Month: July 2026

By Brian Maass

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    DENVER, Colorado (KCNC) — The City of Denver is giving itself stronger enforcement tools to hold owners of neglected and derelict properties accountable, including significantly larger fines for those who fail to comply with city orders.

The changes come as nearly 300 properties remain on Denver’s neglected and derelict property list, including one that has become a symbol of neighborhood frustration: the so-called “Poop House” along Denver’s historic 7th Avenue Parkway.

Some properties on the city’s list have been declared unsafe, while others have accumulated repeated code violations or have been deemed public nuisances. But few have drawn as much attention as the vacant home that neighbors nicknamed the “Poop House.”

“I think it’s very aggravating since it’s a historic district … and we take a lot of pride in the property in the neighborhood,” neighbor Marybeth Lambuth said.

Nearly a year ago, CBS Colorado reported on the home, which had sat vacant for more than six years while falling into severe disrepair. Frustrated by the deteriorating property and what they viewed as a lack of action, neighbors began tossing bags of dog waste into the front yard as a form of protest.

“The only thing that’s ever got the city’s attention is the poop,” neighbor Mimi Garrison said. “And the poop is filling up again.”

The unusual protest quickly earned the property its nickname.

Garrison, who lives next door, said the neglected home affected her own property when she tried to sell it. She said prospective buyers seemed spooked by the derelict property next door.

“Who wants to deal with it? Fact of the matter is nobody wants to deal with it,” she said.

She ultimately removed her home from the market.

This week, officials with Denver Community Planning and Development met with residents concerned about the “Poop House” and other neglected properties to explain new code changes that take effect Aug. 1.

Among the most significant changes is a new enforcement mechanism allowing the city to impose a $5,000 fine on property owners who fail to comply with city requirements.

Lambuth believes the higher penalties could encourage owners to address neglected properties more quickly.

“Hopefully it motivates people because a $5,000 fine gets to be more significant than $1,000 over a year, and hopefully it’s a financial incentive for people to step up,” she said.

Under the new ordinance, owners of properties placed on the city’s neglected and derelict property list must submit a compliance plan within 60 days or face fines. Property owners who fail to respond to the city can also be penalized.

Courtney Ronner with Community Planning and Development said the code changes were approved last year by Denver City Council.

“The changes are significant to how we will handle neglected and derelict properties in the city,” said Ronner.

The revised rules also expand the city’s definition of a neighborhood nuisance to include properties that are poorly maintained or have been vandalized. In addition, city officials can now require owners to install security measures to help protect vacant buildings from further deterioration or trespassing.

Neighbors say the changes represent meaningful progress and could help the city address nuisance properties that have lingered for years.

Denver residents can report suspected neglected or derelict properties by calling 311.

The owner of the “Poop House,” Flavia Montecinos, told CBS Colorado “We have a permit and are working on the house.”

“It’s not a neglected building. It’s a house under renovation and work has not stalled,” Montecinos 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 Jason Rantala

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    EAGEN, Minnesota (WCCO) — Thieves stole $25,000 worth of rare Pokémon cards after breaking into an Eagan, Minnesota, claw machine arcade last weekend, employees said.

Surveillance video captured two suspects smashing a window and targeting locked display cases containing the high-value cards at Duck! early Saturday morning.

The theft has left manager Mona Lin shaken, having never expected something like this to happen in Eagan.

The crime mirrors similar thefts reported this year in states like Indiana, Illinois, California and Oklahoma.

According to CNN, the value of Pokémon cards has risen more than 145% over the past year. That soaring demand for the trading cards has made them increasingly attractive targets for thieves.

“It’s mind-boggling. It does happen quite often that break-ins do happen,” said Ben Calcutt, an employee at Triple Diamond Sports Cards & Collectibles.

Pokémon cards now account for about 40% of Triple Diamond’s business, Calcutt said.

“After COVID kind of started, Pokémon started to go crazy because of the popularity and demand of it,” Calcutt said. “It’s just hard to find the product as well, which kind of increases all the prices.”

Triple Diamond has rare Pikachu cards that sell for $14,000, while the most sought-after Pokémon cards are priced even higher.

Duck! has posted a list of the 20 stolen cards on their Facebook page, including serial numbers that could help identify them if they surface at card shops, online marketplaces or card shows.

Lin is asking collectors and vendors to be on the lookout and to let the arcade or police know if the cards are spotted.

