Author: CNN Newsource

By Derek James

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    MINNESOTA (WCCO) — Fall color season is almost here, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says several factors will determine when the leaves peak and how brilliant they’ll be.

“I look at spring, I look at May temperature, I look at May precipitation,” said Ben Schwingle, Minnesota DNR Forest Health Coordinator.

This year, May brought some good news for the trees. It was dry during leaf-out, which meant less disease pressure on emerging leaves.

But the summer brought a different challenge. Minnesota had the sixth hottest summer since record keeping began over 150 years ago.

The lack of rain can have differing effects on the trees, according to Schwingle. Most species react to drought by a delayed color change. But some species are the opposite, and they’ll actually change color earlier.

Schwingle says the biggest concern is when heat and drought become severe enough to stress the trees.

“What that very extreme heat and drought does is it starts fall color a little earlier and it dampens the kind of the brilliance of like the reds and the purples that we see on like our maples, our cherries, our red oaks,” said Schwingle.

That means the weather over the next few weeks will be especially important.

But so far, the weather is trending in the right direction, with sun, cool nights, sufficient rain, and light frost.

“When you don’t have that early frost, you get really warm temperatures extending into October, what that causes is, it causes this disparity in when certain species drop their leaves, like sugar maples, versus oaks, which will hold onto their leaves longer,” said Schwingle.

Your best bet for vibrant colors will be outside the areas hardest hit by drought.

The DNR’s Fall Color Finder is now live and updated throughout the season to help plan your leaf peeping. No state parks have reached more than 10-25% toward leaf peak 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 Sarah Metts

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    LANCASTER, Pennsylvania (WGAL) — A month after a fire ripped through two rowhomes in Lancaster City and sent one person to the hospital with minor burns, the fire marshal knows how it started and spread.

Counterfeit toy fueled rowhome fire It happened on August 5 in the 100 block of North Reservoir Street around 3 a.m.

Tom Hoffman, the Lancaster City fire marshal, said a counterfeit squishy dumpling toy a family bought the day before the row home fire acted as a catalyst.

“When these things get an initial source to them, they will heat up, they will burst, and flammable materials go everywhere,” said Hoffman.

On the same day as the fire, coincidentally, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) posted a press release about the counterfeit toys and how they oftentimes do not comply with federal safety requirements.

“These warnings were mainly health-related,” said Hoffman. “What was not on there was the flammability range of these things.”

Lab testing finds flammable, toxic chemicals Hoffman said he did some research and contacted a laboratory in Georgia to find out what is inside a fake squishy dumpling. “Some of these chemicals include benzene, toluene, cyclohexene, all of which are very flammable and are very toxic to humans,” said Hoffman.

He notified CPSC about the fake toys’ flammability two days after the fire.

This week, Amazon told our National Consumer Unit it proactively removed some squishy toys from its store following reported safety concerns. Consumer Reports also asked CPSC to investigate the safety risks of all squishy toys, not just counterfeits.

The On Your Side team looked into the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) reports from last year for “squeeze and/or squeaker toys.” In 2025, NEISS estimates 1,806 people were treated in emergency departments for injuries related to these toys. Most of the diagnoses were burn-related.

The report does not disclose the exact toy or whether it was fake.

Fire marshal warns consumers about counterfeits Hoffman says he wants to sound the alarm about the dangers of counterfeits. He says just because you buy from a major retailer, it does not mean your product is not a dupe.

“Keep them away from your children and make sure you only have name-brand products,” said Hoffman. “If you have squishy toys that smell a lot like petroleum or a heavy chemical, those have a possibility of being fake and you want to get rid of them. This includes anything that has any rips or tears, packaging that has no safety warnings on it, packaging that has no manufacturer or stamping on the product itself. Those are indications of fake toys.”

Hoffman suggests double bagging the fake dumplings before throwing them in the trash.

Lancaster schools respond to warning As a result of Hoffman’s warning, the School District of Lancaster says it passed the message on to principals who are discouraging kids from bringing dumplings to school. SDOL says it plans to discuss the matter further at its next safety committee meeting in September.

Regarding accountability for the Lancaster City fire, District Attorney Heather Adams confirmed that no one, including the child playing with the squishy dumpling at the time, will face criminal charges.

Social media trend leads to serious injuries Social media challenges involving squishy toys have also led to injuries. Stewart Mallory, an assistant professor of chemistry and chemical engineering at Penn State, said, “I think something people want to do is put it in the microwave, right? That’s at least what I’ve seen. It’s a trend. And that’s a really dangerous thing to do.”

In Nassau County, New York, two sisters microwaved a Nee-Doh squishy toy, which exploded and caused burns. Chief Fire Marshal Michael Uttaro said, “When they removed it from the microwave, it exploded and oozed its gel on them. The 4-year-old suffered burns to her legs, her arms and her face.” A similar incident occurred in Illinois, where a child said, “I didn’t know it was a trend on TikTok. My friend did it before, and she didn’t get hurt.”

