Month: April 2026

By Austin Pollack

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    THOMPSON’S STATION, Tennessee (WTVF) — Elliot Hendrix of Williamson County has the artistic ability of someone well beyond his nine years.

Now, he is a finalist in the nationwide Bob Ross contest for “America’s Most Artistic Kid.”

For Elliot, painting is more than just putting a sun on a canvas. He al thinks to capturescenes like the sun’s reflection over an open body of water.

“I need to make it smoother,” Elliot said, while finishing the piece.

When Elliot was two and a half years old, his mom, Natasha, says he was diagnosed with retinoblastoma. He now has a prosthetic left eye. Natasha says the challenges shifted as Elliot got older.

“He has a prosthetic left eye and honestly what I tell people now is the cancer wasn’t the hardest part – it’s always the after and we didn’t know that until he turned to about five and started school,” Natasha said.

“Hitting the school system was the hardest thing for him because it was structured, unlike, you know, being at daycare,” she said. “And daycare was safe because he had grown up with all of those kids and they accepted him with or without an eye, with or without a prosthetic and they didn’t question it.”

Art became an outlet and a place where Elliot feels safe. It is a space where the world makes a little more sense.

“We refer to it as the dark days when he was dealing with a lot of the cancer trauma because he just didn’t feel good about himself,” Natasha said. “He felt like he wasn’t good enough.”

Now, he’s a finalist in a nationwide art contest.

“I think that the most important thing is to teach kids to go for it,” Natasha said. “If you want to teach people to go for their dreams and their goals, what better way than to do things like this to see how far they can go?”

If you want to vote for Elliot, you can click here. Voting ends Thursday night at 9 p.m.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. WTVF’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 John Rupolo

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    ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KOAT) — Four scientists from New Mexico, all with connections to U.S. nuclear secrets or rocket technology, are among 10 who have died or disappeared in recent years, raising concerns about national security.

The most recent disappearance involves retired Air Force Maj. William McCasland, who was last seen on Feb. 27 after going hiking in the Sandia Mountains near Albuquerque. He has not been seen since.

Two other missing scientists from New Mexico were employees of Los Alamos National Laboratory. Anthony Chavez has been missing since May 2025, and Melissa Casias has been missing since June 2025. Casias was last seen walking along State Road 518 in Talpa near Taos.

Federal officials have not identified a connection between the missing scientists, but all of them had access to U.S. scientific information.

This week, the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform sent a letter to federal agencies, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and FBI Director Kash Patel, requesting a briefing on the matter.

“We request a briefing on any information regarding these deaths and disappearances,” the letter stated.

Lawmakers also wrote that the deaths and disappearances “may represent a grave threat to U.S. national security.”

Rep. Eric Burlison of Missouri, a member of the committee, said he would not be surprised if foreign adversaries such as China, Russia, or Iran were involved in targeting some of the nation’s top scientists.

The letter specifically mentioned McCasland’s disappearance, as well as Chavez and Casias.

President Donald Trump addressed the issue last week, saying, “Well, I hope it’s random. We’ll know in the next week and a half. I just left a meeting on this subject, pretty serious stuff.”

New Mexico Rep. Melanie Stansbury also commented on the investigation.

“My understanding is this is being handled by the highest levels of security, so at this time we don’t have any information we can share directly about any potential connections between these individuals,” Stansbury 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 Brooke Kinebrew

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    MONTEREY, California (KSBW) — Two popular Monterey County businesses, Hacienda in Carmel Valley and Monterey Mini Cow Company in Salinas, are being told by the county that some of their operations are not in compliance with local regulations.

Hacienda in Carmel Valley recently posted on social media that its line dancing events are not permitted under county rules.

“I’ve been looking for a place of community and belonging, and that’s really important to me, and I found that at the Hacienda,” said Adrian Almeida, a line dancer. “Really grateful to have the privilege to have danced there in the beginning and meet all the people that I have.”

The business stated it is still determining its next steps.

