New Jersey nonprofit flies recovered Ridglan Farm beagles to shelters and adoption facilities

CNN Newsource on May 4, 2026

By Kathryn Merck

Click here for updates on this story

    DANE COUNTY, Wisconsin (WDJT) — Sixteen of the beagles who were once inside a controversial breeding facility are now on their way to shelters and adoption facilities, according to a nonprofit on the east coast.

Pilots to the Rescue was founded in 2015. Founder and Executive Director Michael Schneider said the New Jersey-based nonprofit has rescued over 6,000 animals to date. By transporting pets to available shelters by air, Schneider said they put animals in a position to find new homes.

“We rescue dogs and cats from overcrowded shelters that are slated to be euthanized so they can be adopted by loving homes,” Schneider said. “By providing transportation, we give these animals a better chance for success.”

The national attention on Ridgeland Farms came to a head on April 18, when around 400 protesters broke into the property, leading to a standoff with the Dane County Sheriff’s Offices. Protestors claimed the animals were living in poor conditions.

On Thursday, the Center for a Humane Economy and Big Dog Ranch Rescue announced they worked together to reach an agreement with the facility to recover 1,500 of the nearly 2,000 beagles. They were vague about the details, only stating they had been working on it since before activists attempted to take the dogs from the property.

The Dane County Humane Society will process 500 of the dogs and then send them to more than 50 partner rescues across the country. Of those, 150 dogs will be taken in by the Wisconsin Humane Society and eventually be up for adoption. A total of 350 will be up for adoption across the state. Big Dog Ranch Rescue will take the remaining 1,000 dogs, which will be spread out across the country.

Ridglan Farms maintains it is not doing anything wrong or illegal.

You can learn more about Pilots to the Rescue on the nonprofit’s website.

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.

Frankie Mae Keeling-Henry, one of Nashville’s last remaining Freedom Riders, dies at 85

CNN Newsource on May 4, 2026

By Holly Lehren

Click here for updates on this story

    NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WTVF) — Frankie Mae Keeling-Henry, a former Tennessee State University student and educator, who was one of the city’s last remaining Freedom Riders and took part in the Nashville lunch-counter sit-ins, has died at 85.

Keeling-Henry passed away on Saturday, May 2, 2026. She is survived by her son, Lamont Henry, other relatives and friends.

She joined demonstrations alongside civil rights leaders including Diane Nash and the late Rep. John Lewis.

In 1960, while still a freshman at TSU, Keeling-Henry initially stumbled into one of the sit-ins by chance. During the demonstration, a white woman put out a cigarette on her arm and attempted to set her poncho on fire.

Despite the attack, Keeling-Henry did not respond with violence. She and others were later arrested by police as they exited the diner.

Beyond her role in the movement, Keeling-Henry spent decades as an educator, teaching generations of students — including some who were descendants of those who once confronted her during the civil rights movement.

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.

At 85, Tennessee State University graduate proves it’s never too late to earn a degree

CNN Newsource on May 4, 2026

By Kelsey Gibbs

Click here for updates on this story

    NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WTVF) — Nearly 1,400 graduates crossed the stage at Tennessee State University’s commencement ceremony Saturday night, each carrying their own story of perseverance and hope. But for one member of the Class of 2026, the walk was decades in the making.

Charles Whitman Dabbs, 85, received his Doctor of Education in Higher Education Leadership degree from TSU — fulfilling a dream that began nearly 70 years ago.

“I started when I graduated from high school in 1958,” Dabbs said. “There were no jobs for Black boys. And so I joined the Navy.”

A Los Angeles native, Dabbs enlisted at 17, serving as a hospital corpsman in the U.S. Navy. That discipline carried him through a 50-year career in federal service, with roles at the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense. Along the way, he earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology and two master’s degrees from UCLA, all while working full-time.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dabbs began online classes with TSU. That decision grew into a doctoral program he completed this year, making him one of the oldest doctoral graduates in the university’s history.

“The young people at this school have been so nice to me and so helpful in terms of the technology and where to go when I need something,” Dabbs said.

Despite already earning his degree, he’s not slowing down. Dabbs hopes to teach sociology at an HBCU, mentor young students, and continue giving back.

This year, Dabbs celebrated 63 years of marriage, two accomplished children, and five grandchildren.

“It’s never too late. It’s never too late,” he said. “I have always tried to motivate people.”

Dabbs was not the only graduate inspiring others at the ceremony. Delilah Rhodes walked the stage alongside her two children, Eric Lee and Gabrielle Lee — all three earning their graduate degrees together in the same ceremony.

