Author: CNN Newsource

By Dawn White

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    DALLAS-FORT WORTH, Texas (KTVT) — A group of veterans is hitting the pavement and walking 100 miles across the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex for the PTSD Century Hike. It’s all in an effort to raise awareness for PTSD and money for a nonprofit that helps wounded service members.

A group of 15 veterans and three service dogs continued their mission on a brisk Sunday morning. Vehicles honked as the group walked down Fort Worth streets with military flags on the fifth day of their walk.

Retired U.S. Marine Sergeant Jon Lujan helps run the event with the non-profit organization Semper Fi & America’s Fund.

“It pulls on my heartstrings,” Lujan said. “We’ve had a group of veterans that started down in the Star, and they’ve worked their way over 90 miles so far, and they’re going to finish at Texas Motor Speedway.”

Lujan’s life changed while serving our country in Iraq.

“I herniated two discs in my back, and the subsequent surgery left me with paralysis below the knees,” Lujan said.

Lujan never lost his will to recover. He competed in the Paralympics and even met the Obamas.

Retired U.S. Army Major Nekita Hunter laced up her sneakers to walk for the cause.

“Even though we’re out the military, we’re still family,” Hunter said.

Seeing the reality of war as a trauma nurse caused PTSD for the Garland native.

“I did not realize I was struggling,” Hunter said. “My coworkers are the ones that saw the difference in me. I wasn’t in denial. I just was not aware.”

The group of veterans hopes that the walk is a step in the right direction for PTSD awareness now and in the future.

“We lose 22 a day because of this,” Hunter said.

“These service members have injuries that are going to last for life, and we want them to make sure that they’re covered for life,” Lujan said.

Physical and mental injuries are something the veterans know all too well, as they make a difference one step at a time.

Data from the National Health and Resilience in Veterans Study reveals that nearly half of veterans who need mental health services do not receive treatment, partly due to stigma.

The Semper Fi & America’s Fund provides lifetime support to critically wounded, ill, and injured veterans and their families.

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 Todd Feurer

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    CHICAGO (WBBM) — More than 100 workers at Brookfield Zoo Chicago went on strike on Monday, amid a contract impasse, but the zoo said it’s still open to the public and operating as usual.

Teamsters Local 727, which represents animal care specialists, groundskeepers, patrol officers, seasonals, aides, and custodians, said the zoo’s latest contract offer would take away their current health care plans without providing a comparable alternative.

Their existing contract with the zoo expired Friday at noon, and the union said after zoo management ended negotiations Friday afternoon without providing a counteroffer to the union’s proposal, all Local 727 members except for animal care specialists went on strike Monday at 5 a.m.

The union said animal care specialists will join the strike once they have finalized an essential care plan for the animals at the zoo.

Zoo officials said veterinarians, curators, and other trained specialists will continue animal care during the strike, and the zoo will remain open with normal daily operations.

“Guests—including families, members, and school groups—can continue to visit and expect a safe, welcoming, and high-quality experience,” the zoo said in a statement.

However, the union claimed that many animals at the zoo will not be on display during the strike, and some guest experiences like dolphin shows will not be available. The union also said there will be no custodial or maintenance staff on duty during the strike, and they urged management to close the zoo until a new contract agreement is reached.

“Closing to the public is the safe and smart thing to do,” Teamsters Local 727 secretary-treasurer John Coli Jr. said in a statement. “Not only should the safety of their employees and the animals be the Zoo’s priority, but they really shouldn’t take advantage of the public.”

Zoo officials said they are committed to continue negotiating with the union, and believe the strike is not necessary.

“Our focus remains on reaching a fair and responsible contract—one that supports our employees while protecting the Zoo’s long-term sustainability and mission. That commitment includes providing competitive wages and benefits, as well as maintaining a safe, respectful work environment for all members of our team,” the zoo said in a statement.

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 Natalie Grant

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    SPOKANE, Washington (KXLY) — Brenton Sconce started bear-crawling the Bloomsday course on Sunday at 10 a.m., anticipating he would finish in 8-10 hours, but it took much longer than he expected.