According to county officials, the property is only permitted as a hay and feed store, not an event space.

In 2022, the new owners applied for a special event permit, but it was denied.

Officials said they met with the owners and clarified that permits would be required, but the process was never completed.

The county also raised concerns about other activities at the property, including a barn converted into a coffee shop and market, animal feeding areas, and new structures and lights installed without permits.

“They’ll work with us on getting permits for things they want to keep, and we’ll work with them on not having fines as long as they’re pursuing the permits,” said Craig Spencer, director of housing and community development for Monterey County.

Meanwhile, Monterey Mini Cow Company in Salinas has also been notified that its public tours are not in compliance.

“They had a commercial business in a residential area, and so they would need a permit to do that,” Spencer said.

The company has paused public tours but continues to offer private events by appointment and remains active in breeding and selling mini cows.

County officials said the permitting process could take up to a year, depending on the type of permit required.

If the issues are not resolved, the businesses could face daily fines and possible legal consequences.

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 Zoie Henry

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    MILWAUKEE (WISN) — The Milwaukee Common Council voted to rename Cesar Chavez Drive on the city’s south side after allegations of sexual abuse against the civil rights leader surfaced in a recent report.

Thirteen alderspersons voted in favor of the name change. Alderperson JoCasta Zamarripa abstained from voting at all; the street lies in her district. Alderperson Marina Dimitrijevic was excused from the meeting altogether.

The decision follows a New York Times report last month detailing sexual abuse allegations against Cesar Chavez.

Earlier this month, the Milwaukee Public Works Committee voted to move forward with renaming the street, nearly 30 years after it was first dedicated. The city originally renamed the street in 1996 — between Mitchell and Pierce streets — three years after Chavez’s death.

The plan is to change it back to 16th Street.

In addition to renaming the street, the city also canceled its annual Cesar Chavez Day, which is usually celebrated in March. The owner of El Rey Market on the south side has taken down his Cesar Chavez statue and said he plans to replace it with a family of migrants.

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 Bianca Buono

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    GLENDORA, California (KABC) — Glendora High School has introduced a new mariachi class, a program school officials say is the first of its kind in the area, offering students a chance to connect with Mexican tradition and culture.

Earlier this year, the class recently held its first performance at a school assembly, marking a milestone for the program.

“I have grown up around the culture but I had never played mariachi music specifically,” said student Andrea Ramirez.

The program gives students an opportunity to deepen their understanding of their heritage while helping preserve cultural traditions. Students say the music presents a challenge, but they’re eager to take it on.

“The music is definitely challenging, but obviously, after a while of practicing and going over it time and time again, it gets easier,” said student Lucero Canuto.

The class has been years in the making, led by teacher Michael Nelson. He also directs the school’s orchestra program. He said the idea originated with a student and grew into a broader effort to better represent the school’s Latino community.

“The thing that was lacking was a program that represented the Latino community,” he said. “It’s where we learn who we are, where we’ve come from. The music is very personal. It has their language in it. It represents a history for mariachi, a history of Mexico.”

Beyond performance, Nelson said the class fosters a sense of belonging for students.

“I think students learn when they feel safe and they feel connected. If they feel safe and they feel connected to their high school, then they’re not just going to learn mariachi, right?” Nelson 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 Jarah Wright

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    LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — The man who climbed Sphere several years ago as part of a publicity stunt has been sentenced.

You may remember that in February 2024, Maison Des Champs, who calls himself the “pro-life Spiderman,” went live on Instagram as he began the climb.

According to an arrest report, a Sphere engineer spotted Des Champs during the climb and notified his supervisors and police, who met Des Champs at the top of the structure.

Des Champs also allegedly told police he had previously been arrested for climbing, has never been convicted, and “his attorneys will get him off this incident as well.”

He spoke with Channel 13 after the incident and said he really admired Sphere.

“I just walked by the Sphere and saw that it was climbable,” he said at the time. “It’s a cool building, especially since Vegas is my hometown. So I get to sleep in my own bed after I get out of jail.”

