Author: CNN Newsource

By Daisy Kershaw

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    CINCINNATI (WLWT) — Two Cincinnati friends who met at a dialysis center have both found kidney donors after years of searching.

Through the peaks and valleys, their friendship has been a constant. Dave Harrison and Kenneth Johnson met four years ago at a dialysis center in Norwood, both in late-stage kidney failure and praying for more time. Neither knew then what they do now: their meeting was an answered prayer.

They’ve stayed by each other’s side through treatments and transplants. Kenny received his kidney on June 13, 2024, and Dave received his on Jan. 13 this year.

The day Dave got his kidney was a gift for Kenny too, one he’s waited for, spending hours outside Reds games, on street corners and in crowds, holding signs and holding hope.

“Kenny never left the hospital,” Harrison said.

“I just felt so blessed, you know we both got our kidneys,” Johnson said.

The pair are living proof that organ donation changes lives. Now, they are dedicated to helping others in their shoes find their match.

“At any given time, there’s 250,000 people that need a kidney. You only need one,” Harrison said.

The two are part of the nonprofit Off the List, a group that helps raise awareness about the importance of organ donation. Together, they are planning to start a campaign for someone in need of a donor to get them off the list.

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 Rachel Whelan

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    FLORENCE, Kentucky (WLWT) — A Northern Kentucky community is coming together to help one man rebuild his home.

On Saturday, a fire tore through a house at the end of Brittany Lane, leaving behind heavy damage and years of work nearly destroyed.

But for Richard Reinhart, the loss goes far beyond the structure itself.

“This was his big project,” neighbor Danielle Armstrong said. “He bought the land and then just built the house and built the house for years and years and years.”

Armstrong was the one who called 911 after noticing smoke pouring from the home. She said flames quickly spread, leaving the house badly damaged.

Reinhart and his wife were able to make it out safely.

Still, the home holds deep meaning. Armstrong said Reinhart spent decades building it by hand, carefully crafting a space meant to bring generations of family together.

Just months before the fire, Reinhart was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer with no known cure.

“He doesn’t have long to live,” Armstrong said.

Now, what was once a long-term dream has become something far more urgent.

Reinhart’s goal is no longer just to build the home, but to return to it.

“My goal with the GoFundMe is to raise funds so that we can rebuild this house together for Richard, so that he can leave it to his family,” Armstrong said. “This is his final place that he wants to be.”

Armstrong said her motivation is simple.

“I don’t have a lot in life, and Richard’s always been there for me through a lot,” she said. “So you do that for friends that really care about you.”

The two have known each other for decades — even living as neighbors twice over the years — a connection Armstrong says makes this effort even more meaningful.

Now, she’s leading the charge to help rebuild the home, starting a GoFundMe and helping organize local fundraisers.

Longnecks Sports Grill in Hebron will host a Dine and Dinner event at all its locations April 11 from 5 to 9 p.m.

For Armstrong, the goal is clear: to help Reinhart return to the home he built — and the place he hopes to spend his final days.

“This was his dream,” she said. “And I want his dream to come true.”

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 Abigail Kurten

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    AMES, Iowa (KCCI) — Iowa State researchers are developing an app that uses artificial intelligence to help farmers identify pests on their land.

Pest ID allows users to upload photos of weeds or insects to identify them and learn how to remove them.

“AI is everywhere,” Arti Singh, a researcher and associate professor behind the app, said. “If we are not making friends with AI, we are losing power, our power to do things which we were earlier not able to do.”

The app has been in development for roughly a decade, with researchers training the technology using millions of images of weeds and insects, along with data collected by Iowa State University experts.

And despite ongoing development, one farmer said he’s already seeing the benefit.

“This kind of avoids having to pay for an agronomist to come out and check things for you. You can do it yourself,” a farmer said.

Not only does it help save costs on labor, it helps preserve resources by catching and identifying these pests when they’re young and require less work to remove.

“In a time where we are developing herbicide resistance, insecticide resistance, this is where I feel our app can help us, that it can identify these species,” Singh said. “It can also give management, rather than giving, like, a broad spectrum, just spray this one pesticide or insecticide again and again.”

