Georgia Power removes 300-year-old live oak

CNN Newsource on February 26, 2026

By Graham Cawthon, Grace Rodriguez

Click here for updates on this story

    SAVANNAH, Georgia (WJCL) — Georgia Power has removed a roughly 300-year-old live oak along Little Neck Road after weeks of public attention and community efforts to protect the tree.

In a statement, the utility said it “explored all options” but determined the tree had to come down to complete an expansion and upgrade of the Little Ogeechee–Big Ogeechee transmission line, a nearly 5-mile project along Little Neck Road. The company said the work is needed to maintain reliability for existing customers and to meet new growth, and that delays could increase the risk of outages during peak summer heat.

“We appreciate the important cultural and historical significance of Savannah’s live oaks,” said William Mock, Georgia Power’s Savannah-based region executive. Mock said the company’s priority is “maintaining reliable and affordable electric service to thousands of customers in Savannah.”

Georgia Power said the selected route complies with federal safety and reliability regulations and is the “least impactful” overall, allowing the company to avoid wetlands and a cemetery and to prevent removing “hundreds of additional trees” across an estimated 17 or more acres.

The company said the live oak was on private property, not in a public park or historically designated area, and that it had negotiated an additional easement with the property owners more than a year ago that included permission to trim or remove the tree.

Chatham County arborists evaluated the live oak and said it met criteria for an “Exceptional Tree,” a designation that treats it as a public landmark and provides protections under the county’s Land Disturbing Activities ordinance.

Georgia Power said that despite the designation, it has authority under state law to manage vegetation in its right of way as needed to provide reliable service, and that no further action was required to proceed.

The tree had become a rallying point for residents, including property owner Allen Grizzard, whose family said it had owned the land for 98 years. Supporters had gathered for events near the tree, shared posts on social media and discussed efforts to preserve it.

“We truly regret that we have to remove this tree,” Mock said, adding, “There simply is no other option.”

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.

Teacher uses art to show Black history is American history

CNN Newsource on February 26, 2026

By Ayron Lewallen

Click here for updates on this story

    HOOVER, Alabama (WVTM) — In a Hoover High School classroom, art teacher Ahmad Austin uses art to show students that Black history is woven into American history, helping them discover their identities and aspirations.

“Black history is American history. A part of American history wouldn’t be where it is today because of Black history. I think they intertwine together,” Austin said.

As the art teacher at Hoover High School, Austin makes sure students know the names and legacy they’re part of, mentioning artists like Basquiat, Alma Thomas, Jacob Lawrence, and Romare Bearden.

For many students, art is where they find their voice and a place where they feel seen.

Lamon Jarman, a student, said, “All of us shape ourselves to be seen by other people. If you’re going to shape yourself, you might as well do in a way that you like personally and not just because someone told you to style your hair this way, or draw this way, or move that way.”

Capri Parks, another student, finds the classroom a safe space to create without fear.

“Being in this classroom, it’s a lot of discovering that art isn’t about perfecting it and making it look good. It’s about how it makes you feel and if you feel accomplished by that,” Parks said.

Austin hopes his students walk away from his class knowing that art doesn’t stop when the bell rings.

Parks added, “He’s just very good at making sure that art that is done in this room expands outside of it, and that we use that as we go forward through our high school and figure out what we want to do.”

Austin said, “When I was younger, my dad used to play jazz music around the house all the time. At that time, I was all about hip hop and jazz music. I wanted to see that missed. And then as I got older, I can appreciate support. And then I started to kind of implement in my art with the jazz.”

Now, Austin is inspiring the next generation of artists, teaching students that Black art is a living, breathing part of America’s story still being painted, creating a colorful story of our past, present, and future.

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 Museum of Art seeking missing segregation-era works of first Black artist

CNN Newsource on February 26, 2026

By Guy Rawlings

Click here for updates on this story

    BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (WVTM) — Seventy-five years after its founding, the Birmingham Museum of Art is asking the public to help locate the missing works the first Black artist to have an exhibition at the museum during segregation – Corietta Mitchell.

The Birmingham Museum of Art was established in 1951 during the height of Jim Crow laws, which mandated segregation in public venues.

Graham Boettcher, the museum’s director, said, “Because the museum was founded in the era of Jim Crow, all of the racist, segregationist laws that were in place at that time applied to all public venues… for this institution, that meant that Black visitors could only attend one day a week.”

