Former principal avoids jail in teen house party case

By Greg Fox

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    BREVARD COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — Elizabeth Hill-Brodigan and her attorneys offered no comment as they left the courthouse in Viera on Monday following the judge’s acceptance of her plea agreement with the State.

This should never have happened but it did happen, prosecutor Julia Lynch told the court.

Hill-Brodigan, the former Roosevelt Elementary School principal, pleaded no contest to three misdemeanors, which could have resulted in jail time if she elected to go to trial, and was convicted.

The three charges are, hosting an open house party in which alcohol was being consumed by minors, and two counts of contributing to the delinquency of minors.

It stems from the Jan.19, 2025, party at her Cocoa Beach home, that officers say was attended by roughly 100 teens, some of them telling police both alcohol and marijuana were on hand. One teen was found vomiting and shaking on the front lawn and treated for alcohol poisoning. Another was arrested for DUI.

Hill-Brodigan’s agreement comes with two years supervised probation, requires no unsupervised contact with minors and prohibits her from hosting parties with alcohol or marijuana present with anyone under 21.

While neither Hill-Brodigan, nor her attorneys, Kepler Funk and Keith Szachacz, would comment, the prosecutor said the punishment will serve its purpose.

Lynch added, “The probation will make sure that she has no contact with children so it’s going to limit her ability to have these types of parties again, at least for two years.”

Also arrested with Hill-Brodigan last year, was school teacher Karly Anderson.

On body camera video from Cocoa Beach police, Anderson appeared intoxicated and told an officer, “Well you know I’m a teacher who the f**** did you put… who got put in that car?”

Anderson was convicted of disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest without violence, and sentenced to probation. She’s appealing her conviction.

The 17-year-old girl who was arrested and charged with driving under the influence of alcohol after she left the house party, attained an agreement with the State in October.

She was allowed to plead to a less charge of careless driving and was directed to attend DUI driver school.

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.

Good Samaritan honored for stopping knife attack on child

By Tony Atkins

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    DELAND, Florida (WESH) — A DeLand man who intervened during a violent confrontation and saved a child from an alleged knife-wielding attacker was honored this week with a Distinguished Citizen Service Award.

Police Chief Jason Umberger presented the award to Joseph Wells, calling his actions extraordinary and unlike anything he has seen in more than 30 years in law enforcement.

The incident happened Jan. 20 on Clear Lake Drive, where investigators say a young boy was waiting for his school bus when he waved at 36-year-old Christopher Schwable. Authorities say Schwable became angry, grabbed the child and began assaulting him.

Wells, who was driving by at the time, saw what was happening, made a U-turn and intervened. Police say he restrained Schwable until officers arrived, preventing further harm to the child.

When officers got to the scene, Wells was holding Schwable on the ground, according to investigators.

Umberger said while police typically discourage civilians from putting themselves in danger, Wells’ actions likely prevented a much more serious outcome.

“It’s difficult to say where that would’ve ended,” Umberger said. “But it certainly was a violent assault on a young man, and if Joseph wouldn’t have stopped it, I think we’d be talking about a much different situation.”

Schwable was arrested and remains in jail without bond. He is scheduled to return to court next week.

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.

Neighbors help family the moment they needed it the most

By Britt Leoni

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    LEE COUNTY, Florida (WBBH) — They say home is where the heart is. For Jackie and David Vinson, that is on Pine Island.

“People are always doing that. They go above and beyond for their neighbors,” said Jackie.

That support is felt every day. It’s felt in the small gestures like a wave hello and in the heavier moments, when the family needs it the most.

A month ago, David and their 3-year-old son, Heath, took their daily trip to the Publix off Pine Island Road when David passed out in the parking lot.

“I think I remember taking a couple of steps and then I was waking up in the emergency room,” said David. “I was waking up, looking around like, ‘Oh, I’m in the emergency room.'”

When Jackie received the news, she just hoped David and her son were OK.

“I was just … I had no idea what happened,” said Jackie.

