Gold Star family pushes for new state license plate

CNN Newsource on February 2, 2026

By Jon Schoenheider

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    GORHAM, New Hampshire (WMUR) — A bill moving through the state legislature could give New Hampshire Gold Star families more options for license plates, led by Gorham parents who lost their son overseas.

In November 2023, SSgt. Tanner Grone died in a helicopter crash before being brought home to a town-wide ceremony to honor him.

The 26-year-old was one of five U.S. Special Operations aviation soldiers to die during a routine training flight near Cyprus. Reports indicated the crash was due to an in-flight emergency, and not due to hostile actions.

To honor him in her own way, Tanner’s mom, Erica, got a “Gold Star Mother” vanity license plate in August 2024. At the time, she was the only family member who could get such a plate.

“It just didn’t seem right that I was the only one receiving this,” she said.

Since there were no additional vanity plate options for other family members, the Grones decided to make a change. The goal was to create a Gold Star plate for Steve as Tanner’s dad, and one for their daughter, Emily

“(Emily) was by my side the whole time,” said Erica, “and Steve and I made choices raising them together, it wasn’t me on my own.”

The family reached out to their local representatives to ask for more options. That included contacting State Rep. Michael Murphy, who is now the prime sponsor for House Bill 1070, the bill that would add more options.

Murphy said this wasn’t the first time other plates were suggested, as others have tried in years past.

“It wasn’t feasible monetarily,” Murphy said. “It cost a lot of money to change things over the plates, and that was taxpayer money. So that’s kind of why it all got shot down before.”

With support from other lawmakers and the state Department of Motor Vehicles, the Grones say they were informed the design would stay similar. Instead of “Mother” on the bottom of the star printed on the left side of the plate, the word would change to options like “Father” and “Family” on the new additions.

“We just wanted everybody to have their choice of what they wanted,” Murphy said.

It’s a choice that the Grones have heard other families want, too, which has bolstered their efforts. They say the idea has received traction online from other Gold Star families, some of whom tried to propose the same idea in the past.

“The time has come for it,” said Tanner’s father, Steve. “It’s the right thing to do.”

The bill was approved by the State House Committee and Finance Committee last week. It’s now waiting for approval in the State Senate.

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.

Engineers monitor rare ice buildup on Pittsburgh’s three rivers

CNN Newsource on February 2, 2026

By Felicity Taylor

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    PITTSBURGH (WTAE) — Ice covering Pittsburgh’s three rivers causes extra work for the Army Corps of Engineers as they try to keep barge traffic moving. Most years, folks only expect the Allegheny River to look the way all three do.

“This is exceptional. We are seeing ice formation on the Monongahela River, which, of course, flows south to north, so typically it’s warmer than the Allegheny,” Col. Nicholas Melin said. “But even on the Ohio, we’re seeing freezing temperatures and ice formation that we’ve not seen in quite a number of years.”

Barges are still moving on the Monongahela and Ohio rivers, though less frequently than usual. That is because the Army Corps of Engineers has kept all 22 locks and dams across the three rivers open. There is still ice on the river.

“Ice buildup on the gates, ice buildup on the dam can cause excess weight on the gates, which can cause issues and breakages,” Sean Myers, a maintenance mechanic supervisor at the Emsworth Lock and Dam, said. “We have to be able to respond to that when it does happen.”

Officials stressed that while the rivers may look frozen solid, the water beneath the ice is still moving and dangerous. They are warning people against walking out onto the ice, noting that falling into water this cold can be deadly.

“The river is still flowing. Even if you don’t see the water, it is still moving underneath the ice,” Melin said. “The ice is under pressure, so it’s shifting and reforming. Even though it might look as though the river is solid ice, there could be cracks and fissures, and ice could be moving without you knowing it.”

Eventually, the ice will melt, and how that happens will decide their next steps for the river.

“If the temperatures rise gradually, the ice will melt, and we’ll move it through our locks and dams and move it down the Ohio River,” Melin said. “If we see a rapid rise in temperature and a lot of rain, that’s when we would potentially see high water conditions on our rivers.”

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.

Southwest Florida residents join effort to collect cold-stunned iguanas

CNN Newsource on February 2, 2026

By Natacha Casal

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    FORT MYERS, Florida (WBBH) — Florida Fish and Wildlife officers are collecting frozen, cold-stunned green iguanas Sunday and Monday, following a temporary executive order that allows residents to remove the invasive species from the wild without a permit and take them to designated FWC offices.

