Author: CNN Newsource

By Zach Boetto

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    LOS ANGELES, California (KCAL, KCBS) — The Dodgers’ Single-A affiliate, the Ontario Tower Buzzers, collaborated with Make-A-Wish to design a colorful jersey for the Minor League Baseball team.

“I feel like creativity is really important because it just lets your mind be free and have fun,” said Maggie, one of the kids who helped design the jerseys.

Maggie, a 13-year-old battling kidney disease, jumped into her Make-A-Wish art studio and tapped into her creativity after hearing about the jersey design contest.

“So colorful, so bright,” Tower Buzzers spokesperson Nina Grace Montes said. “It just stood out.”

Out of all the entries from across the Inland Empire and Orange County, Maggie’s design of butterflies, stars and rainbow watercolors, combined with another child named Mehul’s design, was chosen to become real jerseys.

“I have everything butterfly,” Maggie said. “I knew I wanted to do a butterfly, hence the butterfly.”

The team brought the two kids to Thursday’s game, where Maggie threw the first pitch. She got a few autographs and helped choreograph the team’s Macarena hit celebration.

“It was a way to let kids who are kind of down, they have medical illnesses, to be creative and do something fun,” Maggie said. It’s just kind of a way to get people’s thoughts off reality.”

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 Gino Vicci

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    DETROIT, Michigan (WWJ) — Detroit Public Schools Community District police are investigating the mother of one of the six students hospitalized earlier this week after eating marijuana edibles.

On Tuesday, six students at Thomas Edison Elementary School were hospitalized after one student got a hold of edibles and gave them out to classmates. The school district says all students are OK.

The Detroit Police Department says there have been too many instances across the city where children’s lives were put in danger as a result of negligent adults.

“Children are vulnerable, and they deserve to be protected,” Detroit police officer Jaylon Nelson said. “Sometimes being absent-minded or not thinking before you make a decision, and it can be unintentional, that can still lead to criminal charges, especially when we talk about things like child abuse.”

On Saturday, the Detroit Police Department, along with community partners, is hosting a child abuse awareness event to educate the public on ways to prevent child abuse.

“It’s a child abuse awareness event, and it’s also about prevention, so we’ll be providing information about child abuse and ways to be prevented, you know, essentially by being mindful and not being careless or negligent,” Nelson said.

Saturday’s event at Fitzpatrick-Warwick Park runs from noon to 3 p.m.

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 Frederick Sutton Sinclair

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    POTTSGROVE, Pennsylvania (KYW) — A man has been charged with allegedly burglarizing two homes in Pottsgrove, Pennsylvania, last week and sexually assaulting two women, including a blind 90-year-old, prosecutors said.

The Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office announced the arrest of 37-year-old Derelle Williams, of Pottstown, in connection with two overnight burglaries involving sexual and physical assaults.

Lower Pottsgrove police responded to a 911 call at a home on Terraced Hill Court at 7:45 a.m. on April 23. When officers arrived, they found a blind 90-year-old woman who had been attacked and sexually assaulted after a man broke into the home overnight, authorities said.

Authorities said the woman was assaulted in her bedroom and that the man also attempted to choke her. She sustained multiple injuries, including bleeding in the brain, a broken nose and extensive facial bruising. During the home invasion, investigators said, Williams stole a PlayStation 5, along with games and controllers.

Earlier that same morning, around 6 a.m., officers responded to a home on Walnut Street. Authorities said the suspect broke into the home armed with a firearm and wearing black clothing, a face mask, one orange construction glove and one medical glove.

The homeowner told police she awoke to find the suspect standing over her bed and pointing a gun at her. He then sexually assaulted her, according to prosecutors.

A white Chevrolet Malibu, a car which Williams was known to drive, was spotted in surveillance video near the scenes of the crimes, authorities said. Investigators searched the vehicle and uncovered black and orange medical gloves, a black fleece face mask, a black hooded zip sweatshirt and other items used by the burglar.

Investigators also recovered the stolen PlayStation and games from Williams’ residence that matched items taken in the Lower Pottsgrove burglary, along with a gun, prosecutors said.

Williams was arrested on April 24 and charged with burglary, robbery, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse by forcible compulsion, strangulation and other related charges.

