Month: April 2026

By Zach Rainey

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    ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WYFF) — A recent drug bust in Asheville, North Carolina, made history as it was the largest fentanyl seizure in Buncombe County history.

The Asheville Police Department said as part of an ongoing investigation that included information submitted through the Tip411 app, detectives arrested 37-year-old Jesse Milton Ogletree Jr. on Gashes Creek Road on April 22.

Officers said Ogletree was in possession of a trafficking quantity of fentanyl at the time of his arrest.

A subsequent search resulted in the seizure of eight firearms, 33.249 pounds of narcotics, and $13,582. Detectives also recovered equipment consistent with large-scale drug distribution.

Police seized a total of 8.03 kilograms of suspected fentanyl, equivalent to more than 4 million potentially lethal doses. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, are the primary driver of overdose deaths in the United States.

The following evidence was seized by detectives:

1 Short Barreled Rifle with Suppressor and Drum Magazine (Weapon of Mass Destruction) 4 Semi-Automatic Shotguns 3 Handguns (including a Polymer 80, or a ‘ghost gun’) 33.249 pounds of weighed narcotics, including the following: 14.695 pounds of powdered substances (Fentanyl and Cocaine) 2.17 pounds of suspected blocked Fentanyl 5.06 pounds of pills + 38 dosage units (suspected pressed Fentanyl) 2.741 pounds of Marijuana 8.27 pounds of Methamphetamine 0.313 pounds of suspected Heroin $13,582

Ghost guns are any privately made firearms without serial numbers that allow police to trace weapons used in crime.

Ogletree is facing the following charges:

Two counts of felony trafficking in Fentanyl Two counts of felony trafficking in Methamphetamine Two counts of felony trafficking in Cocaine Felony possession of Schedule VI controlled substance Felony possession with intent to sell or deliver Fentanyl Felony possession with intent to sell or deliver Cocaine Felony possession with intent to sell or deliver Methamphetamine Felony possession with intent to sell or deliver Marijuana Felony possess weapon of mass destruction Felony possession of firearm by felon Misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia Ogletree was booked into the Buncombe County Detention Facility under a $60,000 bond.

Officers said anonymous tips made through the TIP411 app were instrumental in making the arrest.

If you have any information about this incident or any illegal drug activity, please contact APD at (828) 252-1110.

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.

By Chloe Godding

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    LAWRENCE, Kansas (KMBC) — The Lawrence, Kansas, Police Department is advising students to be careful with pranks.

Police were called to Free State High School after a concerned driver saw what they thought was a gun. The person carrying it was reportedly wearing camouflage and walking toward the school.

It turns out, it was a water gun, which was obvious up close, but from far away? Maybe not.

“There are much more creative ways to enjoy the last days of your Senior year than causing fear and a school lockout,” police said on social media.

Police said the call led to an “immediate” response from LKPD. Officers told KMBC 9 from what they understood, it was part of a senior prank in some way.

“Not funny,” police said.

Free State High School sent a letter to families explaining the situation. School officials said the school went under a brief lockout around 12:25 p.m. due to a report that someone had a gun near the school. A lockout means teachers continue their lessons with the doors locked.

The threat, as police indicated, was false, and involved a water gun.

School resumed its normal operations by 12:40 p.m.

“We appreciate the quick actions of the Lawrence Police Department and our Free State staff to keep everyone safe,” the school said. “If your child was concerned about the incident today, they are welcome to seek out a member of our counseling team for support.”

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.

By Chris Reed

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    PINE VALLEY, Utah (KSTU) — Time has flown since the wildfires of last summer burned through Pine Valley. There’s no better example of that than how quickly people are rebuilding, and one of the youngest is trying to lead efforts to bring back his favorite fishing hole. Boston Thiriot said the damaging fire gave him a chance to see what had happened to Pine Valley and how the 17-year-old could improve the community.

Thiriot comes from six generations that have called Pine Valley home. His great-great-great-grandfather, James Bracken, was one of the people who settled the area, while his older brother, Bracken, led the effort to build a bridge near the reservoir a couple of years ago for his Eagle Scout project.

