Month: June 2026

By Jonathan Greco

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    ELK CITY, Oklahoma (KOCO) — A museum curator in western Oklahoma made a mammoth discovery when she found an animal’s tooth in a pile of rocks last month.

On May 29, Anna Wray, the curator of Elk City’s museum complex met with Dr. Miriam Belmaker, an archaeologist and director of the Museum Science and Management program at the University of Tulsa, to discuss connecting small museums in Oklahoma. During their meeting, Wray took Belmaker to the Farm and Ranch Museum in Elk City to see a bear skull that was on display.

While there, Belmaker saw a pile of rocks on the floor and “noticed three bones belonging to a mammoth,” according to a news release. The two moved some rocks out of the way and found a mammoth tooth.

“Dr. Belmaker was shocked to see it sitting on the ground,” Wray said in the news release. “She was able to easily identify it as a mammoth tooth based on its shape, size, weight, and enamel patterns.”

According to the news release, Belmaker believes the tooth belonged to a young mammoth because of its size and being less worn.

Wray also found an exhibition label saying the tooth was found in Roger Mills County. The news release states that Wray is working to find the person who donated the mammoth tooth to determine exactly where it was discovered.

Mammoth remains have been found at multiple archaeological sites in western Oklahoma, according to the news release. One was at the Domebo Canyon archaeological site in Caddo County, and another was near Alva.

The mammoth tooth and bones will soon be on display at the Old Town Museum in Elk City.

“Our large ammonite fossil will also be placed next to the tooth and bones, creating a small natural history section in the museum,” Wray said in the release.

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 Jake Anderson

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    OMAHA, Nebraska (KETV) — Omaha police are investigating after about $35,000 worth of camera equipment was stolen from the Troy baseball team’s bus.

According to a police report, the bus was parked outside the team hotel in downtown Omaha. Troy Athletic Director Adam Prendergast reported the gear was missing from the bus.

Prendergast told officers that the equipment is kept in a storage compartment on the team bus and is transported to and from games, according to the report.

“When we arrived at Charles Schwab Stadium before our game against Ole Miss, both our camera cases were missing from the team bus. We can’t thank the NCAA, CWS Omaha, Creighton Athletics and Omaha Athletics enough for their selfless efforts in loaning us gear and granting us access to their content to help capture what was a historic day for Troy Baseball and Troy Athletics. The City of Omaha has been nothing but gracious hosts this week, and we are thankful for the outpouring of support throughout our College World Series journey,” Prendergast said in a statement.

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 Allison Petro

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    ORANGE COUNTY, Florida (WESH) — The couple involved in an in vitro fertilization mix-up case in Orange County has reached a custody agreement with the genetic parents, documents show.

Background A Florida couple, Steven Mills and Tiffany Score, filed an emergency lawsuit against an Orlando fertility clinic, alleging their newborn child was not genetically related to either of them after an IVF procedure.

The couple used their own egg and sperm to create three viable embryos at the clinic, Fertility Center of Orlando.

In March 2025, one of the embryos was implanted in Score, resulting in a successful full-term pregnancy. The couple’s healthy female child, Baby Doe, was born on Dec. 11, 2025.

The parents became suspicious when Baby Doe displayed physical characteristics of a child who was not racially Caucasian, despite both Mills and Score being Caucasian.

Months later, testing confirmed the genetic parents of their baby.

Custody agreement A new court filing shows the couple has reached a custody agreement with the genetic parents.

The filing also reveals that the birth parents will remain the girl’s permanent custodial parents.

The remaining embryo from the couple has been transported to a new clinic under the care of a new physician, with DNA verification expected in six weeks.

During a hearing held on Monday, concerns were raised about potential errors involving other patients at IVF Life.

“We may need to get more information from the clinic regarding that patient’s history as well as the rest of those in the same retrieval group, that patient 004 and our clients were in,” the couple’s attorney said.

