A Disney World getaway took an unexpected turn in Florida after a lightning strike reportedly knocked out a monorail’s electrical system, leaving a train full of passengers stranded.

Severe storms swept through the Walt Disney World Resort over the weekend, disrupting operations at the popular theme park. Passengers said a lightning strike caused the monorail system to lose power, trapping riders aboard the train.

The weather-related breakdown upended visitors’ plans, with riders reporting that they were stuck inside the monorail for about 90 minutes.

The incident came as Florida faced a soggy weekend marked by thunderstorms, with additional rain and stormy conditions forecast throughout the week.

As the delay continued, the heat and humidity inside the stalled train became increasingly difficult for passengers. Riders attempted to open windows while waiting for help during what they described as a stressful and frightening ordeal.

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“We were there for one and a half hours and during that time, the driver talked us through how to take out the window,” Tanya Lee told Storyful News.

Power was ultimately restored, and the monorail was towed to the nearest station, allowing passengers to disembark safely.

“Everyone was in good spirits, as there is not much you can do at that point,” Lee said.

Storyful News reported that Disney guest relations provided affected riders with $50 gift cards and Lightning Lane passes, which allow guests to bypass some of the resort’s longer attraction lines.

FOX Weather said it contacted Disney World for additional details but had not received a response.

The Tunnel to Towers Steel Across America Tour wrapped up its journey of more than 38 stops this week with a final appearance at MetLife Stadium during a New York Giants game.

At the center of the cross-country tribute was a 21-foot beam taken from the World Trade Center’s South Tower. Launched in May, the tour traveled from the East Coast across the United States before returning to the New York City region ahead of Sunday’s closing event, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks.

The 16,900-pound section of steel was pulled from Ground Zero in the days after the attacks by first responders who raced to the scene. It has become a powerful memorial to the nearly 3,000 civilians, firefighters, police officers, emergency personnel and military service members killed on 9/11.

“For the past four months, communities across the country have welcomed this sacred piece of American history with incredible emotion,” Tunnel to Towers Chairman and CEO Frank Siller said in a press release. “Watching people stand in front of that steel, hugging it, praying over it, weeping, reminds me every single day of why we do this work.”

One of the tour’s August events, held in Indianapolis, featured a color guard, a pipes and drums procession, the national anthem performed by the Voices of the Indianapolis Fire Department, and an invocation from Indianapolis Fire Department Chaplain Mike Gatliff.

Indianapolis Fire Division Chief Tom Neal and Timothy Winslow, a retired major general who serves as executive director of the Indiana War Memorial and Museum, also spoke about the enduring ties among the city’s first responders, veterans and the legacy of 9/11.

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“Bringing this steel to Indianapolis, and to a museum that has stood for over a century as a tribute to American sacrifice, is deeply moving,” FDNY Lt. Jack Kielty, a Tunnel to Towers board member, said. “Indiana veterans and first responders understand what it means to serve.”

The event also highlighted Indiana’s own connection to the attacks. Nine Hoosiers died on Sept. 11, while Indianapolis Task Force One sent rescuers to Ground Zero. Six members of the team later died from illnesses linked to their work in the toxic environment, according to the Indiana War Memorial.

Scott Nokes, a Marine Corps veteran and Tunnel to Towers recipient, spoke to attendees about the significance of allowing people to see the steel in person.

“Out of the 2,977 lives that were lost, there’s over 1,000 bodies that were never recovered specifically from Ground Zero in New York,” Nokes said. “Their souls are in that steel, and if you touch it, you feel it.”

On the 25th anniversary of 9/11, Frank Siller and his family honored his late brother Stephen Siller — a heroic 34-year-old husband, father and firefighter who, after hearing about the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attack, loaded himself down with gear, and traversed through the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel on foot heading to the Twin Towers, and ultimately giving his life — by retracing the man’s steps.