On Monday, Des Champs was back in court along with representatives from Sphere.

Jay Cline, the vice president of event production for Sphere Entertainment, explained how they were able to examine what needed to be repaired.

“Immediately, we pulled security and broadcast camera footage. I have a broadcast camera on the four corners of the property to monitor the Exosphere. We also use security footage and we used some drone footage that we found on the Internet that was filming the incident,” Cline said. “We mapped out the climbing route the trespasser took to the top. And then, I deployed climbers and my own drone teams to assess the damage.”

The original arrest report stated that Sphere officials estimated Des Champs had caused approximately $100,000 in damages. However, Cline told the court that number was even higher — $107.686.32.

Cline explained some of the costs, saying 280 LED pucks had to be replaced for $150 apiece, two metal LED carriers had to be replaced, LED wiring had to be replaced, and there was the cost of labor for the rope teams to assess and fix all the damage.

Cline also noted that repairs are usually made from the inside since carriers, which hold the lights and are made of aluminum, are not rated to hold a person’s body weight.

Attorneys for Des Champs challenged him paying restitution in the full amount, saying other things could have damaged the Exosphere like bird strikes, lightning, and damage from high winds.

They also questioned why Sphere representatives didn’t have photos of every puck and light that needed to be replaced and brought up a recent incident where a person was seen climbing the Exosphere.

Des Champs had reached a guilty plea agreement with prosecutors in October. He agreed to plead guilty to one act of performance of act or neglect of duty in willful or wanton disregard of safety of persons or property.

On Monday, Judge Danielle Pieper sentenced him to a 364-day suspended sentence, and Des Champs will serve 45 days in the Clark County Detention Center. He will also be placed on probation for one year. A hearing to discuss the conditions of his probation was set for Wednesday.

In addition to that, Des Champs was ordered to pay $77,270.32 in restitution to Sphere Entertainment Company.

Des Champs was not the only person arrested for the incident. Las Vegas police also arrested three others: Lori Hurley, Aaron Hurley, and David Velasquez.

Court records show the district attorney’s office declined to press charges against them, and all three had their cases dismissed on Oct. 28, 2025.

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 Olivia Hickey

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    NICHOLS HILLS, Oklahoma (KOCO) — Basketballs with the message “Love Stone” are appearing on lawns across Nichols Hills as a tribute to a late Oklahoma City Thunder fan.

Kimberly Hiddleston, whose son Stone died last year from a fentanyl overdose, is behind the display. Stone, a passionate Thunder fan, attended many games, including the playoff run that led to the team’s first NBA championship days before his death.

“He was a huge Thunder fan. He went to the playoff games. He went to a lot of games,” Hiddleston said.

Stone grew up in the Nichols Hills home, where he and his family were known for decorating their yard for various holidays.

“He was my oldest son. He grew up in this house and grew up decorating this yard in many different ways. We’re known for decorating for Halloween and all kinds of holidays,” Hiddleston said.

Initially considering stepping away from the tradition, Hiddleston instead chose to channel her grief into action. She purchased and received donated basketballs from across Oklahoma City, placing them on lawns with the words “Love Stone” written across the front.

Her goal is 500 basketballs, though she believes she may surpass it.

“People have said it’s like Christmas morning. They go out there and they see the balls, and it’s bringing a lot of pleasure,” Hiddleston said.

As children play basketball in driveways and neighbors display the balls in their yards, Stone’s memory lives on in the community.

“I just love seeing people smile and look at it. That’s why I’m doing it,” Hiddleston said.

While cheering for another Thunder championship, Hiddleston said the effort is about more than the team’s success. It’s about sharing Stone’s spirit with the community they love.

“There isn’t a doubt in my mind that Stone can see what I’m doing here. I mean, I know that, and it’s empowering. I’m going to do everything possible to support the team so that we have another championship,” Hiddleston said.

As the season comes to a close, Hiddleston plans to continue sharing Stone’s story, hoping it can make a difference in someone’s life.