Attorneys for IVF Life and clinic Dr. Milton McNichol did not provide updates during the hearing.

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 Hanna Mordoh

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    INDIANAPOLIS, Indiana (WISH) — A Bloomington teen has become the first pediatric patient in the world to receive a successful bone marrow transplant from a deceased donor, physicians at Riley Health say.

Fourteen-year-old Noah Britt is looking forward to his next challenging chapter of life: Online high school this fall. While high school is a big obstacle, he has already overcome much bigger ones.

Noah was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in August 2025. According to Riley Children’s Hospital, Noah’s leukemia didn’t respond well to treatment, leading his doctors to determine a transplant would give him the best chance at survival.

IU Health says more than 18,000 Americans — including approximately 4,000 children — are diagnosed with blood cancers that may require a bone marrow transplant to survive.

For patients with aggressive leukemia, the disease destroys the bone marrow’s ability to produce healthy blood cells, making timely treatment critical.

Traditionally, stem cells are collected from a living compatible donor, typically a family member or a match identified through a national registry.

Dr. Jodi Skiles, medical director of Riley Children’s pediatric stem cell transplant program, says finding a way to help Noah was a race against time.

Noah received his first transplant in January, though it unfortunately failed. After that, doctors say he had no other living matches for a donor.

Despite this, Riley says they refused to give up, and sought a transplant through the HOPE Program.

HOPE is an expanded-access program stemming from a clinical trial for “off-the-shelf” bone marrow transplants. The program provides cryopreserved marrow to patients ages 12 to 80 in need of a transplant but who lack a suitable donor match.

Riley says traditional donor searches can take months, and some patients never get a suitable match. Noah received his second transplant – the transplant taken from a deceased donor – in February.

He is now in remission and follows up with his oncology team regularly.

“Because those stem cells are banked and ready to use, we were able to act in days instead of months,” Dr. Skiles said. “This treatment has the potential to dramatically expand access to transplant for children who previously had few or no remaining treatment options, giving us a way to close critical gaps in care and offer hope to families facing impossible circumstances.”

So far, only 28 patients in the world have received transplants from a dead donor. Riley Health says patients could begin producing healthy blood cells in as little as 17 days.

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 Osting

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    FRANKFORT, Kentucky (WLKY) — More than a century after they were punished for helping enslaved people escape to freedom, dozens of Kentuckians have had their names cleared by the state.

On Monday, Gov. Andy Beshear signed posthumous pardons for a total of 43 men and women ahead of Juneteenth.

The executive order clears the names of people who were arrested and punished for helping people seeking freedom before the Civil War and through the Underground Railroad.

“When we have a chance to correct a historical wrong, we should do it,” Beshear said. “These leaders are heroes – not criminals – and they and their families deserve the justice of having their names cleared.”

Among those pardoned was Elijah Anderson, a free Black man who historians say helped roughly 1,000 enslaved people reach freedom.

Anderson was arrested in Louisville and later died while imprisoned at the Kentucky State Penitentiary.

The list also includes Julett Miles, a Black woman who crossed the Ohio River to rescue her children after learning they were going to be sold.

She was arrested and later died in prison.

Thomas Brown, a 60-year-old Irish immigrant, was also pardoned.

Brown was imprisoned for helping enslaved people escape and endured severe beatings for two years before eventually being released.

Beshear signed the order during an event at the Capitol alongside Rev. Andrew Baskin, professor emeritus and former associate professor of African and African American Studies at Berea College, and historian James Prichard.

“We’re talking about individuals who knew that there was a law, they knew that the law was unjust, they knew that the law was immoral, and they were willing to disobey the law and to suffer the consequences,” Baskin said.

“Gov. Beshear’s pardon sheds a spotlight on this neglected chapter in Kentucky’s history,” Prichard added. “I think it’s important, particularly in this time when there seems to be an effort to sanitize our past, that this part of our history is no longer swept under the rug and becomes a part of Kentucky’s soil.”

