A North Carolina woman who was reported missing more than two decades ago was found alive, bringing a 24-year investigation to a close, authorities said.

The Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office said Michelle Hundely Smith, who disappeared in December 2001, was located on Feb. 20 in North Carolina after detectives received new information about her case.

Smith was 38 years old when her husband reported that she had left their Eden home on Dec. 9, 2001, to go Christmas shopping in Martinsville, Virginia, and never returned. Her vehicle was also never located. 

An extensive investigation followed, involving multiple agencies across North Carolina and Virginia, including the State Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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Despite years of investigative work, her whereabouts remained unknown until last week, when Sgt. A. Disher and Detective C. Worley made contact with Smith at an "undisclosed location within North Carolina alive and well," after receiving a tip. 

At her request, officials said her current location will not be disclosed. Her family has been notified that she has been located and informed of her wishes. 

The motive for her disappearance remains unknown. 

"The Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office extends its sincere gratitude to the many agencies and investigators who dedicated substantial time, resources, and unwavering determination to this case over the years," the agency wrote on Facebook.

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"Their persistence and commitment ultimately led to the locating of Michelle Hundely Smith and is a testament to the dedication of the Rockingham County Sheriff’s Office and the Criminal Investigations Division, and the many other Law Enforcement agencies that have assisted throughout the years."

For years, Smith’s cousin Barbara Byrd searched for answers about her whereabouts, with her family even turning to true crime podcasts and television shows to keep her name in the news. 

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"I kind of want to go outside and scream, ‘she’s alive, she’s alive,’" Byrd told WFMY. 

"For years, we didn’t know if we were grieving or waiting," she added.

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However, the reality that Smith has been alive and well for 24 years has reportedly left Byrd with conflicting feelings about how to proceed.

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"My biggest question is to her… what happened all those years ago in December? What made you leave? What happened?" Byrd said.

While Byrd is relieved that her cousin was found, the reality that Smith does not want her location shared is adding a new layer of confusion within the family, though she insists she is choosing to be grateful.

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"I understand and respect that she doesn’t want any of us to contact her," Byrd told WFMY. "I’m not angry."

"The biggest answer I had today was [that] she was alive. Nothing else matters right at this moment," she said.

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Smith’s daughter Amanda told the outlet she had only been recently informed of the development regarding her mother’s whereabouts and is still processing the news.

"As far as my opinions and feelings on my mom, I am ecstatic, I am p—-ed, I am heartbroken, I am all over the map! Will I have a relationship once more with my mom?" Smith’s daughter said in the statement posted to a Facebook account used to help find her missing mother.

"Honestly, I can’t answer that because I don’t even know. My initial reaction would be yes, absolutely, but then I think of all the hurt," she added. "But even then, my mom is only human, just as we all are."

CNN host Dana Bash confronted Gov. Gavin Newsom, D-Calif., on Sunday about California's affordability crisis, citing a couple who fled to Nashville to escape the state’s high costs.

"California has the highest cost of living in the nation," Bash told Newsom. "The state's prices are 11% higher than the national average. We were actually out to dinner here in Nashville last night. We met a couple from California. They moved out of California because they couldn't afford the rent or even to buy a home and also start a family."

Bash spoke to Newsom in a wide-ranging interview for "State of the Union," during which the governor faced questions about his book, "Young Man in a Hurry."

"Yes, we have had hundreds of thousands of people move into California. The last two, three years, we have seen population growth. As you know, we moved from six to the fourth-largest economy in the world. And we dominate now in every key industry, from AI, quantum, robotics. We dominate in ag [agriculture]. We dominate in forestry. We dominate in manufacturing," Newsom countered.

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Bash said people were struggling to afford things in the state, and Newsom argued that they pushed for "$11 insulin" and universal healthcare.

He said California had the highest minimum wage for healthcare workers and fast-food workers, and argued the state just "subsidized over 300,000 childcare slots."

"So we're looking at it from both sides. That's why we have a parents' agenda that expanded paid sick leave and extended to eight weeks of paid family leave, all to support families, to address cost of living and to address the affordability crisis that goes back literally 70 years in California, for one reason," he said.

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However, the governor acknowledged housing difficulties in California.

"We're as dumb as we want to be on housing, and we haven't been able to get out of our way. It explains more things in more ways and more ways of what's wrong with our state. And, finally, we moved forward with historic housing reforms that even our worst critics, including some on the left, like my friend Ezra Klein, acknowledged were the most progressive and perhaps most impactful reforms in a generation to finally address that issue," he said.

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Questions about California's policies will be a major focal point if Newsom decides to run for president in 2028. 

A University of New Hampshire Survey Center poll released on Thursday found that former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg topped the list of potential 2028 Democratic presidential contenders.