This story was reported on-air by journalist Kelsey Gibbs 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.

‘It was intact’: 50-year-old letter returned to local Navy veteran

CNN Newsource on May 4, 2026

By Christiana Ford

Click here for updates on this story

    ST. CLAIR SHORES, Michigan (WXYZ) — Nearly 50 years after a sailor wrote a letter, it has found its way back to him thanks to a stranger who made it her mission to track him down.

Mark Wilson was 17 years old when he wrote the letter in 1976, beginning his journey with the U.S. Navy.

“I was in boot camp in Great Lakes, Illinois and I had just graduated from high school a couple weeks prior,” Wilson said.

The letter was addressed to church friends Gus and Cybil Bouchey, written in cursive on U.S. Navy stationery.

“Dear Boucheys, how have you all been. Sorry I haven’t written before but I’ve been really busy with my studies and the inspections that we have around here,” Wilson wrote.

Another line read “I miss my TV and radio and even the newspaper but you know I miss my family the most and being at church with you all.”

The letter would have remained hidden if not for a leak at Kimberly Neumann’s St. Clair Shores home that led to major construction on her kitchen. Workers discovered the letter behind a cabinet.

“The envelope still had the stamp. It was readable. It was intact. I mean, the edges were a little torn, but the letter inside was on U.S. Navy stationary in perfect condition,” Neumann said.

Neumann made it her mission to find the sailor who wrote it, turning to Facebook for help.

“Hundreds of people commented. Some of them were helpful and kind of did their own investigative work,” Neumann said.

The search was a success. Wilson’s friend visiting Ireland saw the post on social media. His daughters eventually ended up commenting on the post.

Neumann was able to connect with Wilson and return the letter to him.

“It was just nice to hopefully be able to provide a little bit of connection to his past. It was almost kind of like a proud moment,” Neumann said.

For Wilson, getting the letter back carried deep meaning. It reminded him of all those in his community who cared for and supported him over the years. He was eventually assigned to boiler technician for the destroyer USS Jonas Ingram.

Wilson says that role led him to his current job he’s had for over four decades.

“I’m really proud to have had the opportunity to serve this country,” Wilson said.

He’s grateful Neumann took the time to return it.

“It felt very heartwarming to know that somebody cared enough to take their time out and try to track me down and get it delivered back to me, so that I could have that piece of memory to hold on to now forever,” Wilson said.

—————

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

VIDEO: Firefighter pulls woman from burning SUV, family calls him a hero

CNN Newsource on May 4, 2026

By Randy Wimbley

Click here for updates on this story

    DETROIT, Michigan (WXYZ) — Body camera footage captured the moment a Detroit firefighter risked his life to pull a woman from a burning SUV on the city’s west side.

The footage shows firefighter Donald Faulkner rescuing 52-year-old Latashia Collins from the burning vehicle. The SUV caught fire after a crash involving a truck on Davison near Petoskey.

When Faulkner arrived, Collins was trapped inside with the door locked.

“Tried to pull the door, that’s when I checked all of them, after that I just found the best route and get her out of there with the least injuries as possible,” Faulkner said.

He said hearing her cries drove him forward.

“I heard her screaming just to help. I’m from here, I look at all these citizens like family members, so … like it’s my own mom in there,” Faulkner said.

Collins suffered multiple fractures, third-degree burns, and internal bleeding — injuries that required several surgeries.

“She really truly has made a tremendous recovery, given everything she’s gone through, the amount of time that she’s had to be in the intensive care unit because of the swell of her injuries. She has worked so hard — she really truly is a miracle,” DMC Detroit Receiving Burn Center surgeon Dr. David Springstead said.

Faulkner and Fire Commissioner Chuck Sims recently visited Collins in the hospital. Her road to recovery is far from over, but her family credits surgeons and medical staff at DMC Detroit Receiving Burn Center — and Faulkner — for saving her life.

“Thank you to the Detroit firefighters. I’m really thankful and grateful for them, and I feel like they deserve more recognition than what they get honestly, because they really are, the firefighters are really the real heroes,” Collins’ daughter Tanisha Morgan said.

Faulkner has since been honored for his heroism. Despite the recognition, he remains humble about his actions.

“I’m just doing my job, man,” Faulkner said.

He said his thoughts remain with Collins and her family.

“I’m just glad she’s doing better. Keep praying for it. I hope she keep healing up and, yeah, just love to her family,” Faulkner said.

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.

