Category: CNN Regional

By Neal Riley

Click here for updates on this story

    Massachusetts (WBZ) — Giant jellyfish are becoming a popular sight at Massachusetts beaches this summer.

The Sandwich harbormaster said Tuesday that Lion’s Mane jellyfish, the largest jellyfish species in the world, “are currently appearing in unusually large numbers off Cape Cod.”

“While Lion’s Mane is normally seen from late spring through summer, this year reports began in May, with exceptionally high densities observed by mid-June,” the harbormaster posted to Facebook. “Experts believe factors such as water temperatures and available food sources may contribute to these increases.”

The last time the jellyfish were seen in such large numbers in Massachusetts was in 2020.

What are Lion’s Mane jellyfish? Lion’s Mane jellyfish are reddish-brown and can grow to more than 7 feet across, and their tentacles can stretch as long as 100 feet, though they can be difficult to see underwater.

The New England Aquarium also said Wednesday that they’ve been spotted on Massachusetts beaches and in local waters. Late last month, The BCYF Curley Community Center in South Boston restricted beach access after some swimmers got stung.

“Keep an eye out: lion’s mane jellies can give a pretty painful sting!” the aquarium said. “If you see one washed up on the beach or floating in the water, it’s best to admire it from a safe distance.”

What to do if stung by a jellyfish Lion’s Mane jellyfish can sting people even after they’ve washed up on shore. While the stings are painful, the harbormaster said they are not particularly dangerous.

“If stung, rinse with warm water and carefully remove tentacles with tweezers,” the harbormaster said.

Any sightings of Lion’s Mane jellyfish at beaches should be reported to lifeguards.

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 Jenna DeAngelis

Click here for updates on this story

    NEW YORK CITY (WCBS, WLNY) — There have been 517 reported cases of the parasitic infection cyclosporiasis across New York state since May, and nearly 400 of them are in New York City, health officials say.

It comes as United States health officials investigate outbreaks across the country.

“I was having a lot of pain” Chase Strangio, an attorney from Queens, says he spent weeks suffering from the illness.

“Felt really lethargic, nauseous, had a low-grade fever, had diarrhea,” he said.

When he began experiencing these symptoms back in May, he thought he had a stomach virus, but as the days progressed, he didn’t see any improvements.

“My body would not allow me to eat food, and it even reached the point where drinking water was challenging,” he said, “and I was having a lot of pain.”

No one in Strangio’s family got sick, but many friends he had lunch with a week prior did.

“The common ingredient we were able to discern was either a lettuce or a cilantro,” he said.

Research led Strangio to request a stool test, which came back positive for Cyclospora, the parasite which causes the intestinal illness cyclosporiasis.

Strangio said he was put on an antibiotic, and he’s now feeling much better.

Doctors stress handling produce properly Cyclosporiasis cases have been identified in 34 states since May 1.

In New York City alone, there are 374 cases.

“This is three times the amount of our typical rate of Cyclospora infections,” City Health Commissioner Dr. Alister Martin said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not yet confirmed a specific source for this outbreak, but past outbreaks have been linked to various produce such as raspberries, leafy greens, onions, basil and cilantro.

“The actual parasite lives on the outside of those fruits and vegetables,” Martin said. “And so we’re working with our colleagues at the federal government and at the state to identify, is there one retailer or wholesaler upstream that is particularly causing this.”

Mount Sinai South Nassau Chief of Infectious Diseases Dr. Aaron Glatt says it’s not about avoiding fruits and vegetables, but handling them properly.

“Cooking them or making sure that they’re washed well should be adequate,” he said. “If people are just going to eat junk food, that has its risks too … And I think having a well-balanced diet is something that’s very important.”

Doctors also stress this is not spread from person to person.

It can take up to two weeks for symptoms to appear, and the CDC says they can last longer without treatment. If you think you are infected, seek medical care.

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 Lisa Meadows, Ubah Ali, Conor Wight, WCCO Staff

Click here for updates on this story

    Minnesota (WCCO) — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz announced Wednesday members of the Royal Canadian Air Force successfully evacuated 11 Minnesota teenagers and four staff members from wildfires north of the border.

Officials with YMCA of the North say the teens were split into two groups. Both have exited Wabakimi Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada, and are on their way back to Minnesota. The park is about 175 miles north of the Minnesota border.

One group was evacuated overnight by plane Wednesday, and the other group was “evacuated by helicopter in coordination with Canadian authorities,” the YMCA says, adding that the campers, ranging in age from 16 to 18, “have progressed through our wilderness program” and are led by “highly-trained guides.”

Walz, who extended a peacetime emergency through September, applauded the quick efforts of Ontario Premier Doug Ford and the Canadian military in the rescues.

“The news couldn’t have been better this morning,” Walz said.

Michel Tigan, who leads adventure and wellbeing for YMCA of the North, said the group spent about 48 hours waiting because smoke, wind and fire conditions made for a difficult for evacuation.

The group stayed connected using a satellite phone and crews were able to track them, allowing the rescue team to monitor their location.

When given the green light, local, state and international partners worked together to bring everyone out safely.

“They’re in good spirits, probably a little hungry and ready for a shower, but medically they are doing well,” said Tigan.

She said staff are trained to handle emergencies like this and that evacuations have become more common in recent years.

“We would be remiss in learning from experiences like this if we weren’t evaluating and changing plans both for this summer and in the future,” she said.

YMCA officials say everyone was evaluated after the evacuation before making their way home.

