180 pounds of cocaine seized in large-scale drug trafficking investigation in Pittsburgh area

CNN Newsource on August 12, 2026

By Madeline Bartos

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    PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania (KDKA) — Two men are facing charges after authorities said they seized about 180 pounds of cocaine as part of a large-scale drug trafficking investigation in the Pittsburgh area.

Darnell Rhinehart and Lamar Lewis were arrested on drug and firearms charges after FBI Pittsburgh said law enforcement seized 80 kilograms of cocaine on Monday night.

The FBI said investigators watched Rhinehart on video surveillance loading multiple brown cardboard boxes from a tractor-trailer into the bed of his vehicle on Monday afternoon, arriving and leaving within just two minutes.

Authorities said they tracked Rhinehart to a Pittsburgh bar several hours later and watched as Lewis parked his pickup truck near Rhinehart’s vehicle and took four brown cardboard boxes. Lewis then placed a heavy bag in Rhinehart’s vehicle before driving away, the FBI said.

A traffic stop on Lewis’ vehicle turned up 50 kilograms of cocaine as well as a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol that was later confirmed as stolen, investigators said.

Authorities continued trailing Rhinehart, who was later seen picking up a red backpack from a home before driving to another Pittsburgh bar. He walked into the bar with the bag and left without it, the FBI said, and when authorities arrested Rhinehart, they found 5 kilograms of cocaine in the backpack.

Several more searches at locations associated with Rhinehart turned up 35 more kilograms of cocaine in cardboard boxes as well as “large sums” of cash and a shotgun, the FBI said.

“Seizing 80 kilos of cocaine means taking away profits and the power that money can buy right out of the hands of international criminal organizations,” FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Richard Evanchec said in a news release. “Shipments like this represent money flowing right back to groups that rule through violence and fear. Cocaine trafficking is not a victimless crime, and the FBI and our partners will use every tool at our disposal to keep ridding our communities of these deadly narcotics.”

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.

Liberty Island boat tragedy survivor says dark conditions contributed to slow rescue

CNN Newsource on August 12, 2026

By Adi Guajardo

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    NEW YORK, New York (WCBS) — A man says he saved his wife and her friend after their tour boat capsized near Liberty Island last weekend.

A mother and her 5-month-old daughter died and the captain is now facing federal charges.

Celebration turned to tragedy quickly A surprise birthday bash on a boat set the stage for unforgettable Saturday night.

“We were in front of the Statue of Liberty. They were taking pictures,” Jorge Ortiz said by phone Tuesday.

Ortiz said their excitement turned into panic in a matter of seconds.

“[The boat] flipped so fast that it took us,” Ortiz said. “I started calling out for my wife because then I remembered that she don’t know how to swim.”

Ortiz said it was so dark, two boats went past them as they screamed for help. He said it felt like they were in the water for 25 minutes before a third boat came to their rescue. He said the U.S. Coast Guard arrived shortly after.

According to court documents, Manuel Hernandez, the tour boat captain, made a U-turn and a swell swamped the bow, capsizing the boat with 14 people on board.

“There was a little baby we were trying to find,” Ortiz said. “We couldn’t see. It was too dark.”

Ortiz said he managed to pull his wife and her friend onto the overturned boat to keep them safe. He said he remembered two boats passing by, and when they spotted a third, they’re calls for help grew louder.

“We started flashing the light, and I started screaming, ‘Help! Help!'” Ortiz said.

When a party boat spotted them, he said they felt relief, but it was short-lived. He said the Coast Guard found Sara Sanchez and her 5-month-old daughter, Antonella. They were both pronounced dead at the hospital.

“She was in the bottom of the boat,” Ortiz said.

“He just said [life vests] weren’t required” Ortiz was asked about life vests and if they were easily accessible.

“The only life vest that the captain gave was to the girl that had the baby,” Ortiz said. “He had life vests. He just said they weren’t required.”

Federal prosecutors claim Hernandez failed to obtain the proper credential to operate a tour boat and exceeded the boat capacity. He’s now facing federal charges, including two counts of misconduct or neglect of ship officer resulting in death.

CBS News New York called, emailed, and visited the location listed for Zeus Luxury Rental, the tour company that hired Hernandez, but have not heard back.

“He’s gonna have to pay for what he did,” Ortiz said. “He put everybody in jeopardy and a mother and daughter lost their lives.”

