harp said he is optimistic the project can move forward more quickly.

“I’m beyond hopeful,” Harp said. “Materials are ordered. They’re on their way.”

For Harp, the project is also personal.

“I’ve got pictures of me at four years old at Canton Park,” he said. “It’s very close to me and my entire family.”

Morgan said one key takeaway for the town may be the importance of thoroughly vetting contractors, even as communities push to rebuild quickly after disasters.

“Probably vet fully your contractors,” he said, “even though you want to get the projects underway and finished.”

Town officials say they hope the renewed effort will allow the ball field and pool facilities to reopen as soon as possible.

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.

Bodycam, 911 calls released in arrest of Central Florida man running for governor

CNN Newsource on April 14, 2026

By Madilyn Destefano

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    FLAGLER COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — The body-camera video and 911 calls related to the arrest of a 46-year-old Palm Coast man, who is running for governor and previously ran for mayor, have been released.

According to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office, Kevin Cichowski was arrested after a disturbance with a weapon.

Deputies responded Friday morning to a home on Cleveland Court after a report that a man had “battered two elderly victims in the home — hitting one with a cane and throwing a cellphone at the other — and allegedly had a gun.”

“The 911 caller, who was one of the victims, further reported the suspect, Kevin Cichowski, had threatened to kill them multiple times and stated he would kill law enforcement if they were called,” FCSO said.

In the 911 call, the victim can be heard saying, “Our son came in here, hit my husband with a cane. We’re both disabled right now.”

The caller goes on to say Cichowski threw her phone at her head, causing her to bleed.

Deputies located the two victims, who were hiding in a bedroom, and said they could not leave the home because one of them was bedridden.

After the victims were evacuated, deputies made contact with Cichowski and ordered him to surrender.

He did and was taken into custody without incident.

Cichowski is facing two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of battery on a person over 65, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, tampering with a witness and two counts of robbery by sudden snatching.

While being transported to the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility, Cichowski made suicidal statements and was placed into protective custody under the Baker Act, FCSO said.

Cichowski was previously arrested in 2024 for domestic battery, domestic battery by strangulation, and false imprisonment.

Cichowski is running for governor of Florida and previously ran for Palm Coast mayor in 2021.

He filed in the Division of Elections as a Democratic candidate.

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Dozens gather for vigil in honor of girl, 10, fatally struck by car

CNN Newsource on April 14, 2026

By Ted Wayman, Danae Bucci, Imani Clement

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    WEBSTER, Massachusetts (WCVB) — A vigil was held Monday for a 10-year-old girl who died after she was struck by a vehicle in Webster, Massachusetts.

Marleigh Rose Guevara was Saturday hit while she was playing outside on School Street near her home.

A passerby with their own automatic external defibrillator initiated CPR before first responders arrived and took her to UMass Memorial Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead, police said.

According to both the Webster and Dudley police departments, the driver in the crash was arrested on April 3 for drug possession and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.

The driver was stopped in the middle of Center Road in Dudley just after 9:30 p.m. and appeared to be asleep behind the wheel, police said.

Inside the car, police found a green container containing a substance believed to be crack cocaine and two other baggies believed to be either heroin, fentanyl or crack cocaine. The driver was arrested and released on personal recognizance.

Carmen Borerro said she heard the impact of the School Street crash and stayed with Marleigh until police arrived.

“The person stopped. The person who hit her stopped,” Borerro said in Spanish. “They were talking to her until they eventually let her go.”

In a letter from Webster Public Schools, the superintendent said Marleigh was a fourth grader at Park Avenue Elementary School.

“When a community tragically loses a child, it loses a piece of its soul. Our hearts go out to Marleigh’s family and friends as they endure this terrible loss,” the police department said in a statement.

Marleigh’s mother wrote on a GoFundMe that she is “shattered in a way I didn’t know possible.”

“Marleigh was everything. She had the kind of light that you don’t come across often, the kind that made people feel safe, happy, and loved just by being near her,” her mother wrote. “Her laugh was contagious, her heart was pure, and her presence made this world a better place. To know her was to truly love her.”

