Author: CNN Newsource

By Shelly Garzon

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    HAYWOOD COUNTY, North Carolina (WLOS) — The North Carolina Department of Transportation now expects repairs to the state’s section of I-40 through the Pigeon River Gorge to cost nearly $2 billion following damage from Helene.

“We’re seeing about a 900-million-dollar cost increase on I-40 due to Helene,” said Chris Lee, deputy division engineer for NCDOT Division 14.

Initial estimates placed the cost of repairs at $1.1 billion but new information led to an increase.

“The main factor behind that is we have new subsurface information so the early estimates we just did not have that information so we’ve spent some time out there, we’ve worked closely with our contractor to determine those costs overtime,” Lee said.

Despite the increased cost, NCDOT officials say the timeline for reopening the interstate will not change.

“We’re going to have to go deeper into the ground but we’re not changing the scope of the project. That will remain the same and it will not change the timeline either. The project will still be completed. All lanes will be open in late 2028,” Lee said.

With I-40 operating below full capacity, local economic leaders say the limited access continues to impact the regional economy.

“Certainly, our travel tourism sector hasn’t recovered to the level that it was pre-Helene. Some of that is because perceptions outside of our area that this area is closed to visitors or that this area is not ready for visitors,” said Nathan Ramsey with the Land of Sky Regional Council.

Ramsey said transportation challenges are also affecting businesses that rely on timely shipping and delivery.

“Companies that need to transport their products in various ways, the fact that that corridor is a little less accessible today than it was is certainly a drag on them. Many companies have just in time inventory where they are needing that inventory as timely as possible so that’s certainly an impact,” Ramsey said.

Officials with the NCDOT say current traffic patterns will remain in place throughout construction.

The N.C. Department of Transportation says all costs associated with repairing the highway will be reimbursed by the Federal Highway Administration.

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 Evan Sery

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    DETROIT (WXYZ) — A professional basketball player from Detroit returned home Saturday after what she describes as a harrowing escape from Iran amid deadly violence and mass anti-government protests.

Taylor Jones, who has played for 17 different teams overseas since beginning her professional career in 2019, was playing for Abadan in Iran when the situation deteriorated rapidly.

“We had four more games until we transitioned into the playoffs,” Jones said.

Any hopes of a championship run ended when protests in the country escalated, and the Iranian government cut off all internet service on January 8.

“Our WiFi began acting very shaky. Iran is known for not having good service, but it had never been that bad,” Jones said.

Jones and her teammates, including other Americans, found themselves cut off from the outside world.

“I was shaking, my anxiety was at a thousand. I was trying to call my mom – it wouldn’t go through,” Jones said.

She eventually managed to get a signal because their hotel was close to the Iraqi border.

“I went to my other teammate’s room, who was American. She’s like, ‘I just figured out I have one bar,’ so I was like, ‘Maybe if I sit in the corner of the room my phone will also pick up,'” Jones said.

The phone finally connected after picking up a signal from Iraqi cell towers.

After reaching her mother, Jones focused on finding a way home. Initial attempts to escape through Iraq were unsuccessful after she was denied entry at the border.

A team agent helped secure a flight to Dubai, but it meant flying out of Tehran.

“When you arrived there… oh, I was frantic. I was frantic. Obviously, I don’t look like the rest. They’re looking at four, five Americans walking. Their eyes are just like… we kept hearing them say ‘Americans, Americans,'” Jones said.

Jones’s mother, Fawn Day, was relieved to have her daughter back home.

“When she first texted me, she just said ‘Mom,’ and I knew something was going on. That’s the code word for something is going on. I was just hoping what I was seeing on the news would not come her way,” Day said.

This isn’t the first time Jones has had to flee a dangerous situation. In January 2022, she was playing basketball in Ukraine when Russian troops began preparing for an invasion. She escaped just a day before the war started.

“I’m just really trying to find the words to process everything that I witnessed. Never gone through anything as traumatic as that. Obviously, I had to flee from Ukraine in 2022, but that experience was far easier going than this was, by far,” Jones said.

Jones’s professional career has taken her to Portugal, Bosnia, Puerto Rico, Ukraine, Finland, Iceland, Luxembourg, and Belarus before her most recent stint in Iran.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WXYZ verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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 Ryan Gamboa

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    BELTON, Missouri (KSHB) — Six weeks after a devastating fire at Lily’s Play-and-Stay claimed the life of 17-year-old Gidget, the dog daycare is rebuilding with help from an unexpected source: local high school students.

