Family of four sickened amid wider mushroom poisoning outbreak, officials say

CNN Newsource on January 23, 2026

By Daniel Macht, Jaiden Singh, Michelle Bandur

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    SACRAMENTO COUNTY, California (KCRA) — A family of four in Sacramento County recently fell ill after picking and eating wild mushrooms, the county’s public health officer said on Thursday.

Sacramento County Public Health Officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye said the family was hospitalized. It’s believed to be the first cases of their kind in the county involving Death Cap or Western Destroying Angel mushrooms amid a wider outbreak across the state.

At least 35 people who range from age from 19 months to 67 have been hospitalized in Northern California and the Central Coast after experiencing experienced amatoxin poisoning, Sacramento County health officials said.

Most cases are in the Monterey area and the San Francisco Bay Area.

Jim Adams, president of the Sacramento Area Mushroomers said the family found the toxic fungi at the William B Pond recreation area and that two of the family members are still in the hospital a week later.

“When we have above average rains, the organisms know that. And so they come out in an abundance,” said Adams.

He said the poisonous caps are popping up everywhere, but they really like growing in the moist sale and shade under Oak trees.

“These native Oaks are having a pretty big bumper crop of poisonous mushrooms this year,” Adams said.

Health officials said that wild mushrooms can remain toxic even after cooking, boiling, freezing or drying.

Sacramento County also shared photos of the mushrooms that sickened the family:

“The important thing is that these mushrooms, the poisonous mushrooms, look very similar to the safe mushrooms,” Kasirye said. “So we are advising that people do not take or eat wild mushrooms at this time. It is safest to buy your mushrooms from a store or a place where you know that these are. They’re safe. Some of the symptoms related to, eating these poisonous mushrooms include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.”

Other symptoms could lead to dehydration or kidney and liver failure, she said.

Adams agrees foragers don’t pick, don’t taste, don’t eat.

“They were coming up everywhere,” he said. “I hadn’t seen them in Sacramento County before.”

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.

Jury finds security guard guilty of killing man for stealing ‘snack cakes’

CNN Newsource on January 23, 2026

By Jessica Schmid

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    MILWAUKEE (WISN) — A Milwaukee jury found a security guard guilty of killing a man shoplifting snacks.

William Pinkin was found guilty on two counts, including first-degree intentional homicide.

Pinkin was working at the Clark gas station near Teutonia Avenue and Roosevelt Drive in 2023 when he shot Isaiah Allen for shoplifting snack cakes.

On the stand Thursday, Pinkin said he did not remember what happened the day of the shooting.

After the verdict, Pinkin asked the court to find him not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. The court set a hearing for next month.

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.

Inmate dead one day after arriving at federal correctional institution

CNN Newsource on January 23, 2026

By Josh Wallace

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    EL RENO, Oklahoma (KOCO) — An investigation is underway after an inmate was found unresponsive at the Federal Correctional Institution El Reno and died on Thursday, according to Federal Bureau of Prisons officials.

Officials said Dujuan Cole, 44, was found unresponsive at the facility at about 12:20 p.m. Thursday.

“Responding employees initiated life-saving measures. Emergency medical services (EMS) were requested while life-saving efforts continued,” officials said in a news release.

Cole was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead, officials said.

Cole was sentenced in the Southern District of Illinois to a 120-month sentence for distributing methamphetamine, officials said. He had been in custody at the facility since Wednesday.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation was notified of his death.

“No employees or other incarcerated individuals were injured and at no time was the public in danger,” officials said in the news release.

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.

Homeowners can skip phone calls and book snow removal through new app

CNN Newsource on January 23, 2026

By Brian Johnson

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    KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KMBC) — As winter weather moves into the Kansas City area, a new app is offering homeowners another option for snow removal, without making phone calls or negotiating one-on-one.

GreenPal, a service often described as “Uber for lawn care,” has expanded its platform to include snow removal in the Kansas City metro. The app connects homeowners with local contractors through a marketplace-style system.

“Stay inside. Let the pros handle it. It’s too cold,” said Gene Caballero, founder of GreenPal.

Caballero founded the company 14 years ago. He said the snow removal feature was recently added locally as demand grows during winter storms.

“It’s free for homeowners to sign up and get bids,” Caballero said.

Instead of calling multiple companies, homeowners can send one request through the app and receive several competing bids. Caballero said that competition can work in the homeowner’s favor.