For decades, Black patrons were turned away simply for showing up on the wrong day, a reality the museum now openly acknowledges.

“It’s something that’s a shameful part of our history, but it’s something we have to acknowledge to be able to move forward and really fully serve this community,” Boettcher said.

In March 1963, four months before Birmingham officially repealed segregation laws, the museum’s founding director, Richard Howard, made a historic decision.

“He accorded a one-woman show to an artist named Corietta Mitchell, who was a major figure in the Birmingham art scene at that time. Now, the art scene in Birmingham was segregated as well. And there were two Birmingham art clubs, one all black, one all white,” Boettcher said.

Mitchell was a leader of Birmingham’s Black Art Club, an educator, a classically trained pianist, and a trailblazer. Her exhibition drew more than 600 people and made headlines across Alabama.

“In later years, as Corietta Mitchell continued to exhibit her work here in Birmingham, it was often brought up she was the first Black artist to have an exhibition at the Birmingham Museum of Art. That’s something she became known for as a trailblazer. Sadly, I will say, though, to this day we have not been able to locate a single example of her work,” Boettcher said.

Not one painting, not one print, just a checklist and a grainy newspaper photo remain. As the museum celebrates its 75th anniversary, that absence feels impossible to ignore.

“As we look ahead at the future, we’re also looking back at the past, and acknowledging our history — that’s the good, the bad, and the ugly,” Boettcher said.

Boettcher, an art historian, says the search for Mitchell has become deeply personal, part scholarship, part moral obligation.

“From, thank goodness, newspapers.com we do know little bits and pieces. We know Richard Howard was going to exhibitions of the work of Black-American artists that were being hosted in the auditorium at the AG Gaston building,” Boettcher said. “I really want to know how it was that he defied the Jim Crow laws of the time… and that Coretta Mitchell was able to have this very successful exhibition.”

The museum is now asking for the public’s help – family members, former students, anyone who might know where Mitchell’s work went.

“If any of your viewers knew Corietta Mitchell, took piano with her, friends socially, I wish I knew what church she went to – that would be another lead we could look into. But, someone in the Magic City has to remember her,” Boettcher said.

Finding her art wouldn’t just fill a gap in the museum’s collection; it would restore a name nearly lost to history.

“Sometimes you hear the term ‘revisionist history.’ This is not revisionist history. This is getting it right,” Boettcher said.

More than sixty years after that groundbreaking exhibition, the Birmingham Museum of Art is working to give credit where credit is due. If you have any information about Corietta Mitchell or her artwork, the museum is urging you to come forward.

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.

Baby seal rescued after wandering into the road at the Jersey Shore

CNN Newsource on February 26, 2026

By WABC Staff

Click here for updates on this story

    OCEAN COUNTY, New Jersey (WABC) — A baby gray seal’s snow day on the beach turned into a roadway rescue in Ocean County, New Jersey.

Police in Harvey Cedars found the pup lounging right in the middle of Long Beach Boulevard, shutting down traffic before she waddled along.

After a trip to the hospital and some much-needed care, the seal is safe and recovering.

This wasn’t your typical post-blizzard call.

“They had received a call from a motorist going down Long Beach Boulevard and stumbled across, an animal laying in the middle of the road,” Jay Pagel with the Marine Mammal Stranding Center said.

That animal was a gray seal just taking a nap in the middle of Harvey Cedars on the Jersey Shore.

“For the most part, we estimate her to be about 6 to 8 weeks, roughly. Probably came down here from New England and Canada, which is typically where they’re born,” Pagel said.

Pagel and the Marine Mammal Stranding Center were called in to get the pup to safety.

“With the help of the PD, we were able to kind of get her in our net, transfer her into our crate, and bring her back down here,” Pagel said.

This isn’t the first time a seal has been found wandering around on land.

“These little gray seals tend to get into some, usually a couple of cases a year. We’ll find them wandering either in the street or in somebody’s backyard. They basically come up on the beach, they get up over the dune, and they just can’t figure out how to get back to the water,” Pagel said.

If you ever come across a seal on the shore, experts say to keep your distance.

“Stay back about 150ft. These animals are federally protected. They are wild animals. They do have big teeth, just like a dog, so they can get aggressive,” Pagel said.

Pagel says this baby seal was a little underweight, but despite her ordeal, she is doing well.