“I have four kids, so I know what it’s like,” said Publix store manager Jon Peralto. “As a parent, it’s very heart-wrenching.”

Peralto watched as his employees, first responders and people on the street took care of the family.

“Employees were there sitting on the ground with Heath, playing with toys,” said Jackie. “Police officers were like, ‘Can we help with anything?’ I didn’t even ask; they just started unloading the bags from his truck into my car. It was so comforting. I just felt like I had all the help in the world, which was really nice.”

In a world where we often focus on the bad in place of the good, this community proves there is still a lot of good to see if we choose.

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‘The Klan Whisperer’: Author befriends KKK members, convinces them to quit

By Breana Ross

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    SILVER SPRING, Maryland (WBAL) — A collection of Ku Klux Klan hoods, robes and regalia sit in Daryl Davis’ Silver Spring home, each with its own story.

“He was the grand dragon of Baltimore,” said Davis as he showed one of the robes to WBAL-TV 11 News. “His day job when he was trying to bomb the synagogue? Baltimore City police officer.”

As a Black man, Davis has never worn any of the KKK items he now owns. He disagrees with all they stand for, but the items belong to former Klan members, people Davis befriended.

The KKK hoods, robes and regalia now serve as symbols of Davis’ ability to change minds.

“A Klansman or Klanswoman, or a neo-Nazi is not born with that robe and hood or that swastika,” Davis told WBAL-TV 11 News. “That is acquired. It’s learned behavior, learned ideology. What can be learned can be unlearned.”

Davis first learned about racism when he was 10 years old, when he said he was attacked by white spectators as the only Black Cub Scout marching in a parade in Massachusetts in 1968.

“At that age, I formed a question in my mind, which was, ‘How can you hate me when you don’t even know me?'” Davis said.

Decades later, after meeting a member of the KKK who was impressed by his piano performance, the question returned to Davis’ mind.

“Who better to ask that question of than someone who would go so far as to join an organization with an over 100-year history of practicing hating people who don’t look like them, or who don’t believe as they believe? Get back in contact with that Klansman and get him to fix you up with the Klan leader from Maryland. Start in Maryland, then go up north. Go down south. Go to the Midwest. Go to the West and interview other Klan leaders and members and write a book,” Davis told WBAL-TV 11 News.

Davis asked the Klan member he met to connect him with the grand dragon of the Klan in Maryland, Roger Kelly.

“He warned me. He said, ‘Darryl, do not fool with him. He will kill you.’ And, I’m like, ‘Well, that’s why I need to see him. Why would he kill me just because of the color of my skin? All this makes no sense. This is what I’m trying to understand,'” Davis told WBAL-TV 11 News.

Davis had his assistant set up an in-person meeting with Kelly and his bodyguard in 1990, but his assistant never mentioned Davis is Black.

“When they came into the room and saw me, they, like, freaked. They froze,” Davis told WBAL-TV 11 News.

But Davis said Kelly stayed and talked to him, marking the beginning of an unlikely friendship.

“If you spend five minutes with your worst adversary, you’re going to find something in common and that gap is going to narrow,” Davis said. “What’s happening is, it’s causing a cognitive dissonance in their brain because, at this point, they have found so much more in common with you than they have in contrast, because all the beliefs and myths that they had believed are getting dispelled, right?”

Davis spent time with Kelly, even attending KKK rallies with him and earning his respect. At a KKK rally filmed by CNN, Kelly spoke about Davis saying, “I would follow that man to hell and back because I believe in what he stands for and he believes in what I stand for. A lot of times, we don’t agree with everything, but at least he respects me to sit down and listen to me and I listen to him.”

After years of listening, one day, Kelly surprised Davis.

“He goes, ‘I’m leaving the Klan. I’m shutting it down,'” Davis told WBAL-TV 11 News. “He wasn’t handing it off to his second in command. He was shutting down his chapters, and he had, like, 13 of them in 13 different states. I was totally shocked.”