Now, Boston is trying to raise funds to rebuild the pier for his project.

Boston wants to provide ADA accessibility to the dock and is working with the U.S. Forest Service to make it happen. While the fire did not destroy the dock, generations of use wore it down. “Washington County and Pine Valley is a great, wonderful community, and we do a lot together, and we rise together and help one another,” explained Boston’s father, Bryan.

Pine Valley is rising from the devastating wildfire, with most of the 13 homes destroyed by the flames either rebuilt or nearly done.

The Forest Service said crews hand-planted 80,000 trees in April and have worked to stabilize slopes and repair trails, and shared how nature is returning to the burn areas of the Pine Valley Recreation Area, although it and the reservoir will remain closed until next year, and trespassers will be fined. However, Boston will be permitted to go in with others in June to rebuild the dock. But he still needs to reach his funding goal. He has raised about $7,000 of the $10,000 needed.

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.

By Melissa Blasius

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    TUCSON, Arizona (KNXV) — The biological parents of a baby who drowned in a Tucson foster home have filed a notice of claim against the Arizona Department of Child Safety and the licensed foster mom who cared for the child.

Vivian Mae Mariscal was eight months old when she died in a bathtub in September 2025.

“Vivian was left alone, unsupervised, in an unsafe situation,” said attorney Ken Ralston. He represents the girl’s biological parents, Ashley Manley and Angelo Mariscal.

The notice of claim, a precursor to a lawsuit, alleges wrongful death and negligence against DCS and the foster mother who was caring for Vivian Mae. The biological parents are asking for $5 million in damages.

“The goal is to get DCS’s attention,” Ralston said. “To make sure that they take the initiative to ensure that a child is in a safe, nourishing, loving environment where incidents like this can never happen.”

According to police records, the foster mother’s 17-year-old son called 911 on the night of the drowning.

“We are having a problem with a child not breathing,” the teen told the dispatcher.

The foster mother, licensed by the Department of Child Safety, attempted CPR on the child but could not revive her.

ABC15 is not naming the foster mother, who has not been criminally charged, in part to protect the identity of minor children in her home.

Tucson Police officers arrived and started asking questions.

The foster mother told officers she left Vivian Mae and a 2-year-old daughter in the living room. She said she went to the bathroom in her own bedroom for a few minutes.

Police body cameras recorded their conversation:

Officer: Who put the daughter in the bathtub?

Foster Mom: She put herself in the bathtub.

Officer: The truth? She did?

Foster mom: Yeah, and then she took the baby and put the baby in the bathtub.

Officer: The two-year-old did?

Foster mom: Yeah.

The foster mother said she heard water running in the kids’ bathroom when she returned to the living room.

The recorded conversation continued:

Foster mom: I went directly to the bathroom. The baby was purple.

Officer: Did you turn the water on? Or did the toddler?

Foster Mom: The toddler.

But the woman’s 17-year-old son offered a conflicting account.

“My mom said, ‘Put the sisters in the bathtub,’ so I put them in the bathtub,” the teen told police on the night of the drowning.

The teen also worried about what would happen to his mom.

“I don’t want her to go to jail tonight,” the teen said.

Days later, in a follow-up interview, a Tucson Police detective expressed concern about changing stories.

“When things don’t line up and we’re getting different stories, then it makes it look like something’s off,” Detective Meghan Johnson told the foster mother.

“I have nothing to hide,” the foster mother replied. “I’m very sad, obviously, about the situation.”

Tucson Police said they made no arrests. Prosecutors reviewed the case and declined to file charges.

The medical examiner ruled the drowning was an accident.

DCS also opened a case. In a recorded interview obtained by ABC15, the DCS investigator expressed concern that neglect occurred.

“Either way, the girls were not supervised in the bathtub, and they should have been,” the DCS investigator said. “As tragic as it is — and I am so sorry for your loss — it’s still neglect,” the DCS investigator said on the recording.

“I’ve had multiple kids through my house. I’ve not had any issues,” the foster mother said in the interview.

