Category: CNN Regional

By Caroleina Hassett

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    RIVERTON, Utah (KSTU) — Three families are now picking up the pieces after a devastating car crash in Juab County.

“It’s been unfathomable. I mean, it’s just been something that is the worst nightmare you could ever go through,” said Ava’s father, Aaron Olivarez. “My heart just absolutely breaks for Xander and Ava. I mean, I don’t know how I’m going to move on.”

Last Thursday, 17-year-old Ava Olivarez was driving 15-year-old Xander Hover and 15-year-old Corey Wayman along Weiss Highway when they came up to a turn.

“She turned too wide and it was all silent. Next thing you know, I was on the floor looking at the roof, and it blacked out, and then I woke up with paramedics around me,” Wayman said.

The three teens, all from the Riverton area, were ejected from the car. Wayman was the only one to wake up.

“I don’t think it’s fully hit me yet,” Wayman said. “I hate to think about it, because they’re my best friends, best ones I’ve ever had… The thought that I was with them and they’re gone and I’m still here — sucks.”

All three met through the racing community and were attached at the hip.

“That gives me comfort… just the three of them, they were together,” said Xander’s dad, Jessie Hover. “They were inseparable in life and would talk on the phone and joke around. I mean, it was the old married couple kind of, is what it seemed like to us.”

The families just want parents to educate their kids on seatbelt safety, so no child has to become a memory.

“The most heart-wrenching thing right now is we all taught our kids to wear seat belts,” Olivarez said. “Ava was so insistent on always having a seat belt on, and that’s the thing that we have to talk about here is just keeping our kids safe because it only takes that one second.”

“Buckle up and always be cautious, because I don’t know how, but it’s a miracle that I’m here today. I’m standing here; the other two aren’t,” Wayman added.

Every parent had an answer to the question: how do you want your child to be remembered?

“For exactly who she was: a champion. She was a fierce competitor on one hand, [but] she was so good to people. She treated people so well, and just had a genuine love for people,” Aaron Olivarez said through tears.

While Wayman still has a long road to recovery with a broken collarbone, broken nose and brain bleeding, he believes there’s a reason why he’s still here.

“Everybody’s told me that there’s a reason I lived. I think it’s, don’t know what it is yet, but it’s probably just to carry on Xander and Ava’s legacy,” he said.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Fernanda Silva , Caitlin Knute

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    LEXINGTON, Missouri (KSHB) — One year after a gas explosion claimed the life of a 5-year-old boy and injured his father and sister, the community of Lexington is still healing and rebuilding.

The blast on April 9, 2025, damaged 33 buildings across the city, leaving three homes damaged beyond repair, according to Lexington Mayor Tom Hughes.

The family of 5-year-old Alistair Lamb said they want to remain private during their healing process, taking each day as it comes.

Hughes said a revitalized playground is being named in Lamb’s honor. The park will feature Spider-Man, who was the boy’s favorite superhero.

“He was just a little kid getting started. I think the memory of him, and something good that’s come out of this, is that park, which will be available to the kids in Lexington for years to come. I think that’s really important,” Hughes said.

George Stier lives in Lexington and had to replace 30 windows at his place. Six rooms in his home had cracked plaster, and three sides of the house had cracked bricks. A painter is coming this week to finish the last room.

“It wasn’t just that you heard a boom — you felt like you were enveloped in it,” Stier said. “It wasn’t just an explosion. It felt like a violation of your life.”

“We just want our neighborhood back, you know? That’s really what we want,” Stier said.

His neighbor, Kendra Christophene, said the area didn’t feel like a neighborhood for a long time after the explosion. She was working at the nearby hospital when it happened on her street.

“Because the hospital is right over there, we felt it,” Christophene said. “It shook the whole building.”

Christophene said she is concerned about potential foundation damage to homes near the blast and expressed frustration over a lack of warning before the explosion.

“They did not protect the community as they should have,” Christophene said. “Nobody asks to be the victim in an explosion.”

In response to the tragedy, the city passed a new ordinance in November, establishing rules for digging and boring.

Around the same time, Liberty Utilities initiated a mapping and verification of all underground gas lines within the city limits. The utility company says it partnered with Magnolia River to use GPS locating equipment, potholing, and hydro-vac excavation to update its digital mapping system.

Liberty Utilities says it prioritized the project following incidents last year involving gas lines amid a high volume of underground work. The company anticipates completing the mapping shortly and will provide the city with ongoing access to the data.

According to the city, eight property owners took Liberty Utilities to court and received a better settlement than the company initially offered. Neighbors said they couldn’t talk about it. Liberty Utilities stated they have not told community members not to speak, but noted that confidentiality and non-disclosure provisions may apply to claim settlements.