The December fire broke out in a room at the Belton facility, forcing owner Amy Klein to confront every pet owner’s worst nightmare.

“It sucks. There’s no other way that I can put it,” Klein said. “Every range of emotions we could feel, we’ve felt it.”

As the initial shock wore off, community support began pouring in. Among those lending a hand is Connor Stookey, a senior in the Academies of Belton program.

The Belton School District program offers students specialized fields of study to prepare them for success after graduation.

Stookey is working in construction as part of the program, gaining hands-on experience while helping Klein rebuild her business.

“I think the more I do this, the better knowledge I get,” Stookey said.

The partnership addresses a critical need in the construction industry. According to the Associated General Contractors of America, over half of firms reported more than 70% of candidates in 2025 were unqualified for hire across seven key positions, including mechanics, iron workers, electricians, heavy equipment operators, superintendents, estimating personnel, and project managers or supervisors.

Scott Sisemore, who leads Belton’s Academies program, sees the collaboration as essential for student success.

“We need to provide a pathway of success for every one of our students,” Sisemore said. “We hope [we] will encourage them to stay here if they leave and come back, start a business and be a part of their community.”

The program is so committed to giving students real-world experience that senior video production intern Nazier Kinney helped shoot this story.

For Stookey, the work represents more than just gaining construction skills — it’s about helping a community member recover from tragedy.

“I think it’s a good feeling getting this place back and running again, after what happened,” Stookey said.

Klein said the outpouring of support has been overwhelming in the best possible way.

“I didn’t know we had [this] type of support behind us until something like this magnitude has happened,” Klein said.

The Academies of Belton program is looking to expand to elementary and middle school students.

According to Sisemore, elementary students will get more exposure to a multitude of industries to prepare them for a career selection one day. In middle school, they are working with nonprofits to learn more about how those organizations operate.

Belton Middle School was working with Lily’s Rescue Rehab, Klein’s nonprofit, before the fire hit her downtown business. That partnership is on hold for now.

The construction program also recently finished working on a new downtown business, Battle Axes on Main.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KSHB verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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 Angela Cifone

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    Hawaii (KITV) — Sun, Surfboards, and support… three key elements bringing healing to Hawai’i’s shores.

Lyndie Irons, Founder and Director of the Andy Irons Foundation, said, “The ocean is the most healing place in the world. It’s healed me. You know, I lost my husband 15 years ago.”

That search for healing led to something bigger.

Kids Hurt Too Hawai’i has teamed up with The Andy Irons Foundation and Billabong for Surf for the Soul – a program using the ocean to help children process grief and trauma.

Zach Hoffman, Facilitator, Kids Hurt Too Hawaii, said, “We give the kids a place to grieve through play.”

He continued, “We’re here to help the kids just enjoy their lives and experience healing through play, through the energy of the ocean, through the power of the present moment.”

Walker Rowsey, Executive Director of Kids Hurt Too Hawaii, said, “Life can come at you like a roller coaster or like a wave. This event helps show the kids that no matter what adversity they’re facing, they can always get back up on that board again and keep going.”

And beyond support, the program created unforgettable moments.

Tiffany Collins, a mother of a participant, said, “It brings relief, it brings gratitude, and I just feel good knowing that, as you know, not only were they able to talk to someone about what they were going through, but they have an outlet like this.”

“It gives them these magical moments with the pros out there, having a once-in-a-lifetime experience that they will remember forever,” said Rowsey.

Moments that stay with everyone involved.

Shane Dorian, a professional surfer, said, “The ocean is so therapeutic, and so to be able to share that with these kids is a lot of fun, and it really means a lot to us.”

Laura Enever, a professional surfer, said, “Everyone was out there with the biggest smiles on their faces. And I even think the surfers had even bigger smiles on their faces.”

Bruce Irons, Andy Irons’ brother and professional surfer, said, “To just see their smiles, it’s priceless.”

And you can’t put a price on happiness.

“The first time I found pure happiness was actually in the ocean. So I chase that happiness all the time,” Said Irons.”

So together they chase that happiness through each wave.

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 Web Staff , Colter Anstaett

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    VIRGINIA BEACH (WTKR) — A woman was rescued after driving her car into the water near the Back Deck and Bubba’s Seafood on Shore Drive in Virginia Beach on Friday afternoon, a manager at Bubba’s confirmed to News 3.

Video shared with WTKR News 3 depicts a chaotic scene in the water as what appeared to be four individuals jumped into the frigid water to try and break the person out of the black SUV.

