Category: CNN Regional

By Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield

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    MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — Crews are about halfway through one of the biggest restorations the Twin Cities has ever seen. Every square inch of the country’s oldest basilica is being restored. Crews have started what is perhaps the most delicate day of the year-long project.

According to Johan van Parys, director of liturgy at the Basilica of St. Mary, things are moving along.

“The end of September is actually the halfway point, so it’s very exciting. We have accomplished a lot, but we also have a lot more to do. Things so far are on schedule, yes,” he said.

Excitement is building as they tear down every inch of this building that was constructed starting in 1908. The hope is that the $50 million in donations will make it last 120 more years.

The latest project: meticulously removing the trademark windows.

“There’s a horizontal story which tells the story of the life of Mary, both her private life and then her public life,” van Parys said.

After taking bids, they realized a company in New Jersey could restore them. But first, brothers Erik and Tommy Walther, with Northeast Stained Glass, who traveled for the job, had to very carefully remove them.

After a series of delicate and perilous pulls, they took the glass, which is dark without light behind it, down six floors of scaffolding to a safer place.

Erik Walther showed WCCO how they pack pieces into padded crates.

“The idea is to keep it so you don’t have a lot of movement in the panel; you also don’t want it too tight either,” he said.

“Thomas Gaytee, who created the windows, he speaks about the windows at the Basilica of St. Mary as the crown jewel of his work. And so we have really a treasure of windows here,” van Parys said.

Windows that are truly being handled with care. Van Parys says soon they will be “magnificent.”

Crews will pack and crate the windows for a trip to New Jersey, where artists will restore them.

This large project has a hard deadline of Palm Sunday 2027.

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 Delaney White

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    BELMONT, California (KGO) — Diesel prices are climbing to unprecedented levels in California, and Bay Area drivers are seeing some of the highest costs in the country.

According to AAA, California’s statewide average price for diesel has reached $8.21 per gallon, far above the national average of $6.26. In some parts of the Bay Area, prices are even higher.

At a 76 station in Belmont, diesel was selling for nearly $9 a gallon.

“Diesel has hit an all-time high. Yesterday was the record and then today it was broken again,” said Doug Johnson, spokesperson for AAA Northern California.

Johnson says ongoing instability in global oil markets is putting pressure on fuel prices.

“The global oil markets, there is obviously everything going on with Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, but we also see that there’s another conflict in the Middle East between Saudi Arabia and Houthi rebels in Yemen,” Johnson said.

The price surge extends far beyond the pump.

Because diesel powers much of the nation’s transportation system, higher fuel costs affect trucking companies, agriculture, construction, and supply chains. Those increases are often passed along to consumers in the form of higher prices on everyday goods.

“We’re really in a bad spot for everybody, and it doesn’t mean just my business, it means everybody’s family,” said Mark Woods, vice president of Wildwood Express, a trucking company based in Fresno.

Woods says the rapid rise in fuel prices has dramatically increased his operating expenses.

“Three weeks ago we were probably between $25,000 and $30,000 for a load of fuel,” Woods said. “In the last two weeks, just last week, the last bill that I got was $54,000.”

According to Johnson, that nearly $30,000 increase was for roughly the same amount of fuel.

As costs continue to rise, Woods says businesses like his may have little choice but to charge customers more.

“I’ll probably have to do some speaking with them and figure out how they are going to pay me more for me to do what I’m supposed to do to stay in business,” he said.

Many drivers typically expect fuel prices to ease after Labor Day, when demand often begins to decline. However, AAA says this year has not followed the usual pattern.

“Typically we see a drop in demand, a drop in prices. That just hasn’t happened this year,” Johnson said. “Again, that’s in a typical year and this year has been far from typical.”

For now, experts recommend using fuel-price tracking apps like GasBuddy or AAA to compare prices and find the lowest-cost fuel stations nearby.

As diesel prices continue to set records, both businesses and consumers are bracing for the possibility that higher transportation costs could ripple through the economy in the weeks ahead.