Former Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey filed a lawsuit following last year’s explosion.

However, KSHB 41 News found out that a dismissal hearing is scheduled for mid-May due to a lack of activity involving the case.

KSHB 41’s Caitlin Knute reached out to the current Missouri Attorney General, Catherine Hanaway. Her spokesperson told Knute she does plan on continuing this case and pursuing that lawsuit.

“Things take time to heal,” Hughes said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KSHB’s editorial team 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 Jill Lamkins

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    OMAHA, Nebraska (KMTV) — In the West Omaha neighborhood of Harrison Park, wildlife is closer than you think. For 13 years, a pair of great horned owls have been coming back to what one man calls “Grandpa’s owl garden,” a nest right in his backyard.

“This is Hooterville, USA,” Frank Ermel said.

When Frank and Julie Ermel built their home in 2013, they never would have imagined they would have such a nosy neighbor.

“And one day we came out, they had a power pole in the backyard and an owl was standing on top of it. So I figured, well, if I build a nest, they’ll come,” Ermel said.

Great horned owls do not make their own nests.

“They take over others’ nests, and this one here just keeps on coming back every December,” Ermel said.

Working as a volunteer for a few years with Fontenelle Forest’s Raptor Recovery Program, Ermel figured he could use this backyard nest to learn more about the birds while integrating another passion of his: photography.

“I could see what she’s doing right now inside the nest with a 500 millimeter lens and uh, she’s looking at us,” Ermel said.

As time went on, Ermel started sharing the owls’ nesting journey on social media, turning hundreds of curious neighbors online into invested owl-watchers.

“Most folks in an urban environment don’t have the ability to be able to see wildlife like this, and these guys are truly wild animals. They are not banded. They come and go as they please,” Ermel said.

Standing at 24 feet tall, the nest is built from wood, foam insulation and a 30-gallon trash can.

“Mama will be in there most of the day today, basking in the sunlight, uh, sleeping. The babies will get into what I call a cuddle puddle,” Ermel said.

For years, the nest has brought Ermel and his family tremendous joy, which he is proud to share with the community.

Once the babies leave the nest, Ermel said his social media updates will quiet down. But like they have for 13 years, the owls will be back, along with the posts, once nesting season starts again next winter.

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 Nina Burns

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    CENTRAL VALLEY, California (KOVR) — As gas prices hover near $6 a gallon, some Central Valley travelers are looking for cheaper ways to get around, and a train running through the region is gaining attention as an alternative.

The Gold Runner, a recently rebranded Amtrak San Joaquins line launched under its new name last year, connects cities across the Central Valley, including Modesto, Merced and Fresno, with routes stretching between Sacramento and Bakersfield.

According to the San Joaquin Joint Powers Authority, which runs the service, the cost difference between driving and taking the train can be significant.

Using federal mileage estimates, officials say a one-way drive from Sacramento to Bakersfield can cost just over $200 when factoring in fuel and other expenses. A train ticket for the same trip typically runs about $50.

Officials say onboard staff are noticing trains getting busier as more people consider alternatives to driving.

“Conductors and staff are seeing more people choosing to ride the train,” said Ahdel Ahmed, a spokesperson for the agency.

The route offers stops throughout the Central Valley and connections to other parts of California, giving travelers another option as costs continue to rise.

Officials say ticket prices are not expected to increase in the near future, and promotions, including family discounts and limited-time deals available on many routes.

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 Mary Nelson

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    MALVERN, Iowa (KMTV) — Liam Markut enjoys college basketball, and knows many of this year’s NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament starting lineups. Yet, he credits luck with getting this far.

Markut, 13, was one of an estimated 38 million people to submit a bracket in the Capital One March Madness Bracket Challenge, or what’s called the official bracket game of NCAA March Madness. His goal was to edge out his older brother. Going into the game, Markut was ranked 2nd overall.

Some of his higlights:

Flawless predictions out of the Midwest region, with just one miss in the East 14 of the Sweet 16 7 of the Elite 8 All of the Final Four Correctly predicted the title game

Realizing he has a knack for this, Markut joked that next year, he might put a wager on it. When 3 News Now’s Mary Nelson asked how he’d earn any money to place a bet, Markut, alongside his mom, Whitney, smiled and said, “Yard work.”

He predicts Michigan will beat the University of Connecticut in a close one: 76-72.

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 Lauren Pozen

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    WOODLAND HILLS, California (KCAL, KCBS) — A Woodland Hills teenager recalls how her grandparents nearly got scammed, and now the 16-year-old has turned that experience into a learning platform, specifically for seniors.

From fake calls to phony texts, with AI adding to the confusion, Girl Scout Annabelle Miller already understands how sophisticated scammers can be.

