Month: May 2026

By Chierstin Roth

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    DENVER (KCNC) — There is a new bar and dance hall in downtown Denver co-founded by a young man with an old soul and an appreciation for the good old days.

“This is Chris Ledoux, George Jones, ‘Who’s Gonna Fill their Shoes.’ That’s one of (Jones’) best albums,” said Colton Patterson, as he pointed to photos on the wall.

Everything inside Broken Bow Western Bar and Dancehall is intentional. It’s Patterson’s way of tipping a hat to a past American way of life and the man who inspired his love for old school country music, his grandpa.

“He’s quite the man and inspired me towards a lot of this stuff,” Patterson told CBS Colorado. “He listened to this music and lived the lifestyle that we make art about, and we post about all the time. So it’s just kind of been like the ode to him that we’ve done over the years”

Still a teenager, Patterson is not quite old enough to buy a beer.

“That always comes up in conversations,” he laughed.

Patterson just opened Broken Bow with his dad in Denver’s Five Points neighborhood, and it’s already gaining traction with country artists, who are stopping by to play the venue.

“It’s something that sets us apart,” Patterson said. “Having a real importance on live music and live musicians, and finding them, and bringing them out.”

The country bar is an extension of the Broken Bow clothing line Patterson launched while he was a student at Columbine High School. The clothing features artwork he draws himself.

“I would draw a lot in school,” Patterson said. “That got me in a lot of trouble at times.”

In the evening, his attention shifted to shipping his clothes.

“I was not very good at that, but we built it up, and I learned how to do it,” Patterson said.

Broken Bow skyrocketed in popularity, taking off with big-time collaborations with artists and well over 1 million followers on social media.

“It blew up with young and old people alike,” Patterson said.

The meaning behind his trademark drawings of skeletons, a core to the Broken Bow brand, has also evolved. Now, that same artwork is on display throughout the new venue. It’s an effort to allow people in Denver to enjoy some nostalgia.

“It’s of a dead culture or something that is kind of dying in America, and, at this point, that’s kind of what the logo stands for and resonates with people in their heads,” Patterson explained.

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 Tori Mason

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    BENNETT, Colorado (KCNC) — A Kansas family’s trip to Colorado for a wedding turned into a fight for survival. A 2-year-old girl was bitten twice by a rattlesnake near Bennett and airlifted to Children’s Hospital Colorado.

Quinn Robertson was supposed to be the flower girl in her aunt’s wedding this weekend in Byers. Instead, the toddler is recovering in the pediatric intensive care unit after receiving more than 30 vials of antivenom, a blood transfusion and emergency lifesaving care following the bite Monday evening.

The family had driven hours from the Kansas City area to an Airbnb in Bennett. Colleen, a florist, came early with her husband and daughter to prepare flowers for her sister’s ceremony.

After unpacking, Colleen took Quinn outside to look at horses.

While walking through rough terrain, Quinn was bitten twice on the thigh.

“We almost were to the fence, and I hear a little cry,” Quinn’s mother, Colleen Robertson. “I quickly lifted her up. I look down, and I see the snake.”

Quinn’s condition rapidly deteriorated.

“Within a couple minutes, she started losing oxygen, was going all white and going in and out of consciousness,” Robertson said. “It was so fast.”

The family called 911 while trying to keep Quinn awake until help arrived.

Robertson said she began performing CPR while waiting for first responders. About 20 minutes later, emergency crews arrived and Quinn was airlifted to Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora.

“It would probably be too late if we drove there,” Robertson said, who followed in a police escort as she is nearly 9 months pregnant.

When the family arrived at the hospital, Robertson said dozens of medical professionals surrounded Quinn in the emergency room.

Dr. Danae Massengil, a pediatric toxicologist at Children’s Hospital Colorado, said rattlesnake bites can be especially dangerous for small children. Massengill said venom can cause extensive tissue damage, dangerous blood clotting issues and severe systemic reactions that can rapidly destabilize patients.

After roughly 48 hours, Quinn had received more than 30 vials.

“They had to borrow from various hospitals because there wasn’t enough here,” Robertson said. “But thank God they had the antivenom here at this hospital.”

Massengil described Quinn’s case as an extremely severe envenomation.

“She was very, very sick,” Massengill said. “She required three, four-plus loads of antivenom just to be able to control the degree of her severity.”

Doctors eventually removed Quinn’s breathing tube Wednesday, and she has since started physical therapy. Her recovery remains uncertain.

“There’s a lot of tissue damage from the bite since it was so intense,” Robertson said. “There’s still a lot of unknowns right now as far as when she’ll be able to dance and jump again.”

Massengil said recovery from severe snake bites can take time, especially when mobility and tissue damage are involved.

“Kids are very resilient,” she said, “But realistically speaking, it does take some time to work towards getting back to that full functionality and full mobility.”