There is still work to be done.

Researchers are working to expand the app to identify diseases, like southern rust, that impact plant life, but the current version is available now.

“This tool is going to give farmers confidence,” Singh said.

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 Lane Casadonte

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    CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Virginia (WTVR) — 9-year-old Jaiyon Taylor of Prince George has qualified for the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA) Nationals, ranking as one of the top 12 riders in the country for her age group.

Jaiyon trains at the Redbird Equestrian Riding School in Chesterfield with her horse, Nymeria. She competes in dressage, an Olympic sport with origins in Greek military training from the fifth century BC.

“The whole purpose of dressage is to form a basis of harmony between horse and rider,” said Ingrid Patel, owner of Redbird Equestrian. “At the Olympic level, you see it explained a lot as horse ballet.”

Jaiyon’s love for horses started early — she first rode at age 2. Initially, her parents wanted her to try a cheaper alternative.

“We brought her a power wheel horse. That was her first horse … she’s tried a bunch of different sports, but her love for horses and her wanting to ride never went away. So I was like, let me just go for it, and here we are,” said Jamekia Taylor, Jaiyon’s mother. “I didn’t want to put a lot of money into something that she wasn’t going to be good at, but she’s actually really good at it. So once I saw that she was really good at it, I was like, ‘Yeah, let’s just go for it.'”

As a 70-pound fourth grader, Jaiyon has mastered making a horse weighing more than half a ton do exactly what she wants.

“You use your leg muscles to squeeze, and that’s how she can take off. Or you can use your hand gesture to make it take off,” Jaiyon said.

While there is no racing or jumping in dressage, riders must still control an animal with a mind of its own.

“It’s kind of easy, but it’s kind of hard at the same time,” Jaiyon said. “Because you have to figure out how to do it right and not make it go wrong so she won’t take off on you and you get hurt.”

Patel praised Jaiyon’s ability to focus during her rides.

“If you’re thinking about all of the things that can go wrong, all of those things are going to happen. If you’re scared that the horse is gonna go faster, yes, that horse is gonna go faster. But if you’re listening to your coach, and you have the ability to zone in in the moment, that’s where I was really surprised by her,” Patel said.

Getting hurt is a possibility Jamekia deals with each time her daughter gets on a horse.

“A lot of the parents gave me a lot of reassurance that she’ll be fine, and even if she does fall, she’ll get back up, because kids are more resilient than we are as old people,” Jamekia said. “I trust Jaiyon, I trust her, and I know if something’s bothering her or she’s not comfortable, she’ll tell me.”

Patel started Redbird Equestrian five years ago to give more people the opportunity to experience equestrian sports.

“My whole goal in starting this place was to open up accessibility and having equestrian experiences to as many people as possible. So I really wanted to be available to a wide variety of socioeconomic backgrounds,” Patel said.

Jaiyon will head to Nationals later this month. Her horse will not be traveling with her, as all riders who reach this level must ride an unfamiliar horse to keep the playing field level.

“When she won regionals, I cried, like, the ugly cry, because I just felt like, really, this is my baby. My daughter is doing this,” Jamekia said. “Also by her being an African American rider who is in a very low percentile, she has inspired other girls that look like her to ride now. And that’s just amazing. I just feel like it’s an amazing thing. I’m proud of her.”

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WTVR 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 Barrett Tryon

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    TAMPA, Florida (WFTS) — High gas prices are hitting drivers at the pump, but the pain is also being felt at the marina as boaters hit the water for the Easter holiday weekend.

Fuel prices for boats are typically higher than what people put in their cars. However, it is a lot tougher to tell the difference these days.

A lot of the rental shops talked to Tampa Bay 28 on Saturday and said the same thing: prices have not stopped people from coming in. But they all agreed they are watching gas prices closely and said their own prices will go up if they cannot catch a break soon.

Garrett Sherman is a dockmaster at the Riverwalk in Tampa. He is the first and last person people see as they dock downtown.

“I get to work in this nice weather. I get to view all of these beautiful boats,” Sherman said.

He explained that people show up at all times of the day, which means he hears a lot about how much it costs to top off the tank.

