Author: CNN Newsource

By Angela Cifone

Click here for updates on this story

    HONOLULU (KITV) — Visitors could be cruising into more taxes.

Hawaiʻi’s first-ever environmental Green Fee took effect at the beginning of the year, and increases the state’s Transient Accommodations Tax.

The fee is an additional 0.75%, bringing the statewide total to 11%.

The new fee also adds an additional 3% charged by the counties for short-term stays.

Carmela Resuma, the Deputy Administrator at Kilohaha, Hawaiian Council, said, “We’re working to make tourism better for the community. The coalition that helped to pass the green fee last legislative session.”

For supporters, the goal is simple: to protect what makes Hawaiʻi special—its environment.

“We live in Hawaiʻi, a place so many people love to visit. How do we make sure our spaces are protected and visitors are educated on how to be respectful of the place and the people?” said Resuma.

While the fee applies to hotels and short-term rentals, courts have temporarily blocked the tax on cruise ships, following a lawsuit from the cruise industry.

A shipping expert we spoke to said the lawsuit could be stuck in federal court for a while.

Some argue that the fee is unconstitutional.

The Cruise Lines International Association released a statement saying:

“This case involves important questions about how federal and state laws interact in regulating maritime commerce.”

Without cruise participation, supporters say funding could take a hit.

“It wouldn’t eliminate the Green Fee, but it would diminish its impact—meaning less funding for community conservation and hazard resilience,” said Resuma.

State officials estimate the Green Fee could generate about $100 million annually, supporting efforts to mitigate overtourism, wildfire prevention and disaster recovery.

“Our community, our ʻāina is in desperate need of this kind of funding,” said Resuma.

Still, critics worry that higher costs could discourage visitors from making the trip to the islands.

Maxime Aymonod, CEO of Honolulu Ship Supply, said, “Cruises in Hawaiʻi are already pretty expensive, and so we think that is going to be a big deterrent for people to come to Hawaii and enjoy it with the cruise line.”

Supporters argue protecting Hawaiʻi now ensures its future.

“It takes a collective effort, and the Green Fee is part of making sure Hawaiʻi remains Hawaiʻi for generations to come,” said Resuma.

The lawsuit continues in federal court. A scheduling conference is set for Jan. 26.

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 Ellie Nakamoto-White

Click here for updates on this story

    MILWAUKEE (WDJT) — High school teaches you a lot.

Sometimes, it teaches you what’s missing.

At Milwaukee High School of the Arts, two juniors — Adasia Ward and Ingrid Meozer — learned that lesson too well.

The respective secretary and president of the student council noticed a basic human need wasn’t being met, and at a school that’s majority girls, they knew that needed to be fixed.

“Female hygiene products,” Ward said. “I think that all student council could relate to feeling embarrassed at school.”

So they began speaking with teachers and other leaders in charge to start a pilot program in their school’s bathrooms, stocking a supply box with free tampons, pads, and liners.

“We wanted something that was accessible,” Ward said. “There are girls here that don’t feel comfortable going to a male teacher and being like ‘Hey, can I get a sanitary product’ just because of their religion.”

This was back in 2024.

Since then, the pilot program became so successful that the two learned it would be expanding to other middle and high schools in the Milwaukee Public Schools district.

“We recognized very early on that this can be a taboo subject for some people and not everybody feels as comfortable discussing it as other people,” Meozer said. “Just such an amazing feeling to know that this is something that’s going to stick around longer than us and something that’s going to be so helpful to so many people.”

Now they’re working to help bridge the accessibility gap while breaking down stigma surrounding menstrual products.

“It’s a normal thing and that there’s no shame in it whatsoever,” Meozer said. “The student council is taking initiative, and we are going to create a group of students who will be able to regularly restock the products so there’s always going to be products in the stations.”

Some of the items up next on their student council agenda are encouraging kids to stay in school and discouraging vaping.

“Finally seeing something we worked really hard for and strived so hard to get was finally paying off, I felt very proud,” Ward said. “It felt like all the time we spent planning and finding out how we wanted to do this really did pay off for other kids, so they don’t have to work as hard as we did.”

Both agreed they hope others are inspired by their efforts.

“It’s the small things that will eventually get us to our end goal,” Meozer said. “It’s absolutely something that should be adapted into every district across America and outside of America.”