Beshear also encouraged Kentuckians to submit information about other people who may also deserve recognition, saying the state will review requests for future posthumous pardons.

Those interested can submit their stories and information to FreedomTrailPardons@ky.gov.

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 Francis Page Jr.

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    June 15, 2026 (Houston Style Magazine) — History in Harris County does not always arrive with thunder. Sometimes, it arrives with an oath, a steady voice, and a room full of community leaders witnessing another glass ceiling become courthouse confetti.

Abbie Kamin has been sworn in as Harris County Attorney, making history as the first woman and first mother to serve as chief civil lawyer for the third-largest county in the United States. In a county of nearly 5 million residents—bigger, bolder, and more diverse than many states—Kamin’s post-swearing moment is more than a personal milestone. It is a democracy milestone.

Appointed by Harris County Commissioners Court in April, County Attorney Kamin now leads one of the largest public law offices in America, with more than 300 attorneys and staff working on the legal front lines of county government. The office represents Harris County in civil matters and serves as legal counsel to more than 60 county departments and elected officials. Translation: when county government needs legal clarity, constitutional confidence, or courtroom courage, the County Attorney’s Office is where the work gets done.

Kamin enters the role with a clear promise and a full plate. From protecting voting rights and democratic institutions to defending clean air, clean water, vulnerable children, seniors, safe neighborhoods, and disaster preparedness, the office touches nearly every issue that affects daily life in Harris County.

“Together, we will defend the rights and liberties of every resident and ensure county government continues delivering for the people of Harris County,” Kamin said. “At a time when our civil rights, our voting rights, our communities, and local control are being targeted, our office will stand firm with integrity and a deep respect for the law. That is our responsibility. That is my promise.”

That promise carries extra weight in today’s political climate, where local government often finds itself at the intersection of law, liberty, and everyday survival. Harris County residents want safe streets, fair elections, cleaner communities, flood protection, accountable leadership, and a government that can respond before small problems become generational headaches. Kamin’s job is to help ensure county government can meet those responsibilities lawfully, effectively, and boldly.

Before becoming County Attorney, Kamin served on Houston City Council, where she became known as a policy-driven public servant with a strong focus on women, working families, public safety, emergency preparedness, and neighborhood quality of life. She was also the first woman to serve on Houston City Council while pregnant—because apparently making history once was just a warm-up lap.

During her council tenure, Kamin helped advance major initiatives including the creation of Houston’s first Women’s Commission, prenatal wellness policies, paid parental leave for city employees, domestic violence prevention strategies, firearm safe storage programs, and the Police Oversight and Accountability Office within the City’s Office of Inspector General. As Chair of Houston’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee, she worked to strengthen emergency readiness and support first responders with improved technology.

Her legal background brings additional depth. Kamin practiced law in civil rights, voting rights, Title IX, and general civil litigation. She later served as Associate Regional Director for the Anti-Defamation League’s Southwest Region and worked in the Texas Legislature as a committee director and clerk. That combination of courtroom experience, legislative knowledge, and local public service makes her especially prepared for a county where legal questions often arrive wearing work boots, rain boots, or Sunday shoes.

A graduate of American University Washington College of Law and Tulane University, Kamin has also spoken of how her experience as part of Tulane’s “Katrina Class” shaped her commitment to local government, disaster resilience, and underserved communities. In Harris County—where flooding, environmental justice, and emergency response are never abstract topics—that perspective matters.

For Houston Style Magazine readers, this moment speaks directly to the power of representation. Kamin’s swearing-in sends a message to women, mothers, daughters, lawyers, students, and public servants that leadership does not require leaving identity or family at the door. It can be strengthened by both.

Now, the historic headline must become historic service. Democracy is not sustained by symbolism alone; it is sustained by action, accountability, and institutions that protect people when the pressure rises.

