Month: June 2026

By Angela Rozier

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    INDIAN RIVER COUNTY, Florida (WPBF) — An escaped inmate who fled a Department of Corrections prison camp in Volusia County was captured in Vero Beach by Indian River County Sheriff’s deputies and U.S. Marshals.

Deputies and members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force arrived at an apartment complex in Vero Beach to locate Jalyn Binion.

One neighbor described the scene as looking like something from a movie.

Investigators said Binion reportedly walked away from the prison camp in Daytona, and a woman who lives in the apartment unit allegedly picked him up.

“His girlfriend from Vero drove up to the camp in Volusia County, picked him up, and they had her car. They knew it was her,” Sheriff Eric Flowers said.

Authorities monitored the apartment and confirmed Binion was inside the unit. When members of the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force attempted to make contact, Binion tried to escape through a second-floor window.

“He’s taking the window,” deputies said, as the sound of breaking glass was captured on body camera footage.

Binion was later taken into custody and booked into the Indian River County Jail.

“This one just happened to be a hometown fugitive that came back to Vero, and our folks did a great job. They were able to take him into custody without any major incidents,” the sheriff said.

The sheriff said Binion now faces escape charges and will have to complete the remainder of his original sentence.

“His original charge was grand theft, and so literally this guy is in on a grand theft charge. He was going to get out in October. I mean, why not just hang out there until October and then go see your girlfriend? And now, he’s going to spend years in prison. It just makes no sense whatsoever,” Flowers 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 Lakyra Banks, Tia Greene

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    WASHINGTON COUNTY, Arkansas (KHBS, KHOG) — A Washington County jury is deliberating in the capital murder trial of Kacey Jennings, the Fayetteville man accused of killing his ex-girlfriend, Allison Castro, in 2022.

If convicted of capital murder, Jennings could face the death penalty.

Last week, testimony focused on evidence prosecutors say links Jennings to efforts to conceal the crime and dispose of Castro’s belongings after her death.

Last Thursday began with testimony from forensic DNA analysts. Jurors heard that DNA recovered from human remains found near Beaver Lake matched Castro’s mother, helping investigators identify the remains as Castro’s.

According to testimony presented in court, only portions of Castro’s legs below the knees have been recovered. Earlier in the trial, jurors viewed videos recorded by Jennings in which he described dismembering Castro’s body and disposing of remains in multiple locations, including Beaver Lake.

Prosecutors also called witnesses from resale and trade-in businesses. Jurors heard testimony that Jennings attempted to sell items belonging to Castro after her death. Witnesses said Jennings told employees the items belonged to his sister.

The state argues those actions show Jennings was attempting to get rid of evidence connected to Castro.

Jurors were also shown text messages between Jennings and another man who was casually dating Castro while she was living with Jennings. In the messages, Jennings referred to Castro as a “serial dater” and told the man to leave her alone “if you know what’s good for you.”

Prosecutors contend the messages demonstrate strain in the relationship between Jennings and Castro before her death.

Another witness testified that he sold Jennings the shotgun investigators say was used in the killing. Jurors were shown messages arranging the sale in a Fort Smith parking lot.

After the jury was excused for the day, defense attorneys asked the court to consider lesser charges, including manslaughter and negligent homicide. The defense pointed to Jennings’ recorded statements claiming the shooting was accidental and that he did not intend to kill Castro.

The judge denied the request, ruling that it will be up to the jury to determine whether the evidence supports a capital murder conviction.

Jennings also informed the court last Thursday that he does not plan to testify in his own defense.

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 Lauren Seaver

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    MARINA, California (KSBW) — Fort Ord, a U.S. Army base founded in 1917, made history as the first military base to implement full racial integration following President Harry Truman’s 1948 executive order to desegregate the armed forces.

From his business, The Brass Tap in Marina, Karl Waller reflects on his childhood home at Fort Ord, where his father, Samuel James Waller, was stationed in the mid-1970s.

“I remember him getting up in the morning, running with the soldiers along the beach,” Waller said.

For more than 80 years, Fort Ord served approximately 1.5 million soldiers. Marina local Howard Gustafson, whose father was one of those men, has since become a historian and written three books about the base and its soldiers.

“It started out with 15,000 and quickly escalated as the draft continued to 25-30,” Gustafson said.

The base housed thousands of soldiers training for World War II, the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and the invasion of Panama.

President Truman’s executive order in 1948 abolished segregation in the armed forces and mandated full integration across all branches. Fort Ord was the first to implement these changes.

“It opened up the military. Everybody saw it as a chance to get a hold on life, and military was a good way to go, and it didn’t matter who you were,” Gustafson said.

Waller shared how his father, originally from the South, valued the sense of equality fostered by the integrated military.

“My dad often talked about being from the South—how important that was for him to feel equal and part of one military,” Waller said.

However, integration faced initial resistance. According to the National Archives, the process took time, and by the end of the Korean conflict, almost all of the military was integrated.

