Month: June 2026

By Lesley Marin, Dean Fioresi

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    BIG BEAR, California (KCAL, KCBS) — Thousands of people have signed a petition asking Big Bear city leaders and Fourth of July event organizers to reconsider this year’s fireworks show for the sake of the beloved bald eagle family.

So far, more than 13,000 people have added their names to the Change.org petition, which is called “Protect Big Bear’s Bald Eagles & Eaglets from July 4th Fireworks Disturbance.”

While Friends of Big Bear Valley, the wildlife organization that oversees wildlife throughout the area and is known for implementing a series of cameras offering a 24/7 look at the beloved bald eagles Jackie and Shadow, as well as their new children, isn’t behind the petition, they say that the stakes are always high for the family come this time of year.

“For Jackie and Shadow, every year they will leave their roost tree for the night, and sometimes it’ll take a few days for them to feel safe enough to return,” said Jenny Voisard, with FOBBV.

She says that with Sandy and Luna, the newest eaglets, so close to fledging, or taking their first flight, there’s added concern this year.

“We don’t know if they are going to be in the nest or near the nest, we don’t know how they’re gonna react to it,” Voisard said.

This is the first time that Jackie and Shadow have had a clutch so late in the year, after their first clutch was lost in January when the nest was raided by ravens. Voisard said that the parents are still extremely vital to the eaglets’ health and their primary source of food.

“While bald eagles have amazing eyesight during the day, they don’t see very well at night,” Voisard said. “So, oftentimes they will be startled by the noise, and instinct takes over and they will flee, causing them to fly fast when they don’t see so well and there’s a road, so that’s the biggest risk.”

In response to the petition, Visit Big Bear, which puts on the show every year, shared a statement on their website.

“The fireworks show is a long-standing community tradition and an important economic driver for Big Bear’s local businesses, workers, restaurants, lodging properties, recreation providers and families,” the statement said.

Organizers say that this year’s tourism season is even more crucial following an uncharacteristically dry winter, meaning little snow for the local ski lifts. They said that they still recognized Jackie and Shadow’s importance to the community, and that they are also part of the draw for their unique mountain community.

They said that they’ll limit the show to 30 minutes and try to reduce the loudest booms when possible. Additionally, they said that the barge where the fireworks are lit will be stationed two miles from their nest.

Voisard said that the distance won’t make much of a difference.

“The lake makes the noise carry, so you know, they could be three miles away and I don’t think it would be any quieter,” she said.

Last year a similar pettition to protect the eagles gained signatures from nearly 40,000 people. At the time, however, the bald eaglets had already fledged about a month before Independence Day.

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 Luzdelia Caballero

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    LOS ANGELES (KCAL, KCBS) — They hold hands through steel poles at the US-Mexico border, “Te quiero mucho mija,” Francisco Duarte Tineo says, tearfully telling his daughter that he loves her.

Aracely Duarte Perez is a US citizen and recently came to Imperial Beach, where San Diego meets Playas de Tijuana, for a brief, emotional moment with her father.

It wasn’t always like this. Aracely is an engineering student in San Diego, but she had been enrolled in school in Los Angeles until both her parents made the decision to self-deport.

To stay close, Aracely left her life in Los Angeles behind.

“They won’t be able to see any of my milestones, my college graduation, maybe even like my wedding definitely makes it more difficult to grasp,” she said.

Her parents are both undocumented immigrants who spent decades in San Diego, working as paleteros, selling ice cream, building a life and raising a family.

“They’ve actually lived here (in the US) for like more than 30 years,” Aracely said.

Francisco said that, truthfully, he does not miss the US because in Mexico, he is free. He said he does miss his children.

“A road toward residence, a road toward citizenship, if anything, is incredibly difficult, if not impossible. And even when they’re going to their court proceedings, there’s still the fear of deportation. Not only fear, reality,” Aracely said.

Having the opportunity to have stability, she said it made more sense for her parents to start over in Mexico. They are trying to rebuild what was left behind as they launch a restaurant in Tijuana.

“A seafood and cahuamanta restaurant that’s Sonora style,” Aracely said.

For families like Aracely’s, self-deportation isn’t just a legal decision; it’s an emotional one. It reshapes daily life, relationships and the meaning of home.

“It hurts. Knowing we’re so close yet so far away,” Aracely said, adding that she still feels 100 percent connected to her father.

“Estos muros no nos van a detener hija,” Francisco tells his daughter that the walls will not stop them, and that there is always light at the end of the tunnel.

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 Sara Donchey

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    SAN RAFAEL, California (KPIX) — Nothing makes Giselle Avelar happier than being on the soccer field.

The fourth-grader from San Rafael discovered her passion for soccer after she saw her older sister play, and decided that she would give the sport a try herself. From the second she stepped out onto the field, she was hooked.

“(I love) the happiness I see on my teammates faces, and the passing, making goals, everything about it,” Avelar said.

Avelar is a part of an extracurricular program run by America SCORES Bay Area, a nonprofit that allows students to learn and play the sport of soccer, as well as honing some of their academic skills through poetry. Her family hails from El Salvador, and her father Oscar has loved the sport of soccer since he was a young child.

But for many Bay Area families, playing soccer is a luxury that is out of reach. Many club teams around the Bay Area charge upwards of $3,000 per year in club fees, plus uniform costs, making year-round soccer out of the question for working families.

America SCORES allows children to play regardless of their family’s ability to pay those high costs or travel.

America SCORES Bay Area Executive Director Colin Schmidt says the organization was founded after the 1994 FIFA World Cup. It was the last time the tournament was held in the United States, and is broadly credited with popularizing the sport in America.