Marlin Smith from Bonita Springs said, “I’ve kind of learned in a lot of my classes that they’re, they’re really bad for the environment here. So I figured it would be best to kind of collect him and properly dispose of them to kind of overall help the environment here.”

Smith expressed enthusiasm about the opportunity to assist wildlife officers and contribute to the ecosystem. “It’s nice to engage the public in this too, because, I mean, there’s only so many FWC officers and so many environmental scientists. So to allow the public to do this and help them out is a really large collective effort. And I think it’s ultimately going to do a lot of good for the ecosystem,” he said.

Smith traveled from Bonita Springs to drop off an iguana he found in a pool. “I was doing my rounds this morning at our field station. Just putting all the coolers and furniture that blew blue around last night with that cold front. And I saw this iguana basically frozen in time, right? Right by the side of the pool. So I scooped him up, put him in this box. And then I saw on the news that FWC was taking live iguanas,” Smith said.

John Magyar from Fort Myers also found two frozen iguanas this morning. “So woke up this morning and sister-in-law went to go out, go studying, and turns out these were on of her car, so we think one of them fell out of a tree. The one was right next to the car, so we ended up having to push it off the car. Then we try to figure out how to get rid of them humanely,” Magyar said.

FWC emphasizes safety when capturing these reptiles, advising anyone collecting iguanas to wear protective gloves, long sleeves, and pants to avoid scratches.

The iguanas must be placed in a secure, escape-proof cloth bag, then put inside a second locked container labeled “prohibited reptiles.”

The bags must remain sealed until handed off to FWC staff, as iguanas can thaw out and act defensively with sharp teeth, claws, and powerful tails.

Magyar added, “Honestly, we’re just trying to figure out if when we were moving them off the car, if they were going to like, spring to life So we were really hoping they would stay frozen.”

Outside of this executive order, people who need help removing iguanas should contact a professional wildlife control operator.

FWC will be collecting cold-stunned iguanas Monday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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.

Crews free worker trapped in elevated sand hopper

CNN Newsource on February 2, 2026

By Greg Ng

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    COCKEYSVILLE, Maryland (WBAL) — Crews rescued a worker who became trapped in an elevated sand hopper in Cockeysville, according to the Baltimore County Fire Department.

County fire officials said rescue crews were called around 1:21 p.m. Friday to the 10800 block of Beaver Dam Road, where a worker was trapped waist-deep in an elevated sand hopper.

County fire officials said first responders helped free the man from sand nearly 75 feet in the air, and h was able walk out with assistance.

A Medevac helicopter and the Shock Trauma Go-Team were called to the scene, and Baltimore City sent mutual aid.

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.

Video shows dramatic rescue of cat from 100-foot-tall tree

CNN Newsource on February 2, 2026

By Jennifer Franciotti

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    ESSEX, Maryland (WBAL) — A dramatic rescue of a cat clinging to life in a 100-foot-tall tree was caught on video after last weekend’s snowstorm.

Warm and safe now, the cat named “Oak” has quite a story.

The little guy wasn’t curled safely in a crate during last weekend’s storm; he was actually stuck at the top of a 100-foot sweetgum tree for more than 24 hours.

Dawn Cannella runs Peninsula Colony Cats, which helped with the rescue, along with neighbors, watched in horror as the cat, who is likely a stray from a nearby apartment building, clung to the tree’s branches.

“Emotionally, horrible. It was awful. I couldn’t sleep. We knew we had to get the cat out of the tree before he died,” Cannella told WBAL-TV 11 News.

All the while, Oak was stuck in the snow, sleet and freezing rain.

“The wind started blowing, and the ice was just starting. It was just awful,” Cannella told WBAL-TV 11 News.

Onlookers became distraught. They first called the Baltimore County Fire Department. When help couldn’t come, they called Patrick Dotson with Healthy Trees Tree Service to save the day.

“I thought God was calling me to rescue the cat, that was the first initial thing,” Dotson told WBAL-TV 11 News. “I’ve done training area rescues for climbers. I’ve never rescued a cat before. I put it on my (business) card just to be ready.”

Dotson described the moment he first attempted the rescue.