Massengil said Quinn experienced what appeared to be a rare “anaphylactoid-like reaction,” where her body responded almost as if it were having an allergic reaction to the venom.

“She certainly is one of the sickest patients we’ve had in a while,” Massengil said.

Doctors are now closely studying Quinn’s case. Robertson said hospital staff have told her Quinn’s treatment may help shape future care protocols for pediatric snakebite victims. A crowdfunding page has since been created to help cover medical expenses, travel costs and lost wages while the family remains in Colorado. She hopes Quinn’s story serves as a warning for other families to stay vigilant during rattlesnake season.

“Not to be fearful,” Robertson said, “but just to really put into action some protocols to protect those you love while being extra cautious.”

Massengil urged families to stay alert outdoors as Colorado enters peak rattlesnake season, which typically runs from late spring through September.

“If the bite does happen, try to stay calm, call 911 as quickly as possible, and get to a healthcare facility so you can receive the appropriate treatment,” she 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 Tony Peterson

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    SHAKOPEE, Minnesota (WCCO) — Reading books can be a great escape, and that’s ringing true at a Shakopee Prison, where inmates are voting on the next book the country should read.

Created by Freedom Reads, a nonprofit organization in Connecticut, the Inside Literary Prize is the first major U.S. book award decided exclusively by incarcerated readers. The project started in 2023.

“They read five books that come from the National Book Award,” said David Perez Dehoyos from Freedom Reads. “Translated fiction and fiction. At the end of it all, we’re gonna vote for which book the world deserves to read.”

Hundreds of incarcerated individuals from prisons across the country fill out the judging forms after thorough discussion amongst their peers.

“It’s a type of escapism, ’cause I can get into a book and everything around me disappears,” said Darlene Wind.

The goal is to bring contemporary, thought-provoking literature into correctional facilities, giving the incarcerated population a voice in the national cultural conversation. Besides the contest, Freedom Reads wants to install prison libraries with 500 paperback books each.

“Our goal is to put one of these Freedom Reads libraries in every prison within every housing unit in every prison in America,” said Craig Gore with Freedom Reads.

Gore says they’ve already installed about 700 libraries in 17 states. Eight libraries are being installed in the Shakopee prison.

The winning book will be revealed in August.

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 Frankie McLister

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    MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A group of visually impaired and blind sailors are breaking barriers and waves on Bde Maka Ska in Minneapolis. A diverse group of 20 who’ve all physically lost some percentage of sight, take the lake with an eye on the prize.

“This is kind of like a dream come true, to be honest,” said Vedran Huseinbegovic, who suffers from Usher syndrome. “It’s a combination of vision and hearing loss.”

Because of Twin Cities Blind Sailing, Huseinbegovic and many others can see that dream come to life.

“I never thought I’d be able to do this. But here I am,” said Huseinbegovic. “And we haven’t crashed yet.”

The organization partners with the Minneapolis Sailing Center, which then recruits volunteers to be sighted guides. Those guides are in each boat where the participants are either visually impaired or blind.

“It’s not me telling them what they can and can’t do, it’s them discovering,” said Katy Boyd, the vision behind Twin Cities Blind Sailing.

Boyd started the organization in 2023 after having picked up the sport while living in Boston. She remembers at the age of 30 being told she was legally blind herself.

“Anything can be adaptive,” Boyd added. “Just because, and this is what I tell kids, just because something hasn’t been done, doesn’t mean it can’t be done, it just might mean you’re the first.”

Every other week throughout the summer, the group gathers on the lake’s northeast corner to cruise. For those craving competition, they race too.

When WCCO asked Joshua Peterson from Woodbury if he could see much of what he was controlling on the boat, he said, “not a whole lot, especially with the glare I’m getting.”

Persevering from the bow, to the stern.

“It was just nice to be out and listen to the sounds around, sounds of the sail,” said Kayla Weathers of South Saint Paul.

“You know, it’s freeing” said Peterson.

“Blind people can do whatever we set our minds to,” Boyd told WCCO.

For more information, visit the organizations website.

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By Adam Duxter

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    MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A Minneapolis street will forever serve to honor the police officer who lost his life on it. A portion of Blaisdell Avenue is now called “Officer Jamal Mitchell Way.”

Two years ago, Officer Mitchell was shot and killed while responding to an active shooter. The man who murdered him was the person Officer Mitchell was trying to help.

Mitchell’s friends, family, and community gathered on Saturday to make sure his name is remembered.

“He is emblematic of everything that Minneapolis is about,” said Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. “This is someone who lived his life in service to those he loved — a hero, who gave his life to protect others without a second thought.”

“May every person who passes this sign take a moment to reflect on the example Jamal Mitchell set for all of us,” said Katie Blackwell, Interim Chief of Minneapolis Police. “Jamal, we will never forget you.”