Newsom and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York were tied for second at 15%, with former Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democrats' 2024 nominee, and Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona each at 10%.

Teddy Bridgewater has become something of a martyr in Florida.

While coaching at Miami Northwestern High School, the former NFL quarterback admitted to providing players with financial benefits, including Uber rides, meal costs and physical therapy for the team.

His actions led to his suspension last summer, but they are closer to being legal after a bill was signed in the state.

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Florida lawmakers on Thursday passed Senate Bill 178, the "Teddy Bridgewater Bill," which requires "the Florida High School Athletic Association to adopt bylaws authorizing a head coach to support the welfare of a student by using personal funds to provide certain effects to the student."

The bill says the coach must report the use of funds to the association, "providing that such use of personal funds is presumed not to be an impermissible benefit, etc."

The bill will now go to Florida's House of Representatives.

Speaking to the media last August after signing a one-year deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Bridgewater explained his thought process behind the events that led to his suspension.

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"Honestly, I think everyone knows that I'm just a cheerful guy, a cheerful giver as well. I'm a protector. I'm a father first before anything," he began. "When I decided to coach, those players became my sons and I wanted to make sure that I just protect them in the best way that I can. I think that's what came about." 

He reached out on social media asking for donations "so I no longer have to take from my personal funds to keep smiles on these young men's faces and remind them that they matter."

"Miami Northwestern is in a tough neighborhood, and sometimes things can happen when kids are walking home and different things like that," Bridgewater said at the time. "So, I just tried to protect them, give them a ride home instead of them having to take those dangerous walks. I just want people to continue to see me for the person that I've been from the time I arrived in the NFL, from the time that I arrived at the University of Louisville – just a humble guy who has a big heart and a cheerful giver."

Bridgewater was a one-time Pro Bowler in 10 years in the NFL and coached the school to a state title.

Fox News' Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.

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A father was diagnosed with prostate cancer after chalking his nightly bathroom trips up to drinking too much fluid before bed, as reported by SWNS.

"I would wake up in the middle of the night and go to the loo a couple of times, but I never thought too much of it," Ed Matthews, who lives in London, told the news outlet.

Matthews wrote off the early warning signs — until he received a shocking diagnosis in April 2025.

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The avid golfer and skier said he felt "fit and healthy" when he went in for a routine health check provided by his employer last April.

There, he underwent a prostate-specific antigen test, which showed a reading of 4.2. (Traditionally, a PSA level under 4.0 ng/mL is considered "normal.")

While the number was slightly higher than normal, doctors considered it "nothing too alarming." They did, however, refer Matthews to a urologist as a precaution.

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When an MRI scan produced inconclusive results, Matthews underwent a biopsy. Less than three weeks after he went for the original check-up, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.

"From being a fit human being all your life, your world’s turned upside down," he told SWNS, adding that it felt as though he’d been thrown into a "world of pain."

"It was an emotional shock … No one ever wants to be told they’ve got cancer."

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Matthews underwent robotic surgery to remove his prostate last July, and tests since then haven’t shown any traces of cancer.

"I never had any issues with blood, but it was about a year or 18 months of going to the toilet more frequently," he said.

Matthews said he "didn’t really know" what the prostate was before receiving his diagnosis.

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The prostate is a small, firm, partly muscular gland that helps make up the male reproductive system, according to Cleveland Clinic's website.

For every 100 American males, 13 will develop prostate cancer at some point in their lives, the above source stated. Approximately 35,770 people in the U.S. die from the disease each year.

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Matthews is now planning to run the London Marathon for Prostate Cancer UK to raise awareness.

"I was very open and honest and told people what happened, and I think that’s caused a lot of people, friends, connections to go off and get tested," he told SWNS.

Early-stage prostate cancer rarely causes symptoms. However, as the disease progresses, changes include a frequent, sometimes urgent, need to urinate, especially at night. Other signs include weak urine flow, flow that starts and stops, and blood when using the restroom, per Cleveland Clinic.

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Experts advise people experiencing any of these symptoms to contact their healthcare provider.

The Georgia man who was arrested while carrying a loaded gun and running onto the U.S. Capitol grounds told authorities he wanted to talk to a member of Congress, according to court records. 

Carter Camacho, 18, appeared in federal court Wednesday and was ordered held without bond. 

Camacho of Smyrna, Georgia, parked a Mercedes SUV near the Capitol, exited and ran toward the building carrying a loaded shotgun and additional rounds of ammunition, authorities said. 

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He was wearing body armor and camouflage-style clothing, documents state. 

As he climbed up the stairs to the building, a uniformed U.S. Capitol Police officer asked Camacho what he was carrying. Camacho raised his right arm and clutched a gun, a Mossberg Model 88 12-guage shotgun, federal prosecutors said. 