“There’s nothing I could have done differently in that scenario, you know, I obviously have to go to the bathroom,” she added.

The outcome of the DCS investigation is unclear. Sometimes it takes more than a year for the agency to release a report about a child fatality. By law, the findings can’t be released publicly unless it is determined that a child died because of abuse, abandonment or neglect.

“Our hearts go out to the child’s loved ones and all those affected by this tragic event,” a DCS spokesperson told ABC15 in an email. “We are committed to fully understanding the circumstances surrounding this tragedy and are assisting law enforcement in their investigation. “No matter how you slice the facts, one thing is clear: She was left alone without adult supervision in the bath in about six inches of water,” Ralston said.

The parents’ notice of claim alleges wrongful death and negligence, saying, “In Arizona, foster parents have a duty to provide safe care to a foster child, including monitoring children while in bathtubs.”

The claim points out that drowning is the leading cause of death for Arizona children under 5, adding, “DCS should have ensured that all foster parents with children under 5 in their home have extensive training on water safety.”

According to DCS, before and during licensing, the foster care agency educates caregivers on proper supervision and reinforces water safety expectations. DCS also has specific rules about water safety, but the rules address pools and other bodies of water.

“We remain dedicated to strengthening our systems and ensuring every child in our care is protected, supported, and given the opportunity to thrive,” a DCS spokesperson told ABC15 in an email.

“It’s just tragic. And it really just shouldn’t happen,” said Eleanor Shaffer, an attorney working with Ralston on Vivian’s case.

The lawyers said DCS took custody of Vivian Mae shortly after birth, and the couple had an older child already in foster care.

While reports show Manley had been using drugs during her pregnancies, the couple had visitation rights.

“They were fighting to get their daughter back,” Ralston said.

But the parents’ hope of reunification was ruined; Vivian Mae was returned to them for burial.

“It’s a trauma that’s never going to leave this family,” Shaffer said.

After ABC15 reached out for comment, Vivian’s foster mother sent a text saying, “We are deeply saddened by the situation and are still grieving.” She declined an on-camera interview.

DCS has 60 days from the date of the Notice of Claim to answer or settle. If the agency denies the claim or does not respond within the timeframe, Vivian Mae Mariscal’s biological parents can file a lawsuit.

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.

By Sean McDowell

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    MESA, Arizona (KNXV) — The future of robotics is rolling into a Mesa classroom, where K-8 STEM Academy Red Mountain students are getting hands-on experience working with state-of-the-art technology and directly impacting the next generation of food-delivery robots.

Inside the school’s after-school robotics club, a group of fifth graders is using Sphero robots — small, rolling spheres donated by DoorDash — to navigate obstacle courses, solve engineering challenges, and spark their creativity.

“This group is brilliant. They think of things I would never imagine,” said Forrest Rhodes, a math and science teacher at Red Mountain Ranch. “They’re really looking to see what other creative aspects we can think of from these minds who aren’t bound by the traditional boundaries that you would have as an engineer or computer scientist.”

Each week, students use lesson plans designed by DoorDash to program the Sphero robots, running trials that mimic the work real delivery robots do on Mesa’s bike paths. The red robots, seen frequently by residents, operate at speeds up to 16 miles per hour to bring food straight to customers’ doors.

But there’s more to these classroom projects than learning to code. DoorDash analyzes feedback from the students, using their ideas and problem-solving skills — sometimes unexpected ones — to refine real-world delivery robot functions.

“You have to be really creative to work with them,” said student Addisyn Barnes. “It’s like a challenge, and I really like challenges, especially when it’s like, ‘roll forward 15 centimeters,’ but the robot may not know what 15 centimeters is.”

Fellow club member Soren Shreder Anderson added, “I think it’s really cool and very interesting to learn about and experience. It’s very adaptable, so if you need it to do something else, you can change it.”

Rhodes said the collaboration is a two-way street, with students often teaching teachers about advanced technology as they learn.

DoorDash has several garages packed with robots around the Valley, underscoring a commitment to innovation and community engagement. About 200 of them are based in Mesa, according to employees at the company’s facility off Broadway in Mesa.