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 Ross DiMattei

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    PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts is helping some Philadelphia students stay cool.

The Super Bowl MVP’s foundation is donating $600,000 to bring air conditioning to part of Northeast High School.

Hurts said he got the idea while watching the morning news a few years ago. He couldn’t believe Philadelphia schools had to cancel classes because of extreme heat and a lack of air conditioning.

Students at Northeast High welcomed the Eagles quarterback with a pep rally Tuesday morning, where he announced the donation to air-condition the high school’s sweltering auditorium.

“I’ve been in your guys’ shoes,” Hurts said. “I know the importance of having the support and having the backing to do and achieve whatever dreams you have. This project is especially personal to me because I know the talent and resilience and potential in this community, in this city.”

The air conditioning system is expected to be complete for the 2027-28 school year. According to a news release about the announcement, more than half of the School District of Philadelphia’s schools lack adequate cooling systems.

Dozens of Philadelphia schools were forced to dismiss early because of hot weather when school started earlier this month.

Hurts previously gave $200K for more than 300 air-conditioning units at 10 other schools.

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 Elijah Westbrook

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    NEW YORK (WCBS) — New York lawmakers are set to announce a new bill Wednesday that would ban the sale of high-speed e-bikes.

State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez and Assemblymember Diana Moreno are targeting what are often called “e-motos.” These devices are being sold as e-bikes and e-scooters but can go much faster than what’s legal on city streets.

The bill would prohibit retailers from selling certain devices capable of going more than 20 mph. Sellers could face civil penalties of up to $1,000 for prohibited sales, according to the legislation.

The location of today’s 10 a.m. announcement is also significant. The press conference will happen on the Queens side of the Queensboro Bridge where two people were killed back in May.

The crash happened on the bridge’s bike lane with one person on a bicycle and the other on an electric scooter that police said could go more than 50 mph.

CBS News New York will stream the press conference live. It can be viewed in the live player on this page.

The new legislation comes as Mayor Zohran Mamdani is also putting a new focus on micromobility as part of his 10-year Vision Zero Reimagined plan.

It includes reducing the speed limit to 15 mph near more schools, adding barriers at 1,000 intersections a year, and a crackdown on bad drivers who account for 40% of all traffic deaths, according to the mayor.

“I want to be very clear. If you are breaking the law repeatedly on our roads, you will not be allowed to drive in New York City,” Mamdani said at a news conference Tuesday.

It’s still unclear what actions the mayor is willing to take against the e-bikes, scooters and cyclists who clog the streets and sidewalks. In March, Mamdani stopped the NYPD from issuing them criminal summonses for low-level traffic offenses.

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 Aaron Parseghian

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    ROCKPORT, Massachusetts (WBZ) — Well-written humor and moments of horror helped propel Apple TV’s “Widow’s Bay” to a record 14 Emmy wins on Monday. But while the series is set in a fictional New England island community, many of its recognizable sights can be found just an hour north of Boston in Rockport, Massachusetts.

Much of the series was filmed around Cape Ann, in Gloucester and primarily on Bearskin Neck in Rockport, using existing historic facades and transforming other parts of the historic seaside town into the fictional Widow’s Bay.

“It was filmed primarily on Bearskin Neck in Rockport and I think it really sets the tone, of if Widow’s Bay was a real place that it might look just like [this],” said Maureen Barillaro, co-owner of the Dreamhouse Gallery and Boutique. It’s just feet away from buildings seen throughout season 1 of the series.

Her shop is filled with artwork made by her husband, Joe, who also worked on “Widow’s Bay” as a scenic painter. The boutique now also includes merchandise with references to the hit series.

“We knew that it was something really special and interesting,” Barillaro said of its filming last spring. “But to have it come here really brought a lot of excitement to everybody in town,” she added. “We’ve already seen people coming here to Rockport because of ‘Widow’s Bay.'”

Fans have been recognizing familiar locations from the series. Emily Russo has been visiting Rockport for years with her family and said watching the show gave her a new perspective on a place she already knew well.