News 3’s Colter Anstaett spoke with Jeremy Way, a U.S. Navy aviation rescue swimmer who was dining at the Back Deck when he saw the car go in the water. Way told Anstaett that his training kicked in and he immediately jumped in the water.

“I was like, ‘is anybody in the car?’ As soon as somebody said yes, I had already started to pull my phone, my wallet, my knife out of my pocket,” Way said. “I got to about right here, saw that there was a car in there, and I just dove right in.”

When they reached the woman at the window, he reported the woman said “I don’t wanna be here, let me die.” But after some coaxing, she agreed to let them rescue her.

But at that point, according to Way, the electronics in the car were not operating, which forced the Good Samaritans to have to break the windows to get her out. By the time the woman and one of the rescuers started to go up, the whole vehicle was underwater.

“It was just in the nick of time, like a movie,” Way said.

Way’s hands are cut up and bandaged from breaking car windows during the rescue, but he said it is worth it.

“Some girl is alive because of a couple Good Samaritans,” Way said.

Virginia Beach police said this incident was reported at 1:17 p.m. and confirmed they are investigating.

News 3 Chief Meteorologist David Aldrich said the water temperature in the area was around 45° at the time of the rescue.

This comes about two years after a man drove his car off the Virginia Beach fishing pier in an apparent suicide.

Way said he’s had some mental health struggles himself and has a message for anyone who may be struggling.

“There is help out there. There are avenues. There’s the suicide hotline, there’s people out there. You actually probably do have friends that care and love you,” said Way.

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 Amanda Roberts

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    WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Tennessee (WTVF) — Multiple families in Williamson and Maury counties are speaking out about their loved ones’ battles with histoplasmosis as state health officials continue investigating a growing outbreak that has now reached more than 30 cases and claimed at least one life.

Family confirmed the death of Alyssia, who died after a positive test of the fungal infection in December. Her mother in Knoxville said the positive test result came back days after her daughter’s death.

Among the survivors is 14-year-old Eli Stinson from Thompson’s Station, whose months-long battle with the illness began with a fever on Halloween that wouldn’t break.

“I think they drained half my blood it felt and nothing was coming back positive,” Eli said.

His mother, Cari Stinson, watched her athletic, energetic son become constantly exhausted. Despite Eli’s normally strong immune system, she knew something was seriously wrong.

The breakthrough came when someone sent Cari an article about histoplasmosis, giving her a specific test to request from doctors.

“Instantly I was like oh my gosh, I bet this is what he has,” Cari said. “All the tests came back positive.”

Cari said she had to persistently advocate for her son’s care.

“I felt like the crazy mom I kept calling, but I knew he had it,” she said. “I want people to know in Thompson’s Station especially around this June Lake area if your kid is sick this isn’t a 7 to 10 day cold virus. It’s a bigger deal.”

Histoplasmosis is a fungal infection commonly found in soil throughout Middle Tennessee. The Stinsons said they aren’t the only household in their neighborhood affected by the illness, raising concerns that nearby construction may be a contributing factor.

“I do worry if it’s gonna keep happening,” Cari said. “Will he get sick again at baseball? I just want them to find a source like where did it come from.”

Eli has returned to his normal activities but still experiences some lingering effects.

“Just worn out as the day goes on I get more tired,” Eli said. He added that classmates nicknamed him “mushroom boy” because of the fungal infection.

The family hopes sharing their story will encourage other families to request specific testing and push for a deeper investigation into the outbreak.

“Something is happening right now to have all these cases with outbreaks,” Cari said.

Eli continues to have follow-up medical appointments to monitor his recovery. State health officials said they have not yet identified a clear source of exposure for the outbreak.

The following is their full statement:

More than 30 histoplasmosis cases have been identified in Williamson & Maury Counties. The investigation is ongoing and a clear source of exposure has not been identified which is not uncommon for histoplasmosis.

Histoplasmosis is commonly found throughout the soil in Tennessee, so it can be challenging to completely prevent exposure. People at highest risk of severe infection are those that are exposed to a large amount of spores and/or those with weakened immune systems. Individuals can reduce their potential exposure to histoplasmosis if they avoid activities that disturb the soil or increase exposure to plant matter or bird or bat droppings. This includes activities like cleaning chicken coops, exploring caves, cleaning, remodeling, or tearing down old buildings, landscaping or farming, and gardening or yardwork.

