Month: July 2026

By Jamal Goss

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    ATLANTA (WUPA) — What began as a mother’s way of honoring her late daughter has grown into a nonprofit helping foster families and others facing financial hardship across metro Atlanta.

After her adopted daughter, Emonie, died unexpectedly in 2018, Leigh Canada said she wasn’t sure what to do with the clothes her daughter left behind. Instead of storing them away, she transformed them into a mission.

Canada started Emonie’s Closet inside her garage before expanding it into a mobile clothing boutique and the Closet of Champions, an appointment-only shopping space designed to give families a dignified shopping experience.

Today, the nonprofit serves youth in foster care, young adults aging out of foster care, kinship caregivers, job seekers and families experiencing financial hardship.

Families can shop at no cost, often receiving up to a week’s worth of clothing. For those who can’t make it to an appointment, Canada packs clothing based on sizes and individual needs.

“I wanted to go back to her foundation, which was foster care, and provide back to that community,” Canada said.

For Tamaryo Shepherd, a single mother of four, the nonprofit came at the right time as she prepared her children for the new school year.

“Finances can be really tight, especially being a single mom and having four kids that you have to provide for,” Shepherd said. “Emonie’s Closet has really came in and been a big blessing.”

Canada says the nonprofit is about more than providing clothes.

“It means the world to me,” she said. “It’s just keeping her spirit through others.”

Canada says Emonie’s Closet relies on community donations, volunteers and partnerships to continue serving families throughout metro Atlanta. Those interested in volunteering, donating or requesting assistance can learn more here.

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 Juli McDonald

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    CAPE COD, Massachusetts (WBZ) — A fisherman who treaded water for hours several miles off the coast of Cape Cod was rescued after he was spotted by another fishing crew. The three-man crew aboard the fishing boat Seel Jr. had been in the home stretch of a nine-day trip Saturday when they changed course to lend a hand.

“A distress call came over the radio about 12:15 more or less from the Western Edge stating to the Coast Guard that he was missing a crewmember,” Joao DaSilva recalled.

Coincidentally, the captain of Western Edge used to own the Seel crew’s boat. They traveled in that direction for about an hour. Then suddenly, about eight miles off of Truro, they could hear cries for help.

“As I’m going up the ladder Phil’s like ‘it’s either a seal or somebody’s head. I see something bobbing in front of the boat about 200 feet.’ I turned forward and there’s the lime green shirt and this dude waving his hand and he’s bobbing in the water. I’m like ‘that’s him! He’s right there! He’s alive!’ We just started crying,” DaSilva said.

Just a few months ago, the Seel crew spotted an orca off of P-Town. The rare sight is believed to be a good omen. It’s been a tragic year for the fishing community, making this outcome especially meaningful.

“It’s been a horrific year. It started with Lily Jean up in Gloucester, which was seven lives that were lost to the ocean. Tommy Williams – big part of the waterfront down in Connecticut. We had the Yankee Rose that went down off of P-Town which was out of New Bedford; two guys got lost there. It’s nice to pull somebody out of the water alive,” he said.

The man they rescued Saturday had been treading water for two and a half hours without a life jacket. The Seel crew tossed him a life ring and other floatation devices, and alerted the Coast Guard who arrived with a rescue swimmer to pull him to safety.

The man was treated for hypothermia. DaSilva said he’s already seen him back at the dock.

“Saturday was just special,” DaSilva said. “We were there for a reason you know what I mean? And it wasn’t to catch fish on that last tow.”

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 Kaicey Baylor

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    BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Baltimore youth are learning about emotional skills and entrepreneur tips through a jewelry-making youth summer program.

Beadly Speaking is a nonprofit that empowers young people through handmade jewelry.

“The blessing is that what I’ve created is something that I wanted as a kid,” said Dyon Davidson, the organization’s founder.

The program is funded through the Baltimore Children & Youth Fund.

