Category: CNN Regional

By Edward Franco

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    NAPLES, Florida (WBBH) — Overflowing portable restrooms by the Naples Beach pier are causing frustration among visitors, leading city leaders to request more frequent servicing and plan for a new restroom trailer.

With the Naples Pier still in construction and the permanent bathrooms closed, the seven temporary porta-potties near the beach access points on Broad Avenue South and 13th Avenue South are the only available facilities.

Residents and visitors have reported to Gulf Coast News that they “looked like they haven’t been changed for over a week” with paper products overflowing, trash on the floors, and unpleasant odors.

Maureen King said, “It is disappointing for sure.”

Service tags indicate the toilets were last serviced on Feb. 16, but they were already full the next day.

The City of Naples stated that the restrooms are serviced by a vendor three times a week. A representative from the vendor, John To Go, explained that each service includes pumping out and cleaning the units. However, neighbors believe this is insufficient.

“One solution is to have them emptied every day,” a neighbor suggested.

City leaders have requested more frequent servicing due to higher-than-expected usage. Maureen King commented on the situation, saying, “For such a prestigious area as Naples, Florida, you would expect better.”

The city plans to introduce a “temperature-controlled, fully functioning restroom trailer” to accommodate the heavy use.

King, visiting from New York, sees this as a positive development. “I’m glad to hear that they’re on the road to fixing the situation,” she said.

The Naples City Council will discuss the timeline for the new restroom trailer near the pier parking lot during the Wednesday, Feb. 18, meeting at Naples City Hall.

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 Jacquelyn Quinones

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    MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KSBW) — Crews have been working around the clock to clear debris from Highway 1 in Big Sur following recent storms, causing inconvenience for drivers but garnering understanding from many who acknowledge the unpredictability of Mother Nature.

Known for its scenic vistas, Highway 1 attracts tourists from around the world.

On Tuesday, drivers were turned away from parts of the Big Sur coast as Caltrans worked to remove mud and rocks from the road.

“It’s a little bit disappointing because I want to show my parents the famous 1 highway. It’s called the most beautiful highway, right? So now we’re just going to turn around and back to the 101,” one traveler, Yu Han, said.

Messages and directional signs have been placed to alert travelers in advance of the closure. In addition to Caltrans, some drivers took it upon themselves to remove debris from the road.

“That’s the first priority, to be safe,” Han said. “I guess maybe come on another day where there’s more sunshine and more drier weather.”

Other visitors expressed their disappointment at the disruption to their plans.

“We were really excited for it to open back up, and I made sure to have a chance to come back down, and it ran into the closure right when we’re here, right?” one visitor, Jason Summern, said.

“We were planning on driving Highway 1, but with all the rain, I was already worried that they might close, and it did,” another tourist, Caterina Band, said.

Caltrans said the slope above the roadway at Regent’s Slide is stable, but debris is coming from the base of the slope.

Crews will begin clearing debris during upcoming breaks in the rain, with the cleanup effort dependent on weather and site conditions. There is currently no estimated time for when the road will reopen.

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 Jenyne Donaldson

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    BALTIMORE (WBAL) — A historic lunch counter from Read’s Drugstore that’s on display at the Morgan State University Student Center demonstrates what would help spark the Civil Rights Movement across Baltimore.

Morgan State’s rich legacy has always been shaped by bold action and purpose, especially by its students. That includes a group of students who risked their own safety for desegregation.

“For whatever reason, popular history has the sit-in protest movement beginning in Greensboro, North Carolina, to Woolworth’s Feb. 1, 1960,” said Edwin Johnson, a proud Morgan State alum who serves as the special assistant to the provost and the university’s historian.

But that’s wrong.

While lunch counter sit-ins took place across the country, a group of Morgan State students was the first to take bold action against segregation in 1955.