“After the ’94 World Cup we had five schools and 150 kids,” Schmidt said. “Fast forward to today, 32 years later to the 2026 World Cup — in the Bay Area we’re at 180 schools with about 7,000 kids. We could fill a stadium with the people that we’ve touched.”

America SCORES Bay Area was tasked with selecting 11 of its Bay Area players for a chance to participate in the Quaker Player Escort Program. Quaker and Common Goal partnered to find young people all over the country to escort players onto the pitch during pre-match ceremonies for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

SCORES wanted to highlight some of its exemplary student athletes, and told Giselle that she would be one of the lucky young people walking hand-in-hand with the players ahead of Thursday’s group stage matchup between Paraguay and Australia at Levi’s Stadium.

“I was so in shock,” Avelar said. “I was excited but also like nervous at the same time because of the camera and just everybody looking at me in the middle of the field, standing next to the best soccer player ever.”

Avelar’s father and her family are planning to watch Giselle on television at the beginning of the match Thursday, and said they were honored that she would be given such a unique opportunity.

“My kid walking in that field is going to be like the greatest experience,” said her father, Oscar Avelar. “We are just going to be so happy for her and our friends and family who are watching are going to be happy for her too.”

The match kicks off Thursday at 7:00 p.m. PST.

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 KTBS Staff

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    LOGANSPORT, Louisiana (KTBS) — First responders and hazardous materials teams remain on the scene of an explosion at the Logansport Water Plant on Water Plant Road.

The blast triggered a chemical release, but emergency officials confirmed the spill has been contained to the immediate facility. No evacuation orders have been issued for the surrounding area. There have been at least six people injured, with one injury being major.

Authorities have shut down through traffic on the roads immediately surrounding the water plant at 189 Water Plant Road to clear space for emergency vehicles and crews.

Local officials stated that the municipal water system continues to operate normally, and there is no evidence of a widespread threat to the community’s water supply. However, residents may experience brief service disruptions later today as repair crews inspect the facility and fix the damage.

“We understand incidents such as this can cause concern, but we want to reassure the public that the situation is being closely monitored by local officials and emergency responders,” a spokesperson said. “There is no known threat to the surrounding community at this time beyond the immediate response area.”

The public is urged to avoid the vicinity to give first responders room to work and to monitor official channels for further updates.

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 Itay Hod

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    SAN FRANCISCO (KPIX) — At Muttville Senior Dog Rescue in San Francisco, an unlikely employee is helping increase a dog’s chance to get adopted.

His name is Little Dude. His title? Director of Feline Relations.

Every morning he has breakfast, a quick grooming, and he’s off to work. His human and coworker, Koreena Walsh, says he was born for this.

“He brings a lifetime of experience to this role,” she said.

His job is to give each dog a cat scan to help determine how open they are to living with a feline.

“The number one question we get from adopters is, ‘Is this dog good with cats?'” Walsh said.

A building full of dogs may sound like a hostile work environment. But Little Dude lives in a diverse household, speaks fluent canine, and has plenty of paws-on experience.

“Every time I bring a new foster dog home, he’s the first cat to greet them,” Walsh said.

At a time when shelters are looking for every possible way to help pets find homes, Muttville is thinking outside the litter box.

Gabriella Jew, Muttville’s Senior Program Director, says the idea is simple: the more cat-approved homes Little Dude can open up, the more lives get saved. To pass the test, walk in, stay calm, and whatever you do, don’t chase the cat.

As for Little Dude, he has a matching uniform, his own office, and a hefty salary paid entirely in treats.

“I think Little Dude does get a 401(k),” Walsh said jokingly.

After a long day at the office, Little Dude heads home for a well-earned cat nap.

“All in all, a good shift,” Walsh said. “We’re excited and ready to come back again.”

Please note: This story was provided to CNN Wire by an affiliate and does not contain original CNN reporting. This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.

By John Lauritsen

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    Minnesota (WCCO) — It’s a lake cruise in the middle of town, and there’s more than pelicans on the Pelican Breeze tour in Albert Lea, Minnesota.

“I like the feeling of closeness. I like the feeling of community. It’s just a beautiful spot in the world to be,” said Nancy Greiner.

Marion Ross thought so too. The mom on the ’70s sitcom “Happy Days” once called Albert Lea her home. Her bronze bench sits a block from Albert Lea Lake.

Nearly 30 years ago, Pelican Breeze Cruises began taking people on tours across the lake.

“We are traveling about 3 miles per hour in about 3 feet of water,” said Greiner.

They use a pontoon with a smokestack and a paddlewheel. Greiner, who is the first mate, will tell you that you only have to travel about 10 yards before you learn how the boat got its name.

“Never get tired of seeing the pelicans,” Greiner said.

That’s probably a good thing, because they’re everywhere.

What you see on the lake is essentially a pelican bachelor party. They are pretty much all males. The females don’t often venture to Albert Lea Lake because there are no islands, which is typically where they make their nests.

When the birds get together on the water, it’s called a pelican pod.

“When they are in the air, it’s a squadron,” said Greiner.

A squadron whose crew members have 8-foot wingspans. The birds use their beaks to scoop up whatever comes their way.

“They eat all kinds of fish. They eat crawdads,” said Greiner.

And they’re not alone. Eagles, egrets, cormorants and herons are fishing, too.

“I get out more in one year than I have gotten out in my entire life,” said Bruce Ness.

Ness has been a captain for 15 years. His tour also takes visitors close to the Interstate 35 bridge, which sees 25,000 vehicles cross it each day. But nature is the real reason people step on his pontoon.

“You hope they get the appreciation for kind of a gem that we have right in our community,” said Ness.

His first mate feels the exact same way.

“They just come out and enjoy and relax and have fun just being on the lake,” said Greiner.

Pelican Breeze cruises are an hour and a half and they take place every Friday and Sunday.

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.