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New York City Council worker detained by ICE for 5 months granted asylum

CNN Newsource on August 12, 2026

By Jeff Capellini, Allen Devlin

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    NEW YORK, New York (WCBS) — Rafael Rubio, the New York City Council worker who was detained and released by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has now been granted asylum.

Rubio, a data analyst, was set to be deported but was released on June 19, three weeks after being granted asylum by an immigration judge. He had been detained for five months at Delaney Hall in Newark, New Jersey.

The Department of Homeland Security has appealed the granting of his asylum. CBS News New York reached out to DHS for comment, but did not immediately get a response.

Rubio said he was taken into custody at a routine asylum interview on Long Island on Jan. 12, despite having legal protection to live and work in the U.S. He said at the time his temporary protected status as a citizen of Venezuela lasts through October.

“That was a shocker. It was a shock because, per my knowledge at that time, I was doing everything correctly,” Rubio told CBS News New York on Tuesday night.

DHS had previously called Rubio “a criminal illegal alien from Venezuela” with a history that “includes an arrest for assault,” adding, “He had no work authorization and his TPS had been terminated.”

City Council Speaker Julie Menin repeatedly disputed claims that Rubio overstayed a visa, was arrested and had no work authorization.

“He was wrongfully in ICE detention for months on end, which is unconscionable,” Menin said Tuesday. “He had done nothing wrong, and now the government has acknowledged that he is rightfully supposed to be here and he was granted this permanent asylum.”

Rubio thanked his attorneys, Menin and the City Council.

“I was overwhelmed with emotions. It was a very humbling experience,” Rubio said. “The fight is not over. Something is gonna get, this is going to get, better eventually.”

As for other detention cases, Menin said the City Council has funded close to $82 million in legal services to make sure that the right to counsel is protected.

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.

Annual event helps metro Atlantans with disabilities lace up skates and hit the ice rink

CNN Newsource on August 12, 2026

By Kaley Fedko

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    ATLANTA, Georgia (WUPA) — A teenage hockey player from Atlanta is helping give people with disabilities a chance to learn how to ice skate.

Seventeen-year-old Grey Altemeyer was born and raised in Atlanta and now attends high school in Massachusetts, where he is a student-athlete.

He grew up volunteering with Special Olympics Georgia Miracle Sk8trs, which hosted ice skating lessons for people with disabilities at The Cooler Rink in Alpharetta.

When The Cooler closed in 2025 after 28 years, Miracle Sk8trs lost its home.

Altemeyer told CBS News Atlanta the lack of adaptive skating sessions was a void he wanted to fill immediately.

“I really felt a love for the Atlanta hockey community. It’s a smaller hockey community, but it’s super tight, and I never really lost that community in my heart,” said Altemeyer. “So I wanted to do an event like this to bring the Atlanta community back together and to give another chance for adaptive skating here in Atlanta.”

He created Fun on Ice, an annual event at The ICE Complex in Cumming, where volunteers help people with adaptive disabilities learn to ice skate.

“There were no chances for any kids with adaptive issues to go out and skate,” said Altemeyer. “Learning to skate can be stimulating, so what I try to do here is match each kid up one-on-one, so that their issues can be fully met with their volunteer.”

Altemeyer partnered with the Miracle Sk8ters and Atlanta’s ECHL team, the Atlanta Gladiators, to host the event and bring in volunteers.

Enter 27-year-old Melody Forrest, an Atlanta resident with a disability who loves ice skating and has known Altemeyer through his time with Miracle Sk8trs at The Cooler.

“I love to ice skate. It makes me feel happy, excited, and calm,” Forrest said.

Her mother, Stacey Johnson, told CBS News Atlanta she started taking Forrest to the rink in high school after class as a way to be active and make friends.

“It’s hard to make friends,” said Johnson. “She had a lot of friends in high school, but when her friends moved away for college, there were not many opportunities out of school, so we just really tried to find opportunities wherever they were, and she loved coming to ice skating because she’s had so many volunteer friends that have helped her.”

When Altemeyer launched Fun on Ice in the summer of 2025, Forrest received one of the first invitations.

“Melody was here when there were only three to seven kids on the ice at the Miracle Sk8trs events,” said Altemeyer. “She is just so passionate about skating. You feel her love for skating, and I think she’s truly the heart of what we’re looking for in Miracle Sk8trs.”