“It’s amazing because we’ve been coming here since we were little and so has my dad and his parents, so we recognize a lot of the scenes,” Russo said. “It used to be just like a little artist getaway and now it’s becoming more touristy, but ‘Widow’s Bay’ certainly puts it on the map.”

Town officials are welcoming the added attention that’s highlighting their historic town.

“We’re really excited about the fact that this show has really taken off,” Town Administrator Mitchell Vieira said.

Vieira said the show offers another opportunity for people to discover Rockport beyond the fictional curses portrayed in the series.

“We have immense beauty here in Rockport, and any way we can get people to see and experience what Rockport has to offer, it’s a great thing,” he said. “We’ve seen a lot of folks start to ask and when they come by, they say well where is the filming location, where can we go and see where ‘Widow’s Bay’ was filmed and we direct them downtown. I’ve seen some flyers downtown for tours focused on ‘Widow’s Bay’ so it is something that is gaining momentum in the area.”

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 Chloe Godding, JoBeth Davis

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    KANSAS CITY, Missouri (KMBC) — A former Kansas City, Missouri, Police Officer will spend life in prison after the murder of a 71-year-old man in a Walmart parking lot in 2024.

Taquiza Johnson, 49, who was an officer with the Kansas City Police Department for 10 years, was convicted of second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the death of Ronald Barnett, 71, earlier this summer.

On Monday, Johnson received a life sentence for the second-degree murder of Barnett, and an additional 15-year sentence for armed criminal action. By law, that armed criminal action sentence must run consecutively to the life sentence.

“It is almost incomprehensible that a brazen shooting like this could even happen in a busy Walmart parking lot during the middle of the day,” said Platte County Prosecuting Attorney Eric Zahnd. “By recommending the life sentence for murder, the twelve jurors in this case made an emphatic statement that crimes like this will be met with strict justice in Platte County.”

On Aug. 21, 2024, Johnson and Barnett got into an argument that was not physical in the parking lot of Walmart on North Boardwalk Avenue in Kansas City. The argument reportedly began because Johnson believed Barnett drove too close to him while Johnson was in the crosswalk.

After exchanging words, Barnett drove away and parked in an accessible parking spot. Johnson followed Barnett and got out with a gun behind his back, according to prosecutors. After another exchange, Johnson shot Barnett before driving away.

Barnett died at a hospital.

Johnson and the defense argued that Barnett threatened his life and used “racial epithets,” but Johnson reportedly said during the trial that he saw no weapon on Barnett’s person.

“The law on self-defense in Missouri is clear. Verbal threats are not enough. Name-calling is not enough,” Zahnd said in a news release.

Johnson was a KCPD officer from 2004 to 2014.

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 Susan-Elizabeth Littlefield

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    ST. CLOUD, Minnesota (WCCO) — A Minnesota toddler is heading to Hollywood after winning a national title.

Sarah McNamara, of St. Cloud, wasn’t expected to make it to birth; she is now 3.5 years old and the winner of the 2026 Toddler of the Year contest.

Amber Traxler spent her morning stealing kisses from her daughter; it’s something she wasn’t sure she’d ever get to do when she found out she was pregnant.

“It was torture; getting that diagnosis, having all of her doctors tell me that she wasn’t gonna survive, that we would be lucky if she survived until birth,” Amber Traxler said.

Her baby had Thanatophoric dysplasia (TD). According to the National Institutes of Health, it occurs in around 1 in 35,000 births. It’s a form of dwarfism where the skeleton is too small for the organs; it’s listed as lethal.

“I did find a couple of case studies online about other kiddos with TD who had survived. But you had to dig, probably. I had to dig, yes, and the doctors were just telling me that, well, that’s just one kid. I said, whether she lives or she doesn’t, that’s going to be up to her, but I’m going to do everything that I can to make it possible for her to have a longer life,” Amber Traxler said.

McNamara is getting her checkups at Gillette Children’s before she flies to Hollywood to receive her crown. There, she will be part of the Hollywood Christmas Parade.