Federal database details additional cases The CPSC’s database revealed 10 incident reports last year involving squishy toys, including a case in Missouri where a 7-year-old girl fell into a coma after freezing and microwaving a toy. It remains unclear whether these toys were counterfeit.

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 Initha Selvakumar

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    MANCHESTER, New Hampshire (WMUR) — A grant of over $10 million is coming to the Granite State to help fight veteran homelessness in 2027.

The Department of Veterans Affairs awarded five grants totaling $10.27 million to community organizations on Tuesday. The grants will begin on Oct. 1, 2026.

The funding comes from a larger initiative of the VA which will award $1.17 billion to 680 organizations across the nation to address the housing crisis.

According to the VA, the funding comes after a successful year of housing veterans, 51,936 nationwide in 2025, which is the highest annual total in seven years.

The grants come from two different programs. The Supportive Services for Veteran Families program will allocate one-year grants to help fund initiatives to prevent the imminent loss of a home, identify new housing situations and rapidly re-house veterans, according to a news release. The organizations receiving this grant in New Hampshire are Veterans Inc., Harbor Care and Clear Path for Veterans New England.

The Grant and Per Diem program will provide three-year grants for transitional, transition-in-place and specialized housing. The New Hampshire organizations receiving this grant are Harbor Homes, Inc. and Clear Path for Veterans New England Inc.

Earlier this month, Manchester Mayor Jay Ruais declared an effective end to veteran homelessness after housing over 130 people through a city initiative.

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 Natalia Gomez del Campo

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    DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — Des Moines City Council passed sweeping budget cuts on Monday. Most city programs are affected, including law enforcement.

KCCI spoke with Peter Zemansky with the City of Des Moines. He said that out of the $11.5 million in cuts to most city programs, police face $566,000 in cuts, and fire departments $260,000.

Both departments also face staff reductions, which are intended to lead to $260,000 in savings for the fire department and $566,000 for the fire department.

In yesterday’s city council meeting, city leaders say some cuts to city programs were necessary after the legislature’s changes to property taxes. These changes put a 2% limit to annual revenue growth for Iowa’s local governments.

This morning, law enforcement officials stood by gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand to support his handling of public safety. KCCI asked Sand about support for law enforcement across the state that could be facing shrinking resources.

“As much as people have confidence in what’s going to happen, the truth is that we are only months into a brand new property tax regime in the state of Iowa, and we need to have some experience with it before we start making changes about what the issues are,” said Sand. “That said, top priority has got to be public safety: firefighters, first responders, police officers, sheriff’s department.”

KCCI reached out to the Lahn campaign for comment on his support for law enforcement facing shrinking resources.

Zach Lahn’s campaign for Iowa governor rejects the notion that Iowans must choose between safe communities and affordable property taxes.

“Zach Lahn rejects the idea that Iowans must choose between safe communities and affordable property taxes,” his communications director said.

He added that Lahn would prioritize public safety, protect taxpayers, and focus on growing Iowa.

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 Hannah Hilyard

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    MILWAUKEE (WISN) — Lunchtime hit a little differently at Pulaski High School when some of the Milwaukee Bucks showed up for a big surprise.

Pulaski took in all the students from Lincoln Ave. School after their school burned down in June. Bucks head coach Taylor Jenkins and players Jaime Jaquez Jr., Kasparas Jakučionis, and Kel’el Ware showed up to the building Wednesday wanting to recognize and celebrate both student bodies.

“I just want them to be able to feel that, you know, people care for them. People are here for them. And you know, it’s a safe environment,” said Ware, Bucks center.

The visit began with the Bucks recognizing Pulaski High School ninth graders for welcoming the younger students into their school this year. Afterward, the team joined the Lincoln Avenue students for lunch, where pizza, ice cream, and salad were served.

Jakučionis, Bucks guard, said, “Salad, tomatoes, all the healthy stuff,” when asked what he was handing out. He added, “I was trying to make sure they take their salad!”

The students were thrilled by the visit. “I said, ‘Oh, I hope you guys win this year!'” said Thiago Rodriguez, a fifth grader from Lincoln Avenue School.

“Pretty exciting!” said Donavin Batista, another fifth grader. “This usually doesn’t happen!”

Bucks head coach Taylor Jenkins also attended, handing out team swag and sharing his thoughts on the students’ resilience. “We’re just happy to be able to come here, celebrate that, recognize, and it actually rubs off on me, too,” Jenkins said.

The Bucks acquired Jaquez Jr., Jakučionis, and Ware in a summer trade with the Miami Heat. The Heat received superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Bucks’ first preseason game is Oct. 5.

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 John Rupolo

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    ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KOAT) — Classroom temperatures in some Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) buildings have reached as high as 93 degrees in recent weeks, prompting concerns from parents and teachers about the conditions in the classroom.