“There’s a common acronym when you own a boat, which is B-O-A-T, bring out another thousand,” Sherman joked.

Visitor Brad Gordee experienced the rising costs firsthand when planning his family vacation.

“I booked this trip for my daughter’s 18th birthday like two months ago, and the captain on the boat was kind of like, ‘oh, you know, I don’t know if I should charge you guys a surcharge for fuel or not,'” Gordee said.

Even with surcharges and pricier trips to the pump, the costs do not appear to be stopping boaters from enjoying the water.

“You need it. You have to have it. If it’s expensive, it’s going to put a dent into the old bank account. It’s too bad. Hopefully they get lower,” visitor Kirk Olimb said.

Prices no one can seem to motor away from — whether it’s by land or sea.

“Whether they’re out there boating, they’re not really thinking about it. They’re just thinking about I’m out here for a fun day,” Sherman said.

This story was reported on air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WFTS 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 Megan Matthews

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    LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (WLKY) — A new app called “Too Good To Go” has launched in Louisville.

The app aims to reduce food waste by allowing customers to purchase unsold food from local restaurants at a discount.

Every day, hundreds of pounds of food are thrown out from Louisville restaurants because it didn’t sell throughout the day. Now, that extra food can go to consumers instead of in the trash.

The app has already partnered with several community favorites like the Macaron Bar, Barry Bagels, and Soupy’s.

“Over the time that we’ve been in the city, we’ve actually already saved over 13,000 meals from going to waste,” said Allie Denburg, with Too Good to Go.

Barry Bagels is one of the main restaurants seeing that impact, saying before the app, they were throwing away close to six dozen bagels a day.

“I really hate wasting all of these bagels when someone could be eating them. So it was really nice to see that there was a nice balance between being able to keep our product flowing with money and then also keeping people fed with just things,” said Chance Kauer, manager of Barry Bagels.

Some businesses like Soupy’s, which has been in the area for decades, are using it to offer sampler packs and attract new customers.

“We’ve sold out every day. So, if you see it on there, hurry up and get it, because it goes quick,” said Kyle Byerly, part-owner of Soupy’s.

The app is simple to use. Customers can download it from their respective app store, browse a map of nearby options to choose from, place an order and pick it up during a designated time frame.

Denburg said waste is inevitable in the food industry, but Too Good to Go offers business owners a solution.

“There’s always going to be some surplus in the business model unless, you know, they bake less and end up losing out on potential income. So generally they’re overbaking, needing to throw things out. And this is a way that they can make sure that they don’t really have to throw out anything and can help save that food from going away,” said Denburg.

The end result is a win-win-win. Businesses make back revenue, customers save money, and less food goes to waste.

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 Jacob Murphy

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    BRUNSWICK, Maine (WMTW) — As of Thursday afternoon, AAA says average diesel prices have risen to $5.90, more than a dollar up from what it was last month. While fuel costs are impacting everyone, it’s also having major impacts on Maine’s ocean economy.

“We fuel up every single day, multiple times a day,” said Kelly Punch with Mere Point Oyster Farmers.

The company owns multiple boats that oftentimes see eight hours a day on the water between harvesting oysters and running farm tours.

Punch said that typically, as fuel prices fluctuate, they absorb those costs, rather than putting them on customers. The issue now is the uncertainty as to when they will come back down.

“Having that lack of stability with fuel prices, I mean, prices for everything but fuel, especially, it’s been very stressful for us,” she said.

It’s not only the cost of taking boats out on the water. Ground transportation to move their oysters is more expensive, and equipment is getting more expensive as the price of plastic increases. Punch said trying to absorb all of it isn’t sustainable.

The Maine Lobsterman’s Association spoke with Maine’s Total Coverage and says lobstermen have also been feeling that pain at the pump, but it hasn’t hurt them too badly since the industry doesn’t start picking back up until May. The concern would be if prices don’t come back down until then.

If fuel prices don’t drop, that could eventually mean prices getting passed on to customers this summer.

“We’re working really hard to produce a quality oyster and to be able to afford people the luxury of a beautiful farm tour,” Punch said. “But as costs rise and our revenue decreases, it makes it increasingly hard to provide that experience.”

