Author: CNN Newsource

By KTNV Staff

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    LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — X Games superstar Colby Raha says he cleared his own record for the tallest vertical motorcycle jump at Caesars Palace on Sunday.

Raha was shooting to clear 100 feet. In an interview with media after the event, Raha said he cleared his previous record. Calculations were still being done to determine how high the jump was.

Raha’s previous record for the highest vertical jump on a motorcycle stood at 90 feet. Six similar stunts have been made at Caesars Palace over the years, but organizers of Raha’s event say this is the first vertical jump of the Caesars Palace fountains.

Legendary daredevil Evel Knievel famously failed a similar jump on New Year’s Eve in 1967. He almost cleared it, but landed on the edge of the ramp and was thrown from his bike. He broke his pelvis, femur and wrist and spent 29 days in a coma, but survived.

Members of Knievel’s family were in attendance to watch Raha’s stunt on Sunday.

“Attempting a jump at the same location where Evel Knievel made his historic attempt carries real meaning,” Raha said. “It’s an opportunity to push limits at one of the most iconic locations in stunt history at one of the most iconic resorts in Las Vegas.”

The stunt is part of a broader celebration of the 60th anniversary of Caesars Palace. This weekend also marks the grand opening of the new Omnia Dayclub, an extension of Caesars’ longtime nightlife staple.

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 Veronica Haynes

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    REVERE, Massachusetts (WCVB) — Two men were rescued from the waters near North Shore Drive in Revere, Massachusetts, after struggling to swim to shore and calling for help.

Cellphone video shows the men in the water, with a jet ski visible on a nearby sandbar.

A witness, Reggie Deleon, said he and his daughter heard the men calling for help and contacted 911.

“They were swimming. They tried to come to shore. They were swimming right there, and they tried to come to here. They were trying, but they can’t,” Deleon said.

One of the men rescued said he and a friend were trying to swim to shore after the jet ski got stuck.

“I’m from the area. I know the area really well, but I didn’t know there was a sandbar,” said Jake McQuade.

Revere firefighters have been contacted for more details, but no response has been received yet.

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 Tali Letoi

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    ALPINE, California (KGTV) — More than a decade after surviving leukemia, one Alpine woman is finding strength in a place she never imagined — a CrossFit gym.

What started as a way to regain control of her body after years of treatments and health complications has turned into something much bigger for Robin Florance: confidence, community and a new sense of purpose.

Inside Alpine Ranch CrossFit, the sound of barbells crashing to the floor signals the end of another intense workout. For Florance, it represents progress.

“But I really didn’t think that this was something I could do,” Florance said. “These are elite athletes, and I’ve never been an athlete.”

In 2013, Florance was diagnosed with leukemia. She says the years that followed were filled with hospital visits, treatments and complications that took a major toll on her body.

“I ended up with osteoporosis, malnutrition because I just couldn’t eat, kidney disease and a host of other things,” she said. “Just the whole buffet.”

After years of recovery, Florance joined Alpine Ranch CrossFit last June. While she expected the workouts to be difficult, she says the environment made all the difference.

“It should have been a lot harder, but the coaches here are amazing, the people are amazing,” Florance said. “They’re like a family. Everybody cheers you on.”

Her coach and the owner of Alpine Ranch CrossFit, Chappie Hunter, says Florance’s journey has inspired others in the gym.

“Recovery is in different steps for different people,” Hunter said. “But physical activity is one of the best medicines that you can prescribe for anyone. She has proven that, and it provides inspiration for all of my athletes in here.”

Nearly a year after beginning CrossFit, Florance recently participated in the CrossFit Open — the worldwide annual competition that challenges athletes through workouts focused on strength, endurance and mental toughness.

For Florance, the accomplishment is about more than competition.

“I’m stronger than I think I ever was even before,” she said.

She hopes her story encourages others not to count themselves out, regardless of age, fitness level or medical history.

“CrossFit is for everybody, really,” Florance said. “Anybody can do this. If I can do it, anybody can do it.”