“I’ve been corrected several times by Morgan alumni in that area, and they said, ‘We didn’t sit in, baby. We sat down.’ So, they were occupying segregated businesses and they sat down in order to agitate and advocate to integrate,” Johnson told WBAL-TV 11 News.

The students did so at great personal risk. While Maryland is not considered a part of the Deep South, it is a Southern state in which Black people who stood up against Jim Crow laws faced danger.

“I’ve met Morgan alumni from that 1947 to that 1963 history that inhaled tear gas, were clubbed by Maryland state troopers the whole nine,” Johnson told WBAL-TV 11 News.

Just a few days after the sit-in, Read’s announced all of its Baltimore-area stores would desegregate.

Johnson said there’s an important thread beginning at Read’s integrating because Arundel Ice Cream followed, as did, after a long fight, the Northwood Theatre, Gwynn Oak Park and even the Northwood Shopping Center next to Morgan’s campus.

“Fifty years ago, Morgan students were just fighting for entry, and here today, in (a) full circle moment, we own the space. There are students that are actually taking classes and studying and spaces that were legally off-limits,” Johnson told WBAL-TV 11 News.

Students who protested and fought were jailed in a fight for freedom.

“This is so important that we never forget those battles because freedom is not something that is freely given, it has to be fought for. And, those Morgan students of this generation have to understand that the torch is being passed to them,” Johnson told WBAL-TV 11 News.

Morgan’s involvement in the Civil Rights Movement spans from 1947 through 1963, and some would contend it never ended.

“It is also important to America’s story. We’re celebrating the 100th year of Black History Month and the same year the 250th anniversary of America, so make that math work for me,” Johnson said.

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By Greg Ng

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    ELKTON, Maryland (WBAL) — A routine traffic stop quickly turned into a lifesaving moment Saturday morning in Cecil County.

Maryland State Police said Trooper Nicholas Warren helped to save the life of a choking infant while conducting a traffic stop on Walnut Drive in Elkton.

As the trooper walked to his marked patrol vehicle, another vehicle pulled up and the driver called out, “We need help. My baby is choking.”

Warren immediately called for emergency medical services and performed lifesaving First Aid on the infant.

“I grew up in the fire department. I was a volunteer before I came to the state police, so I’ve had plenty of training, and then, they gave us a ton of training in the academy, and I’ve been able to use it quite often on my job,” Warren told WBAL-TV 11 News. “That was the first time that I’ve used that kind of training on an infant. You don’t get too many calls on babies, so it was definitely a first for me.”

The trooper administered back blows for a few moments and removed the blockage and the baby began breathing again.

“It happened so fast that your brain just clicks. So, I was very thankful for that training,” Warren told WBAL-TV 11 News. “That’s why you sign up to do this job. And, it’s the most rewarding thing you can have, having a good outcome and something like that. That happened so fast and seconds count, so it was very, very rewarding.”

Emergency medical services personnel arrived shortly thereafter to evaluate the infant.

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By Gino Recchia

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    WAUKESHA COUNTY, Wisconsin (WISN) — A 58-year-old man escaped unharmed Saturday night after his SUV fell through the ice on Pewaukee Lake near the Maple Road boat launch, police said.

Dispatch audio captured the initial call for help.

“We got a call for a Bronco that was about 15 to 20 feet out that fell through the ice,” the dispatcher said.

Authorities said the vehicle was unoccupied when first responders arrived. The driver managed to climb out through the back window to safety.

Tow crews from Ken Weber Towing and Recovery were called to remove the SUV from the lake.

Jai Grunewald, operations manager for the company, said the situation escalated quickly.

“We seen that the vehicle is fully submerged and sinking by the minute,” Grunewald said.

Recovering the vehicle required heavy equipment, including a 50-ton rotator truck, flatbeds loaded with chainsaws and ramps, and even a diver to secure the SUV beneath the surface.

“There was broken sheets of ice underneath the vehicle that we’re also working with,” Grunewald explained, describing the challenges crews faced.