Lulu Hyddelig The Troll Turns 1 in Solvang

KEYT on May 4, 2026

Tracy Lehr

SOLVANG, Calif. (KEYT) A Danish artist’s work of art had a birthday.

Thomas Dambo’s troll Lulu Hyddelig turned one on Sunday

She is the first of his trolls to be indoors and permanent.

Lulu is located inside the California Nature Art Museum on Mission Dr. in Solvang.

That is where they held a birthday party with visitors.

Click here to follow the original article.

Cal Poly uses the long ball and some Irvine miscues to win series

KEYT on May 4, 2026

Mike Klan

IRVINE, Calif. (KEYT) – Tied 6-6 in the ninth inning, Cal Poly took advantage of three UC Irvine errors for a pair of unearned runs and defeated the Anteaters 8-6 in the rubber game of their Big West baseball series Sunday afternoon on Cicerone Field at Anteater Ballpark.

The three miscues all occurred in the infield and allowed pinch runner Antonio Castro and left fielder Dante Vachini to score the go-ahead runs for the Mustangs, who maintained their one-game lead over UC Santa Barbara in the conference standings.

The win, head coach Larry Lee’s 1,200th in 40 seasons of coaching, 740 victories in 24 years at Cal Poly and 460 in 16 campaigns at nearby Cuesta College, elevated the Mustangs’ overall mark to 27-19, the first time Cal Poly has been eight games above the .500 mark this season.

The Mustangs are 17-7 in Big West games, one game ahead of UC Santa Barbara (16-8), a 19-9 winner at Cal State Bakersfield on Sunday for a series sweep. UC San Diego (14-10) remains in third place after the Tritons were swept at Long Beach State and Cal State Fullerton, swept at home by UC Davis, fell into fourth place at 13-11. Hawai’i (12-11) could move into a tie with the Titans with a win over UC Riverside as the Rainbow Warriors moved into the final qualifying spot for the May 20-24 Big West Tournament.

Cal Poly bounced back from an 11-4 loss Friday with 11-2 and 8-6 triumphs to claim its seventh Big West series in eight tries this season.

“My message after Friday’s loss was it is just one game,” said Lee. “Learn from what you did and what you didn’t do well. Win on Saturday and your odds are in your favor for Sunday.”

Cal Poly jumped to a 3-0 lead in the top of the second inning on a three-run home run to right field by Vachini, his second of the year. The advantage was short-lived, however, as designated hitter Rowan Felsch duplicated Vachini’s feat in the bottom of the second. It was Felsch, a .148 hitter entering the series, who also homered to drive in three runs and shatter a 4-4 tie in the sixth inning Friday night.

Right fielder Dylan Kordic smashed his seventh home run of the year, a solo blast to left-center field, in the third for a 4-3 Mustang lead. All seven home runs by Kordic have come in the last six weeks.

UC Irvine took its first lead with two runs in the fourth on a Cal Poly throwing error and a sacrifice fly before the Mustangs tied the game up at 5-5 in the sixth. Catcher Ryan Tayman was hit by a pitch with one out and scored on Casey Murray Jr.’s RBI double to right-center field.

Both teams scored a run in the seventh to keep the game tied at 6-6. Shortstop Nate Castellon belted his fifth home run of the year down the left-field line in the top of the frame while UC Irvine scored on a walk, sacrifice bunt and two singles, Efren Ortega collecting the RBI.

In the Mustang ninth, designated hitter Cam Hoiland reached on a throwing error with one out. Vachini singled to right field and first baseman Gavin Spiridonoff loaded the bases as his grounder to second base was mishandled for another Anteater error.

Castellon’s grounder to third was misplayed for the third UC Irvine error of the inning, allowing Castro to score. Third baseman Alejandro Garza’s sacrifice fly to left field scored Vachini for an 8-6 Mustang lead.

UC Irvine entered the series No. 1 in the Big West in fielding, averaging just 0.8 errors per contest.

“As for in-game action, we try to take the emotion out of the equation when things are not going well,” said Lee. “We try to deal in reality. It doesn’t matter how you got there. After each inning, it becomes so many innings to play and you are up, even, or down in the scoring column.”

Senior closer Nick Bonn (1-4) earned his first win of 2026 by scattering four hits over three scoreless innings with two walks and three strikeouts. Starter Corden Pettey tossed the first 3 2/3 innings for Cal Poly and Brady Estes allowed just one run and two hits over 2 1/3 frames.

The loss was charged to Anteater reliever Danny Suarez (2-2), who gave up three runs in 2 2/3 innings. Starter Hunter Manning allowed four runs over 2 2/3 frames and Ricky Ojeda was charged with a run in 3 2/3 innings.