For Forrest and other adaptive skaters, Fun on Ice in Cumming is about more than finding a place to skate.

It became a place to find her footing and help nurture a community.

The ICE Complex hosted the second Fun on Ice event Aug. 2.

This year, about 35 skaters from across metro Atlanta spent time together on the ice.

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.

Old National Park closes after mosquitoes test positive for West Nile virus, Fulton health officials say

CNN Newsource on August 12, 2026

By Web Staff

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    FULTON COUNTY, Georgia (WUPA) — Old National Park is temporarily closed after mosquitoes collected in the area tested positive for West Nile virus, according to Fulton County health officials.

The positive test was identified through Fulton County’s routine mosquito surveillance and testing program. City officials said the South Fulton Parks and Recreation Department was notified Tuesday about the test and closed the park out of an abundance of caution.

The closure affects city staff, the Old National Youth Athletic Association, contractors, permit holders, program participants and members of the public.

Any outdoor activities scheduled at the park during the closure will be canceled or postponed.

City officials said the closure is precautionary while South Fulton coordinates with Fulton County public health officials. The county health department is expected to treat the property before officials determine when the park can reopen.

The city said it will continue monitoring the situation and provide additional information if public health guidance or restrictions at the park change.

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.

Former teacher and choir member accused of emailing bomb threat to Broward church, police say

CNN Newsource on August 12, 2026

By Ted Scouten

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    FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (WFOR) — A former choir member at Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church was arrested Monday and charged with sending a bomb threat to the congregation, authorities said.

Melissa Redway, a former teacher at Westminster Academy who reportedly suffered a brain injury, was taken into custody months after the incident occurred in February. According to an arrest report, Redway sent an email threatening to “blow up the whole entire church.”

Investigators noted that Redway’s behavior had become increasingly concerning after she was laid off from her teaching position. Staff reported that Redway did not accept the job loss well and made multiple attempts to rejoin the church choir. In one instance, a witness said Redway arrived at practice wearing a cassock, ran down the aisle, and exited the church. Employees also reported receiving incoherent emails from Redway that referenced specific concerts.

When police searched the home where Redway lived with her parents, they reported finding no weapons, contraband or devices consistent with bomb-making materials.

Redway is currently being held on a $7,500 bond. If released, she will be required to wear an ankle monitor.

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✨ Houston Style Magazine is proud to serve as a 2026 Media Sponsor of the Houston Area Urban League’s Equal Opportunity Day Gala!

CNN Newsource on August 11, 2026

By Francis Page Jr.

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    August 11, 2026 (Houston Style Magazine) — We are especially proud to celebrate H-E-B, the Title Sponsor of this year’s gala and a valued 26-year weekly stakeholder and supporter of Houston Style Magazine.

For more than a quarter-century, H-E-B has stood alongside Houston Style Magazine as we have worked to inform, connect and serve Houston’s diverse communities. That same commitment to community investment continues through H-E-B’s support of the Houston Area Urban Leagueand its mission to advance economic mobility, expand opportunity and build stronger futures for Houstonians.

Houston Style Magazine is honored to amplify a celebration that brings together longtime community partners committed to opportunity, leadership and lasting impact.

#HoustonStyleMagazine #HAUL #HoustonAreaUrbanLeague #HEB #EqualOpportunityDayGala #HoustonCommunity #EconomicMobility #CommunityPartners #HoustonStyle

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

2026 Fort Bend Infrastructure Conference: Building the Roads, Water, Power and Partnerships for Tomorrow

CNN Newsource on August 11, 2026

By Francis Page Jr.

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    August 11, 2026 (Houston Style Magazine) — Fort Bend County is growing, and anyone who has spent five minutes on its roads already knows the unofficial slogan: progress comes with traffic. But behind every new subdivision, business park, school, medical facility and corporate investment is a much bigger question—can the infrastructure keep up?

That question will take center stage Friday, September 18, 2026, when the Fort Bend Regional Partnership, in collaboration with the Central Fort Bend Chamber, hosts the 2026 Fort Bend Infrastructure Conference, presented by BGE, Inc., at Safari Texas Ranch, 11627 FM 1464 in Richmond. The official conference schedule runs from 7:30 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., bringing together business leaders, public officials, engineers, developers, utility professionals and community stakeholders for a forward-looking conversation about how Fort Bend grows—and how it grows wisely.