Neighbors said drivers frequently speed down School Street.

“Notorious. They need to sit on this road and catch people. I don’t know, put speed bumps on the road,” neighbor Jason D’Andrea said.

The driver has not been charged in Marleigh’s death.

The crash is being investigated by the Central Massachusetts Law Enforcement Council Accident Reconstruction Unit, along with the Webster Police Department and the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office.

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WATCH: Video shows moments Pauls Valley principal tackled gunman before being shot

CNN Newsource on April 14, 2026

By Jonathan Greco

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    PAULS VALLEY, Oklahoma (KOCO) — Newly released video shows the moments the Pauls Valley High School principal tackled an armed former student in the school’s lobby before being shot last week.

Security camera video, which was acquired via an open records request, from inside the school showed the suspect, 20-year-old Victor Hawkins, enter the school shortly before 2:20 p.m. on April 8 with a firearm after someone pushed on the door and allowed him inside.

Hawkins appeared to point and fire a gun before slowly walking into the lobby at Pauls Valley High School. Investigators told KOCO 5 that the gun jammed.

A person could be seen coming into the frame, and Hawkins attempted to cock the gun before pointing it at someone sitting on a bench in the lobby.

The principal, Kirk Moore, could then be seen opening a door and rushing at Hawkins from the side, tackling him onto a bench against the wall. The person sitting in the lobby ran as Kirk held Hawkins down.

At one point, the gun was pointed directly at Moore’s head.

Another staff member quickly arrived and kicked away the gun that Hawkins had just dropped.

At some point during the incident, Moore was shot in the leg. He was flown to OU Health in Oklahoma City, where he was treated and released a few days later.

Moore is recovering at home, and he spent a few hours at Pauls Valley High School on Monday.

Hawkins was booked into the Garvin County Jail on two counts of pointing a firearm, one count of shooting with intent to kill, and two counts of unlawful carry.

Court documents state that Hawkins intended to commit a mass shooting at the school and admitted that he was influenced by the Columbine school shooting. During an arraignment on Wednesday, Hawkins told a judge he had every intention of going inside the school to shoot students, faculty, and then himself.

Hawkins is expected back in court on May 8.

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Bike program pays commuters to ditch their cars

CNN Newsource on April 14, 2026

By Itay Hod

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    PALO ALTO, California (KPIX) — Between surging gas prices and ransom-level parking fees, the cost of the daily grind adds up.

But AbdAllah Abou-Ismail has found a way to make the city foot the bill.

“I was like, you know what? This my reason for biking every day,” he said.

Every morning, he hops on his bike and pedals his way toward a free lunch. Call it a bit of roadside economics: The city of Palo Alto pays him to stay out of traffic. And instead of low-grade road rage, he starts his day on the right foot.

“Actually, my energy levels got a lot better once I started biking. Before I would get to work a lot more sleepy, but with the bike, I come into work 100% I can hit the floor. No downtime, no nothing,” he said.

It’s all thanks to a program called “Bike Love,” which tracks his commute and pays him $5 a day — up to $600 a year — to spend at local businesses. It’s one of several efforts the city has rolled out to get drivers to shift gears. The initiative runs through an app called Motion, which tracks trips automatically on your phone, whether you’re on a bike, e-bike or scooter.

Pat Burt, a Palo Alto city council member who serves on the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, said the goal is simple.

“We want this to be a means where they get addicted to biking and as a result, they’re healthier, mentally and physically, and happier,” he said.

According to the Palo Alto Transportation Management Association, the program kept nearly three million car miles off local roads last year and cut more than a thousand tons of greenhouse gas emissions.

Not everyone thinks it goes far enough. Billy Riggs, a professor at the University of San Francisco who studies transportation innovation, says these programs tend to target people who are already biking.

“This is cute, it just can’t be about cute solutions,” he said.

As for Abou-Ismail, the payoff is simple — and daily.

“By the time I reach work, I’ve already had a small little adventure, and five bucks into my account,” he said.