The partnership gives students a unique opportunity to play a role in a rapidly evolving industry, showing how the next generation is shaping the technology of tomorrow — all from their classroom in Mesa.

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.

By Jorge Torres

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    PHOENIX (KNXV) — You may remember Dalton DeMicheli.

He is the 8-year-old from Queen Creek we introduced you to in March. He’s one of our Kidcasters at Phoenix Children’s hospital who was born with half a heart. He has undergone three open-heart surgeries in the last year alone.

Today, his story has reached a lot further than his hospital room.

When we first met Dalton, he told us he wanted to own the Arizona Diamondbacks one day. He is still working on that, but while he’s waiting and recovering, a restaurant noticed him.

Dalton is back at Phoenix Children’s this week for a common cold. For most kids, that is a day on the couch. For Dalton, it is oxygen support and a hospital bed.

“His oxygen was at 73,” his mother, Krista DeMicheli, said. “They knew something was wrong.”

Dalton has spent nearly 50 days at Phoenix Children’s in the last year — 30 of them in the ICU. And through all of it, one small comfort: Pei Wei Honey Seared Chicken.

“We ordered seven times at the hospital,” Dalton said. “It just became my go-to at Pei Wei.”

Even the nurses started to notice.

“Some of the nurses who really got to know Dalton would come in the morning and say, ‘so what are you having for lunch today?'” Krista said. “‘Is it going to be Pei Wei?’ And of course, it would be. Honey Seared Chicken. He only ordered Honey Seared Chicken.”

Dalton also makes food reviews. His mom posts them on social media at @demichelidiaries on TikTok and Instagram. It was just a way to pass the time, but Pei Wei saw them. Then the company asked for a meeting.

“I was just at a loss for words, honestly, when they told us what they wanted to do,” Krista said.

This Thursday, April 30, a portion of Honey Seared Chicken orders sold at most Pei Wei locations nationwide will go to Dalton’s family.

They need it.

Krista’s husband was let go during Dalton’s third surgery. Their insurance was paused. The bills were not.

“Job loss. No income. Three hundred and twenty dollars a week. Having to pay full price for medication,” Krista said. “Let’s just say we no longer have a savings account. We had to do what we had to do.”

And then the community showed up.

“My DMs are filled with strangers reaching out saying, ‘Your son is so inspiring, your family is so inspiring,'” Krista said. “‘You’re such a great mom. I don’t know how you do it, but keep pushing through.’ Prayers are being sent daily.”

We asked Dalton what he would say to everyone in the country who buys Honey Seared Chicken on Thursday.

“When you buy Honey Seared Chicken on April 30, money will be donated to us,” he said.

He is only 8 years old. He has been through more than most adults ever will. And his mother says, when you sit down on Thursday with your meal: “I hope when you’re enjoying your Honey Seared Chicken, you just think of Dalton and the good that you’re doing for him and our family.”

The Pei Wei fundraiser runs all day Thursday, April 30, at most Pei Wei locations nationwide, excluding airports, malls, and college campuses.

Dalton’s family has also set up a GoFundMe, and you can follow Dalton on TikTok and Instagram.

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.

By Marc Davis

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    CHESAPEAKE, Virginia (WTKR) — Last week, Carlos Velez stepped in front of the mound at Harbor Park and fired in a first pitch prior to a Tides game.

It was quite the experience for a big baseball fan, but this was about more than just a throw for Carlos.

“Throwing that ball, which was a strike, by the way, it means a lot,” he recalled. “For [everybody with] Parkinson’s, every single caregiver, every single doctor, supporter, this is for them.”

A veteran of the United States Navy, Carlos is an ambassador for the American Parkinson’s Disease Association. It’s a condition with which he’s become all too familiar.

“On June 14, 2023, I was officially diagnosed with Parkinson’s,” remembered Carlos. “That day was a crushing blow, but here we are.”

He’s lived with the ailment for almost the last three years. The 49-year old doesn’t have the consistent tremors that many associate with the disease, but his pain level, stiffness and speech can change from one moment to the next.

