Author: CNN Newsource

By Marcus McIntosh

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    AMES, Iowa (KCCI) — Rafael and Sarah Soriano thought Sunday’s drive home to Ames from New Hampton would be routine — about 2 1/2 hours, as usual.

Before leaving, they checked the radar and weather and believed they were ahead of anything serious.

But what should have been a quick trip stretched into an ordeal lasting more than 24 hours.

Trouble escalated after they turned south onto Interstate 35 near Mason City, when winds and flurries intensified into near-whiteout conditions.

“Once the wind and the flurries came up, it was more than we expected,” Sarah Soriano said.

Raphael Soriano said the change was abrupt: “It happened really quick — faster than we expected.”

Sarah Soriano later described the scene in a Facebook post: crashes unfolding around them, semi-trailers jackknifing and mile markers disappearing in blowing snow.

With visibility collapsing and traffic snarling, the family decided they needed to get off the interstate, but options were limited.

“Most of those exits don’t have services either,” Sarah Soriano said. “So, as the gas gauge is dropping, I want to get off that road.”

The couple was traveling in two vehicles and had to coordinate every move, staying in constant contact by phone on speaker. “We were driving two cars,” Rafael Soriano said. “Sarah was driving the van, and I was driving my car with my son in the back.”

Eventually, they pulled onto the shoulder, unsure what to do next.

Help arrived from a stranger who stopped after seeing them pulled over, the Sorianos said. The driver told them he had already contacted the Iowa State Patrol and that the Latimer Community Center was open as a shelter.

“The first thing he asked is if we needed help,” Rafael Soriano said. “He didn’t have to do that.”

Inside the community center, the family said their anxiety eased almost immediately. “Immediately, it was very peaceful in there,” Sarah Soriano said. “We didn’t know what to expect.”

As many as 60 people took refuge there, and residents brought food, blankets and essentials, including supplies for children.

“They just showed up,” Sarah Soriano said. “There is not much in Latimer … (but) that little store that was right next door just stayed open … and … just brought bags of kids (items) out of her own stock.” The Soriano children, she added, treated it “like a great adventure.”

The family was able to leave around 11:30 a.m. Monday and got home a few hours later.

They cannot thank the Latimer community enough.

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 Oswalt

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    JACKSON, Mississippi (WAPT) — A growing group of abandoned dogs, including several young puppies, has been spotted along Highway 18 just past Maddox Road, as rescue efforts face new challenges.

Residents say the dogs were first seen about three months ago near nearby retail areas and have since moved between wooded areas behind businesses along Highway 18. The dogs are skittish and run when approached, making them difficult to capture. The pack has grown from six dogs to about 10, including one young black-and-tan dog and three puppies estimated to be about 3 months old.

In an effort to keep the dogs in one location, residents began feeding them in the late afternoons and contacted Glory Hounds, a group that helps capture lost and feral dogs using large remote-controlled traps.

Plans to trap the dogs were disrupted when someone dumped a large pile of food and a deer carcass at the site before the trap was set, leaving the dogs too full to enter. Volunteers still attempted the rescue but were unable to catch any of the dogs.

Residents say the dogs are now staying deeper in the woods along Highway 18, and if they move again, it could take time to locate them. Rescuers hope to make another attempt later this week, especially as concerns grow for the puppies’ safety.

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 DeAndria Turner

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    LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (WLKY) — More than three decades after his death, a fallen Louisville firefighter is being honored in the neighborhood where his legacy still lives.

Family members, firefighters and city leaders gathered Tuesday outside Fire Station 16 in Old Louisville to unveil a street sign honoring Sgt. John Strawn Nutter, who died in the line of duty in 1994.

“More than 30 years later, the name of Sergeant John Strawn Nutter lives on within this firehouse and right outside these doors, with another tribute added to make sure his name and his legacy continue,” Louisville Fire Chief Brian O’Neill said.

Nutter was 28 years old when he was killed while battling a fire at a storage facility on Aug. 3, 1994. A roof collapsed, trapping him inside. He died from smoke inhalation and burns. He had served with Louisville Fire for seven years.

Inside Station 16, Nutter’s presence is still felt. His locker remains. His bed. Plaques bearing his name line the walls, reminders of a firefighter the station never forgot.

“There are only a few people still active in the department who actually served alongside Sergeant Nutter,” O’Neill said. “But you can ask any current Louisville firefighter anywhere in the city, and they’ll know his name. When they work a shift here, they learn even more because that love still lives in these walls and on these grounds.”

