Month: April 2026

By CJ Maclin

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    FORT GIBSON, Oklahoma (KJRH) — A Fort Gibson family of five lost their home after discovering it was built on an oil well, and they are now fighting the Oklahoma Corporation Commission over jurisdiction of the leak.

Since August of last year, the Meredith family has battled oil leaking into their home. They told 2 News 1,500 gallons of oil and gas a day were coming out of the ground.

The family is currently in limbo, waiting on the OCC to claim jurisdiction after the agency stated in its latest press release that the issue does not fall under its authority.

“We thought we could call the Corporation Commission and they would help us because that’s what they’re there for, is to take care of oil and gas issues in Oklahoma,” Kara Meredith said. “For them to do this run around and this very contradicting back and forth, that’s extremely frustrating.”

The Meredith’s told me it seemed the OCC wanted to do everything in its power to prove the leak wasn’t an oil-and-gas-related issue. While every test pointed to oil and gas, the family said those tests were not run by the state.

“Everything that you witness inside this house and inside that hole has never been tested,” Mitch Meredith said. “They have not came inside of my house and took anything from in the house. I’ve begged them and said if you don’t think it’s oil and petroleum, test what’s on the floor. They don’t want to touch it.”

The family hired an independent person to test their home since the OCC did not want to, even with a state representative stopping by during one of the inspections.

The Meredith’s told 2 News the director of the OCC personally came to their house, and things seemed to move in the right direction. However, they said every time progress seems to happen, the OCC debunks it.

2 News Oklahoma’s CJ Maclin asked the family if the OCC provided another agency that has jurisdiction since they are not claiming it.

“No. DEQ, all of them said that they have sole jurisdiction,” Mitch Meredith said.

“DEQ came at the beginning of December and did some more testing, and then they wrote a letter telling the Corporation Commission that this is consistent with oil and gas brine and oil and gas issues in Oklahoma, and it falls on them,” Kara Meredith said.

The Meredith’s said they never wanted this fight, but they are not going to turn away from it. They are speaking up not only for themselves but for others around the state.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. KJRH’s editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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 Samson Tamijani

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    SAPULPA, Oklahoma (KJRH) — Neighbors and the city mayor are calling for voters to dismiss a xenophobic letter targeting an incumbent Sapulpa City Council candidate ahead of April 7 municipal elections.

Wiley Smith said an election flyer found its way to his newspaper slot in front of his home on April 2, unlike those one might expect in a city council race.

What’s on them has since circulated online, sparking strong reactions, while the candidate’s opponent vehemently denied involvement.

“This is not about party. This is not about Left or Right. This is about sick,” Sapulpa resident Wiley Smith told 2 News Oklahoma on April 6. “And I just don’t want to be a part of it. And I’m embarrassed for the city and I’m ashamed to see this.”

The booklets distributed around Ward 5 neighborhoods include a slim paper note stapled on top that mentions incumbent councilor David Mortazavi, who is an Iranian immigrant and has called Oklahoma home since he was a child.

Mortazavi has also owned businesses and properties in town for decades, the councilor told 2 News in a phone call on April 4.

The notes list his birth name, Seyed Davood Khalili Mortazavi, calling it “difficult information to read” and “your vote matters” in the April 7 election.

“Are you aware that David Mortazavi’s real/given name is Seyed Davood Khalili Mortazavi?” the stapled note reads, continuing, “This is difficult information to read, but if you care about you or your loved ones lives, you want to read this and educate yourself. Your vote matters in the April 7 election. In a recent vote in Sapulpa, a seat was only won by 10 votes.”

The main pages, tied to pro-Israel Evangelical group Shofar International Foundation, include propaganda to influence the reader on Sharia Law and the functions of an Islamic state.

The booklet mentions Shofar International Foundation’s president/founder, Christie Glesener, who is the wife of Mortazavi’s challenger in the election, Kent Glesener.

