Author: CNN Newsource

By Raymond Strickland

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    PHILADELPHIA (KYW) — A new cheesesteak order at Pat’s King of Steaks in South Philadelphia is paying tribute to LeBron James.

“The King James” cheesesteak includes Cooper Sharp, onions and cheese whiz. The Philly staple renamed the order to pay tribute to James soon after he announced he was signing with the Sixers.

“Welcome to Philadelphia, LeBron,” Frank Olivieri, the owner of Pat’s King of Steaks, said.

Other Philly businesses are joining in on the fun, too.

Sweet Lucy’s Smokehouse in Northeast Philadelphia is now offering James free ribs for life. Isgro Pastries in South Philadelphia created LeBron-themed cookies.

Honeygrow is another business that offered James a freebie. Before signing, the restaurant posted that it would give him a free stir-fry if he signed with the team. The company later reacted to the news by joining the viral Netflix documentary trend on social media.

James has yet to accept the offer, but Honeygrow still decided to do a giveaway.

“We offered up 23 free stir-frys that day and we will probably do it a couple more times, so pay attention to social, and you will get stir fry on us,” Todd Miller, the senior vice president of marketing at Honeygrow, said.

From cheesesteaks to stir fry, Sixers Nation is now hoping James is hungry on and off the court.

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 Najahe Sherman

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    MIAMI (WFOR) — A South Florida high school student is turning her passion for writing into a mission to fight human trafficking.

As she heads into her senior year, she’s sharing survivors’ stories to raise awareness and help others recognize the warning signs.

For 17-year-old Ananya Patel it was the moment that sparked her passion.

“I was in Fort Lauderdale Airport. There’s a sign on the door. While I was looking at the sign I heard an announcement. Fort Lauderdale was a hub for human trafficking, unfortunately it’s happening in our city,” said Patel.

Soon after, Patel began volunteering with the nonprofit A21, where she helped trafficking survivors translate and write speeches while learning firsthand about the realities of trafficking.

“I helped them translate from Spanish to English. One of them is getting her master’s in social work, these are all people who we see in the street next to us,” said Patel.

Those experiences inspired Patel to take her advocacy even further, writing a book that brings together survivor stories, along with insight from lawyers, therapists, and other experts.

“I was like, from writing these down, what if I put all of them together into one book,” Patel said.

“It was a year and a half of you know she wrote the book, editing and going back and forth, with the survivors and making sure they’re okay with how she’s written it,” said her mother, Keny Patel.

“Yes, this is happening, but they can do something about it. The last thing I want is someone to feel hopeless after reading this. There’s a whole part in the back with hotlines and survivor organizations, where anyone can volunteer,” said Patel.

Every dollar from the book supports survivors through Glory House, a safe home that provides medical care, education, and a place to rebuild their lives.

Patel’s book “Welcome to Miami: Stories of Modern Slavery” is available on Amazon, with 100% of the profits benefiting Glory House.

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 Larry Seward

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    MIAMI (WFOR) — A disabled, 70-year-old living without air conditioning in his home for more than a year found comfort thanks to a CBS News Miami viewer.

Wallace Sapp’s broken AC unit works after the owner of Below Zero Cooling, Danny Bivens, fixed it.

“He saw [my story] on the news and came by to see if he could help me out,” Sapp said.

Early in July, Sapp showed CBS News Miami his home in Overtown’s Town Park Village No. 1. His agreement to live there said the corporation “will provide and pay for all necessary repairs.”

However, a dispute over money kept maintenance workers away.

Bivens saw the story then called a friend with ties to the Overtown community, he said. That friend connected Bivens with Sapp.

“I wanted to see if I could help,” Bivens said while speaking to CBS News Miami on FaceTime between repair jobs. “An elderly person, as hot as it is right now, I work in the heat everyday. If I was able to help, I wanted to [do so].”

Bivens teaches students how to perform HVAC repairs so, he brought a student to learn a lesson at Sapp’s home Friday.

“We just tried something because [the air conditioner] hasn’t run since 2024,” Bivens said.

“Ever since [Friday], it’s been cooling,” Sapp said. “It’s cooling very slowly but [Bivens] is coming back to see exactly what’s the problem and is going to fix it for me for no charge.”

“The work is not done yet,” Bivens said. “I’m still working on the unit as of right now but we’re going to make sure we get him right.”

Two weeks ago, Sapp wondered if anyone cared about his suffering. Now, he has no doubt.

“I’m thankful,” Sapp said. “[CBS News Miami] helped me out. It’s a blessing.”