“Also kind of creates a price advantage for the homeowner,” he said. “Maybe somebody is just starting out and like, ‘Hey, I really want this’ or ‘I really need this,’ and they are able to give pretty aggressive pricing.”

Caballero said about 45 companies are currently available for snow removal jobs in the Kansas City area. Each contractor must have a verified ID, along with customer reviews and ratings. Homeowners can also ask contractors for proof of insurance.

With heavy snowfall, Caballero said patience is important.

“Give the next business day, you know, especially when it’s a big snowstorm coming like this one is,” he said.

Homeowners can also pre-book snow removal services if they know they will need help ahead of time. Caballero emphasized that users stay in control throughout the process.

“The power is ultimately up to the homeowner and they can decide who they want to work with,” he said.

Payment is handled through the website or app after the job is completed. GreenPal keeps 5% of each contract.

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.

Man who tried to use Molotov cocktail to damage ICE building is sentenced to prison

CNN Newsource on January 23, 2026

By McKenzy Parsons

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    GRAND ISLAND, Nebraska (KETV) — A federal judge sentenced a Grand Island man to prison for trying to damage a federal property with a Molotov cocktail.

Eulisis Martin, 35, will spend five years behind bars.

Martin spray-painted the words “Kill ICE” on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in June 2025.

He then lit and threw the explosive, but it didn’t work.

After prison, Martin will be on supervised release for three years and pay over $1 million in restitution.

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.

Birmingham crime intervention organization makes ‘Free the Streets’ initiative permanent

CNN Newsource on January 23, 2026

By Michal Higdon

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    BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WVTM) — The Urban League of Alabama, in partnership with Birmingham officials and other organizations, is expanding its community violence intervention program.

The expansion comes after a successful pilot in 2025 which helped contribute to a 42% reduction in homicides in the city. Birmingham reported a decline in homicides from 152 in 2024 to 88 in 2025, a result attributed to a coordinated effort involving law enforcement, community organizations, data, and residents who reject violence as a norm.

“Our communities have dealt with violence for generations and now it stops,” Uche Bean, the director of the Birmingham Office of Community Safety Initiatives, said. “Public safety isn’t about lowering numbers. It’s not just about data. It’s about people. And I’m thankful that we are now making those decisions that are going to impact the community in the long run, for generations to come.”

The program, which encompasses a partnership between the Urban League of Alabama, City of Birmingham, Trajectory Changing Solutions and Housing Authority of the Birmingham District, targets Birmingham’s 35204 ZIP code. It uses street outreach, conflict mediation, and community-based prevention strategies to prevent shootings.

Leaders emphasize the importance of interrupting violence as a key component of the program.

“Our street team may be out at 11:00 at night,” William Barnes, Urban League of Alabama’s president, said. “If they’re talking with people that now trust them, can they have a conversation about, ‘Listen, I’m really thinking about committing some type of act of violence.’ Can our team actually talk them down from being able to do that? And so that’s what crime prevention, crime intervention really is.”

This initiative is part of the “Free the Streets” program, which focuses on people most likely to be involved in shootings. Leaders describe it as evidence-based and note that many residents, including those at high risk of committing crimes, are grateful for the program’s intervention.

“Many of the residents are very thankful,” Barnes says. “I can tell you this, some of the residents who actually are at high risk of committing the crimes are also relieved because there’s a conversation to give them a way out. Most of the people who commit crimes are not necessarily interested in committing said crimes. They just have no way out. And this is an opportunity for us to address that and help them do something different.”

“We’re not trying to interfere with law enforcement work, we are just trying to complement law enforcement work,” Latonya Tate, who represents Council District 9 and a big proponent of the work, says. “Any time that you’re a high risk individual, your actions, your decisions bring about consequences. So, we want to get ahead of this and offer preventative measures. And as it has been stated here, there’s substantial ability and long-term solutions. We are in this for the long haul.”

Norman Livingston Kerr, chief executive officer for Trajectory Changing Solutions, thanked everyone who is taking part in this initiative.

“These initiatives don’t happen by accident, they happen because someone is willing to push, advocate and stay in the fight long enough to see them supported and sustained,” Kerr said.

Last month, the Birmingham City Council unanimously voted to continue funding multiple violence intervention programs. The Urban League of Alabama is looking forward to this program succeeding and would love to expand the program to all ZIP codes across the city.

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.