“Man, do we miss him,” said friend and neighbor Chris Dunker. “Our backyard barbecues, our game nights, even just conversations, Jamal, with you in your front yard as you were playing with your kids.”

“Jamal, my friend, we miss you daily. We admire your bravery, we honor your legacy, we will never forget your sacrifice to this community,” said Dunker. “Rest easy, brother.”

Mitchell was awarded the Medal of Honor and a Purple Heart after his death in 2024. His former commander says Mitchell’s name on the street sign reminds us we are the fabric of each other.

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By Jermont Terry

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    CHICAGO (WBBM) — The Rise Up Healing Collective is a nonprofit that provides holistic healing, mental health advocacy, and violence intervention services.

They offer a wide range of services, including meeting with elementary school kids to teach them how to prevent violence.

One by one, second and third graders embark on a new mental journey. They ditch their shoes and grab a mat for a unique after-school program.

Coaches Sidney Francois-Friis and Emmaline Jones spent the past 10 weeks teaching yoga techniques to the young kids at Woodrow Wilson Elementary School in Calumet City. The coaches insist this is deeper than just stretching and breathing.

“To allow them to heal and to understand that they can control their emotions,” Francois-Friis said.

Rise Up Healing Collective started just over three years ago. This year, it’s one of 80 organizations across the Chicago area that works with Strides for Peace to combat gun violence. The coaches say what’s happening in the after-school program is also a crime prevention.

“This is exactly what we do. We do crime and harm prevention in our community, social and emotional learning, and we have family members, as well as ourselves, who have been directly affected by gun violence,” Francois-Friis said.

While he’s an adult, he recalls vividly a tragic time when he was a teen.

“When I was in high school,one of my teammates got shot and killed. He was 14 years old, and he didn’t deserved to be killed at 14,” he said.

Both coaches view coming into the elementary school as a way to catch children when they are most impressionable.

“We can very intentionally come into the children’s lives and implement tools of self-awareness, tools of how to care for your body, care for your mind and show up for your community,” Jones said.

By finding their inner peace and connecting with their mind, body, and spirit. The nonprofit hopes that later in life, they will remember to reflect and think before taking action.

“We are also very intentional about instilling leadership in our space we talk about what are your gifts,” Jones said.

“Sometimes you have to pause on academics and really focus in on do they have skills to identify their emotions,” said Assistant Principal Jeanelle Smith.

Smith says she’s seeing changes in students’ behavior since participating in the Rise Up program. She adds that the school district understands social-emotional behavior.

“I think our students at this level can be easily forgotten,” she said. “We come from a generation of do as you’re told, and we don’t realize, they, too, come to school with certain things that are out of their control, but it affects them.”

Rise Up not only comes into schools, but they also take teenagers and young adults on emergence trips out of the country to broaden their view.

“What do we want the future to look like? In order for the children to live in the world we want, we have to rise up and create those things,” Jones said.

One breath at a time.

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By Stephanie Stahl

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    CHADDS FORD, Pennsylvania (KYW) — The Food and Drug Administration on Friday approved Afrezza, an inhaled needle-free insulin, for children with diabetes. It is the first needle-free insulin option for children.

Fifteen-year-old Greg Stanoch from Chadds Ford participated in the clinical trial. He tested Afrezza for four years ahead of the FDA’s approval.

“It’s pretty cool, honestly,” Stanoch said, “it’s very easy.”

Stanoch was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when he was in the first grade. He relied on multiple insulin injections daily to control his blood sugar.

“It’s really hard for me to say this, but I couldn’t really be a kid,” Stanoch said. “It was a lot of anxiety, a lot of stress.”

He said it was difficult managing injections with all the sports he loves, including playing Frisbee.

“As a parent, it just breaks your heart,” Greg’s father, David, said. “Every time your little child wants to eat a potato chip, you have to watch him jab himself.”

David Stanoch said he was a little concerned initially about enrolling his son in a clinical trial, but he said his family had some comfort knowing the drug had been approved for adults for more than a decade.

“It was definitely easier,” Greg Stanoch said about the drug, which is inhaled before meals. “I can manage it a lot better than taking shots.”

“Inhaled insulin is a different way to deliver regular human insulin,” Dr. Jamie Wood, a pediatric endocrinologist and the lead investigator on the clinical trial, said. “The insulin is in a powder that can be inhaled and absorbed through the lungs.”

Wood added that the drug works as well as injected insulin. Doctors said side effects for Afrezza are rare but can include lung problems, which is why doctors suggest people with breathing issues should not use the drug.

Stanoch said the drug is a game-changer for him, and that he is happy it will now be available for other children.

“I think that is amazing,” Stanoch said, “it truly is.”