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Maine produces the majority of lobsters for the entirety of the U.S., along with being a major oyster supplier. Affording transportation costs to other states could also factor into pricing.

“Fish markets are feeling it, processors are feeling it, restaurants are feeling it. With the cost of our operations going up, eventually the cost of seafood will go up. The cost of all food will go up,” Punch said.

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 David Jones

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    ST. CLOUD, Florida (WESH) — An Army veteran from Osceola County finally received the help he’s been waiting years for in the form of a kidney donation.

Retired MSgt. Owen McCurty, who lives in St. Cloud, was profiled in a November story on WESH 2 as he sought to raise awareness of his situation: high creatinine levels in his kidneys, kidney disease and the need for eventual dialysis.

After retiring from the Army in 2003, he said his issues progressively got worse until he had to be put on Advent Health’s donor list more than six years ago.

“Someone stepping forward to integrate themselves in my journey and giving me something, it would mean the world to me,” McCurty said back in November.

The story aired, and he said messages began coming in from around the country as the story had been picked up by affiliate stations.

Soon, he would meet his kidney match: a woman from Dallas, Texas.

“She Facebooked me first, we talked several times, and she decided to move forward,” McCurty told WESH 2 on Sunday.

“Just like any surgeries, I’m just going through some pain and just a little uncomfortable now, but I’m truly blessed.”

He said her surgery took two-and-a-half hours and his took five-and-a-half hours.

“The coverage you guys did, the news story, the way you laid it out, a lot of times, when people need something, it’s very difficult to get the word out,” McCurty said. “You’ll be amazed, sometimes when people hear your story, the way it’s presented, deep down inside of them, they want to help. That’s exactly what happened to me.”

Now, he said he hopes his story will inspire others to become donors, and he said it’s his hope that stories like his will continue to be highlighted.

“I really strongly believe if you hadn’t done the story, I wouldn’t be in the situation I am today,” McCurty said.

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 Gail Paschall-Brown

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    CENTRAL FLORIDA (WESH) — Central Florida students are getting ready for prom season, and many families will spend hundreds of dollars per student on tickets, transportation, and attire.

However, one organization is helping students with free prom attire and accessories.

The average prom dress can cost $150 to $300, and tuxedo rentals can be as much as $200 or more, especially for designer options.

26Health, a nonprofit health care organization, aims to make prom fun and not frustrating by offering free attire and accessories.

Joanne LaComb is a mother on a mission, searching for special prom attire for her son and daughter at “Operation Prom” on Magnolia Avenue in Orlando.

“You know prom suits are so expensive. It’s $111 for a ticket for a prom. Imagine buying a couple hundred suits, you want to make sure your kids look snazzy. They don’t want to go without looking like a nice suit. It’s such a blessing. I’m so grateful for it,” George LaComb, a student at Lake Buena Vista High School, said.

She found a prom dress for her daughter, Elizabeth and FaceTimed her son George to ensure his suit was just what he wanted.

“Without this, I don’t think I would have had a prom suit, or at least a nice one for our prom. So I’m really grateful that my mom was able to get me a suit and I’m able to go wear something nice to our prom,” LaComb said.

April 11 is LaComb’s prom at Lake Buena Vista High School, and it is also Derrion Bivins’ prom at Evans High School.

“Actually, it’s crazy, I wasn’t going to go to prom because I couldn’t afford a suit, so like an hour or two, it came in my email, ‘Oh, mom, I can go, you just got to buy the ticket.’ I can go. It’s like, yeah, we was happy,” Bivins said. “That’s great because the tickets are expensive. Yeah, it’s $130 per person.”

A social media request went out, and 26Health employees and partners donated 325 items for this effort.

“We believe in giving back to the community, so this was a brainchild of our staff, and they wanted to be able to do something for individuals who may not have had the funds to participate in prom,” Latrice Stewart, 26 Health president and CEO, said.

Thanks to the generosity of others, all the students will look fabulous at their proms. This is 26Health’s first year doing this, and the CEO said it has been an incredible experience because giving back is what they do.

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.