He remains in the Montgomery County Correctional Facility after failing to post bail, which was set at $5 million. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for May 5.

A spokesperson for the district attorney’s office said there may be additional victims.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Lower Pottsgrove police at 610-326-1508 or Pottstown police at 610-970-6570.

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By Alice Gainer

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    BRONX, New York (WCBS) — A car theft ring that victimized more than 250 people in the Bronx, Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens has been broken up, the NYPD said Thursday.

The NYPD dubbed the case “Operation Pit Crew” due to the speed and precision with which the alleged thieves operated. The NYPD said that the crew stole car parts and vehicles worth more than $1 million from August 2024 to June 2025.

“It’s like you’re looking at the ‘F1’ movie” “Like a race car pit crew in the dead of night. When I saw some of [the surveillance video footage], it’s like you’re looking at the ‘F1’ movie,” Bronx District Attorney Darcel Clark said.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said it was all about supply and demand for the alleged thieves.

“These vehicles, mostly Hondas and Toyota sedans and SUVs, were targeted not because their tires and rims were the most valuable, but because they were the most common,” Tisch said.

Tires, rims, catalytic converters and vehicles totaling more than $1.2 million sold on Facebook Marketplace, or in person, according to police.

“There are 252 victims. Hard-working New Yorkers,” Clark said.

Police said the suspects would stash stolen cars in public garages in the Bronx before and after the thefts, and worked between midnight and 5 a.m. Sometimes they allegedly carried out six thefts a night, police said.

“It was gut wrenching” One victim said the damage to his car cost $10,000.

“It was gut wrenching. Came out from working all night and then noticing that my tires were gone on the car, and I have no way of getting home,” he said.

Sixteen people with alleged ties to the Trinitarios street gang face a 971-count indictment, according to authorities. Most have been arrested and arraigned on charges like auto stripping, grand larceny and conspiracy. Police are still searching for four more. A search of one defendant’s home turned up guns, ammo and $116,000 in a suitcase, police said.

If convicted, the suspects face 8-15 years behind bars.

Tisch said auto theft in the Bronx is down 22% so far this year.

The NYPD encourages people to use locking lug nuts on their tires to deter thieves.

“If they see that lug nut, that lock nut, they’ll move on to another car,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said.

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By Leondra Head

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    SUWANEE, Georgia (WUPA) — A couple in Suwanee no longer has a home, after officials say lightning struck their attic and started a fire.

Gwinnett County Fire and Emergency Services responded to the house around 9:30 Wednesday morning.

Michael and Denise Gibson were at work when the fire began.

They say their alarm and security system alerted them.

“There’s so much water damage, you can feel the water under your feet,” Michael Gibson said.

“Then the bathroom here is where the ceiling fell,” Denise Gibson said.

The couple has lived in the house for more than 19 years. Both are pastors at Simply Redeemed through Christ Ministries in Sawanee.

“We’ve had church here, and we started our ministry here,” Michael Gibson said.

Now part of the home’s roof is gone, and its stars are covered in debris.

Denise Gibson says her faith is keeping her strong.

“It could have been a whole lot worse. We could have lost our life, but for the mere fact that God allowed us to escape this,” she said.

The Gibsons say they plan to rebuild and are living in a hotel in the meantime.

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By Brian Unger

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    ATLANTA, Georgia (WUPA) — A worsening drought across Georgia is putting pressure on farmers and could soon hit consumers’ wallets at the grocery store.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture has now designated 146 counties as natural disaster areas after adding 20 more to the list, highlighting the growing impact of dry conditions across the state.

In Cherokee County, one of the newly affected areas, farmers say pastures are struggling to recover—even after recent rainfall.

“Grass that’s shin-high should be waist-high,” one report noted, describing how fields that typically feed livestock are falling short this season.

That shortage is forcing livestock owners to rely more heavily on hay, which is becoming harder to find and more expensive.

At Cherokee Feed & Seed in Ball Ground, a major supplier, the drought is already signaling a difficult year ahead for farmers and consumers alike.

“It could get real ugly,” said Alan Jessie of J&J Hay Farms. “It’s not just the hay for horses or for cattle… you’re talking about going to the grocery store, buying beef or chicken… all of that is going to be affected.”