Kelly is not the only one Davis has convinced to leave the Klan. Davis documents his experiences with Klan members across the country in his two books, “Klan-destine Relationships” and “The Klan Whisperer.” He has befriended many Klan members, leading many to leave the group and give him their robes, which now serve as symbols of his ability to change minds.

“I know that over 200 have left,” Davis told WBAL-TV 11 News.

When asked how he thinks his approach of building understanding with people who think differently than him could build understanding among people with differing views today, Davis said: “I can tell you this. Every human being on this planet wants these five core values in their lives. Everyone wants to be loved. Everyone wants to be respected. We all want to be heard. We all want to be treated fairly and truthfully, and we all want the same things for our family, as anybody else would want for their family. And, if we can learn to apply those five core values when we find ourselves in an adversarial situation, or in a culture or society in which we are unfamiliar or uncomfortable, I’ll guarantee you that your navigation of that situation, that culture, that society will be much more smooth, much more positive, and much more productive.”

Davis said he would like to open his own museum with all the robes and regalia he has collected over the years. He will play the piano at a performance at The Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia, on Feb. 22. The show is called “Thanks for the Memories,” and it honors artists who died in 2025.

Davis will also be speaking at New Spire Arts in Frederick on March 14.

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.

‘Steamroller’ Patches, formerly 40-pound fat cat, nears weight loss goal after breaking pantry door

By WTVR CBS 6 Web Staff

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    HANOVER COUNTY, Virginia (WTVR) — Patches, the once 42-pound cat Kay Ford adopted from Richmond Animal Care and Control nearly three years ago, is closing in on his next weight loss goal after losing nearly 24 pounds.

The white and gray Domestic Shorthair weighed in at 18.48 pounds on Wednesday morning, Ford wrote on Facebook. He is now about 2.5 pounds away from his goal of 16 pounds.

Ford noted that Patches, who reached his first weight-loss goal of 20 pounds in late July, has become more and more mobile — and obsessed — since slimming down.

In fact, Ford said the 8-year-old feline “has become a steamroller” and recently used brute force to try to access food.

“Patches finally broke the door to the pantry (it can be fixed) by muscling his way in when I was sure it was secure,” Ford explained that the cat’s “constant headbutting” loosened the door.

The Mechanicsville woman has taken extreme measures to avoid caving to the demands of her five pets.

“On more than one occasion, I’ve left the house to go sit in the car when they started their begging before their meal times,” Ford admitted.

Ford has previously credited Patches’ strict diet and veterinary care since his adoption in late April 2023 with helping him lose more than half his body weight.

“My amazing vet, Dr. Meaghan, is extremely passionate about cat nutrition,” Ford previously told the national outlet, The Dodo. “She helped me create a plan. She was able to give me a calorie count and what kind of food would be best for him.”

Ford said she is proud of his progress and grateful for all the support.

More than 54,000 people are following Patches’ weight-loss journey on the Patches Journey Facebook page.

“We are overwhelmed by the number of people who share with us both publicly on the page and privately how much light following Patches’ Journey page brings to you. Patches’ Journey continues,” Ford wrote.

Ford told The Dodo that when she first adopted Patches, he could only “take two or three steps and then he’d have to lie down.”

“The size of him took my breath away,” she said. “I don’t know what his backstory is, but he is too sweet of a cat to not have been loved.”

Ford said the feline’s “personality was completely encased in his obesity.”

“In the very beginning, he would only lie down on the floor and eat,” she said. “So I made a commitment to get him moving by committing myself to doing at least 10 minutes of time, five times a day of play, whether it was a stick toy or a laser pointer; any kind of movement whatsoever was necessary.”

The household’s latest addition is a 10-year-old calico named Sumi. She joined the clowder, which includes three other cats, in August.

Ford adopted a 25-pound cat named Remy from an animal shelter in Ohio in September 2024. That cat is also on a similar weight loss journey as Patches.

She also fostered an orange cat named Tigger, who weighed nearly 23 pounds in late March 2025. That cat has now been adopted and “is doing so well.”

Ford also has another cat, Wellesley, who has similar coloring to Patches and Remy. She also has a 6-pound dog named Bella.