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He complied with orders to halt and get on the ground. 

"He also told USCP officers he was just there to talk to a Member of Congress," court records state. 

Court documents did not say if Camacho mentioned a specific lawmaker.

The shotgun was loaded with seven rounds and the safety was off, authorities said. An additional 17 rounds of ammunition were stored in a carrier attached to the stock of the weapon, authorities said.

Near Camacho's vehicle, officers found a knife. The area outside the Capitol was later cleared and reopened.

Camacho was charged with unlawful possession of a gun on Capitol grounds. His next court date is March 2. 

President Donald Trump is worried the Potomac River will still stink when America250 celebrations kick off this summer following a sewage leak that dumped millions of gallons of raw filth into the water outlining the nation's capital, according to the White House. 

"There are a lot of events coming up for America 250," Fox News' Peter Doocy said to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt Wednesday during a White House press conference. "The president wants people from all over to come to the nation's capital. Is he worried that by the summer, the Potomac River will still smell like poop?"

Leavitt confirmed the president's concern, after chuckling. 

"Yeah, he is worried about that," Leavitt said. "Which is why the federal government wants to fix it. And we hope that the local authorities will cooperate with us in doing so."

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A sewage pipe interceptor ruptured in January, releasing upward of 240 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River. The president has directed his ire toward Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, and other local leaders in Virginia and Washington, D.C., on the issue, claiming alleged incompetence led to the disaster. 

Leavitt called on leaders in the two states and D.C. to "step forward and to ask the federal government for help and to ask for the Stafford Act to be implemented here so that the federal government can go and take control of this local infrastructure that has been abandoned and neglected by Governor Moore in Maryland for far too long."

"It's no secret that Maryland's water and infrastructure have been in dire need of repair," Leavitt said. "Their infrastructure has received a nearly failing grade in the 2025 report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers. This is the same grade they've received, five years earlier. There has been no improvement under the leadership of Governor Moore. He's clearly shown he's incapable of fixing this problem, which is why President Trump and the federal government are standing by to step in."

Moore's office has pushed back on the administration's rhetoric surrounding the leak, claiming the federal government has oversight over DC Water, the District’s water and sewer utility. 

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"Since the last century, the federal government has been responsible for the Potomac Interceptor, which is the origin of the sewage leak. For the last four weeks, the Trump Administration has failed to act, shirking its responsibility and putting people's health at risk," a representative from Moore's office said on Monday. "Notably, the president’s own EPA explicitly refused to participate in the major legislative hearing about the cleanup last Friday."

Leavitt continued Wednesday that environmentalists should "pray" that local jurisdictions call on Trump to step in and shore up infrastructure and carry out clean up. 

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"For all of the environmentalists in the room and across the District of Columbia, let's all hope and pray that this governor does the right thing and ask President Trump to get involved, because it will be an ecological and environmental disaster if the federal government does not step in to help," she said. "But of course, we need the state and local jurisdictions to make that formal request." 

DC Water is currently leading clean-up efforts, while the state of Maryland was providing "regulatory oversight related to water quality standard exceedances in the Potomac related to unauthorized discharges of wastewater," according to Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin Tuesday. 

He added that local leaders had not yet called on the EPA for assistance. 

"This mess must be completely addressed as fast as humanly possible, and the Trump EPA stands ready, motivated, and highly capable to assist in any way possible to fulfill President Trump’s strong desire to END this disaster," Zeldin posted to X. 

Only around 7 out of 10 Democrats (70%) hold a favorable view of their political party, according to new polling from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Democrats’ favorability of their party stood at 85% in September 2024 but plummeted after President Donald Trump won the presidential election. By October 2025, just 67% of Democrats had a favorable view of their party, according to the poll.

Republicans are aiming to cling to their House and Senate majorities during the midterms later this year.

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Around a quarter of Americans harbor a negative attitude about both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party, according to the AP-NORC poll.

About half of U.S. adults only view one party positively, and only about 1 in 10 feel good about both parties.

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The poll found that 30% of U.S. adults have a very unfavorable view of the Democratic Party, 24% have a somewhat unfavorable view, 8% have a very favorable view and 27% have a somewhat favorable view.

The GOP fared similarly: 35% of U.S. adults have a very favorable view, 18% have a somewhat favorable view, 15% have a very favorable view and 21% have a somewhat favorable view.

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"Interviews for this survey were conducted between February 5 through February 8, 2026, with adults aged 18 and over representing the 50 states and the District of Columbia," the poll notes. 

"The overall margin of sampling error is +/-3.9 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level," and the margin of sampling error for "Democrats, including leaners" is plus or minus 6 percentage points, the poll says.

The Associated Press contributed to this report