Jessie added that rising fuel and fertilizer costs are compounding the problem, making it more expensive to produce and transport feed.

Experts warn the ripple effects could soon reach beyond farms. With higher costs to raise livestock, consumers may see increases in prices for meat, dairy, and even produce.

One analyst who tracks hay prices nationwide says the impact could be significant—potentially leading to sharply higher restaurant prices, including the possibility of a $30 hamburger.

As drought conditions persist, both farmers and consumers are bracing for what could be a costly year ahead.

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By Riley Rourke

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    RANDOLPH, Massachusetts (WBZ) — A father accused of attacking a school bus driver in front of several children in Randolph, Massachusetts was ordered held without bail Thursday.

Aaron Jamal Whitehead, 31, of Fall River, allegedly stopped his car in front of a school bus on Randolph Drive around 8:20 a.m. Tuesday and tried to have his child board the bus heading to Hanson Elementary School.

The bus driver refused to allow the child on board due to company policy about picking up children at unscheduled stops, according to Randolph Police. Police said that Whitehead became angry. The bus driver told police that Whitehead told him, “I’m going to expletive you up at the next stop.” The bus driver then called the police and remained on the line, according to the police report.

The bus continued to its next stop on Avalon Drive. Police said that Whitehead followed the bus and got on at the stop. He allegedly tried to grab the bus driver’s phone and hit him several times. The police report said that he then grabbed the phone and threw it. Whitehead left before officers arrived.

Children were on board the bus at the time, but none were harmed. Police said that once they arrived, several parents were “visibly shaken and upset” in the parking lot and that many children on the bus were crying.

“Our number one concern was the safety and well-being of the students for the remainder of the bus ride and their arrival at Hansen,” Principal Tami Olsen and Superintendent Derek Folan said in an email.

The children were all safely taken to school with a new bus driver and several Canton Public School employees.

The bus driver was taken to a nearby hospital after being treated at the scene.

“We wish the driver a full and speedy recovery. School bus drivers perform an important job every day, transporting children safely to and from school, and this type of violence will not be tolerated,” Randolph Police Chief Anthony Marag said in a statement.

Police arrested Whitehead in Stoughton Wednesday night. He was charged with assault and battery on a person over the age of 60, witness intimidation, malicious destruction of property, and disorderly conduct. He was arraigned in Quincy District Court on Thursday and will be held without bail until his next hearing on May 5. Whitehead was seen shaking his head in court as the decision was announced.

Canton Public School employees will continue to ride the bus throughout the week. They have reached out to the families of the children who witnessed the events and provided counseling.

“We commend our students for responding so well in a very difficult and disturbing situation,” the school said in a statement.

The school bus did have video cameras on board that were recording, according to the police report. The footage has not been released.

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By Mike Sullivan

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    MILLIS, Massachusetts (WBZ) — A three-year battle over a dog’s life in Millis, Massachusetts is now shifting to a courtroom. The town believes Bentley, a Cane Corso, needs to be put down after he bit someone.

Bentley hasn’t had any issues since that incident, his owner said, but he remains on death row. For more than 1,000 days, Rebecca Martin has woken up with this thought on her mind, “Is today the day my dog dies?”

“Constantly, every day not knowing if he was going to live, or not what am I going to do?” said Martin.

Bentley has been destined to be euthanized ever since the incident three years ago. The Cane Corso was unleashed in the front yard as Martin approached a neighbor. Bentley then bit the woman.

“I was going to go say hi to her, and it was just a bad mistake,” said Martin.

“She was bit on both arms; that’s a significant bite. She had what she described as a slight fracture, but it didn’t need surgery,” said Martin’s lawyer Jeremy Cohen.

The case went before the Millis town select board and they voted to euthanize the animal, despite Martin’s lawyer saying the victim doesn’t want the dog to be put down.

“She has testified, even previously at a hearing, that she doesn’t want anything bad to happen to the dog,” said Cohen.

Martin has taken recommended safety measures since the attack, and the dog has been living with her incident-free ever since.

After numerous appeals, the case is now in Wrentham District Court. A judge heard from a trainer Thursday who just evaluated Bentley. He agreed to work with the family and said he’s already noticed proper care and behavior during his time with the dog.