Sconce crawled all through the night and took breaks to rebandage his hands, change his shoes, food, etc. At around 3 a.m., he reached the top of Doomsday Hill and then continued through the West Central neighborhood towards the finish line. During the morning, supporters joined in to cheer him on in his 12k journey. Sconce was hoping to raise awareness for addiction recovery and his foundation, Bear.

Sconce crossed the finish line around 9:40 a.m., nearly 24 hours after he started. He crossed the finish line with his young son by his side and a big crowd cheering him on. Bloomsday organizers also met him at the finish line with balloons, confetti, and Sconce’s Bloomsday t-shirt.

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 Donald Fountain

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    ATLANTA (WUPA) — Dr. Cassie Mitchell is an associate professor at the Georgie Institute of Technology. She’s spent more than a decade mentoring future engineers. However, she feels they are more than students.

“I don’t have biological children of my own, so I do have more than 500 scientific children that have come through my lab,” Mitchell said.

In her lab, Mitchell encourages her students to find solutions for complex problems. Students like Xinyu Guo welcome the inspiration.

“Sometimes it’s so easy for you to want to give up, but Cassie always encourages us to never, never, never give up,” Guo said.

The phrase, “never, never, never give up,” is Mitchell’s motto. She adopted this motto to help her face personal life challenges.

Mitchell developed a neurological disease at 18 years old. She’s been paralyzed ever since.

“I had a decision. Do I kind of just sit and literally sit and feel sorry for myself, or am I going to keep going?” Mitchell said.

Ever since then, Mitchell has accomplished many major milestones, representing Team USA four times in the Paralympic Games.

“I can say never, never, never give up, but if I don’t show that in my actions, it doesn’t really ring true.”

Mitchell’s perseverance made an impact on one of her former students, Trey Quinn.

“Starting college at a school as rigorous as Georgia Tech while managing a complex physical disability and learning how to live independently with caretakers for the first time is an experience nothing truly prepares you for,” Quinn said.

Quinn enrolled at Georgia Tech in 2019, facing both academic pressure and the realities of living with a disability. Quinn said Mitchell’s guidance helped him push through.

“Her inspiration and encouragement helped me pull through some of my toughest moments freshman year,” Quinn said. “Cassie and I both share the same faith that we are uniquely made to do good work, and the rest of the details will work themselves out.”

Quinn credits Mitchell not only for academic success but also for shaping his leadership and resilience.

“Cassie’s gracious wisdom as our faculty adviser helped develop me as a student leader and learn how to gracefully turn challenging situations into positive growth,” Quinn said.

Mitchell said seeing students succeed is all that matters.

“Having them see their dreams come true really means more than my own personal accomplishments or my own personal dreams,” Mitchell said.

Their connection has evolved — from professor and student to something deeper.

“You start out as the student, and then friend, and now I almost see him as a peer,” Mitchell said.

Today, Quinn is a software engineer, building a career while mentoring others.

“I am now living my best life working as a software engineer in the financial technology industry while abundantly enjoying life in the big city,” Quinn said.

For Mitchell, stories like Quinn’s are exactly why she teaches.

“Actions do speak louder than words — just to hang true, and you’ll be blessed,” Mitchell 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 Nate Eaton, EastIdahoNews.com

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    RIGBY, Idaho (eastidahonews.com) — A teenager who disappeared in Jefferson County over three years ago has obtained a driver’s license in Utah and is no longer considered a missing person, according to investigators.

Elintra Dee Fischer was reported missing from her Monteview home in January 2023. She was 16 at the time and left in her mother’s Honda Civic. The car was later found, but there was no sign of Elintra.

In June 2025, Elintra’s two siblings, 13-year-old Allen Larand Fischer and 15-year-old Rachelle Leray Fischer, disappeared from the same home while their mother was at Bible study. An Amber Alert was issued for the teenagers, but officials have been unable to locate them.

Elintra is now 19, Allen turns 14 at the end of the month and Rachelle will be 16 in June.