Bad art for a good cause; animal shelter makes ugly pet portraits to raise donations

CNN Newsource on January 23, 2026

By Charlotte Hancox

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    BRATTLEBORO, Vt. (WPTZ) — An “ugly portrait” may not sound like the best gift at first, but a local animal shelter is challenging that idea by turning bad art into big support for vulnerable pets.

The Windham County Humane Society will be offering these portraits throughout January to raise donations for the shelter.

The fundraiser invites people to send in a photo of their pet, which is then drawn badly, by the staff.

“You’re just like, I’m going to do my best and then it ends up coming out hilarious. And even without the artistic talent, you can see the essence of the animal in the photo,” said Violet Zarriello, the marketing manager at Windham County Humane Society. “I’m always most pleased when that comes through in my terrible drawing.”

She said there’s only one criterion to be an artist here.

“You can’t be good at art. You can’t actually be good at drawing. It has to be authentically folks whose drawing is not their strong suit. They’re funnier that way,” Zarriello said.

Portraits cost $20, with 100% of the proceeds going back to shelter pets. So far, the reaction has been strong.

“The very first one we did was actually for one of our board members. He was like ‘this is perfect. I love how it exaggerates her superhero look. That’s Chloe,'” she said.

And to get your own portrait, you just have to send a picture of your pet with their name to Violet Zarriello, and they will send you the drawing back digitally over email.

Organizers said that the goal is to have fun, laugh at the artwork, and help animals who are in need. You can purchase one through the end of the month.

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.

Dumpsters fall off truck, snarl traffic on Interstate 95 in Danvers, Massachusetts

CNN Newsource on January 23, 2026

By Katie Thompson

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    DANVERS, Mass. (WCVB) — Three dumpsters fell off a truck and onto Interstate 95 in Danvers, Massachusetts, early Friday.

The truck that was carrying the dumpsters may have struck the Centre Street overpass on the northbound side of the highway near Exit 69 causing the dumpsters to fall onto the road, Massachusetts State Police said.

It appears another truck struck one of the dumpsters and a car hit that truck, officials said.

Three lanes of travel were blocked as crews worked to clear the mess.

WCVB will have more information when it becomes available.

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.

Multiple myeloma survivor hosts blood drive after platelet shortage

CNN Newsource on January 23, 2026

By Ava Rash

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    JEFFERSON HILLS, Pa. (WTAE) — Rose Rose is a warrior. She has been battling multiple myeloma since August 2024.

“I’ve needed approximately 40 blood and platelets transfusions. A couple of times, I was critically low, and that was super scary,” she said.

Recently, her platelet levels dropped, and the hospital did not have enough available for her.

“I had to wait a day to get that so they could find a donor match. That’s when it’s very scary, knowing that your life is depending on those donors, and if they don’t have a match or don’t have enough donations, then the outcome isn’t what you want,” she said.

This experience motivated her to give back. She hosted a blood drive Thursday at Gill Hall Volunteer Fire Company to help others in need.

“I haven’t needed any transfusions since Thanksgiving, so I am doing much better. I’m super, super thankful, and just want to help raise awareness for others like me and help put a face to who the donors are helping,” she said.

Now on an upward path in her cancer journey, Rose is focused on encouraging as many donors as possible to contribute.

“In your lifetime, I can guarantee you that someone you’re connected to — whether it’s yourself, family member, friend, co-worker — will need a donation, and blood donations save lives,” she 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.

Toxicology report reveals oxycodone, alcohol in driver’s system during deadly wrong-way I-95 crash

CNN Newsource on January 23, 2026

By Meaghan Mackey

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    BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. (WESH) — The Florida Highway Patrol says toxicology results show the driver who caused a deadly wrong-way crash on I-95 in Brevard County had high amounts of oxycodone and alcohol in her system.

Troopers say the 34-year-old Cocoa woman had a blood alcohol level of 0.053, which is below Florida’s legal limit of 0.08, but impairment is still considered a factor in the crash.

The crash happened in September 2025 near Wickham Road, when investigators say the woman made a U-turn at Viera Boulevard and began driving the wrong way in the northbound lanes.

FHP says her vehicle struck another car head-on, triggering an eight-car pileup.

Two people were killed in addition to the driver, and six others were seriously injured, according to troopers.

Investigators previously said the woman traveled about 2 1/2 miles the wrong way before the collision. Because she made a U-turn in the interstate lanes, the wrong-way driver detection systems on ramps did not catch the incident.

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.