The four-week summer program is based inside the Baltimore Unity Hall. Students are making necklaces, earrings, bracelets, even crowns using materials like wood and wires.

“I’m painting earrings, and my theme is yellow and pink because they’re my favorite colors,” participant Maci Epps said.

Davidson developed the organization after her mother had a brain aneurysm in 2004. To help her mother with home therapy, Davidson taught herself how to make jewelry and shared the practice with her mom.

“It became a thing where we sat and did that every weekend,” she said. “My mom recovered, and I just kept making jewelry.”

With a teaching background, she turned this therapeutic time with her mother into a community program for young people.

Davidson has studied how colors affect human emotions, incorporating brighter hues into art sessions.

“The kids are so excited. It lifts their mood, and it shifts the energy in the room,” she said.

Davidson said that using wires to make pieces can provide a sense of relief.

“It calms them down. It helps them to concentrate, focus, and you see a lot of *exhales,*” she said.

Students are also gaining workforce readiness skills.

“At the end of our program, they get a marketplace,” Davidson said. “They’re learning how to price their items, how to sell, how to interact with customers. They’re learning confidence building.”

Davidson said they’ve created their own business name and designed their own logo.

She adds one of her students has taken lessons learned here and has soared.

“One of our kids now has an LLC,” Davidson said. “She goes out and sells every almost weekend and makes no less than $300.”

On August 1, the program will host its 2026 Youth Vendor Marketplace, selling what they’ve made over the last four weeks to customers. During the 2025 Youth Vendor Marketplace, youth collectively achieved about $800 in sales contributing to over $4,000 in youth earnings since 2022.

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 Tara Lynch

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    BALTIMORE (WJZ) — A family is in shock after a man allegedly urinated on multiple people, including an 8-year-old girl, during the Morgan Wallen concert on Saturday at M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore.

A series of videos about the incident on Facebook has gone viral, racking up more than 1 million views.

Wallen brought his “Still the Problem” tour to Baltimore last Friday and Saturday nights, which drew tens of thousands of fans.

Troy Grevelding, who traveled to Baltimore from Syracuse, New York, said he never thought something like this would happen at the concert.

After Wallen took the stage, Grevelding said he and his wife felt something dripping on their legs. When they looked behind them, they said another man, whom they do not know, was urinating in the stands.

“I just look, and at that point his pants are completely down. He’s urinating all over myself … all over my wife,” Grevelding told WJZ.

His two nieces were with him at the time, including an 8-year-old girl who was urinated on, as well. Grevelding said he tried to push the man away from his family and told him to stop.

“I’m freaking out, and the guy’s just telling me, ‘It’s OK, man. It’s OK, brother,'” Grevelding said.

Taking to Facebook Live, Grevelding tried to get security and the Maryland Transportation Authority Police (MDTA) to act. Grevelding said police didn’t do enough to protect his family.

In the video, an MDTA officer said they cannot take the man into custody.

In Maryland, indecent exposure is a misdemeanor offense, as is public urination in Baltimore City. The officer also explained that Grevelding can get the man’s information and go to a court commissioner if he would like to press charges.

“I’m supposed to do your job? Am I supposed to go and get witnesses? I’m supposed to go get all these people to go back to a court Monday when we are all from out of town?” Grevelding questioned.

MDTA Police said in a statement to WJZ that they are aware of the video and that there is an open, active criminal investigation into the incident.

MDTA Police have not confirmed whether any potential suspects have been identified or if any charges have been filed in this case.

The Baltimore Ravens also confirmed to WJZ that a team executive reached out to the family. Grevelding says he wants more done because his niece is traumatized.

The family said that it was likely their last concert at M&T Bank Stadium and that they won’t be back to Baltimore anytime soon.

“After knowing what little the laws will do for you, why do I want to put myself into a situation again that I’m not protected?” Grevelding said. “Why do I want to go to a place that don’t care about me?”

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.