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 Emily McLeod

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    ATLANTA (WUPA) — Monday marked 30 years since two people died and 111 more were injured after an explosion at Centennial Olympic Park during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

For Fallon Stubbs, the daughter of Alice Hawthorne who died in the explosion, the day is deeply personal.

Alice Hawthorne was killed in the blast, just moments after Stubbs snapped a photo of her at Centennial Olympic Park.

Stubbs and her mom packed their corvette to the brim before leaving Albany, Georgia, and heading three hours north to the Summer 1996 Olympics.

“… she just wanted to make the memory for me and make sure that I understood that one, the Olympics coming to Atlanta was such a big thing,” Stubbs said. “We had never had such a thing there.”

Stubbs said her mother knew how much she loved basketball, so they went to see the Men’s Basketball “Dream Team.”

“I’ve always been a huge basketball junkie,” Stubbs said. “So she knows of course how much I love basketball and she was like ‘You know what? We should go.’ Yeah, we should. Yes, we should.”

Later, the pair ended up going to Centennial Olympic Park to take part in the celebrations. Stubbs said they weren’t there long before her life changed forever.

“I can recall that night like it happened yesterday,” Stubbs said. “Like I can hear the bomb go off I can see all of the things.”

A pipe bomb exploded in Centennial Olympic Park, killing Hawthorne and injuring Stubbs. Stubbs was just 14 years old when her mother died that day.

“But my mother, even in that moment, she took all of the shrapnel,” Stubbs said. “If you ever saw her autopsy report, the amount of damage that she endured so I did not. So, I do have scars. But they’re not nearly what I would have had if my mother was not in front of me to take the bulk of it.”

Ken Magee is a former DEA agent who was helping with security during the Olympics.

He happened to be off that evening but stopped by the park any way. He said he was 40 to 50 feet away from the bomb when it went off.

“I heard a little girl screaming and it turned out to be Fallon,” Magee said.

Fallon was injured by shrapnel in her arm and leg, and he stayed with her, keeping her conscious until help arrived.

“She was talking to me about her mother: where’s her mom? I said we’ll talk about your mom in a little while, why don’t you tell me what did you do today? How did you — just keeping her alive, keeping her aware until we could get paramedics and an ambulance to her,” Magee said.

Magee and Stubbs have remained connected ever since.

“He saw a young girl in need and her mother was in another space, bleeding out and I’m sure he said – as a man and father – he said my job is to protect her,” Stubbs said. “Even though I’m not his daughter. But immediately, he wanted to protect me.”

Magee said watching Stubbs’ life unforls has been nothing short of inspiring; he’s proud of Stubbs.

“Imagine being a 14-year-old girl and losing your mother in a terrorist attack while you are severely wounded yourself, and to go on and become a successful businesswoman and God loving individual,” Magee said. “It’s just truly remarkable story. And I’m blessed to be a, a footnote in that story of her life.”

Stubbs said the story of her mom isn’t her death, it’s her life. She described Hawthorne as a trailblazing woman raised during segregation, who pursued an education at Albany State University, built businesses, and created opportunities for others.

“We want to remember the incident and the death, but that’s not the important part,” Stubbs said.

Stubbs said her mother’s legacy isn’t finished, it’s still being written.

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 Aaron Parseghian

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    BELMONT, Massachusetts (WBZ) — A towering and wide tree that has stood in Belmont, Massachusetts for more than 150 years will remain standing longer than planned after a discovery right before its scheduled removal.

The copper beech tree just outside Belmont Center on the town’s green predates the invention of the automobile and has long served as a landmark in the community.

“It’s kind of become a bit of a symbol of the town of Belmont,” said Will McPhee, Belmont’s tree warden and natural resources manager.

Though the symbol has seen better days, McPhee said the tree has been battling Beech Leaf Disease, an invasive disease that is spreading across Massachusetts and causes the rapid decline and eventual death of beech trees.

“Unfortunately, this is where we find ourselves now, and it’s a sad event to see this tree go,” McPhee said of the planned removal.

Despite years of treatment, McPhee said the tree continued to deteriorate. Town officials decided it needed to be removed because it could pose a safety risk.

“It’s a very popular spot here in town,” said McPhee, pointing to kids who were playing nearby. “It is a concern of ours that a limb on a windy day or maybe even a not-so-windy day will fall on a resident or might even do damage to a structure.”

The removal had been months in the making, with residents hanging goodbye messages and memories from the tree’s branches before crews arrived to begin the work.

However, just as they prepared to cut it down, arborists found a nest containing two American robin nestlings.

“At that point, being that they are a federally protected species, we immediately halted work and we ended up going back to the drawing board,” McPhee said.

The discovery means the historic tree will remain standing until the young birds have left the nest, giving residents a little more time to say goodbye. McPhee says it could be at least another week before they can begin its removal.