Cal Poly’s nine hits included two each by Vachini and Murray. UC Irvine outhit the Mustangs 12-9, paced by first baseman Alonso Reyes with three singles and Ortega, Felsch and Lucas Schermer, each with a pair of hits.

Tayman threw out his 13th would-be base stealer in the first inning for Cal Poly.

Murray was 6-for-11 in the series while Castellon was 6-for-14 with three RBIs and Tayman 5-for-11. Kordic knocked in six runs in a 4-for-12 series with two doubles and a pair of home runs.

Cal Poly visits Santa Clara on Tuesday before returning to Orange County next weekend for a three-game Big West set at Cal State Fullerton.

(Article courtesy of Cal Poly Athletics).

Click here to follow the original article.

SBCC Baseball wins Riverside Regional to set up showdown with rival Hancock

KEYT on May 4, 2026

Mike Klan

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KEYT) – The Santa Barbara City College Baseball team punched their ticket to the 3C2A Super Regionals by winning the Riverside Regional on Sunday, beating San Diego Mesa 15-6 in a winner-take-all final game.

Similar to Friday’s win, the Vaqueros took advantage of Mesa’s freebies in a seven-run fifth inning to blow the game open. Max Collins pitched seven relief innings to earn the win.

To get here, the Vaqueros came back to beat the hosts, Riverside, 8-7 after trailing 7-3 in the first game on Saturday. That ended Riverside’s season and, still unbeaten, allowed the Vaqueros two chances to beat Mesa to advance. Mesa won 11-4 on Saturday afternoon to trigger the “if necessary” Sunday game.

Opener Cooper Tinkey started the game with two quick outs. However, three walks and two singles followed, allowing two runs to score and forcing Collins to enter earlier than expected—and with the bases loaded. He got the first batter he faced to fly out, ending the threat.

Western State Conference (WSC) North Player of the Year William Matuszak immediately answered in the bottom half with a leadoff homer. Later in the inning, Bradley Cekada’s two-strike, two-out RBI single tied the game at 2-2.

The next three innings went scoreless. The Vaqueros broke the tie in the fifth with a massive seven runs, though, taking a 9-2 lead. Somehow, they did it with only two hits in the inning—one of which being a bunt. Five walks, two sacrifice flies, two stolen bases, two wild pitches, an error, and a hit-by-pitch did most of the damage to tilt the game heavily in Santa Barbara’s favor.

Mesa got a run in the top of the sixth, but the Vaqueros countered with four more. Cole Ide’s two-run double, a balk, and Elijah Garcia’s RBI single made it 13-3 Santa Barbara.

The result all but clinched, Mesa scored in the seventh with a solo homer. Another RBI hit from Ide and Sean Asperger’s single scored two for the Vaqueros, who now led 15-4.

Two more consolation runs for Mesa eventually chased Collins in the eighth, who scattered seven hits and allowed just one walk and four unimportant runs. Drew Cappel got the final four outs to solidify the 15-6 win, sending Santa Barbara to the Super Regionals.

Perhaps the most emblematic stat of the game is that all four of Mesa’s errors directly contributed to Vaquero runs. The Vaqueros did not commit an error on the day.

Cekada led the team with three of their 13 hits and three RBIs. Ide had two hits, two walks, three RBIs, and scored three runs. Matuszak had two hits (including the leadoff homer), three walks, and a stolen base.

The Vaqueros set themselves up for an eye-catching all-WSC North Super Regional matchup at Hancock, who won three close games over Cuesta and Grossmont to win their Regional. The top two teams in the conference, Hancock finished two games above Santa Barbara to end the latter’s streak of three consecutive conference championships. After splitting the four games between them in the regular season, they will begin their playoff series on Thursday at 2 p.m. Game two is scheduled for Friday at 1 p.m. and, if necessary, a winner-take-all game three would be on Saturday.

(Article courtesy of SBCC Athletics)

Click here to follow the original article.

Gauchos bash Bakersfield to complete sweep

KEYT on May 4, 2026

Mike Klan

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KEYT) – After grinding out a narrow win on Saturday night, the UC Santa Barbara Baseball team (30-15, 16-8 Big West) made sure there was no doubt about Sunday’s result, pouring on 14 runs over the final five innings at Cal State Bakersfield (20-28, 9-15 Big West) to run away with a 19-9 victory and a series sweep.