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For Houston Style Magazine readers, this is more than an engineer-only gathering. Infrastructure determines how long families spend commuting, where businesses invest, whether neighborhoods have dependable water, how communities prepare for future development and whether economic opportunity can continue spreading throughout Fort Bend County.

The conference agenda tackles those realities head-on.

“Infrastructure in Motion: Transportation & Mobility” will examine current and future transportation projects designed to improve connectivity across Fort Bend. “The Framework of Development: MUDs & Property Tax” turns the spotlight on municipal utility districts, development financing and the complicated—but essential—mechanics behind responsible community growth.

Then there is water. “Water Under Pressure: Keeping Up with Growth” will bring industry and municipal voices together to explore the challenge of serving a rapidly expanding population while protecting long-term water reliability.

And because tomorrow’s economy increasingly runs on servers as much as highways, “Data Center Power: Myths, Facts and the Fine Print”will examine energy demands, infrastructure realities and the economic-development opportunities surrounding data centers.

Perhaps the day’s most future-facing conversation will come from keynote speaker Doug Robison, Founder and Executive Chairman of Natura Resources. Robison has helped push advanced molten-salt nuclear technology toward commercial deployment, including work connected to Abilene Christian University’s NEXT Lab. Natura announced in July that Jordan Robison became CEO while Doug Robison continues as executive chairman and chairman of the board—a transition keeping the company’s founder focused on long-range strategy and deployment.

His keynote arrives as Texas confronts a straightforward equation: more people, more businesses and more technology mean greater demand for reliable energy. Advanced nuclear technology is increasingly part of that conversation, alongside questions about water, grid resilience and the enormous electricity requirements of emerging industries. ACU and Natura’s work includes development of advanced molten-salt reactor technology with potential applications in energy production and water treatment.

The conference also offers something no infrastructure blueprint can replace – relationships. Breakfast, networking, exhibitor visits and panel discussions will give attendees opportunities to connect directly with many of the people planning, financing, designing and building Fort Bend’s next chapter.

Individual registration is $125. Corporate begin at $1,500 and include a reserved luncheon table for eight, eight conference registrations, exhibitor space and marketing recognition. Exhibitor booths are available for $500.

BGE, Inc. serves as Title Sponsor, with Kinetic as Breakfast Sponsor. Corporate supporters include Aguirre & Fields, CivilCorp | ESP Associates, DCCM, HNTB Corporation, Huitt-Zollars, Infrastructure Consulting & Engineering, Landtech, Pape-Dawson, TDECU, Terracon, Schaumburg & Polk, Vogler & Spencer Engineering and WSB. BGE and Kinetic are also confirmed on the official event listing.

Fort Bend’s growth story is impressive. The next challenge is ensuring its roads, water, energy systems and public infrastructure are every bit as ambitious.

On September 18, some of the region’s builders and decision-makers will gather to tackle the question that matters most: What do we build today so Fort Bend works even better tomorrow?

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REGISTER & EVENT DETAILS: 2026 Fort Bend Infrastructure Conference:business.fortbendregionalpartnership.com/events/Details/2026-fort-bend-infrastructure-conference-1737527 For sponsorship information, contact Rebekah Beltran at rebekah@fbrp.org or 281-566-2158.

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

Rep. Talarico Reaches Out to Harris County Hispanic Voters

CNN Newsource on August 11, 2026

By Burt Levine

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    August 11, 2026 (Houston Style Magazine) — PASADENA, Texas — In a Texas U.S. Senate race already drawing national attention, State Rep. James Talarico brought his campaign to Pasadena Sunday with a message built around affordability, working families and political participation — and he delivered it in one of the most heavily Hispanic communities in the Houston region. Talarico, the Democratic nominee, addressed a packed San Jacinto College auditorium on August 9, 2026.

The setting was no political accident. Pasadena is 70.9% Hispanic or Latino, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, while Harris County is 46.1% Hispanic or Latino. For any statewide candidate hoping to build a winning coalition in Texas, those communities are not a side conversation; they are central to the conversation.

Talarico framed his recently announced “New American Dream” economic agenda around the pressures Texans feel at grocery stores, pharmacies, childcare centers and the housing market.

“The American dream has become an American nightmare,” Talarico told the crowd, arguing that too many families are working hard while finding the basic milestones of middle-class life increasingly out of reach.