The judge also heard from the victim’s mother, who walked by Bentley’s home last year and got a scare.

“I observed Bentley to be growling, barking, banging up against the window with his paws,” said Sharon Lee Jackson.

When the town select board made the decision to euthanize, Millis Animal Control Officer Erin Mallette told them her recommendation was for a statute of six corrective measures such as a muzzle and restraints. At the time, she did not recommend euthanasia but told the board it was an option.

In court Thursday, that changed. She told the judge she believed the dog should be put down.

Cohen asked Mallette if the dog had any reports of escaping or biting anyone since the incident three years ago. She said no, which prompted Cohen to ask why she was changing her recommendation. Mallette told the court the change was based on veterinary recommendations. She also testified that she did not evaluate Bentley the day of the bite and has not been with the dog since.

The case is still ongoing.

“It is the policy of the Town not to comment on pending litigation. Therefore, the Town has no comment at this time,” Millis town administrator Michael Guzinski told WBZ-TV in an email.

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By Caroline Foreback

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    PASADENA, Maryland (WJZ) — The varsity softball team for Chesapeake High School in Maryland was forced to forfeit two games after what Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) officials described as “inappropriate actions” directed at a Black player during a game last week.

The alleged incident occurred during a game at Crofton High School and was captured on a livestream. In a portion of that video, players can be heard making monkey animal noises while a Black student was pitching for Crofton.

Following disciplinary actions, Chesapeake High was forced to forfeit the games due to a lack of eligible players remaining, according to AACPS spokesperson Bob Mosier.

Mosier said he could not discuss specific disciplinary actions or which students were deemed ineligible, but confirmed the school took immediate action after the game.

“The situation arose from a recent in-game incident in which student-athletes engaged in inappropriate actions that do not align with our Athletics Department’s goals of respect and sportsmanship,” Mosier said in a statement. “The school acted swiftly and took appropriate action in the wake of the incident.”

He added that the district is committed to maintaining an inclusive environment for all students.

“We stand firm in the belief that we can be a school district in which every student — regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status or any other characteristic — can have a sense of belonging,” Mosier said. “However, that can only be true when we properly address instances in which actions run counter to that belief.”

Chesapeake forfeited its home conference game against Northeast on Monday and is also set to forfeit its game against South River.

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By Jordan Bontke

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    PHOENIX, Arizona (KNXV) — Addist Bennett reminds us how easy it is for some of us to fall into homelessness. A series of unfortunate events left Bennett without a roof over his head, searching for food at community kitchens, and not healthy enough to carry his own belongings.

A hernia he suffered on the job left him unable to work, and the dominoes began to fall.

“I just never thought my life would be reduced to pushing a cart,” Bennett said.

He lost his job at nearly 60 years old due to the injury, then his apartment, his IDs, and eventually his confidence. The hernia pain was so severe that it was, at times, debilitating.

“You can have so much pain it could literally cause you to pass out,” Bennett said.

One day, that excruciating pain struck at the top of a stairwell.

“The next thing I know, I’m at the bottom of the stairs, and didn’t know how I got there. Didn’t have no wallet, no laptop. Whoever came by saw me there, and took what I had,” Bennett said.

In roughly six months, his ailment had cost him nearly everything. He recalls looking to a higher power while pushing a cart on the streets.

“Just give me the strength to get back up and keep going,” Bennett said.

As quickly as things unraveled, it took Bennett years to claw his way back. He was homeless long enough to eventually be pictured on a pamphlet for Chandler’s homeless services.

He attributes his ascent out of homelessness to when he started volunteering at the Salvation Army, which connected him with Circle the City, an organization that helps people experiencing homelessness navigate the healthcare system.

“I just kept taking small steps,” Bennett said.

Once healthy, Bennett enrolled at Gateway Community College, studying HVAC, controls, and security. While still in school, he landed a job as a surveillance technician through a partnership with Johnson Controls.

Bennett described himself as a resilient weed — growing out of the pavement.

“I’m going to survive and grow, no matter what happens,” Bennett said.

Bennett will turn 60 next week. He plans to graduate with an associate’s degree by the fall — and says walking across the stage will be his first time doing so.

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