The Gauchos’ 19 runs are a season high and the most they have scored in one game since hanging 20 on UC Riverside in May of 2024. Their seven doubles are also a season high and the most since 2024, when Santa Barbara tallied eight two-baggers in a March meeting with Cal Poly. Five different Gauchos had multi-hit games, all of them tallying three or more, but the three hottest bats belonged to Noah Karliner, Corey Nunez and Rowan Kelly, each of whom matched or exceeded their career-best hit totals. The three of them are the first Santa Barbara trio to all have four or more hits in the same game in the Andrew Checketts era.

Nunez’s four matched his career best, Kelly set a new high-water mark in his young career with four more, while Karliner smacked five to beat his previous career best. The slugging right fielder finished a triple shy of the cycle and drove in seven runs, also a career high for him. The last Gaucho to tally seven RBIs in one game was their previous slugger, Jack Holman, who did it against the Roadrunners last May.

HOW IT HAPPENEDThe game did not start as a rout, at least not one in the Gauchos’ favor. The Roadrunners got out of the top of the first unscathed for the first time all weekend, then hung four runs on the board in the bottom of the inning. Instead, the game started as a back-and-forth slugfest, as Santa Barbara answered with a three-run second inning. With runners on the corners and two outs, Cade Goldstein’s decoy steal of second drew a throw which allowed William Vasseur to steal home, with Goldstein safely taking second on the play. That not only got the Gauchos on the board but also extended the inning for Karliner, who drove his third home run of the week out to straightaway center field, bringing Santa Barbara back within one.

After Nathan Aceves took over on the mound in the second and delivered a perfect inning, the Gauchos took their first lead of the afternoon in the third, with doubles from Nate Vargas and Kelly tying the game, then Vasseur’s single plating Kelly to put Santa Barbara in front. That lead lasted just one out into the bottom of the third before a double tied the game for Bakersfield then another gave the hosts the lead back.

The Gauchos struck the next blow, in the top of the fifth, with three two-out walks loading the bases for Karliner, who just missed his second home run of the game and had to settle for a three-RBI double off the top of the right-field wall, giving Santa Barbara an 8-6 lead. This time, the Gauchos held their advantage. Nunez led off the top of the sixth with a double and scored on Kelly’s second two-bagger of the day, then Nick Husovsky’s single into center field brought home Kelly and put Santa Barbara into double digits. Goldstein smacked the third double of the inning to right center, and Husovsky came home with Santa Barbara’s 11th run.

Bakersfield responded with two runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth, but the Gauchos just kept on scoring to prevent any threat of a comeback. Karliner led off the seventh with a single and scored on Nunez’s RBI base hit, then Vargas kept himself within touching distance of Karliner in Santa Barbara’s home run leaderboard, driving a two-run shot out to left field. That homer brought up seven homers for Vargas on the year and 14 runs for the Gauchos on the day.

The Roadrunners scored for the final time with a triple and a double to start the bottom of the seventh, but Chase Hoover was summoned from the bullpen and he put an end to that. A pair of strikeouts put out the fire in the seventh, then two more got him out of a two-on, no-outs jam in the eighth.

In the Gauchos’ half of the eighth, another hit from Karliner had scored Husovsky, but Santa Barbara had its best offense saved for the last inning, scoring four runs in the ninth. Vargas plated Nunez with a double to make it 16, Kelly singled home Vargas for run number 17, Husovsky’s single drove in Kelly with the 18th, and who else but Karliner put the cap on things with a single to score Husovsky.

AJ Krodel took the mound for the bottom of the ninth and wrapped up the sweep with a zero on the board.

UP NEXTThe Gauchos return home on Tuesday, May 5 to host Pepperdine at 4:35 p.m. at Caesar Uyesaka Stadium. Santa Barbara remains a game behind Cal Poly for first place in The Big West standings, with a road trip to CSUN on the Gauchos’ calendar for next weekend.

(Article courtesy of UCSB Athletics)

Click here to follow the original article.

Alleged drunk driver injuries Colorado State Trooper on I-25 car chase

KRDO on May 4, 2026

Michael Logerwell

PUEBLO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) – A Colorado state trooper is injured after an allegedly drunk driver speeds off, beginning a police chase.

The State Patrol says it started when a state trooper pulled over a driver who was reported to be speeding and actively drinking a beer. The trooper said they observed a shotgun in the vehicle, and shortly after, the driver hit the gas, knocking over the trooper at his window.

The Ford van wasn’t stopped until it was rammed by another state trooper. A 32-year-old from Weston was booked into jail on charges of DUI, assault of a police officer, and more.

That trooper was treated for minor injuries and released from the hospital.

Click here to follow the original article.