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.

Woman trapped by ice misses critical heart appointments

By Taylor Locke

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    RICHMOND, Virginia (WTVR) — For some in Central Virginia, the seemingly never melting ice has been frustrating but manageable. For others, like Sarah Noonkester, who lives in South Richmond, it’s been life-altering.

The Richmond woman says she hasn’t been able to leave her house in more than a week, missing critical doctor appointments because of icy roads.

Noonkester says she’s felt forgotten and trapped inside her Richmond home, like many across the city with health or mobility issues, after days of ice left streets impassable.

“If anything was wrong with my health, real seriously, the paramedics wouldn’t be able to get to me. So, with these streets not being clean out here, it’s not a good thing and it’s like we don’t exist,” Noonkester, who lives with tachycardia, an abnormally fast resting heart rate, said.

Her condition requires frequent doctor visits. But because of the ice, she hasn’t been able to go.

While some roads may turn to slush during the day, Noonkester’s condition prevents her from shoveling or navigating the ice herself. And she’s not alone.

Across the city, others are facing the same dangerous reality some even canceling chemo and dialysis treatments because roads still haven’t been cleared.

“I’ve talked to a number of residents over the course of last few days, of folks who are caretakers, who have young kids, who are missing doctor’s appointments. And again, I just want to say this is a difficult time. It’s a challenging time. The ice that has come is a unique time,” Richmond Mayor Dr. Danny Avula said during a weekend press conference. “I would really just encourage people to change appointments, to go virtual when they can, and to and if you are in a place where mobility is a challenge, to try to stay hold up at home until we can get the streets clear.”

Noonkester says she can no longer wait.

“We are still stuck. We are really still stuck,” she said. “How are we going to get there? How are we supposed to just, are we just supposed to get out there and slide like we are sliding on a sliding board to the bus stop?”

Noonkester says she can’t afford to miss another appointment. She’s rescheduled all of them for Tuesday and hopes family members can help get her out of her house and to the doctor safely.

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.

40 years ago, she was a semifinalist to be on board the Challenger. Today, she shares her story

By Forrest Sanders

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    NASHVILLE (WTVF) — For the past week, we have, of course, been focused on this severe weather event. We also wanted to also mention this. As our city worked to recover, we passed the forty-year anniversary of a major moment in US history; the space shuttle Challenger disaster. We have a local tie to the moment.

I was watching a tape from 1986 in the NewsChannel 5 archive when I came across a video. It was of a teacher talking to her class. When I realized what this teacher was talking about, I wanted to find her today; Carolyn Dobbins.

“I was pretty well convinced I had put it aside,” Dobbins said, speaking from home. “Oh, was I wrong. How do I feel at this moment? I can talk about it. I’m glad I have not broken down in tears.”

Growing up in Eagleville, Dobbins had big dreams, but the thought of space travel was just too big.

“It was so out there,” she nodded. “It was untouchable as far as I was concerned. I had no idea that anything like this could ever be part of my life.”

A day in 1984 changed that. The Teacher in Space Project was announced. NASA was going to begin taking teachers on space missions so they could share the experience with their students.

There was a huge packet to fill out. How was a teacher like Dobbins going to find the time?

“An amazing thing happened,” she remembered of January 1985. “Snow day. Then we had another snow day and another snow day, those snow days were what I needed! It was basically a mini-book about your beliefs, your desire to go into space, getting to the soul of the person.”

The day came Dobbins was able to tell her class at McMurray Middle the big news. Out of 11,000 applicants, she’d been chosen as a semi-finalist.

“There was a student, and I can remember to this day her beautiful face,” Dobbins said. “She said, ‘Mrs. Dobbins, what if you don’t ever come back? I said, ‘oh, I’ll be back.'”

Dobbins was among the semi-finalist teachers invited to Washington D.C. to be interviewed by a review panel.

“I was totally overwhelmed,” she remembered. “I have never met such outstanding people in my life. Everybody here is a star! We all felt we would be the one chosen.”