The group’s website also says the foundation “was established in 1996 by Kent and Christie Glesener.”

The same booklets, minus the note about Mortazavi, were previously passed out to attendees of a January community meeting organized in opposition to a proposed rezoning for a mosque in Broken Arrow.

Smith said the papers he received definitely will influence his vote, for Mortazavi, not his challenger.

“That’s the first time in probably 30 years that I’ve really had a sign in the yard,” Smith said. “I’m just all in. It’s terrible.”

Sapulpa Mayor Craig Henderson didn’t endorse any candidate in the city elections, but said he wants one thing from voters on April 7.

“Please do not let partisanship, racism, race-baiting (or) name-calling impact your vote,” Mayor Henderson told 2 News. “I’d say to please get out and vote, but please don’t let that impact how you vote.”

The councilor himself, whose family is Christian, didn’t want to speak on camera about the controversy. His nephew, Tulsa-based lawyer Zach Mortazavi, told 2 News he does not believe the Gleseners are behind the flyers being passed around town.

“We love the Gleseners just as much as we love anybody else,” the younger Mortazavi said. “I don’t think they did this. I don’t believe that they would, because as members of Sapulpa that’s not what we do.”

Glesener repeatedly denied any involvement online.

The candidate said in a statement and via phone call with 2 News on April 6 that the note about Mortazavi had nothing to do with his wife’s publication, the pages of which were originally printed in 2008, he 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.

By Cameron Polom

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    PHOENIX (KNXV) — A beloved busser at a central Phoenix Denny’s is celebrating two major milestones: his birthday and 48 years on the job.

Barney Mullen was hired in the late 1970s and has become a fixture of the restaurant. Coworkers and customers know him for his perfect attendance, tireless work ethic and warm personality.

Mullen is recognized as a trailblazer for employees with intellectual disabilities, proving that dedication and kindness can leave a lasting impact on a workplace and a community.

On April 8, the restaurant plans to celebrate Mullen by donating 20% of all sales to Lura Turner Homes. The nonprofit provides housing and support for adults with developmental disabilities and is where Mullen lives today.

Over nearly five decades, Mullen’s coworkers have become like family. Leaders from Lura Turner Homes say his story highlights loyalty, dignity and the impact of quietly making someone’s day a little brighter.

If you want to go to the fundraiser, it will be from 2-9 p.m. on Wednesday at the Denny’s location near 7th Street and Camelback Road.

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 Craig McKee

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    PHOENIX (KNXV) — With World War II underway, Bob Stone knew it was just a matter of time before he’d find himself on a warship heading overseas. He was 21 and made a decision to take control of the situation, the best he could.

“If you let them pick where you’re going, you could wind up in the trenches,” Stone said. “And they offered me an option where they would teach me some radio engineering… so I took it.”

Now 103, the New York–born World War II veteran recalls training eight hours a day, six days a week, for six months in radio engineering — the equivalent, he said, of a two-year course. By the time he finished, the Army had enough radio technicians.

“They offered me some other options,” Stone said. “I could become a pigeon trainer. I could become a cook… and then they gave me an option of becoming a teletype operator. Since I was able to type, I took that.”

That choice put Stone at the heart of the Allied war effort in Europe. Deployed to the European Theater in 1944, he arrived on the continent about two months after D-Day, first passing through the muddy, rain-soaked orchards of Normandy.

“We went through Normandy, and we spent a couple of weeks in the apple orchards,” he said. “We were living in these little tents, two men to one of these tents, and it rained most of the time. So it was not enjoyable.”

Conditions changed when his unit reached Paris. There, the U.S. military moved into a heavily fortified communications center the Germans had built.

“We spent most of our time in a bombproof concrete blockhouse that the Germans had built in Paris,” Stone said. “When we chased the Germans out, we took over the blockhouse and made that the headquarters of our communications… and we operated three shifts, eight hours a shift, around the clock.”

His work as a teletype operator helped keep messages flowing under Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower’s command across the European Theater and back to the United States.