With Abbie Kamin at the helm, Harris County’s civil law office begins a new chapter—one rooted in rights, resilience, and responsibility. The oath has been taken. The history has been made. Now comes the work. For more information, go to: cao.harriscountytx.gov

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.

Kierra Lee
KIELEESTYLE@GMAIL.COM
4096658446

By Francis Page Jr.

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    June 16, 2026 (Houston Style Magazine) — Houston, get ready to welcome a national gathering with constitutional courage, civic purpose, and just enough legal brilliance to make even the courthouse columns stand a little taller.

Just The Beginning – A Pipeline Organization (JTB) will bring its 13th National Conference, “Pursuing a More Perfect Union,” to Houston, Texas, September 17–20, 2026, marking the first time the organization’s signature national convening will be held in the Bayou City. Conference activities are expected to center around the Bob Casey Federal Courthouse and the Four Seasons Hotel Houston, creating a fitting stage for a four-day celebration of justice, opportunity, mentorship, and democracy in motion.

Held every four years, JTB’s National Conference is more than a professional gathering. It is a living classroom, a leadership summit, and a powerful reminder that America’s promise grows stronger when the legal profession reflects the people it serves. Through connection, exposure, and education, JTB has long opened pathways for students from historically underrepresented backgrounds to see themselves not only in courtrooms, but on the bench, in boardrooms, in public service, and at the tables where decisions shape communities.

This year’s theme, “Pursuing a More Perfect Union,” could not be more timely. In a nation still working through the fine print of equality, justice, and representation, JTB is bringing together students, attorneys, judges, law partners, associates, judicial leaders, and community supporters for a conference rooted in both aspiration and action. In plain Houston terms: this is where dreams meet due process.

The conference will offer immersive programming for students from middle school through law school, including mock trials, skills workshops, mentorship sessions, and direct engagement with distinguished members of the bench and bar. For young scholars, it is a rare opportunity to learn the language of advocacy before they ever sit for the LSAT. For practicing attorneys and judges, the conference offers high-quality CLE programming and a chance to help cultivate the next generation of legal leaders.

The gathering will also honor the trailblazing legacy of the Honorable Judge Reynaldo Guerra Garza, a Brownsville-born jurist whose life’s work helped expand the face and future of the federal judiciary. Born to emigrants from Mexico, Judge Garza was nominated by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 and became the nation’s first Mexican American federal district judge. He later served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire lawyers, judges, students, and civil rights advocates across Texas and beyond.

JTB will also remember and celebrate the late President Jimmy Carter, whose judicial appointments helped diversify the federal bench and move the nation closer to what he described as true equality of treatment under the law. That democratic ideal sits at the heart of this conference: justice should not be distant, mysterious, or reserved for a privileged few. It should be accessible, representative, and alive in every community.

Leading this historic Houston conference are National Conference Co-Chairs the Honorable Vanessa D. Gilmore, U.S. District Judge (Ret.), and the Honorable Alfred H. Bennett, U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Texas. National Conference Fundraising Co-Chairs include Attorney Benjamin L. Hall, III, Ph.D., J.D.; Eva Guzman, Texas Supreme Court Justice (Ret.); Attorney Benny Agosto, Jr., Managing Partner of Abraham Watkins; and Attorney Larry Taylor, Jr., Managing Partner of The Cochran Firm, Texas.

For Houston, this is more than an event. It is an invitation. An invitation for civic leaders, educators, law firms, judges, businesses, and community champions to invest in young people who may one day argue landmark cases, defend constitutional rights, run public agencies, serve on the bench, or rewrite the rules of possibility.

In a city known for building pipelines—from energy to medicine to space exploration—JTB is bringing Houston a different kind of pipeline: one built on justice, mentorship, representation, and hope.

And that, Houston, is how a more perfect union gets a little closer to perfect.

More information on Just the Beginning (JTB), go to: jtb.org/nationalconference

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.

Kierra Lee
KIELEESTYLE@GMAIL.COM
4096658446