“This guy pretending to be my uncle, who was like I got in a car accident, I need this much money — and my grandmother freaked out, and it was very real,” Miller said after her grandparents nearly fell for the scam.

Miller created a new game to help cut through the noise, teaching people how to spot fraud before it’s too late. “The main thing you want to look out for with a scam is urgency,” Miller explained at a recent presentation.

The teen created Scout the Scam and worked with the Motion Picture & Television Fund, where she volunteers, to refine and test the game, which anyone can play.

Miller leads workshops guiding seniors through real-life scenarios, so they can spot what’s real and what’s not. The Scout the Scam welcome page begins, “Find out the possibilities of AI, how to recognize and defend yourself from scams, and how to deny cookies. This game will do its best to prepare you to survive on the internet in the age of technology.”

A recent AARP survey found that nearly one in four adults, about 110 million people, have lost money to fraud or have had their personal information misused.

“We need to question everything. If someone is calling you saying that they are with your bank, and they need your bank account information, or for you to transfer money out, it’s 100% a scam.” Amy Nofziger/AARP Senior Director of Fraud Victim Support, said.

“That’s not how banks operate. So my best advice is, always verify, and verify at the source.”

Miller hopes to bring her game to more communities, but her focus has always been simple and clear: “My ultimate goal is just to have people play it. If it helps one person, then that’s enough.”

Her project has earned her the Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles gold award, an honor given to fewer than 6% of scouts. She will officially receive the honor later this spring.

To play the game, visit: scoutthescam.com.

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 Ezekiel Ramirez

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    OBERTSON COUNTY, Texas (KXXV) — RobCo Wildlife Rescue in Robertson County steps in when local wildlife gets hurt or ends up in danger, helping residents who find injured animals.

College Station resident Bobby Butler experienced this firsthand last fall. It all started when he heard his dog, Bella, barking outside.

“I knew something was going on,” Butler said. “And right in the middle over there was this 4 to 5 foot snake coiled up.”

After dealing with the snake, Butler heard another sound. “We hear this ongoing squealing,” Butler said.

Following the sound to a small hole under a bush, he found three newborn bunnies that were injured and defenseless.

“That’s when I started to Google wildlife rescue in the Bryan College Station area and came across RobCo Wildlife Rescue,” Butler said.

Within minutes, the rescue organization texted and called him back to set up a meeting. Butler handed over the bunnies, hoping for the best.

“Their responsiveness, their willingness to make this their life’s mission and passion is just really unbelievable to me,” Butler said.

Casey Foggitt with RobCo Wildlife Rescue said the organization is dedicated to stepping in when animals are in danger.

“Our main goal is always to rehabilitate and release healthy animals back into the wild,” Foggitt said.

“I’ve been on the other side of it where I have found an animal and didn’t know what to do. So, being able to be on the other side of being able to help someone in that situation is just really rewarding,” Foggitt said.

For Butler and his little fluffle of bunnies, that help made all the difference.

“At the end of the day, we’re here to give wildlife a second chance, and we want to help the community be a part of that,” Foggitt said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KXXV’s editorial team 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 CJ Maclin

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    FORT GIBSON, Oklahoma (KJRH) — A Fort Gibson family of five lost their home after discovering it was built on an oil well, and they are now fighting the Oklahoma Corporation Commission over jurisdiction of the leak.

Since August of last year, the Meredith family has battled oil leaking into their home. They told 2 News 1,500 gallons of oil and gas a day were coming out of the ground.

The family is currently in limbo, waiting on the OCC to claim jurisdiction after the agency stated in its latest press release that the issue does not fall under its authority.

“We thought we could call the Corporation Commission and they would help us because that’s what they’re there for, is to take care of oil and gas issues in Oklahoma,” Kara Meredith said. “For them to do this run around and this very contradicting back and forth, that’s extremely frustrating.”

The Meredith’s told me it seemed the OCC wanted to do everything in its power to prove the leak wasn’t an oil-and-gas-related issue. While every test pointed to oil and gas, the family said those tests were not run by the state.

“Everything that you witness inside this house and inside that hole has never been tested,” Mitch Meredith said. “They have not came inside of my house and took anything from in the house. I’ve begged them and said if you don’t think it’s oil and petroleum, test what’s on the floor. They don’t want to touch it.”

The family hired an independent person to test their home since the OCC did not want to, even with a state representative stopping by during one of the inspections.

The Meredith’s told 2 News the director of the OCC personally came to their house, and things seemed to move in the right direction. However, they said every time progress seems to happen, the OCC debunks it.

2 News Oklahoma’s CJ Maclin asked the family if the OCC provided another agency that has jurisdiction since they are not claiming it.