“Initially, I thought this was (going to) be an easy climb because Oak was about 20 feet down from where he originally ended up,” Dotson told WBAL-TV 11 News. “I got about 5 feet to him. They sent up cat food; I thought maybe he’ll smell the food, he’ll come down. No, he just kept going up higher and higher.”

Dotson had to turn to plan B, which was to cut the branch and create a bridge to grab Oak.

“We began to cut the branch as it peeled over. I guess he got scared,” Dotson told WBAL-TV 11 News.

Oak then jumped off the tree as the heart-pounding video showed the moment rescuers finally got him.

“He was covered in ice. His eyes were all crusted,” Cannella told WBAL-TV 11 News.

Oak suffered from a broken leg in two spots, but Cannella hopes he’ll recover fully.

“Hopefully, he won’t need surgery. He has some frostbite areas, and other than that, he’s relatively healthy,” Cannella told WBAL-TV 11 News.

All thanks to bravery, teamwork and generosity.

“It’s an amazing job that you do,” Cannella told Dotson.

“We showed up to be a great team,” Dotson said.

“It was wonderful,” Cannella said.

Oak still needs to recover for a few more weeks before he’s ready for adoption. Not surprisingly, he has already had much interest.

For those who would like to follow his story, or see more about some of the cats that are up for adoption, follow Peninsula Colony Cat Rescue on social media.

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.

Intermountain Health team helps young woman live beyond her diagnosis

CNN Newsource on February 2, 2026

By Emma Benson

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    SOUTH JORDAN, Utah (KSL) — For most people, food is fuel. But for ShayLee Hunter, survival comes another way.

“At 6 months old, I had my first surgery and had a third of my large intestine removed,” she said. “By the time I was 2, I got my first feeding tube.”

Hunter was born with a rare digestive disorder called chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction, a condition where the nerves and muscles of the gut don’t work properly. Food and fluid can’t move through her body as they should.

At age 16, she underwent ostomy surgery. Hunter relies entirely on Total Parenteral Nutrition — liquid nutrition delivered directly into her bloodstream through an IV line.

“My life expectancy was not to surpass 20 years old,” said now-27-year-old Hunter. “I was told I probably would never graduate high school, I probably would never get married or have kids.”

But Hunter refused to accept that prognosis.

“I was like, well, I’m gonna show them that they’re wrong,” she said.

For 25 years, one person has helped make that possible: Paul Wolford, a clinical pharmacist with Intermountain Health Home Services.

“We want them to be home and be as independent as possible and live as normal a life as possible,” Wolford said.

Wolford helps manage Hunter’s complex care — overseeing her customized IV nutrition, adjusting prescriptions and working closely with her doctors.

“We’re always in touch,” Wolford said. “We always work with her providers to try and coordinate care and make sure she’s getting the best care possible.”

To Hunter, that consistency has meant everything.

“He’s always right there, ready to answer any questions and just be there for you and his patients,” she said.

Despite decades of weekly calls and constant coordination, the two had never met in person — until Jan. 27.

“In a lot of ways, they sort of become like a second family,” Wolford said.

Hunter said that support has helped her live far beyond what doctors once predicted. She’s earned a college degree, traveled internationally and even competes in pageants to raise awareness for invisible disabilities. She has also worked as a child advocate for a domestic abuse shelter and is currently a chapter coordinator for a nonprofit that preserves the arts.

“I love that they’re willing to explore those options and help me with my dreams,” she said. “This is my life, and I think I should have that option to live it fully — I don’t think just a medication should hinder me from that.”

Hunter recently nominated Wolford for Intermountain Health’s L.OV.E. Award, recognizing exceptional caregivers. He received the award on the same day the two met face-to-face for the first time.

Intermountain Health Homecare Services includes home infusion therapy, infused specialty pharmacy medications and digestive health IV nutrition therapy. Nutrition therapy helps to deliver essential nutrients when a person cannot consume food orally or absorb nutrients through the digestive system. These therapies ensure that the body receives the necessary vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, proteins and fats needed for energy, growth and healing.

In 2025, Home Services delivered high‑quality care to more than 135,000 patients across eight medical specialty service lines. Nearly 2,000 caregivers, including over 100 providers, traveled 8.5 million miles across five states (Utah, Idaho, Colorado, Montana and Nevada) to meet patients where they are.

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.

Kid e-biker gang on trail allegedly assaults man and his daughter

CNN Newsource on February 2, 2026

By Tori Apodaca

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    ROSEVILLE, California (KOVR) — A man is speaking out after he claims that he was assaulted by a pack of kids on e-bikes on a Roseville trail.