“She looks pretty good. She doesn’t have any major injuries that we can find. Our veterinarian will be in tomorrow. We’re going to do a more thorough exam,” Pagel said.

Once she gains some weight and gets the seal of approval, she’ll be heading back to the ocean.

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.

AI gospel artist Solomon Ray reaches hearts with his song ‘Find Your Rest’

CNN Newsource on February 26, 2026

By Brooklyn Joyner

Click here for updates on this story

    JACKSON, Mississippi (WAPT) — Solomon Ray, an AI gospel artist, is touching the hearts of listeners with his song “Find Your Rest.”

“When somebody says this song helps me find my way back to Jesus, that’s everything,” said Solomon Ray.

Solomon Ray may be talking, but someone else is telling him what to say.

Topher Townsend, a content creator and musician from Philadelphia, Mississippi, is the mind behind Solomon Ray, brought to life through artificial intelligence.

Townsend was inspired by Grammy-winning producer Timbaland, who was promoting his new AI artist, Tata, and began experimenting with AI software in early 2025. He said, “He doesn’t release anything without me. I sit and meditate on the songs, a lot of them are based in scripture. I make sure it’s something the Lord would be pleased with.”

Solomon has more than 500,000 monthly listeners on Spotify. His number one song, “Find Your Rest,” topped the Billboard Gospel Music Charts in 2025.

Ray expressed gratitude for the song’s success, saying, “When someone tells me a song helped them through grief or temptation or just a hard morning, that’s bigger than numbers.”

Townsend explained that creating songs using AI software is not a quick and easy process.

“For me personally, I make sure that I add all the lyrics, one because I like that creative control as it does melodies. I also go in post-production, where we can generate sections or rearrange them. I do a lot of that,” he said.

Maalik Miles, director of digital marketing at Malaco Records, believes AI has a future in the music industry.

Miles demonstrated how this software is used, with their most recent project using AI to bring popular blues album covers to life, featuring artists like Little Milton and Z.Z. Hill.

“People love to see that come to life, as far as they knew that cover, they never seen video on most of those artists,” Miles said.

To create these music videos, Miles types in prompts of what he wants illustrated and adjusts them until he gets his desired outcome.

“I look at it like it’s an animation thing. We create things with AI to make an artist, music video,” he said.

Though AI musicians have faced criticism and calls for more regulation. State Sen. Bradford Blackmon is pushing “The Name Image and Voice Act,” a bill he says would protect Mississippians’ likeness from being used without their permission.

“If you have a law on the books that says, hey, you can be fined a minimum of $5,000 if not more for taking somebody’s image or their voice or their name and digitally altering it, putting it out there, maybe it’ll cause you to stop and think about it,” Blackmon said.

Blackmon noted that although creations like Solomon Ray are original, most content curated by AI is inspired by humans who already exist.

“It’s easy to say this is original. This is just an original voice, but that’s not the case. It has to be pulled from somewhere, it’s sourced from somewhere, and with the protections in place, you can try to figure out where that source is coming from,” he said.

Brooks Derryberry and Tim Avalon, members of the newly formed group “The Rangers,” often perform at Hal and Mal’s and feel AI could be a threat to real-life musicians.

“AI can take your song and make some changes, be almost the same song but with some material changes, and now you’ve basically lost your intellectual property,” Derryberry said. Avalon added, “It may produce things a human really can’t do or play that fast.”

Derryberry questioned how AI artists would connect to listeners, saying, “AI won’t ever be able to tell a story because it won’t ever have that connection to the story, that imagination.”

Townsend acknowledged the criticism, saying, “It’s a soulless machine. What does it know about the pain, the testimony, the trials that we go through as humans? And all I have to say is, yeah, it doesn’t, and that’s why the human can’t be ignored in the process.”

Townsend views his use of AI as a partnership. “There is a lot of music that we are going to have to reject if AI being involved is an issue,” he said.

Courtland Liddell, a Grammy-winning audio engineer at Malaco Records, said AI has been used in music since the 80s.

“If you ever wonder why an artist may sound different live versus on their studio album, because the voice has been modified in some shape, form, or fashion,” Liddell said.

He warned that the overuse of AI could lead to listener fatigue.

“All the music we are accustomed to hearing and making is not perfect, and AI, when you look at it, it’s correcting all those notes, it’s making everything perfect, and naturally, as humans, we’re gonna get tired of that,” he said.