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 Karen Wynne

Click here for updates on this story

    MARION, North Carolina (WLOS) — At nearly nineteen years young, Siobhan, a black cat with yellow eyes and a loud meow, is living her best life, fostered by Brett and Christine McIntire.

The couple lives in a spacious multi-level home near Downtown Asheville, where Siobhan, still playful, has her own room and gets walked on a leash outside. But, often her favorite place is on one of the McIntires’ laps.

“She’s very social. She’s not afraid of strangers. She’s very playful,” Christine said, petting Siobhan’s shiny black coat.

Brett says this cat is perfect for someone who wants a more mellow cat.

“Maybe you don’t want crazy kittens running around your house. She’s super playful, but also spends a lot of time relaxing and sleeping during the day,” Brett said.

Nancy Gavin, President of foster-based rescue Laps and Naps Home for Senior Cats, says many senior felines end up much less fortunate than Siobhan, often becoming homeless after an elderly owner passes away.

Gavin says that the cases in which the cats shut down are critical.

“Where, if you don’t take them in right away, they end up in a shelter, or they’ll take them to a vet to be euthanized, Gavin said.

To give more senior cats happy golden years, Laps and Naps Home for Senior Cats plans to build a sanctuary on five acres of land in Marion. The Marler Road property is now a horse farm.

As Nancy Gavin was driving from the McIntires’ home in Asheville to the Marion property, she received two calls, which she says underscore why it’s so important to build the senior cat sanctuary soon.

“Just on the ride over here, I have received two phone calls, and in both cases, a family member died, leaving behind two cats,” said Gavin, knowing she will need to get those four cats fostered immediately.

Laps and Naps is trying to raise a million dollars for the planned 37 square foot facility and a small residence for a vet tech to be on site 24/7. Gavin says having a place where homeless senior cats can go immediately is crucial.

“We don’t know if they’re carrying communicable diseases, and we’re asking people to take them directly into their homes, where they may have other cats,” Gavin said.

The planned facility also has space for community involvement.

Thompson adds that the horses will also remain on the property.

The McIntires say such a facility will likely draw more fosters.

“People would have the freedom to come out and look at the cat, spend some time with the cat, and get to know it,” says Christine.

Nancy Gavin says Laps and Naps Home for Senior Cats is seeking corporate sponsors and individuals, adding that no donation is too small.

“We need people who just believe in our vision,” Gavin 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 Loureen Ayyoub

Click here for updates on this story

    BERKELEY, California (KPIX) — Once incarcerated and now standing beneath the lights of an iconic Bay Area stage, Anthony Michael Puthuff is telling his story on his own terms.

Puthuff is one of the featured performers in the Formerly Incarcerated Peoples Performance Project (FIPPP), a storytelling festival now onstage at Berkeley Repertory Theatre. The project centers the lived experiences of people who are formerly incarcerated, inviting them to perform personal narratives that challenge stereotypes and offer a more complex view of the justice system and the people affected by it.

“It’s surreal to be here doing an interview,” Puthuff said. “The last time I was on the news, it was in a different context and it wasn’t so flattering, so it’s really an honor to be here right now and be able to share with the world who I really am.”

The FIPPP festival aims to disrupt dominant narratives around incarceration by placing formerly incarcerated people at the center of the story — not as statistics, but as artists and community members. Performers develop and present original work that explores their histories, accountability, and transformation.

Before his legal troubles, Puthuff traces the roots of his past, describing a childhood marked by instability and the absence of positive role models.

“I grew up in a single-mother, single-parent household,” he said. “My father was an alcoholic. My parents divorced when I was very young. My mom did her best, but she struggled with her own mental health and addiction issues. There was really no structure or discipline as a young man growing up. I really didn’t have a positive male role model, and so I acted out.”

The festival is produced and co-directed by Mark Kenward, who says the project helps bring society together in a time when divides seem to increasingly separate communities. He believes it is the misunderstood stories that deserve the limelight even more.

“They’ve seen a lot of things, done a lot of things,” Kenward said. “And now they’re here sharing their stories, and it’s really life-affirming, I find.”

A prior FIPPP storyteller, Freddy Lee Johnson, says the process of preparing and performing the work is deeply personal.

“It was very therapeutic, because I try not to be seen,” Johnson said.

Kenward says visibility is a crucial part of healing, both for performers and audiences.