The teacher who was chosen was Christa McAuliffe, a social studies teacher from Concord and mother of two children.

In January 1986, Dobbins was watching as seven crew members launched in space shuttle Challenger.

“When I heard, ‘we have liftoff,’ I sighed a sigh of relief and thought, ‘way to go, Christa! You are there!'” Dobbins said.

At that point, Dobbins turned the TV off.

“Within seconds, the phone rang,” she said. “It was a friend. I said, ‘isn’t it great? The shuttle has gone!’ She said, ‘Carolyn, you don’t know.’ It was the tone. You don’t know. I just put the phone down, flipped on the TV. There it was. Already the footage was going of the explosion. That is still such an emotional moment.”

The tragedy of the shuttle explosion was felt across the country. Flags were lowered at the state capital, while resolutions were passed honoring the astronauts. Then-Governor Lamar Alexander announced a scholarship fund in honor of Christa McAuliffe.

“[She was] a teacher whose mission reached every classroom in America and into every family in this country,” Alexander said in 1986.

It was then, NewsChannel 5’s visit happened to Dobbins’ classroom. What’s striking is in this visit is Dobbins wanted to try the Teacher in Space Project again.

“It was my love of students,” Dobbins said, remembering her perspective from 1986. “It was that same desire to inspire them. If I had the chance, would I be willing? Yes, I would be willing. [The students] reminded me often, ‘you are not going into space. You are not going into space.'”

Dobbins taught for metro schools for 28 years and at Brentwood Academy for another 23 years. She said for a long time, students asked her about the experience. As the distance from the event grew, she was asked about it less. Dobbins is again sharing this moment in history, always a teacher.

“I have both gratitude for the life I’ve been allowed to live and also such deep respect for the families of those seven,” 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.

Free chili meal brings community together after power outages

By Kelsey Gibbs , Justice Kennedy

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    HENDERSONVILLE, Tennessee (WTVF) — A warm bowl of chili and even warmer hearts brought Hendersonville residents together Sunday afternoon as the community rallied to support neighbors and utility crews working to restore power after days of outages.

Elevate50 Hendersonville hosted the free community meal from 2 to 4 p.m. at 197 Imperial Blvd, serving hearty chili topped with cheese and sour cream alongside cornbread and fresh toppings. Live music by Georgia Owen Music provided entertainment as neighbors lined up to share a meal and show appreciation for the crews working tirelessly to restore electricity.

Heisman Roofing & Construction LLC sponsored the event under their motto “Excellence with Integrity.”

The gathering offered more than just food during the ongoing power restoration efforts. It provided a chance for residents to connect with one another and support local businesses that stepped up to help during challenging times.

The collaboration between Elevate50 Hendersonville, Heisman Roofing & Construction, and local volunteers demonstrated how community resilience builds one bowl at a time. The musical backdrop added a festive touch, transforming a relief effort into a genuine community gathering.

Organizers hope the event becomes a recurring reminder of Hendersonville’s neighborhood strength, showcasing generous volunteers, local businesses, and residents who come together during times of need. Those who missed Sunday’s meal should stay tuned for future community events and volunteer opportunities.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WTVF 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.

Daddy-daughter duo makes history at the GRAMMYs with Best Children’s Album win

By Randall Newsome

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    CHARLES COUNTY, Maryland (WMAR) — Fyutch and Aura V, the father-daughter music duo madde the trip from Charles County, across the country to Los Angeles with a dream — and they’re returning home with a Grammy in hand.

Fyütch and his eight-year-old daughter, Aura V, made history at the Grammy Awards, winning Best Children’s Album for their debut project, Harmony. The win officially crowns Aura V as the youngest Grammy winner ever and marks a major milestone for the Maryland-based duo.

Their sound — a blend of different genres — is intentional, Fyütch says, designed to speak to listeners of all ages and walks of life.

“Through hip-hop music, through gospel, through R&B — those are my foundations,” Fyütch said. “So I wanted it to be musical. I wanted to speak to all ages and be classic and timeless.”That message of unity and positivity shines throughout Harmony, now officially an award-winning album.