If an individual feels that they are at high risk or want to mitigate their risk even further, they can consider wearing a protective mask like an N-95 while conducting higher risk activities.

This story was reported on-air by Amanda Roberts and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WTVF verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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 Ja Nai Wright

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    ELKRIDGE, Maryland (WMAR) — An Elkridge woman who has been defying the odds since birth is now facing her biggest challenge yet. Shaye Tillett, who was born with Turner syndrome and later developed polycystic kidney disease, is searching for a rare O negative kidney donor who could save her life.

“I am a miracle baby, I was born with Turner syndrome,” Tillett said.

Turner syndrome is a genetic condition in females caused by a missing or partially missing X chromosome. According to the Turner Syndrome Foundation, only one to three percent of pregnancies with fetuses diagnosed with Turner syndrome result in a live birth.

Tillett wasn’t diagnosed until after she was born.

“They had looked at her from a physical standpoint and what they saw was something they had seen before,” said Yolanda Tillett, Shaye’s mother.

Yolanda Tillett says she felt relief after the diagnosis once doctors said her daughter was going to live.

“To me, that was like, my baby is going to live, she is going to be okay. I was not worried at all, and it wasn’t until I saw how much smaller she was,” Yolanda Tillett said.

Not only did Shaye live, she is now in her 30s. But dealing with Turner syndrome has not been easy.

In addition to being smaller than her peers, as a young girl she did not develop at a normal rate. She was on hormones until she was 15 years old.

Then doctors put Tillett on birth control to help her develop as a woman. That is when things took a turn.

“I ended up finding out that I had polycystic kidney disease,” Tillett said.

The kidney disease affects many of Tillett’s family members, including her mother and grandfather. But the disease along with years of birth control have taken a toll.

“Having that in addition to taking birth control all together has affected my blood pressure,” Tillett said.

Now, doctors say she needs a new kidney and want to avoid putting her on dialysis because she is still young. She is on several donor lists, but the journey has been long.

“I can’t have someone donate who is a different blood type than me. They have to be O negative,” Tillett said.

No matter how long it takes, Tillett and her family are not giving up hope in finding someone who will be a match.

“It’s been a challenge finding one but as much as I can, I try to put the word out there as much as I can,” Tillett said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WMAR verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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 Taylor Epps

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    WEST SENECA, New York (WKBW) — It started as a hobby in the 1970’s. In 2026, Frank Zieminski etched his name in Rubik’s Cube history, breaking three world records.

“I was relieved,” said Zieminski. “It’s different doing it by yourself and under pressure like that against the clock, I get a little flustered.”

At Two Buffalo Cube Days 2026, he beat the record with a time of 5:49. He now has the fastest time in the senior category, becoming the oldest person to solve a 3×3 cube at the age of 95.

His friends and family showed up to support him.

“Oh, we’re just so thrilled for him, you know, and he’s been such a great dad to us our whole life,” said his daughters, Mary Metz and Kathy Wentlang. “When he puts his mind to something, he gives it 100% and sees it through.”

Which is why he didn’t stop at just one world record; he got two more.

“Feels great,” said Zieminski. “It was easier than I thought it was gonna be, really.”

He also set 2×2 records in the senior category, one for a single solve and another for the best average time for three solves.

“We thought maybe two, we didn’t realize the three,” said Metz and Wentlang. “This is our dad’s Super Bowl.”

I first caught up with Frank in November. He told me that his renewed passion for cubing started when he found the Buffalo Speed Cube Club, which meets at the Orchard Park Library.

His cubing teammates also competed and were there to cheer him on. He plans to keep cubing and competing.

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 Derek Heid

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    CITY OF TONAWANDA, New York (WKBW) — Hannah Rowland, the Twin City Ambulance EMT who tells me she nearly died after being hit by a car while on the job, is now at home recovering from her injuries.

December 26, the day after Christmas, was a normal workday for Rowland. The 21-year-old EMT was working alongside her co-worker, another EMT, when the two pulled over to help a driver on the side of the I-290’s off-ramp to Niagara Falls Boulevard in the Town of Tonawanda.

The problem, the roads that night were covered in ice.

update

Hannah Rowland, the Twin City Ambulance EMT who tells 7 News she nearly died after being hit by a car while on the job, is now at home recovering from her injuries. By: Derek Heid Posted 11:08 PM, Jan 16, 2026 and last updated 10:15 AM, Jan 17, 2026 Derek Heid Hello! I’m covering Niagara County for 7 News WKBW. If you have a story idea, please email me at Derek.Heid@wkbw.com CITY OF TONAWANDA, N.Y. (WKBW) — Hannah Rowland, the Twin City Ambulance EMT who tells me she nearly died after being hit by a car while on the job, is now at home recovering from her injuries.