“Basically you’re sitting on a rollercoaster strapped in that hasn’t stopped,” he said of battling the condition. “It went up, you’ve got Parkinson’s, good luck. It goes up and down, left and right, you get used to it, you turn, you spin.”

It’s a ride with which Carlos has become familiar and has learned to push forward, thanks to the help of his support system and his family.

“My wife is my rock,” the Chesapeake resident said. “She’s been my steady hand in this storm. Every time I need something, she anticipates it. My kids constantly check in on me. I’m lucky.”

“When I open the hive, I feel at peace,” Carlos noted. “My tremors go way, my stiffness goes away, my fluency, my speech.”

Now Carlos is devoted to bringing Parkinson’s awareness to his colony. He says the disease may slow a person down, but it can’t stop anybody. He hopes people who have been diagnosed with the ailment do what they love, find support and live life to the fullest.

“Reach out! Don’t hide it. It’s kind of awkward to go out. Yeah, we look funny, we walk funny, we probably talk funny. It’s OK!,” he exclaimed. “Do what you love.”

Carlos will be one of many to take part on the ADPA Virginia Chapter’s Norfolk Optimism Walk in the Mermaid City this Saturday. WTKR News 3 sports director Marc Davis will serve as the event’s emcee. For more information on the Optimism Walk, click here.

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.

By Greenlee Clark

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    EMMETT, Idaho (KIVI) — A local peacock named Ivan has become a feathered fugitive and a community celebrity in Emmett.

Ivan joined the Bowhay family as a young peacock and quickly became Emmett’s most colorful escape artist — walking downtown, popping into yards, and turning heads all over town.

“So we got Ivan, I would say about 2 years ago. And ever since then, he, you know, he’s kind of been a part of the family, and he’s been full of adventures,” owner Carson Bowhay said.

Bowhay said the family originally got Ivan when they were buying some Silkie chickens. The seller offered them the 3-month-old peacock for free, and they decided to take him. Bowhay noted that peacocks take a long time to develop their beautiful colors and long tail feathers, meaning Ivan didn’t really start looking like the classic peacock until he was about a year and a half old.

The Facebook page, Ivan’s Emmett Adventures documents his day-to-day life and has even inspired local art and poems about the bird.

“He really like kind of brought a community together over something that was super small and super playful,” Bowhay said.

During Ivan’s adventures, the community has rallied around him. Bowhay mentioned a specific interaction where a neighbor down the street gave the Bowhay family rhubarb and talked with them about herbs and peacocks, connecting them with people they otherwise would have just passed by.

“Something as simple as a peacock kind of brought everybody together and brought laughs because I mean we don’t always get laughs with the way that the world is now, or you know, things that are going on in town, but it was really good to bring joy and happiness to Emmett,” Bowhay said.

Ivan’s personality is loud and loving, but also a bit dramatic and sometimes just a little weird. Bowhay said Ivan often calls from the rooftop of the family’s garage, making a sound that is “almost like somebody saying hello from super far away.” He also has a habit of going up to the family’s roosters, extending his tail feathers, and shaking his tail at them.

Bowhay said peacocks have another surprising trait: they hold grudges. And the target of Ivan’s grudge is Bowhay’s wife, Andrea.

“I just exist in his little world, but for my wife, you know, he sees her and and he’s like, oh heck no, like get me, get me away,” Bowhay said.

Right now, Ivan is in what the family calls “jail” — a safe area to keep him protected — but they hope to let him back out soon. To keep him safe in the future, the family recently clipped one of his wings so he can’t fly up into trees as easily, though he can still run around.

When they do let him out, they want to capture Ivan’s adventures with a GoPro and turn his best moments into a community book. Andrea is currently working on compiling all the pictures, Facebook posts, poems, and art created by locals during Ivan’s escape, serving as a keepsake for future generations to remember.

But Ivan’s story still needs one last chapter.

“We are still looking for a wife for Ivan, so if anybody’s got anything for this beautiful peacock, he is, he is single and ready to mingle,” Bowhay 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.