INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — Lynnette Bellin thought she was beginning to recover after a frightening encounter with a wild otter in Lake Tahoe. Instead, the Reno-area swim instructor found herself back in the hospital after a serious infection developed in her injured hand. Bellin, who was attacked while swimming near Hidden Beach on Aug. 30, […]

CHICAGO, Ill. — Summer swimming in Chicago is coming to an end as the city prepares to close its beaches and remaining outdoor pools following the Labor Day holiday. According to the Chicago Park District, the city’s 23 beaches will officially close to swimmers after Monday, marking the traditional end of the outdoor swimming season. […]

FLORIDA — Health and mosquito-control officials are increasing efforts to slow the spread of dengue fever as the number of locally acquired cases continues to climb across the state. As of Sept. 1, Florida had recorded 41 locally acquired dengue cases, including 33 in the Tampa Bay area, according to the reported figures. Officials expect […]

ROCKWALL, Texas — An 8-year-old boy was rushed to a Dallas hospital Saturday after he was reportedly struck and run over by his grandfather in the driveway of a home, according to the Rockwall County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies were called to the 1000 block of Smith Acres Drive at approximately 1:45 p.m. after receiving a […]

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. — A routine wildlife disease test at one of Yosemite National Park’s most popular visitor areas has sparked frustration after officials revealed that a dead bat found near Curry Village had tested positive for rabies. The bat was discovered outside the camp’s showerhouse in May, but the National Park Service did […]

SUMTER, S.C. — A South Carolina family is mourning the devastating loss of a young mother-to-be and her unborn baby after a freak accident at a go-kart track claimed both lives. Baylee Johnson, 24, was 16 weeks pregnant with her first child when the accident happened at a go-karting track in Sumter. She remained in […]

NEW YORK CITY, N.Y. — A routine expedition into the Atlantic turned into an unforgettable wildlife encounter when two enormous whale sharks surfaced near a boat off the New York coast, giving passengers a rare look at the world’s largest known fish. The remarkable sighting happened Monday aboard the Brooklyn-based American Princess, which had traveled […]

TERRA BELLA, Calif. — A California family is mourning the heartbreaking loss of a 12-year-old girl who was killed in a traffic crash just nine days before she was supposed to celebrate her 13th birthday. Janessa Gonzalez of Terra Bella was trying to cross Avenue 95 near Terra Bella Elementary School shortly before 6 p.m. […]

INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Fla. — A routine drive along Interstate 95 turned into a deadly chain of events late Sunday night after an alligator entered the roadway and triggered a crash that ultimately claimed the life of a 20-year-old Florida woman. The Florida Highway Patrol confirmed that the fatal incident happened around 11:52 p.m. Sunday, […]

EDGARTOWN, Mass. — A routine day at one of Martha’s Vineyard’s popular beaches turned into an emergency Monday afternoon when a swimmer suffered an injury to her lower leg in what officials described as a possible shark attack. The incident happened at South Beach in Edgartown, where emergency personnel were called after the woman was […]