Evacuations and searches continue in northern Minnesota and the BWCA, with crews making sure no one is left behind.

A mandatory closure and evacuation order is in effect for the million-acre Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

Tour guides with Wilderness Canoe Base in Grand Marais had to cut trips short Tuesday due to wildfire evacuations.

“Incredibly smoky, very hazy. We saw a lot of the, just the sky turned kind of brown and orangey,” Jenny Batten with Project Success said.

Project Success partners with the Wilderness Canoe Base and has taken over 212 students up to the Boundary Waters this summer, but hazardous conditions prompted this last trip to end early.

“It was a bit of anxiety inducing when you’re seeing billows of smoke in the distance and trying to figure out, is that near us? Is that not near us?” Stephanie Carpenter, director of the Wilderness Canoe Base, said.

Conditions have only further deteriorated on Wednesday.

“There’s little bits of ash coming down from the sky and so the bags and our canoes and the surface of the water has a little layer of ash particles and partially burned leaves floating on the water,” Carpenter said.

GPS locators were key in communicating to tour groups about the evacuations.

“The Garmins were able to text and they’re also able to locate the group. So once they turn it on, we can find out exactly where each group was and we would text them any kind of information,” Batten said.

Now that all the children have been evacuated, employees are preparing for the final part of the ready-set-go evacuation protocol.

“We were ready for a couple days and now we are currently in set mode, so all of our staff have their things packed and in their car and the car is pointed out, but we are hunkered down,” Carpenter 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 Jarvis Robertson

Click here for updates on this story

    TALLADEGA COUNTY, Alabama (WVTM) — Quadarius Cochran said the past week has been overwhelming as renewed attention focuses on the disappearance of his mother, Felicia Cochran, who has been missing for 34 years.

Cochran was 1 year old when his mother vanished. Growing up, he said, he never knew her embrace, a kiss on the cheek or even a simple conversation with the woman who gave him life.

The Pell City Police Department has spent several days digging at a property on Wolf Pond Road in Talladega County, renewing public interest in Felicia Cochran’s case.

As speculation has grown surrounding the search and his mother’s disappearance, Quadarius Cochran said people have been reaching out to him.

“I listen. I don’t try to blow nobody off,” he said. “It’s pretty much from a caring standpoint, but it can be overwhelming sometimes.”

Pell City police have released little public information about the search. A law enforcement source told WVTM the activity is connected to Felicia Cochran’s case.

Quadarius Cochran, now a police officer with the Jacksonville Police Department, said he views the situation through both a personal and professional lens. He told WVTM he spoke with the Pell City police chief but was given no details because the case remains an active investigation.

“I’m also an investigator. I know that I can’t give out too much information or false information because that’s just not what we do,” he said. “We just let the investigation continue.”

From the beginning, rumors and speculation have surrounded who may have been responsible for Felicia Cochran’s disappearance. No one has been officially convicted in the case.

“Right now, I just want to focus on the investigation with my mom,” he said. “I don’t want to put anything out there that’s not true or make any assumptions.”

Felicia Cochran had three children, and Quadarius is the youngest. On the anniversary of her disappearance, WVTM also spoke with the oldest sibling, Brandi, who said faith and family have helped her endure the difficult time and the wave of emotions.

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 Charlie De Mar

Click here for updates on this story

    CHICAGO (WBBM) — A Chicago woman murdered and left in a cardboard box in rural Indiana in the 1970s has finally been identified after nearly 50 years as a Jane Doe.

Old-fashioned police work and some cutting-edge DNA technology brought dignity to the woman now known as Jane Hart.

“Everybody knew everybody, so it was a big deal, you know, finding a dead body in a box,” said Curtis Skoog. “I can’t explain to you how awful I felt.”

Skoog was just 16 when his dad found a small cardboard box while tending their farmland near Otterbein, Indiana, in 1976, about 15 miles east of Lafayette. Inside the box was the body of a woman who had been shot in the back of the head.

“It’s been a long road, 50 years ago, and, like I said, it’s pretty much tattooed in my mind,” Skoog said.

Investigators determined the woman was between 55 and 65 years old. The box was in the field for only about 12 hours, but she was never identified.

Benton County, Indiana, coroner Matt Rosenbarger was part of a team in 2019 that exhumed Jane Doe’s remains to try and identify her. He said the initial goal was to give the victim a name.

“The DNA was very degraded and was very difficult to get a really good, deep profile,” he said.

Then a breakthrough of sorts came in 2024.

The DNA Doe Project says through research they were able to find a Croatian woman put up for adoption and through census records they saw she moved from Ohio to Chicago as an adult. She was identified as Jane Hart.

Her last known address was in Rogers Park, near Paulina and Lunt, but sometime in the 1970’s she appears to had vanish from all public records.

“Things like probate court records, the records from the orphanage that Jane was in … all of these records pointed to this one individual Jane Hart,” said Traci Onders, director of case management of the DNA Doe Project.

Onders was the team leader for this Benton County Jane Doe.

“Identity is a basic human right,” she said. “Jane Hart, when she died, somebody went to great lengths to ensure that her identity was taken away from her.”

Onders and her team of investigative genetic genealogists were able to give Hart her name back and determine she was born in 1906 and was 69 years of age when she was murdered.

Rosenbarger said she worked as a housekeeper in Chicago.

“I think every Jane and John Doe should have their name and their family should know what happened to them,” he said.

For Skoog, he says he’s very happy to have closure after all these years.

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.