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 Alexis Crandall, Yunier Martinez

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    COLCHESTER, Vermont (WPTZ) — A Burger King in Colchester is closed after a pickup truck crashed into it Sunday morning.

The Colchester Police Department says they were called to the fast-food restaurant on South Park Drive just after 7 a.m. Once there, police found the driver, 38-year-old Michael Bushey, outside the pickup truck, uninjured.

The building has substantial damage to the vestibule and lobby. According to the Colchester Fire Department, the building has moderate structural damage.

No staff were injured.

According to a sign on the door, the Burger King is closed. No reopening date has been set.

The crash remains under investigation.

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 Williams

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    DESOTO COUNTY, Mississippi (WAPT) — A Mississippi lawmaker arrested over the weekend faces several charges, including DUI, which he said stemmed from rushing to assist his unconscious granddaughter.

State Rep. Jeff Hale, a Republican who has represented District 24 since 2016, was stopped Friday by Hernando police for speeding. He was taken into custody on suspicion of driving while under the influence. Hale was also charged with reckless driving and disorderly conduct/failure to comply, according to DeSoto County jail records.

“On the evening of my arrest, I received an emergency phone call from my son and daughter-in-law informing me that my granddaughter was unconscious and not breathing. They were en route to the hospital,” Hale said in a statement. “In that moment, I reacted as the first responder I had been for more than 20 years. While driving to the hospital, I was providing emergency instructions through my wife over the phone in an effort to help my granddaughter.”

Hale apologized to the Hernando Police Department and the DeSoto County Sheriff’s Office.

“That night, they encountered a terrified grandfather whose only concern was reaching the hospital as quickly as possible,” Hale said.

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By Jeremy Tombs

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    SANTAQUIN, Utah (KSTU) — Weeks after a hard freeze that caused devastating crop losses for many of Utah’s fruit farmers, the season of farmers’ markets and summer festivals is fast approaching.

In southern Utah County, they’ve seen ups and downs through the years.

“When I was growing up, most of these trees were already here,” said Kent Pyne, the owner of Pyne Farms.

Kent Pyne grew up as a fourth-generation fruit farmer in Santaquin, having taken the torch from his dad about a decade ago.

“My dad hasn’t seen it since 1972,” said Pyne. “We had back-to-back nights of 24, 25 degrees – and it wiped everything out.”

Pyne Farms was blanketed in snow and suffered a total crop failure.

“Across the board, with peaches, apples and cherries, for most growers,” Pyne said. “Usually, the apples would be as big as a sweet cherry right now.”

Instead, he’s left with 35 acres of abundant leaves and wilted blooms. All of this lost crop comes at a serious cost for Pyne. He says he normally sees more than $200,000 of total revenue in any given year. His story, sadly, isn’t an uncommon one across the state.

“We have been hearing from our fruit farmers – not of just some loss with the freeze – but total loss with tree fruit,” said Carly Gillespie.

Carly Gillespie directs Urban Food Connections of Utah, the non-profit which oversees Salt Lake City’s Downtown Farmers Market.

Gillespie notes it’s coming off one of its best winter seasons yet, having made the move to the old Leonardo museum. They say vendors reported strong growth in sales, anywhere from 25 to 50%.

But as they gear up to go outdoors for the summer season, they’re expecting slim pickings when it comes to fruit.

“Something that the downtown farmers market really values is supporting local farmers,” Gillespie said. “We do not allow re-selling.”

Those values won’t change this year, and Gillespie adds they only take farmers who come from within a 250-mile radius. This year, they say that will mean a vendor from Palisades, Colorado, may be the only one to provide fresh fruit to this Utah market.

Gillespie says there will still be veggies and plentiful other products – and it also won’t necessarily mean vendors like Pyne Farms will go away.

“I’m going to sell apple cider doughnuts and apple cider slushies,” Pyne said.

But the absence of fresh fruit will serve as a reminder.

“This is what farming is,” said Gillespie. “This is why we have to support our local growers.”