“It really does go to show just how much of kind of a shared space that this tree has provided for us,” McPhee said of the nest. “It really is kind of a fitting end. I think there’s definitely something there to be appreciated.”

Once the tree is eventually removed, Belmont plans to repurpose the wood for art projects around town. Officials also plan to plant a new tree near where it once stood, with the hope that it will one day grow to become another community landmark.

Belmont, Massachusetts is about ten miles west of Boston.

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 Zander Adams

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    TEMPE, Arizona (KNXV) — A rare autoimmune disease hospitalized a Tempe woman intermittently over a year and a half — but it also set her on a new path toward medical school.

Delaney Nothaft was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, or MG, during her senior year playing Division I tennis at Santa Clara University.

The chronic condition, affecting an estimated 37 out of every 100,000 people in the U.S., causes the immune system to attack the nerve-muscle connection.

“For a long time it was really debilitating for me and can be really debilitating for lots of people,” Delaney said.

The diagnosis forced Delaney to return home to Tempe, where she was hospitalized roughly every three weeks over a year and a half, according to her mother, Keira, with most visits being in the ICU.

“It was so scary not knowing if she was ever gonna be able to have any kind of a normal life,” Keira said.

MG can manifest in different ways; for Delaney, it means chronic fatigue and difficulty eating, breathing, speaking, and seeing. At times, the condition left her winded to the point of needing a machine to breathe and a wheelchair to move around.

During those hospital stays, Delaney found herself enamored with the conversations doctors had with medical students gathered around her bed. When they left to check on the next patient, she wanted to tag along to see what was happening in the neighboring rooms.

That was when Delaney knew she had found her calling.

“What’s really stopping me from doing it? I can always try,” Delaney said.

She began studying while undergoing transfusions, with an IV still in her arm, and later landed a job as a medical scribe at the clinic treating her.

“It really solidified why I want to go into medicine,” Delaney said. “I love hearing patients’ stories and hearing what they’ve been able to overcome.”

Now, after becoming one of 15 MG patients nationwide to receive a scholarship from the pharmaceutical company UCB, Delaney is pursuing a new dream: medical school at UCLA this semester, to eventually care for people with the same compassion she received from doctors whom she and her mother fervently described as heroes.

“She’s just come so far,” Keira said through tears. “I really say, you just never bet against Delaney.”

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 Cameron Polom

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    AHWATUKEE, Arizona (KNXV) — For years, Judge Sharron Sauls has helped Valley families navigate some of life’s toughest moments. Now she’s helping people in a very different way.

The Ahwatukee judge has become a published author with five books ranging from children’s stories about self-confidence to novels inspired by real-life challenges.

Her first book centered on a domestic violence survivor who becomes a judge. Her latest is a romance novel. In between came children’s books promoting self-acceptance and journals designed to encourage gratitude and personal growth.

Perhaps most surprising? Every book began the same way, as a note typed into her cell phone.

Her books are available everywhere books are sold.

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 Noah Caplan

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    PUEBLO, Colorado (KOAA) — A Pueblo woman and her dog are turning heartbreak into action, using their skills to help find pets displaced by the Aspen Acres Fire.

Dawna Andrews and her search dog, Quasar, are working to locate missing and displaced animals in the wake of the fire, and training other dogs and their owners to do the same.

Quasar is no ordinary dog. Andrews said he has competed at the highest levels before a serious health scare changed the course of his life.

“He’s done speed, agility, obedience, he’s a grand champion,” said Andrews.

“Before he turned three, he got this condition called idiopathic chylothorax, which is a very rare condition. There was a low chance of recovery, and he recovered,” said Andrews.

After his recovery, Andrews said she wanted to find something less physically demanding for him.

“So, when he recovered, I wanted to do something more low impact,” said Andrews.

That low-impact activity has had a high impact for others. Andrews is now training dogs to track and trail missing animals, a skill that requires reading subtle cues most people would never notice.

“Learning to read a dog is very different. We don’t really know how they’re experiencing it, we’re just taking guesses,” said Andrews.

All it takes to start a search is a scent. A well-trained dog like Quasar can follow that scent for miles to determine where a lost pet may have been. The need is real. Andrews said many of the missing animals belong to people who have been forced from their homes.

“It’s more people who have been displaced, and their animal isn’t familiar with where they are now, and they may get out,” said Andrews.

Quasar has already played a role in a search effort for an evacuee’s missing pet at Lake Pueblo State Park. Andrews said the help is available to any evacuee who needs it.

“If my personal pet went missing, I would do everything to try and bring them home,” said Andrews.