“There must’ve been a lot of meetings with the captain and lieutenant amongst guys when you started integrating,” Gustafson said. “But as time went on, they started the first classes on race relations in 1952.”

Lyndon Tarver, president of the NAACP Monterey County, highlighted Fort Ord’s broader impact.

“That started basically here and then spread across the United States,” Tarver said.

“Locally it impacted the community because we had a lot of Black folks here. Seaside was probably about 35% Black,” Tarver added.

Waller noted the base’s role as a “pipeline of diversity,” particularly for Black Americans, and how its closure shifted local demographics.

“Fort Ord was a pipeline of diversity—particularly for Black Americans. Once that pipeline died, you could see the demographics for the Blacks in particular, just shift,” Waller said.

President George H.W. Bush signed the Base Realignment and Closure Act in 1988, leading to Fort Ord’s official shutdown in 1994.

Despite its closure, Fort Ord’s legacy endures through the stories of those who lived and served there, including Waller and Gustafson, who continue to honor their fathers’ contributions.

“Remember Fort Ord for all the people, remember what it contributed to the area, and how much it helped the United States,” Gustafson said.

“Those soldiers are the ones who defend our rights and sometimes we take for granted,” Waller said. “As I look back, I try each and every day to reflect on that.”

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 Lauren Pastrana

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    MIAMI, Florida (WFOR) — Advances in health care have helped people with Down syndrome live longer, healthier lives. But that increased longevity also brings a new challenge: a significantly higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.

For Gina El Hassan, the issue is personal. Her brother, Rudolph Vincent Perez, has always loved music and dancing. The 56-year-old shares a close bond with El Hassan, who was 13 when he was born.

“When he was born, I was 13, so he became my baby doll,” El Hassan said. “So for me it was great.”

Decades ago, people with Down syndrome typically lived into their 30s, often before the age when Alzheimer’s disease commonly develops. Today, longer life expectancy means more individuals are reaching ages associated with dementia.

El Hassan said she first noticed warning signs years ago.

“Every 10 or 15 years, he has psychological testing done, and when we went, the psychologist told us he was already seeing signs,” she said.

Now, she says her brother sometimes forgets where things belong and has withdrawn from activities he once enjoyed. The changes remind her of their mother, who also developed Alzheimer’s disease.

“He stopped wanting to go in the car. He got scared of cars,” El Hassan said. “He also got withdrawn, stopped watching TV. Little things like that that my mother suffered.”

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, people with Down syndrome face a substantially higher risk of Alzheimer’s disease as they age. Some studies estimate a lifetime risk as high as 90%, with most cases appearing in a person’s 50s.

By comparison, the lifetime risk for Alzheimer’s in the general population is estimated at about 20% for women and 10% for men.

Keith Gibson with the Alzheimer’s Association said brain changes linked to dementia can begin much earlier in people with Down syndrome.

“They want to be proactive because usually an individual who has Down syndrome, their brain will start changing and they’re developing symptoms at age 40,” Gibson said.

He said research focused specifically on people with intellectual and developmental disabilities is essential.

“When we say ‘a world without Alzheimer’s and all other dementias,’ we need to look at all communities,” Gibson said. “The Down syndrome community is one that we need to be more intentional about because their needs are different.”

For caregivers like El Hassan, the uncertainty can be overwhelming.

“I’m 70, and I worry,” she said. “Of course, I worry if I get it, but I worry more about him. How to take care of him and deal with it again. I don’t want him to go through something else.”

Down syndrome affects how the brain and body develop, but people with Down syndrome can live healthy and fulfilling lives with supportive care.

Resources for families are available through the National Task Group on Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices.

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 Peyton Spellacy

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    ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico (KOAT) — Albuquerque highs are expected to reach the upper 90s again Wednesday, prompting many to look for ways to stay cool.

Meteorologist Eric Green said the metro area typically sees about two or three days where temperatures reach triple digits, based on readings taken from the Sunport. Green noted that starting the day at 70 degrees and reaching the high 90s by noon can take a huge toll on the body.

Some families have been participating in Operation Cooldown, a city-run initiative. When Albuquerque is forecast to hit 100 degrees or higher, the city rotates sprinkler play at select city parks from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

However, not everyone can escape the heat. Noah Woisin with New Mexico Concrete said his demanding work on any day, but triple-digit temperatures make the job even tougher.

“That’s brutal, sun baking down on you, it always makes the day a little more difficult,” Woisin said. “It makes a big difference. The sun really takes it out of you.”

Construction crews protect themselves by using UV-blocking long-sleeve shirts, sunscreen, cooling towels, and plenty of water.

Bob Genoway, deputy director for the Compliance and Enforcement Division under Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said those practices align with official safety standards.

Genoway said there are “three basic pillars of protecting workers from heat, and that’s water, rest, and shade.”

Employers are responsible for training and educating their workers on the symptoms of heat-related illnesses, which include fatigue, nausea, and headaches.

