FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) — Tiffany Slaton’s survival in the Sierra has been hailed as a “miracle,” but it has also sparked suspicion.

“When I saw her story, that’s when I first went, ‘Oh, something’s not adding up right, here,’” seasoned outdoorsman Jeff Aiello said.

Aiello was skeptical from when Slaton took to the cameras last week to describe her ordeal.

“Hello,” she said from the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office on Friday, explaining she did not have prepared remarks.

She was wearing a blanket, something Aiello says wasn’t necessary.

“That was a warning flag for me,” Aiello said.

Missing woman found safe in Fresno County speaks for first time

He probed Slaton’s story, starting with the avalanche she says blocked her path and turned a vacation into a nightmare.

“There’s no avalanche in the Sierra this time of year or in late April,” Aiello said. “The conditions don’t exist for it.”

According to the National Weather Service, there was little to no snowpack at the time. There were at least two systems that brought snowfall, however.

Slaton’s entire journey lasted nearly a month, and for 15 days, she was officially lost.

Her parents in Georgia had not heard from her, and Slaton said repeated calls to 911 failed.

“(I) Eventually got mad at my GPS and decided to ask, ‘Well, where is the nearest Starbucks? It was like, ‘Oh, well, we can answer that question. It’s 18 miles from here,’” Slaton said at the press conference.

“There was no service. She couldn’t get a call to 911, but then right after that, asked Siri where the closest Starbucks was,” Aiello said. “Well, Siri doesn’t work unless you have connectivity.”

Slaton eventually discovered a cabin near Lake Edison, and reports of her rescue made national headlines.

‘Dad, I’m alive’: Missing Georgia woman found safe in Fresno County

We asked Slaton’s father about his daughter’s story over the phone Monday.

“My daughter doesn’t give false statements to us or to anybody,” he told Action News. “We’re 100 percent behind her.”

We also asked about the naysayers.

“The fact of the matter is, they weren’t there,” he said. “They weren’t in the situation.”

Slaton’s parents have since closed a GoFundMe established for their daughter.

Action News has learned the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office has retraced some of Slaton’s path and found evidence to validate her story. The family is now actively talking with investigators.

For news updates, follow Gabe Ferris on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

SAVANNAH, Ga. (WTOC) – New regulations are splashing into the shellfish industry in Georgia this summer, allowing commercial farmers to harvest oysters during previously restricted warmer months.

WRDW’s sister station, WTOC, learned how local oyster farmers are feeling about these changes.

In the past, farmers were unable to harvest oysters between the end of May and beginning of October.

With new regulations in place, farmers can continue working through those previously restricted months.

Oyster farmers say this change is great, but there’s still a catch.

An extended season but reduced operating time is part of this new deal for the area’s oyster farmers.

The summer southern heat is a breed ground for potentially harmful Vibrio bacteria which in the past has halted the harvest.

To reduce the risk of contamination and allow for year-round harvesting, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources established strict time and temperature controls.

Tybee Oyster Company owners Laura and Perry Solomon say they want their product to be safe, but one challenge they’ve run into is tight turn around times for harvest-to-refrigeration.

Laura says they have to sprint in order to get everything done in just two hours.

“We’re fortunate that our facility is close to the boat house, but you know, for farms that have to travel a long distance that travel time is built into your harvest-to-refrigeration time,” said Solomon.

Other states, like South Carolina and Florida, have a longer window of time to complete their daily harvests. Which poses the question as to why Georgia can’t follow suit.

Charlie Phillips, president of the Georgia Shellfish Growers Association, says this regulation is too strict.

“I mean if South Carolina can have three-and-a-half hours and Florida can have three-and-a-half or four hours, whatever they’ve got, we need the same thing. It’s hard to compete when you’re not on a level playing field,” said Phillips.

Local oyster farmers say the new regulations are a step in the right direction for the industry, but they’re also hoping more changes are on the horizon.

“We’re very grateful that it’s happening this summer. We’re optimistic that we’re going to be able to implement it with no hitches, and we look forward to future summers maybe having a little bit more time,” said Solomon.

Copyright 2025 WRDW/WAGT. All rights reserved.

App State Baseball conceded five runs in the top of the first and was unable to overcome the early deficit in a 20-10 loss to Georgia State on Friday at Smith Stadium.

As a result, Saturday’s season finale between App State (22-30, 12-17) and Georgia State (26-29, 11-18) will serve as an elimination game, with the winner claiming the final spot in next week’s Sun Belt tournament.

Tyler Lichtenberger hit a two-run home run in the eighth inning and Kameron Miller belted a three-run shot in the ninth as the duo combined for seven hits and six RBIs in the contest. Riley Luft also added two hits and drove in three runs.

Georgia State hit five home runs in the ballgame and scored five runs in three different innings to help the visitors put the game away late.

On the mound, Conner Barozzino paced the Mountaineers, allowing just a run in 3.1 innings in relief while striking out two.

The 2025 App State baseball season is presented by Chick-fil-A.

{Information provided by Appalachian State Athletics}