Among those training alongside Andrews are Leanne Giordano and her blue heeler, Bixby. The Aspen Acres Fire hit close to home for Giordano, too.

“I housed my daughter and her family from Rye until they could go home. We’ve held on to some horses as well as going to the fairgrounds,” said Giordano.

Giordano said she and Bixby are learning to track in hopes of finding another way to help their community.

“If the day ever comes where we get to help someone else find their dog using their natural abilities, that would be amazing,” said Giordano.

For those still searching for a missing pet, Andrews offered a simple message, don’t give up.

“I’ve seen pets come back after months,” said Andrews.

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

By Liv Wood

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    CENTRAL SPRINGS, Colorado (KOAA) — Teams gathered at John Venezia Park in Colorado Springs for the annual Ethan Cup, a touch rugby tournament honoring Ethan Ciccolini, who died four years ago from a rare genetic condition.

Ethan’s father, Andrew Ciccolini, is a member of the Colorado Springs Grizzlies Rugby club. He said the team organized the first Ethan Cup just weeks after his son’s death.

“My son Ethan, who passed away 4 years ago from a rare genetic condition,” Ciccolini said.

It was a surprise, but one that he said meant the world.

“Out of nowhere they scheduled the first Ethan Cup in April of 2022, maybe a few weeks after he passed away, and it was the first moment of just like true joy we had had in quite a while,” Ciccolini said.

The event brings people together, but also serves as a way to raise money for Children’s Hospital Colorado. The theme this year was superheroes.

“I think there’s two meanings behind it. One, every year I pick a theme that would be associated with his age, so he’s about 6 years old. So to me I imagine he’d love superheroes right now,” said Ciccolini, “And then this year it has even extra special meaning because to me the people that work at Children’s Hospital are superheroes. They’re real superheroes. The care they provide for kids and for families and just the way they take care of people, they’re just truly superheroes and so we’re honoring them today.”

Ethan spent much of his life receiving care at Children’s Hospital, but his father said his spirit never wavered.

“Unfortunately, we spent about half of his life in the ICU at Children’s Hospital, but the kid never stopped smiling. He was just the happiest kid and he inspired me and our family and everybody that’s ever met him,” Ciccolini said.

Thomas Parry, president of the Colorado Springs Grizzlies Rugby club, said the event is growing. He said he hopes next year will bring in 16 teams versus the 12 who signed up Saturday.

“We’re trying to grow it and expand it into a really big event so we can continue Ethan’s legacy and keep that smile going,” Parry said.

Four years later, Ciccolini said the support from his teammates has never stopped.

“You can see just by looking at how many people are here, we’re not just here for me or Ethan, we’re here for each other, and that’s what rugby is all about,” Ciccolini said.

A girls rugby team also participated in this year’s event. The players are close in age to how old Ethan would have been today. Ciccolini said he knows exactly how his son would have fit in.

“If Ethan was still here he’d be playing his 2nd year of rugby and he’d definitely be a scrum-half. He was a scrappy little kid, so I know exactly what position he’d be playing,” Ciccolini said.

For the younger players, the day was about more than rugby.

“It’s just awesome to be with other people and to learn how to do rugby with the coaches and other kids,” Maddyn Davis, a member of the girls rugby team, said.

“Working together and caring for each other,” Ellianna Rae Williams, also a member of the girls rugby team, said.

Ciccolini said the tournament captures something bigger than the sport itself.

“It’s not just about the game, it’s about the people,” Ciccolini 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 Tony Keith , Michelle Reyes

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    COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (KOAA) — After a few grueling days of not having his dog, Paul reached out to News5, letting us know that Blanco has been returned!

According to Paul, the same unidentified man who took Blanco from his yard also returned him around midnight on Sunday.

The two were reunited after Paul’s girlfriend heard Blanco barking, and Paul said that seeing his furry companion again felt surreal.

“The same guy. He dropped him off this morning. I think around 12 or 1 o’clock something like that in the morning he just threw him in the backyard, but I didn’t know he was here until my girlfriend let him in,” he said. “She heard him barking and he jumped on my bed and I was sound asleep and when I woke up, I thought I was in a dream. He was just crazy, but I’m happy he gave him a nice big steak. I was saving for him that I made the other day.”

Paul says that the thief also left him an apologetic note.

The note reads;

“I’m sorry I did this I was not in the right state of mind. I was very drunk and don’t remember doing much of that day. I was very scared on not knowing how to return him. I been taking care of him bought him food and made sure he had water.”

“I’m very sorry for what I did.” Anonymous

Paul says that he’s happy that Blanco is home, and he thanks everyone for caring about his situation.

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.