“This morning’s walk through the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel was part of the conclusion of Steel Across America, a journey that began four-and-a-half months ago and carried a 21-foot, 16,900-pound World Trade Center steel beam more than 10,500 miles through nearly 40 stops across the country and back, stopping in more than 21 states,” a statement from Tunnel to Towers said. “For over four months, the steel has been a gathering place for communities to remember the events of September 11th, to honor first responders and veterans, and to ensure that a new generation understands the significance of what happened 25 years ago.”

Randy Pedersen, the beloved bowling commentator and 13-time PBA Tour title winner, has died at the age of 64.

A towering presence in professional bowling, Pedersen ranked among the sport’s elite during a remarkable run from 1986 through 1995. His career highlight came in 1986, when he captured the PBA National Championship — the lone major title of his playing career.

The North Carolina-born star later became the 24th player in PBA history to surpass $1 million in career earnings. He reached that milestone after claiming his final tour victory, the 2002 Pepsi Open, at 40 years old, before embarking on an equally recognizable broadcasting career.

Pedersen joined ESPN’s PBA coverage in 2001 and quickly became a favorite among fans. He stayed with the network until ESPN’s bowling agreement concluded in 2018, then followed the tour to Fox Sports in 2019. He also worked as an analyst during PBA broadcasts on CBS Sports Network.

After Fox’s PBA broadcast partnership ended in 2025 and the league shifted its television coverage to The CW and CBS, current PBA competitor Kyle Sherman took over Pedersen’s analyst position.

Known for his sharp humor, memorable sayings and unmistakable energy, Pedersen helped bring professional bowling to a wider TV audience while making the sport accessible to casual viewers.

Explaining his approach to broadcasting, Pedersen once said: ‘I want to convey to the viewing public that they are watching the best bowlers in the world. It’s my job to explain what makes them that good, as well as provide other information that ‘Johnny 150 average’ doesn’t already know.’

He added: ‘One thing I learned is if you can bring enthusiasm to the table, sometimes it doesn’t really matter what is coming out of your mouth. The viewing audience senses the enthusiasm.’

Pedersen was elected to the PBA Hall of Fame in October 2010, and the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Hall of Fame in November 2024. 

Tributes have poured in after news of his passing broke. His cause of death has not yet been confirmed.  

Bowling writer Lucas Wiseman wrote on X: ‘RIP in an absolute legend in our sport. It was an honor to know him and spend time with him. Randy Pedersen, you will be missed by many.’ 

Storm Bowling wrote on Facebook: ‘The Storm family is deeply saddened by the passing of our longtime teammate and friend, Randy Pedersen.

‘Randy’s impact on bowling reached far beyond his accomplishments as a Hall of Fame competitor. Through his unmistakable personality, passion, humor, and years as one of the sport’s most recognizable voices, Randy helped bring bowling to life for generations of fans.

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‘For us, though, Randy was much more than a champion or broadcaster. He was a teammate, a friend, and part of the Storm family.

‘We are incredibly grateful for the years, memories, laughs, and moments we were fortunate enough to share with him.

‘Our thoughts are with Randy’s family, friends, and the entire bowling community. We will miss you, Randy.’

Bowling Life EU wrote: ‘For decades, Randy gave fans reasons to keep watching bowling on TV, first through his own performances and later from the ESPN and FOX Sports commentary booth.

‘He knew what it felt like to stand on the approach with a title on the line, and he brought that understanding to every broadcast. His humour, honesty and love for bowling helped a generation of viewers feel closer to the game and the people playing it.’

The sport has already been hit by recent tragedy, losing one of its top players ‘suddenly’ just a few weeks ago on July 31. 

Eight-time PBA Tour winner Jakob Butturff died aged 32 leaving friends and rivals heartbroken.

Another user online wrote: ‘First Butters and now Randy… this doesn’t even feel real… he was THE voice of this sport.’ 

PBA commissioner Tom Clark said when announcing Butturrf’s death: ‘Jakob was one of the most unique players in PBA history.