It happened on Friday on the trail near Adam V. Baquera Park at around 9 p.m. when he was on a walk with his 10-year-old daughter and dog.

“The third, the fourth, the fifth, which had two riders, one in all black [and] one in all white. Everybody had masks or bandanas over their face,” said John Cozen who said he was targeted.

Cozen said one kid after the other rode by, pulled down their bandanas and spit on them.

“On my face, all over my clothes,” said Cozen. “I was pretty heated.”

He fears they will not be the last victims of these so-called e-bike gangs, and he posted about the experience online.

“I posted this online, and dozens of people shared similar stories about it,” said Cozen. “Attacks or unsafe behavior about e-bike gangs riding around.”

Amber Riccobuano lives in Placer County and said she has also had her run-ins with kids on e-bikes.

“My daughter actually got into a car accident because two e-bikers cut her off,” said Riccobuano. “And ended up hitting a parked car.”

From kids knocking over an elderly woman in a Folsom Walmart to over a hundred swerving in and out of traffic on a Manteca freeway, law enforcement agencies across the region are looking for ways to respond – starting with education for kids and their parents who buy them the bikes.

“They are doing wheelies in the middle of the road,” said Riccobuano. “They can fall off into traffic.”

Cozen said his daughter is doing fine and thankfully did not feel much of the spit or realize exactly what was happening.

Roseville Police responded to Cozen’s call, but by the time they got out to the trail, there was not an e-biker in sight.

“We are here because of safety,” said Cozen. “So, if that’s in jeopardy at this level, I’d really like us to find a solution.

They pedaled off quickly into the dark with apparently no care or consequence.

“Each one of them just fired off, did their duty and then they were gone,” said Cozen.

Cozen is concerned it will take a child getting seriously hurt before something changes.

“I don’t think anything is going to happen until there is some blood that spills for these rules to be written unfortunately,” said Cozen.

The Roseville Police Department plans to give a presentation about e-bike safety to city council this 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.

Santa Clarita youth hockey team wins championship days after deadly Colorado crash

CNN Newsource on February 2, 2026

By Dean Fioresi

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    SANTA CLARITA, California (KCAL, KCBS) — Just days after they were involved in a multi-vehicle crash on I-70 in Colorado, which left one father dead and several players injured, a youth hockey team from Santa Clarita took home the league title on Sunday.

The tournament was hosted at Edge Ice Arena in Littleton, Colorado, taking place over the weekend to determine the champion of the Western Girls Hockey League.

The Santa Clarita Lady Flyers opted to continue playing in the tournament despite the tragedy, and thanks in large part to the support of other teams, emerged triumphant on Sunday afternoon.

“It wasn’t just about a championship,” said Todd Stelnick, the team’s coach and a father of one of the Lady Flyers. “It was about being with your teammates, being with your family on the ice, sticking together win or lose. They knew they were fighting for each other.”

The girls fought through six games in the three days following the crash after deciding on their own to remain in the tournament, Stelnick said.

“Sprouting out so much tears, us coaches were in tears,” Stelnick said. “It was just fantastic to watch. It was just a great story to tell that they ended with a championship, and I told the girls before the locker room, ‘Girls, I’m just happy to be here with you and it’s your story to tell how this finishes.'”

Hannah Westbrook, the director of hockey operations for the Colorado 14ers club, which also plays in the WGHL, confirmed that most of the Lady Flyers team was flying out of Colorado a few hours after the game, while some were expected to depart on Monday.

The crash happened early Thursday morning as several families and members of the Santa Clarita Lady Flyers 12-and-under team were traveling to the Western Girls Hockey League tournament. They were about 50 miles from Denver near the Eisenhower Tunnel on I-70 in Clear Creek County when the crash occurred, Colorado State Patrol officers said.

Ten people were inside the Sprinter van transporting some of the team and their families when they were struck by a Colorado Department of Transportation snowplow that lost control at approximately 7:50 a.m. Two other passenger vehicles were also involved in the crash, which forced the van down an embankment.

The driver of the van, identified as Manny Lorenzana, was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said. Eight others were hospitalized in the collision: three adults and five juveniles, one of whom was airlifted to a trauma center in critical condition.

