Category: CNN Regional

By Kaley O’Kelley

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    PHOENIX (KNXV) — The NeeDoh craze has made its way to the Valley.

Children, parents and collectors are waking up before sunrise and waiting hours for a chance to buy the colorful, palm-sized squishy toys that have exploded in popularity on TikTok.

Among them are soon-to-be sixth-graders Kennedi Maio, Charlotte McCracken and their friend, Isabella, who arrived outside Arcadia Toys in Phoenix at 4:16 a.m. on a recent morning with pillows, snacks and a specific list of the NeeDohs they hoped to find.

“Because we love NeeDohs,” Charlotte told ABC15’s Kaley O’Kelley.

Charlotte was searching for several of these hard-to-find squish toys.

“I’m looking for the Super NeeDoh, the Wildcat, and the Jellyfish NeeDoh,” she said.

NeeDohs are sensory toys designed to be squeezed, pulled and squished before returning to their original shape, according to Schylling, the Massachusetts company behind the brand.

The company launched NeeDoh in 2017 and has since expanded the line into different shapes, sizes, textures and fillings.

The toys are not new, but their popularity recently reached another level.

Schylling CEO Paul Weingard told Business Insider that the company sold through inventory intended to last all of 2026 during the first nine weeks of the year.

He said demand had grown far faster than Schylling could replenish stores, leading to frequent sellouts and a rush by the company to increase production.

That shortage has turned new shipments into events commonly called “drops.”

When stores announce a restock on social media, collectors begin sharing the information and, in some cases, lining up hours before the doors open.

Kennedi is just one kid who signs up for those drop alerts and brings friends along for the hunt. The girls tell ABC15 they have waited as long as eight hours for a chance to purchase four NeeDohs each.

Isabella said she was focused on finding a Wildcat.

“They’re just really rare,” she said. “I’ve been looking for them for a while.”

For Charlotte and Isabella, much of the appeal is collecting the different colors, shapes and textures.

Kennedi, however, saw another opportunity.

“I buy them. I sell them. And some of them I keep,” she said.

Kennedi and her family resell some of the harder-to-find toys through online marketplaces. She also says it has become difficult to keep track of how much money she has brought in.

“It’s kind of hard to count because I’ve made a lot,” she said.

“When you say a lot, what’s a lot?” O’Kelley asked.

“Um, like $500 maybe?” Kennedi replied. The amount reflects the money Kennedi says she’s made by selling online.

O’Kelley asked, “You’ve made $500 selling NeeDohs?!”

Kennedi nodded.

Many NeeDohs sell at major retailers for about $6.

Target, for example, lists several popular styles, including the Fuzz Ball, Nice Cube and Mello Mallo, for $5.99.

On the resale market, however, prices can climb quickly.

Modern Retail reported that StockX had completed more than 2,500 NeeDoh sales by May of this year.

Sales on the platform increased 150% from March to April, and more than 50,000 people searched for the brand during the first four months of the year.

ABC15 also found DePop listings asking $110 for a Mini Nice Cube, $150 for a Cloud Pleaser, and $300 for a Crystal Squeeze.

The $110 Mini Nice Cube listing also included 10 additional surprise squishy toys, meaning the listed price did not apply to the cube alone.

That distinction matters for families hoping to make money from the trend.

The best way to estimate a NeeDoh’s value is to research completed sales involving the same style, color, size and condition. Current listings show what sellers hope to receive. Completed transactions show what buyers have actually paid.

Facebook Marketplace can be useful for local transactions, particularly when buyers and sellers want to avoid shipping.

However, a parent or guardian should control the account, messages, payment, and meeting when a child is involved.

Kennedi’s summer side hustle also reflects a broader shift in how young people think about making money. Before she has even started sixth grade, she is already learning how supply, demand, social media and online marketplaces can transform a toy into a business opportunity.

For Kennedi and her friends, the process starts with a restock alert, an early alarm, and a lot of patience.

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 Anthony Carlo

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    NEW YORK (WABC) — A small Smart car parked at 54th Street and 10th Avenue is turning heads – and stopping pedestrians in their tracks – thanks to the unmistakable aroma of fresh, stone-fired pizza coming from its open trunk.

Pizza Pod NYC, a mobile micropizzeria operated entirely out of a two-seater vehicle, is the creation of owner Bradley Alvelo, who says the unconventional setup began with a simple idea.

“I just happened to have this smart car so I just kind of hooked it up so it worked. And here we are,” Alvelo said.

Inside the trunk, Alvelo stores olive oil, sauce and cheese instead of the usual roadside essentials. A portable generator powers the mini ovens that allow him to bring his pizza to any street corner he chooses. For Alvelo, the mobility is intentional.