Parents waiting to pick up their children Tuesday afternoon at Eisenhower Middle School shared what their children have been saying about the heat.

“Usually it’s, ‘We’re sweating, Mom. It’s hot. It’s uncomfortable,'” one parent said.

Another parent said, “We’ve lived here since 2020, and since our kids have been back in school, they haven’t had working AC or swamp coolers.”

APS stated in an email that there are currently 400 work orders for cooling units across the district. The district clarified that not all of these work orders are for broken air conditioning units, some are for maintenance. APS noted that these work orders represent just 2% of the 22,000 cooling units in its schools.

We spoke to Sarah Hager, president of the Albuquerque Teachers Federation.

“Statistically, it’s not a lot. But when I think about one teacher in a classroom with, if you’re teaching elementary, 30 kids all day, it’s unbearable,” Hager said.

The district reported that one-third of its cooling systems use refrigerated air, while the remaining two-thirds rely on swamp coolers.

“Swamp coolers efficiently work by reducing the heat by 15 to 20 degrees. On a 100-degree day, you’re only going to get down to 85 degrees, and that’s just not good enough,” Hager said.

The teachers union also highlighted issues with refrigerated air systems, noting that the air conditioning at Onate Elementary went out in March and was only repaired this week.

APS said it has been deploying portable cooling units in classrooms that have no air conditioning.

Hager said all APS buildings need to be converted to refrigerated air.

“Are we going to wait until a student is severely injured at school because they had heat stroke?,” said Hager.

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 Andrew Capasso

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    TUCSON, Arizona (KVOA) — A Tucson dog owner is fighting to keep her pet alive after the dog was placed on a euthanasia list nearly a year ago following an attack on a family member.

The dog, named Sergeant Snuggles, is an Anatolian Shepherd. Both the dog’s owner and the person who was attacked say the dog made a mistake.

“The breeder said he was great with kids – he was nine months old at the time we got him,” Jennifer Evancho said.

Evancho wanted two dogs to protect her chickens. She found Snuggles in Queen Creek when he was nine months old.

“Kids loved to snuggle with him. Like a couple of weeks later, they called him Snuggles because he loves to snuggle with him,” Evancho said.

Last October, Evancho says her other Anatolian dog was in heat and Snuggles wasn’t fixed yet, so they’d kept him tied up. She says coyotes were out, dogs were barking and Snuggles was agitated.

“It was just the perfect storm. Everything went wrong for poor Snuggles,” Evancho said.

When Evancho’s mother went out to the trash and tried to go back in the house, the situation escalated. “She tapped him on the back of the head. He freaked out,” Evancho said.

Animal control records show Snuggles bit Evancho’s mother on the arm, the groin and the face. Officers wrote they found a chunk of her scalp in the yard with hair still attached.

“It was an isolated event. He was provoked. It’s not like he’ll never be put in that situation again,” Evancho said.

At the time, the report shows Evancho’s mother said she wouldn’t go back to the house as long as Snuggles was there. Now, Evancho’s lawyer says she doesn’t feel that way anymore.

“The person who is injured here is not advocating for this dog’s destruction. In fact, she is opposed to this dog’s destruction,” the lawyer said.

Evancho is now appealing the order to put Snuggles down. She’s taken the county and the city of Tucson to court twice, appealing the city court decision and now suing in federal court.

“He’s like my dogs are like my babies. They’re kids to me. They always have been. I love snuggles and I feel like this is my fault for, you know, for it happening. Like it never should have happened,” Evancho said.

Because of the court process, Pima County Animal Care Center says its hands are tied and the dog has to stay in the kennel. In a statement, Pima County called the attack near fatal and says the nature of the injuries the dog inflicted are so horrific and serious, the county agrees with the court’s decision to put Snuggles down.

The county released a statement from Pima County Animal Care Center Director Steve Kozachik:

“Last October, a near-fatal incident occurred in which a 110-pound dog affectionately named Snuggles mauled a family member of its owner in the backyard of their home. The victim suffered severe injuries to her face, scalp, arms, and groin. A large part of the side of her face was torn open. Animal Protection Services Officers later found a portion of her scalp in the yard after being contacted by emergency first responders. The victim was transported to the hospital where she underwent emergency surgery to repair her wounds. During the investigation, Pima Animal Care Center impounded the animal, which is standard practice when an animal attack results in serious injuries. Our officers noted the dog had been illegally tethered outside at the time of the attack.

“In the legal proceedings that followed, a Tucson City court magistrate declared the dog to be a danger to the public and ordered that it be euthanized. While that is not an outcome anyone at PACC hopes for, in cases such as this we all recognize the decision is consistent with our public safety responsibility. We understand the family’s affection for the dog and its desire to see him returned to them, but the nature of the injuries the dog inflicted are so horrific and serious, PACC agrees with the decision of the court. We believe this dog is dangerous.”

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.