Other families with the Lady Flyers said that three of the players were hospitalized after the crash and that they were all in attendance at the championship game. One of the players’ mothers remained hospitalized as of Sunday evening, but everyone else had been released.

Stelnick said that the league has planned a championship celebration party for the Lady Flyers, as well as a remembrance for Lorenzana, later this week. Loved ones have created an online fundraiser to help the victim’s family cover funeral expenses. It can be found by searching for the keywords: “In loving memory of Manny Lorenzana.”

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.

90-year-old man scammed out of more than $800,000 in savings. How 7 On Your Side got his money back

CNN Newsource on February 2, 2026

By Carlos Granda

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    LOS ANGELES (KABC) — At 90 years old, Irving Rosenberg moves slowly.

Walking is difficult, and his hearing is impaired, but the hardest thing he’s dealing with now isn’t his health — it’s the loss of nearly everything he saved over a lifetime.

“I was angry and frustrated,” he told Eyewitness News. “It took all my life savings… I was hurt.”

Rosenberg said the withdrawals from his savings account began last April. Soon, they added up to $814,000.

Rosenberg said he never wrote checks from that savings account and never authorized anyone else either. When he realized what was happening, he called Wells Fargo, looking for help.

“They put it to investigation… an investigation could go forever. That’s what they told me,” he said.

Rosenberg’s nephew, David Satin, who now helps manage the 90-year-old’s affairs, contacted 7 On Your Side and asked for help.

He said when he looked at copies of the cashed checks, he immediately noticed the signature was fake.

“If you look at all the checks that were written, none of them even have close to his signature, not even remotely close,” said Satin.

Rosenberg received a letter from Wells Fargo in which the bank denied his fraud claim, saying he couldn’t be reimbursed because too much time had passed before he had contacted the bank.

Satin was told there is a 60-day reporting window — a policy he believes ignores the realities facing elderly customers.

“I went back to them, and I said, ‘Wait a second. He’s 90. He’s got a little bit of dementia. He can’t hear. He can barely walk. He’s got skin cancer. He’s not noticing these kinds of things, and you guys have no help at all for him,'” said Satin.

Satin also wonders why such massive withdrawals — many of which were made in the span of just a few weeks– weren’t flagged.

“I don’t understand why something like this wasn’t caught all,” he said.

After 7 On Your Side began asking questions, the family said Wells Fargo’s executive office finally contacted them.

“Since I contacted you, and you contacted them, they’ve contacted me at least five times,” said Satin, who adds that the bank has been “way more responsive.”

“Do I have a lot of confidence that he’s going to see any money? I don’t know,” he added.

As 7 On Your Side was putting this report together, there was good news.

Wells Fargo sent ABC7 an email and contacted the family, saying that they will approve Rosenberg’s claim.

“I thank Channel 7 for doing that… thank you,” said Rosenberg.

“After working with our customer and their designated Power of Attorney, and reviewing additional information, we are pleased to share that we are returning Mr. Rosenberg’s money back to his account,” read the statement from Wells Fargo. “Fraud prevention remains a top priority, and we encourage all customers to review their statements monthly and report anything suspicious right away so we can act quickly to protect them.”

Rosenberg said he’s grateful. He wasn’t sure he would ever see his money again — until 7 On Your Side stepped in to help.

“I feel much better. I’m able to sleep,” 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.

‘Relentless pursuit’: Kansas sheriff offers reward after 2 horses fatally shot

CNN Newsource on February 2, 2026

By KAKE Staff

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    ESKRIDGE, Kan. (KAKE) — An eastern Kansas sheriff is offering a reward for information leading to the capture of the person or people who fatally shot two therapy horses last week.

Wabaunsee County Sheriff Eric Kirsch said the horses were killed in the overnight hours of Friday, January 30, to Saturday, January 31. He said the horses were shot from the road near Bradford and Mission Valley roads, northeast of Eskridge.

The horses were used for therapy for veterans and first responders suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, the sheriff said.

“We are devoting the full might of our investigative resources towards the relentless pursuit & capture of the perpetrator or perpetrators responsible for this reprehensible atrocity against these beautiful, innocent & defenseless animals.”

The animals were taken to Kansas State for forensic examination. Sheriff Kirsch said his department is treating the incident like a homicide.

“To the COWARD/s responsible, you WILL be hunted, captured & then brought before the righteous light of justice. There is iron in my words for all to see & may God help you, we are coming.”

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.