The Rangers agree, saying, “It doesn’t scare me because it ain’t gonna never take my joy away.” They believe vulnerability and authenticity can only come from real-life musicians.

“AI music will never be able to interact with the audience and create a connection to the audience, and that’s what brings people out,” they said.

Townsend believes AI should be embraced, saying, “Now we have an opportunity, especially with the success of Solomon Ray, to help lead that. We can help put those guardrails in place that’s gonna make sure that this area remains human or this human element is not rid of.”

Solomon concluded, “I’m not a replacement for humanity, I’m an extension of 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.

Omaha man receives pioneering heart valve surgery

CNN Newsource on February 26, 2026

By Melissa Fry

Click here for updates on this story

    OMAHA, Nebraska (KETV) — Mike Albritton from Omaha underwent a pioneering heart valve replacement surgery using new laser-cut technology, offering him a renewed chance at an active life.

Albritton’s health had been declining rapidly after suffering two heart attacks in 2018.

“Terrible. It just felt like I couldn’t do what I used to be able to do,” Albritton said.

He described one of his heart attacks as a “widowmaker heart attack, which they corrected with a couple of stents.”

Last year, Albritton required a new heart valve, and Dr. Ali Khiabani performed a “sutureless” procedure at CHI Bergan Mercy.

“It became available the day of the surgery,” Dr. Khiabani said, noting that Albritton’s surgery was the first in the country to use this new technology.

The procedure involved a new “laser-cut” sutureless valve, which uses bovine tissue for improved durability and blood flow.

“The leaflets of the valve that are made from bovine tissue were cut with laser,” Dr. Khiabani said. He explained that “more precision gives us potentially better outcomes in terms of leaflet coadaptation, less valvular degeneration and better gradient across the valve.”

This innovative approach offers better longevity and may delay future operations, allowing Albritton more time to enjoy activities like biking, walking his dogs, and shopping with his wife.

“I’m real happy with the results, and I look forward to a new lease on life,” Albritton said.

His improved health is especially significant for his daughter, Bailey Albritton, who looks forward to her father walking her down the aisle at her upcoming wedding.

“He’s so special, so important for so many people, and I’m lucky to have him,” she said.

If Albritton requires another heart valve replacement in the future, doctors can perform the procedure intravenously, which involves minimal downtime.

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.

‘Just surreal’: Omaha driver describes moment his car collapsed into a sinkhole

CNN Newsource on February 26, 2026

By Beth Carlson

Click here for updates on this story

    OMAHA, Nebraska (KETV) — An Omaha driver was making his normal commute home after 3 p.m. Tuesday when he stopped at the intersection of 67th and Pacific. Moments later, his car fell several feet into the ground.

Jonathan Inman is the driver of the red Jeep seen in video collapsing into a sinkhole. He says he remembers driving up to the light and then remembers needing to get out of the car.

Video captures moment when road ‘collapses’ leaving two vehicles stuck

“It didn’t even like sink. It just went right down. I don’t even remember that moment,” Inman said. “I remember being there, and then I remember, you know, looking up like, ‘okay, I need to get out right now.'”

Inman says he was able to open his car door and grabbed whatever was nearest to him, like his keys and cellphone. He says he was nervous to exit his car, which had tilted backwards so his front bumper pointed out of the sinkhole.

“That whole thing was just surreal. The first thing I remember, basically seeing as the woman who had made the call to 911 just standing there like get help and whatnot, and then basically, adrenaline kicks in. My thought was, I need to get out of this car,” Inman said.

‘All he could see was the blue sky’: Driver describes moments his vehicle was trapped in sinkhole

Omaha Police confirmed neither driver was hurt. Inman says he’s grateful to the nearby drivers who came running to help.

“I couldn’t pull myself out because there was nothing to step on, just based on the height of it. So thankfully, those bystanders were there to help pull me out,” Inman said.

Tow truck crews and Omaha Police and Fire were able to successfully pull both cars out. Inman said he was unable to drive his car based on the damages and is waiting for further assessment.

“You can’t actually open the back because that whole bottom part is gone, and the muffler was hanging off,” Inman said.

He says adrenaline carried him through it. But for many of the people he told, the story was shocking.

“A lot of my friends told me that I have a great party story from now on,” Inman said. “Obviously, had either of us been moving, had this hole sunk in the opposite direction, I think it would have been much worse for both of us. So, I’m very grateful that it happened as it did.”