Grunewald said the Maple Road launch is a common trouble spot.

“That’s one where we do multiple a year that go in. This was the second or third that we’ve done this year,” he said.

Even when ice measures more than a foot thick in some areas, warmer air temperatures can rapidly weaken conditions, especially near shorelines.

“Yeah, they’re all telling me it’s 18 to 20 inches thick out there, but it’s also 55, 60 degrees out there as well. So it’s going to start melting at some point,” Grunewald said.

With no snow cover acting as insulation and temperatures fluctuating above freezing, ice can deteriorate faster than many people expect.

For those still considering driving out, Grunewald offered a blunt warning.

“I’ll see you next week,” he said.

Meteorologists say no ice is ever guaranteed 100% safe, especially during periods of fluctuating temperatures.

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources advises drivers not to take vehicles onto the ice during warm-ups or rain events.

The agency says vehicle owners have 30 days to remove a sunken vehicle from a lake. After that, they may face a $400 citation for each additional day it remains in the water.

Agency officials also warn that submerged vehicles can pose environmental risks if fluids leak into the lake and create navigation hazards for others.

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By Hannah Hilyard

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    KENOSHA, Wisconsin (WISN) — A former teacher aide in Kenosha County will spend the next 50 years in prison. A judge delivered that sentence to Anna Marie Crocker on Tuesday after the 34-year-old pleaded guilty to multiple sex crimes involving four young boys.

“I take full responsibility for what has taken place,” Crocker said through tears during Tuesday’s sentencing. “I am disturbed by the harm and distress, along with the trauma that you have to endure. I am deeply sorry that this has caused confusion, pain and anger, and that you have to live with this the rest of your lives.”

During the sentencing, investigators detailed Crocker’s crimes, including forcing a 12-year-old to have sex with her and luring a 14-year-old out of his home to sexually assault him.

“She couldn’t help herself. She was juggling all these boys at the same time,” prosecutor Rosa Delgado said in court.

A court order prohibited the recording of the victims and their families, but one mother told the judge, “This person destroyed my son’s psyche and loving and caring spirit.”

As a result of the defendant’s actions, that family moved out of state.

Crocker, a mother of four herself, pleaded for a lighter sentence, saying, “I am asking for mercy and compassion even though I understand the seriousness.”

Judge David Hughes ultimately sentenced Crocker to 51.5 years of incarceration and 32 years of extended supervision.

“She sought out children, she used children and she took advantage of children,” the judge said.

Crocker showed little emotion as the judge handed down the hefty sentence.

She will be in her 80s by the time her sentence runs out. The judge said she will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of her life.

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 Addison Kliewer & Jonathan Greco

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    WEST OKLAHOMA (KOCO) — Oklahoma isn’t done with the fire danger after warnings prompted evacuations and injured firefighters in the western part of the state, as wildfires burned thousands of acres.

Gov. Stitt requests resources from across Oklahoma, out of state to help with wildfires

On Tuesday, evacuations were issued in Beaver, Texas and Woodward counties. More than 155,000 acres burned across Oklahoma.

The fire risk continues Wednesday, with the danger increasing in central Oklahoma, including the OKC metro.

What to Know

Two wildfires near Woodward have been contained, and evacuation orders were lifted. Evacuation orders were still in place for the town of Tyrone, which is in Texas County, at about 8 p.m. Wednesday brings another high fire danger day, with a red flag warning stretching all the way to the Oklahoma City metro. Numerous structures were destroyed in Woodward, Texas and Beaver counties, including two USDA facility buildings. Four firefighters were injured while battling the flames across Oklahoma. Another High Fire Danger Day Wednesday The fire danger is higher on Wednesday than it was on Tuesday, especially in central Oklahoma and the OKC metro.

KOCO 5 Meteorologist Jonathan Conder says humidity has absolutely tanked for Wednesday because of a dry line that moved through the state.