Now, that memory extends beyond the station.

“This small sign will guarantee that the name of Sergeant John Strawn Nutter will be spoken for ages to come,” O’Neill said.

For Nutter’s family, the sign represents far more than a marker.

“It’s really special,” said his widow, Angela Kyle. “It’s always been special to our fire family and our personal family, but it’s really neat to see so much support so many years later.”

Nutter’s daughter, Tawna, was an infant when her father died. Thirty-one years later, she stood at the unveiling as a mother herself. Her son was nearly born on Nutter’s birthday.

“This is a special way for me to connect to his honor,” Tawna Nutter said. “It’s really special that he gets to be here for this, too.”

More than 30 years after his death, the legacy of Sgt. John Strawn Nutter continues to live on, now etched into the streets of the city he served.

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 Layza Pinero

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    ESTERO, Florida (WBBH) — The Florida Highway Patrol arrested a man and his son in Estero after a pursuit on Dec. 30.

FHP says that they tried to stop a stolen 1999 Mercedes-Benz SL being driven by Bradley Daniel Roberts, 42. They add that the car, going at speeds of more than 120 mph, didn’t stop.

After troopers performed a PIT maneuver, the car stopped on Corkscrew Road, west of Coconut Point.

Troopers say that Roberts and his 14-year-old son, who was riding in the passenger seat, ran away. They arrested Roberts after a stun gun deployment and found his son hiding behind a nearby Publix.

A search of the car revealed a large amount of marijuana, two stolen shotguns, ammunition, drug paraphernalia with marijuana and cocaine residue and currency.

Roberts, who had an active warrant in New York, was placed under arrest for charges of grand theft for the guns and car, fleeing and eluding, reckless driving, possession of a stolen driver’s license, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, felony drug possession and more. He was taken to the Lee County Jail.

His son was arrested for resisting without violence and obstruction. The Department of Children and Family Services was notified.

FHP says that the incident remains under investigation.

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By Rachael Perry

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    PALM BEACH COUNTY, Florida (WPBF) — Detectives are searching for whoever is responsible for setting a chicken on fire on the side of a road, where it later died.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said they’re actively trying to find the person or people seen getting out of a vehicle and setting the chicken on fire. PBSO said the chicken was found dead a short distance from where it was set on fire.

According to a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, the incident happened on Friday near the intersection of Avocado Boulevard and 60th Street near the acreage in Palm Beach County.

WPBF 25 News sat down with Capt. David Walesky, with Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control, who explained the need to find the suspect(s).

“A lot of times, this is outside of my expertise, but you always notice this with serial killers, that they start off torturing and doing harmful things to animals and children before they advance to where they do something, you know, on that higher level, I guess you would say,” Walesky said.

He said it’s clear the person who did this is unwell.

“This is not a normal thing to do to a live animal, so we need to find that person, and we need to get justice for that animal. But we also need to figure out what’s going on there to begin with, to prevent something more horrific from happening,” he said.

Walesky said they are conducting a necropsy on the chicken to verify the cause of death.

“A necropsy is basically the same thing as an autopsy with humans. So it’s performed by a licensed veterinarian. They go through, they collect tissue samples, skin samples, anything like that that would be helpful for forensics, for testing. They determine the cause of death,” Walesky said.

Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.

From there, he said that it can be used in court to help support anything observed by a witness. “So it kind of corroborates what we already know and brings science into that to better improve the chances of a conviction,” he told WPBF.

As of Jan. 1, 2026, a new law is set to go into effect aimed at people committing these types of crimes. It’s called Dexter’s Law and, among other things, is designed to implement harsher penalties in aggravated animal cruelty cases.

“You have to be afraid of the penalty in order to take that risk a lot of times. Hopefully, it’ll bring more awareness to animal cruelty crimes and the consequences of that when we see people getting a more meaningful sentence when they abuse an animal,” Walesky said.

When it comes to the chicken in this most recent animal cruelty investigation, Walesky shut down any speculation of this being a “ritualistic act.”

“This one right here doesn’t make any sense from a religious standpoint. It is not normal to light a live animal on fire as a part of any religious ritual out there, and that appears to be what has happened, and that is an act of animal cruelty at its just unexplainable form. Whoever did this needs to be prosecuted. There’s not a religion in the world that thinks it’s okay to light live animals on fire,” he said.

Walesky said, unfortunately, they’ve seen an uptick in animal cruelty cases involving livestock. However, he said he can’t imagine what the motive would be to do something like this.