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.

After a decade, Iowa State to end ‘ISU 4U Promise’ free tuition program

CNN Newsource on February 26, 2026

By Jodi Long

Click here for updates on this story

    AMES, Iowa (KCCI) — Iowa State University is ending a program that promised free tuition to some Des Moines students, citing funding concerns and uncertainty about sustaining the effort long term.

The ISU 4U Promise Program, a partnership between Iowa State and Des Moines Public Schools, was designed to make college more accessible and affordable to students at King and Moulton Elementary Schools. Students who attended either of those schools, graduated from high school, and were accepted to Iowa State could attend tuition-free. The schools are among the district’s most diverse and are located in one of the city’s poorest ZIP codes.

The program helped first-generation college students like sisters Cyntechy Boduro and Promise Barford, who said the scholarship made college possible and helped them thrive at Iowa State, where they have earned academic honors.

“It’s the reason why I’m even sitting here,” said Barford, a freshman studying immigration law. “I really don’t know how I would have funded college for myself if I didn’t have this scholarship.”

Laura Jolly, Dean of the College of Health Sciences, the department that oversees the program for the university, said Iowa State has contributed more than $1 million toward tuition awards since 2015, but budget pressures led the university to reconsider its ongoing investment.

“We had to step back and think about, is this something we can sustain over time? The environment was uncertain, and I think it remains uncertain,” explained Jolly.

Since the program’s inception a decade ago, eleven ISU 4U scholars have graduated from Iowa State, 33 are currently enrolled. Over the next five years, the program will transition to a scholarship opportunity before the initiative fully dissolves. Iowa State said its transition plan aims to equip teachers and school leaders with tools to build on the ISU 4U model as the university steps back from direct support.

“Our hope is that the relationship and the things we have put in place will sustain that momentum,” said Jolly.

Students enrolled at King and Moulton prior to the 2025 – 2026 school years will remain eligible to receive tuition awards if they choose to enroll at Iowa State.

Starting this school year through 2029, new students at Moulton and King elementary schools will be eligible for an Iowa state scholarship of up to $6,000 over four years. The university says students will also need to complete FAFSA to see if they qualify for other forms of financial assistance.

Former state Rep. Ako Abdul-Samad, who helped create the program with former Iowa State President Steven Leath, said promise-style programs can help break cycles of generational poverty by giving children the tools and expectation to pursue higher education. He warned that losing such programs could make college harder to reach for marginalized students who need additional support.

“Should this program go away? No. Do I understand the college’s position? Do I understand the climate? I do, but I also understand the investment in our children,” says Abdul-Samad.

The move comes as colleges nationwide face enrollment pressure and shifting financial aid dynamics that can affect accessibility and affordability. In Iowa, four other promise programs remain, including Drake University’s Bulldog Promise, which offers free tuition to eligible Iowa students based on academic performance and combines federal and state grants with donor support, university officials said. Nearly 60 students were part of the university’s inaugural Bulldog Promise program. The university anticipates that number to “rise dramatically” next school year. Drake President Marty Martin says its Promise program is in an effort to attract and retain Iowa students.

“We’re putting various pots of money together to make this work for the students and make it work for the university,” says Martin. “These students are going to graduate with that Drake degree, and the vast majority will choose to stay here and make a lifetime contribution to our community.”

The deadline to apply for the Bulldog Promise for the 2026 – 2027 is March 1.

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.

This 8-year-old was born deaf, but thanks to new hearing technology, is able to follow her passion for dance

CNN Newsource on February 26, 2026

By Jacob Murphy

Click here for updates on this story

    SACO, Maine (WMTW) — Emma Blake has many different titles. Dancer, cheerleader, athlete, and even a social butterfly by her teachers and parents. One part of her that isn’t immediately apparent is Emma was born deaf.

“Without my hearing aids, I can’t hear anything,” she said.

Emma was born with a condition called bilateral microtia atresia, which means both ears are underdeveloped. The inside of her ear works just the same as anyone else’s, except there’s no way for the sound to get through.

“It was very emotional, you know, seeing that your kid is born with some exceptionalities that are going to make things challenging throughout her life,” said Jill Blake, Emma’s mom.

When testing determined the inside of Emma’s ear was working, Emma’s parents got to work advocating for Emma to have bone-conducting hearing technology as soon as possible. At 3-months-old she got Cochlear’s Baha System. It takes sound from around Emma and vibrates her skull. Similar technology has been used to make headphones for swimmers.