“Yes, it’s exciting that we get to do the photoshoot and, you know, she gets a cash prize and she gets the parade. But our ultimate goal from the very beginning was to help spread awareness for TD, to give that hope. That’s the part of it that brings tears to my eyes. Hope, she’s hope,” Amber Traxler said.

Proving that despite all odds, a star was born.

McNamara continues to meet milestones no one predicted. She’s holding a bottle and eating food by mouth. The next big goal is to learn to walk.

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 Lauritsen

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    MCLEOD COUNTY, Minnesota (WCCO) — Prices at the pump continue to climb for drivers.

For those who use diesel fuel, the cost has gone up 30 cents a gallon in just the last week, and more than $2 dollars in the last year.

“I’m expecting one of my biggest crops ever here this year,” said Ryan Mackenthun.

As he gets his equipment ready for soybeans, Mackenthun believes he’s one of the lucky ones. Timely rains in McLeod County, Minnesota, alleviated some of the drought other farmers experienced.

“In McLeod County, there was a stretch from, I’d say from Owatonna to Morris, we were the last stretch to go into a drought category here in Minnesota,” said Mackenthun, who is also president of the Minnesota Soybean Growers.

This year, it’s more than just drought that soybean growers have to worry about.

The conflict in the Middle East is definitely having a direct impact on Minnesota farmers, with diesel prices surging over $6 a gallon. That’s roughly $2.50 more per gallon than a year ago.

This fall, Mackenthun’s combines will use 300 gallons of diesel fuel a day.

“We are roughly at $1,000, $1,500 more a day for 20 to 30 days in a row. It’s going to cost us,” said Mackenthun. “So, we are going to get hit here on the farm, and the consumer is going to get hit eventually, too, in the marketplace.”

“No amount of planning can overcome that,” said Dan Glessing. “It’s going to be sticker shock.”

Glessing is president of the Minnesota Farm Bureau. He says the silver lining is that a recent uptick in commodity prices, like corn and soybeans, can help offset some of the fuel costs.

“But it’s still going to be a real number when you get that fuel bill month-to-month. It’s definitely going to take a lot more out of the checkbook than you were hoping for,” said Glessing.

Farmers said fertilizer costs are also up about 50% from three years ago.

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 Kara Finnstrom

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    VALENCIA, California (KCAL, KCBS) — “The Last of the Red Hot Lovers” is a passionate read about falling in love much later in life, and its 97-year-old author explains it’s a bit biographical.

“It’s about my husband and falling in love at 80,” romance novelist Ethel Ann Shaffer said.

Shaffer and her bestie, Helen Martin, who also happens to be her proofreader, live in the same Valencia senior housing complex and are working on their next masterpiece, Shaffer’s third book.

Her second published book was a sweet story of second chances, and it’s also a steamy read.

“Our love was so magical it really was, but it’s an adult book,” Shaffer said. “Everybody wants to know, are the body parts still working, you know, and what’s going on in your lives?”

A publisher agreed, and the golden girl of romance now has a website, and her book started selling online at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.

Shaffer believes life’s experiences shouldn’t be stamped with expiration dates. She got her English degree in her 50s and is now working on book number three at Sunrise Assisted Living at Sterling Canyon.

Helen Martin came into Shaffer’s life last year as her husband was battling health problems and her own macular degeneration made it impossible to read.

“She’s my eyes,” Shaffer said of Martin, attributing her with the ability to keep writing.

“I’m the world’s best proofreader because I’m always finding mistakes in the novels that I’m reading,” Martin joked.

The pair meets about four times a week to edit, and, surprisingly, they discover they have lived parallel lives. “I had the love of my life when I was 78!” Martin said. They experienced similar joys and heartbreaks.

“We were married to abusive men in the first marriage, we had to raise children alone, and we went to school later in life,” Shaffer said.

The title of Shaffer’s next book is “She Always Gets Her Man,” and the pair plan to have it ready in time for a German book tour. That’s just the start of Shaffer’s big plans. She said she’s got a lot of books in the works.

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.