In Paris, Stone picked up another role — unofficial combat photographer. A fellow soldier with photography training sparked his interest.

“I became friendly with another fellow… he was in the photography, and he got me into it, got me interested,” Stone said.

Supplies were scarce, but Stone discovered that American rations could open doors.

“We were able to get good cameras and film without any cost to us, just by trading candy, cigarettes and so on. We could get anything we wanted. The French were dying for that stuff,” he said.

Unlike many of his peers, Stone never smoked.

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 Kelly Swoope

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    BALTIMORE, Maryland (WMAR) — 10-year-old BelleGabrielle Annibal won a video essay contest for the Council for Economic Education by exploring the economic impact of the Johns Hopkins system.

The homeschooled fourth grader highlighted the hospital system’s investments, research, and leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic in her award-winning video. She also shared her dream of becoming a plastic surgeon at Johns Hopkins.

“We heard about this contest, and they were saying what the local economy impacts the global economy. So, in my video, I explored the Johns Hopkins system, highlighting its investments, research, and leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic, and I concluded by sharing my dream of. To becoming a plastic surgeon at Johns Hopkins,” BelleGabrielle Annibal said.

BelleGabrielle Annibal wants to pursue plastic surgery to help others.

“So I can help people who have cleft lipped, who have been in accidents and cancer patients who need reconstructive surgery, because I just want to help people feel better about themselves inside and the outside and so that they can truly know that they are beautiful, not only on the inside but they are,” BelleGabrielle Annibal said.

As the winner of the essay contest, BelleGabrielle Annibal spent a day behind the scenes at Johns Hopkins. She met the mascot, Jay, and spent time with researchers while wearing her own lab coat.

“Well, adults sometimes don’t hear our voices. They don’t really see who we truly are on the inside, but that’s not always the case. They do see us, and Johns Hopkins, that community just reached out and supported the youth. They supported me and they just reached out to me,” BelleGabrielle Annibal said.

BelleGabrielle Annibal is inspired by her family, including her older sister, BelleGrace, who won the same competition a few years ago. Her father, Jean-Yves-Annibal, serves as her French teacher, and her mother, Trenessa Coffey-Annibal, is her homeschool instructor and a graduate of Johns Hopkins.

“Encourage that curiosity because you never know what path it might lead them down. …. Pour into them and teach them what I think they need to know, but incredibly proud and very grateful to God for the opportunity and advantages that we’ve been given,” Trenessa Coffey-Annibal said.

BelleGabrielle Annibal also has experience on the stage, performing in a local production of “Fences,” where she delivered lines about the Hopkins East Baltimore Redevelopment Project being an 88-acre site that includes new housing and economic activity through local partnerships.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WMAR’s editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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 Simon Shaykhet

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    HOLLY TOWNSHIP, Michigan (WXYZ) — Parts of Holly Township remain closed to traffic after heavy flooding over the holiday weekend left drivers stranded in more than 2 feet of water. First responders rescued more than a dozen people, including a couple trying to make it to church on Easter Sunday.

Detour routes are in the works to bypass the flooded areas. Chief Matt Weil with the North Oakland County Fire Authority said heavy rain from Saturday night into Sunday accumulated quickly due to poor drainage, which is an ongoing issue in the area.

Rising waters led to dangerous situations that Weil said could have been avoided.

“The biggest challenge is common sense. A bunch of water on the road and people still think they can drive through it,” Weil said.

Weil noted that one vehicle was completely submerged in the floodwater.

“She had to climb out and stand on the roof. Miraculous no one was injured. Just the sheer speed that some folks drive through there, they don’t understand hydroplaning and how much power water has,” Weil said.

Jo Ann Stevenson and Dale Metcalf were among those rescued. They found themselves stranded in floodwater while driving through the intersection of North Holly and Elliot.

“We went chooo, and the car just quit,” Stevenson said.