“It was the first time I could hear,” Emma said.

Jill shared a video of Emma as a baby wearing the Baha system for the first time. It’s worn like a headband, and you can see Emma react to her parents’ voice.

Getting her the technology so young, Emma was able to learn spoken language at a rate similar to her peers.

“She had access to that sound really early, and we worked with speech therapist, an early intervention from three months on. So Emma has very typical developing speech,” Jill said.

That’s not where Emma’s hearing journey ends. While the Baha system was helpful for Emma’s development, it still had its problems. It was itchy and sometimes gave audio feedback. Emma being so active meant it would occasionally fall off.

Around two years ago, the FDA approved for a newer Cochlear device, called the Osia system, to be used by Children younger than 12. It had to be surgically installed, but would significantly improve the sound quality and reduce audio delays. Emma’s family again advocated for her to get access to the new technology as soon as possible.

“I do actually think she was the first five-year-old implanted in Maine,” Jill said. Five is now the minimum age to install the device.

Emma’s family immediately noticed the difference.

“She can pick up on the beat much more quickly. And there’s less of a delay in the input coming through,” Jill said.

For Emma, who loves music (especially Taylor Swift), it helps her enjoy what she loves even more. “I like to dance in the music and not just follow my teachers,” she said.

Jill says she’s thankful that Emma doesn’t need to realize how significantly the hearing aid has changed her life, because it’s all she’s known. She’s able to do everything that her friends are capable of.

“If you look at the time between when she was born in eight years, now she’s gone through two totally different systems, one of which didn’t even exist to the market at that point in time. So we feel really blessed that we live here and that we have opportunities that we do to be able to give her the access to the sound,” 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.

Slow snow cleanup sparks frustration in some communities after historic blizzard

CNN Newsource on February 26, 2026

By Sera Congi, Mary Saladna, Imani Clement

Click here for updates on this story

    TAUNTON, Massachusetts (WCVB) — Residents living in Taunton and Raynham, Massachusetts, said they were beyond frustrated with the cleanup process after a historic blizzard dropped nearly 3 feet of snow on their communities.

Route 44 in Raynham had a rocky layer of ice Tuesday morning.

“Snow-covered, not slush. You can get through slush,” said Uber driver Rendie Myers. “I’m pulling up to people’s houses where their driveways are. Cars are stuck, and I’m driving them around.”

Along Route 24, some abandoned cars were barely visible, buried in snowbanks.

In Taunton, nearly 30 inches of snow fell. Taunton Mayor Shaunna O’Connell said crews are working around the clock to clear 300 miles of roadway.

However, residents said they are struggling.

“People are busting their backs out here. The plows come by and push it right back on it,” one resident said. “How is somebody with a snowblower or a shovel supposed to move that?”

Frustration is an understatement for residents living on Dean and Presbrey avenues, who said the plows have not come by. Some are trying to clear the streets themselves, worried about whether emergency vehicles can get in.

“Here, it’s ridiculous we have to live like this,” another neighbor said. “They haven’t come down here yet, and I don’t know if they’re going to come here or not. Terrible!

O’Connell is asking residents for patience, saying that if a street has not been cleared, it’s not because it’s been overlooked but because there are so many streets and the volume of snow is extraordinary.

In Fall River, residents were also upset at the snow removal progress. The city received over 2 feet of snow, and by Tuesday, streets were still unplowed.

“I have to plow myself out to go to work tomorrow because I just started a new job and I can’t afford to call out. It’s pretty sad. You pay taxes— for what?” one resident said.

Impassable streets made travel difficult for emergency services as well.

“We’ve been left jumping over the snow banks and kind of crawling and shoveling our way up the main streets,” Fall River fire lieutenant Michael LaFleur said. “Unfortunately, it’s created a significant delay in us actually getting to the location of the emergency by the sheer volume of snow that’s on the ground.”

Residents on Diman Street are trying to remain hopeful.

“They did do that street over there with a front loader, so we’re hoping that we get it over here soon,” Eric Rodrigues said.

Fall River Mayor Paul Coogan said additional snow removal equipment will arrive on Wednesday from the state. The city hopes to make significant progress by Friday, but admits it will take another week or so to clear the roughly 30 inches that fell Sunday into Monday.

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.