For Puthuff, stepping onto the Berkeley Rep stage represents more than artistic expression. It is full-circle empowerment.

“It’s more validation that individuals like myself, like no matter the circumstances we go through, that we are redeemable and that transformation is possible,” he said.

The FIPPP festival continues its run at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre through Sunday evening.

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 Conor McGill

Click here for updates on this story

    STOCKTON, California (KOVR) — Thirty-seven years after the tragic shooting at Cleveland Elementary School, the Stockton community gathered Saturday to remember the five children who lost their lives and the dozens more who were injured.

On Jan. 17, 1989, a lone gunman opened fire on students during recess at Cleveland Elementary School, forever changing Stockton.

Just over half a mile from the school, dozens of community members gathered at Oak Park to honor the victims and reflect on their lasting legacy.

One by one, the names of the five children were read aloud, each followed by the ringing of a bell. Photos of the students stood as a powerful visual reminder of lives cut short.

“I don’t ever want our community to forget those five beautiful children,” aquote from former Cleveland Elementary principal Pat Busher was also read aloud.

“Thirty-seven years ago, a lone gunman fired shots into the playground where almost 400 students were playing at recess,” said survivor Judy Weldon.

The shooter, 24-year-old Patrick Purdy, killed five children, wounded more than 30 others, and then took his own life.

“This is one of those dates that many Stocktonians have etched in their collective memory,” said Niki Smith with Cleveland School Remembers. “There are many dates in history like that, but here in Stockton, it’s January 17th.”

While the pain of that day remains, organizers say remembrance is also about moving forward. During Saturday’s ceremony, five maple trees were planted at Oak Park, each dedicated to one of the children who lost their lives. The trees are meant to stand for generations as living memorials.

“When we plant a tree, we plant a legacy,” Weldon said. “The lives of the children lost have shaped the future in ways we didn’t imagine.”

The group Cleveland School Remembers says it remains committed to ensuring the tragedy and the lives lost are never forgotten.

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 Kennedy Cook

Click here for updates on this story

    FREDERICK, Colorado (KCNC) — Nearly six months after 16-year-old Maximus Munro was killed in a head-on crash in Colorado, his family is finally getting answers and turning their grief into a message of prevention and kindness.

At the crash site in Frederick, a memorial still stands. Flowers, energy drinks, and handwritten notes from friends have remained there for months, marking the spot where Maximus lost his life.

His mother, Brenda Munro, and sister, Shelby Crowder, say the loss has forever changed their family.

“My brother will definitely be remembered for the way he made people feel — goofy, silly, making everyone laugh — but when it mattered, he was always there for you,” Crowder said through tears.

For months, the family had questions about what caused the crash. Now, the Frederick Police Department has released a report revealing that the other driver, Melendez Forero, was driving under the influence of drugs when he attempted to pass on a two-lane road at approximately 80 miles per hour. He struck Maximus head-on. Both drivers were pronounced dead at the scene.

“It was determined the other driver was high on drugs. A high amount found; the kind often seen in accidental overdoses,” Brenda Munro said. “This wasn’t an accident. It could’ve been prevented. That’s the worst part: this should’ve never happened.”

Despite the heartbreak, Brenda Munro says she’s finding ways to honor her son’s memory through acts of kindness.

“Random acts of kindness — buying someone coffee, cooking a meal for a friend — that’s one way I share his love and light,” she said.

As she continues to heal, Brenda Munro has a powerful message for others: “Call an Uber. Have a friend come pick you up. It is not worth it. Maximus is everything to me. This should not have happened.”

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 Julia Avant

Click here for updates on this story

    DETROIT (WWJ) — It’s every parent’s worst nightmare, a phone call that something terrible happened to their child.

For one Metro Detroit family, that was a reality when they told CBS News Detroit their daughter was hit by a car.

“I remember the whole thing, even flying in the air, I saw my shoes come off,” said De’asia Pesti, an 18-year-old who survived after being hit by a car in Metro Detroit on Tuesday.

It’s a day De’asia Pesti will never forget. She was trying to get to the bus stop on 8 Mile Road and Gratiot Avenue when she was struck by the car, a near-death experience she says she remembers every second of.

“Its like going on a rollercoaster, watching everyone go a million miles under you,” said De’asia Pesti.

She has gone from the operating table to the recovery room after facing multiple broken bones and open-heart surgery.