They say any local purchases can go a long way for Pyne and many others, as they face a long, lean year ahead.

“Let them know that you appreciate them,” Pyne said. “Just help farmers get through the year.”

There is a GoFundMe that’s been put together for Pyne Farms as they try to recover from those losses and manage tens of thousands of dollars in operational costs, from labor to diesel fuel to caring for the orchards.

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 Scott McKane

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    SALT LAKE CITY (KSTU) — What does affordability look like when you’re a stranger in a strange land? A refugee?

Members of one refugee community in Salt Lake City are working with Utah State University to try to make affordability easier by providing items like eggs and meat at discounted prices.

Those new residents to Utah say they are extremely grateful to be here and realize how much the government is spending to make their transition successful.

But they also want to take control and ownership of their own destiny.

And thanks to USU, a new goat and chicken farm is a big step in the right direction.

Abdikadir Hussein said it makes him emotional just thinking about it.

“It makes you want to cry!”

Hussein is talking about being part of the Utah refugee goat operation.

It’s an 87-acre farm west of Salt Lake City, where Hussein is now helping to raise goats and chickens.

He said it will ultimately provide affordable protein for Utah refugee families, many of whom are from Africa.

“Until now we don’t believe that this is actually realistic, realistically happening. So it makes you very emotional.”

For a variety of reasons, religious, cultural and financial, getting healthy, protein-rich food can be a struggle for refugee families.

Utah State is lending a big hand to help out.

Chad Page is in the Utah State University Animal Science Department.

He said USU is hoping the goat operation will help refugee families acclimate more quickly.

“And goats is a main part of a lot of their diets. So having both food that is affordable to them, but then also just accessible is a big aspect of what this farm and community is starting here.”

Utah State professor Joseph Okoh is from Nigeria.

He’s not a refugee, but said he understands what many go through in assimilating to the U.S.

Okoh said the goat operation will be a working, co-op type farm where people will not only have access to affordable protein, but learn skills along the way.

“This is a privilege for us and an opportunity for us to have them contribute to the society like I said, and have affordable food in terms of protein, meat, eggs, and will be having chicken products as we go along.”

And for Somalian immigrant Abdikadir Hussein, he said one of the biggest byproducts of all of this is giving people hope.

“For them, their resiliency. And hoping to continue to be so resilient until their hope becomes a reality.”

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By Karla Sosa

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    BAKERSFIELD, California (KERO) — Students at Libben Horsemanship Academy are training wild mustangs as part of a program designed to help the horses find permanent homes, and the academy hosted an open house over the weekend so the public could learn more.

Grace Web, an instructor with Libben Horsemanship Academy, said the program is aimed at making mustangs more adoptable.

“Wild Mustang program through the Branded Bonanza is something that was put on to better help Mustangs get out of holding facilities. You’re much more likely to adopt or purchase a horse that is kind of the calm, broke demeanor, rather than something completely wild.”

In late February, students adopted wild mustangs from the Bureau of Land Management in Ridgecrest. They have 100 days to train the horses.

11-year-old Amelia Alfter is part of the program and said the experience has been a challenge.

“Nervous and scared and I wanted to give up but then I got my trust back in and then I wasn’t nervous and then I started to bond with him and now I’m not scared and I feel safe around him.”

14-year-old Kendra Bushnell is also training a wild mustang named Liberty. Bushnell said they train every day.

“I usually spend about an hour with him. Sometimes, like, after school, I’ll just come out and groom him and be done for the day. And sometimes I’ll go out into the arena and work him, make him do stuff, and actually work his brain.”

Bushnell said she has seen Liberty gain confidence since adopting him in late February.

“Do obstacles and walk through scary things that he doesn’t really appreciate without any problems. I can touch him all over the place and I can actually crawl under him now. So, like, I can do almost everything with him.”

Alfter said she hopes more kids sign up for the program.

“It’s fun don’t give up. It’s fun whenever you get the hang of it, and it’s awesome, and it’s really good. It gives you something to do.”

The horses have about 3 weeks of training remaining.

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