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Zebra escape: Zeus gets loose again, safely returned home

CNN Newsource on April 14, 2026

By Richard Ramos

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    LINCOLN, California (KOVR) — A zebra that’s become a familiar sight in Placer County was on the loose again Monday, but animal services say the situation ended safely.

Placer County Animal Services confirmed that “Zeus the zebra,” who is new to the Lincoln area, escaped from his enclosure again but was later found wandering a roadway just north of Lincoln and returned home. Zeus was located on Monday along West Wise Road between Gladding and McCourtney, the California Highway Patrol’s Auburn office said.

There were previous sightings of Zeus on the loose over the weekend, according to animal services, which said the weekend storm activity was likely the reason Zeus was able to escape on Friday.

Officials say the animal’s repeated escapes may be tied to its recent arrival in the area, as it adjusts to a new environment.

The incident was also reported to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Under state regulations, zebras — along with all members of the equidae family — are not classified as restricted species in California. That means they can be owned without a restricted species permit from Fish and Wildlife.

However, ownership still comes with requirements. State guidance indicates that individuals keeping exotic animals like zebras should have at least two years of experience working with such animals, including direct experience handling zebras.

Placer County Animal Services also stresses the importance of proper containment and care. Large animals like zebras require secure enclosures and enough space to move safely, both for their well-being and to prevent them from getting loose.

No injuries were reported in any of the animal’s escapes, and it’s unclear whether any enforcement action will be taken.

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Iconic former bar The Dark Horse puts items up for auction, looks ahead to future

CNN Newsource on April 14, 2026

By Sarah Horbacewicz

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    BOULDER, Colorado (KCNC) — As the iconic former Boulder bar, The Dark Horse, looks towards a new chapter, some of their eclectic memorabilia is up for sale. Pieces like a vintage hearse, dartboard, or wooden sleigh now line the Roller Auction floor as bids are open through Tuesday.

Brian Calkins is running the auction, and he says Roller Auction is already seeing bids on almost every item, including a larger-than-life hamburger server statue and an old toilet.

These items came from the ceiling of the Dark Horse, but most of the items are in storage right now as bar owners consider a new location in the region. Calkins says he expects to have a second auction after Dark Horse officially moves into a new location. He says that the goal is by the end of the summer.

Calkins says he’s seeing a huge interest in this auction, “A lot more phone calls, a lot of bidders that have never been with US, that just want a piece of The Dark Horse.”

And on Monday, fans and former patrons came to peek at the items for sale and reminisce about the decades-old bar.

“It’s a piece of Boulder’s history,” former patron Mike Gheleta said, “Generations have gone. Case in point, I used to go to law school, and my son had graduated from CU, so we would go there with his friends.”

Another bidder, Lori Laingor, said, “I was there, I think when it opened… looking at all of this stuff brings back so many memories.”

Her daughter, Tasha Bond, added, “I think it’s special, just the atmosphere that they created. And I don’t know, having a little piece of that would be kind of cool.”

But no matter where these pieces go, it’s clear the memories will always come with them.

The auction begins closing on Tuesday and all items must be picked up by 4:45 p.m. on Thursday.

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Esparto fireworks explosion arraignments delayed as victims’ families voice frustration

CNN Newsource on April 14, 2026

By Jonathan Ayestas, Maricela De La Cruz

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    ESPARTO, California (KCRA) — Five of the eight people arrested in connection with the deadly Esparto fireworks explosions appeared in court on Monday. Their arraignments were postponed to Thursday.

Among the defendants were Sam and Tammy Machado, who own the property that prosecutors said was storing about a million pounds of illegal explosives on the day the facility burst into flames.

Two defendants, Douglas Michael Tollefsen and Jack Lee, lost their attorneys during the court proceedings. Both lawyers appeared remotely and stated they could no longer represent them, without providing a reason. This means Tollefsen and Lee will need new legal counsel before their cases can move forward.

Tammy Machado also appeared in court, where she pleaded not guilty. She is expected to return on Thursday.

Family members of some of the victims of the Esparto explosion were present in the courtroom, with some hoping to address the judge. Jhony Ramos Sr., the father of Jesus and Jhony Ramos—two of the seven men killed in the explosion—shared his frustration.