December 26, the day after Christmas, was a normal workday for Rowland. The 21-year-old EMT was working alongside her co-worker, another EMT, when the two pulled over to help a driver on the side of the I-290’s off-ramp to Niagara Falls Boulevard in the Town of Tonawanda.

The problem, the roads that night were covered in ice.

“Another motorist lost control and hit me on my left side,” Rowland said.”I ended up under the car, pinned. Under the first car, pinned by my leg.”

Suddenly, Rowland was no longer the person helping out somebody in need. She was the patient and in desperate need of help.

“While I was under the car, I called my mom to say goodbye, before I called 911,” Rowland said. “I had a severe laceration, my calf was hanging out of my leg, to the bone on this [right] leg. And a severe laceration on this [left] leg. The laceration comes across the back of my knee, and I also have a puncture wound on the bottom, on my ankle.”

Eventually, another Twin City Ambulance, manned by her own supervisor, showed up at Rowland’s aid.

“I just remember just being like, ‘Please, don’t let me die,'” Rowland said. “It was very scary for her, and for me.”

Rowland was eventually rushed to ECMC, where she spent a week in treatment. Doctors and nurses were able to save both her life and her legs.

“I’m so grateful for the ECMC nurses and doctors and the patients that came with, even the first responders,” Rowland said. “I think it’s going to be an uphill battle for a little bit, taking it week-by-week and appointment-by-appointment.”

A friend of hers started a GoFundMe that friends and neighbors donated to in bulk, raising more than $22,000 for her recovery.

Rowland has since closed donations to the GoFundMe page. Instead, she’s asking people to donate to Hospice & Palliative Care Buffalo to help other families in need.

She tells me she has a long road to recovery, but she plans to work again as an EMT as soon as she is able.

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 Annette Gutierrez

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    INVERNESS, Florida (WFTS) — A family member of the Citrus County teens who died in last week’s tunnel collapse is sharing their story for the first time, remembering the boys and the lives they touched.

George Watts and Derrick Hubbard were only 14 years old when tragedy struck last Sunday.

A memorial continues to grow at the site where the two boys lost their lives. The Watts’ family returned to the location for the first time since the incident occurred.

Earlier this week, Tampa Bay 28 reporter Annette Gutierrez spoke with community members while they processed this devastating loss, and now George’s step-mom, Jasmine Watts, is speaking publicly for the first time about the loss and how she’s honoring his memory. She said she has been raising George for the past three years like one of her own kids.

“I told him, I love you, be safe,” Jasmine Watts said.

Those were the last words Watts said to George before he biked over to his friend Derrick Hubbard’s house — a boy everyone knew as D.J. — last weekend.

The two 14-year-olds were practically brothers: playing football, going on family outings, and hanging out with friends together.

“Since diapers. They’re – that’s his best friend. That’s his everything. You couldn’t see D.J. if you didn’t see George,” Watts said.

But the unimaginable happened, when they were found trapped inside a hole they had dug. Watts shared video from George’s phone of the tunnel they created that day.

“I knew they would come home sandy sometimes, and I didn’t know they were playing in anything like this,” Watts said.

Last Sunday, Watts got a call from D.J.’s mom.

“She was screaming and she was like they’re in sand, they’re in sand. And it didn’t make any sense at first,” Watts said.

When Watts arrived at the scene, she saw first responders digging in the exact spot where her Life360 app showed George’s location.

“It was showing him in the pit and it wasn’t making sense,” Watts said. “Who was the first person they found? George. They found him first.”

About three minutes later, they found D.J. Both were taken to the hospital. D.J. passed away on Sunday and George on Tuesday.

“I loved the man he was turning into – he cared about his siblings, he started clicking with my son, in a way I never thought he would,” Watts said. “I never imagined having to raise these kids without him.”

Watts said the family had become one, but now they’re left broken, trying to pick up the pieces.

But hope remains. The Watts family decided to donate George’s organs last Wednesday.

“I want to meet who has his heart and who has eyes,” Watts said.

The Watts family said they are overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support they’ve received over the past week.

“I was honestly shell-shocked because I didn’t realize how much of an impact he was making everyone where he was going,” Watts said.

The family is now working to honor the boys’ memory while grieving their loss in a community still shaken by the tragedy.

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.