Eagan police continue to investigate and have not announced any arrests in the case.

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 Vanessa Laurent

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    PALM BEACH COUNTY, Florida (WPBF) — A Loxahatchee man is facing animal cruelty charges after investigators said a pig on his property was found severely underweight and in poor health.

According to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, Antonio Rodriguez Raymundo-Diego, 20, was arrested on charges of aggravated animal cruelty and failing to provide an animal with enough food and water.

The investigation began in February when Palm Beach County Animal Care and Control responded to a home on Tangerine Drive in Loxahatchee after receiving a complaint about animal conditions.

Officials said they found a pig lying on its side inside a pen. The animal appeared extremely thin, dehydrated and suffering from a skin condition. The pig was surrendered to Animal Care and Control and taken for treatment.

Veterinarians determined the pig was severely malnourished and suffering from mites and parasites. Investigators said the animal quickly improved after receiving food, water and medical care.

Three months later, the pig had gained significant weight and was active and alert, according to the report.

Based on the investigation, deputies charged Raymundo-Diego with aggravated animal cruelty and animal neglect.

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 Darius Johnson, Elyssa Kaufman

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    AUBURN GRESHAM, Illinois (WBBM) — Two people died, and two others were critically injured after a mass shooting at a gas station in the Auburn Gresham neighborhood overnight.

Chicago police said four people were standing outside a BP gas station in the 7600 block of South Halsted Street after midnight when a group of four people approached and fired shots, hitting the victims.

Police said a 53-year-old woman and a 46-year-old man were pronounced dead at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Officials have not identified the victims.

A 35-year-old woman was shot in the leg and taken to the University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition.

A 33-year-old man was taken to the same hospital in critical condition with gunshot wounds to his body.

Video from the scene shows more than 50 evidence markers.

Reality Allah, director of violence prevention, said he is working to support families impacted by the mass shooting.

“Right now our main concern is for the victims and the victims’ families,” He said. “We just want to make sure that we send our condolences to the families and offer our support in any way that we can.

CTA buses along Halsted are being rerouted.

Area Two detectives are investigating.

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 Yianni Kourakis

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    PALM BEACH GARDENS, Florida (WPBF) — The Portugal men’s soccer team practiced for the final time at Gardens North County District Park on Tuesday, their World Cup base camp for nearly three weeks.

Portugal will depart for their round of 32 elimination game against Croatia on Wednesday. The game will be played in Toronto.

The city of Palm Beach Gardens and the Portugal team both consider their marriage a success, with the team happy with the pitch and the hospitality.

“It’s been great. You have a great place here. People were very nice to us, the way they welcomed us, and we are really grateful,” said midfielder Bernardo Silva.

From Portugal landing at PBI airport to a group of cheering fans, to their initial practice at the fields open to a few fans, locals welcomed Portugal with open arms. The team even took a “thank you” picture with the city employees who helped make Gardens their home away from home.

“It could not have gone any better, honestly. It felt like a team effort with them, honestly. It felt like we were pushing in the same direction in the last few months, and it came to fruition over the last couple of weeks with the team’s base camp. We couldn’t be happier, and we’ve heard nothing but positive things from the team,” said Palm Beach Gardens sport and special facilities director Tim Ford.

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 Marissa Armas

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    NORTH TEXAS (KTVT) — As families across North Texas get ready to celebrate the 4th of July, one local family reached out to a drone company with a simple request: make the show more accessible for their visually impaired daughter.

As hundreds of families gather for the North Tarrant Chamber Family Fireworks and Drone Show, for Krissy Burke and her 10-year-old daughter, Paesyn Stallcup, it’s the drones they’ve been looking forward to most.

“She’s usually kind of bored at fireworks shows, and so I’m like maybe I can give her something to where she can understand what we’re all seeing,” said Burke.

Paesyn is visually impaired, and she’s an avid K-pop Demon Hunters fan.

“We’re going up,” Paesyn sang as CBS News Texas asked her who her favorite artist is.

Before the show, Burke reached out to Sky Elements Drone Shows, hoping they could send still images of all the drone sequences that would be shown.

“Honestly, I didn’t have any expectations. I was just hopeful that they would send a few of the images so that could make it accessible for her to feel,” Burke said.