The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office issued an update on the case Friday morning.

“During our continued investigation of the case involving Elintra, Rachelle and Allen Fischer, we have found that Elintra obtained a driver’s license in the state of Utah,” the statement said. “Due to this new information, Elintra has been removed from NCIC (National Crime Information Center) as a missing person. Our office is still interested in speaking with Elintra.”

Rachelle and Allen Fischer are still listed as missing and the investigation continues into their whereabouts.

Elizabeth Roundy, the mother of the children, tells EastIdahoNews.com she believes Elintra may have been involved in the disappearance of Allen and Rachelle.

“I miss them like crazy. I wish they would come home and I’m worried about their safety and well-being,” Roundy says.

Anyone with information that may help law enforcement is asked to contact the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office at (208) 745-9210.

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 Cassidy Wixom, KSL

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    SPRINGVILLE, Utah (KSL) — While most kids join clubs for soccer, video games or a book fandom, one 10-year-old from Springville decided to make a club that would help the world.

Raylan Jenkins started noticing that there was always trash on the school playground.

“So we started picking up trash, and it made a lot of us really happy, so we turned it into a club,” he said.

The Cool Cleaning Crew, or the CCC as he likes to call it, goes from park to park cleaning up trash so people can better enjoy them. So far, the CCC has cleaned three parks and has two more planned before the school year ends.

“We don’t do it for the money but for the world,” Raylan said.

Raylan’s mother, Becca Jenkins, said she picked up Raylan from hanging out with his friend Hank Skinner when he told her they started the CCC.

“They’re goofy, crazy boys, so I assumed it was something silly. And then it was the Cool Cleaning Crew, where they’d pick a different park every week to meet up and pick up trash,” she said.

After that, Raylan and Hank would not stop asking their moms about creating the club and kept pushing to get flyers made so it could actually happen.

“We wanted to make a club and also help the world. It makes me feel happy to see all the kids helping to clean up the parks,” Hank said.

Seeing the kids gather, hold their trash bags and run around the park cleaning is just “the sweetest,” Jenkins said. She is so impressed with how passionate her son and his friends are about helping the world at such a young age.

“The first day we met … it was snowing. There was only five of them, but they were out in the snow, the freezing cold, picking up trash at this park. They are very, very devoted to it,” Jenkins said.

Raylan said it was still fun to clean the park even when it was snowing. He said he always has more fun at parks and playgrounds when there isn’t trash around, so he wants to make sure the parks are clean for everyone.

“It makes me feel happy because I feel like I’m doing the right thing for everyone,” he said. “We’re just doing it to help out. We don’t want all the glory, we just want to feel good.”

Jenkins said seeing her son take charge of the club has affected her, and now she is always on the lookout for trash to throw away in public places.

“Raylan is just a natural-born leader, and he always has been. He could get a group of friends, whether they are younger or older than him, to do pretty much anything, so I think it’s really amazing that this is what he’s choosing to do with his influence,” she said.

Hank’s mom, Shaina Skinner, said she is so proud of her son wanting to make a difference. She said Hank has always cared about not littering and picking up trash.

“I was impressed that their plan wasn’t just about having fun. They truly wanted to do something that would make a difference,” Skinner said. “I am so proud that he and Raylan put this into action, and I hope more kids throughout Springville will join in.”

Springville city leaders highlighted the club on social media earlier this week, expressing their appreciation for the children’s initiative to beautify their community.

“Their ongoing efforts have already drawn widespread appreciation and stand as a powerful example of civic pride and community stewardship at any age,” the city said in a statement.

The Springville City Council and mayor said they are so proud of the young residents stepping up and taking ownership of the community. The city hopes others are inspired by the club’s actions to keep public spaces clean, safe and enjoyable.

“These kids are setting an outstanding example,” the city statement said. “Their actions reflect the very best of Springville — service, responsibility and care for one another. They are showing us that leadership is not defined by age, but by willingness to act.”

Raylan said he plans to continue the club through the summer, as that’s when the parks typically have more trash due to higher usage. He hopes more people will join in and help keep our world clean.