‘Fans marveled at his delivery, as he rode a wave of strikes into becoming a top player in the sport, capable of winning at any time, in any event. Jakob was kind, he was respectful, and he was a champion. 

‘He will never be forgotten. Our hearts are with all Butters touched on his one-of-a-kind journey.’

CHICAGO (WLS) — A grassroots push against Flock automated license plate reader cameras and other surveillance tools is gaining momentum in Northwest Indiana. The debate intensified after one community voted to terminate its agreement with the company in the wake of an investigation into alleged police officer misuse.

Augusta Guffroy, who founded DeFlock Lake County, is among the activists calling for the removal of the cameras.

“I’m afraid that we are building an infrastructure for a police state,” Guffroy said.

“We are paying to be surveilled on, and I have a problem with that. Where’s the consent? Our tax dollars are paying for these cameras,” she said.

Guffroy said simply switching to another automated license plate reader platform would not address her concerns.

“We want them gone completely. And we do not want them replaced with another ALPR,” she said.

She contends that the expanding network of automated license plate reader cameras threatens personal privacy. Flock’s technology can share vehicle data with hundreds of police departments in Illinois and, potentially, agencies elsewhere in the country.

When asked whether Flock cameras make her feel safer in Illinois, Guffroy said they do not. “Not at all. I do not feel safer with flock cameras. Now, I think that they’re tools of intimidation. I don’t know who’s on the other side of that camera.”

Privacy questions have also been fueled by the website haveibeenflocked.com, which notifies users whether a license plate has been stored in the Flock system.

Police departments that use the technology argue that local safeguards are in place to prevent abuse. They also maintain that Flock cameras and other license plate reader systems remain critical tools in criminal investigations and efforts to solve crime.

But, previous I-Team reporting found at least a dozen officers across the Chicago area accused of misusing Flock camera technology capable of tracking a person’s location in real time.

According to that reporting, at least two agencies have forwarded cases involving alleged misuse of Flock Safety license plate reader technology to county prosecutors for review of possible criminal charges.

One of those cases involved former Prairie Grove police officer William Copp, who was arrested and charged with official misconduct after searching the Flock system for his ex-partner’s vehicle more than 100 times, according to the Prairie Grove police chief.

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Opposition to the technology has also emerged in Woodstock, Illinois, where residents have raised concerns about cameras installed around the city’s historic downtown square.

Francis said policies alone cannot prevent misuse.

“There’s really no amount of policy that can stop, anybody from misusing this,” he said.

In Chesterton, Indiana, the Town Council voted unanimously this week to terminate its contract with Flock after a misuse investigation involving one of its officers.

Council President Erin Collins said the company’s auditing system made oversight difficult.

“Because of Flack’s limitations in their auditing system, they really they made it very difficult for municipalities and for police departments to monitor the the behavior that’s going on in the searches that are being made,” Collins said.

Collins said community advocacy played a role in bringing attention to the issue.

“I appreciate any kind of community activism. I know that sometimes it can seem, like it’s disruptive, but I also think that people have a right to have their voice heard, especially within their local government,” she said.

The I-Team has repeatedly requested an interview with Flock’s CEO but was told he was unavailable. In previous reporting, a company spokesperson said the product now includes enhanced guardrails designed to protect against misuse.

The Woodstock Police Department said it does not monitor individuals and uses the technology solely to solve crimes. The department recently implemented a policy governing its use.

CINCINNATI –– Amid the Dodgers’ recent struggles, the core of their starting rotation had remained remarkably healthy.

That changed, at least potentially, on Wednesday night.

Dodgers left-hander Blake Snell exited his start against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park after only one inning and 19 pitches.

The reason for Snell’s early departure was not immediately known, nor was the severity of any potential injury.

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Any issue involving Snell would represent a major concern for the Dodgers, whose hopes of winning a third straight World Series have hinged largely on a formidable starting staff featuring Snell, Tarik Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow.

Notably, Wednesday marked the first time this season that Snell had started on four days’ rest.