The images can be loaded into a special device called the Monarch, which converts images into Braille, allowing Paesyn to feel each drone design before it appears in the sky. And after just a few back-and-forth messages with the company, Sky Elements agreed, turning that request into a memorable experience for the entire family.

“It was really cool that they actually responded. I know they’re busy doing all this, and I wasn’t sure I would get a response at all, but I was hopeful,” Burke said.

The company not only sent the images ahead of time for Paesyn to load into her device, but they even invited the family behind the scenes to experience the drones up close before takeoff.

“I just hope she takes away something truly special where she can be a part of something that she doesn’t normally get to be a part of,” said Preston Ward, the president of Sky Elements Drone Shows. “So that she can understand what’s going to happen in the sky, rather than just having to rely on someone describing it to her.”

And finding this type of accessibility for the visually impaired is rare. Ben Davisson is Paesyn’s visually impaired teacher. He’s worked with her since she was 16 months old.

“You don’t know what you don’t know,” Davisson said. “Seeing this, I’m hoping it will get the word out to other companies who do this. Provide images on your website so parents can have access to give them to their students, to their children.”

As the sun finally set, Paesyn’s big moment was in action, giving her the chance to experience the 4th of July in a way she’ll never forget.

“It’s cool,” she said as she enjoyed the show on her device.

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 Clare Roth

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    BALTIMORE COUNTY, Maryland (WMAR) — Seniors and service animals are helping each other.

Brightview Avondell Senior Living residents visited Wellspring of Life Farm in Monkton Wednesday.

The residents helped train farm animals to be service pets. Animals such as mini horses, dogs and goats will support the emotional and psychical needs of veterans and first responders farm staff said.

The seniors spend time with the animals to socialize and train them for their future roles.

One woman celebrated her 100th birthday at the farm and says this experience was at the top of her wishlist.

“I always like it when they [the animals] come to visit me, and here I am out rallying around with my friends. Especially, the horses I just live for each day that you all come to visit me and I enjoy the short time I have with everybody,” resident Ruth Knight said.

The program is designed to create connection and help the confidence and emotional well being of both the animals and Brightview residents.

“We want people to always feel hope. And so coming here and being with the animals, we hope that they walk away remembering that and being able to transfer that and apply it to their life,” Wellspring of Life Farm Executive Director Dawn Leung 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 Kelly Swoope

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    ANNAPOLIS, Maryland (WMAR) — The Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum in Annapolis is home to a new exhibit about a year in the making — one that examines 250 years of U.S. history through the work of 17 African American female artists, many of them from Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Virginia.

“She Speaks: Black Women Artists and the Power of Historical Memory” is now on display and runs through January 2027.

Curator Martina Dodd said the exhibit was designed to center voices and histories that have often gone unrecognized.

“We really wanted to showcase how black women have contributed to the founding of this nation. How black women scholars and artists have been able to be critical sometimes of this nation’s history and also to be innovative with the futures that we’re building every day,” Dodd said.

The exhibit features a wide range of artistic mediums.

“We have paintings. We have sculptures, mixed media work, installations. We have this beautiful mural that highlights many of the archival images of black women from this collection,” Dodd said.

Dodd said the exhibit is also about preserving stories that exist outside of traditional institutions.

“We want to make sure that we’re acknowledging the histories that maybe aren’t in the national archives that maybe aren’t in a textbook or a library but also honoring traditions of passing on stories from generation to generation,” Dodd said.

Among the featured artists is Ada Pinkston, whose performance artwork is one of the exhibit’s standout pieces. Her work, “Landmark,” is a tribute to civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer.

“She also played a huge role in making sure that black people in the state voted, um, and so there aren’t many statues that honor Fannie Lou Hamer and the performance again was meant to imagine like what would it look like to embody her um and embody her voice,” Pinkston said.

Pinkston performed “Landmark” in Baltimore on the site where Confederate statues of Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee once stood. The statues were removed in the middle of the night in August of 2017, following a series of protests across the country.

Dodd said the work on display captures both pain and perseverance.

“They’re highlighting the traumatic somethings they’re highlighting our everyday lives but also monumental acts of resistance and rebellion and I think that’s really important when telling the story of this country,” Dodd said.

The exhibit is also interactive. Visitors have the opportunity to write the name of a Black woman who needs to be remembered and leave it behind.

“She Speaks: Black Women Artists and the Power of Historical Memory” is on display at the Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum in Annapolis through January 2027.

The Banneker-Douglass-Tubman Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

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