“There are quite a few aspects of this that don’t make any sense. A lot of times, when people are doing things kind of evil like this, they’re doing it more in private. But this is just an intersection and just getting out on a vehicle at a random location and then, you know, lighting a chicken on fire. We don’t understand why, but it’s definitely not something that should be happening in our society,” he told WPBF.

Officials are now pleading with the public for help identifying the suspect(s).

“Anybody who may know who this individual is, recognizes this vehicle, or somebody who was unusually in possession of a chicken on that day. Anything may help. This is definitely a situation that we just don’t understand, but it’s definitely animal cruelty, and we would definitely like to see somebody prosecuted for this,” Walesky said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Det. C. Kovacs, from the Animal Crimes Unit, at KovacsC@pbso.org or Crime Stoppers of Palm Beach County at 1-800-458-TIPS (8477). Tips can remain anonymous.

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By Greg Ng

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    WHITEFORD, Maryland (WBAL) — An early morning fire fueled by strong wind in Harford County displaced a 71-year-old woman.

According to the Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal, the fire was reported around 3:19 a.m. Tuesday in the 4100 block of Prospect Road in Whiteford. Authorities said the homeowner was able to evacuate and reach a neighbor to call 911 for help.

It took about two hours for some 50 firefighters to try to gain control of the fire, but extremely high winds fueled the fast-moving fire, ultimately causing the home to nearly collapse, state investigators said.

State investigators credited functioning smoke alarms for saving the woman’s life. The homeowner’s pet cats are believed to have died in the fire.

The fire caused an estimated $500,000 in damage, state investigators said.

No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Harford County Disaster Assistance is assisting the displaced family.

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By Corey Howard

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    ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KOAT) — A racehorse named “J’s On Fire” tested positive for methamphetamine after finishing second in a race at the American Quarter Horse Association Racing Challenge last fall, resulting in the suspension of its trainer, Michael Joiner, by the New Mexico Racing Commission.

Billy Blackburn, Joiner’s attorney, said, “The New Mexico Racing Commission suspended him immediately without a hearing.”

J’s On Fire tested positive for 0.485 nanograms of methamphetamine, which Blackburn described as “very, very, very small” and “invisible to see with the naked eye.”

Following the suspension, Blackburn filed an emergency temporary restraining order, allowing Joiner to continue working.

“We had to prove that we needed a restraining order in front of the judge yesterday. She ruled in our favor, and now he is able to go back to racing … until he has a disciplinary hearing in New Mexico,” Blackburn said.

According to Ismael Trejo, the commission is waiting on a second test sample to come back from the laboratory. After that, the commission will determine whether Joiner’s license will be suspended or not.

Blackburn cites environmental contamination as the reason why Joiner’s horse had meth in its system, saying this happens when anyone is using meth around the animal.

According to Joiner’s attorney, he has been a horse trainer since 1979 and only faced one suspension back in 1981.

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By Katrina Markel

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    HENDERSON, Iowa (KMTV) — A 20-year-old college student is possibly the youngest, currently serving mayor in the United States after winning election in Henderson, Iowa. It also appears she might be youngest female mayor in U.S. history. KMTV could only find a reference to a 21-year-old woman who took office last year.

Eva Fipps was sworn in as mayor of the Mills County town of 144 residents. She joins two other young, elected officials in the county: 19-year-old County Supervisor Jack Sayers and 21-year-old Silver City Mayor Joseph Jaworski.

The idea to run for mayor came from a neighbor, Henderson City Clerk Candace Knop, who Fipps would visit during her regular runs through town.

“…and she goes ‘you should run for mayor!'” Fipps said.

Knop confirmed she encouraged Fipps.

“Well, because we need fresh blood,” Knop said.

Fipps said it was a last minute decision, but interest in public service has deep roots. She served as a page in the Iowa House of Representatives and participated in the American Legion Auxiliary Girls State program.

“It really is geared towards the kids that want to make a difference,” Fipps said.

Her path to politics was also influenced by Sayers, now her nextdoor neighbor, who gave a presentation to her high school class about the legislative page program.

“There was people who inspired me and I kinda hoped that I’d be able to inspire others…” Sayers said.

Still in college and planning for law school, Fipps said her top priority will be revitalizing Henderson.

“I would love nothing more to just see our town flourish again,” she said.

Henderson has a history of producing successful politicians, including a Speaker of the Iowa House Bill Harbor, and U.S. Congressman Bill Scherle. Fipps is excited to add her name to the town’s political legacy.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Scripps editorial team 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.