“My children are already dead. It was two of them who were killed. I don’t know why they’re still being given rights,” Ramos said.

The family’s attorney, Ramin Younessi added, “We believe they knew a lot and they turned a blind eye. A lot was going on here for many years out in the open and it’s unfortunate. Those kids could’ve been alive today.”

The other three arrested are Kenneth Chee, Ronald Botelho III and Gary Chan Jr. Of the eight arrested, five are facing second-degree murder charges for the seven killed.

Chee made his first court appearance Friday in a Florida courtroom after being arrested at Disney World.

The Yolo County DA said that because the investigation is ongoing, additional people may face charges in connection with the blasts.

Sam and Tammy Machado both worked for the Yolo County Sheriff’s Office, Sam having been a lieutenant and Tammy a non-sworn employee. Yolo County Sheriff Tom Lopez said he accepted their resignations on March 17.

For months, investigators, including Cal Fire’s state fire marshal, looked into the facility. That led to Devastating Pyrotechnics and Blackstar Fireworks having their licenses revoked.

A grand jury indictment on April 3 alleges that most of the defendants operated multiple black-market fireworks companies from the Esparto location, selling “overcharged fireworks” made with significantly more explosive material than typical fireworks. Labels identified in the indictment include Bean Day Ho, For The Streets, Big Bully, and Double OG.

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.

Suspect in Bernalillo shooting incident now in custody

CNN Newsource on April 14, 2026

By Vincent Rodriguez, Alyssa Munoz, Cody Thomason

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    BERNALILLO, New Mexico (KOAT) — One suspect is in custody following a report of an active shooter in Bernalillo on Tuesday morning.

Bernalillo Police say officers were dispatched to Highway 550 after a caller reported someone was shooting at their car.

Police say officers searched the area and then set a perimeter near Bernalillo High School later finding the suspect behind the school in a ditch.

The situation escalated where the suspect pointed a gun at officers. Officers then fired their weapons at the suspect.

New Mexico State Police are investigating the shooting that involved police officers.

The suspect is in police custody.

Bernalillo Public Schools will remain closed on Tuesday.

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Teen rescued after being kidnapped near bus stop, suspect arrested

CNN Newsource on April 14, 2026

By Jack Springgate

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    HAMTRAMCK, Michigan (WWJ) — Hamtramck police say it only took them 30 minutes to find a kidnapping suspect and rescue the teen who was with him on Monday morning.

Police say the armed abduction happened while the 16-year-old was on their way to the bus stop just after 7 a.m. Monday.

The department’s lead detective said tips from community members came in almost immediately, leading officers to find the teen and the suspect together at a gas station about two and a half miles from the area of Edwin and Brombach, where we learned the crime initially happened.

Surveillance and body cam video show the teen and the suspect make their way out of the suspect’s vehicle.

Speeding up the video, it took officers roughly 90 seconds to close in on the suspect at this Sunoco station on the corner of Conant and Nevada.

That’s where police say they safely recovered the teen, all after the abduction police say happened while the teen was walking to their bus stop.

Following the arrest, police realized how critical their fast response was and how much danger this teen was in.

“It was a criminal with a history of rape charges, and we will make sure he gets what he deserves,” said Hamtramck Mayor Adam Alharbi.

Hamtramck Police Chief Hussein Farhat says the teen and the suspect didn’t have any connection to each other before this, and it was random in nature.

“This appears to be an isolated incident, and there is not believed to be continued threats to the community,” he said.

The student’s school, Frontier International Academy, confirmed that the kidnapping did not occur on school grounds and that student safety is its highest priority.

“We are grateful to report that the student has been safely recovered and is currently with family. Law enforcement acted swiftly, and a suspect is in custody,” the school said.

Farhat shared his message for anyone planning on carrying out crimes in Hamtramck.

“The message is going to be clear to any criminal out there, we are very hospitable here in Hamtramck, but if you come here and try to break the law, we will get you, as we got you today before half an hour had passed,” he said.

Police say they’re not releasing any information on the suspect until his arraignment, which they expect to happen in the next one to two days.

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