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 Jennifer McLogan

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    NEW YORK (WCBS) — Not many people know Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe’s splash to stardom began on Long Island.

It was 1949 when photographer André de Dienes brought 23-year-old Norma Jean Mortenson to Tobay Beach in the town of Oyster Bay. The beach was little known at the time, but it was quieter than nearby Jones Beach.

“Norma Jean became Marilyn Monroe right here at Tobay Beach,” Town of Oyster Bay Supervisor Joseph Saladino said.

The photos de Dienes took soon helped her skyrocket to international stardom.

Saladino unveiled a plaque at the beach Friday ahead of what would have been the pop culture icon’s 100th birthday on June 1.

Known as “the blonde bombshell,” Monroe spent time at numerous Long Island beaches and lived in Amagansett while married to famed playwright Arthur Miller.

During their marriage, she suffered an ectopic pregnancy and lost the baby. After recovering in a New York City hospital, she returned via limousine to their Long Island home, where her Pulitzer Prize-winning husband posted a sign reading “welcome home, Marilyn” on the front door.

This weekend and throughout June, beaches and movie houses on Long Island will be paying tribute to the legend.

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By Lisa Rozner

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    NEW YORK (WCBS) — A teenager was injured Saturday after being hit by falling debris in Queens.

It happened just after noon outside a business on 82nd Street between Roosevelt and 37th avenues in Jackson Heights.

According to investigators, a 14-year-old boy was walking with his parents when a piece of the building’s facade estimated to weigh about 40 pounds fell and hit him in the head.

“I heard the boom,” witness Daisy Narula said. “I thought it was a car accident.”

“I came outside and I heard the kid screaming, like loudly, and when I came to see, he had this big wound on the side of his head,” Narula said. “He was almost about to pass out, but luckily, he stayed conscious until at least 911 came.”

The boy was rushed to Elmhurst Hospital and is said to be in stable condition.

“If it wasn’t for the fact the store had [an awning] … I don’t think it would have fell directly, like, on the side of his head,” Narula said. “It would have literally fell on top, and he might, he would have not made it.”

Back in 2019, 60-year-old Erica Tischman was killed when a piece of a building’s facade fell on her in Midtown. Since then, the city has created a facade and safety inspection program.

The Department of Building said inspectors determined part of the building parapet’s decorative terracotta became loose, fell off the building and bounced off a store awning before hitting the teenager.

The building owner was issued a violation for failing to maintain their facade, and ordered to conduct repairs and put up a sidewalk shed around the property, the DOB said.

The building had no prior complaints related to the facade.

One witness told CBS News New York there was a strong wind before the piece of stone fell. The CBS News New York Weather Team reports winds were gusting at around 40 mph at that time.

The DOB has not said whether wind was a factor.

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By Emily McLeod

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    ATLANTA (WUPA) — Cafe Momentum Atlanta is a nonprofit serving up good food while changing the lives of youth and young adults who have had direct contact with the juvenile justice system.

The nonprofit opened its doors in May of 2025. Since then, they’ve had 46 participants, also called interns, come through the program. Twelve more recently started.

“One thing I like about the job is making people feel welcome,” said Kingston, a participant of Cafe Momentum.

Kingston has been a part of the program for five months.

The nonprofit is helping participants by providing them with life skills, education, and job opportunities.

Kingston said Cafe Momentum has helped him open up.

“I have learned hospitality skills, I have learned to get better in my communication, because at first, when I started, I ain’t gonna lie, I was shy,” Kingston said.

Cafe Momentum is a one-year program. During their time in the program, interns are trained in different positions inside the cafe.

When they’re not working, they’re on the other side of the building, catching up on schoolwork, playing pool, or receiving mental health services.

“On Monday, that’s when the therapist comes, and the therapist holds sessions,” Kingston said. “If I need to talk about something, I could talk about something. But not only could I talk to the therapist about it, I could always talk to Ms. Sandy, I could always talk to any employee here because they’re always going to be here for you.”

Sandy Welfare is the executive director of Cafe Momentum Atlanta. She described it as a wraparound program for its young people.

Welfare said not only will participants learn everything about the restaurant business, but they’ll also work on case management, mental health services, and connecting with one another.

“I think the biggest thing for me is that we actually offer hope,” she said. “We offer a pathway for whatever they may feel they want to do in the future.”

She said they’re learning skills they can take with them to their next opportunity.

“These young people are figuring it out, and we’re helping them to figure it out, and the great thing is we’re a resource to give them guidance, give them some direction, and more importantly, when they leave, we’re going to still be championing them,” Welfare said. “We’re gonna still be jumping up and down for them.”

Cafe Momentum has three locations in Atlanta, Dallas, and Pittsburgh. A fourth location in Denver is set to open in 2027.

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.