Another red flag warning has been issued for western, southwestern, central and northern Oklahoma. Counties in the OKC metro are all included in the warning.

The area with the highest risk of seeing fires is western and northwestern Oklahoma. The risk is 3 out of 5. Southwestern to central and east-central Oklahoma have a 2 out of 5 risk, and it’s 1 out of 5 in western Oklahoma.

Fire Danger Continues Thursday

Oklahoma won’t be done with the fire danger on Wednesday, as the threat increases throughout the state on Thursday.

Jonathan says winds pick up and the humidity drops. The risk for central, western and northeastern Oklahoma is 3 out of 5. Surrounding areas have a 2 out of 5 risk.

The OKC metro is included in the 3 out of 5 risk zone.

While a red flag warning hasn’t been issued yet for Thursday, much of the state outside of southeastern Oklahoma is under a fire weather watch. Jonathan expects that to be upgraded to a red flag warning.

Relief is coming in the form of a cold front this weekend.

Wednesday Burn Bans

The Oklahoma Forestry Services officials say five counties are under a burn ban on Wednesday. Those counties include Texas, Cleveland, McClain, Garvin and Pottawatomie.

You can see Oklahoma Forestry Services’ burn ban map here.

Woodward Fire

On Tuesday afternoon, evacuations were issued for the southwest parts of Woodward near 13th Street and Oklahoma Avenue south and west. Those evacuation orders were lifted on Tuesday evening.

Woodward Emergency Management said at least three structures were destroyed, including two at a USDA facility.

At least 2,000 acres burned in what is being called the “43 Road Fire.”

KOCO 5 First Alert Storm Chaser Amanda Benton was in the city, where heavy black smoke was seen filling the sky. Open the video player below to watch.

A second fire popped up southeast of Woodward, near Hunter Road and East Hanks Trail, in the evening hours. Firefighters told KOCO 5 that no evacuations were planned for the wildfire on the southeast side of town.

At about 6:10 p.m., the Woodward County emergency manager provided an update on the fire. Open the video player below to watch.

He explained that the evacuation area is south of Highway 412, which runs east and west through the center of Woodward, and 13th Street, which runs north and south. He said that the southwest part of Woodward, a heavily wooded area, was being evacuated.

The fire was burning through an area previously impacted by a tornado in 2012, which resulted in six deaths and the destruction of 90 homes.

“It’s in an area that’s been impacted already. As we talked about years ago, we’ve been on, unfortunately talking about a number of incidents that happened in this area right now,” he said.

Beaver County Fire

The Beaver County Emergency Management said numerous outbuildings were destroyed in a wildfire known as the “Ranger Road Fire.”

Oklahoma Forestry Services officials said they estimate about 145,000 acres burned in Beaver County from the wildfires.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol posted pictures of a fire in Forgan, where Trooper Travis Burgess has shut down the eastbound lanes of U.S. Highway 64. Authorities said the fire has crossed the highway.

Forgan is a town in Beaver County that’s more than 220 miles northwest of Oklahoma City.

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Texas County Fire

Texas County Emergency Management reported two wildfires on Tuesday. One of the fires, known as the “Side Road Fire,” started after a seven-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 54, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Emergency Management.

Evacuation orders were issued for a wildfire known as the “Stevens Fire.” Those orders were still in place for the town of Tyrone, which is in Texas County, at about 8 p.m. The community was told to evacuate at about 3 p.m. Tuesday.

The Texas County fire moved over the state line into Kansas.

Shelters were opened in Liberal, Kansas, for those displaced by the fire at CrossPoint Church, 204 North Sherman Avenue.

At least five structures were destroyed by the fires, and more than 8,300 acres burned in Texas County.

Oklahoma Fire Warnings and Evacuations

Evacuations were still in place Tuesday evening for the community of Tyrone in Texas County.

The wildfire that prompted evacuations for the areas southwest of Woodward, near 13th Street and Oklahoma Avenue south and west, was contained and orders were lifted on Tuesday evening.