“Before jumping into a storefront that’s charging anywhere from 8,000 to 20,000 dollars a month, I want to make sure people are enjoying the product,” he said.

Customers often stop midstride, surprised to find fresh, hot pizza being made from the back of a tiny car. One patron, still chewing, shook his head when asked whether he expected such a setup. Alvelo says the reactions have become routine.

“This is New York City so people have seen it all but I’ve noticed everyone has to stop. From truck drivers to kids coming out of school doesn’t matter they’re like hold on let me take a second and see what’s happening over here,” he said.

Alvelo calls Pizza Pod NYC “New York City’s smallest pizzeria.” Beyond street corners, he says the compact setup has made him a popular choice for events.

“In off broadway theaters, we’ve been on rooftops, kids birthday parties,” he said.

The concept has gained traction on social media, helping fuel demand for Alvelo’s nine different 12-inch stone-fired pies. With 20 years of professional cooking experience – much of it in corporate dining – he says the inspiration traces back to his childhood in the Bronx.

“I grew up eating pizza. Pizza is number one comfort food. And when you’re a broke kid pizza will save your life,” Alvelo said.

Pizza Pod NYC continues to pop up across the city, offering a new twist on small business – and a big slice of nostalgia – from the back of a car.

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 Riley Nagel

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    BAKERSFIELD, California (KERO) — The Ready Set Back 2 School Health and Wellness Fair returns to the Kern County Museum on Thursday, Aug. 6, with thousands of backpacks and school supplies ready to be given away to families.

The event runs from 9 a.m. to noon. Organizers recommend arriving early to get through the line and take advantage of everything the event has to offer.

What began 17 years ago as a small backpack giveaway in a parking lot has grown into one of Kern County’s biggest back-to-school traditions. The event has expanded from a parking lot to Mill Creek Park and now fills the Kern County Museum with more than 90 community partners offering healthcare and dental services, employment resources and school supplies.

Behind the event is months of work by employees with Kern County Child Support Services, who hold fundraisers, collect donations and work alongside community partners to make it possible.

Toni Kendrick, with Kern County Child Support Services, said the staff who raise the money are central to the event’s success.

“They’re the reason why we have the event. They raise all the money to purchase the backpacks. I think it’s rewarding for us,” Kendrick said.

For many employees, seeing children leave with backpacks they helped provide is the most meaningful part of the day.

Antonio Vital said the event gives staff a chance to see the results of their efforts firsthand.

“They can see the fruits of their labor, so to speak, when they’ve been raising funds for a few months and now they get to see the backpacks actually given out to children,” Vital said.

This year, organizers hope to distribute more than 3,000 backpacks along with enough school supplies to help families through the school year. With the cost of back-to-school shopping continuing to climb, organizers say every backpack can make a difference.

“But I hear from the staff that there is a lot of thank-yous. It’s just one last thing they have to buy for the school year,” Kendrick said.

The event is designed to offer more than free backpacks. Dozens of local organizations will be on hand providing health services, employment information and other resources to support families beyond the first day of school.

“This is a very serious job that we have, but this is the one day of the year that we get to actually enjoy and actually serve our community first hand,” Vital said.

Kendrick said the event reflects something larger about the community.

“It’s just, it’s just a wonderful feeling to see us coming together. You know, Kern County is big on giving back to the community, and this is just a small part of that,” Kendrick said.

The Ready Set Back 2 School Health and Wellness Fair takes place Thursday, Aug. 6, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Kern County Museum.

“Enjoy it. Enjoy the event and what we have to offer,” Kendrick said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KERO verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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 Brieanna Smith

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    NORTHEAST TALLAHASSEE, Florida (WTXL) — A “little free library” built by preschoolers at Killearn Lakes Preschool is full again after someone stole more than 50 books and threw them in a dumpster just a week after it was installed.

The theft hit especially hard because students built the box themselves during the preschool’s “Construction Week,” painting it and installing it outside.

Students John Paul and Maddox were among those who helped put it together.

“We holded the drill and like helped made it a lot, make it a lot,” Maddox said.

“They chose to throw them away, which I think might even be worse. It makes me feel sad. It makes me feel sad for this small community of Killearn Lakes, because you don’t feel like you live in a place where someone would be willing to do that,” Owner Allison Crawford said.

Crawford says the box was designed to motivate students to read. HeadStart reports that reading at an early age helps kids develop language and supports pre-literacy skills.

“I think that now it’s very hard to get children to be motivated to read, and I think that building something like this gave them a different type of motivation than just sitting down as a chore and having to read,” Crawford said.

However, the community rallied quickly. Crawford said has she received about three boxes of donated books since the theft.

“It feels amazing. We had many, many past families that donated whose children are in middle and high school, and they came by and donated books to the cause, and we have current families that have re-donated books,” Crawford said.