“People have assumptions that something’s got to be really wrong with someone if they have addiction issues, and let me assure you, that’s not the case. Stone was loved. If love could have saved him, believe me, he’d be here doing this with me right now,” Hiddleston 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 Lillian Donahue

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    BLOODY BASIN, Arizona (KNXV) — After a three-day search involving rescue teams from across central and northern Arizona, a 76-year-old man is safe after getting lost in Yavapai County’s backcountry.

Friday, the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office received a call that Mark Eric Young did not return from a camping trip off Forest Roads 269 and 16A.

The 24/7 rescue mission included deputies, specialized search-and-rescue teams from Yavapai, Maricopa, and Coconino counties, family members, and local ranchers.

Young’s son heard his calls for help in a remote and rugged area, leading to his rescue.

The sheriff’s office said he is expected to recover.

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 Erin Lowrey

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    SLIDELL, Louisiana (WDSU) — The St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office is investigating after skeletal remains were found near Slidell on Monday afternoon.

Around 4 p.m., deputies were called to a retention pond near Indiana Avenue and Highway 11 after a person fishing found what looked like human remains in the water.

The St. Tammany Parish Coroner’s Office was notified, along with the LSU Forensic Anthropology and Computer Enhancement Services (FACES) Laboratory, according to the sheriff’s office.

“Part of the process is also to determine how long these remains have been there, and there are a number of variables that go into that as well, which is why we partner with the LSU FACES lab for cases like this because, as forensic anthropologist, they have additional resources that we don’t bring to the table as forensic pathologist.” James Hartman, a spokesperson for the coroner’s office, said.

Hartman said the coroner will use the in-house DNA lab to help establish a DNA profile of the remains. They will then work with law enforcement to compare it to missing persons reports.

“Depending on what was there to sample from the skeletal remains, we can usually turn around a DNA profile within a few days,” Hartman said. “But if that profile isn’t already in CODIS, if it isn’t in the system to match a missing person, that doesn’t get us anywhere except we already have the profile to compare when we identify possible identities.”

The coroner’s office is confirming that there are no obvious signs of foul play at this time.

“An obvious sign of foul play, for example, is a bullet hole to the skull or blunt force trauma to the skull or spine.” Hartman said, “And if there is none of that evident, we can say foul play is not immediately suspected.”

The FACES Lab will take possession of the remains Tuesday and will work to identify the body.

Anyone with information on the remains is asked to call the St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office at 985-762-8000.

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 Nick Ciletti

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    PEORIA, Arizona (KNXV) — A Peoria animal hospital is looking to help kids get a leg up…or in this case, maybe four legs up!

For the fourth straight year, Vistancia Animal Hospital near Vistancia Boulevard and El Mirage Road in Peoria is hosting an essay contest where students can earn the chance to visit the clinic for the day, learn the ins and outs of caring for animals as a professional, and earn a cash prize in the process.

From now until May 1, students 18 and under can submit an essay, up to 1,000 words, where they share what makes them passionate about pursuing a career as a veterinarian or within the animal healthcare industry.

Finalists will be selected on May 8, and on May 26, a special event takes place at the clinic, where a group of lucky students will get the chance to learn from the pros about a variety of topics like delivering kittens and puppies, X-rays, pet ER visits, and so much more. On that day, the top students will also receive a cash prize.

“I think it does a really nice job of allowing them to come back and see things,” explains Astin Deem, the practice manager for Vistancia Animal Hospital. “They can ask the doctor what it’s all about and ask the crazy questions they want to know.”

Astin says students come in already passionate about animals. Her goal, she says, is to make sure these students understand what it’s really like to have to care for animals.

“We try to show them that there is a little more than the love side…It’s absolutely rewarding, but we want to make sure they understand both sides.”

For more information, call Vistancia Animal Hospital at 623-888-8108 or go to their website.

Essays can be emailed to info@vistanciaanimalhospital.com with the subject line: “Essay Contest.”

Entries are due by May 1, 2026.

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.