“There’s no set number of breaks, but it’s important for an employer to recognize that as it gets hotter and hotter, more breaks might be necessary,” Genoway said.

In 2023, when Albuquerque experienced 17 days of 100-degree temperatures, OSHA reported that 50 workers statewide ended up in the emergency room for heat-related illness. If temperatures hit 100 degrees Tuesday, it will mark the second triple-digit day of the summer. Signs of heat-related illness are fatigue, headaches, and nausea.

Woisin said that with the right gear and preparation, his crew works hard to keep heat-related illnesses rare.

“We don’t see them as often as you would think, just by taking precautions and making sure you’re hydrated and staying, staying out of the sun in direct sunlight,” Woisin said.

OSHA advises workers who are feeling the effects of extreme heat to alert their employer first. If nothing changes, the agency encourages workers to reach out to them for help.

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By Nelly Lopez

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    INDEPENDENCE, Kansas (KOAM) — A working farm in Montgomery County holds one of Southeast Kansas’ most storied connections to American literary history — the childhood home that inspired Laura Ingalls Wilder’s beloved book series.

The Ingalls family settled near Independence from 1869 to 1871, living in a small log cabin on land that would later become the Little House on the Prairie Museum. Wilder’s account of that time, published in her 1935 book “Little House on the Prairie,” introduced generations of readers to Kansas history through the eyes of a young girl growing up on the frontier.

Jean Kurtis Schodorf, president and owner of the museum, said her family purchased the farm in 1923 — decades before they realized its historical significance.

“We did not know until years later that the Ingalls family, Charles Ingalls’ family, lived here on this property,” Schodorf said. “When the TV show came along, people were so interested because the Ingalls had actually lived in Kansas, in Montgomery County, near Independence, and it was our farm. We were thrilled.”

For years, the property operated as a working farm and oil field. Schodorf’s father raised cattle and drilled oil wells on the land, and the family had little reason to think visitors would come calling.

“There were lots of cars driving up and down, and they were disappointed because there wasn’t anything here,” Schodorf said.

That changed when her brother built a replica of the original log cabin. The museum opened in 1977 and has drawn visitors ever since.

Among the lesser-known pieces of history tied to the site: Carrie Ingalls, the third daughter of Charles and Caroline Ingalls, was born in that log cabin. The family physician who delivered her was Dr. Tan, described by Schodorf as the first doctor in the area and one of the region’s earliest African American physicians.

“Charles and Caroline came — they had Laura, and they had Mary. Mary was five and Laura was three. And they came to Kansas in a covered wagon,” Schodorf said. “What we did not know is that baby Carrie, the third daughter, was actually born in the log cabin.”

Schodorf said the museum’s mission goes beyond celebrating a famous author. It aims to connect visitors — especially children — to Kansas history and to encourage reading.

“Our mission is to teach about Kansas history and to encourage children to learn, to read,” Schodorf said. “For 90 years, this book has been very popular. And when you read it, it’s about Kansas history. Plus it’s about a family who loved each other.”

The museum also uses the site as a window into frontier life — from the plants and wildlife Wilder described in her writing to the daily realities of cooking, clothing, and survival on the Kansas prairie. Schodorf noted that some of the wildlife Wilder wrote about, including wolves that once roamed near the cabin, no longer exist in the region.

Each year on Aug. 2, the museum marks the occasion with “Carrie’s Days,” a celebration of Carrie Ingalls’ birthday.

Now, a new television series — one the producers say draws directly from Wilder’s books — is bringing a fresh wave of attention to the museum and its history.

“The amazing thing is the interest keeps going and people are still interested,” Schodorf said. “Now we have a new series coming out that looks very much like the book. The producers have said they have used the book and they’re trying to make it just like the book.”

The museum is located near Independence, Kansas, in Montgomery County.

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By Therese Namwezi

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    SACRAMENTO, California (KCRA) — A Sacramento man is on a mission to watch all 104 FIFA World Cup 2026 matches while livestreaming from a couch downtown. It’s being dubbed the ultimate summer activity.

Sacramento native and former UC Davis soccer player Conti Kolokotronis is set on watching the matches all the way through July 19.

“I’ve played this game my whole life, and watched this tournament my whole life,” Kolokotronis said. “There’s an energy here, and people have been really showing up and supporting. People love soccer because you play with your friends, you watch with your friends, it brings us together.”

Kolotronis camps out at DOCO with a couch and tv, streaming everyday.

Kolokotronis’ social media videos have gone viral, bringing in thousands of views, with his most popular post having more than 100,000 viewers. The video became one of the most viewed posts for the “Chief World Cup Watcher” competition.

“I learned about this through online promotion and ended up having one of the best performing submission videos, so here we are doing it in one of the best indoor arenas on the planet,” Kolokotronis said.

And the local support has been soaring as people share and repost his videos across different social media platforms.

The official requirements for the competition can be found on Indeed or the Fox Sports website.

Kolokotronis plans to keep watching all the World Cup matches everyday through the final and he’s streaming every moment of it on Twitch.

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.