Before their big night in Los Angeles, WMAR-2 News had a chance to catch up with the pair — and made sure to ask an important question: What does an eight-year-old want after winning her first Grammy?

Aura V’s answer was simple — and priceless.

“I wanna get some bunnies.” Not one. Not two. Ten.

That’s where dad stepped in.

What followed was a lighthearted negotiation, complete with laughter, disbelief, and a firm counter-offer from Fyütch. While the Grammy may be secured, the bunnies are still very much up for debate — at least until Grammy win number two.

For now, the duo is celebrating their historic achievement, their message of harmony, and a moment they’ll never forget.

And while the jury may still be out on those ten bunny rabbits, one thing is certain: Fyütch and Aura V are officially Grammy winners — and music history makers.

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.

As utility bills climb, one homeowner discovers a $7,000 mistake that could have been avoided

By Mallory Sofastaii

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    BALTIMORE (WMAR) — Utility bills were already high, and a recent cold snap could push them even higher. Weather and rate increases are major factors, but there is another costly problem to watch for, and it is one homeowners can actually fix.

For most of the winter, Donn Deitemyer’s bill stayed the same. Then, in the spring, it sent him into a panic.

“I got this bill for $7,000,” said Deitemyer, a Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) customer.

Deitemyer was on budget billing, paying around $300 a month. But when the utility reset his average, his bill jumped to $1,000, and then some.

“This situation went on from November, December, January, February, and March, I guess five months,” Deitemyer said.

Deitemyer traced the issue back to the fall, when he had a new thermostat installed. Almost immediately, his energy use quadrupled without him realizing it.

“There’s a part of a heat pump called a reversing valve, and it had been wired incorrectly so that my heat and my air conditioning were both trying to run and going back and forth,” Deitemyer explained.

Both systems ran around the clock for four months.

He eventually called a different company to fix the problem. His energy usage dropped right away, but the balance did not.

“Yeah, I have about $2,000 left,” Deitemyer said. “Still paying it, and this was two years ago.”

Deitemyer tried to recoup the costs from the HVAC company that incorrectly installed the thermostat, but the company later went out of business. He then requested relief from BGE, which was denied.

Deitemyer says he should have tracked his usage more closely, which he does now. He also says budget billing gave him a false sense of security. And while heat pumps can use more energy in the coldest months, he is happy with his system as long as it is wired correctly.

“Heat pumps are really popular when you go a little bit further south where it’s not as cold, and heat pumps have become popular here because there were a lot of federal rebates that made the offsets worth it,” said Michael Holcomb, COO of Complete Climate Services.

This is the busiest time of year for Holcomb’s company. Between no-heat calls, he hears from customers upset about high bills. Many of them have heat pumps, which use electricity instead of a gas furnace.

“During the storm that came, we’re finding ice buildup on the outdoor heat pump, which is essentially the outdoor unit that runs in heat pump mode,” Holcomb said. “And when you have ice buildup, it causes the auxiliary heat to come on.”

Auxiliary heat is far less efficient and much more expensive. Drastic thermostat changes or an improper installation can trigger it sooner. Holcomb says regular maintenance and filter changes are also key.

“The rule of thumb is, realistically, just to keep your thermostat set at a temperature and leave it,” he said. “In the wintertime when it’s really, really cold, move it to like 66. Put on a jacket, put on an extra blanket. You don’t need to crank it up and crank it down.”

With single-digit temperatures, many homeowners could see sticker shock. For Deitemyer, the experience forced tough tradeoffs.

“It’s such a helpless feeling, you know, because we’re sort of stuck with [BGE],” he said. “It’s really helpless and you just don’t know what your bill’s going to be and therefore it’s hard to budget.”

To avoid surprises on your bill, track your daily usage. Under “My Account” on BGE’s website, click “My Usage.” You can see daily costs, a projected bill, and what in your home is using the most energy.

Holcomb says if you see a major spike in usage after installing a new thermostat, call a professional to have it checked. Keeping your system properly maintained could save you thousands.

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.