“Everything helps. Even just picking up a wrapper from the ground, that helps a lot,” Raylan 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 Nate Eaton, EastIdahoNews.com

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    AMMON, Idaho (eastidahonews.com) — Lisa Belnap is still smiling when she thinks about last Saturday night.

Her daughter, Brie Belnap, was among a group of students from Thunder Ridge High School and other Bonneville Joint School District 93 schools invited to a special needs prom at The Brickyard Event Center.

“Brie doesn’t talk, doesn’t walk and doesn’t eat by mouth. Her way of communication is by sound and her reactions,” says Lisa Belnap. “As far as we could tell, she was normal at birth but got really sick at six weeks, and then she never met any of her milestones. Doctors don’t know what’s wrong. She’s undiagnosed and is a medical mystery.”

Every day, Brie attends an adaptive needs Latter-day Saint seminary class during school hours. There are students like her with special needs, as well as other kids who signed up to serve as peer mentors.

Kaleb Brock is one of the mentors. The 18-year-old loves to snowboard, rock climb, ski, and was named “Lightning Player of the Year” on the Thunder Ridge football team.

“I met Brie in my adaptive needs seminary class. The class is definitely different, but it’s really cool and gives you a different perspective of how you can help and serve someone,” Kaleb tells EastIdahoNews.com.

Kaleb only has a few weekends left before he graduates, but when he heard about the special needs prom, he rallied his friends to go and decided to ask Brie to be his date.

“I got her mom’s phone number from my seminary teacher, and the next day I made a poster and asked her in class,” Kaleb recalls.

Because she’s in a wheelchair, Brie’s parents drove her to the dance, where Kaleb was anxiously waiting. Parents were asked to stick around in case their children needed them, so Lisa and her husband, Steve Belnap, watched as Kaleb danced next to their daughter for two hours.

“She’s been to two special needs proms in the past, but this one was different,” Lisa Belnap says. “This was the first time she actually really enjoyed her time there. At other dances, I’ve had to take over when Brie became upset, but I didn’t have to do that at all this time.”

Lisa had never met Kaleb before, but she was immediately impressed by how gently he cared for Brie. When Brie becomes overstimulated, she often hits her neck, so Lisa or Steve places a hand between Brie’s hand and her neck to keep her from hurting herself.

“At one point, she started to hit her neck and Kaleb put his hand between hers and her neck. He did that without being asked. He just naturally knew what to do and was so sweet,” Lisa Belnap says.

According to his dad, Kaleb has always been a kind-hearted boy, and he wasn’t surprised to hear that his son and friends were excited about going to the special needs prom.

“I don’t think we knew until Thursday that he was going to the prom on Saturday,” Jeremiah Brock tells EastIdahoNews.com. “He has a tender, good heart. He likes to care for people. He talks about these kids all the time and the fun things they do and how they’ve made him a better person.”

Surveillance cameras at The Brickyard Event Center caught Kaleb and Brie dancing throughout the evening. She is seen bopping her head side-to-side, smiling, and her date never leaves her side. Brian Wood, the owner of the event center, was so impressed by what he saw that he shared video clips with Kaleb’s parents.

“Everybody was so happy to be there. Nobody acted like these kids were eyesores or anything. It’s one of the only times this group of kids gets to be just like their peers. They’re not singled out as being different. They’re not special needs anymore; they’re just dancing and having fun,” says Lisa Belnap.

Kaleb is glad he went to the prom and says he will never forget the evening he spent with Brie.

“I thought I was going to have a good time, but I’m surprised at how much fun it was. And I was really surprised with how much fun she had, too,” he says.

Lisa Belnap will also never forget the dance and the young man who gave her daughter the experience of a lifetime.

“I honestly think this is the happiest I have ever seen her. She just was escastic. You could see it in her eyes,” Lisa Belnap says. “He is just an incredible young man to have acted the way he did toward her. He made her feel very special. I don’t think she’s felt that before because she was really shining.”

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.