Crawford said the school is now installing security cameras facing the box to prevent future thefts.

As for what the students had to say to whoever took the books:

“No, that’s mine. You can’t take that from me,” John Paul said.

“No, we put those books in there,” Maddox said.

Because of the volume of donations, the school is encouraging the community to start using the box again to cycle through the books and make room for more.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WTXL verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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 Taylor Locke

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    CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Virginia (WTVR) — A man is counting his blessings after live power lines crashed onto his Jeep when another driver struck a utility pole.

Keith Adcock was driving home on Courthouse Road near Richland Road last week when a vehicle veered into a ditch, drove through a neighbor’s front yard and struck a power pole.

The impact brought the lines down directly onto Adcock’s Jeep, trapping him in the middle of the road.

“The cables and everything came right down under my windshield,” Adcock said.

Adcock remained inside his vehicle for about an hour before Dominion crews could deenergize the wires.

“I stayed in my vehicle and the Dominion guy was out there and I said ‘I’m staying in my vehicle and I’m not getting out’ and he goes ‘Good man because those lines are live and you know they will kill you,'” Adcock said.

Adcock says a Dominion worker told him the front bumper on his Jeep may have saved his life by preventing the lines from sliding up over the hood and through the windshield.

“If that bumper wasn’t there it would’ve came up over the hood and went through the windshield…he said it would’ve taken my head off,” Adcock said.

Looking back on the moment the lines came down, Adcock said he put his faith in a higher power.

“I let go of the wheel and tapped on my breaks a little bit and said ‘Jesus take the wheel,'” Adcock said. “Like yeah wow, I mean unbelievable and who else could it happen to, they picked me.”

Adcock’s insurance is covering the cost to repair his Jeep.

He said he hopes his story serves as a reminder to never approach a downed power line and always stay alert while driving.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WTVR verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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 Joi Fultz

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    HENRICO COUNTY, Virginia (WTVR) — Lucky and Twinky are 1-year-old chickens with plenty of personality — and they’re the faces of a hands-on learning program that has reached thousands of students across Henrico County.

The two chickens were born through the “Hatching at Home” program offered by Henrico 4-H, which brings eggs and incubation equipment directly to classrooms and homes so participants can witness the full life cycle of a chick.

Carter Humphries, who works with the county’s 4-H Youth Development Program, is one of four staff members leading the effort in Henrico.

“I’ll be out and about, they’ll be like, ‘You’re the chicken lady!'” Humphries said.

The program delivers a dozen eggs and all the equipment needed to nurture them to schools across the county. Last year, it reached a significant number of young learners.

“This past year, we reached 13,000 kids just through our in-school hatching program alone. We do chicks, ducks, turkeys, geese, quail,” Humphries said.

The program’s popularity has grown beyond traditional classrooms. It is now available to homeschool families and co-ops as well.

“They would get a rainbow color of eggs for each family, each classroom, different size variations, and as they hatch, they will see the different breeds,” Humphries said.

Humphries said the experience connects to core academic standards and broader development goals.

“It really ties into almost all of the SOLs and just some of those other life skills that kids really we want to see them working on developing,” Humphries said.

The cost to participate is $30, which covers the eggs and equipment rental.

“That covers the cost of our eggs. That also covers the cost for renting the equipment, which includes the incubator,” Humphries said. “It also includes a brooder box, heat plate, feeder water, which is what the chicks will hang out kind of after they hatch.”

Families who do not want to keep the chicks after they hatch can return them to the county to be cared for.

Lucky and Twinky — now regulars at program events — have become ambassadors for what the experience can spark in young learners.

Those interested in hatching a chick at home can visit henrico.gov/extension/4h for more information.

This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WTVR verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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 Deanna Sipe

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    ROBBINSVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — The Robbinsville Board of Aldermen has accepted Mayor Shaun Adams’ decision to take a three-month leave of absence following his arrest on Monday, August 3.

As previously reported, Adams was arrested on six felony drug charges, including trafficking, as well as misdemeanors for carrying a concealed firearm and drug paraphernalia.

On Tuesday, August 4, the Board of Alderman met for a scheduled meeting, adding the discussion regarding the mayor to the meeting agenda.

“The board cannot just automatically remove him,” Town of Robbinsville Attorney Amy Merrill said.

During the Mayor’s update at the meeting, Adams stated that he was innocent.

“I would like to say that I’m not guilty of all accusations against me,” Adams said.

Before deliberating on what would happen with Adams, the board held a nearly 30-minute closed session. Coming back out of the closed session, the board announced that Adams would take a three-month leave of absence, during which the mayor pro-tem, Jackie Ayers, would serve.