Evacuations were issued for Beaver County, near the community of Gate, after a wildfire sparked.

Mass Care Shelters

The American Red Cross will provide food for those forced to evacuate at the shelters below. The Oklahoma Baptist Disaster Relief will provide food for first responders in Beaver, Texas and Woodward counties.

Cheyenne & Arapaho ERC: Woodward, Oklahoma

Mooreland Community Centers: 105 SE Fifth St., Mooreland, Oklahoma

Mooreland United Methodist Church: 302 S. Elm, Mooreland, Oklahoma

Reported Injuries

Four firefighters were injured while responding to the Beaver County wildfires. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported a fire truck from Rosston Fire overturned, injuring three firefighters.

They were transported to hospitals in the area.

The Oklahoma Forestry Services also said another firefighter was injured and taken to a hospital on Tuesday. It wasn’t clear who the firefighter was or where the incident happened.

State’s Response to Wildfires

Gov. Kevin Stitt joined KOCO over the phone after being briefed at the Emergency Operations Center about the fires burning across the state on Tuesday.

“We’ve evacuated the town of Tyrone and then right now the big fire we’re watching is southwest of Woodward,” Stitt said.

Gov. Kevin Stitt gives update on wildfires as Oklahoma braces for escalating fire danger Stitt said that state resources, including the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, were assisting with evacuations, and the Oklahoma Forestry Department and local firefighters were actively engaged in combating the fires.

However, helicopters and other aerial assets were unable to fly due to strong winds and smoke.

“Right now, we do not have any reports of homes being damaged in Woodward. So, that’s a good thing,” he said. “And we hopefully we get that line kept out of Woodward proper.”

The governor has been in contact with local officials in Woodward to assess their needs and coordinate state support.

“I’ve already talked to the mayor and the city manager and Woodward to find out what resources they needed and what they were seeing on the ground there,” Stitt said.

He has instructed forestry assets from the eastern part of the state to assist in the firefighting efforts.

“Most of them are already there just to put every fire hose we have and every bulldozer, make sure that we get those lines prepared, and then we’ll just we’re trying to fight those wildfires and keep them out of those major population areas,” Stitt said.

Stitt acknowledged the fire threat is expected to increase, with the potential for fires to move into central and eastern Oklahoma on Wednesday and Thursday.

“It’s supposed to move a little bit more to the middle part of our state, and then maybe on Thursday to the eastern part of our state as well,” he said. “They’re going to get me an emergency declaration for that part of the state that will allow me to request assets from other states.”

Air assets have already been requested from Texas, although conditions remain too windy for them to operate.

“We just want to make sure I give them all the tools they have to be able to fight these fires and keep Oklahoma safe,” Stitt said. “So, man, we just hope it’s not like last March where it went crazy. But that’s why I’ve got every asset possibly in the state over there in the western part of our state right now.”

Crashes Due to Smoke

The Woodward County emergency manager said at least one firetruck was involved in a crash due to low visibility caused by smoke. There was no information on if anyone was injured.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol reported a fire truck from Rosston Fire overturned, injuring three firefighters.

The “Side Road Fire” in Texas County started after a seven-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 54, according to the Oklahoma State Department of Emergency Management.

Advice for Motorists

Oklahoma Highway Patrol officials also are using the situation to remind motorists not to drive into smoke as the fire danger continues throughout the week.

“Be careful out there,” the Oklahoma Highway Patrol posted on social media.

Firefighters in Woodward told KOCO’s Amanda Benton that evacuations caused traffic issues through town.

Reporting Damage

Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management is asking residents impacted by the fires to report damages to their property at damage.ok.gov. Reporting damage helps local and state emergency managers better coordinate response and recovery efforts and can help connect residents with resources. Residents can report damage to homes, businesses or agriculture through the online survey, according to the department.

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.