“Everything felt like the world was flying past us, and we were standing still and we couldn’t reach her in time,” said her father, Darryl Pesti.

The family says police have yet to find the driver who hit her.

Despite the long road ahead, De’asia Pesti forgives the driver.

“I just want to be real about it,” said De’asia Pesti. “I feel like it might have been a kid. I mean, I am not going to lie, we all do dumb stuff when we are young … just turn yourself in.”

The family says police have yet to speak to the teenager with her being in the intensive care unit.

CBS News Detroit has reached out to the Eastpointe Police Department, but has yet to hear 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 Frankie McLister

Click here for updates on this story

    WILLMAR, Minnesota (WCCO) — While many of the headlines have focused on the Twin Cities, greater Minnesota is feeling the impacts of the immigration crackdown, too.

In Willmar, community members say U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrests have closed restaurants and left a community on edge.

The city has a diverse population of a little over 21,000.

“You have families that are scared for their life. People refusing to come out of their house,” said Abdullahi Mohamed of Willmar.

Streets on Friday appeared to operate as normal, but businesses were not.

Area establishments have posted signs saying they’re either closed or taking orders differently.

“They detained someone just across the street where I was working,” said Brentt Fees of Willmar.

Mohamed added, “I’ve seen with my two eyes ICE detaining people.”

El Tapatio Mexican Restaurant closed after WCCO confirmed agents visited the spot for lunch and later returned, detaining its owners and a dishwasher nearby after they had closed early due to the federal law enforcement’s previous appearance.

A 20-year-old, who says his parents own the restaurant and are now detained, says the business will reopen on Saturday under his leadership.

A visitor who stopped by El Tapatio to show his support says the liquor store he works at has lost 75% of its business since agents have appeared in Operation Metro Surge.

“I just wanted to make sure everything is okay,” said Fees. “And apparently it’s not because they’re closed now.”

WCCO asked a man who retired from Jennie-O, one of the town’s biggest employers, what he wants for his community right now.

“To get together and vote these people out. We’re not scared, man,” said Willmar resident Abdulcadir Gaal.

Willmar Mayor Doug Reese says he’s urging residents to stay calm and to respect one another to keep the community safe.

WCCO reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment on the matter. The Assistant Secretary responded to our inquiry in part:

“On January 14, ICE officers conducted surveillance of a target, an illegal alien from Mexico. Officers observed that the target’s vehicle was outside of a local business and positively identified him as the target while inside the business. Following the positive identification of the target, officers then conducted a vehicle stop later in the day and apprehended the target and two additional illegal aliens who were in the car, including one who had a final order of removal from an immigration judge.”

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 Chris Hoffman

Click here for updates on this story

    SOUTH HILLS, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — We all have days where it’s a struggle, and life can be hard.

However, Chris Guy is going across the region to give a sign for everyone to keep their head up. He says, “Everyone deserves to have a good day at some point.”

On the day KDKA caught up with him, he was in Mt. Lebanon with a simple message, but one that is so powerful: “The world is a better place with you in it.”

“This is something that everyone should hear from their friends and family. If you don’t have that in your life, it’s an honor to be that person for someone,” Guy said.

For the last six years or so, Guy has been waving, smiling, and telling people they matter across the region, usually in the South Hills. He gives love to total strangers.

“That’s really what it’s all about,” Guy said.

To each person, he says, the message may have a different meaning.

“That’s the best part about it,” Guy said.

Guy has seen depression in his life, with loved ones and friends battling it. The idea is not to spread any ideology or political message. He doesn’t take any money either. He appreciates the smiles, waves, and honks, but he hopes people go home and think about the nine words on his sign.

“Even if one person sees my sign, goes home and thinks about it and decides they were having a better day than they had previously, all the more worth it,” Guy said.

While living in Meadville, he had someone thank him for his work as he battled some struggles.

“You’ve got to be the change you want to see in the world, and I think it’s a good first step for anybody, myself included,” Guy said.

On this day, another stranger thanked him as they battled some personal problems. He hugged Guy and thanked him for his positive message. While it’s some black lettering on a white poster board, it can change a life.

“It truly is a blessing that I get to do this,” Guy said.

According to him, anyone can help someone. He encourages others be a bright spot in a world that too often can feel dark.

“The world is a better place with you in it,” Guy 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.