His prescriptions were unmistakably populist: raise the minimum wage, shift tax relief toward middle-class families and small businesses, strengthen labor unions, address medical debt and cap credit-card interest rates. He repeatedly linked those issues to a broader argument about who government should serve.

That message will be tested vigorously before November. Republican nominee Ken Paxton, who defeated incumbent Sen. John Cornyn in the May runoff, has been campaigning on a sharply different economic vision centered on lower taxes. During a recent Houston campaign swing, Paxton criticized Talarico’s record on tax-related constitutional amendments. Houston Public Media noted that Talarico did not vote to create a state income tax or estate tax – but did oppose amendments that would permanently prohibit such taxes.

That contrast is democracy doing its work: competing visions, competing records and, ultimately, voters deciding which direction Texas should take.

Before arriving in Pasadena, Talarico also visited the Canal Street memorial for Lorenzo Salgado Araujo, who was killed July 7, 2026 by an ICE agent during an enforcement operation in Magnolia Park. The case has shaken Houston’s East End and prompted continuing calls for transparency and accountability from Araujo’s family, residents and elected officials.

photo Council Member Joaquin Martinez and James Talarico

State Sen. Carol Alvarado and Houston City Council Member Joaquin Martinez, both deeply rooted in East End communities, welcomed Talarico’s outreach. Alvarado said his emphasis on public schools and working people is resonating in communities that want leaders to show up, listen and fight for their priorities. Martinez likewise emphasized representation, arguing that every Houston neighborhood deserves a meaningful voice in decisions shaping Texas and the nation.

For voters, that may be the larger takeaway from Pasadena. Campaign rallies come with applause, signs and speeches — democracy comes with homework. It asks citizens to compare the claims, study the records, challenge the candidates and then cast a ballot.

And the calendar matters. Texas’ voter-registration deadline is Monday, October 5. Early voting begins Monday, October 19, and runs through Friday, October 30. Election Day is Tuesday, November 3, 2026.

Houston Style Magazine readers, whether voters arrive energized by Talarico, Paxton or another candidate on the ballot, the hopeful truth remains the same: communities gain political power when they participate.

In Pasadena, the campaign message was aimed at Hispanic voters. In November, the final message belongs to them — and to every Texan with a ballot.

For more James Talarico information, go to: jamestalarico.com For more voter Information, go to: harrisvotes.com

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

Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church to Host Crucial Conversation on Faith, Political Power, and Democracy

CNN Newsource on August 11, 2026

By Francis Page Jr.

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    August 11, 2026 (Houston Style Magazine) — HOUSTON, TX — In a city where faith has long fueled movements for justice, Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church is preparing Houston for a conversation that could not be more timely. Documentary screening and national panel will examine White Christian nationalism and the political use of faith.

On Saturday, August 22, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church’s Social Justice Ministry will present “Hijacked Faith: Power, Politics, and the Church,” the latest installment of its Crucial Conversations series at 3826 Wheeler Avenue in Houston’s historic Third Ward.

The morning begins with a screening of the documentary Bad Faith, which examines the rise of Christian nationalism and its intersection with American politics, religious institutions and democracy. The filmmakers describe the documentary as an exploration of Christian nationalism’s growing influence in American political life.

Then comes the conversation.

Wheeler Avenue has assembled a heavyweight national panel featuring Dr. Michael O. Emerson; Dr. Frederick D. “Freddie” Haynes III, senior pastor of Friendship-West Baptist Church; Bishop Leah D. Daughtry, co-founder of Black Church PAC; political communications strategist Ashley Etienne; and Dr. Cleve Tinsley IV of Imaginior Equity Group.

With the November midterm elections approaching, the gathering raises a distinctly American question: How can faith inform civic life without being hijacked by political power?

That distinction matters. Democracy does not ask people of faith to leave their convictions at the church door. It depends on citizens bringing their values into the public square while respecting the constitutional rights, voices and votes of their neighbors.

In Houston, where churches have historically helped register voters, organize communities and champion civil rights, Wheeler Avenue is creating space not simply for agreement—but discernment.

The church puts the challenge plainly: “Faith should guide our politics—not be manipulated by it.”

The event is free and open to the public, with advance registration encouraged.

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REGISTER: wheelerbc.org/events/hijacked-faith-power-politics-and-the-church

DIRECT REGISTRATION: brushfire.com/wheeleravenuebaptistchurch/hijackedfaith/636020

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