“No. DEQ, all of them said that they have sole jurisdiction,” Mitch Meredith said.

“DEQ came at the beginning of December and did some more testing, and then they wrote a letter telling the Corporation Commission that this is consistent with oil and gas brine and oil and gas issues in Oklahoma, and it falls on them,” Kara Meredith said.

The Meredith’s said they never wanted this fight, but they are not going to turn away from it. They are speaking up not only for themselves but for others around the state.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KJRH’s editorial team 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 Samson Tamijani

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    SAPULPA, Oklahoma (KJRH) — Neighbors and the city mayor are calling for voters to dismiss a xenophobic letter targeting an incumbent Sapulpa City Council candidate ahead of April 7 municipal elections.

Wiley Smith said an election flyer found its way to his newspaper slot in front of his home on April 2, unlike those one might expect in a city council race.

What’s on them has since circulated online, sparking strong reactions, while the candidate’s opponent vehemently denied involvement.

“This is not about party. This is not about Left or Right. This is about sick,” Sapulpa resident Wiley Smith told 2 News Oklahoma on April 6. “And I just don’t want to be a part of it. And I’m embarrassed for the city and I’m ashamed to see this.”

The booklets distributed around Ward 5 neighborhoods include a slim paper note stapled on top that mentions incumbent councilor David Mortazavi, who is an Iranian immigrant and has called Oklahoma home since he was a child.

Mortazavi has also owned businesses and properties in town for decades, the councilor told 2 News in a phone call on April 4.

The notes list his birth name, Seyed Davood Khalili Mortazavi, calling it “difficult information to read” and “your vote matters” in the April 7 election.

“Are you aware that David Mortazavi’s real/given name is Seyed Davood Khalili Mortazavi?” the stapled note reads, continuing, “This is difficult information to read, but if you care about you or your loved ones lives, you want to read this and educate yourself. Your vote matters in the April 7 election. In a recent vote in Sapulpa, a seat was only won by 10 votes.”

The main pages, tied to pro-Israel Evangelical group Shofar International Foundation, include propaganda to influence the reader on Sharia Law and the functions of an Islamic state.

The booklet mentions Shofar International Foundation’s president/founder, Christie Glesener, who is the wife of Mortazavi’s challenger in the election, Kent Glesener.

The group’s website also says the foundation “was established in 1996 by Kent and Christie Glesener.”

The same booklets, minus the note about Mortazavi, were previously passed out to attendees of a January community meeting organized in opposition to a proposed rezoning for a mosque in Broken Arrow.

Smith said the papers he received definitely will influence his vote, for Mortazavi, not his challenger.

“That’s the first time in probably 30 years that I’ve really had a sign in the yard,” Smith said. “I’m just all in. It’s terrible.”

Sapulpa Mayor Craig Henderson didn’t endorse any candidate in the city elections, but said he wants one thing from voters on April 7.

“Please do not let partisanship, racism, race-baiting (or) name-calling impact your vote,” Mayor Henderson told 2 News. “I’d say to please get out and vote, but please don’t let that impact how you vote.”

The councilor himself, whose family is Christian, didn’t want to speak on camera about the controversy. His nephew, Tulsa-based lawyer Zach Mortazavi, told 2 News he does not believe the Gleseners are behind the flyers being passed around town.

“We love the Gleseners just as much as we love anybody else,” the younger Mortazavi said. “I don’t think they did this. I don’t believe that they would, because as members of Sapulpa that’s not what we do.”

Glesener repeatedly denied any involvement online.

The candidate said in a statement and via phone call with 2 News on April 6 that the note about Mortazavi had nothing to do with his wife’s publication, the pages of which were originally printed in 2008, he said.

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By Cameron Polom

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    PHOENIX (KNXV) — A beloved busser at a central Phoenix Denny’s is celebrating two major milestones: his birthday and 48 years on the job.

Barney Mullen was hired in the late 1970s and has become a fixture of the restaurant. Coworkers and customers know him for his perfect attendance, tireless work ethic and warm personality.

Mullen is recognized as a trailblazer for employees with intellectual disabilities, proving that dedication and kindness can leave a lasting impact on a workplace and a community.

On April 8, the restaurant plans to celebrate Mullen by donating 20% of all sales to Lura Turner Homes. The nonprofit provides housing and support for adults with developmental disabilities and is where Mullen lives today.

Over nearly five decades, Mullen’s coworkers have become like family. Leaders from Lura Turner Homes say his story highlights loyalty, dignity and the impact of quietly making someone’s day a little brighter.

If you want to go to the fundraiser, it will be from 2-9 p.m. on Wednesday at the Denny’s location near 7th Street and Camelback Road.

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.