“Throughout the discussion, the mayor was being very sensitive to the fact that the town needed to have some accountability to the public and he wanted to be able to allow for there to be a distance between him and the board while he works through some of the issues,” Merrill said.

The board also took action to split up Adams’ day-to-day mayoral responsibilities.

“The board truly feels that we have in place the theory ‘innocent until proven guilty’ and that our judicial system is there and is…should be allowed to do its job and let things play out and see what happens and then make any formal decisions,” Merrill said.

Merrill said that only time and the judicial process could tell what would happen when the three-month leave of absence is over.

“A lot of it will depend on whether he’s found guilty or not and then what the charges are. There would have to be some other type of procedure in place,” Merrill said.

Adams’ leave of absence became effective on Tuesday, Aug. 4. His next court date is set for Monday, Aug. 10.

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 Madison Adams

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    HENDERSON COUNTY, North Carolina (WLOS) — Many voters across western North Carolina were surprised to learn Republican U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards announced Wednesday he would not seek reelection, two days after the bipartisan House Ethics Committee recommended he be censured after finding he violated House rules in his interactions with two female staff members.

News 13 asked residents in Hendersonville and Asheville to get their reaction. While some closely follow politics, others said they don’t, and a few weren’t even familiar with Edwards.

Sam Engelhardt, an independent who recently moved to Asheville, said he wishes more people paid attention to local races but understands why many don’t.

“A lot of those elections, people don’t actually really follow,” Engelhardt said. “Sometimes the debates are only online, so you have to seek them out to learn about the candidates.”

Asked who he’d like to see on the ballot, Engelhardt laughed.

“Oh, me,” he said. “I’m more confident in myself than strangers that I don’t know.”

Engelhardt said he knows running for office isn’t easy because candidates often have to compromise to gain support.

“To gain support, a lot of times people end up making compromises in their beliefs,” he said. “It’s hard. You can’t win an election by yourself.”

Tony Varnadore, a Republican in Henderson County, said he was shocked to hear Edwards was ending his campaign.

“I just can’t believe it,” Varnadore said. “He’s such a good guy, and he’s done a lot for Henderson County. I’ve got his phone number. I can call him if I need something or ask him to check into something, and he’d do it.”

He said he got to know Edwards several years ago after working at a boys’ summer camp in Green River that Edwards’ parents operated.

“He grew up in Green River… I worked summer camp for him down there at his camp, and he was just a great guy,” Varnadore said. “He was one of the honest guys that, you know, I can probably count on my right hand how many honest people there are in Washington right now, and I’ve got one finger missing.”

Varnadore said he was skeptical when he heard about the House Ethics Committee’s findings against Edwards.

“My wife told me about it yesterday and said, ‘Did you hear about all that stuff about Chuck?'” Varnadore said. “I said, ‘That’s probably all crap that the Democrats have come up with.'”

Still, Varnadore said it is true, they should be taken seriously. “If anybody ever disrespected my daughters, I’d be upset, very upset.”

He also said he hopes Republican Party leaders choose someone voters can trust.

“I’d like for them to let the voters choose,” Varnador said. “But hopefully we’ve got enough common-sense Republicans who are going to find somebody to replace him who’s going to go with the same agenda that Donald Trump has. He needs all the help he can get.”

Under North Carolina law, the Republican Party’s 11th District Executive Committee, not voters , will choose the GOP nominee to replace Edwards on the November ballot. That’s been the process in North Carolina for more than 100 years when a party nominee drops out after winning the primary.

“Hopefully, there’s somebody the committee can find that would be honest,” Varnadore said. “That’s my big thing, honesty. There’s so many crooked politicians.”

Frank Owenby, a Republican from Henderson County, said he was disappointed to hear Edwards is ending his reelection campaign.

“I know after Helene, we contacted him, and it was like a week or so, we got immediate assistance,” Owenby said. “I’m very disappointed that he’s having to drop out. I think it’s just very unfair.”

Owenby said he questions the timing of the House Ethics Committee investigation against Edwards.

“Well, I feel like if it was very inappropriate, why didn’t it come up earlier?” he said. “Like a lot of the things lately in politics, you can’t keep going back years and years and have someone come up and accuse you of something. I think it’s really getting out of hand, and I hate it’s happening to him.”

Asked whether he would still support Edwards if the allegations proved to be true, Owenby said he would need to see evidence.

“If it was inappropriate, yes,” he said. “But I have my doubts that he’s done anything inappropriate. I’d have to see proof.”

Owenby said he would have preferred for voters, not party leaders, to choose the next Republican nominee.

The voters News 13 spoke with had different perspectives on Edwards and the accusations against him, but they all shared one hope: that whoever ends up on the November ballot will represent western North Carolina well.

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.