Metcalf showed me how high the water reached on his SUV. The couple admitted to bypassing safety measures before getting stuck.

“We went around a barricade, which he shouldn’t have done. He’s never done it before. It’s like we figured if we didn’t go that way, we’d have to go all the way around,” Stevenson said.

“So I thought. I think I can make it through. I made it halfway, and the car died,” Metcalf said.

The couple used OnStar to call for emergency help.

“We told them we need a collision truck to get pulled out. They wanted us to get on top of the car. I said we can’t do it at our age,” Metcalf said.

First responders safely removed the couple and others from the water. Images from Byers Wrecker Tow Company showed some people clinging to the back of a fire rig.

Stevenson said she is grateful they still got a ride to church, but the real blessing is that everyone was rescued and vehicles can be repaired or replaced.

“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. We were so happy to see the guy with the rubber suit. Hanging onto this arm and that arm. They’re fantastic,” Stevenson said.

Weil reminded the community to always obey marked signs for safety when dealing with flooded roads.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WXYZ’s editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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 WXYZ staff

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    ANN ARBOR, Michigan (WXYZ) — Fire crews in Ann Arbor responded to more than 40 fires on Monday night and early Tuesday morning, following Michigan’s national championship in men’s basketball.

According to the Ann Arbor Fire Department, none of the fires extended to structures or vehicles, and most of the fires involved discarded furniture, included couches and other debris.

“We appreciate the support of the Michigan State Police Aviation Unit for assisting with fire detection and location, as well as the Ann Arbor Police Department for their crowd management efforts,” fire crews said. “While this was an unfortunate end to an otherwise celebratory evening, we are grateful no serious injuries or major property damage occurred.”

The police department said that two people were arrested in the post-game celebration, and multiple street signs were damaged. There were no serious injuries reported.

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 Pachatta Pope, Jarryd Luna, and Christian Riley Dutcher

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    SAN ANTONIO (KSAT) — A motorcycle crash in a west Bexar County neighborhood ended in flames Thursday afternoon, leaving the driver with minor burns and the community shaken.

The crash was captured on video by neighbor Robert Perez, who told KSAT 12 he could not believe what had happened.

“I couldn’t believe it, this couldn’t be real life,” Perez said. “I can assure you it was 100% real. This was real life and not AI.”

The motorcycle is seen entering the frame rapidly with the driver not far behind, heading towards the intersection of Oakwood Crest and Wooden Fox.

A group of four children is on the sidewalk, but starts sprinting away from the motorcycle heading towards the intersection.

Then, the motorcycle crashed into the curb and burst into flames, with the driver sliding towards the fire.

The driver catches on fire after being flung into the flames, then runs toward a playground at nearby Stone Creek Park. KSAT has chosen to blur this portion of the video due to its graphic nature.

He later stumbles multiple times as he runs towards the park, while drivers of other vehicles pull over to help the man and the children seen running from the crash.

“It was nothing short of a miracle that none of those children were hurt,” Perez said.

When Perez arrived home, he said first responders were already at the scene. Neighbors attempted to put out the fire with a water hose.

The driver was transported to a local hospital with second-degree burns, the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office said.

Neighbors said crashes are not new for the neighborhood, and they want speed bumps and four-way stops to help slow down drivers in the area.

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 Joe Brandt

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    PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (KYW) — A Pennsylvania Uber driver woke up to a slithery surprise after picking up two passengers who attended a reptile show.

Officers from the Exeter Township Police Department in Berks County were called out on Saturday after a local Uber driver found something unexpected in his car: a live ball python.

The driver said that on Friday night, he picked up two passengers at a reptile show in Philadelphia.

During the ride, a passenger told the driver the contents of their bag had fallen out, and they wanted to look for it, but the driver had to keep moving. He later came home to Exeter and parked in his garage.

The following morning, the driver discovered the reptile in the trunk and called police.

Officers then secured the snake and brought it to a safe location.

The department said the call was “a little outside the usual.”

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.